Langdown Manor by Sue Reid

Author:Sue Reid
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic
Published: 2012-07-17T04:00:00+00:00

I was almost asleep when I heard the door creak open. Ellen was in bed, too – asleep, I judged from the snoring – but I hadn’t seen Sarah since supper. Light steps tiptoed across the floor. I kept my eyes tight shut. Please, Sarah, don’t ask me to talk. Just get to bed. In a few hours’ time I’ve got to get up.

‘Jess. Are you awake? Please, Jess.’

She sounded desperate.

Oh well. She was my best friend after all. I opened my eyes. Sarah was standing next to the bed. ‘Do you want me to help you off with your gown?’ I said as brightly as I could manage in the middle of the night.

Sarah sat down on the bed.

‘It’s over, Jess. Fred and me.’

‘Oh Sarah.’ I sat up. ‘What happened?’

‘I couldn’t stand it. We danced only once, but he didn’t seem to see me, he hardly spoke, I could feel he didn’t feel as I did. So I asked him. He left when supper was over. I saw him go and followed him. He said we weren’t right for each other.’

I could hear tears in Sarah’s voice. I felt for her hand and squeezed it. ‘He said … he said … we wanted different things. He knew that I just wanted to settle down, but he didn’t. He told me he wants to leave service, make something of his life. He’s never talked like that before, Jess. I don’t believe it, I just don’t.’ Sarah laid her head down on my arm and cried.

I stroked her hair. I tried to think what to say. ‘I should unpin your hair,’ was what came out.

‘Is that all you can say?’ Sarah raised her head, and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

‘No, I’m really sorry, Sarah, but it’s best you know now, isn’t it?’

‘It’s that girl, that wretched girl, it’s since she came here!’ Sarah burst out.

I put a finger to my lips. ‘Sssh. You’ll wake Ellen.’

‘Well?’ Sarah said truculently, not even trying to lower her voice. ‘Aren’t I right?’

‘Miss Penelope?’ I said, uncomfortably.

‘Yes, her. Who else?’

‘I’m sure you’re wrong,’ I said.

‘She’s put ideas into his head. She’s bewitched him.’

‘Sarah, it’s nonsense!’ I exclaimed, forgetting to keep my voice down. ‘She can’t marry a stable hand. You know she can’t.’

‘She can make him forget his place.’

She had a point, but I wouldn’t admit it.

‘We were so happy till she came along.’ She laid her head down on the bed and wept. I stroked her hair.

‘Let me take those pins out,’ I said. ‘And maybe you’ll see things differently in the morning.’ I usually did. A new day, a new beginning, Mam always says to me.

Sarah raised her head. My eyes had adjusted well enough now to see the fury in her eyes. I could feel it too; she was looking at me almost as if she disliked me. Me, her oldest friend. ‘You just don’t understand, do you, Jess? Maybe if you’d ever cared about someone…’

I snatched back my hand. If she’d slapped me, she couldn’t have hurt me more.

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