done about him and the other children on the estate. And what nasty thing happened at the quarry?”
“Nothing,” said Anne in surprise. “We played in the old car left there, and some of the others had a swim in the pool and there was a lovely little dog there called Patch.”
Mabel sharply drew her breath in. “They were lucky they weren’t drowned and that dog is out of control.”
Pandora realised with a feeling of unease that, in Mabel’s view, she had spoken, and therefore it was so. Like Pandora’s mother, Mabel’s beliefs overrode mere facts.
“He was nice,” said Sarah. “Can we have a dog, Mum?”
“No, and don’t contradict your Great Aunt,” said their mother sharply.
“And what is that on your knee, dear?” asked Mabel with a sly smile.
“Oh, that,” said Sarah after looking down at a small scab. “I fell over on the rocks and cut myself.”
“And yet you told me nothing bad happened at the quarry!” replied Mabel with smug satisfaction. Her tongue moistened her lips, lizard-like, as though delighted to have caught out the girls in a lie.
Pandora knew then that she hated the old woman.
“Nothing bad did happen,” said Anne in puzzlement, which earned another reprimand from their mother for arguing with their elders. The twins stared.
“I know where I’ve seen Mr Jackson before,” interrupted Pandora without thinking, the talk of the quarry giving her a sudden flash of recognition. “He was the man watching us from up on top of the quarry ledge when everyone went for a swim.”
“Rubbish!” retorted Mabel.
“What?” asked Pandora, taken aback at the venom in the old woman’s voice.
“The idea that Mr Jackson would be at the quarry! It’s a disgraceful thing to make up.”
“I’m not making it up,” snapped Pandora in anger. “I swear it was him. It was his build and height, and he had those binoculars hanging round his neck. That’s what I saw glinting in the sun.”
“Why on earth shouldn’t Mr Jackson be at the quarry?” demanded Mabel. “He’s a keen birdwatcher, a most innocent and admirable hobby.”
“Really?” asked Pandora, wondering at the sudden shift from flat-out denial that Mr Jackson was at the quarry to defending his presence there. “Then why did he run away when he saw me approaching him?”
“If he was there at all, he was bird watching,” said Mabel, her thin lips clamping together. “And something will have to be done about that dog and that Rawlins’ boy,” she added, the motion of her knitting needles and the rocking of her chair increasing with each word. “They are a menace and have been since the day they moved here. They should try and be more like Mr Jackson’s daughter, Tara. Such a polite, quiet, thoughtful girl. A credit to her parents. And a reflection on them,” she added, glaring significantly at Pandora.
“Well, maybe the Rawlins family will move out again,” replied Pandora, her tone making it clear that she wished she could.
“Oh no,” replied Mabel with a malicious look in her eyes that made Pandora shiver. “Nobody ever leaves the village.”
Chapter Sixteen
Monday morning dawned as bright and cheerful as the weekend had done. Mrs Laskaris roused Pandora and the twins early to get ready for their first day at their new school. She couldn’t wait to see her daughters dressed in their new uniforms.
“It itches,” complained Pandora. The heavy green skirt was especially uncomfortable.
“Oh, stop complaining,” replied her mother. “You all look lovely. Now, make sure you stand up straight, don’t slouch and try to speak clearly and properly.”
“Yes, Mother,” replied Pandora, glancing at the twins and rolling her eyes. Surprisingly, they didn’t giggle as they usually did but just smiled quietly. Pandora hoped they weren’t upset about anything.
“I’ve only got your best interest at heart,” snapped Mrs Laskaris, her face flushing a deep red colour. “Not that I expect
“Nothing,” said Anne in surprise. “We played in the old car left there, and some of the others had a swim in the pool and there was a lovely little dog there called Patch.”
Mabel sharply drew her breath in. “They were lucky they weren’t drowned and that dog is out of control.”
Pandora realised with a feeling of unease that, in Mabel’s view, she had spoken, and therefore it was so. Like Pandora’s mother, Mabel’s beliefs overrode mere facts.
“He was nice,” said Sarah. “Can we have a dog, Mum?”
“No, and don’t contradict your Great Aunt,” said their mother sharply.
“And what is that on your knee, dear?” asked Mabel with a sly smile.
“Oh, that,” said Sarah after looking down at a small scab. “I fell over on the rocks and cut myself.”
“And yet you told me nothing bad happened at the quarry!” replied Mabel with smug satisfaction. Her tongue moistened her lips, lizard-like, as though delighted to have caught out the girls in a lie.
Pandora knew then that she hated the old woman.
“Nothing bad did happen,” said Anne in puzzlement, which earned another reprimand from their mother for arguing with their elders. The twins stared.
“I know where I’ve seen Mr Jackson before,” interrupted Pandora without thinking, the talk of the quarry giving her a sudden flash of recognition. “He was the man watching us from up on top of the quarry ledge when everyone went for a swim.”
“Rubbish!” retorted Mabel.
“What?” asked Pandora, taken aback at the venom in the old woman’s voice.
“The idea that Mr Jackson would be at the quarry! It’s a disgraceful thing to make up.”
“I’m not making it up,” snapped Pandora in anger. “I swear it was him. It was his build and height, and he had those binoculars hanging round his neck. That’s what I saw glinting in the sun.”
“Why on earth shouldn’t Mr Jackson be at the quarry?” demanded Mabel. “He’s a keen birdwatcher, a most innocent and admirable hobby.”
“Really?” asked Pandora, wondering at the sudden shift from flat-out denial that Mr Jackson was at the quarry to defending his presence there. “Then why did he run away when he saw me approaching him?”
“If he was there at all, he was bird watching,” said Mabel, her thin lips clamping together. “And something will have to be done about that dog and that Rawlins’ boy,” she added, the motion of her knitting needles and the rocking of her chair increasing with each word. “They are a menace and have been since the day they moved here. They should try and be more like Mr Jackson’s daughter, Tara. Such a polite, quiet, thoughtful girl. A credit to her parents. And a reflection on them,” she added, glaring significantly at Pandora.
“Well, maybe the Rawlins family will move out again,” replied Pandora, her tone making it clear that she wished she could.
“Oh no,” replied Mabel with a malicious look in her eyes that made Pandora shiver. “Nobody ever leaves the village.”
Chapter Sixteen
Monday morning dawned as bright and cheerful as the weekend had done. Mrs Laskaris roused Pandora and the twins early to get ready for their first day at their new school. She couldn’t wait to see her daughters dressed in their new uniforms.
“It itches,” complained Pandora. The heavy green skirt was especially uncomfortable.
“Oh, stop complaining,” replied her mother. “You all look lovely. Now, make sure you stand up straight, don’t slouch and try to speak clearly and properly.”
“Yes, Mother,” replied Pandora, glancing at the twins and rolling her eyes. Surprisingly, they didn’t giggle as they usually did but just smiled quietly. Pandora hoped they weren’t upset about anything.
“I’ve only got your best interest at heart,” snapped Mrs Laskaris, her face flushing a deep red colour. “Not that I expect
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