‘You and your wife are an example to us all. Now, I wonder, Edith’ (although she would never accord her husband his Christian name she felt some sympathy for his wife) ‘as you are so willing to do extra work, there is one task for which I know your kind heart has fitted you.’
‘And what is that, Elizabeth?’ Edith beamed.
‘So many women have answered our call that we need others to look after their babies while they are working on the land.’
Oh, well done, Mother. Caroline had to struggle not to laugh at the look of horror on Edith’s face.
Agnes kept her head high amidst all the curious looks. She knew what they were thinking. What was the Rector’s former parlourmaid doing waiting her turn for Rector’s Hour? The next thing would be whether they daredask her about the Norvilles. Or maybe they were thinking about how the baby was due and she and Jamie had only been wed since Christmas? Well, let them.
The Rector did not show the surprise he felt when he saw her sitting there. He called her in to his study.
‘What is it, Agnes?’ Then, when she did not speak, ‘Are the Miss Norvilles upsetting you?’
‘No, sir. I’ll stay there with the baby and have it there too. It’s the Thorns.’
‘What have they done?’
‘They keep telling me I should go there and now the baby’s late and I don ’t want to go,’ she managed to gasp. There, it was out.
‘Then don’t go. I’m sure Jamie will understand.’
‘But he’s not here, and there’s been a message sent up with Mary that Len and Mr Thorn are coming to collect me tomorrow and this time won’t take no for an answer. Being Jamie’s father, Mr Thorn says he has a right.’
The Rector was puzzled. ‘It would be more comfortable for you at Mrs Thorn’s. I’m sure she’ll treat you kindly.’
‘But I won’t get away again.’ Didn’t anybody understand. ‘They’ll want me to work there.’
‘Would that be so bad?’
She hesitated, then blurted out, ‘It’s Len, sir. I’m scared of him. And he do hate Jamie so. Up in Castle Tillow I feel safe. When I told Johnson he said he wouldn’t let them in, but I know them Thorns. There’ll be a fight, all over me, and I’ll have to go.’
The Rector thought for a moment. ‘Excuse me, if you will, Agnes. I won’t be long.’ He went outside.
Agnes felt mightily relieved now it was off her chest and allowed herself a little weep. Five minutes later she was recovered when the door opened and both the Rector and Mrs Lilley came in.
‘We’ve solved your problem, Agnes,’ the Rector informed her. ‘I’ll talk to the Thorns. I think you’ll find they’ll change their minds.’
‘And I can have the baby at Castle Tillow?’
It was Mrs Lilley who answered. ‘If you wish, Agnes. We’d prefer somewhere else though.’
‘Where?’ She wouldn’t go to her parents, she wouldn ’ t.
‘The Rectory.’
CHAPTER FOUR
‘Out, Kaiser Willie, out! And you. And you!’ Caroline hoed vigorously round the barley crop at Owler’s Farm. If she convinced herself each jab was a jab at His German Imperial Majesty, she would truly be contributing towards the war effort. She hadn’t expected to be wielding a hoe herself, but when Mrs Lake broke her arm after slipping on muck in the yard, there had been an emergency call from her husband, incapacitated himself after losing an arm at Ypres in November. She had welcomed it,because Farmer Lake had at first been a die-hard, telling her they could manage without a pack of women squawking around, thank you very much, Miss Lilley. But now here she was, advancing hoe in hand to defeat the enemy. And enjoying it, tiring though it was.
So far her scheme was working reasonably well, with a few hiccoughs as one or two women tired of the hard labour. She had heard whispers about the better pay at Swinford-Browne’s munitions factory, and there were always more volunteers for sowing and picking than for weeding. Which was why she was fighting the
‘And what is that, Elizabeth?’ Edith beamed.
‘So many women have answered our call that we need others to look after their babies while they are working on the land.’
Oh, well done, Mother. Caroline had to struggle not to laugh at the look of horror on Edith’s face.
Agnes kept her head high amidst all the curious looks. She knew what they were thinking. What was the Rector’s former parlourmaid doing waiting her turn for Rector’s Hour? The next thing would be whether they daredask her about the Norvilles. Or maybe they were thinking about how the baby was due and she and Jamie had only been wed since Christmas? Well, let them.
The Rector did not show the surprise he felt when he saw her sitting there. He called her in to his study.
‘What is it, Agnes?’ Then, when she did not speak, ‘Are the Miss Norvilles upsetting you?’
‘No, sir. I’ll stay there with the baby and have it there too. It’s the Thorns.’
‘What have they done?’
‘They keep telling me I should go there and now the baby’s late and I don ’t want to go,’ she managed to gasp. There, it was out.
‘Then don’t go. I’m sure Jamie will understand.’
‘But he’s not here, and there’s been a message sent up with Mary that Len and Mr Thorn are coming to collect me tomorrow and this time won’t take no for an answer. Being Jamie’s father, Mr Thorn says he has a right.’
The Rector was puzzled. ‘It would be more comfortable for you at Mrs Thorn’s. I’m sure she’ll treat you kindly.’
‘But I won’t get away again.’ Didn’t anybody understand. ‘They’ll want me to work there.’
‘Would that be so bad?’
She hesitated, then blurted out, ‘It’s Len, sir. I’m scared of him. And he do hate Jamie so. Up in Castle Tillow I feel safe. When I told Johnson he said he wouldn’t let them in, but I know them Thorns. There’ll be a fight, all over me, and I’ll have to go.’
The Rector thought for a moment. ‘Excuse me, if you will, Agnes. I won’t be long.’ He went outside.
Agnes felt mightily relieved now it was off her chest and allowed herself a little weep. Five minutes later she was recovered when the door opened and both the Rector and Mrs Lilley came in.
‘We’ve solved your problem, Agnes,’ the Rector informed her. ‘I’ll talk to the Thorns. I think you’ll find they’ll change their minds.’
‘And I can have the baby at Castle Tillow?’
It was Mrs Lilley who answered. ‘If you wish, Agnes. We’d prefer somewhere else though.’
‘Where?’ She wouldn’t go to her parents, she wouldn ’ t.
‘The Rectory.’
CHAPTER FOUR
‘Out, Kaiser Willie, out! And you. And you!’ Caroline hoed vigorously round the barley crop at Owler’s Farm. If she convinced herself each jab was a jab at His German Imperial Majesty, she would truly be contributing towards the war effort. She hadn’t expected to be wielding a hoe herself, but when Mrs Lake broke her arm after slipping on muck in the yard, there had been an emergency call from her husband, incapacitated himself after losing an arm at Ypres in November. She had welcomed it,because Farmer Lake had at first been a die-hard, telling her they could manage without a pack of women squawking around, thank you very much, Miss Lilley. But now here she was, advancing hoe in hand to defeat the enemy. And enjoying it, tiring though it was.
So far her scheme was working reasonably well, with a few hiccoughs as one or two women tired of the hard labour. She had heard whispers about the better pay at Swinford-Browne’s munitions factory, and there were always more volunteers for sowing and picking than for weeding. Which was why she was fighting the
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