Chapter 2Marlborough, Wiltshire. Five weeks later.
Charlotte sat by the writing desk in the cramped front room of the cottage, glad to be alone for a moment. Much as she was pleased to be home with her beloved relatives until she found her next position, it was a relief to drop the pretence of being happy.
She couldn’t tell her family how miserable she was with her working life. Her mother had suffered enough. The sudden death of a beloved spouse was exacerbated by a move from a splendid house in the main thoroughfare of Kingsbury Street to a small, rented dwelling on a side street. This led to a subsequent loss of status in small-town life. Charlotte knew she must appear cheerful for her and the children, but sometimes that was a strain.
Hearing the joyful shouts of her little brothers
