scientist living in the village. Made quite an impression, so he has, though I’ve not seen him yet myself.’
Mercy had spoken of this before, I remembered. The man was moving into Eden Court, and Da had been making shelves for him. It was exciting news by Sweepfield’s standards, yet it was also a bit baffling.
‘Why would a scientist come from London to Sweepfield?’ I asked. ‘We’re miles from anywhere. There’s more pigs here than people.’
‘He’s doing secret science work, but no one really knows what.’ Mercy started shuffling in her seat like she was smoothing down her skirts. ‘Anyway, are you well enough to take a walk?’
I gulped, nervous again. ‘No. Not today.’
Mercy, unlike her name, wasn’t about to take no for an answer.
10
Crockers Lane was a road I knew blindfolded. Yet when it came to it, I needed the help of two people to stay on my feet. Mercy kept on my left side, Peg on my right, each holding me firmly by the hand. Halfway down the lane Mercy suggested we walk over the fields instead.
‘It’ll be quieter, Lizzie. You can take your time,’ she said.
I think she saw how jumpy I was. All those weeks in bed, I’d felt safe. Hidden. Now I had to face the world and it terrified me. What if I got lost or fell down or made an idiot of myself? I knew what happened to piglets born blind, or to horses too old to see right. If Mam was here, I’d feel stronger. But she was now just a body in the ground – and I needed to pay my respects.
‘I’d like to walk on to the churchyard. It’s not far,’ I said.
Mercy hesitated. ‘Oh … erm … very well, if you think you can manage it.’
‘What’s the matter?’
‘Nothing,’ she said quickly. ‘Nothing at all. Honest.’
Last time I’d been on Crockers Lane, it was a bitter, cold winter’s day. Even today the wind still had an icy bite to it, and the dullness of the light told me there wasn’t any sun. But it was spring, according to the calendar. And I tried hard not to think of the budding hedgerows and all the other glorious things I couldn’t see. It wasn’t easy. Nor was walking past our field where the accident had happened. I knew we’d reached it when Peg suddenly said, ‘Da sold the cattle to Mr Henderson, you know.’
‘Oh.’ It didn’t shock me, not really. But it still hurt to hear it for it made things more real, more final.
By the time we’d turned left towards the village green, I was beginning to get my bearings. To people who didn’t know, we probably looked like any other girls on a morning stroll.
Which, of course, we weren’t.
This was Sweepfield. Everyone would know what had happened to Mam and me. We were bound to run into someone who’d say how sorry they were, and I’dfeel frightful and want to cry. I began to wonder if I could face this, after all.
It was too late to turn back. Up ahead, I heard the clip clop of horses, and the jangle of a shop bell. There were voices too, people greeting each other in the street. Mercy’s hand tensed up on my arm.
‘Are you ready?’ she said.
‘I … I don’t know.’ Suddenly, I saw myself as Peg and Mercy had seen me – a girl with strange red scars and eyes that didn’t work. My frock covered most of the marks, but even a bonnet brim couldn’t hide what had happened to my sight. Babies might cry on seeing me. Horses might leap sideways. It made my mouth turn dry.
‘Don’t worry, that was only Mr Henderson going into the post office,’ Mercy said. ‘Married a year and his wife still works in there. My mam says it’s all very modern .’
Which instantly made me think of that stupid blindfold game, and how Mr Henderson had met his future wife playing it. One person I prayed we wouldn’t meet today was Isaac Blake. The thought made me shrivel up with shame.
‘There isn’t anyone else up ahead, not even a dog,’ said Peg.
I sighed in relief. ‘Good. Onwards, then.’
In the main village street, Mercy grew more forceful in
Mercy had spoken of this before, I remembered. The man was moving into Eden Court, and Da had been making shelves for him. It was exciting news by Sweepfield’s standards, yet it was also a bit baffling.
‘Why would a scientist come from London to Sweepfield?’ I asked. ‘We’re miles from anywhere. There’s more pigs here than people.’
‘He’s doing secret science work, but no one really knows what.’ Mercy started shuffling in her seat like she was smoothing down her skirts. ‘Anyway, are you well enough to take a walk?’
I gulped, nervous again. ‘No. Not today.’
Mercy, unlike her name, wasn’t about to take no for an answer.
10
Crockers Lane was a road I knew blindfolded. Yet when it came to it, I needed the help of two people to stay on my feet. Mercy kept on my left side, Peg on my right, each holding me firmly by the hand. Halfway down the lane Mercy suggested we walk over the fields instead.
‘It’ll be quieter, Lizzie. You can take your time,’ she said.
I think she saw how jumpy I was. All those weeks in bed, I’d felt safe. Hidden. Now I had to face the world and it terrified me. What if I got lost or fell down or made an idiot of myself? I knew what happened to piglets born blind, or to horses too old to see right. If Mam was here, I’d feel stronger. But she was now just a body in the ground – and I needed to pay my respects.
‘I’d like to walk on to the churchyard. It’s not far,’ I said.
Mercy hesitated. ‘Oh … erm … very well, if you think you can manage it.’
‘What’s the matter?’
‘Nothing,’ she said quickly. ‘Nothing at all. Honest.’
Last time I’d been on Crockers Lane, it was a bitter, cold winter’s day. Even today the wind still had an icy bite to it, and the dullness of the light told me there wasn’t any sun. But it was spring, according to the calendar. And I tried hard not to think of the budding hedgerows and all the other glorious things I couldn’t see. It wasn’t easy. Nor was walking past our field where the accident had happened. I knew we’d reached it when Peg suddenly said, ‘Da sold the cattle to Mr Henderson, you know.’
‘Oh.’ It didn’t shock me, not really. But it still hurt to hear it for it made things more real, more final.
By the time we’d turned left towards the village green, I was beginning to get my bearings. To people who didn’t know, we probably looked like any other girls on a morning stroll.
Which, of course, we weren’t.
This was Sweepfield. Everyone would know what had happened to Mam and me. We were bound to run into someone who’d say how sorry they were, and I’dfeel frightful and want to cry. I began to wonder if I could face this, after all.
It was too late to turn back. Up ahead, I heard the clip clop of horses, and the jangle of a shop bell. There were voices too, people greeting each other in the street. Mercy’s hand tensed up on my arm.
‘Are you ready?’ she said.
‘I … I don’t know.’ Suddenly, I saw myself as Peg and Mercy had seen me – a girl with strange red scars and eyes that didn’t work. My frock covered most of the marks, but even a bonnet brim couldn’t hide what had happened to my sight. Babies might cry on seeing me. Horses might leap sideways. It made my mouth turn dry.
‘Don’t worry, that was only Mr Henderson going into the post office,’ Mercy said. ‘Married a year and his wife still works in there. My mam says it’s all very modern .’
Which instantly made me think of that stupid blindfold game, and how Mr Henderson had met his future wife playing it. One person I prayed we wouldn’t meet today was Isaac Blake. The thought made me shrivel up with shame.
‘There isn’t anyone else up ahead, not even a dog,’ said Peg.
I sighed in relief. ‘Good. Onwards, then.’
In the main village street, Mercy grew more forceful in
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