Yeah, I’d seen it’s really bad. Especially near Willow Barn where Nancy lives. 11:17
Imogen Wood, Rosie’s mum
It’s only got bad since she’s moved in. 11:19
Erin Mackie, Tilly’s mum
What if the dog drank some of Nancy’s water and wandered up to the farm? 11:20
Hannah Chapman, Jakob’s mum
Nancy’swater? Are you mad? 11:21
Erin Mackie, Tilly’s mum
Just a turn of phrase. 11:21
TWENTY-SIX
Thursday 15 October
A cluster of girls from Miss Young’s class gathered together in the playground, excitedly chatting about something. Their backs were turned, barring anyone else from their exclusive conversation.
It was impossible to miss. Especially if you weren’t a part of it. Nancy felt Lara slow beside her and she scrambled around for something to say, to take her daughter’s mind off it.
‘Fish and chips tonight,’ she said, but it landed flat. Of course it did, Lara was too old to be palmed off with such distractions. Tilly was running towards them and Nancy’s heart sank – what world record-breaking feat did this girl have to boast about now? But to her surprise, Tilly kept on running until she’d passed them and joined the group of girls. Nancy and Lara watched as a gap was made to let her in. Then Rosie, who appeared to be holding court, handed her a green envelope. Tilly threw her arms around Rosie then ripped open the envelope and pulled out a brightly coloured card – a party invitation.
The girls were still squealing and fragments of their conversation floated on the air:
‘—I’m going to be a witch—’
‘—my mum’s getting me a proper bucket for the sweets—’
‘—I swear I was sick last year—’
All the while Nancy felt Lara shrink with humiliation, and yet when she glanced at her daughter’s face, she saw a longing to be a part of the group.
Rosie looked up then and caught Lara’s eye. She gave a small, triumphant smile, then turned back to the other girls, thoroughly enjoying their attention.
Nancy glowered. ‘Whatever it is,’ she said to Lara, ‘don’t let it get to you.’
‘It’s pretty hard, Mum,’ said Lara.
Nancy’s heart cracked. She looked back at the girls. It seemed quite a large group – there was Rosie, Tilly, Bella, that girl with the glasses, the one who was almost as tall as her mother...and then something dawned on her. It wasallthe girls in Miss Young’s class. All of them except for Lara. And each one was clutching a green envelope.
Anger erupted deep inside her.What a shitty thing to do.
‘How are the chickens getting on?’
Nancy turned to see Hannah dropping off Jakob. ‘What? Oh, fine.’
‘Laying well?’
‘Yes. In fact, we have more than we need. I’m selling a few in boxes at the front gate.’
Hannah suddenly noticed the squealing girls clutching their envelopes. ‘Someone having a party?’ she said, thenher gaze fell to Lara, standing alone, pushing a piece of gravel around with her shoe.
‘I take it...?’ she said quietly.
