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
The stranger, who was by the minute becoming less of a stranger, threw back his head and laughed. ‘Now I know who you are. You’re the missus from Brumbys’ Farm, aren’t you?’
Esther felt the colour rising in her neck and flooding up her cheeks. ‘Is that what Ernie called me – the missus from Brumbys’ Farm?’
‘He talked a lot about you.’ The blue eyes were teasing her gently and yet she knew by his tone that Ernie’s tales of her had been flattering. Very softly, he added, ‘I had to come and see –’ he paused as if deliberately – ‘for myself.’ Louder he added, ‘Everything – the sea, the marshes, the farms . . .’
‘We’ll show ya, mester, we’ll show ya.’ The two boys were either side of him, both talking at once. ‘We’ll tek ya crabbin’ and shrimpin’ . . .’
‘That would be nice,’ he answered the boys, placing an arm across each of their shoulders, but his gaze never left Esther’s face. ‘I’m looking forward to seeing the sea.’
Esther liked the way the newcomer spoke, his voice was deep yet gentle and to her his words seemed well pronounced.
‘Esther had never seen the sea before she came to live here,’ Ma was telling him, ‘had you, lass? Now ya can’t keep her away from it. Always up at the Point she is, staring out across the water.’
Esther coloured with embarrassment and could think of nothing to say. She pushed back her chair with a scrape on the stone floor. ‘I’d best be goin’. It’s way past Kate’s bedtime.’
As she rose, the soldier got up too.
‘Goodbye, Mr Godfrey,’ she said, a little breathlessly, wanting to add ‘I hope we meet again’ but not daring to in front of the Harris family. Then the thought struck her – Esther Hilton not daring to do something because of what someone else might think? It was unheard of. What had come over her?
But the stranger had no such inhibitions. There was a twinkle in his eyes as he held her hand in his and said, ‘I hope I see you again whilst I’m here, Mrs Hilton.’
As she walked home, Kate skipping along at her side and hanging on to her hand, Esther could not stop the tiny thrill of pleasure from flooding through her at the thought that Jonathan Godfrey would be staying for a few days at least.
She would see him again.
Esther thought about him several times during the following morning.