Jutland Cottage, published in 1953, begins with John and Mary Leslie, whom we have seen little of since Wild Strawberries. However, the purpose of this first chapter is to describe the death of George VI, or rather the characters’ reactions to it.
Then we go to Greshamsbury, where Father Fewling, now a canon, is the new rector and is moving into the rectory. Canon Fewling becomes aware of the plight of the Phelps’s. Admiral Phelps is ill and his wife not much better, both cared for by their daughter Margot, who is 40. Since they mix little in society, no one knows them, but it is Rose Fairweather who realizes that Margot needs help. She has been doing all the work around the house, including gardening and caring for chickens, and her parents are too ill to be left alone. She is tired, stressed, poorly dressed, with no amusements. She is also worried that if her father dies first, the navy pension will be too small for her mother to live on. As it is, they are very poor.
Rose makes a plan with her friends and neighbors to stop by to visit the Phelps’s frequently and to at least once a week get Margot out of the house while someone is visiting her parents. Rose goes further by giving Margot a length of tweed and taking her shopping. A great deal of attention is spent on her undergarments, particularly her “belt,” which is apparently a corset or girdle. (Thank goodness we don’t wear those anymore.) And she gets her hair cut.
While all this kindness is going on, Margot gains confidence and eventually draws the attention of some of the older bachelors.
In the meantime, Swan, who you may remember was in love with Grace Grantly until he realized her heart lay elsewhere, has found someone else to care for. But one of the things I like about Thirkell is her subtle romances, which are so downplayed that it’s often not clear who might end up with whom.
I don’t care what people say about Thirkell’s post-war novels, I am finding them just as interesting as ever, perhaps because I’ve come to know so many characters and want to know what happens to them.
whatmeread 
I am so behind and still reading Happy Returns which finally arrived. Have this book and will get to it. Because of the delays in my copies arriving I have ordered the next two books which apparently arrive late April. You see? Am committed! Just a pity about the really expensive ones around the Old Bank House. Three, I think, I missed. They are as good as ever.
I’m so glad you’re trying to keep up. It’s just too bad you couldn’t get all of them.
This is one of my favorite of the series!
That’s nice!
I’m so glad they are actually holding up to scrutiny and giving you pleasure you might not have expected based on their reputation!
Yes, I feel that they are, or perhaps that I am invested in the outcomes, so I’m not finding them inferior.