maid in service. Why, it could set me up for the future,’ she
declared.
‘Pardon me, your ladyship. I
suppose you’ll not be wishing to walk out with a humble fisherman now,’
he mocked.
‘Idiot,’ she said, laughing
as she linked her arm through his. ‘You know I love you and the extra money
means we can marry as soon as I’m out of mourning.’
‘Lily, love, that’s a
wonderful idea but the little extra you’ll be getting won’t make that
much difference,’ he scoffed.
Irritated by his condescending attitude,
she stopped walking and turned to face him. With great delight, she told him just
how much she was now earning. His eyeswidened in surprise and he
stood there gaping like a freshly caught fish.
‘Come along or we’ll never
reach the water,’ she said, laughing.
They continued on their way, but Tom
remained quiet, seemingly lost in thought. Then, reaching the cliff edge, they stood
side by side gazing at the huge rollers breaking on the beach below. Although it had
been sad to lay her mother to rest, Lily couldn’t help feeling she was now at
peace and hoped that she and her father had indeed been reunited.
The setting sun was painting the bay a
glorious riot of gold and scarlet. Lily closed her eyes and wished that their future
would be as rosy as the scene before them. It was some moments before she noticed
Tom was still unusually quiet.
‘Farthing for them?’ she
asked.
He grinned wryly. ‘Funnily enough,
it’s money I’m thinking about. Simon’s been finding it hard
managing the lobster pots now his feet are bad, so I’ve taken them over. I was
hoping the extra would help with our wedding, but even now, I’ll not be
earning anything like you, Lily.’
‘So?’ she demanded,
puzzled.
‘So, it means you’ll be
bringing in more than me, and that’s something my pride won’t allow.
It’s the husband’s duty to provide, so I guess I’ll just have to
come up with a way of earning even more.’
‘But you work all the hours as it
is, Tom.’
‘But it isn’t enough, is
it?’ he insisted, his voice louder and echoing off the cliffs.
‘Surely, it doesn’t matter
who brings in the money? Itwill all go into the pot, won’t
it? A lobster pot, even,’ she said, laughing up at him. But, for once, he
remained serious.
‘It matters to me Lily,’ he
said firmly. ‘Especially as you seem to have developed a taste for wearing
finely fashioned gowns. Though I must say, it does make you look right
comely.’ Lily opened her mouth to say that it was one Mrs Bodney had lent her,
but Tom was speaking again. ‘Anyway, I’d better be on my way,
tide’s early tomorrow.’
Watching as he strode down the path
towards Bransbeer, she sighed. She knew he was a proud man, but surely it
didn’t matter a prawn who earned the most? He was so old-fashioned.
The sun had finally dipped behind the
horizon, but it wasn’t only the gathering shadows that caused her to shiver.
What did her future hold? She so wanted to continue working for Mrs Bodney, she just
had to find suitable lodgings she could afford. Of course, the choice seemed easy to
him but he didn’t realize the consequences if she went into service. She could
remember her father telling her you didn’t get anything for nothing in this
life. Well, she wasn’t afraid of hard work, but surely she had the right to
choose where she did it, and for whom?
CHAPTER 10
Entering the workroom the next morning,
Lily set about uncovering the pillows, keen to have everything ready for the
ladies’ arrival, for she knew each minute saved was an extra minute’s
lace making. She also wanted to inspect the work they’d done in her absence,
but as she looked down at the lace pinned up on the first pillow, a frown creased
her face. It was in exactly the same state as it had been when she’d left to
go to the funeral. Quickly she moved to the
declared.
‘Pardon me, your ladyship. I
suppose you’ll not be wishing to walk out with a humble fisherman now,’
he mocked.
‘Idiot,’ she said, laughing
as she linked her arm through his. ‘You know I love you and the extra money
means we can marry as soon as I’m out of mourning.’
‘Lily, love, that’s a
wonderful idea but the little extra you’ll be getting won’t make that
much difference,’ he scoffed.
Irritated by his condescending attitude,
she stopped walking and turned to face him. With great delight, she told him just
how much she was now earning. His eyeswidened in surprise and he
stood there gaping like a freshly caught fish.
‘Come along or we’ll never
reach the water,’ she said, laughing.
They continued on their way, but Tom
remained quiet, seemingly lost in thought. Then, reaching the cliff edge, they stood
side by side gazing at the huge rollers breaking on the beach below. Although it had
been sad to lay her mother to rest, Lily couldn’t help feeling she was now at
peace and hoped that she and her father had indeed been reunited.
The setting sun was painting the bay a
glorious riot of gold and scarlet. Lily closed her eyes and wished that their future
would be as rosy as the scene before them. It was some moments before she noticed
Tom was still unusually quiet.
‘Farthing for them?’ she
asked.
He grinned wryly. ‘Funnily enough,
it’s money I’m thinking about. Simon’s been finding it hard
managing the lobster pots now his feet are bad, so I’ve taken them over. I was
hoping the extra would help with our wedding, but even now, I’ll not be
earning anything like you, Lily.’
‘So?’ she demanded,
puzzled.
‘So, it means you’ll be
bringing in more than me, and that’s something my pride won’t allow.
It’s the husband’s duty to provide, so I guess I’ll just have to
come up with a way of earning even more.’
‘But you work all the hours as it
is, Tom.’
‘But it isn’t enough, is
it?’ he insisted, his voice louder and echoing off the cliffs.
‘Surely, it doesn’t matter
who brings in the money? Itwill all go into the pot, won’t
it? A lobster pot, even,’ she said, laughing up at him. But, for once, he
remained serious.
‘It matters to me Lily,’ he
said firmly. ‘Especially as you seem to have developed a taste for wearing
finely fashioned gowns. Though I must say, it does make you look right
comely.’ Lily opened her mouth to say that it was one Mrs Bodney had lent her,
but Tom was speaking again. ‘Anyway, I’d better be on my way,
tide’s early tomorrow.’
Watching as he strode down the path
towards Bransbeer, she sighed. She knew he was a proud man, but surely it
didn’t matter a prawn who earned the most? He was so old-fashioned.
The sun had finally dipped behind the
horizon, but it wasn’t only the gathering shadows that caused her to shiver.
What did her future hold? She so wanted to continue working for Mrs Bodney, she just
had to find suitable lodgings she could afford. Of course, the choice seemed easy to
him but he didn’t realize the consequences if she went into service. She could
remember her father telling her you didn’t get anything for nothing in this
life. Well, she wasn’t afraid of hard work, but surely she had the right to
choose where she did it, and for whom?
CHAPTER 10
Entering the workroom the next morning,
Lily set about uncovering the pillows, keen to have everything ready for the
ladies’ arrival, for she knew each minute saved was an extra minute’s
lace making. She also wanted to inspect the work they’d done in her absence,
but as she looked down at the lace pinned up on the first pillow, a frown creased
her face. It was in exactly the same state as it had been when she’d left to
go to the funeral. Quickly she moved to the
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