‘Are you really a housekeeper, and not some kind of nanny?’
‘Hey, do I look like Mary Poppins?’ Hester demanded, resorting to indignation to avoid a direct lie.
‘No. But you don’t look like a housekeeper either.’ Lowri giggled, then sighed gustily. ‘Anyway, Mary Poppins had two children to look after, and I’m only one. I’d just love to have a baby sister—even a baby brother would do.’
‘Maybe that will happen one day.’
‘I don’t think so,’ Lowri said forlornly, then brightened. ‘But I’ve made lots of friends in school.’
‘That’s good. Your father says you really like it there.’
‘I don’t like all the lessons, but otherwise it’s great. Some girls get homesick, but I don’t.’
Because you don’t have a mother, thought Hester with compassion. ‘Right, I must get these things indoors. Would you carry the jug, please?’
Once the kitchen was tidy, Hester said it was time to unpack.
Lowri made a face. ‘The trunk will be a mess. I’m rubbish at packing.’
‘Then let’s attack it right away. You can tell me where to put everything.’
‘I don’t really know. I’ve only been here once, and that wasn’t to sleep,’ said Lowri. ‘I usually go back to Grandma’s for school holidays, but last half-term I went to stay with Chloe Martin. It was brilliant. She’s got two brothers and a little sister and her mother’s very nice.’
‘Is her father nice too?’ asked Hester as they went upstairs together.
‘Oh, yes, but I didn’t see him much. He’s in the police. A deputy something.’
No wonder Lowri was allowed to stay there. ‘Deputy Chief Constable?’
‘That’s right.’ The child scowled at the trunk beside her bed. ‘I just hate this part.’ She looked guilty as Hester raised the lid. ‘I’ve got some clean things in my backpack, but it’s all got a bit jumbled in here.’ She sighed. ‘If you were Mary Poppins you could make everything fly into the drawers.’
‘Since I’m not, you can hang the things up from your backpack and I’ll take this lot down to be washed. Your blazer and skirt must go to the dry cleaners.’ Hester cast an assessing eye at the tall, slender child. ‘But I think you need new ones. You’ve grown out of these.’
‘Yes!’ Lowri punched the air in triumph. ‘How soon can we go shopping? I want new jeans, lots of tops, trainers, a miniskirt like Chloe’s—’
‘Hold on,’ said Hester, laughing. ‘I need a chat with your father first.’
Hester loaded the washing machine then suggested they take a stroll in Victoria Park, but, with Connah’s instructions fresh in her mind, she asked Sam to drive them there.
‘I’ll wait here, Hester,’ he said as he parked near the entrance gates. He took a paperback thriller from the glove compartment. ‘I’m well prepared.’
‘Are you sure about this, Sam?’ asked Hester.
‘If you mean is it OK with the boss, yes. Just press my button and I’ll come after you at the double if you need me. Not,’ he added, looking round the peaceful, sunlit park, ‘that I think you will.’
‘I don’t either.’ She smiled wryly. ‘But I’d rather not break any rules on my first day.’
Hester’s previous charges had all been toddlers with limited conversation and it was a refreshing change to listen to Lowri talk about her friends in school and the boy from the farm near her grandmother’s home.
‘I used to go there to buy eggs with Alice—she was my nanny when I was little. Owen’s twelve, but he’s only a bit taller than me,’ she said with satisfaction. ‘He’s nice. He helps on the farm after school and his father pays him wages. I just get pocket money.’ Lowri looked at Hester hopefully. ‘I’ve got some left. I could treat you to an ice cream from the park café. May I?’
‘I don’t see why not. I’ll have a vanilla cone, please.’
Lowri’s long legs covered the short distance to the café at top speed.
‘Thank you,’ said Hester, accepting her ice cream. ‘Do you want to walk or sit while we eat these?’
‘Walk, please!’ Lowri cast Hester a glance as she licked. ‘Do you live here in the town?’
‘When I’m not working in other people’s houses, yes. I have a flat all to myself at my stepfather’s home.’
‘One of my friends has a stepfather and she doesn’t like him.’
‘How sad for her! I’m lucky. Robert’s a darling. He had my flat redecorated just for me. If your father agrees,’ Hester added, ‘I could take you to see it one day, if you like.’
Lowri’s eyes widened. ‘Go to your house? Could I?’
‘We’ll ask your father this evening. If he gives permission, I’ll get my mother to make cakes. She’s a great cook.’
‘I hope Daddy says yes,’ said Lowri wistfully. ‘I never go to other people’s houses, except to play with Owen sometimes.’
‘You stayed with your friend Chloe,’ Hester reminded her.
‘Only because Grandma was too ill to have me for half-term.’
As they strolled back to the car, Hester hoped she hadn’t raised hopes that Connah Carey Jones would dash. But he’d not only met her mother, he had good reason to be grateful to her. His daughter would come to no harm in the Marshall household.
As soon as they got back, Hester provided Lowri with milk and biscuits, then took a tea tray up to the study.
Connah looked up at her in surprise. ‘Hester! Sam could have done this.’
‘I’m supposed to be the housekeeper,’ she reminded him. ‘Lowri chose the biscuits, so please eat one or two.’
He stared down at the plate, bemused. ‘Oh. Right. Thank you.’
‘If you can spare a few minutes, I’d like to talk to you later,’ she informed him.
‘Problems?’ he said sharply.
‘None at all, so far. But I need instructions. You’re obviously busy right now, so perhaps you’ll let me know when it’s convenient.’ She smiled politely and went from the room, closing the door behind her.
She found Lowri glued to a cooking programme on the kitchen television, and Sam got up to go, eyeing Hester with something like diffidence. ‘I eat my dinner downstairs on my own in peace, by the way.’
‘Then I’ll make a plate up for you. Any dislikes?’
‘You serve it, I’ll eat it,’ he assured her. ‘Thanks, that would be great, Hester. Connah eats at seven when Lowri’s with him, so I’ll collect mine a few minutes beforehand, if that suits.’
‘Of course. I’ll ring down when it’s ready.’
Lowri tore her eyes away from the television when he’d gone. ‘This programme’s making me hungry.’
‘Then let’s see what’s on the menu for dinner,’ said Hester and went off to the giant refrigerator to find that Sam had ordered every conceivable kind of food necessary to serve a cold supper.
‘Can we have more of your chicken?’ said Lowri eagerly.
‘We certainly can. I’ll lay the dining room table.’