should not wish to encourage you to disobey your mother, see. Shall I go ask her if we may go? You will not come to no hurt in my company.'
'I'll not come to no hurt on my own,' said Clowance . 'But asking Mama wouldn't profit you. I'll take you to the gates if you like, and if they're open we can proceed to the bend in the drive so that the front of the house may be seen.'
By now it was eleven, and for the first time for several days the clouds were thinning to show the disc of the sun like a six-shilling piece lying on a dusty floor. They went by way of the cliffs, since Clowance knew if they went up the valley past the mine the bal girls would be sure to see them and start tongues wagging. This was a way much frequented by people in the old days before the Warleggan fences were put up, but even though in recent years the fences had fallen or been pulled down the route was not as much used as formerly. Much of it was overgrown with gorse, and part of the cliff had tumbled.
The sea was uninteresting today, flat as a pewter plate. Even the gulls were uncommunicative. Everything was silent, waiting.
Clowance said: 'My father told me once that there was a way into Trenwith no one but he knew. He used to play there with his cousin, who was killed in a mine.' 'Did he say where twas?'
'It was somewhere along this route - an old mine tunnel. It ran under the kitchens and came up by a wellhead in the courtyard. When George Warleggan lived there with his wife a dozen or more years ago he barred my father from entering the house, so Papa gave him one or two unpleasant surprises.'
'And then what happened?'
'I believe they came to blows more than once.'
'Was that how your father got his scar?'
'How did you know he had one?'
Stephen put his hand out to help her over a boulder. 'That drawing of Jeremy's. ‘ Tis of your father, isn't it?'
Clowance disdained the hand and climbed quickly after him. 'Before he was married Papa fought in America. That was where that came from.'
'And Ben Carter has a similar one.'
'Yes ... Of a sort. Why do you say that?'
Stephen did not at once reply. His face was turned towards the sea, where a thin line of an unexpected wave was moving under the surface towards the cliffs.
'Ben Carter is crazy for you, isn't he.'
Clowance's eyes did not flicker. 'I think he has a taking.'
'And you?'
She half smiled. 'What d'you mean? And me?' 'I mean have you a similar taking for him?' 'If I had or if I had not, should I be obliged to confess it to you?'
'No ... I shouldn't've asked. No ...'
They walked on and came to some rotting posts, which was all that was left of George's stout fencing.
'Whose sheep?' asked Stephen as they entered the first field. 'Does Warleggan farm here?'
'No, they'll be Will Nanfan's or Ned Bottrell's. They rent these fields from Sir George's factor.'
'They're forward - the ewes, I mean. They'll be dropping soon. I was brought up on a farm, y'know.' 'No, I didn't know.'
'Often used to help the farmer with his lambing.' 'Did you ...'
'YesA farm near Stroud.'
They walked on.
Clowance said: 'As soon as the Iambs come they'll have to be taken out of these fields.' 'Why?'
'The gulls would get them.' 'What, these gulls?'
'No, the big black-backed ones. They're big as geese themselves. Even near the village the lambs won't be safe ...'
Now they could see the grey chimneys of Trenwith sheltering under the fall of the land.
'There,' Clowance said, stopping. 'That's your house.' 'But this is not the front way, this surely is the back.' 'Yes. I changed my mind.' They gazed a few seconds.
Stephen said: 'You ride that black horse splendid.' 'Nero? He's an old friend.'
'Every morning. On that beach. Like the wind. I wonder you don't fear to stumble in the pits.' 'He's sure-footed.'
'Well, I tell you, it's a splendid sight.' 'Papa calls it my constitutional.' 'What does that mean?'
'I'm not sure. Some word he has picked up in London.' There was silence.
Stephen said: 'No
'I'll not come to no hurt on my own,' said Clowance . 'But asking Mama wouldn't profit you. I'll take you to the gates if you like, and if they're open we can proceed to the bend in the drive so that the front of the house may be seen.'
By now it was eleven, and for the first time for several days the clouds were thinning to show the disc of the sun like a six-shilling piece lying on a dusty floor. They went by way of the cliffs, since Clowance knew if they went up the valley past the mine the bal girls would be sure to see them and start tongues wagging. This was a way much frequented by people in the old days before the Warleggan fences were put up, but even though in recent years the fences had fallen or been pulled down the route was not as much used as formerly. Much of it was overgrown with gorse, and part of the cliff had tumbled.
The sea was uninteresting today, flat as a pewter plate. Even the gulls were uncommunicative. Everything was silent, waiting.
Clowance said: 'My father told me once that there was a way into Trenwith no one but he knew. He used to play there with his cousin, who was killed in a mine.' 'Did he say where twas?'
'It was somewhere along this route - an old mine tunnel. It ran under the kitchens and came up by a wellhead in the courtyard. When George Warleggan lived there with his wife a dozen or more years ago he barred my father from entering the house, so Papa gave him one or two unpleasant surprises.'
'And then what happened?'
'I believe they came to blows more than once.'
'Was that how your father got his scar?'
'How did you know he had one?'
Stephen put his hand out to help her over a boulder. 'That drawing of Jeremy's. ‘ Tis of your father, isn't it?'
Clowance disdained the hand and climbed quickly after him. 'Before he was married Papa fought in America. That was where that came from.'
'And Ben Carter has a similar one.'
'Yes ... Of a sort. Why do you say that?'
Stephen did not at once reply. His face was turned towards the sea, where a thin line of an unexpected wave was moving under the surface towards the cliffs.
'Ben Carter is crazy for you, isn't he.'
Clowance's eyes did not flicker. 'I think he has a taking.'
'And you?'
She half smiled. 'What d'you mean? And me?' 'I mean have you a similar taking for him?' 'If I had or if I had not, should I be obliged to confess it to you?'
'No ... I shouldn't've asked. No ...'
They walked on and came to some rotting posts, which was all that was left of George's stout fencing.
'Whose sheep?' asked Stephen as they entered the first field. 'Does Warleggan farm here?'
'No, they'll be Will Nanfan's or Ned Bottrell's. They rent these fields from Sir George's factor.'
'They're forward - the ewes, I mean. They'll be dropping soon. I was brought up on a farm, y'know.' 'No, I didn't know.'
'Often used to help the farmer with his lambing.' 'Did you ...'
'YesA farm near Stroud.'
They walked on.
Clowance said: 'As soon as the Iambs come they'll have to be taken out of these fields.' 'Why?'
'The gulls would get them.' 'What, these gulls?'
'No, the big black-backed ones. They're big as geese themselves. Even near the village the lambs won't be safe ...'
Now they could see the grey chimneys of Trenwith sheltering under the fall of the land.
'There,' Clowance said, stopping. 'That's your house.' 'But this is not the front way, this surely is the back.' 'Yes. I changed my mind.' They gazed a few seconds.
Stephen said: 'You ride that black horse splendid.' 'Nero? He's an old friend.'
'Every morning. On that beach. Like the wind. I wonder you don't fear to stumble in the pits.' 'He's sure-footed.'
'Well, I tell you, it's a splendid sight.' 'Papa calls it my constitutional.' 'What does that mean?'
'I'm not sure. Some word he has picked up in London.' There was silence.
Stephen said: 'No
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