She had seemed so together, so much stronger of late since moving in with us at Shibden. My influence must have rubbed off on her. Being at Shibden, away from Crow Nest, her aunt and busy-body family, I had thought had done her good. I had seen her striding about with more confidence and we’d sit together in the Lister pew. We had walked through town with our heads held high and I started to believe that this was the way forward for us. We had accepted each other, and I’d hoped that this small town would let us be, but at this one small setback she seems unravelled. I wonder if all I have achieved with her will be lost? All my small steps of reassurance, giving her confidence and sharing our worlds, our very marriage, have all been undone in an instant.

I wish I’d had nothing to do with this election. It had seemed just, when I am denied the vote and feel so strongly about who should lead our region to a better future, to lean on my tenants to vote my way. But if it means losing her, she whom I have grown to love and care for and look forward to spending my life with, I would never have been so vocal. Leave them to suffer at the hands of their vote. Let them learn the hard way that I was right. The Halifax crowd might wish me to lie down under the old gibbet blade so they can cut off my head, but the thought of being at Shibden without her again makes me wonder what there is to carry on for.

I’m astonished at how I feel. I never meant to let this woman infiltrate my life so much, but she has won us all over. My aunt, father and even Marian love her company and they can tell she has made me happier, though they know not what goes on behind closed doors. Now, we are all set to lose her, for the shock of this may return her to confinement at Crow Nest and the care of her aunt.

If this is it, I will pack my things and head to Russia next week. Burning our effigies indeed!

As I thought. All men are bastards.

Miss Walker

We are daughters to fathers and sisters to brothers. We are passed from our father’s hands to those of another man to whom we must answer and for whom we must provide sons, whom we will then be at the mercy of for all our lives. Men teach us, doctor us, pray for us, make laws which affect us and determine our fate. We never break out of the hands of men until we die. Why cannot they just leave us alone?