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
Miserably she buried her face in her skirt. Now Danny would be angry with her, might even hate her, she was thinking. All young men got angry if you didn’t let them – well, do things! At least that was what Sheila, one of the young girls in the workroom, said. Sheila was a pert, petite blonde, who wore make-up and high-heeled shoes and short skirts; she seemed to have a different boyfriend every week.
But Esther’s warning sounded in Kate’s ears so clearly, she might have been standing over them. ‘Dun’t let him touch you – promise me!’
‘I’m sorry,’ she muttered. ‘But I dun’t want to – to . . .’
She felt Danny’s touch on her arm and he sat up at the side of her. ’Tis me who should be saying sorry. You’re right. We mun’t spoil it. We should wait till we’re wed.’
She reached out to him in the darkness. ‘Oh, Danny,’ she breathed. ‘I was afraid you’d be cross, that you wouldn’t understand . . .’
‘Kate – I love you, really love you. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you, or – or upset you.’ The grin widened, cheekily, ‘But I dun’t reckon I can wait for ever.’
‘Oh Danny, nor me. Nor me.’
She held his beloved face between her hands and gently kissed his lips.
‘Just where do you think you’ve been, Miss? Do you know what time it is? It’s half-past ten.’ Her mother was waiting at the open back door as Kate came across the yard. Silhouetted against the light from within, Esther stood with her feet set apart and hands on hips. It was a stance that meant trouble.
‘Hello, Mam,’ Kate said happily. Not even Esther’s anger was going to be allowed to spoil things. Danny loved her – and he had got his job back. The Squire had kept his promise. Danny didn’t know she had a hand in it – but that was the way she wanted it. She loved him too much to belittle him. She would always let him think that he had regained his job because the Squire valued him and not because she had pleaded his cause.
In her joy, Kate grasped her mother round her slim waist and drew her outside. In the darkness she whirled her mother round the back yard in a merry jig.
‘Stop it, Kate . . .’ but Esther was laughing in spite of herself. ‘Do stop – I’m getting a stitch in me side.’ Kate stopped and let go of her. Esther leaned against the pump in the yard, holding her side. ‘What’s got into you, girl? You’re as daft as a brush.’