Emma’s Wedding. Betty Neels

van Dyke, coming round the corner, stopped short, wished them a cheerful hello and gave Emma a look to send the colour into her cheeks. It said all too clearly that she hadn’t wasted much time in finding someone to take Derek’s place.

      He went into the baker’s, and she bade a final hasty goodbye to Brian and almost ran to the cottage. The doctor would think…She didn’t go too deeply into what he would think; she hoped that she wouldn’t see him again for a very long time.

      It was a brilliant morning on Saturday, and already warm when she got to Mrs Brooke-Tigh’s house, collected her cleaning brushes and cloths and started on her chores. From a bedroom window she watched Mrs Brooke-Tigh go down the lane, swinging her beach bag. On Saturday mornings she went to the hotel at the other end of the town, which had a swimming pool and a delightful terrace where one could laze for hours. The moment she was out of sight the girl in the other cottage crossed over and came upstairs.

      ‘Thought I’d let you know I’ve given in my notice. She’s furious; she’ll never get anyone by Wednesday. Wouldn’t hurt her to do a bit of housework herself. Mind she doesn’t expect you to take on any more work.’

      Emma was stripping beds. ‘I don’t see how she can…’

      ‘She’ll think of something. I’d better get on, I suppose. Bye.’

      Mrs Brooke-Tigh came back earlier than usual; Emma was setting the tea tray ready for the next tenants when she walked in.

      ‘That girl’s leaving,’ she told Emma without preamble. ‘She never was much good but at least she was a pair of hands. I’ll never get anyone else at such short notice. We will have to manage as best we can. I shall notify the next two weeks’ tenants that they can’t come in until six o’clock. If you come at nine o’clock and work until six you can do both cottages. I’ll pay you another fifteen pounds a day—thirty pounds a week more.’

      Emma didn’t answer at once. The money would be useful…‘I’m willing to do that for the next week and, if I must, the second week. But no longer than that.’

      Mrs Brooke-Tigh sniffed. ‘I should have thought that you would have jumped at the chance of more money.’ She would have said more, but the look Emma gave her left the words dying on her tongue. Instead she said ungraciously, ‘Well, all right, I’ll agree to that.’ She turned to go. ‘Bring your stuff over and I’ll pay you.’

      There was a car outside the door as she left. It appeared to be full of small children, and a friendly young woman, the one who had been with the doctor, got out. ‘I say, hello, how nice to meet you again. We’re here for a week so we must get to know each other.’ She smiled. ‘Where’s that woman who runs the place?’

      ‘I’ll fetch her,’ said Emma, ‘and I’d love to see you again.’