Kitty Trenire

A shady garden wall seems the perfect place for four children to spend a hot afternoon, until their target practice injures their father's coachman. In Mabel Quiller-Couch's novel of family life in Cornwall, that small mishap brings Kitty Trenire face to face with the strain on her doctor father. Sent to fetch hot water, she discovers a neglected kitchen and recognises how poorly she has managed the housekeeping duties she wanted to take on.

Kitty's growing sense of responsibility meets another test at school, where a muddy skirt becomes evidence against her and her account is dismissed. Her anger at an unfair inquiry gives the story a sharper edge alongside the sibling teasing, familiar animals and busy household. Readers interested in childhood and family relationships will find a girl whose carelessness and pride complicate her wish to help, with everyday incidents carrying consequences that feel much larger to the children involved.