Free Darkest Before Dawn by Gwen Kirkwood Page A

blessing she was killed. She would have hated to be an invalid. She was so full of energy and plans and ambitions. As a child she was utterly spoiled but she could be very loveable too. It broke her parents’ hearts. They moved to the South of France and they have never taken any interest in Kimberley. They’re both dead now but Fran had an uncle, her mother’s brother. I’m terribly afraid he might try to interfere with Kimberley’s care when he hears Trevor has died. He didn’t approve of the way Fran’s parents ignored their only grandchild because Fran and Trevor were not married.’
    ‘Lots of couples never marry these days,’ Rosemary remarked.
    ‘Oh, Trevor wanted to marry Francine, especially when he knew she was pregnant, but she consideredmarriage was like being in chains and she wanted to be free.’
    ‘So what about your own business, Ellen? What are your plans when you return to Scotland? Or shouldn’t I ask?’ Rosemary said, her cheeks flushing.
    ‘Of course you can ask. I would so like us to be friends, Rosemary, and I always admired you and the way you managed your own life, instead of allowing your mother to manage it for you as she wanted to do.’
    ‘Oh, she accepted Sam in the end. How could she not? He’s so honest and genuine and kind. He’s always been a hard worker. We may not be as wealthy as she wanted but we’re comfortable and we’re happy. Besides, I never loved anyone else.’
    ‘You don’t know how lucky you are. I’ve never met a man I wanted to marry. Before he died it troubled Trevor. He said he and Kimberley had taken up too much of my life, but if I’d really loved someone I’m sure I wouldn’t have let anything interfere. I need to respect people who are my friends. I’ve never met the right man.’ She gave a small grin. ‘At least not yet.’
    ‘Where do you plan to live when you come back to Scotland if not at the Manor?’
    ‘We shall move into the house where my father’s land agent used to live. It’s substantial and built of local red sandstone. It has a lot of character. It has been rented out since our father died and Trevor took over the land agent’s job himself. Well, there were not enough farms left to merit employing an agent. The house is empty at present. Kimberley prefers it to the Manor House. In some respects she’s quite mature for her age. I’m looking forward to redecorating andmodernizing parts of it but it’s already habitable and it has a large comfortable kitchen which she loves.’
    ‘Home is what you make it,’ Rosemary said, pushing the kettle onto the hotplate when she heard Alex and Sam returning.
    ‘I agree. Our partner is buying our share of the business. He has made too good an offer to refuse now he has realized I intend returning to Scotland. He didn’t want me to sell to strangers because Trevor and I each owned a third of the company and the buyer would have been the major shareholder. His son will be joining him as an auctioneer and his nephew is a land agent. He admitted I had built up the furniture and antique sales myself and that kept us afloat after the foot and mouth outbreak when cattle sales went down to zero. Like you I’m fairly comfortable financially but I’m not the type to sit around and do nothing. I shall start a new business up here, specializing mainly in antiques. The tenants in Charmwood smallholding are retiring in May. I shall sell the land with vacant possession and keep the buildings. Trevor and I had a good look at them before he became too ill. The barn and two adjoining sheds are stone built. I could convert them into storage and a sale room with adjoining facilities.’
    ‘And of course Charmwood is close to the house where you will be living.’
    ‘Yes, it is. We thought Charmwood Antiques would be quite a good name too. All very convenient if things go according to plan. I do so want to give Kimberley a settled, happy home,’ Ellen said with a sigh. ‘She has had so many