Morning in Averbury was the bloomest. It was broad daylight when Clare awoke and sat up in bed, staring confusedly at the pleasantly bright yellow room. Through the windows poured a flood of cheery sunshine and outside something white and feathery waved across glimpses of blue sky.
For a moment Clare could not remember where she was. First came a delightful thrill of seeing beautiful nature which her previous life was deprived of, then a horrible remembrance. The one who owned all this earthly beauty was such an unpleasant person.
But it was morning and, for the first time in years, she didn't have to rush out to go to work. There was a cherry-tree in full bloom outside of her window. It grew so close that its boughs tapped against the house, and it was so thick-set with pastel pink bloo
