7.Role-Play the parts of Martin, Jessica and Thomas

8. Speak on the setting of the story.

9. Express your own opinion on the content of the story.

10. Speak on one of the stories ( from a book or a film)about a ghost.

Close to the Edge

With a sigh, I put down me case in the station waiting room, wrapped my coat round me against the draught and settled back for what looked like a long wait. Not a very romantic beginning to an affair.

A young girl squashed herself in next to me. “Sorry”, she said breathlessly, as she organized two carrier bags round her ankles. “I thought I`d miss the train. I ran all the way and now I hear nothing`s moving because of a points failure”.

I nodded. I thought perhaps I should ring my mother so see if the twins were all right. Better not. I`d only just left them and Mum would be preparing their tea. I`d ring when I got to London.

“Have you heard what time the train to London will be leaving”?

“The announcement said no trains for at least an hour. That was five minutes ago”.

“Oh”. The girl finished rummaging in a bag and straightened up. She proceeded to wire herself up for sound on her personal stereo. She threw one blue denim leg over the other and her fingers tapped in time with what sounded like Madonna.

Five minutes later, she dismantled the headphones and stowed the equipment back in her bag. “Are you going to London?” she asked.

“Yes”. I looked at the person on my other side who seemed to be asleep, her handbag clasped to her bosom. Good idea. I closed my eyes and hoped Miss Chatterbox would leave me in peace. I wondered if I should ring Alistair at the office. No - I`d wait and see what happened. I`d ring him in an hour if there was a further delay.

But maybe I should phone my mother to see if Sophie and Shaun were all right…

“Like a crisp”?

I turned and looked at the girl. “Thank you. Why don`t we go and find a cup of tea?” I suggested, glad after all to have someone to distract me, to stop these awful feelings of doubt creeping in. “I`m terribly thirsty”.

“Me, too. Thanks a lot.”

We gathered up our possessions and made our way down the platform to the station buffet. The girl chatted away nonstop but I couldn`t concentrate; my mind kept going back to the twins. They had never been away from home before. Shaun had looked so forlorn when I`d left them. I could still see him standing there, clutching his teddy bear, his face starting to crumple.

“Are you going to London for a holiday?” I asked quietly, trying to blink away the memory of Shaun`s face.

“No.” The girl glanced cautiously over her shoulder and leant forward. “I`m running away from home,” she whispered.

“Running away?” I whispered back, jolted out of my own problems.

“That`s right. I`ve had enough of being nagged,” came the defiant reply. I stared at the girl`s bright face with its blue eyes and wavy rich brown hair. Her eye shadow, an interesting shade of green, matched her nail varnish.

“How old are you?”

“Fifteen.”

“Things must be pretty bad at home to make you take such a drastic step.”

“Well, the thing is” – the girl took a gulp of tea – “I don`t get on with my mum. It`s Keeley, tidy up your room, Keeley, you`ve got too much make-up on, Keeley, you`ve got to be in before ten.” She shook her head. “It`s one row after another. But I`ve got my own life to lead. I`m a person in my own right.”

These words had a familiar ring to them. Isn`t that what I`d said to Alistair?

No. That`s what Alistair had told me.

“Mary,” he`d said, “you`re a person in your own right. But what are you doing with your life, knocking yourself out, running round after your husband and two kids? You`ve got a right to steal a bit of happiness for yourself.”

And so here I was, waiting to embark on a week of romance with my husband`s best friend. Alistair had been best man at our wedding but we hadn`t seen very much of him after that; that is, until he came to the fifth wedding anniversary party Patrick and I had given at home last week.

Funny, I`d never given Alistair a moment`s thought before then. Patrick and I moved out of London after our wedding. We had come to live in this Midlands town and Patrick had started up a DIY shop. The twins were born the following year. The strain of looking after them had brought my mother up to stay with us. Now that the twins were four, however, my mum had found herself a small flat a few miles away.

Patrick and I had seen Alistair on a couple of occasions before the twins were born, when we went to London to treat ourselves to a night out. Each time Alistair had a different girl with him, hanging on to his arm, looking up at him adoringly.

“The trouble with Alistair,” Patrick had said when we returned to our hotel after going out for a meal, “is that he likes to play the field. I think it boosts his ego. I`ve told him there`s nothing like marriage.”

“I don`t know what they see in him,” I`d replied.

“Glad to hear it,” he`d whispered, hugging me tightly. “I love you so much. I couldn`t imagine life without you.”

But at the party last week I could see all too well what girls saw in Alistair. He made them feel important.

Alistair had come without a partner but stayed by my side for most of the evening. When I went into the kitchen to take the food through to the lounge, there he was offering to help. He took the tray from me, covering my hands with his. I flushed with pleasure and looked away.

As I mingled with the other guests, friends and relatives mostly from London, Alistair followed, joining each group of people as I stood chatting to them. He kept smiling at me, giving me approving looks. I couldn`t remember when I had last felt so attractive and appreciated.

It was exactly now Patrick used to make me feel, used to being the key words. The romance had long gone from our marriage – at least, that`s what it felt like.

Patrick would leave early for the shop six days a week, and get back after I`d put the twins to bed. We`d both flop down exhausted in front of the TV after dinner, hardly speaking a word all evening. On Sundays he liked to potter in the garden or do odd jobs around the house.

If it hadn`t been for my mother, to whom I spoke on the phone every day, I think I would have gone mad, with hardly anyone to talk to except the twins. I loved them more than I thought possible. Every day I watched them wonder at their growing world – but you can hardly talk over your problems with two four-years-olds.

“Good party, wasn`t it?” Patrick said when we were clearing up after everyone had gone. “And as for Alistair, I told him to bring someone up from London with him but he said he`d find someone here! Mind you, just goes to show, that fatal charm didn`t work this time. He went back to his hotel alone.”

“Patrick, can we talk? Leave the clearing up for now.”

“Mary, you know I do.”

My voice rose. “Then why don`t you tell me?”

“Just because I don`t tell you doesn`t mean I don`t love you.” He took me gently in his arms. “What`s the matter, Mary? Aren`t you happy ?”

“Of course I am,” I said, stifling a sob. “I`m just being silly. Come on, let`s get this lot washed up. I don`t fancy coming down to it in the morning.”

Alistair phoned at ten the next morning, Monday. “How about inviting me round for coffee?” he said casually.

“Well I`d like to, Alistair, but I have to leave at twelve to pick up Sophie and Shaun from playschool.” I realized I was playing hard to get, just as I`d done before I met Patrick.

“In that case,” came the confident reply, “I`ll be right over.” It seemed strange, Alistair sitting in Patrick`s chair in the kitchen.

“You know, I always said Patrick was the one man whose marriage I envied. You looked stunning last night, by the way. I couldn`t take my eyes off you. Very sexy. I wanted to…”

“You shouldn`t be talking like this,” I interrupted, the colour rising in my cheeks. “In fact, you shouldn`t be here at all. When are you going back to London?” I took a gulp of coffee.

“Today, tomorrow, who knows? It`s up to you.”

He reached across the table, took my hand and kissed it. Flustered, I pushed my chair back, took my mug over to the sink and started to wash it up. I heard the scrape of a chair and Alistair was behind me, his arms round my waist. He was kissing my neck, my hair, murmuring how he loved me, how he wanted me.

Trembling, I turned round against his strong body and wound my arms round his neck.

“Alistair, oh, Alistair,” I whispered.

“Let`s go upstairs.” His voice was low and coaxing.

“No! We must stop.” I pushed him away.

“You want to – you know you do.”

“Not here, not in this house.” I swept hair back from my burning forehead.

“My hotel?”

“No,no! I can`t go back to your hotel. Look, I must go now. I have to collect the children. Please, let`s forget this ever happened.”

“Mary, we can`t just forget! You`re a person in your own right!”

And Alistair went on to tell me how I deserved more from life than just being a wife and mother. I could see there was truth in what he was saying, of course. Everything I did was for Patrick and the children.

“Wait,” Alistair said, “I`ll think of something.” And he had it all worked out…

“By the way,” I said later that day, as Patrick and I ate our evening meal. “ I had a phone call from Sandy today.”

“Sandy? Who`s Sandy?”

I studied my plate. “You remember, I`m sure I`ve told you about her before. She`s a girl I was at school with. I haven`t seen her for ages.”

“That`s nice.” Patrick reached for the mustard.

“The thing is, she invited me to spend a few days with her in London next week and I said yes. I hope you don`t mind.” Slowly I raised my head and shot him a glance.

“It`ll be the first time we`ve slept apart since we were married except for when the twins were born,” Patrick said, looking crestfallen. It filled me with guilt and remorse to see how easy it was to lie to my husband. I`d already sprung the lie on my mother that afternoon – I didn`t feel any better about deceiving her, either.

Keeley`s lively voice brought me back to earth. “And Tina`s always playing around with my make-up.”

“Sorry. What? Who`s Tina?” I hadn`t been listening to a word Keeley had been saying.

“My sister. She`s eleven and she`s a right pain.”

“You say you`re running away from home. Who are you going to stay with?”

“No-one, yet,” Keeley said airily, “but something`ll turn up. I`ll find some friends when I get there.”

“But what about your mum?”

“I`ll phone her when I get to London. Tell, her I`m there and that I won`t be coming back.”

“Do you know anyone in London?”

“Nope.”

“Well, I suppose you know what you`re doing.” I shrugged, sat back and stirred my tea. “Won`t she be wondering where you are by now, anyway? Unless, of course, she doesn`t care where you are…”

“Yes, she does!” Keeley`s eyes flashed. “She wouldn`t have got back from work yet. She`s bringing us up on her own, you see.” The words were coming out in a rush. “And even though she goes out to work, she still cooks us a nice meal every day, and she sees we have breakfast. As soon as she gets a pay rise, she`s going to take me and Tina to Majorca, on holiday.”

“So why are you leaving?”

“Because – because –” All the confidence had gone. Keeley looked like a lost child. “Because I don`t think my mum really loves me.” She was fighting back the tears.

“Oh, Keeley, of course she loves you. Everything you`ve said shows that she loves you. In London, nobody will care if you live or die – you`ll be able to stay out all night or stay in bed all day, if that`s what really matters to you. But how on earth are you going to be able to afford to live? What are you going to live on?”

While Keeley digested her sandwich at this alarming picture, I ploughed on. “Look,” I said, “just because you have rows with your mother doesn`t mean she loves you any less. You don`t love her less, do you?”

Keeley shook her head vigorously.

“Well then, all parents have to take a strong line with their children. You`re old enough to understand that your mother`s having a hard time, surely. Perhaps she might think you don`t love her.”

The young face looked stricken.

“We mustn`t always wait for the other person to say they love us,” I went on – then stopped. Why hadn`t I thought of that before? When was the last time I`d told Patrick I loved him without waiting for him to say it first? If I hadn`t been on selfish, I would have seen that everything he did was for me and the children. It must have been a terrible strain keeping the business afloat with so many going bankrupt.

“You know something, Keeley,” I reflected slowly, almost to myself, “sometimes it`s quite difficult to tell people we love them. Sometimes it`s difficult for them to tell us. But we can show it in lots of ways. Your mum shows it by trying to bring you up to do things for yourself and by cooking you meals.” I smiled. “When was the last time you bought her some flowers?”

Keeley thought for a moment. “Mother`s Day. Me and Tina always give her a bunch of flowers every Mother`s Day.”

“But don`t you think it would be nice if you bought her some at other times? Just to show her you love her and you understand how hard she`s working for you?”

I was amazed at myself. Here I was, so pious, so wise, dishing out advice to a total stranger and, at the same time, on the brink of having a fling with my husband`s best friend! I had upset my husband, my children and my mother. I was a liar and accomplished schemer. A fine person to be talking!

Looking round at the resigned faces of the other people in the station buffet, I wondered what private horrors they were harbouring. I glanced at Keeley. We both had the same problem!

“Keeley, does your mother actually know how you feel? Have you told her that you don`t think she loves you?”

“No”, Keeley whispered, pushing her sandwich into a little heap.

Learning forward, I said clearly, “Do you know the one thing that people who love each other don`t do?”

“No?”

“Talk. They don`t talk to each other.” I clasped my hands tightly together.

“If things go wrong at home, they have a row, or run away, or pretend everything`s all right and bottle it all up and get resentful.”

That was it, of course. I could see now that when Patrick asked me if I was happy I should have said no.

“We have to tell the people we love what`s really the matter, how we really feel, and give them a chance to tell us. We have to…”

I was interrupted by an announcement that the train standing on Platform one would be leaving for London in fifteen minutes.

As one, passengers in the buffet rose and trooped out on to the platform. We stood together, I with my suitcase, Keeley with her worldly possession in two carrier bags, looking at the train.

Keeley turned to me. I`m homesick, “she announced”. “ I`m going to buy a bunch of flowers and then I`m going home.”

“Do you know something, Keeley? I`m feeling homesick,too,I`m going to make a phone call to London, collect my children and I`m going home as well.

That train`s going to have to go to London without us!”

( Sandra Golding is identified as the author of this Work)

Assignments:

Ex. I. Answer the questions:

1. How did Keeley get to the station?

2. Why was Mary bothering about Sophie and Shaun?

3. Why did Keeley decide to take such a drastic step?

4. What were Mary’s duties about the family?

5. Who was Alistair?

6. Why had the romance gone from their marriage?

7. Whose marriage did Alistair envy and why?

8. How did Alistair behave himself in Patrick’s house?

9. What are the most common complaints of Keeley who was dissatisfied with her mother?

10. Why is the story called “Close to the Edge”?

Ex.II. Fill in the gaps with appropriate words given below. Choose the right word among four options.

1.Not a very romantic_____ to an affair.

1. beginning b. start c. commence d. initiation

2.The_____ said no trains for at least an hour.

1. advertisement b. broadcast c. bulletin d. announcement

3.I looked at the person on my other side who seemed to be asleep, her handbag _____to her bosom.

a. embraced b. clasped c. hold d. fastened

4. I suggested, glad after all to have someone to_____ me, to stop these awful feelings of doubt creeping in.

a. amuse b. distract c. disturb d. trouble

5. We gathered up our_____ and made our way down the platform to the station buffet.

a. goods b. estate c. possessions d. belonging

6. The girl chatted away_____ but I couldn’t concentrate.

a. constant b. direct c. unbroken d. nonstop

7. I could still see him standing there, clutching his teddy bear, his face starting to_____ .

a. go to pieces b. wrinkle c. crumple d. clutch

8. I asked quietly, trying to_____ away the memory of Shaun’s face.

a. glimpse b. flash c. blink d. shine

9. Things must be pretty bad at home to make you take such a_____step.

a. extreme b. harsh c. severe d. drastic

10. I’m feeling_____ , too, I’m going to make a phone call to London, collect my children and I’m going home as well.

a. abandoned b. cheerful c. homesick d. relaxing

Ex.III. Look up the following words in a dictionary, write the transcriptions

and put the stress on the words:

1. announcement

2. rummage

3. possession

4. defiant

5. forlorn

6. mingle

7. crestfallen

8. remorse

9. plough on

10.pious

Ex.IV. Fill in necessary prepositions or adverbs ( away, by, against, on(2),

out, round, up for, back, in(3), across, away, just, to, at, about, for )

1. I wrapped my coat_____) me_____the draught and settled_____ .(round, against, back)

2. She proceeded to wire herself_____ sound_____her personal stereo.

(up for, on )

3.I closed my eyes and hoped Miss Chatterbox would leave me_____ peace.(in)

4. The girl chatter red_____(away)nonstop. (away)

5.But what are you doing_____ your life, knocking yourself_____(with, out).

6. He reached_____ the table, took my hand and kissed it. (across)

7.” Mary, we can’t_____forget! You’re a person_____your own right! ” (just, in )

8. Keeley’s lively voice brought me back_____earth. (to)

9. “But what_____ your mum?” (about)

10. I was interrupted _____(by) an announcement that the train standing _____(on)Platform one would be leaving_____(for) London_____(in) fifteen minutes. (by, on, for, in)

Ex.V.Use the transitive and intransitive verbs below in an appropriate tense

to complete the sentences.

close, organize, leave, hope, leave, throw, glance, tap, be, join, sound, lean, imagine, be, give, can, mingle, talk, follow

1.“ Sorry”, she said breathlessly, as she_____ two carrier bags round her ankles.

2. She_____ one blue denim leg over the other and her fingers _____in time with what_____ like Madonna.

3. I_____my eyes and_____Miss Chatterbox _____me in peace.

4. They never_____ away from home before.

5. The girl_____cautiously over her shoulder and_____forward.

6. Alistair_____ the best man at our wedding.

7.Funny, I_____never Alistair a moment’s thought before then.

8.” I love you so much. I_____not imagine life without you.”

9.As I_____ with the other guests, friends and relatives mostly from London, Alistair _____ , _____each group of people.

10.” Patrick, _____we _____? _____ the clearing up for now.”

Keys: Ex. V. 1.organised 2. threw, tapped, sounded 3. closed, hoped, would leave 4.had never been 5. glanced, leant 6. had been 7.had never given,

8.could 9. mingled, followed, joining 10. can, talk, Leave

Ex.VI. Translate the following sentences and speak on their message.

1.“I’ve had enough of being nagged,” came the defiant reply.

2.Her eye shadow, an interesting shade of green, matched her nail vanish.

3.“But I’ve got my own life to lead. I’m a person in my own right.”

4.These words had a familiar ring to them.

5.“You’ve got a right to steal a bit of happiness for yourself.”

6.The strain of looking after them had brought my mother up to stay with us.

7.Each time Alistair had a different girl with him, hanging on to his arm, looking up at him adoringly.

8. “Alistair likes to play the field. I think it boosts his ego.”

9.”Let’s get this lot washed up. I don’t fancy coming down to it in the morning.”

10. All parents have to take a strong line with their children.

Ex.VII. Brainstorm everything you think when you hear the word “ bosom ” .

Ex.VIII. Role- play the situations:

1. A dialogue between Mary and her husband

2. A dialogue between Mary and her children

3. A dialogue between Keeley and her mother

Ex.IX. Write an essay disclosing the problems of Mary and Keeley.

Ex.X. Imagine the end of the story

Beth’s Story

The snow beat at the windows as if trying to force its way into the house. I stopped stoking the fire and crossed the large living room and drew the long heavy curtains. Although it was only three o’clock that December afternoon, it was already dark outside.

The snowstorm had gathered momentum and echoed round the large farmhouse. I went through the connecting door into the kitchen and put on the kettle. Derek opened the back door and shot into the kitchen along with a blast of cold air. He was covered from head to foot in snow.

“You look like a snowman,” I laughed.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Derek. He took off his wet clothes and wiped his face.

“Are the animals all right?” I asked.

He nodded. “They’re fine. All tucked up warm and cosy, but we had an awful job coaxing Blossom and Buttercup into the barn. I hope Nigel gets home in one piece. The show’s deeper all the time.”

We sat in front of the large log fire in the living room, sipped our hot chocolate and watched the flames chase each other up the chimney.

“There must be easier ways of making a living,” said Derek.

I sat up and looked at him in alarm. “You’re not thinking of giving up before we start, are you?” I demanded.

Derek grinned at me. “Of course not. I’m not going to waste all those years at agricultural college. Still, in this economic climate, it’s not the cleverest time to start up a new venture. I’m sure I’m going to make an excellent farmer and,” he continued giving me a wink, “you are going to make an excellent farmer’s wife”.

“I’m not going to be called ‘the farmer’s wife”, I retorted indignantly. Derek threw back his head and laughed. “Darling Jenny, it’s so easy to make you cross. You mustn’t rise to the bait like that. You’re going to have to develop a much more unflappable exterior when we open for business”.

I settled back in my chair. We had been married nearly a year but there were still things I was learning about Derek. His sense of humor was one. Well, he wouldn’t catch me out again. He was right though, I would need a more sophisticated attitude when we opened the farmhouse as a guest house. I was still terribly childish in lots of ways. A sudden ringing of the front door bell made us both sit up.

“Who on earth could that be, out in weather like this?” I said, dragging myself away from the fire.

“I’ll come with you,” said Derek. “It’s probably Nigel, got snowbound and had to come back.”

The figures on the doorstep were huddled up against the blizzard and covered from head to foot in snow. The taller of the two said something, but his words got carried away by the driving snow. Derek indicated by a large sweep of his arm for them to come in. They stamped their feet on the hall mat, scattering snow everywhere.

“Sorry to be such a nuisance,” said the man apologetically. “My wife and I have had to abandon our car on the main road. The windscreen’s completely covered with snow and our view’s been obliterated. I’m afraid the wipers have given up the battle.”

“Do take your things off and come through,” I said.

They sat down in front of the fire and rubber their hands to get the circulation going. The man was tall and thin, probably in his thirties; his wife small and delicate looking. She was about twenty-five. They were grateful for the steaming hot chocolate and sandwiches and sat back in their chairs looking more relaxed.

“We’re Jennifer and Derek Stanley,” said Derek.

“How do you do,” replied the man. “Thomas and Jane Yates. It’s most kind of you to take us in. It’s freezing cold outside but I must say it’s nice and warm in here.”

“It’s centrally heated throughout,” I said proudly. “We are going to open up soon as a guest house and we’re going to sell home-made bread, farmhouse eggs and butter.”

“It’s a Victorian built house, isn’t it?” said Thomas.

“That’s right,” replied Derek. He got up and stocked the fire. “Built about 1850. What brings you out in weather like this?”

“House-hunting,” said Thomas. “We were on our way to look over Langley Farm, heard it was going cheap. But we got stranded and thank goodness saw the lights of your house.”

I frowned. I had never heard of Langley Farm. “Where’s that?” I asked, racking my brains. “the houses are very far flung in this part of Derbyshire, but, even so, I’ve heard of most of the other farms around here, but I’ve never heard of that one.”

“Well,” said Thomas, “I think we must have veered off the road leading to it. Have you been here long?

“About eight months,” said Derek. He and Thomas chatted on and I suddenly realized that Jane Yates didn’t attempt to join in the conversation; indeed she hadn’t said one word except for thanking me for the snack. For most of the time she sat looking down at her small pale hands, folded in her lap.

“Do you have a farm, at the moment?” I enquired.

Slowly Jane raised her head and looked at me with large solemn eyes. “Yes. But Thomas wants to buy a larger one.” Her voice was hardly above a whisper. She didn’t volunteer any further information and went back to studying her hands.

Two hours later the snow was falling thicker and faster than ever. Our two strangers were going to have to stay the night.

“Of course, I’ll pay for our room and board”, Thomas offered.

Derek smiled and shook his head. “Thank you, but we wouldn’t dream of it. Besides we’re not open for business yet. I’m sure we’d be breaking some law by taking money”.

“There is something I think you should know,” I announced.

“Darling!” Derek glared at me. “Don’t start that again. I’m sure Mr. and Mrs. Yates aren’t interested in such nonsense.”

“It’s not nonsense!”

Thomas and Jane looked at me, their enquiring eyes big as saucers.

“Well,” I ploughed on, ignoring Derek’s angry stare, “we’ve got a ghost. The house is haunted.” Derek and I exchanged furious frowns.

“Don’t worry about us,” said Thomas. “Jane and I are both tired, we’ll probably sleep so soundly we wouldn’t notice if the roof fell in.”

“Look, I didn’t mean to alarm you,” I said to Jane after dinner when she and I were making up the bed in one of the guest rooms.

“Oh, I’m not worried,” replied Jane as she tucked in the bed clothes. “In fact I’m rather interested. I take it you’ve seen the ghost?”

“Well,” I said, “I haven’t actually seen it. But I’ve heard it.” Jane stared at me . “I didn’t know ghosts spoke.”

“Neither did I.” I picked up a pillow, thrust it into a pillow case and tossed it onto the bed.

“Is it a man or a woman?” asked Jane, gently easing another pillow into a pillow case and placing it on the bed.

“Neither, it’s a child. A little girl. Her name’s Beth”

Jane came and sat next to me on the bed. “Tell me Beth’s story.” “Well,” I said, “you know we bought this house about eight months ago. Just after we moved in I was woken one night by a voice calling ‘Mamma, Mamma’. At first I thought it was the wind whistling round the house but I got out of bed and opened the bedroom door. The voice of a child.”

“And you didn’t see anyone,” said Jane.

“That’s right. I went all over the house.”

Jane looked thoughtful. “What about your husband?”

“Derek sleeps like a log, he never heard a thing. Besides he takes a very dim view of ghosts. You saw his reaction earlier.”

Jane frowned. “How do you know her name’s Beth?”

“The previous owners were the Bensons. I phoned Mrs. Benson after I heard Beth and she told me the history of this house – that it really is haunted. She too heard Beth only once, just after they moved in, but her husband never heard a thing.”

I told Jane that, apparently, in Victorian times, the house was a charity boarding school run by the Church. It was for the daughters of distressed gentlefolk.

“Beth’s parents put her here,” I said, “because her mother was too ill t look after her. Beth was seven. That Christmas holiday she and about ten other little girls didn’t go home because their parents couldn’t care for them and there was an outbreak of diphtheria and…”

“And Beth died,” said Jane quietly.

I nodded. Jane and I sat side by side on the bed, lost in our own thoughts. I could well imagine this house over a hundred years ago, freezing cold that December.

Jane looked round the room and shivered. “ I suppose this could have been part of one of the dormitories.”

As we spread the eiderdown over the bed I told Jane about one mother who came to collect daughter. She heard Beth murmuring something from her bed. Beth already had a high fever but over and over again, in her small hoarse voice, repeated, ‘Mamma’s coming for me , Mamma’s coming for me.’ But Beth died and her mother never came.

Lying beside Derek in the bed that night I slept on and off, the snow keeping up its relentless pounding on the windows.

Suddenly I heard a voice. It was Beth’s voice. Startled I lay still and listened. Yes, there it was again-a small, thin voice, ‘Mamma, Mamma’.

Rigid with fright I could barely breath. Derek was sound asleep, an arm flung across my body. Managing to lift it I wriggled out of bed. I slid into my slippers I could hear Beth calling for her mother. In spite of the howling blizzard I could tell the voice was now coming from downstairs.

Beth was downstairs!

I crept silently down the stairs and saw a light under the living room door. I held by breath and pushed the door open.

Something, a vision, on its way through the door that led to the kitchen, flashed before my eyes. My heart thumped as I raced across the room and hurled open the kitchen door.

I started at the figure in the kitchen. It was Jane.

“Jane, where is she? Did you see her?”

“Who?”

“Who!” I almost yelled. “Why, Beth of course!”

Jane wrapped the blue dressing gown I had lent her round her slight frame. “I haven’t seen anyone,” she stammered. “I couldn’t sleep. I thought I’d come down and make myself a cup of tea. I hope you don’t mind.”

I went up to her and took her hand. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have shouted at you like that. Of course I don’t mind. In fact I think I’ll join you in that cup of tea. It’s just that I heard Beth calling and I actually saw her. For the first time I saw her.”

After breakfast Thomas and Jane decided to try to make for their car. The blizzard had stopped and the air was still.

“if I can clear the windscreen and the road’s not impassable then we’ve got a good chance of making it,” said Thomas, shaking Derek and me vigorously by the hand. “Thank you so much for putting us up for the night.”

Jane kissed me. “Thank you so much for everything,” she said softly, giving me a spontaneous hug.

Derek opened the front door. It was a bright clear morning. Blanket of snow stretched as far the eye could see. We watched Thomas and Jane trudge through the snow until they were out of sight.

Derek started to close the front door, then stopped. “Look, Jenny, look!” “What is it?” something in his voice terrified me. I turned back and looked outside. “I don’t see anything.”

“Don’t you see, in the snow,” Derek gasped, “the footprints.”

I started at the snow. There weren’t two sets of footprints leading from our front door, but there! Two adult size and one smaller set, the footprints of a child!

“Derek. Oh Derek. It’s Beth. Her mother’s come for her after all!”

( Sandra Golding is identified as the author of this Work)

Assignments:

Assignments:

Ex.I. Answer the questions:

1. What was the weather look like that day?

2. What were Derek and Jenny talking about that blizzard evening?

3. Whose car was abandoned on the main road and why?

4. Was house-hunting got strand by Thomas and Jane and why?

5. Did Langley Farm exist in their Derbyshire?

6. Money were not taken from those two strangers because of what?

7. Why did Jane ask Jennifer to tell a story about Beth?

8. What didn’t Jane give to sleep that night?

9. Something in Derek’s voice terrified Jane, what was it?

10. Do you believe in ghosts?

Ex.II. Match the two halves of the sentences:

The snowstorm had gathered momentum	a. Her mother’s come for her after all!”
We sat in front of the large log fire in the living room,	b. “We’ve got a ghost. The house is haunted.”
I’m sure I’m going to make an excellent farmer and,” he continued giving me a wink,	c. I could hear Beth calling for her mother.
“Well,” I ploughed on, ignoring Derek’s angry stare,	d. sipped our hot chocolate and watched the flames chase each other up the chimney
Just after we moved in	e. because their parents couldn’t care for them and there was an outbreak of diphtheria and…
I told Jane that, apparently, in Victorian times,	f. and echoed round the large farmhouse.
That Christmas holiday she and about ten other little girls didn’t go home	g. I was woken one night by a voice calling: “Mamma, Mamma”
I slid into my slippers	h. “you are going to make an excellent farmer’s wife”.
It’s just that I heard Beth calling	i. the house was a charity boarding school run by the Church.
“Oh Derek. It’s Beth.”	j. and I actually saw her.

Ex.III. Use the required tense instead of the infinitives in brackets:

1. The windscreen’s completely_____ with snow and our view _____ .( cover, obliterate)

2. He and Thomas _____ on and I suddenly _____ that Jane Yates _____ not attempt to _____ in the conversation; indeed she not _____ one word except for _____ me for the snack. ( chat, realize, attempt, join, say, thank)

3. She not _____ any further information and_____ back to studying her hands. (volunteer, go)

4. Two hours later the snow _____ thicker and faster than ever.(fall)

5. Thomas and Jane_____ at me, their_____ eyes big as saucers.( look, enquire)

6. I_____ up the bed in one of the guest rooms.(make)

7. Beth already_____ a high fever but over and over again, in her small voice,_____ ,

‘Mamma’s _____ for me, Mamma’s _____ for me’. But Berth _____ and her mother never_____ .( have, repeat, come(3),die)

8. “I _____not _____ anyone,” she _____ . “I _____ not _____ . I _____ I _____ down and_____ myself a cup of tea. I _____ you _____ not mind ”

(have, see, stammer, can, sleep, think, come, make, hope, do )

9. “ Of course I _____ not mind. In fact I _____ I_____ you in that cup of tea.( do, think, join)

10. “ Derek. Oh Derek. It’s Beth. Her mother_____ for her after all!” ( come)

Ex.IV. Fill the gaps with appropriate words given below. Choose the right word among four options:

1.The snow_____ at the windows as if trying to force its way into the house.

a. hit b. beat c. blow d. pound

2. We sat in front of the large log fire in the living room, sipped our hot chocolate and watched the_____ chase each other up the chimney.

a. blazes b. burn c. flames d. brightness

3. Still, in this economic climate, it’s not the cleverest time to start up a new ____.

a. chance b. stake c. venture d. adventure

4. The windscreen’s completely covered with snow and our view’s been____ .

a. built b. constructed c. created d. obliterated

5. My wife and I have had to_____ our car on the main road.

a. defend b. abandon c. keep d. control

6. Slowly Jane raised her head and looked at me with large_____ eyes.

a. solemn b. bright c. cheerful d. comical

7. That_____ holiday she and about ten other little girls didn’t go home because

their parents couldn’t care for them.

a. New Year b. Banking c. Naurys d. Christmas

8. _____I lay still and listened.

a. Amazed b. Startled c. Happy d. Bored

9. In spite of the howling _____I could tell the voice was now coming from downstairs.

a. rain b. sunny day c. evening d. blizzard

10. “ Who!” I almost _____ .

a. yelled b. sounded c. murmured d. whisper

Ex.V.Translate the following sentences:

1. I hope Nigel gets home in one piece.

2. His sense of humour was one.

3. Well, he wouldn’t catch me out again.

4. I was still terribly childish in lots of ways.

5. I’m afraid the wipers have given up the battle.

6. The houses are very far flung in this part of Derbyshire.

7. I slept on and off, the snow keeping up its relentless pounding on the windows.

8. Rigid with fright I could barely breath.

9. After breakfast Thomas and Jane decided to try to make for their car.

10.Her mother’s come for her after all!

Ex.VI. Give synonyms to the word ‘’ blizzard’’

Ex.VII. Role-Play:

1. Derek and Jane are talking about easier ways of making a living.

2. A talk between Derek and Thomas in a Victorian house, built about 1850.

3. A talk between Beth other girls who didn’t go home.

Ex.VIII. Write a story about a ghost, you may take one of the stories

from the books that you have read or saw in films.

Ex.IX. Imagine the end of the story.