Greenwood, very pretty.’
Boadacea sighed contentedly. Although she constantly berated her daughter over one thing or another she was intensely proud of her only child, and with good reason. Dot’s dark glossy hair, her clear, healthy complexion and slim, lithe figure would have made any parent proud.
She looked Robbie Grey up and down. Eeh, they’d make a lovely couple, and not only in looks. Young Robbie was a well-mannered, presentable young man, and a hard-working one according to Dot. She’d make him welcome and see if owt developed. ‘Come on, let’s get some cream on that there leg.’
‘No, it’s all right, Mrs Greenwood, honestly.’
‘Well, if yer sure. No, I’ve decided I’m going to see to it and be on the safe side. Come on.’
Robbie had no alternative but to go inside with the woman, who opened a cupboard containing hundreds of packets, bottles and pots. ‘Me herb cupboard,’ she explained. ‘Passed down her knowledge to me, me mother did, been passed down through four generations at least. Cures for nearly everything in this cupboard.’ She brought out a tiny pot and unscrewed the lid.
‘What’s in it?’ Robbie was curious.
‘Bergamot, eucalyptus and lavender. I grow that meself. Our Dot can show yer me garden after tea.’ She rolled his trouser leg back down. ‘There, does that feel better?’
‘Aye, it does.’ Robbie was surprised how soothing the cream was.
‘Good.’ Then she called, so loudly that he felt she might burst his eardrum, ‘DOT! Come and take Robbie down to’t four-acre field for yer dad to look at ’im.’
Dot came with the old dog fussing round her heels. ‘Come on then.’
Robbie felt a bit like an exhibit at a show, the way he was going to be looked at, but he needn’t have worried. Little Arthur was too enthralled in his task of repairing the five-barred gate. He looked to be all fingers and thumbs and swore as he hit his thumb with the hammer.
‘Come ’ere, I can do that for yer.’ Robbie picked up a two-inch nail and took the hammer from Arthur. Within seconds he had the gate secure.
‘Eeh by gum, tha knows thi way round a piece o’ wood, lad and no mistake.’
Robbie grinned. ‘I hope so. I’m going to be a joiner one day.’
‘I think tha one already by the looks o’ that.’ Arthur watched Robbie finish the job. ‘Now then, let’s go and ’ave some liquid refreshment, what does tha like?’
‘A cup of tea’d be nice.’
Arthur nodded approvingly.
‘And after we’ve had a drink I’ll give yer a hand with anything else that needs doing,’ Robbie offered.
‘Nay, lad, I’ve done for today, apart from cows to bring in and milk. But when tha comes again I wouldn’t mind a hand wi’ mending me owd shed.’ He closed the repaired gate behind them and Robbie noticed his upper arms. Arthur might be a little man but Robbie would have given anything to possess muscles like Little Arthur.
The tea table looked as though it was set for a party. Robbie had only once seen a spread like it and that had been at a party at the hall where Robbie’s father had worked in Lincolnshire. The housekeeper had been ordered to arrange a celebration tea for the children of the village; it had been one Christmas and he would never forget the sight of the furnished table. Boadacea’s table might not be quite so elaborate but the pork pie, boiled ham and roast chicken would have compared favourably with the food at the hall. He wondered if there were any other expected guests but there were just the four of them when they sat down at the table.
‘’Elp yerself. It’s all our own produce. Even’t pickled onions are ’ome grown.’
‘It all looks wonderful,’ Robbie commented as he helped himself to a slice of juicy, tender ham.
‘It might look grand, lad,’ Little Arthur laughed, ‘but it’ll taste bloody better, so let’s all send in.’ And Robbie didn’t need telling twice.
Chapter Nine
LUCY AND JANE surveyed the tea table
Boadacea sighed contentedly. Although she constantly berated her daughter over one thing or another she was intensely proud of her only child, and with good reason. Dot’s dark glossy hair, her clear, healthy complexion and slim, lithe figure would have made any parent proud.
She looked Robbie Grey up and down. Eeh, they’d make a lovely couple, and not only in looks. Young Robbie was a well-mannered, presentable young man, and a hard-working one according to Dot. She’d make him welcome and see if owt developed. ‘Come on, let’s get some cream on that there leg.’
‘No, it’s all right, Mrs Greenwood, honestly.’
‘Well, if yer sure. No, I’ve decided I’m going to see to it and be on the safe side. Come on.’
Robbie had no alternative but to go inside with the woman, who opened a cupboard containing hundreds of packets, bottles and pots. ‘Me herb cupboard,’ she explained. ‘Passed down her knowledge to me, me mother did, been passed down through four generations at least. Cures for nearly everything in this cupboard.’ She brought out a tiny pot and unscrewed the lid.
‘What’s in it?’ Robbie was curious.
‘Bergamot, eucalyptus and lavender. I grow that meself. Our Dot can show yer me garden after tea.’ She rolled his trouser leg back down. ‘There, does that feel better?’
‘Aye, it does.’ Robbie was surprised how soothing the cream was.
‘Good.’ Then she called, so loudly that he felt she might burst his eardrum, ‘DOT! Come and take Robbie down to’t four-acre field for yer dad to look at ’im.’
Dot came with the old dog fussing round her heels. ‘Come on then.’
Robbie felt a bit like an exhibit at a show, the way he was going to be looked at, but he needn’t have worried. Little Arthur was too enthralled in his task of repairing the five-barred gate. He looked to be all fingers and thumbs and swore as he hit his thumb with the hammer.
‘Come ’ere, I can do that for yer.’ Robbie picked up a two-inch nail and took the hammer from Arthur. Within seconds he had the gate secure.
‘Eeh by gum, tha knows thi way round a piece o’ wood, lad and no mistake.’
Robbie grinned. ‘I hope so. I’m going to be a joiner one day.’
‘I think tha one already by the looks o’ that.’ Arthur watched Robbie finish the job. ‘Now then, let’s go and ’ave some liquid refreshment, what does tha like?’
‘A cup of tea’d be nice.’
Arthur nodded approvingly.
‘And after we’ve had a drink I’ll give yer a hand with anything else that needs doing,’ Robbie offered.
‘Nay, lad, I’ve done for today, apart from cows to bring in and milk. But when tha comes again I wouldn’t mind a hand wi’ mending me owd shed.’ He closed the repaired gate behind them and Robbie noticed his upper arms. Arthur might be a little man but Robbie would have given anything to possess muscles like Little Arthur.
The tea table looked as though it was set for a party. Robbie had only once seen a spread like it and that had been at a party at the hall where Robbie’s father had worked in Lincolnshire. The housekeeper had been ordered to arrange a celebration tea for the children of the village; it had been one Christmas and he would never forget the sight of the furnished table. Boadacea’s table might not be quite so elaborate but the pork pie, boiled ham and roast chicken would have compared favourably with the food at the hall. He wondered if there were any other expected guests but there were just the four of them when they sat down at the table.
‘’Elp yerself. It’s all our own produce. Even’t pickled onions are ’ome grown.’
‘It all looks wonderful,’ Robbie commented as he helped himself to a slice of juicy, tender ham.
‘It might look grand, lad,’ Little Arthur laughed, ‘but it’ll taste bloody better, so let’s all send in.’ And Robbie didn’t need telling twice.
Chapter Nine
LUCY AND JANE surveyed the tea table
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