″‘See, I’ve stopped crying. I won’t cry ever again, I promise you.’
‘Don’t promise that. Never promise that. Tears are good sometimes. They clear the heart of sorrow.‘”
“Some say the war is being fought over Helen, but it’s not as simple as that. Wars are never about just one thing. Money comes into it, and trade comes into it.”
“A plank led from the towpath to the deck, but Helen was not sure what to do. She could see the little cabin door with roses painted on it, but she was not sure she should go aboard. Crouching, she tried to see in through the windows, but the curtains were drawn.”
‘Badger on the Barge’ – this story had depth and originality. Helen was a practical child whose narrative voice interestingly explored grief in a close-knit family.