Linnets and Valerians by Elizabeth Goudge

Author:Elizabeth Goudge [Goudge, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Childrens, Young Adult, Classics, Adventure
ISBN: 9780142300268
Goodreads: 205616
Publisher: Puffin
Published: 1964-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“That be true, I reckon,” said Ezra. “That old battle between the dark and light, it do be going on in every heart that ever beats. But as life goes on, maid, either one wins or t’other, you’ll notice. Miss Betsy, now, she’ll be good one day, bad the next, but the Master, well, I’ve never known ’im have a black-hearted day.” Ezra’s voice sunk to a low growl. “And I ain’t never knowed Emma

SUNDAY

163

Cobley to have a gold-hearted day. And I’ve knowed Emma all me life. Her father was a black warlock, and he taught her his wicked spells, and my old mother, she were a white witch and she taught me her good ’uns. So Emma and I, we just about have the measure the one of t’other.”

There was a long pause and then Nan said, “So the silver in your blood is fairy power?”

“That be right, maid,” said Ezra. “And it be the power to make music and paint pictures and write poetry.”

“You and Moses Glory Glory Alleluja both make music,” said Nan.

“Aye.”

“And Daft Davie paints pictures,” said Nan.

Ezra, who was busy doing something at the back door, swung around. “Do he?” he asked. “I ain’t never been in the place where he bides. Can’t climb there. And other folks won’t go near the place. They be scared of ’im. Were you scared?”

“I wasn’t scared,” said Nan. “Daft Davie lives in a cave and he has painted splendid pictures all around the walls.”

“Lady Alicia painted when she was a girl,” said Ezra. “Not with a brush. With a needle. Needlework pictures. Ever so pretty.”

“Did you know her when she lived in this house?” asked Nan.

“Aye. I was garden boy here then.”

164 LINNETS AND VALERIANS

“Betsy says she lost her little boy Francis when he was eight years old/’ said Nan. “Is that true?”

“Aye,” said Ezra. “The squire had just gone away to foreign parts and Lady Alicia and the child and his nurse went up to the moors for a picnic, to take the child’s mind off fretting for his father. The little boy rode his pony, and Moses, who was a young footman then, came with ’em to carry the picnic basket. He hadn’t been with ’em long at the time, Moses hadn’t. The squire brought him back from foreign parts when he was just a young boy in his teens. They say he bought him in a slave market.”

“Poor Moses!” said Nan. “Go on, Ezra.”

“What I be telling yee now, Moses told me,” said Ezra, “so I know ’tis true. ’Twas a fine day, Moses said, but misty and he felt a bit anxious-like, for he’d not been up to the moors afore and the French nurse was a flighty young woman who couldn’t get her tongue round any decent language, only her own jabberwock what Moses couldn’t make head nor tail on. Well, they had their picnic tea, right up on

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