Mary was aware that Annie had to get William and John back to Fell Top before dark. In the middle of the afternoon, she said to her sister, ‘You need to be going soon.’
Annie’s face fell. ‘I know. I wish we could stay longer. It’s been so good to get away for a while, and I’ve not seen William this happy in a long time.’
‘It’s been so good to see you all. I missed you,’ said Mary sincerely. The sisters hugged.
William said, ‘Do we have to go now? Why can’t we stay a bit longer?’
Mary said, ‘You need to make sure Annie and John get home safely, before it gets dark. Can you do that?’
William stood tall and said, ‘Yes, of course I can.’
Mary bent down and kissed his brow.
‘I’ll come up and visit when I can get away. And I hope Father gets better soon.’
As her family walked away, Mary noticed William look questioningly at Annie.
To Mary, the show day had seemed to last forever. After her family left the showfield, Mary went straight to Westgate woods. When she reached the waterfall, Joe was already there leaning against an ash tree. He turned as he heard her approach and moved towards her. He took off his jacket and laid it on the ground, motioning for her to sit on the riverbank. They sat side by side, almost touching. They were so close that she could feel his body heat. Not a word had been spoken.
Joe broke the silence, ‘I didn’t think you’d come.’
All day she had been thinking about what to say to him, but now they were alone, she didn’t know what to say anymore. ‘I...I wanted to see you again. Last night was...it was nice walking back with you.’
Sensing her discomfort, he took her hands in his and stroked them with his thumbs. ‘We’re friends now, lass. There’s no need to be afraid. I like you and you must like me or you wouldn’t be here.’
Before she had chance to reply, he kissed her. His lips moved gently over hers and his arms wrapped around her. She impulsively moved closer so that their bodies were touching, and this spurred him on. He deepened the kiss, their tongues touching and probing, the heat rising. Mary was surprised by how her body reacted to his and how she felt. This must be love. She wanted this moment to last forever.
He broke off the kiss and they looked at each other, seeing their own desire reflected in the other’s eyes. Mary knew he wanted her. She had to get away before it was too late.
‘Sorry, I must go,’ she whispered. They were still holding each other close.
‘Will you come back tomorrow, at the same time?’ he begged.
‘I don’t know, Joe,’ she said, looking deeply into his eyes. But she did know. She would be back tomorrow. She would do anything he asked. She wanted him too.
For the next two weeks, Mary met Joe almost every night at the same spot by the river, spending stolen moments in each other’s arms. As Mary usually spent her evenings reading in her room, she didn’t think anyone had noticed her slipping away from the house. But she was wrong.
***
Connie had seen Mary leave one night and, wondering what she was up to, she decided to keep watch the following night to see if she went out again. Connie knew Mary must be meeting someone; why else would she be going out so secretively – and at night? She wanted to find out who it was, and she made sure she was ready to follow Mary when she left the next night.
Mary heard the Pearts retire to the parlour for the evening, as they usually did, and she quietly went downstairs and sneaked out of the kitchen door. She went around the side of the house and walked down the track, unaware that Connie was lurking in the shadows and trailing her at a distance.
Mary went to the small clearing by the waterfall, where Joe was waiting for her. Connie saw Mary rush into Joe’s arms and share a kiss before sitting with him under the warmth of his cloak. They were talking and laughing but Connie couldn’t hear what they said.
She watched them for a while before walking back to the farm. There was no mistaking the fact that Mary and Joe had been meeting in secret and that a romance was blossoming between them. Connie smirked.
***
One evening, when Mary and Joe sat close to each other on the riverbank, their legs dangling over the edge, Joe said, ‘I’m going away for a few days. There’s a big wrestling tournament on at Gateshead this weekend. Me and Ned Routledge are going. Our Tom should have been coming with us as well, but he’s got something on at work. I think we’ll probably go on Saturday and get back on Monday. It’ll only be a few days.’
Mary’s face fell. ‘Do you have to go?’
‘Well, I don’t have to, but I want to. I like wrestling and it’s a chance to win a bit of money. Ned’s really good. He usually wins something.’
‘Could I come? I have a day off on Sunday.’
‘Do you know where Gateshead is? It’s miles away. We can’t get there and back in a day.’
‘Oh, it’s just that I hoped we could maybe do something on Sunday. Maybe have a walk somewhere.’
‘Sorry, lass. It’s all arranged. I’ll miss you though.’
Mary was disappointed. She didn’t get many days off work and she had hoped she could spend this one with Joe.
‘I’ll be here when you get back, waiting for you,’ she said. ‘I’ll miss you too.’
She wondered how many days a few days would be, but it didn’t really matter. She knew she would wait much longer than that for him if she had to.
Chapter 8
Springbank Farm, Westgate
September 1872
The next day was cold and blustery. Mary was polishing the dressing table in Mrs Peart’s bedroom when she saw the constable walking up the track towards the farm. He was holding his helmet to stop it from blowing off in the strong gusts of wind. She stopped what she was doing and went downstairs. It wasn’t long before she heard a knock at the back door, and she went to open it.
‘Hello, Mr Emerson. Come on in and sit down, I’ll fetch Mr Peart.’
‘Good morning lass, it’s nice and warm in here, isn’t it?’ he said, taking off his coat. ‘Aye, it’s Mr Peart I’m wanting to see.’
Mary found Mr Peart in the stable, where he was discussing horse feed with Isaac. They walked back to the house. Mr Peart said, ‘Good morning, Robert. Would you like a drink? Come on through to the parlour.’
‘Aye, that would be nice, that would. Thank you.’
As she went back upstairs to the room she had been cleaning, Mary wondered what the visit could be about; she had never known the constable to call before. A movement outside caught her eye and she went to the window to see what it was. Connie and Henry were riding up the track, side by side. Mary quickly finished the room and went downstairs in case she was needed.
The young couple came into the kitchen and they looked very windswept. Connie’s hat had moved to one side and her hair had come loose in places. Henry’s hair was almost standing on end. Mary struggled not to laugh at the sight of them, but what she said was, ‘You two look frozen. Sit down and I’ll put the kettle on.’
They sat at the kitchen table and whispered to each other so that Mary couldn’t hear what they said. The parlour door opened down the hallway and men’s voices could be heard. The constable came into the kitchen with Mr Peart and on seeing Henry, he said, ‘Good day, Mr Forster. I hope you’re in fine fettle.’
‘How do you do, Constable? I’m very well indeed.’
‘I’ve just been talking to Mr Peart about the sheep that have gone missing. Have you had any stolen from Burnside Hall?’
‘Not that I’m aware of. I’m sure Papa or his farm manager would have told you if they had. Are you any closer to finding out who’s taking them?’
‘No, sir, I’m afraid not. I’m surprised anyone would dare steal sheep around here, after what happened to that man when I was a lad. You’ll remember that, Mr Peart. It was a fella called Thompson. He was hanged for stealing a sheep down at Stanhope — Crawleyside, if I remember right. It was that really bad winter,
you know, when the road was blocked for over two weeks. His family were starving. He only took one old ewe to feed the poor beggars, but he paid a high price for it. He was hanged at Durham. And you know what? His family ended up in the workhouse anyway,’ the policeman said, shaking his head. ‘He should have taken them there in the first place — then they’d still have had a father. It comes to something when a man would rather steal and risk his life than admit he needs help.’
‘Yes, I suppose it does,’ said Henry. Standing, he picked up his hat and said, ‘Now that you’re home safely Connie, I should take my leave. Good day, Mr Peart. Good day, Constable.’
‘Aye, I’d better be off an’ all. Thanks for that drink Mr Peart. That warmed me insides, it did. Thank you.’
The two of them left together; Henry mounted his horse and trotted down the road followed by the policeman on foot.
***
Connie said, ‘Father, I need to talk to you. Is now a good time?’
‘Yes, shall we go into the parlour?’
Mr Peart ushered her into the parlour where he filled a glass with whisky and sat down. ‘I think I know what this is about’, he started. ‘You’ve been out with Henry again. Have you given him an answer?’
‘No, but I have made my decision. I’m going to say no. I’m going to turn him down. Please don’t be mad at me – I have my reasons. I don’t want to marry someone who spends more time in Newcastle than he does in the dale. Do you know, he’s been up at his lodgings on Nun Street almost every weekend since we started riding out together – in fact, all except Chapel Show weekend. He’s rarely back before a Tuesday and I can still smell drink on him sometimes. I think he drinks a lot – maybe too much. He told me he goes to Taylor’s, the club on Clayton Street. He and his so-called friends drink and gamble there. I’ve heard there are women there as well— you know, those type of women. I don’t want to marry someone who lives like that, Father, I couldn’t stand it!’ said Connie shaking her head.
‘Now, now, hold your horses, girl. He’s still young; he has oats to sow and all that; it’s normal for a man. He’ll settle down in time, you’ll see. You shouldn’t rush to give him your answer; have a long, hard think about it. Like I said, you could do a lot worse than Henry. And in the meantime, you’d better keep your legs together — and don’t look at me like that young lady — a man like that will want a virgin on his wedding night.’
‘Oh, Father!’ Connie turned and stormed towards the door. She turned back to him, ‘I know you were keen to see me married to Henry, but I can’t marry him. I’m sorry if you’re disappointed in me. I never seem to do anything right, but I can’t marry him just to make you happy. I’m going to talk to him tomorrow. I’ll tell him that I won’t marry him and that I don’t want to see him anymore.’
It was a beautiful morning for a ride. Connie didn’t hurry to the crossroads. She knew Henry would be waiting for her, but she still hadn’t worked out exactly what to say to him. She let Star walk at a gentle pace as she went over the words in her head. She knew that he wasn’t the man for her and she had to let him know that, but she didn’t want to hurt his feelings. When she had decided how she would tell him, she urged Star into a canter.
As she approached, she saw Henry look at his pocket watch and place it back into his waistcoat pocket. Then he glanced up and saw her. He smiled and walked his stallion forwards to meet her. Leaning across, he reached over to kiss her, but she turned her face away and he caught her cheek instead of her lips.
‘What’s wrong, Connie? You don’t look very pleased to see me.’
‘I have something to tell you.’
He looked at her quizzically and then his face hardened as he realised what she was about to say. ‘Go on,’ he said.
Connie launched into her speech which she delivered with sincerity, ‘I’m sorry, Henry, but I can’t accept your offer of marriage. I like you very much and I don’t want to upset you, but you’re just not the man for me. I wish you well and I hope you’ll find someone who will make you happy.’
Despite her planning, Connie was not prepared for Henry’s reaction. He wasn’t upset, he was angry.
‘How can you turn down a proposal from me?’ he asked incredulously. ‘You could have been a lady...all you had to do was say ‘yes’. Who else would want to marry a farmer’s daughter from the back of beyond?’
Connie said, ‘I think I should go.’
As she turned to leave, he hissed, ‘Yes, you should go. I don’t want to see you ever again. And I’ll see to it that none of my associates will even look in your direction, Miss Peart.’
Henry tore off at a gallop back towards Burnside Hall.
Connie cantered back in the direction of Springbank Farm with tears in her eyes. It was Henry who should have been upset, not her. She knew she had made the right decision — but his words had stung. “Who else would want to marry a farmer’s daughter from the back of beyond?” he had said. Connie wondered if she had just turned down her one and only chance of a society wedding.
***
On the following Sunday, Mary set off to walk to Fell Top. As she strolled westwards along the dale road, she listened to the birdsong coming from the woodland and the distant sound of water flowing over the rocky riverbed. The wild roses on the roadside were laden with red hips; a thrush flew down and pecked at them, seemingly oblivious to Mary walking past. She had heard that a good crop of hips and berries was a sign of a bad winter to come. If the winter was bad, she thought, at least the wildlife would have plenty to eat.
She had only walked about half a mile when she heard a horse coming up behind her. She turned to look. It was a bay horse pulling a flat cart and Tom Milburn held the reins. He pulled up beside her and tipped his cap. ‘Hello Mary, nice morning. Where are you off to so early?’
‘I’m going up to Fell Top, to see me family.’
‘I’m going as far as Newhouse, if you’d like a lift? You’ve a long way to go and it would save you an hour or so. Sorry I can’t take you all the way up, the agent’s expecting me. I need to see him about work.’
Mary considered his offer. It was a long way to Fell Top and he was going almost half way. She wondered why she was hesitating. Was it because if they were seen together people would assume they were courting? If she accepted his offer of a ride though, she would get home quicker and would have more time to spend with her family. That settled it.
‘Thank you, Tom. That’s very kind of you.’ She climbed up and sat next to him. The seat was small; she sat so close to him that their arms touched when the cart swayed on the uneven road.
‘It was good to meet your family at the show, but I didn’t see your father there,’ said Tom.
‘No, he didn’t go. Annie said he wasn’t well.’
‘Sorry to hear that. I hope he’s better now.’
‘Thank you, I’m sure he will be.’
‘So, what was it like, living right at the top end of the dale?’
‘Quiet, I suppose. There’s not many people up there. And it was a long walk to school!’
‘Aye, it must have been. What do you think of Westgate?’
‘I prefer living at Westgate, but I do miss Killhope.’
‘Has your father always worked at Killhope mine?’
‘Yes, for as long as I remember, anyway. He likes mining, but he’s had a few bad bargains lately so he’s not earning much. They’re struggling up there. That’s why I came to work for the Pearts. My wages are going back home to help out.’
‘I like mining as well. It is a bit of a gamble though. Some bargains work out well and others don’t. We’ve been lucky lately. We’ve got a decent bit of ground to work in and there’s plenty of ore. Best we’ve ever had.’ He paused briefly before asking, ‘So when you’re not working, what do you like to do?’
‘I like reading. I’ve been borrowing books from the library. There are so many in there, I don’t think I could read them all in a lifetime! I like learning about new things and I
used to like teaching the younger children at school. I wanted to stay on and train to be a teacher, but I suppose the best I can hope for now is a houseful of bairns to teach.’
‘Women teachers can only teach until they get married anyway. Once they have a husband, they have to give up work.’
‘I’d not really thought about that. What do you like doing then, apart from mining?’
‘I make all kinds of things out of wood. It’s lovely to work with and, with the right piece and the right tools, you can work magic.’
‘What was the last thing you made? Was it the crook that was at the show?’
‘No, it was a sculpture of a dog. A collie. I modelled it on our Floss.’
‘I love animals. All kinds of animals, except snakes. I’ve always been a bit frightened of snakes.’
‘Most are harmless. Just watch for the ones with a diamond pattern on their backs — give them a wide berth. They’re adders and they’re the only poisonous ones around here.’
They talked like old friends. Time passed so quickly that Mary was surprised when Tom pulled up the horse next to a narrow bridge and said, ‘I’m sorry but this is as far as I’m going. I’ve got to head up this way now, they’re expecting me.’
The Lead Miner's Daughter Page 6