White Water by Pamela Oldfield

curiously. ‘You loved my father, they say. Is that true?’
    ‘Oh, it’s true enough. Great times we had and a lot of fun. We often sat here, just like this. That was before he knew he was a Kendal. Simon Betts, he was, when I first knew him. Simon Betts, the baker’s lad.’
    She laughed and Allan smiled with her. ‘Head over heels in love I was and he fancied me. Oh, you needn’t grin like that. I was pretty then with brown curls and — ’ She stopped and sighed, fingering her greying hair.
    ‘You’re still bonny,’ he told her. ‘Go on with the story. I’ve never heard it all told.’
    Maggie laughed. ‘Not much more to tell, really,’ she said. ‘I was crazy for him, but one day he met your aunt Melissa and that was the end of my romance.’
    ‘Aunt Melissa? But — ’
    ‘Ah, we know they’re related but you see they didn’t. Not then. No one knew. Being a bastard, he’d been given to a family called Betts. Oh, he was a fine lad, your pa. I was so jealous. I knew there was someone else, you see. I spied on him to find out who it was. Followed him one evening and saw them together. Then I went to his father and told him.’
    ‘Maggie!’
    ‘I know, I know. ’Twas a spiteful trick, but I was so in love with him and it broke my heart. Still, it was as well I did for they was brother and sister and only the father knew it. Dear oh Lord, that stirred up a hornet’s nest, I can tell you. He was sent packing and I never saw him again. Not until he was acknowledged, that is. Once his brothers were both dead, he was the only heir and Luke Kendal brought him into Heron.’
    ‘And Aunt Melissa later married Thomas?’
    ‘Aye — and very happy they’ve been, bless them. She’s forgiven me. We’re friends. Your father wed Hannah and they were very happy.’
    ‘And poor old Maggie — ’
    She laughed ruefully. ‘Life’s funny,’ she said simply. ‘Simon loved Melissa and he grew to love Hannah, but ’twas me that was with him the night he died. I’ll always be thankful for that.’
    Allan nodded. He had heard the story from the servants. ‘You met up on the battlefield outside London,’ he said.
    ‘Aye. That Wyatt and his ill-fated rebellion! Next day I found Simon dead of his wounds and sat with him until they came for his body.’
    ‘And then — ’ he prompted, to turn her thoughts away from sad memories.
    ‘Then? Oh, you know it. Hugo was widowed and in time he wed Hannah. They had young Beatrice, bless her.’ She smiled. ‘And all the time Maria was pining for Hugo but she had a long wait. She despaired, I reckon. Took herself off to that nunnery, poor soul. But then the Lord saw fit to take Hannah when she gave birth to Master Martin. Oh, a real scamp, he was … So then there were three motherless Kendal children.’
    ‘Until Hugo and Maria wed.’
    ‘Aye and a real love match that was. Then they had Master Piers and little Lorna.’ She shrugged suddenly ‘And what do I do during all these excitements? Why, I make pies and puddings and apple dumplings — ’
    ‘The best pies and puddings,’ he corrected her cheerfully, but she shook her head and sighed.
    Allan was silent, then he put an arm round her shoulders. ‘Poor Maggie,’ he said softly.
    ‘Aye. Poor Maggie. Poor Allan. We all have our griefs and we all live through them to happier times.’ She sighed deeply, then with an effort, shook off the melancholy. ‘Now then, young Allan. That’s enough talking for one day. “Poor Maggie” has got work to do. Pastry to roll and pies to bake and here I am sitting over the fire gossiping.’
    ‘I’ll help you, Maggie,’ he offered but she shook her head.
    ‘I’d love to take you up on it, but your place is at Heron. Maria will need you. She must be at her wits’ end.’
    ‘Just for an hour, then, Maggie,’ he pleaded. ‘Let me help you for an hour and then I’ll go home.’
    She hesitated. ‘A Kendal rolling pastry and chopping meat?’
    He smiled. ‘’Twas