Summer Pudding, page 22
“There’s a good job being offered you. Mr. Broadstairs is writing to you to ask you to housekeeper the school.”
“I think you’d like it,” Janet added.
Gladys nodded.
“I dare say. One job will be the same as another now. I don’t care where I go.”
Trying desperately to help, Janet remembered the one source of comfort she knew. She took hold of Gladys’ arm.
“You come to my mother. You can have my room, and I’ll manage on the sofa. You won’t want to go back to the farm tonight.” She glanced at Donald over her shoulder. “Go on and look after Iris.” She did not add, “And I’ll be up later on,” but Donald knew what she meant.
Maggie was bursting for Janet’s return. She was longing to tell her the news, and yet shy. Still, if there was one person who would understand, it was her Jan. She busied herself after the colonel, Dick and Barbara had left, packing Sheila’s things.
“It’s no good moaning, dear,” she said firmly. “This once you’ll get no sympathy from me. A lot of sentimental twaddle you’ve been dreaming, and perhaps the best cure is castor-oil, and you’ve taken that.”
“Even Janet’s nicer than you are,” Sheila sobbed.
“You don’t deserve that she should be. Letting us all live here under false pretences. I should think it’s an offence against the law.”
Sheila gave a hiccoughing moan.
“I’d as soon go to prison as be driven away to live in a canteen.”
Maggie folded some cami-knickers.
“You won’t live in a canteen. I wish I thought you wouldn’t get the best of what’s going, but I know you will.”
“I wish I was dead.” Maggie set her mouth and went on folding. “Nobody knows what love scorned feels like but me. A broken heart is a most awfully painful thing. It’s an illness, really. Actually I think I shall take the veil and go into a monastery.”
Maggie’s lips twitched; she struggled with herself, then she began to laugh. She sat down on the bed and took Sheila in her arms.
“My silly goose! If you did take the veil I can quite believe you’d try and enter a monastery instead of a convent. Now stop crying; it’s no good my telling you what I think of you, for one thing I shouldn’t have time to get through it all before your train leaves. I’ll just tell you one thing, and you’ll have to take my word for it; however you feel at this minute, life hasn’t finished for you.” She patted the pillows, and gave Sheila a kiss. There was a twinkle in her eye. “In fact I think we can say about to-day that it was only the end of chapter one.”
Maggie was in the kitchen getting Sheila a drink when Janet brought Gladys in. Her call of, “Come here, Jan,” was on her lips. At sight of Gladys’ face all thought of herself disappeared; here was suffering and she knew all about that.
“Make a pot of tea, Jan,” she said lightly. “Miss Batten and I will have it in the sitting-room and take a cup up to Sheila.” She led the apparently stunned Gladys to an armchair. “There’s nothing like a cup of tea. It’s a national joke saying so, but it’s true, you know, and in my life I’ve had occasion to find out.”
It was half an hour later before Maggie came out of the sitting-room. Janet was leaning against the lintel of the open back door.
“How is she?”
“She’s had a good cry. She’s better for it. Poor woman!”
“I knew you wouldn’t mind my bringing her to you. She looked so awful I had to do something. You always comfort somehow. Besides, it’s been a bit of a day, and I seemed used up.”
“From what I gathered from Gladys it’s had a good end though.”
“Glorious! It’s not over yet either. I’m going up to the farm just to say good night.” Janet turned and hugged Maggie. “Oh, gosh! I’m so happy. You must think me a mean beast with Gladys crying in one room and Sheila howling in another. Not that I really mind about Sheila. Poor lamb! Fancy believing in fairy-tales!”
Maggie flushed and then gave a positively childish giggle.
“It runs in the family, darling, even the bit about living happily ever after. You see, I’m going to marry the colonel.”
The country can look enchanted in the half light, and Janet ran through fields dimmed by an evening mist, under a sky crimsoned by the setting sun. “It can’t be true,” she thought. “This can’t be me. Nobody on earth can really be so happy. Everything can’t be as lovely as I see it.”
Iris’ excited squeak greeted Janet as she came into the farm.
“Janet, Janet! Come and say good night.”
Janet ran up the stairs. Donald was sitting on Iris’ bed. Janet looked at them with mock disapproval.
“Why aren’t you asleep, Iris?”
“We’ve been playing blow feather. Daddy’s got a bigger blow than me.” The feather fluttered off the bed. Iris made a clucking sound with her tongue. “Drat the plaguey thing.”
Donald picked it up.
“Here it is, Mrs. Honeywell.” He stuck it on Janet’s face.
“Excuse me, Miss Brain, you’ve a bit of moss on your chin.”
They laughed. Iris looked puzzled.
“Why do you call a feather moss? An’ why are you laughing?”
Janet hugged her, and tucked in her sheet.
“Just for happiness, darling.”
T H E E N D
About The Author
Susan Scarlett is a pseudonym of the author Noel Streatfeild (1895-1986). She was born in Sussex, England, the second of five surviving children of William Champion Streatfeild, later the Bishop of Lewes, and Janet Venn. As a child she showed an interest in acting, and upon reaching adulthood sought a career in theatre, which she pursued for ten years, in addition to modelling. Her familiarity with the stage was the basis for many of her popular books.
Her first children’s book was Ballet Shoes (1936), which launched a successful career writing for children. In addition to children’s books and memoirs, she also wrote fiction for adults, including romantic novels under the name ‘Susan Scarlett’. The twelve Susan Scarlett novels are now republished by Dean Street Press.
Noel Streatfeild was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1983.
Adult Fiction by Noel Streatfeild
As Noel Streatfeild
The Whicharts (1931)
Parson’s Nine (1932)
Tops and Bottoms (1933)
A Shepherdess of Sheep (1934)
It Pays to be Good (1936)
Caroline England (1937)
Luke (1939)
The Winter is Past (1940)
I Ordered a Table for Six (1942)
Myra Carroll (1944)
Saplings (1945)
Grass in Piccadilly (1947)
Mothering Sunday (1950)
Aunt Clara (1952)
Judith (1956)
The Silent Speaker (1961)
As Susan Scarlett
(all available from Dean Street Press)
Clothes-Pegs (1939)
Sally-Ann (1939)
Peter and Paul (1940)
Ten Way Street (1940)
The Man in the Dark (1940)
Babbacombe’s (1941)
Under the Rainbow (1942)
Summer Pudding (1943)
Murder While You Work (1944)
Poppies for England (1948)
Pirouette (1948)
Love in a Mist (1951)
FURROWED MIDDLEBROW
FM1. A Footman for the Peacock (1940) . . . RACHEL FERGUSON
FM2. Evenfield (1942) . . . RACHEL FERGUSON
FM3. A Harp in Lowndes Square (1936) . . . RACHEL FERGUSON
FM4. A Chelsea Concerto (1959) . . . FRANCES FAVIELL
FM5. The Dancing Bear (1954) . . . FRANCES FAVIELL
FM6. A House on the Rhine (1955) . . . FRANCES FAVIELL
FM7. Thalia (1957) . . . FRANCES FAVIELL
FM8. The Fledgeling (1958) . . . FRANCES FAVIELL
FM9. Bewildering Cares (1940) . . . WINIFRED PECK
FM10. Tom Tiddler’s Ground (1941) . . . URSULA ORANGE
FM11. Begin Again (1936) . . . URSULA ORANGE
FM12. Company in the Evening (1944) . . . URSULA ORANGE
FM13. The Late Mrs Prioleau (1946) . . . MONICA TINDALL
FM14. Bramton Wick (1952) . . . ELIZABETH FAIR
FM15. Landscape in Sunlight (1953) . . . ELIZABETH FAIR
FM16. The Native Heath (1954) . . . ELIZABETH FAIR
FM17. Seaview House (1955) . . . ELIZABETH FAIR
FM18. A Winter Away (1957) . . . ELIZABETH FAIR
FM19. The Mingham Air (1960) . . . ELIZABETH FAIR
FM20. The Lark (1922) . . . E. NESBIT
FM21. Smouldering Fire (1935) . . . D.E. STEVENSON
FM22. Spring Magic (1942) . . . D.E. STEVENSON
FM23. Mrs. Tim Carries On (1941) . . . D.E. STEVENSON
FM24. Mrs. Tim Gets a Job (1947) . . . D.E. STEVENSON
FM25. Mrs. Tim Flies Home (1952) . . . D.E. STEVENSON
FM26. Alice (1950) . . . ELIZABETH ELIOT
FM27. Henry (1950) . . . ELIZABETH ELIOT
FM28. Mrs. Martell (1953) . . . ELIZABETH ELIOT
FM29. Cecil (1962) . . . ELIZABETH ELIOT
FM30. Nothing to Report (1940) . . . CAROLA OMAN
FM31. Somewhere in England (1943) . . . CAROLA OMAN
FM32. Spam Tomorrow (1956) . . . VERILY ANDERSON
FM33. Peace, Perfect Peace (1947) . . . JOSEPHINE KAMM
FM34. Beneath the Visiting Moon (1940) . . . ROMILLY CAVAN
FM35. Table Two (1942) . . . MARJORIE WILENSKI
FM36. The House Opposite (1943) . . . BARBARA NOBLE
FM37. Miss Carter and the Ifrit (1945) . . . SUSAN ALICE KERBY
FM38. Wine of Honour (1945) . . . BARBARA BEAUCHAMP
FM39. A Game of Snakes and Ladders (1938, 1955) . . . DORIS LANGLEY MOORE
FM40. Not at Home (1948) . . . DORIS LANGLEY MOORE
FM41. All Done by Kindness (1951) . . . DORIS LANGLEY MOORE
FM42. My Caravaggio Style (1959) . . . DORIS LANGLEY MOORE
FM43. Vittoria Cottage (1949) . . . D.E. STEVENSON
FM44. Music in the Hills (1950) . . . D.E. STEVENSON
FM45. Winter or Rough Weather (1951) . . . D.E. STEVENSON
FM46. Fresh from the Country (1960) . . . MISS READ
FM47. Miss Mole (1930) . . . E.H. YOUNG
FM48. A House in the Country (1957) . . . RUTH ADAM
FM49. Much Dithering (1937) . . . DOROTHY LAMBERT
FM50. Miss Plum and Miss Penny (1959) . . . DOROTHY EVELYN SMITH
FM51. Village Story (1951) . . . CELIA BUCKMASTER
FM52. Family Ties (1952) . . . CELIA BUCKMASTER
FM53. Rhododendron Pie (1930) . . . MARGERY SHARP
FM54. Fanfare for Tin Trumpets (1932) . . . MARGERY SHARP
FM55. Four Gardens (1935) . . . MARGERY SHARP
FM56. Harlequin House (1939) . . . MARGERY SHARP
FM57. The Stone of Chastity (1940) . . . MARGERY SHARP
FM58. The Foolish Gentlewoman (1948) . . . MARGERY SHARP
FM59. The Swiss Summer (1951) . . . STELLA GIBBONS
FM60. A Pink Front Door (1959) . . . STELLA GIBBONS
FM61. The Weather at Tregulla (1962) . . . STELLA GIBBONS
FM62. The Snow-Woman (1969) . . . STELLA GIBBONS
FM63. The Woods in Winter (1970) . . . STELLA GIBBONS
FM64. Apricot Sky (1952) . . . RUBY FERGUSON
FM65. Susan Settles Down (1936) . . . MOLLY CLAVERING
FM66. Yoked with a Lamb (1938) . . . MOLLY CLAVERING
FM67. Love Comes Home (1938) . . . MOLLY CLAVERING
FM68. Touch not the Nettle (1939) . . . MOLLY CLAVERING
FM69. Mrs. Lorimer’s Quiet Summer (1953) . . . MOLLY CLAVERING
FM70. Because of Sam (1953) . . . MOLLY CLAVERING
FM71. Dear Hugo (1955) . . . MOLLY CLAVERING
FM72. Near Neighbours (1956) . . . MOLLY CLAVERING
FM73. The Fair Miss Fortune (1938) . . . D.E. STEVENSON
FM74. Green Money (1939) . . . D.E. STEVENSON
FM75. The English Air (1940) . . . D.E. STEVENSON*
FM76. Kate Hardy (1947) . . . D.E. STEVENSON
FM77. Young Mrs. Savage (1948) . . . D.E. STEVENSON
FM78. Five Windows (1953) . . . D.E. STEVENSON*
FM79. Charlotte Fairlie (1954) . . . D.E. STEVENSON
FM80. The Tall Stranger (1957) . . . D.E. STEVENSON*
FM81. Anna and Her Daughters (1958) . . . D.E. STEVENSON*
FM82. The Musgraves (1960) . . . D.E. STEVENSON
FM83. The Blue Sapphire (1963) . . . D.E. STEVENSON*
FM84. The Marble Staircase (c.1960) . . . ELIZABETH FAIR
FM85. Clothes-Pegs (1939) . . . SUSAN SCARLETT**
FM86. Sally-Ann (1939) . . . SUSAN SCARLETT**
FM87. Peter and Paul (1940) . . . SUSAN SCARLETT**
FM88. Ten Way Street (1940) . . . SUSAN SCARLETT**
FM89. The Man in the Dark (1939) . . . SUSAN SCARLETT**
FM90. Babbacombe’s (1941) . . . SUSAN SCARLETT**
FM91. Under the Rainbow (1942) . . . SUSAN SCARLETT**
FM92. Summer Pudding (1943) . . . SUSAN SCARLETT**
FM93. Murder While You Work (1944) . . . SUSAN SCARLETT**
FM94. Poppies for England (1948) . . . SUSAN SCARLETT**
FM95. Pirouette (1948) . . . SUSAN SCARLETT**
FM96. Love in a Mist (1951) . . . SUSAN SCARLETT**
* Titles available in paperback only
** Pseudonym of Noel Streatfeild
A Furrowed Middlebrow Book
FM92
Published by Dean Street Press 2022
Copyright © 1943 The Estate of Noel Streatfeild
Introduction copyright © 2022 Elizabeth Crawford
All Rights Reserved
First published in 1943 by Hodder & Stoughton
Cover by DSP
ISBN 978 1 915393 23 4
www.deanstreetpress.co.uk
Susan Scarlett, Summer Pudding
