intention of telling Joe what he ought to be able to discover himself, so he made no reply to this either.
‘Time he was wed, don’t you reckon?’
The swift change of subject unnerved Lanky who was busily trying to work out where Joe was leading, while at the same time worrying over the huge sum of money that was no doubt mounting up in interest on top of the borrowed one hundred and fifty. He wished now that he’d let the barn fall down and not tried to keep his cows. ‘He’s only three and twenty. Plenty of time.’
Lanky’s voice, Joe noted, sounded positively tetchy - and fetched him another pint pot of tea, strong enough to stand a spoon in it. ‘Problem, aren’t they, Family?’
‘Aye,’ said Lanky, looking doleful.
‘I once thought summat might come of your Jack and our Meg, but they don’t seem to be shaping to it, do they?’
‘If you say not,’ came the careful reply. ‘You’d have to ask them about that. He tells me nowt.’ So that’s it, thought Lanky. If he can’t get my land one way, he’ll have it by another.
‘Pity. They’d make a good breeding pair. Happen they need a bit of a push like.’
In answer to this Lanky only smiled and said what a grand lass Meg was. ‘She’s got a good head on her shoulders, that one, for all she’s a bit quiet and shy. Come into her own proper one of these days, you see if she doesn’t.’
‘She’s nobbut a female. I have to keep a close watch over her.’
‘She’s bright. Runs rings round most chaps. You too, I shouldn’t wonder.’
At this attack on his authority, which was a mite too close to the truth for Joe’s comfort, he got up to go. ‘Right then, I’d best be on me way. Let me know if you change your mind about the land and find you can’t keep it on.’ When you finally admit you can’t find the money to pay me, he meant.
Joe pulled on his cap and tugged at the neb to his colleagues as he walked out of the cafe, well pleased with the day’s business. He’d made a good start. The idea was planted, now let it grow.
Dan Turner was likewise feeling pleased with himself as he strode out with his dogs. Sal Gilpin called regularly to pay the money her family owed, missing only twice in the last three months. Six shillings was a large sum to find each week, but then it wasn’t his problem, was it? If women weren’t capable of organising their lives better, was it his fault?
He’d just laid a trail of aniseed and paraffin over a short six-mile training run. Now he slipped the lead on Silver Lady and a new young bitch he’d bought at the last hound trailing day he’d attended. Both dogs, excited at not having run for a day or two, shot off across the field, their graceful bodies making light work of the distance, easily scaling walls, hills, ditches or whatever came in their path as they followed the scent.
‘Aren’t they lovely?’ Sally Ann said and Dan puffed his chest out, pleased by the compliment, then set off after them at an easy pace. ‘Come on, Sal, shape to. If we cut through Brockbarrow Wood we’ll be at the finishing post about the same time as them.’
‘Don’t go so fast then, I can’t keep up.’ She began to run alongside, puffing slightly from the effort but soon falling behind as Dan strode off on his long legs.
‘Aye, she’ll make a good ’un,’ he announced as he watched the tawny animal’s loose-limbed rhythm. ‘Bit of training up and she’ll do well.’
He was pleased with her. Not that he would ever hold her in any great affection. Dogs were dogs, kept for work and naught else. He’d feed her with good protein, best shin beef and egg, no yolks mind, and other secret ingredients he kept to himself. Warm bedding and regular exercise, and like a good woman, all she had to do then was exactly as he told her. And breed of course. Which brought him back to Sally Ann Gilpin.
He stood and waited for her to catch up. Fine looking woman she was. He liked a bit more flesh on his women
‘Time he was wed, don’t you reckon?’
The swift change of subject unnerved Lanky who was busily trying to work out where Joe was leading, while at the same time worrying over the huge sum of money that was no doubt mounting up in interest on top of the borrowed one hundred and fifty. He wished now that he’d let the barn fall down and not tried to keep his cows. ‘He’s only three and twenty. Plenty of time.’
Lanky’s voice, Joe noted, sounded positively tetchy - and fetched him another pint pot of tea, strong enough to stand a spoon in it. ‘Problem, aren’t they, Family?’
‘Aye,’ said Lanky, looking doleful.
‘I once thought summat might come of your Jack and our Meg, but they don’t seem to be shaping to it, do they?’
‘If you say not,’ came the careful reply. ‘You’d have to ask them about that. He tells me nowt.’ So that’s it, thought Lanky. If he can’t get my land one way, he’ll have it by another.
‘Pity. They’d make a good breeding pair. Happen they need a bit of a push like.’
In answer to this Lanky only smiled and said what a grand lass Meg was. ‘She’s got a good head on her shoulders, that one, for all she’s a bit quiet and shy. Come into her own proper one of these days, you see if she doesn’t.’
‘She’s nobbut a female. I have to keep a close watch over her.’
‘She’s bright. Runs rings round most chaps. You too, I shouldn’t wonder.’
At this attack on his authority, which was a mite too close to the truth for Joe’s comfort, he got up to go. ‘Right then, I’d best be on me way. Let me know if you change your mind about the land and find you can’t keep it on.’ When you finally admit you can’t find the money to pay me, he meant.
Joe pulled on his cap and tugged at the neb to his colleagues as he walked out of the cafe, well pleased with the day’s business. He’d made a good start. The idea was planted, now let it grow.
Dan Turner was likewise feeling pleased with himself as he strode out with his dogs. Sal Gilpin called regularly to pay the money her family owed, missing only twice in the last three months. Six shillings was a large sum to find each week, but then it wasn’t his problem, was it? If women weren’t capable of organising their lives better, was it his fault?
He’d just laid a trail of aniseed and paraffin over a short six-mile training run. Now he slipped the lead on Silver Lady and a new young bitch he’d bought at the last hound trailing day he’d attended. Both dogs, excited at not having run for a day or two, shot off across the field, their graceful bodies making light work of the distance, easily scaling walls, hills, ditches or whatever came in their path as they followed the scent.
‘Aren’t they lovely?’ Sally Ann said and Dan puffed his chest out, pleased by the compliment, then set off after them at an easy pace. ‘Come on, Sal, shape to. If we cut through Brockbarrow Wood we’ll be at the finishing post about the same time as them.’
‘Don’t go so fast then, I can’t keep up.’ She began to run alongside, puffing slightly from the effort but soon falling behind as Dan strode off on his long legs.
‘Aye, she’ll make a good ’un,’ he announced as he watched the tawny animal’s loose-limbed rhythm. ‘Bit of training up and she’ll do well.’
He was pleased with her. Not that he would ever hold her in any great affection. Dogs were dogs, kept for work and naught else. He’d feed her with good protein, best shin beef and egg, no yolks mind, and other secret ingredients he kept to himself. Warm bedding and regular exercise, and like a good woman, all she had to do then was exactly as he told her. And breed of course. Which brought him back to Sally Ann Gilpin.
He stood and waited for her to catch up. Fine looking woman she was. He liked a bit more flesh on his women
Similar Books
