Shadows at Stonewylde Read Free Page B

went off to different universities, their joy in each other on every return to Stonewylde was very evident. When had this sadness crept in?
    ‘You’re not feeling ill again, are you?’ she asked, anxious as ever not to pry, but unable to completely let go. ‘Hazel’s keeping an eye on you?’
    ‘Yes, Mum, I’m fine. You know that was just a hormonal thing after Bluebell was born and it won’t come back again, especially not with the implant. No, I just feel … a bit at a loose end, I suppose.’
    She swallowed, annoyed at the catch in her throat. Her mother was not going to see her cry.
    ‘I guess you have more time on your hands now that Bluebell’s in the Nursery every day,’ said Miranda gently. ‘But there must be so much for you to do in the running of the estate, surely?’
    Sylvie shook her head. This was the problem. She’d been the one to study estate management and agriculture, whilst Yul had been persuaded to broaden his world by studying the Arts. Yet as soon as she’d fallen pregnant with Celandine, not long after graduation and marriage, Yul had begun what she now saw as a careful process of protecting her from the exhausting demands of Stonewylde. And her dreadful illness after Bluebell’s birth had sealed her fate – Yul was in charge and her role was simply to be wife and mother.
    ‘Yul has it all under control, he says. It’s hard to find something that I can organise without treading on anyone’s toes.’
    Miranda smiled and patted Sylvie’s arm.
    ‘You can always help in the schools,’ she said. ‘Either up here with the seniors or even down in the Village with Dawn. It’s not so bad in the primary school, mind you, since Yul insisted on cutting back on the birth-rate – that’s helped tremendously. But up here we’re bursting with teenagers. You know I’ve had to employ two more teachers recently, and we could still do with an extra pair of hands if you wanted to help.’
    ‘I’d be useless at teaching,’ said Sylvie, ‘and I find all those teenagers a bit terrifying, to be honest. You’re better off with properly trained teachers. What are the new ones like?’
    ‘They’re lovely and so in sympathy with the Stonewylde ethos. Do you remember some of the disasters we had in the early days, trying to find suitable teachers?’ Miranda chuckled, warming to her favourite subject. ‘But recruiting from the Druid communities was such a good idea. They seem to be totally in tune with Stonewylde and how we live and there’s no conflict of philosophy at all. I like both our new recruits, especially David the art teacher. Merewen’s far too busy with the Pottery to teach full time and she’s delighted to hand over her teaching to him. He seems really good.’
    ‘Do I detect a bit of a love interest there, Mum?’ laughed Sylvie. ‘I saw him the other day and he looks nice.’
    ‘Not from me, I can assure you!’ said Miranda. ‘Once bitten, twice shy. I’m perfectly happy, thank you, with more than enough on my plate running our education system here. I love it, Sylvie, really love it, and there’s Rufus to care for, and you, and my little grand-daughters. Oh no, the last thing I’d want is some man to mess it all up again. But I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Dawn taking an interest. They were having a good old chat yesterday and she seemed very animated.’
    ‘Really? That’s brilliant! It’s about time she found herself a man and settled down. She must be thirty now, or maybe thirty-one? I’m sure she wants children of her own.’
    ‘Yes but I don’t want to lose her from the primary school. She’s a great head-teacher. I’ll have to warn her off David if I think she’ll abandon us.’
    ‘She’d never do that, Mum – she’s as passionate a teacher as you are. I think it’d be wonderful. She’s a lovely woman and she deserves to find her soul-mate.’
    ‘Not everyone’s as lucky as you, Sylvie,’ said Miranda. ‘What you and Yul have is quite