PIPPA woke early and went down to the shop as soon as she was dressed. She had big plans for today. Along with her usual duties, she was going to make a start on clearing the back room, and she wanted

ONCE the decision was made, Caleb browsed the internet for days, reading reviews and comparing prices. There was so much choice. He was financing the purchase himself, reasoning it wasn’t fair to burd

DINNER time, Duncan!” I call, setting down a dish of the expensive cat food the vet recommended on the kitchen floor. Duncan trots in, sniffs it suspiciously, gives me one of his disdainful stares and

WOULD you look at the man!” Maggie said. She wasn’t much to look at herself, being as black as sin from the coal dust. She’d just finished a shift at the colliery screens, picking lumps of coal out of

WE nearly owned a cat once. He caused something of a neighbourhood dispute, too. My other half advised keeping our heads down because of it, but I really couldn’t do that when pegging out the washing.

THE Janus Inn’s sign swung ominously in the gathering wind as Mairi and her bundle stood outside. Waiting for the coachman to appear, she looked towards the stout, ancient building, glad of the carous