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been such a long time since I’ve seen you. I’ve missed you, so I’m very pleased you’ve come down a little early.’ Leonora paused, and scrutinized her daughter more carefully. ‘And you do look a little tired, too. Never mind. You can have a nice long rest now that you’re here.’
    Rilla only just stopped herself from saying, Fat chance! Leonora
did
love her, she realized with the familiar pang of guilt she felt whenever she had to remind herself of this fact. She just found it hard to communicate her affection in a normal way, that was all. Rilla mumbled something about getting her bags out of the boot and taking them upstairs.
    â€˜You’re in the Blue Room, darling,’ said Leonora. ‘I know you feel comfortable in there. Gwen will help you settle down, and then you’ve got plenty of time to change for dinner. I shall be dealing with letters in the conservatory, but do come down when you’re ready. I’m longing to have a chat, if you’re not too tired after such a long drive.’ She smiled at Rilla, then turned and went inside, walking as she always did – slowly, and as though people were looking at her. Which, Rilla reflected, they very often were.
    She walked to the back of the car with Gwen. Together they took out the luggage and went into the housecarrying one bag each. Tangles of television cable snaked over the black and white tiles of the hall.
    â€˜They’re here already, then, are they? The TV people?’ Rilla said as she followed Gwen upstairs.
    â€˜Sean Everard – he’s the director – is coming tomorrow,’ said Gwen, turning her head to talk over her shoulder, ‘but the rest of the crew’s here. They’re doing what they call “establishing shots”. They’re very good, really. We hardly know they’re around most of the time. They’re staying down at the Fox and Goose, and they have all their meals there too.’
    She almost bumped into a man squatting on the landing with a camera over his shoulder.
    â€˜Oh, gosh, Ken!’ Gwen said. ‘I didn’t notice you there. And I’m very sorry, but I thought it was understood that this part of the landing is out of bounds. I discussed it all with Sean and I’m sure I mentioned it to you.’
    Ken said, ‘Sorry, sorry. I was looking for Mrs Simmonds’s bedroom. There’s a picture in there of some swans, I believe …’
    â€˜Oh!’ Gwen relaxed a little. It was obvious to Rilla that if Leonora had said he could be up here, that was different. ‘That’s fine, then. Only it’s along the other corridor. You turned right instead of left at the top of the staircase. It’s easily done.’
    â€˜Right!’ said Ken and wandered away. Rilla noticed that they were outside the old nursery.
    â€˜The dolls’ house is still in there, isn’t it?’ she asked.
    â€˜Oh, yes. But Mother’s absolutely adamant that they mustn’t film that.’ She strode along the corridor to the Blue Room with Rilla close behind her. Nothing in it had changed since the last time she’d visited, but Gwen had put buff-coloured roses in a vase on the table by the window.
    â€˜Lovely Buff Beauty, Gwennie, thank you so much.’
    Gwen blushed at the childish nickname. ‘You like theones that go on flowering all through the summer, I know …’ she murmured and put down the bag she was carrying. She turned to go, started saying something like ‘I’ll see you later,’ but Rilla interrupted her.
    â€˜I’m going to have a look at it. At the dolls’ house. Come with me, Gwen, go on. Surely there’s time? You don’t have anything to do exactly now this minute, do you?’
    Gwen hesitated, then said, ‘Oh, all right, then. But only for a moment.’
    â€˜Good.’ Rilla stepped out of the Blue Room and looked along the