Chapters (52)
- Cover
- Margaret Dickinson
- Dedication page
- Contents
- Part One
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Part Two
- 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
- Sow the Seed
- Note
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- Copyright page
‘It’ll be sold or broken up, you’ll see,’ Kate’s mother would say resentfully to her family in the privacy of their home. ‘Young Arthur’s for the high life and no mistake! He doesn’t want to know what hard work is!’
Jonathan and Kate would exchange a fond smile. Esther could not understand anyone who did not share her love of the land. Her prediction was right, although not quite in the way she would have expected.
The thirties brought their own particular problems for the nation. The Depression hit hard but for Esther Godfrey it brought good fortune. The Squire, rather than see his land go to strangers, decided to offer the three farms which made up the bulk of his estate – Brumbys’ Farm, Rookery Farm and Souters’ Farm – to the sitting tenants.
‘I’d rather see you have the land, Esther, my dear,’ he had told Kate’s mother, blowing his nose vigorously on a huge handkerchief. ‘I know you love Brumbys’ Farm.’
Esther’s eyes had glowed and the wooden box that held all her savings had been pulled from under her bed and the coins and notes carefully counted. With land at the lowest price anyone could remember, there was just enough for Brumbys’ Farm to become Esther’s.
Kate still smiled every time she thought of that Sunday morning on one of her visits. Her mother had been as excited as a young girl.
‘It’ll be mine – really mine – I mean,’ she had added swiftly, glancing at Jonathan, ‘ours!’
Kate had watched as Jonathan had put his arms around his wife. ‘No, my love,’ he had said quietly but firmly. ‘The papers will be in your name and your name alone.’
‘But—’
‘But nothing. I won’t hear of it being otherwise. You are Brumbys’ Farm.’ He had smoothed back the tendrils of hair from her forehead. ‘Your name shall be the first one on the deeds after the Marshalls. There now, won’t that be something?’
Esther had nodded, her eyes brimming with tears. ‘Yes,’ she had whispered. ‘Yes, it will.’
Esther had been the only one to take up the Squire’s offer. Tom Willoughby, with no family to carry on after him, decided to remain as a tenant for the last few years of his working life.