The woman carries the little girl on her hip. Her tiny head rolls on her shoulder, tired after the long journey. The weak Welsh sunshine beats down on them as they approach the large house which towers above the trees. The child begins to stir - her auburn curls shake as she rears her head. Her aunt ducks under the arch in the pruned hedge, into the lush garden. Beautifully shaped topiaries and technicolored flowerbeds adorn the space - a group of small children play with a collection of dolls in the shade of a large oak tree. At the entrance to the house stands a tall woman, dressed all in black with a pipe in one hand. Once she catches sight of the approaching pair, her face lights up and she glides down the steps towards them.
"Agatha! Oh, look at her," the woman takes the child from the arms of the aunt and rests her on her waist. "She's grown so fast."
"Her parents will be horrified when they realise she's gone. They say they will never let her leave the house." The aunt explains, brushing a lock of hair from her face. "I had to let you see her, for I cannot be sure she will ever return here in the future."
"I see. How old is she now?"
"Coming up to four. Her father told me she looks more like me than either of them."
"She will grow up to be a very strong and beautiful woman then." The woman pauses, taking an affectionate glance at the drowsy child in her arms. "I'm proud of you, Aggie."
"Why of me, Alma?"
"For the way you care for Violet as your own. You must admit that Martha is not handling her abilities very well by locking them away, out of sight?" Alma takes a puff from her pipe, making sure to blow the smoke away from little Violet.
"I suppose so, one day I hope she will return here so she can be safe from whatever's out there."
Alma places the child down on the grass, which seems to perk her up a little. She cautiously moves her left foot forwards as if she's checking the safety of the ground, before following with the other. Soon, she's stumbling across the garden towards a ball which sits underneath the elephant-shaped topiary.
"I hope she will too, Aggie. I hope so."
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Hello my lovely readers! I thought I'd take advantage of this little fuller chapter to thank you all for all the reads and support you've given me so far in this story. It really motivates me to carry on and dream up more and more ideas. Please do let me know how you are enjoying this story and things I could improve so I know how to make you enjoy my work even more.
Endless love and hugs x