'I like Hallowe'en. Bonfires, parades, and people wearing masks to trick wondering ghosts. Not that I believe in ghosts! Queen Victoria loves Hallowe'en too - she visits Balmoral in Scotland every year to celebrate. How grand their royal celebrations must be? I can only imagine. I've been told it's up to me to give out 'soul cakes' to the poor and sick this year. Effie says that cakes are meant to be an offering to the lost souls so they don't come and get us!

Silly stories that's all they are, well, I hope so....

Effie, Ophelia and I shall be having afternoon tea tomorrow.   It’s too cold to play outside and cold wintry days make me want to drink plenty of milky, sweet tea. I will set aside a saucer of milk for Ophelia - cats are not allowed tea!

I've already hand-delivered my invitation to Effie. She laughed  at my handwriting and said I needed more practice if I want to  write like a lady.  I shan't be giving her an extra  Banbury cake! It probably didn't help that the rain got to the envelope and smudged the ink.

I will wear my best dress and use my best tea-set and maybe if the sun shines, we’ll have afternoon tea at the bottom of the garden where no one can interrupt our fun.  There will be plenty of sandwiches, without crusts on of course, and almond biscuits...

"I shan't be giving her an extra Banbury cake!" 

I must sneak into the pantry now if I’m going to get everything I need!

It was Christmas Eve. Amelia and Effie were sitting in a window seat in the house in Hampstead, drinking tea as snow fell on Church Row outside. Effie was reading aloud dramatically from Matilda Marchmont’s old journal, which they had found in the chest.

Amelia could make out the branches of the tall Christmas tree quite clearly now, flickering with soft candlelight and hung with gingerbread stars. The room was garlanded with ivy and mistletoe.

“Hmm. I’ve taught you to read well,” mused Amelia.

“Don’t flatter yourself, will you!”

The girls grinned at each other. 

Mr. Haverstock was walking across the room. His hands were flapping oddly.

“Please don’t over-excite yourself, but I have news. Great news. More than news…A visitor. Can you bear a tremendous shock do you think?”

Flickering with soft candlelight and hung with gingerbread stars...

 

 

Extracts from 'Amelia's Inheritance'