Edith entered the garden, arm in arm with Bex. When the two separated, I was surprised to see that Edith's face was missing its usual arrogant smirk.

She caught me watching her, and called my name. I looked away, pretending I didn't hear. Hastening to Aunt Odette's side, I asked if there was anything I could help her with, before the Sturrocks arrived.

"No, thank you Dear, but I think Edith wants to talk to you," Aunt Odette's eyes had an unusual shine to them. She blinked rapidly a few times, exhaled and looked at me earnestly. "Please, Madeline, talk to Edith. I know she doesn't deserve it, but it's Christmas...well, almost. Would you do it for me?"

My guardian angel, Simon, tried coming to my rescue, but he was intercepted by Bex. Alas, there was no escape. My heart hammered in my chest. Talking to Edith was the last thing I wanted to do this evening. Nevertheless, I heard myself saying, "Of course I will, Aunty."

"Thank you, Madeline." Aunt Odette kissed my cheek and left me to face her daughter alone.

"Madeline!" Edith called again. "Madeline can I talk to you?"

"I think you'll find you can." I often replied sarcastically, when I was agitated. It was a bad habit - one that Mother Joseph was certain would get me into trouble one day...

Edith began to fidget with the beaded necklace she wore around her neck. "Well I... I'm glad to see that you're not afraid of me, Madeline."

"I'm not afraid of you, Edith. I'm afraid for you."

"You too, eh? You sure you're only thirteen?"

I wasn't sure if she was complimenting me or mocking me, so I decided the safest option was to remain silent. That seemed to make Edith even more uncomfortable. The nervous fidgeting with her necklace became so pronounced, I was amazed she didn't break it.

Finally, she sighed. "You're not going to make this easy for me, are you."

I shrugged. "You said you wanted to talk to me Edith, so talk!"

"Um... I... I wanted to say, that um... I'm sorry for how I've been behaving."

"Okay," I replied.

"Is that all you're going to say?"

"What do you want me to say?

"I want you to... I hope that you... Madeline, will you forgive me?"

I'd never seen Edith like this. She was trembling. Her cheeks were flushed, and I could see beads of perspiration glistening on her forehead. She raised her hands to her face, patting away the sweat and attempting to ameliorate the heat in her cheeks. I'm ashamed to admit that a part of me was enjoying her discomfort, until Father Coffey's resonating voice filled my mind, disrupting my uncharitable thoughts:

"Even as Christ lay dying on the cross, he forgave the men who tortured him. We must follow his example."

But...but Edith is so...

Father's voice refused to go away:

"This is why He taught us to pray - 'forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us,' for if we cannot forgive others, then why should He forgive us?"

Ugh!

"Madeline, Madeline say something?"

"Huh?"

Father Coffey's didactic lilt was replaced with Edith's whiny pitch.

"Will you forgive me, Madeline?"

Oh, poo bum piss fart!

"Madeline...please."

"Yes, Edith, I forgive you."

"Oh, thank you Madeline."

She moved in, trying to hug me. No way was I going to let that happen. I took a step back. "Don't touch me Edith! I forgive you, but I don't trust you. We're not friends. Not yet, anyway."

"I suppose that's fair. How about we start again. I'm willing to try if you are." She held out her hand. "Hi, I'm your cousin Edith, welcome to the family, Madeline."

She sounded genuine, so I shook her hand. "Thank you, Edith."

We smiled at one another as the Sturrocks arrived and were ushered into the garden by Uncle Stirling.

"Finally! I'm starved," Edith confessed in a whisper.

Simon's description of the Sturrocks was spot on: Mr Lindsay Sturrock beamed and complimented all and sundry, with a well practiced smile, while Phyllis Sturrock, (the pot plant) sat like a fragrant ornament, contributing nothing to the conversation.

In contrast to her mother, Elizabeth Sturrock was downright loquacious. She seemed to enjoy the sound of her own voice. She was at pains to prove to everyone present that she was acquainted with the most prominent people, from the highest echelons of society.

"...And Lady Fairfax, you know, the wife of Sir Warwick Oswald Fairfax, the owner of the Fairfax media empire...she turns to me and she says...she says, 'Lizzy, with your enquiring mind, you'd make an excellent journalist!'"

I glanced at Simon, who was seated across the table from me. He was trying not to laugh... At least it meant that he didn't need to talk. Personally, I was embarrassed for Elizabeth, particularly when Bex put an end to her grandstanding.

"How odd that you're so well acquainted with my friend, Mary, and yet she's never mentioned you," Bex remarked.

"Mary? Mary who?" Elizabeth in her arrogance, failed to understand.

"Why, Lady Mary Fairfax of course... Then again, Mary meets so many people, she can't possibly remember them all...

"Would you pass the water jug, Elizabeth, dear? I'm afraid all this talking has left me rather parched..."

Simon erupted in laughter, prompting me to give him a playful kick under the table. His amusement only grew, and he attempted to mask it with a cough.

Aunt Bex turned our way, a twinkle of amusement in her eyes. "Don't gulp your food like that, Simon, you'll choke," she teased, raising a napkin to her lips with a barely concealed smile.

Aunt Odette announced that dessert would be served by the pool. As we made our way across the lawn, Jason Sturrock offered me his arm. I didn't want to be rude, so I accepted his courtesy, placing my hand in the crook of his elbow. He immediately placed his other hand over mine. The possessive gesture made me feel uncomfortable. I hadn't wanted to be this close to him, but I wasn't sure how to escape.

To be blunt, Jason Sturrock stunk. He wore too much cologne, but it didn't successfully mask his body odour. I found myself wondering when he'd last washed. His breath wasn't much better. Nothing we'd eaten smelt like that! It was like rotting fruit. The chaotic combination of smells made me want to gag.

"You and Simon seem close," he said.

"Mmm," I replied, while continuing to hold my breath.

"So, are you...kissing cousins?"

"What? No!" I was mortified. I tried to remove my hand from his, but he squeezed it tightly.

"Don't be embarrassed. I've done quite a bit of experimenting myself..." He looked at me and licked his lips. "You're a very pretty girl, Madeline, with curves in all the right places. Your aunt, and cousin are rather...willowy, so it must be your Piedmont genes. I love Italian girls. Do you have a boyfriend?"

To my surprise and relief, it was Edith who came to my rescue. "Back off Jason, she's only thirteen!"

"No way! With that body?"

"Stop it Jason. You're making Madeline uncomfortable!"

"Fine, but Alice will stop being your friend, unless you're nicer to me."

Jason loosened his grip and I was able to release my hand from his arm. I wasn't sure who Alice was, but Edith looked upset. As testament to our new truce, I said, "Edith deserves friends who love her unconditionally. If Alice can't do that, then perhaps Edith is better off without her."

Jason laughed. "Pretty and loyal. The boys are going to be lining up to date you. If you're lucky, I might be one of them."

He repulsed me. Frankly, he scared me a little as well. I had to discourage him. "You'd be wasting your time, Jason. You're older and...we've nothing in common."

Like a sense of personal hygiene, for starters.

"I'm only a few years older than you, and you won't be thirteen forever!" He winked and licked his lips again.

Eww gross!

"My father and your uncle are good friends, so we've plenty of time to get to know one another. "

Not gonna happen, Smelly!

"It's actually thanks to you that we'll all be spending Christmas together."

"What do you mean?"

"Jason," Edith pronounced his name sharply. Her tone was laced with a warning.

He ignored her. "Well, the Peacocks usually spend Christmas with the Higginbothams, but I've heard that your dear grandmother won't have you in their house, so Dad stepped up and invited you all to spend the holidays with us."

I was speechless. I haven't even met mum's mother. I knew that she hated my father, but I never imagined that her hate extended to include me. My legs buckled.

"Come and get some pavlova, everyone!"

I was vaguely aware of Aunt Odette's voice. I knew logically, that she was standing near the dessert trolley, by the pool, but in that moment, she sounded as if she was in the pool - speaking from under the water. Everything moved in slow motion.

There was another voice, a whiny one: "If I miss out on going to New York because of you, I'll never forgive you Jason, never!"

I remember feeling off balance, like I was drowning in rotting fruit. I don't remember anything after that.

Author's Notes:

The Fairfax family dominated print media, especially newspapers, in Australia at this time.

You might recognise the faces I've chosen to play Edith and the Sturrocks.

I picture Edith as a 20th Century version of Nellie Olsen from Little House on the Prairie... and this is the actress who played her, Alison Arngrim.

For those of you who don't know the series, Nellie was a real b🐩tch to the protagonist Laura, and we just loved to hate her😂 Here's a sample 👇 (The little boy with her is her brother, Willie).

Jason Sturrock's character is really questionable, so I chose a young John C Reilly to play him. Before his transition to comedy, Reilly often played criminals.

Julie Dawn Cole was the original Veruca Salt, from the Gene Wilder version of Wily Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I've chosen her for the same reason I chose Alison Arngrim for Edith - she's so good at playing high maintenance 😂 Here's a clip from the 1971 movie, when she was just 12.👇

Don't forget to check out what Maddie's parents looked like, in
Part I - Madeline's Early Years, which I've added at the start of the book, after the disclaimer.