Living in a small dwelling at the bottom of the lane, the Wyatts never had cause to associate with the family in the big house – that is until their cat is attacked by the family’s dog. This precipitates an unlikely friendship between the two sets of children; yet the vast gulf between the families is too much for even the youngest to bridge, and the budding relationships end in frustration and, ultimately, in tragedy.

The Gipsy’s Baby is the first of a series of stories in which Lehmann explores life in rural England with all its joys, delights, struggles and heartbreaks.