Some people (most likely witches) might not mind being called a witch - but I do.
For a start, I know nothing of spells and potions. And I certainly don't think I look like a witch. Well, not the ones I've seen in books - all warts and missing teeth.
That's not what I see in the mirror. I see a young woman of 19. Someone who tries to keep up with the latest fashions. I haven't got a black cape or a pointy hat. It's 1905, for goodness' sake, not the Middle Ages!
I like to think I'm pretty. My mother calls me her 'beautiful Autumn'. When I was a little girl, she would often tell me the story of the day I was born and how she came to give me that name...
'It was a bright, breezy afternoon in October, and your father had gone to market,' she would always begin, stroking my hair as we sat by the fire in our cottage.
'I decided to look for mushrooms in the woods. My back was paining me, and perhaps I should have paid heed to your father and stayed close to home, but I wanted to be in the air, with the wind tossing the leaves about, and the crows chattering in the trees. And guess what, my sweetness. You came to me all of a sudden under a giant beech.
'So quick it was and there you were, lying in a leafy cradle like a fairy babe. And when I saw the wisps of your hair - all gleaming and rosy gold- I knew there was only one name for you - Autumn.' I loved that story. It made me feel special.
Only, what happened as I grew up was to make me feel special in an entirely different way.
My beloved father was taken by influenza when I was 13. And suddenly the world changed overnight for Mother and me.
Esta historia es de la edición October 30, 2023 de WOMAN - UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición October 30, 2023 de WOMAN - UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
View from THE BACK
Isabel Webster says what you're thinking
A younger you in 5 MINUTES
Find inner peace and fight wrinkles with simple mindfulness
The ROYAL INSIDER
THE ROYAL SUMMER SEASON HAS STARTED IN EARNEST
SECRETS and lies
Hilary had fibbed about her real age to a man online -and now he wanted to meet her
PEARL of the Adriatic
Head to Dubrovnik and soak up all the Croatian coastal city has to offer
Remembering DAD
Chloe Aldred was losing her father long before he died...
Why your GP cares so much about cholesterol
Around 40% of Brits have too much of it in their blood, which can have devastating consequences on health if left untreated...
20-minute MEALS
Light summer bites, perfect for lunch or dinner
Celebs BARE ALL
Summer is the perfect time to let your skin breathe, so why not follow in these stars’ footsteps and go au naturel?
'He wants to COME BACK'
Prince Harry is willing to return to a temporary royal role while the King and Princess of Wales recover from cancer. But could he ever be welcome, asks royal expert Emily Andrews