Village wives - Patricia Fawcett

Constance Makepeace, ageing owner of lovely West House, wants to install a suitable young family in it rather than sell it for money she doesn't need. But when she picks Tess O'Grady as her successor, she has made a terrible mistake. Greedy, unscrupulous, cold as ice, Tessa sees West House as a chance to make a quick killing in the property market and anyway, she has no intention of spoiling her perfect life with children. But Constance will be saved from her mistake when the right family does appear, and Tessa shows her true selfish colours.