Read Online Sentence of Marriage by Shayne Parkinson - Free Book Online Page B

milk for our own butter this time of year. I’ll start making extra again soon.’
    ‘Oh. He needn’t think I’m doing that.’ There was no need to ask who ‘he’ was.
    It’s my job, anyway , Amy wished she could say. ‘Come and see the larder.’ She led Susannah out of the dairy and over to the large, airy room that held most of the food stores. ‘There’s not much meat left. Pa usually kills a sheep on a Saturday, so we’re nearly out by Friday.’
    ‘Kills it? Himself?’
    ‘Yes,’ Amy said, puzzled at the question. She was surprised to see Susannah shudder.
    ‘There’s nothing here but chops,’ Susannah complained.
    ‘That’s because it’s Friday, and Pa kills—’
    ‘I know, I know, don’t go on about it.’ Susannah picked out eight of the cutlets.
    ‘That won’t be enough,’ said Amy.
    ‘What do you mean? Of course it will—that’s one each for you and I, and two each for the men.’
    ‘But those are only little cutlets, we ate all the chump chops the other night. They’ll want four each, and I usually have two.’
    ‘Four! They can’t want four each! And one’s enough for a scrap of a girl like you.’
    ‘They will ,’ Amy said in some distress.
    ‘Don’t argue with me, child,’ Susannah said, her eyes flashing. ‘I’ll tell your father you contradict everything I say.’
    ‘I’m only trying to…’ Amy gave up, seeing that she was simply making Susannah angrier. She helped Susannah cook the meal, and when the men arrived they set out the plates together.
    ‘Have you run out of meat, girl?’ Jack asked, looking at his meagre plateful. John and Harry prodded at their portions in equal amazement.
    ‘No,’ Amy said, unsure how to explain without causing trouble.
    ‘Is there something wrong with it?’ Susannah asked. ‘ I cooked dinner tonight.’
    ‘Ah, no, there’s nothing wrong with it, Susie,’ Amy saw Susannah close her eyes in frustration, ‘there’s just not much of it.’
    ‘I thought it was plenty.’ Susannah’s lower lip quivered slightly. ‘It’s the first time I’ve cooked dinner for you, and now you don’t like it.’ There was a catch in her voice.
    ‘Of course I like it—it’s a fine meal—don’t get upset. It’ll be enough, I wasn’t all that hungry anyway.’
    ‘I was,’ John said very quietly so that only Amy heard. Harry simply stared at his plate in disbelief.
    They ate their meat and vegetables, then devoured the custard pudding that Amy had made; she gave silent thanks that she had cooked a huge one. She hesitated before putting the kettle on, but Susannah showed no sign of doing it herself; Susannah did, however, take over pouring the tea from the pot.
    Harry drank his tea, then said bluntly, ‘I’m still hungry.’
    ‘Hold your tongue,’ Jack said, glaring at him.
    ‘Why should I? There’s no crime in being hungry.’
    ‘I’ll get you some biscuits, Harry,’ Amy said. She loaded a plate from her cake tins.
    Harry took a handful of biscuits, but he looked at Susannah accusingly. ‘It’s meat I wanted, not biscuits.’
    ‘Harry,’ Jack growled.
    ‘I’m a bit hungry too,’ John said, reaching for a biscuit.
    ‘How was I to know you’re all such pigs?’ Susannah burst out. ‘I did my best, and all you can do is complain. And you ,’ she turned to Amy, ‘you’re just waiting to gloat over me again.’
    ‘I’m not—’
    ‘You’re all against me.’ Susannah rushed from the room in tears.
    ‘Susie!’ Jack called, but she ignored him. ‘Now look what you’ve done.’ He glared at Harry and John.
    ‘What?’ Harry said. ‘All I did was say I’m hungry. It’s not too much to ask for a decent meal, is it?’
    Jack sighed. ‘I suppose it’s not. I’d better go and settle her down, though. Blast it, I’m hungry too! Have you got any more of those biscuits, Amy?’
    ‘Plenty, Pa,’ said Amy. ‘I’ll get you some more.’
    Jack did not seem to be in any great hurry to soothe his wife; in fact the