Haughley, Suffolk – October 1925

“Hurry up, Marguerite.” exclaimed Auntie Maud, turning back to her dawdling niece.

“But why are we going to the big house, Auntie?” whined Peggy, and she wished she would stop calling her Marguerite. She never did that at home. They all called her Maisie.

“You av to meet Mrs Creagh.”

“Why?”

Auntie Maud suddenly looked a little sad. “Well, Mrs Creagh has taken notice of you, Marguerite. She thinks you might do well at a new school.”

“But I like Haughley School. Teacher says my hand-writing is the best in the class.”

Auntie Maud pressed her lips together and didn’t answer. Her daughters had never been as strong-willed as Maisie. They never cared that much about school either.

“Are you sending me away?” Peggy stopped dead. Not again. Her mother disappeared. Then her daddy brought her to Auntie Maud. She’d heard talk of sending her to her grandparents at Three Holes, but they were old, and already looked after her eldest brother, Cyril.

“Well its not as if you can stay ere forever. What’s Haughley got for you anyway?  You’ll have a lot more fun away at school.”

“Where?”

“Its in Essex. Its called the Village School for Girls.”

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