by Diane Allen
‘It’s down on the back green, just set back a bit off the main road. The garden’s overgrown, but the roof is alright and so are the doors and windows. Should we go and have a look at it on Sunday? We are both allowed time together then.’ Rosie looked excitedly at him.
‘Aye, we can do that. I like Austwick and it would be just right, as you say. Plus, your grandfather is always right with me. I’ve a lot to thank him for, as it was him who brought me here.’ Ethan smiled and wanted to hug Rosie again, but quickly put thoughts of that to one side as her mother came to the garden gate opposite them.
‘Rosie, come on in now – tea is on the table and, as it’s your birthday, I’ve made a trifle, so you’d better get yourself in before your grandfather eats the lot of it.’ Harriet looked across at the two love-birds sitting on the step. She remembered how she used to look at her Danny that way, and her heart melted a little towards Ethan. ‘Are you coming and all? After all, there’s no show without Punch, and it’ll make our Rosie happy.’ Harriet folded her arms and waited, watching the disbelief on both of their faces. ‘Aye, get yourselves in. I might not be suited with this courtship, but I’ll not have you miserable on your birthday.’
‘Thank you, Mother. It is kind of you to ask Ethan in. Look what he’s made for me.’ Rosie passed the miniature set of drawers to her mother to inspect, as Ethan took his cap off and walked quietly past her.
‘Not a bad job, lad. They are right bonny. I wouldn’t mind some of them myself.’ Harriet passed the miniatures back to Rosie. ‘You’re not as daft as you look.’
‘Thank you, Mrs Atkinson. I’ll make you some, if you want.’ Ethan grinned.
‘Aye, you can – in your own time, though. You’ve enough on this next week or two, gathering the fell with Mr Atkinson and bringing the sheep down for winter. He’s decided to give you a few more responsibilities.’ Harriet passed Rosie the set of drawers back and smiled. ‘Now get yourselves in for some tea; there’s salmon sandwiches and a present waiting for you, Rosie, because no doubt you’ll be expecting something.’ Harriet watched the two of them enter Crummock. Her eldest was no longer a little girl; she was a woman, and she’d have to realize that.
Ethan felt uncomfortable sitting at the table in the dining room of Crummock Farm. He looked around him at the fine china that embellished the oak plate-rack and didn’t quite know what to do with his hands and arms, as Harriet sat down opposite to him, giving him a knowing glance.
‘Pass Ethan a sandwich, Rosie. Do you like salmon or would you have preferred something else?’ Harriet looked at him as he gingerly took a sandwich from the gilt-edged plate, then watched as everybody else helped themselves and started to eat.
‘Aye, tuck in, lad – fill your boots. Make best of it while there’s stuff on the table.’ Archie grinned; he’d been in the same position, the first time he’d sat in the exact same spot and not been wanted by old Father Booth, as he’d eyed his daughter.
‘Yes, I like salmon, but what I’ve caught from the beck is nowt like this.’ Ethan looked at the red-coloured fish, which showed barely any resemblance to what he usually caught.
‘This is tinned salmon – a real delicacy. We only have it on special occasions, birthdays and Christmas. I thought it would be a treat on Rosie’s birthday.’ Harriet looked across at Ethan, who didn’t appear that impressed.
‘Mam, why is Ethan eating with us? He’s usually out in the stable,’ Ben spouted up as he looked at Ethan, while hiding his bread crusts under his plate edge.
‘Because he is – that’s all you need to know for now.’ Harriet smiled at her young son. ‘Now eat your crusts up, they’ll make your hair curl.’
‘I don’t want curly hair. I know why he’s here. I saw him kissing our Rosie in the cowshed last week. They didn’t see me because I kept quiet; they are always kissing. Blaaa . . .’ He put his tongue out and pulled a face.
‘You shut up, our Ben, you don’t know anything. You are nothing but a peeping Tom.’ Rosie kicked her brother under the table and glared at him.
‘Now you make Ethan welcome at our table. Him and your sister are courting, and we will have none of your cheek, Ben Atkinson.’ Danny looked across at his son and stirred his tea. ‘Else you can go and join Georgina in a sleep upstairs in your bedroom.’ He looked across at the two lovers and saw Rosie’s cheeks blush. ‘I’m off down to Windfell tomorrow, Ethan, do you want to come with me? We can see your mother and father, and then we can tell them how things are between you and Rosie. They’ve a right to know and, if I tell your father that we are somewhat happy with the situation, he should treat you right.’
Ethan bowed his head. ‘I expect my father will bray me again. I shouldn’t even be looking at Rosie, let alone walking out with her, in his eyes. But I’ll come, and then both my mother and father will know what I’m about. If you’d back me up, Mr Atkinson, I’d appreciate that.’ He lifted his head up and looked at Rosie and smiled.
‘Right, we’ll go first thing. I need to call in at the blacksmith’s in Settle, so it will give you a bit of time to be alone with them. But I’ll tell your father to behave himself while I’m gone. I’m not having you the worse for wear, just for the sake of setting your eye on our lass.’ Danny looked across at his father and hoped that he’d want to come with them both. But Archie said nothing, as he was too busy watching Harriet dishing up the sherry trifle that had been made earlier and passing it to everyone, before she reached for the two parcels that were on the sideboard.
‘This is from me and your father.’ She passed the larger of the two brown paper parcels to her daughter. ‘The smaller one is from your Aunt Isabelle and Uncle James.’ She watched as Rosie’s eyes lit up with excitement as she pulled on the string bow of the large parcel, unfolding the paper carefully.
‘Oh, it’s beautiful, Mother, but when will I wear it? It’s too grand for everyday use.’ Rosie pulled away the paper and pushed her chair back, standing to hold the beautiful dress that had been concealed within the package.
‘Now, that is a picture. Aye, lad.’ Archie grinned as Ethan looked at Rosie holding her present of a blue taffeta ballgown up next to her.
‘Yes, sir.’ Ethan looked at the girl he loved and felt unsure of himself for the first time. Perhaps his father was right: he shouldn’t be aiming for a girl like Rosie. She was far too high above him, and he should know his place.
‘Well, you are old enough to go to one or two of the local dances now, and Aunt Isabelle is going to hold a Christmas Ball this year, so you’ll be needing it for that, I’m sure. We can’t have you letting the side down.’ Harriet looked across at Ethan and noticed his face starting to cloud over. ‘Open your other present – that was Aunt Isabelle’s doing.’
Rosie’s face was beaming as she placed her new dress down behind her chair and quickly tugged on the string of the other parcel, pulling back the paper to reveal a blue-and-silver beaded evening bag. ‘Oh, I’ve never seen anything like it.’ She ran the beaded fringe that hung from the bag through her fingers and looked around the tea table at everybody.
‘And here, lass, I’m no good at buying presents, but I thought you could make use of this.’ Archie passed Rosie the money he had put in his pocket specially for her.
‘I couldn’t take that, Grandpapa, it’s a pound – that’s more money than I’ve managed to save up all year.’ Rosie went round the table and hugged him and tried to give it back, but Archie shook his head and thrust it back in her hand. ‘Tha’ll need it someday, lass, I’m sure it will come in handy. Besides, I’d rather see you happy while I’m still here to see it, than when I’m six foot under and no good to anyone.’
‘That’s a long way off yet, Grandpapa.’ Rosie kissed Archie on the cheek and looked at Ethan, who looked as black as thunder and had not touched the trifle in front of him.
‘I’m sorry, but I’ve things to do. The calf pen wants mucking out, and I need to go and clean the horse harness.’ Ethan got up from the table, taking everybody by s
urprise.
‘But you’ve not had your trifle, and I thought we could go for a walk after tea,’ Rosie exclaimed.
‘No, I’ve too much to do. I thank you all for asking me, and I’m glad that you’ve had a good birthday, Rosie. Now please excuse me, I’ll be away.’ Ethan pushed his chair back while the family watched him walk off. Rosie was nearly in tears. As he left, he looked at the miniature set of drawers that it had taken him hours to carve and make. They were rubbish; he could never compete with her family and he was a fool even to have thought it. If Rosie started attending all the social events in the district, her head would soon be turned. Perhaps that was what her mother was hoping, when she had given her that fancy dress and the posh evening bag. He was a fool to think she would ever be his, and he was sure his father would say the same to him in the morning, if he went.
‘Ethan! Ethan, wait!’ Rosie got up from her chair, dropping her precious gifts to the floor, and rushed to be with him as she heard him close the kitchen door.
‘He takes after his father, does that ’un.’ Archie looked across at Harriet. ‘Doesn’t like to think he’s been shown up or outdone.’
‘I wish we’d never invited him in. And yes, I’m not ashamed to admit that if Rosie goes to the dances and balls coming up, in that dress, I hope she’ll meet somebody a lot better suited to her than Ethan Haygarth.’ Harriet looked at the untouched trifle and sighed.
‘Be careful what you wish for, and don’t try to alter the path of true love, for you’ll only get hurt.’ Archie looked across at Danny. ‘What does thou say, lad?’
‘I’m not saying owt. But he seems nowt but trouble, does that lad,’ Danny said.
‘Ethan, what’s wrong? Why have you come out here? You know full well that you’ve done all there is to do for today.’ Rosie strode across the farmyard. Her skirts billowed in the wind that had suddenly sprung up, making the last of the autumn leaves cascade around her, and her hair lash her face.
Ethan turned and looked at her. ‘I’m not good enough for you, Rosie. Go and find somebody else – somebody with more brass, somebody with land and that’s been brought up the same way as you. I’ve come from nowt, and my father’s right: I shouldn’t even be setting eyes on you, let alone touching you.’
‘Why are you saying this now? What’s changed from an hour ago, when we were going to look at the cottage in the village and were making plans for our life together?’ Rosie stood in front of him and held back the tears.
‘I’ve realized how little I have to give you, that’s what’s changed. I’ve nothing, and never will have, and you deserve better. I could never buy you fancy clothes and bags, and go with you to society balls and dances. They would all look at me and whisper behind my back, “He’s the gyppo that the Atkinsons let court their daughter.” I can hear it now. You deserve better.’
‘Well, let them talk, I don’t care. I want only you, and I’m not bothered about fancy clothes and snobby social balls. We’ll go to the local dance down in the village hall – everyone goes to that, and nobody stands on ceremony there. As long as I have you, I don’t care.’ Rosie put her arms around him and hugged him close to her. ‘I love you, Ethan Haygarth, and only you, so stop being so bloody proud, and go and see your father tomorrow. He’ll have to take it in his stride, if my father tells him that he must.’
Rosie looked up at Ethan, whose black hair was blowing in the wind and whose eyes were dark and as wild as the weather.
‘We don’t need anything or anybody, if we have one another.’ Rosie took his face in her hands and kissed him. ‘My wild rover: that’s what you are and always will be, and that’s why I love you.’
‘So, you’ve finally decided to show your face. Do you know how much worry you’ve put your mother through? I suppose you’ve been trailing around looking for your grandfather again. When I told you to bloody well forget about him.’ Jethro scowled at his son and spat out a mouthful of saliva as he watched Ethan drive up to the stables and stop next to him, with Danny beside him on the buckboard.
‘Now then, Jethro. Ethan landed back the other day and I’ve told him to come and make his peace with you and his mother, but I need a word before you set into him. That’s why I’m here, stopping off on my way to see the blacksmith at Settle.’ Danny looked at Ethan. He had been quiet all the way to Windfell. He knew Ethan was not looking forward to confronting his father. ‘Let him go into Windfell and see his mother first, while I have a word with you. I’m sure she will be glad to see him.’
Ethan climbed down from the flat wagon and watched as Danny walked into the stable, his hand on his father’s shoulder, talking quietly; he hoped that was the way it would stay, as he tied up the team of horses to the metal ring outside the stable, before making his way around the back of Windfell Manor. He stopped just outside the kitchen door as he plucked up courage to face his mother, Mazy, thinking of the fuss she would make of him, now that he had returned, and of the shock she would show at his confession of love for Rosie.
‘Hey up, young Ethan! Now you are a stranger, but I know someone who will be glad to see you.’ Ruby the cook turned to see who was entering her kitchen as she stirred the year’s last batch of blackberry jelly on the stove. ‘Mazy! Mazy, look what the cat’s dragged in,’ she yelled through to the pantry, where Ethan’s mother was checking the supplies, ready for winter.
‘What are you yelling at, Ruby? I’m only here, not a mile away?’ Mazy stepped into the kitchen and stopped in her tracks as she saw her son standing in the doorway. ‘Ethan, you are home! Thank God for that. Where have you been? I’ve missed you so much.’ She rushed to his side and hugged him as he put his arms around his mother.
‘I’m sorry, Mother, I should have come earlier, but I . . .’ Ethan put his head down, not wanting to say that he hadn’t forgiven – and couldn’t – his father for the braying he’d been given, and that he’d missed her so much.
‘Shh . . . I know, your father shouldn’t have lost his temper with you. He should have known better.’ Mazy held Ethan’s face in her hands and kissed him on the cheek. ‘You are home now and that’s all that matters.’ She sniffed and wiped her nose and pushed away the tears that were falling. ‘I just didn’t know where you were, and if I’d ever see you again, when Mr Atkinson said you’d gone missing. And you know what your father is like; he wouldn’t let me come up and see you when you were at Crummock. He said that it was your duty to come and see us.’ Mazy breathed in deeply.
‘I’ll leave you two together. The kettle’s nearly boiling, and you know where the teacups are.’ Ruby pulled the pan full of boiling jelly off the heat and watched as mother and son sat down together, wanting to make up for lost time in private, as she made her way out of the kitchen.
‘I’m sorry, I seem to be good at causing upset and worry. And I’ll be making more this morning, when Mr Atkinson finishes telling my father what I’m about.’ Ethan dropped his head and looked down at his hands.
‘What’s up, Ethan? You’re not in trouble, are you? Is that why you disappeared?’ Mazy reached for her son’s hands and held them tightly as she looked at him with love and concern.
‘It depends what you call trouble, and if Father is going to lose his temper again.’ Ethan sighed. ‘I’m hoping that you will both give me your blessing to court Rosie – that’s why her father is here with me. He’s outside with Father, telling him that they have concerns, but they are happy for us to walk out together on certain days, rather than sneak behind their backs. We can’t help it, Mother. I love her and she loves me – we can’t stop it. That’s why I went away, to see if I could stop thinking about Rosie, but I couldn’t and she feels just the same about me.’ Ethan looked at his mother and at the shock on her face.
‘Oh, Ethan, she’s way above us. It’s Miss Rosie you are talking about, Master Archie’s granddaughter. She’s not for the likes of us.’ Mazy looked at her son and sat back in her chair, taking in the news. ‘Your father will be saying just the same. He’ll
be going mad, you know he will, despite what Master Danny says. And you say the Atkinsons are alright about it? I just can’t believe that. You are a grand, lovely lad, but you can’t keep Rosie in the lifestyle she’s used to – we have nothing.’ Mazy sat back and looked at her son, taking in his news and remembering all the times the Atkinson and Fox children had been part of Ethan’s life and realizing that perhaps the inevitable had happened. He’d always thought a lot of Rosie and was better off loving Rosie than Jane, who was way out of his reach, and Mrs Fox would not even be happy if he so much as looked at her.
‘I’m sorry, but we do love one another,’ said Ethan, without hearing the kitchen door open and his father step in.
‘Love! What do you know about love, lad?’ Jethro stepped in and stood in front of his son. ‘You only bloody hurt folk – not showing your face to us for weeks on end. Making your mother cry of a night and making her wonder whether you were dead or alive. And all for some slip of a lass that you should not be looking at, let alone thinking you are in love with. I thought you’d have learned your lesson after I gave you that braying, but no, you’ve brought more bother to our door.’ Jethro stood in front of his son, while Mazy pulled on his arm to try and hold him back from hitting their son.
‘Leave him be, Jethro, don’t you hurt our lad,’ she shouted.
‘I’ll not bloody hurt him. Danny Atkinson has warned me off him. But he does deserve his arse being kicked, with him thinking himself something that he isn’t and setting his cap at Rosie Atkinson. He should know his bloody place,’ Jethro snarled.
‘Just like you had to? Don’t you realize I know that you worshipped the ground Charlotte Atkinson walked on? I used to watch you helping her with her horses and doing anything you could for her. She could have asked for the moon and you would have tried to get it for her. It’s no good lecturing our Ethan; he’s only doing what his father wanted to do, and courting the lass from Crummock.’ Mazy stopped short; she hadn’t meant to say what she had, but over the years of her marriage to Jethro it had become clear to her that he secretly loved his employer. But now it was out, she realized that’s why he had vented his wrath on their son so much, for Ethan had done what Jethro had never dared to.