He ordered the grave to be opened wide,

The shroud to be turned down;

He kissed and kissed those clay cold lips,

And the tears came a-trinklen down.

Ellen sang with bright eyes, her low voice going to the end of the room, settling down over the hushed feet and the listening faces. She had forgotten herself in her pleasure. All had crowded into this room from the other rooms and the guitar was beating a-tonk-a a-tonk-a a-tonk a-tonk, true to every measure.

Lady Nancy died like it might be today;

Lord Lovel like it might be tomorrow;

Lady Nancy died for pure pure grief;

Lord Lovel he died for sorrow.

Lady Nancy was laid in St Pancras church,

Lord Lovel was laid in the choir;

And out of her breast there grew a red rose,

And out of his a briar.

They grew and they grew to the old church top,

And when they could grow no higher;

There they tied in a true lovers’ knot

For all true lovers to admire.

There was a great laugh and a clapping of hands and a stamping of feet when she had finished. Mr Townley made a great bow for her.

‘Hit’s a story about a couple of sweethearts, that’s what hit is,’ one said.

‘Hit’s like a book to read.’

‘Miss Nancy, she died like it would be one day, and this man, her sweetheart, like it might be the next.’

‘Yes, but all he could grow outen his grave was a briar, and that’s something to chop down and grub out.’

‘Hit means a briar rose, you durn fool you.’

‘It’s like a story book to read. Get her to sing it again.’

‘Let her sing Lucy a Generous Lady.’

Ellen said she would not sing again. Lady Nancy was a long song, long enough, she said. She felt confused, wrecked, when her voice ran off the song, ran off the last word of the song. She had moved a long way from herself sitting neglected in the corner and she could not know where her place would now be. She thought the party would break in two, but Dorine came forward proudly and took her by the arm and introduced her to everybody present.

‘Let me make you acquainted with Jonas Prather,’ she said.

‘Howdy do. I’m right glad to know you.’

‘Let me make you acquainted with Eli Prather.’

They shook her hand. After she had been introduced to everyone Jonas asked her to dance and then she stood in the long line with the others singing

Susie says she loves him

A long summer day…

When their turn came with Jonas she went down the lines, she turning all the men while he turned the girls. After a while names became permanently attached to figures and faces. The boy with the little beady eyes was Eli Prather, cousin to Jonas, and the fat girl was Rosie O’Shay.

‘Eli talks to Rosie,’ Jonas said to her in a low tone. Talks to Rosie, talks – she knew what he meant.