Brothers at Arms Page A

Norbery said. “I would have thought he was the proper person to deal with such matters.”
    “Well, sir,” the verger cleared his throat. “He is… and he isn’t, if you know what I mean.”
    “No, Drakestone,” said Squire Norbery. “I’m not sure I do understand. Perhaps you could enlighten me.”
    Mrs Grimble interrupted. “It’s because the Reverend’s sister, Miss Petunia, doesn’t approve of bastards, sir. She would send it to the Westbridge poorhouse, without any thoughts about its feeding needs. Unchristian, that’s what she is – for all her prating hypocrisy about helping the poor.”
    That was strong language indeed, which left them in no doubt of the woman’s opinion about the parson’s sister.
    “Do you have any suggestions on where the child should go, Mrs Grimble?” Squire Norbery asked in a quiet voice.
    Joshua did not expect that. People in his father’s position usually made decisions for other people. Luckily, the woman had an answer.
    “Indeed I do, sir. The wife of one of Grimble’s labourers had a stillbirth about a week ago, and I was wondering if you thought it might be a good idea if she was to look after the babe, seeing as she has milk to feed it. I wouldn’t want to do that if you thought it was not the right thing to do. Of course, I doubt if she could afford to take it without some sort of recompense…”
    “Is this woman a reliable person, who would care for the child?”
    “Yes, sir, Peggy Walcote has worked for me on the farm for the last three years. She is a bit slow in the head, but is a kind soul, and hard working.”
    “Show me the child, if you please, ma’am. Drakestone, be so good as to stay with the horses.”
    “Papa, can we come with you?” Joshua could not wait to ask.
    “Yes, Joshua, but you must behave yourselves.”
    With that, Squire Norbery and the woman turned towards the church.
    Eager to follow, Charlie called for Sophie to join them, but she shrugged her shoulders and affected not to hear. No sooner did they pass through the lych-gate than she clambered up onto the seat of the chaise.
    “She’ll be all right sitting there with the horses, Josh, and the man’s holding the reins.”
    The boys dawdled along the church path behind the grown-ups, kicking stones that came within their reach.
    “Did you hear what they said?” Joshua asked.
    “It sounds like they have found a baby, but nobody would leave a live one in a church on its own,” Charlie said.
    “Have you seen one of… what she said before? I haven’t.” Joshua was loath to admit the deficiency in his knowledge.
    “Not that type,” said Charlie, “but we did have several babies at home when I was young, but they didn’t stay very long before going to live with Jesus. Everyone thought Sophie would go the same way, but she didn’t, and look at her now – she’s a real beauty.”
    Joshua would not have chosen those words to describe Charlie’s sister, but he did not want to offend him. After all, they had only lived at Linmore for a few weeks, and Charlie was a better friend than his brother had ever been.
    On reaching the church porch, they saw a basket of plaited rushes on a low stone shelf near the inner door. Rather than interrupt the grown-ups’ conversation, the boys sidled around them and peered into the container.
    All Joshua could see was a tiny face, surrounded by a ragged shawl. He assumed from the closed eyelids, the baby would remain sightless for several days like farm kittens.
    “What a funny little thing,” he whispered. “It has only a few tufts of hair, the colour of the chestnut foal born last month.”
    “They don’t have much to start with, silly; but it grows if they survive.” Charlie seemed to know about such things.
    Joshua did not like to think the baby might not live. He had never encountered anything like it before. That was the trouble with being the squire’s youngest son. Everything happened before he was born.
    He wondered what his