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It makes a bit of excitement. You never know, you see. One day I’ll look out of my back windows and I’ll see them there. ” “Well, we’ll go and look at it,” said Francine. “We haven’t much time. We have to be back by four. ” “Yes … look. There’s a short cut round by the cottages, you can’t miss it.

He was very much the artist and when he worked in his studio making those beautiful women who had a look of my mother or my sister, he had always seemed far away. We always laughed at his absentmindedness. Francine bustled about the studio keeping us all in order. Our mother, for a long time, had been too ill to do very much; she was just there—a benign presence and an inspiration to us all. She had talked to visitors and made them welcome and they all enjoyed that; and as long as Francine was there everything held together.

Our father was frowning. “You children have no idea,” he said. “You have been surrounded by love. We have been poor, yes. ” I ran to him and threw myself at him. He held me very tightly in his arms. “Little Pippa,” he said, “you have been happy, yes? You must always remember Pippa’s song. We named you for that, Pippa. ’” “Yes,” I cried. ” Francine said, “Go and sit down, Pippa. You’re interrupting Father. ” Our father was silent for a while and then he said, “Your grandfather is a good man. Make no mistake about that.