They looked at each in complete understanding and then Callum solemnly nodded. ‘Aye, I do.’
She was nibbling on her finger nails, as she so often did. ‘I was the one always feeling awkward, trying not to listen when they called me names like “fatty”, or “chubby-chops”. I hate being called names and made to feel stupid.’
‘The Brocklebanks never called me by a name at all. I was always “you” to them. “Hey you,” they’d say, “go and fetch me t’shovel.” Or “Hey you, go and feed t’sheep. You do this. You do that.”’
She looked at him, round-eyed with sympathy. ‘It must have been awful, having no family of your own and being bullied like that. Kate blames mummy, doesn’t she? No, you don’t have to answer that. I suggest we don’t talk about what our parents did, don’t you agree? Then perhaps you and me could be friends. I’d like that very much. Would you?’
Callum looked at her in surprise. Even now that his life was a thousand times better, he still didn’t have many friends, beyond Flora and his mam, of course, and what Bunty said did make sense. Living in the past did you no good at all. ‘Aye,’ he agreed, surprising himself with his fervour. ‘That’d be grand.’
Also by Freda Lightfoot available as ebooks Family sagas
The Promise
House of Angels
Angels at War
Lakeland Lily
The Bobbin Girls
The Favourite Child
For All Our Tomorrows
Kitty Little
Gracie’s Sin
Trapped
Biographical Historicals
Hostage Queen
Reluctant Queen
Historical Romances
Madeiran Legacy
Whispering Shadows
Rhapsody Creek
Proud Alliance
Outrageous Fortune
The Luckpenny Series:
Luckpenny Land
Storm Clouds Over Broombank
Wishing Water
Larkrigg Fell
Poorhouse Lane Series
The Girl from Poorhouse Lane
The Child from Nowhere
The Woman from Heartbreak House
Champion Street Market Series
Putting On The Style
Fools Fall In Love
That'll Be The Day
Candy Kisses
Who’s Sorry Now
Lonely Teardrops
Short Stories
A Sackful of Stories
About Freda Lightfoot
Born in Lancashire, Freda Lightfoot has been a teacher, bookseller and smallholder. She lived for a number of years in the Lake District where she tried her hand at the ‘good life’, kept sheep and hens, various orphaned cats and dogs, built drystone walls, planted a small wood and even learned how to make jam. She has now given up her thermals to build a house in an olive grove in Spain, where she produces her own olive oil. She’s published over 35 novels including many bestselling family sagas and historical novels.
To find out more about Freda Lightfoot and keep in touch with her latest books, visit her website and sign up for her regular newsletter, or join her on Facebook and Twitter where she loves to chat with readers.
http://www.fredalightfoot.co.uk/
http://www.fredalightfoot.blogspot.com/
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