The Penningtons (27 page)

Daisy took the envelope and swallowed hard, suddenly unable to speak. Finally she said, ‘Maybe, Ma, when we get home and Pa is back from work, you could read it aloud for us – one mother for another.’

Martha brushed tears from her eyes and smiled at her daughter. ‘Thank you, Dais. I’d love to.’

The letter was short and to the point.

Dear Dorothea,

This is to tell you that I love you and to say how sorry I am for any hurt my actions and this revelation might bring you later. Please forgive me. I know that you have had loving parents and for that I am deeply grateful. God bless and keep you.

Your loving mother, Cressida Pennington.

Daisy shared the letter with Steven next time they met, as they walked alongside the river, and he marvelled at the convoluted series of events which had brought him and Daisy together.

‘Do you think it was meant to be?’ Daisy asked him, relieved by his positive attitude towards the Pennington history.

‘Of course it was meant!’

‘So everything is the same . . . between you and me?’

‘I certainly hope so!’ To prove it he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

Daisy, lost in her own new and bewildering world, missed the significance of the first kiss. ‘I shall stop working for Monty,’ she told him. ‘He has Miss Dutton and he doesn’t need me and I can’t bear to see them all, day in, day out, knowing what I know about them.’

‘Are you sure that’s what you want, Daisy? It can’t be an easy decision.’

She nodded her head firmly. ‘I’ve talked to Ma and Pa and they agree it’s up to me – and that’s what I think is best. I don’t want the Penningtons to know anything about what happened.’ She hesitated. ‘I’m still Daisy Letts. I don’t want to be a Pennington. The truth is, Steven, that the Penningtons aren’t a very nice family – not nearly as nice as mine! And I can easily get another job.’

‘But you have a lot of money now, Daisy.’

‘I know but I don’t want to think about that just yet. It’s a bit of a worry, in some ways.’

‘A big responsibility, I’m sure.’

‘Yes.’ She regarded him earnestly. ‘You may think me very odd but I’d like to be a housemaid for a few more years. I’m happy as I am and I don’t want big changes in my life. Does that make any sense to you?’

Steven smiled. ‘You might want to marry one day – that would be a big change!’

Daisy laughed. ‘That big change I could manage!’ she told him, ‘When the time is right!’

‘And the man is right?’ He looked at her hopefully.

‘And that!’ She squeezed his hand.

He slipped an arm round her shoulder and kissed her again and this time she
did
understand the significance of it – and kissed him in return. As they walked on in a happy, thoughtful silence, Daisy was overcome by a deep sense of gratitude. She had been born a Pennington and brought up as Daisy Letts but would one day she would change her name again. To Anders? It certainly had a very nice ring to it, she decided, smiling.