hurried away to fetch the pot of boiled bacon, barley and potatoes that was bubbling on the range and began to ladle a generous portion into his dish.
‘In that case I may have the solution,’ he said as he lifted his knife and fork. ‘I heard today that they are looking for a new worker up at Hatter’s Hall. Someone who will be prepared to live in.’
‘Oh, Edward! You
surely
would not consider sending our Maria to work in that place?’ Martha exclaimed in horror.
‘Why not? It’s good honest work and someone has to do it,’ he said. ‘We cannot afford for her to sit at home idle, woman. And the fact that she is the preacher’s daughter will go a long way to securing her the job.’
Martha glanced at Maria but surprisingly the girl didn’t seem to be overly concerned at the suggestion. The way Maria saw it, if she had to live in, it would give her a little time to try and resolve the situation in which she found herself. If the worst came to the worst, she could always pay a visit to Mother Cox. The old woman, who lived in an isolated cottage on the outskirts of Ansley Common, was feared by most of the villagers and given a wide berth, but it was a well-known fact that some of her concoctions could rid women of unwanted pregnancies. The way things were going, Maria could see no other way out of her predicament.
‘I am not averse to working at the Hall,’ she stated now, although her stomach was doing somersaults at the very thought of it. ‘And as long as I am allowed to come back and see everyone occasionally, I would be happy to live-in there.’
Edward was pleased at her response. He had expected her to object like her mother. ‘In that case there is no time like the present. Jobs are hard to come by so you should take yourself off there and be interviewed before someone else snaps up the job position.’
‘But Edward, look at the weather,’ Martha said, gesturing towards the window. ‘It’s fit for neither man nor beast to be out in this. Surely she could go tomorrow?’
‘It’s all right, Mother,’ Maria assured her. ‘I shall be perfectly all right if I dress up warmly.’
‘But your boots are still sodden.’ Martha pointed towards where they were steaming on the hearth.
‘Then I shall wrap some rags around my feet before I put them on.’
Ten minutes later, Maria was all bundled up and ready to leave although it was clear that Martha was not happy about it.
‘Now be sure to come straight back home,’ she fretted as she saw her daughter to the door.
Maria nodded and set off. The walk to Hatter’s Hall took her twice as long as it normally would have, for the snow was growing deeper by the minute, but at last she reached the gates, and shielding her eyes, she peered through them.
The old watchman shuffled out from his little wooden hut to ask, ‘Who goes there an’ what would yer be wantin’?’
Maria gulped deep in her throat before answering. ‘I have come to apply for the position that is vacant.’
‘Hmm, yer’d best come in then.’ The old man unlocked the high gates and once Maria had slipped through them he waved his hand in the direction of the Hall. ‘Just foller the road an’ yer’ll come to it.’
‘Thank you.’ Maria lifted her drab skirts and plodded on, amazed at how long the drive was. Thankfully it was treelined for most of the way so the snow wasn’t quite so deep here and she was able to move along more easily. When Hatter’s Hall finally came into view she paused to stare at it. She had heard many stories about it but had never actually seen it before, and now that she had she didn’t particularly like what she saw. It looked a dark, sinister place. She could see metal bars across the many windows, and here and there a spiral of smoke rose into the winter sky from the chimneys. The house was built of grey stone and all around it grew tall leafless trees, as if they were standing guard over it. Maria took a deep breath and ploughed on. She
‘In that case I may have the solution,’ he said as he lifted his knife and fork. ‘I heard today that they are looking for a new worker up at Hatter’s Hall. Someone who will be prepared to live in.’
‘Oh, Edward! You
surely
would not consider sending our Maria to work in that place?’ Martha exclaimed in horror.
‘Why not? It’s good honest work and someone has to do it,’ he said. ‘We cannot afford for her to sit at home idle, woman. And the fact that she is the preacher’s daughter will go a long way to securing her the job.’
Martha glanced at Maria but surprisingly the girl didn’t seem to be overly concerned at the suggestion. The way Maria saw it, if she had to live in, it would give her a little time to try and resolve the situation in which she found herself. If the worst came to the worst, she could always pay a visit to Mother Cox. The old woman, who lived in an isolated cottage on the outskirts of Ansley Common, was feared by most of the villagers and given a wide berth, but it was a well-known fact that some of her concoctions could rid women of unwanted pregnancies. The way things were going, Maria could see no other way out of her predicament.
‘I am not averse to working at the Hall,’ she stated now, although her stomach was doing somersaults at the very thought of it. ‘And as long as I am allowed to come back and see everyone occasionally, I would be happy to live-in there.’
Edward was pleased at her response. He had expected her to object like her mother. ‘In that case there is no time like the present. Jobs are hard to come by so you should take yourself off there and be interviewed before someone else snaps up the job position.’
‘But Edward, look at the weather,’ Martha said, gesturing towards the window. ‘It’s fit for neither man nor beast to be out in this. Surely she could go tomorrow?’
‘It’s all right, Mother,’ Maria assured her. ‘I shall be perfectly all right if I dress up warmly.’
‘But your boots are still sodden.’ Martha pointed towards where they were steaming on the hearth.
‘Then I shall wrap some rags around my feet before I put them on.’
Ten minutes later, Maria was all bundled up and ready to leave although it was clear that Martha was not happy about it.
‘Now be sure to come straight back home,’ she fretted as she saw her daughter to the door.
Maria nodded and set off. The walk to Hatter’s Hall took her twice as long as it normally would have, for the snow was growing deeper by the minute, but at last she reached the gates, and shielding her eyes, she peered through them.
The old watchman shuffled out from his little wooden hut to ask, ‘Who goes there an’ what would yer be wantin’?’
Maria gulped deep in her throat before answering. ‘I have come to apply for the position that is vacant.’
‘Hmm, yer’d best come in then.’ The old man unlocked the high gates and once Maria had slipped through them he waved his hand in the direction of the Hall. ‘Just foller the road an’ yer’ll come to it.’
‘Thank you.’ Maria lifted her drab skirts and plodded on, amazed at how long the drive was. Thankfully it was treelined for most of the way so the snow wasn’t quite so deep here and she was able to move along more easily. When Hatter’s Hall finally came into view she paused to stare at it. She had heard many stories about it but had never actually seen it before, and now that she had she didn’t particularly like what she saw. It looked a dark, sinister place. She could see metal bars across the many windows, and here and there a spiral of smoke rose into the winter sky from the chimneys. The house was built of grey stone and all around it grew tall leafless trees, as if they were standing guard over it. Maria took a deep breath and ploughed on. She
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