Free Campari for Breakfast by Sara Crowe Page B

of wind and Keeper gambling after, to yonder on the edge of the cliffs, where lay the gargantuan house. So this was Brackencliffe, the highest house on the ridge. And ’twas here she knew she’d find employ, here at the house of plenty.
As Cara peeped into the window, she spied the beautiful Pretafer Gibbon dancing, achingly pretty, yet shallow, held close in the arms of Van Day.
Knight Van Day lived but two stones by, so he was oftentimes suiting Pretafer. Rich and deadly and silent, but the publican says ‘that don’t mean ee don’t ravish’.

The Commonplace Book of Coral Garden: Volume 1
    Green Place, July 1933
(Age 11)
    The London Aeroplane Club
    Cameo and I have just returned from a school trip to see the latest in aviation.
    ‘The Percival Gull’ has folding wings and is believed to be the finest light aircraft invented. It has a landing speed of 40mph, three seats and delightful colours. It is fully equipped with a compass which makes flying in fog easier and safer, while its tremendous smooth landing promises only the most modest bounce.
    Cameo is inspired and is considering life as a pilot. She intends to follow in the footsteps of Amy Johnson, who was the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia.
    I myself, however, would prefer to remain firmly on the ground!
    The weather report in the Airfield News said: ‘Atlantic fronts will be grazing the coasts and flirting with the Home Counties.’ Cameo was in fits all the way home.
    The Garden
    Mother and Father have instigated plans to update some of the flower beds. Many of the lavenders here are so old that their heads have gone white, like grey hair. And with unmistakeable loftiness Father prefers French lavender. So now we have white lavender to the left and French to the right, faded and vibrant opposites. A million pale butterflies flutter in the thick of the bushes, these ones are called cabbage whites. In her plot Mother has put a profusion of colours, and has forgotten the name of everything, but the effect is as lively and cheerful as she is.
    I like all the scented things because I am very interested in making perfume. I love Sweet William, while Cameo loves the woody things, and all the herbs. In a dramatic moment she said she wished she could roll around in the mint, but Mother said that Green Place girls should stay upright (fat chance!).
    Animals
    Cameo has rescued another animal – an old horse she’s christened Alto. He was abandoned between the train tracks and the sea, and had been grazing beside wet sand banks until the station master realised nobody owned him. When he finally discovered this, nobody would take poor Alto, so they were going to have to shoot him. That’s when Cameo found out, and she’s had him moved to our paddock. He’s grazing there now, and seems to have not a care in the world. She’s like the patron saint of elderly animals.

Sue
Tuesday 17 March
    I got a letter today from Aileen Edgeley. Aileen is on a gap year in Australia picking strawberries. We were neighbours in Titford, and she was my first friend for life. Aileen and I used to spend all our time together. She was not only my neighbour, but my schoolmate and somewhat sister. She liked to dress up as the Queen and I liked to dress in rags and serve her Ribena, then we’d go behind the sofa and have Holy Communion. It was the best of times.
    The Edgeleys were quite poor and Aileen used to shame her mother by sitting outside their house begging. I often used to see her because we were only two doors down. Someone would call Mrs Edgeley and say, ‘Aileen’s begging again’, and Mrs Edgeley would rush outside and remove Aileen and her hat full of pennies.
    Mr Edgeley is older than Mrs Edgeley, but as we grew up Mrs Edgeley ruled with a rod of fragility. All Aileen ever wanted was a dog but Mrs Edgeley wouldn’t let her, and so for several years Aileen had a pet brick. We’d take that brick for a walk at the weekends if it was fine and my mother