A/N: A very big thank you to everyone who favourite, followed and reviewed! Means a lot.

Chapter 3

Once they arrived at the Bishops little cottage, Lily was taken through to the kitchen, where they found Mrs Bishop cleaning.

"Ben, who is this?" asked Grace Bishop coldly.

"This is Lily, my dear. There's no one to take her tonight, so I bought her home for now, I can't leave her at the town hall, Gracie."

Grace Bishop, surveyed Lily for a moment. She really didn't like what she saw. The child was grubby, her clothes were raggedy, and her hair was greasy and lank. Grace's mouth curled is disgust.

"I can see why. Why must you inflicted this child on me? Are you sure there's no one else to take her? I'm not having that scruffy little urchin stay here!" Grace Bishop stormed. "Get her out of here Ben, or you can find somewhere else to stay tonight too."

"Now, now Gracie, there's no need to be like that," snapped Ben.

"Sit down Lily and I'll find you some food and drink," said Ben kindly.

But Lily, stood staring at the grown ups mutinously. She wouldn't stay here with this old harridan.

"No, she don't want me!" said Lily, pointing her finger at Grace.

"She didn't mean it love, did you Gracie?" said Ben a hint of a threat in his voice.

But Grace, just turned away and slammed down her cleaning rag.

"Sit down Lily, what would you like to eat?"

But still Lily refused to sit down.

"I'm not staying here, I'm going. I'm going home!"

With that, Lily picked up her pillowcase and fled. Once outside, Lily ran smack into a posh looking gentleman.

"Watch where you're going little miss," said the man.

"Lily, Lily, come back love," came a voice from behind.

Ben bounced into view. He came to a halt when he saw Lily standing with Charlus Potter.

"Ah, Mister Potter, how are you?" asked Ben graciously.

"I'm fine Mister Bishop, who's this little lass?"

"Oh, yes, this is Lily Evans, she's an evacuee from London, and she's having trouble settling in."

"No I'm not, your trouble and strife has made it clear she doesn't want me staying!" Lily raged.

Charlus mouth set in a grim line. He knew of Grace Bishop, and he knew she was a cold, heartless woman, and could imagine her treatment of the child. Charlus made a split decision there and then.

"Mister Bishop, I'll take her."

"Eh?" Ben showed shock on his face.

"Dorea won't mind, and I think the boys would like to have someone else to play with."

"But Squire, are you sure?" spluttered Ben Bishop.

Mister Potter was the current Squire of Bentworth Hall. He lived there with his wife Dorea, and his son James and nephew Sirius. It was a sprawling house set on several acres of land. Including Home Farm.

"I'm sure Mister Bishop," said Charlus grimly. "I'm not letting the little lass stay here with your wife."

Mister Bishop had the grace to flush with embarrassment.

"Come along little one, you can come home with me," said Charlus kindly.

He took Lily by the hand and led her away.

"So then, I know your name is Lily, tell me about yourself," smiled Charlus at the girl.

"Er, well, I'm eleven, and I come from London," replied Lily in awe.

"Who's in London waiting for you Lily?"

"My mum, and Aunty Marge."

"What happened to your father?" asked Charlus curiously.

"I dunno, I never met him," supplied Lily with a shrug.

Lily looked up at Charlus, he seemed a bit upset.

"You okay Mister?" asked Lily.

"I'm fine my little one," said Charlus with a smile.

Finally, they arrived at a set of big metal gates. Beyond it was a big house with two floors, eight windows upstairs, seven downstairs and a central door.

"Is this where you live Mister?" asked Lily in awe.

"Yes, this is where I live," chuckled Charlus. "I live here with my wife, son and nephew."

"Oh, how come your nephew lives with you? Are his parents dead?" Lily enquired.

"Yes, Sirius' mother and father were killed many years ago," Charlus replied quietly.

Charlus led her up the drive to the front door. The door opened as if by magic.

"Thank you Mister Vinney, please would you ask my wife to join me in the morning room."

"Very good, Sir."

"You have servants? Lily gasped in shock.

"Yes, but we don't think of them as servants, just kind people who help us," said Charlus as he led Lily to a room to the left off of the huge hall.

Inside the room was a comfortable looking sofa, a huge fireplace, with a huge portrait over the top of the mantle piece. A side cabinet and a table in the bay window with several different plants in pots. The door opened and in came a tall willowy woman with red hair.

"Charlus dear, you wanted to see me? Oh!" she said spotting Lily.

"Dorea, this is Lily, she's an evacuee from London, I've bought her to stay with us for a while."

Dorea looked the girl over and smiled.

"Hello Lily, I'm Dorea, welcome," said Dorea generously.

The girl gave the woman a small uncertain smile. Charlus smiled, he knew his wife wouldn't let him down.

For she harboured a secret heartache, after James was born, Dorea had been very ill and the doctor told her she'd be safer not to have anymore children, and how both Dorea and Charlus longed to have a daughter.

They'd happily taken Sirius in when his parents had been killed by a madman who'd broken into their home and murdered them in their bed, it had been lucky that Sirius had been staying with his Aunt and Uncle when the incident occurred, and they'd never caught the man who'd done it. But he wasn't a girl. Now they'd have a girl to spoil for a while at least.

"Are you hungry lovey?" asked Dorea.

"Yes," replied Lily in a small voice.

"Come along then, we'll go to the kitchen."

Dorea held out her hand to the girl and led her from the morning room, down the hall to the back stairs down to the kitchens. This is where they found the cook, Missus Braithway, scrubbing the kitchen table.

"Missus Braithway, this is Lily and she's going to be staying with us for a while. Can you possibly find her anything to eat?"

"Of course I can Madam, what would you like little poppet?"

A face appeared around the door of the scullery. A girl in a mob cap, brassy coloured curls sticking out at every angle. Gray eyes and a wide generous smile lit up her face.

"This is Milly, she's our palourmaid, and also my ladiesmaid. Milly, this is Lily, from London, she'll be staying with us for a while."

"Aye up mi duck," said Milly warmly.

"Now then lovey, what would you like to eat?" asked Missus Braithway now the introductions were aside.

"'Ave yer got some sausages Missus?" asked Lily.

"That I have lit'lun, take a seat and they'll be ready in a trice."

Once Lily was happily sat at the scrubbed kitchen table, a cup of weak tea in front of her, Dorea went to find her husband.

"Charlus, dear, are you quite sure about this?" asked Dorea nervously.

"You mean Lily? Of course I am, once she's had a bath and been tidied up a bit, she'll look grand. Besides I couldn't leave her at the Bishops!" Charlus growled at the use of that particular surname.

"She was at the Bishops?" Dorea asked agape.

"She was love, I couldn't leave her there with that old trout now could I?"

"Now, now Charlus, you know Grace has had a lot of hardship in her life. She was lucky to have Ben marry her."

"I know love, and I was lucky to have met you and married you," said Charlus fondly.

"I wonder how James and Sirius are going to react to having an adopted sister for a while?" wondered Dorea musingly.

"I'm sure they'll love it, where are those scamps?"

"Up in the games room playing cowboys and Indians. I'm surprised they've not come looking for me, I was playing Sheriff," smiled Dorea happily.

Charlus laughed aloud. His wife, loved to play with the children. Usually she was the one to lead them in many a game when they got home from school. They both attended a boys grammar school in Alton.

As if they knew they were being spoken about, James and Sirius whirled into the morning room, like a couple of whirling dervishes.

"Oh there you are Mama, you've been gone ages, come and finish our game before we go to bed," pleaded James, his hazel eyes twinkling merrily.

"Please Aunt, we need a Sheriff," begged Sirius.

Dorea and Charlus smiled lovingly at each other. The boys could both be a handful but they wouldn't change them for the world.

"Come in boys, we have some news for you," said Charlus grinning.

Both the boys looked at each other, eyebrows raised. They sat down together on the sofa whilst Dorea and Charlus sat in the armchairs by the fire.

"We have a house guest for a while boys, and we want you to make her feel welcome," said Dorea serenely.

"Girl?" asked James uncertainly.

"Yes, a girl called Lily, she's an evacuee from London, and she'll be staying with us for a while."

"How old is she?" asked Sirius.

"She's eleven, the same as you and James," supplied Charlus.

"Oh, okay then. I hope she isn't the bossy sort," said James, which earned him an admonishing look for his mother. Which in turn made James feel bad.

"She's in the kitchen having something to eat, come along and meet her," said Charlus getting to his feet.

He led the family to the kitchen, to meet the girl, who would be staying with them.