Chapters (53)
- Cover
- Title page
- Dedication page
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- Twenty-three
- Twenty-four
- Twenty-five
- Twenty-six
- Twenty-seven
- Twenty-eight
- Twenty-nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-one
- Thirty-two
- Thirty-three
- Thirty-four
- Thirty-five
- Thirty-six
- Thirty-seven
- Thirty-eight
- Thirty-nine
- Forty
- Forty-one
- Forty-two
- Forty-three
- Forty-four
- Sow the Seed
- Reap the Harvest
- About the Author
- ALSO BY MARGARET DICKINSON
- Acknowledgements
- Copyright page
Then she realized she had a ready-made excuse to go to Ma’s cottage. Kate was not home. She was still down at the Point with Enid. Eagerly Esther almost ran towards the gate and out into the lane. She must fetch Kate, she told herself, trying to justify her action. It’s way past her tea-time.
There were no children playing outside the cottages; no sign of Danny Eland or – thank goodness – of his parents.
Outside Ma Harris’s cottage Esther hesitated, feeling diffident about being here. She clicked her tongue against her teeth, impatient with herself. She was still trying to decide what she ought to do, when she heard a tapping at the window and she turned to see Kate’s beaming face pressed against the pane, jam smeared around her mouth. The door opened and Enid beckoned her in. ‘Kate’s all right, missus. I’m sorry I didn’t bring her back, but this feller’s come to see me ma . . .’ Her eyes were shining, and her voice dropped to a whisper. ‘Ooh, he’s a lovely feller, missus, real handsome. Come in an meet him. He knew our Ernie.’
Shyness swept through Esther – an unaccustomed feeling for her. ‘Well, I don’t want to intrude, I just came to fetch Kate home . . .’
‘She’s had her tea.’
‘Yes, but . . .’
‘Oh, do come in, missus, please,’ Enid urged her, and Esther needed no more persuasion.
Twenty-three
AS she had imagined, they were sitting around the kitchen table, the stranger in the place of honour in Mr Harris’s Windsor chair at the head, whilst Ma sat at the opposite end. Mr Harris had come in from work and in deference to his honoured guest had sat down at one side of the table. The children stood together, wide-eyed and curiously silent, just staring at the visitor.
As Esther came in, the man glanced towards her and rose politely. Their eyes met and the wonderful smile spread across his face.
‘Hello – we meet again,’ he said in his rich, deep voice.
Esther smiled self-consciously. She felt Ma Harris looking from one to the other in puzzlement, but Esther’s own gaze was fixed upon the stranger’s face.
‘You know Esther – Mrs Hilton?’ she asked him.
Did she imagine it or did the faintest trace of disappointment flicker across his face?
‘Not exactly,’ he was saying evenly. ‘We met in the lane and – er – Mrs Hilton directed me to your house.’
Esther found her voice. ‘I’m sorry – I didn’t mean to butt in. I came looking for Kate.’
‘Nay, lass, you ain’t butting in. How could ya? Sit down a minute and have a cup of tea.’
‘Well . . .’ she murmured, but the stranger, still standing whilst she remained so, was already pulling out a chair near him and inviting her to join them around the table. ‘If you’re sure.’