The Cornish Blacksmith's Daughter by Rosemary Aitken

Author:Rosemary Aitken
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Canelo
Published: 2022-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

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It was awkward going into the dairy factory these days. There were rumours flying round – concerning Patience, you could tell – though people didn’t generally say so to your face. What they did was huddle into groups and whisper to each other when your back was turned.

It was worst at crowst time. Groups of girls were sitting on the wall, eating the bits of bread and scrape they’d brought, or a little pasty (if they were lucky, and there were enough scraps left over from their pa’s). But no one spoke to the Tregorran girls.

Prudence came and found Vee, who was sitting on her own, toying with the crust and cheese that Ma had given her. ‘Not hungry?’ Pru enquired.

Vee shook her head. ‘Not with all they staring!’

Pru was never happy just ignoring things. She called out to a little knot of girls, some of whom worked on the packing-line with them. ‘What’s going on then, Gloria Tresize? What are you staring at?’

Gloria, who was a sort of friend, turned pink but she left the others and came over to the pair.

‘Here Vee.’ She dropped her voice. ‘I hardly like to say, but is it true your Patience was caught out stealing things and that’s why she’s left?’ She made a little face. ‘I didn’t think it likely, you being Strict Adherent girls and all, but that’s what folks are saying, and perhaps you ought to know.’

Verity felt her heart sink to her boots. So it was true, then, what she’d thought? Gloria was looking at her enquiringly but Vee said nothing. What answer could she make?

Pru, though, was on her feet and clearly hopping mad. ‘I don’t know what this factory is like. If it isn’t one daft rumour going about, it’s an even dafter one. Of course our Pattie did nothing of the kind. She went off home ’cause she was feeling sick. She’s not been quite well lately – you might have noticed that! And the reason she’s not coming back is that she’s getting wed.’

‘Wed?’ the girl called Gloria echoed, looking mystified. ‘You hear that?’ she called out to her friends. ‘Patience is getting married!’ She turned back to Pru. ‘Who to, then? Anyone we know?’

‘It’s Ephraim Tull, the farmer,’ Pru said, defiantly. ‘If any of you went to chapel you might have heard by now. Banns are being published and they’ll be married very soon.’

One of the other girls had drifted over now. ‘Bit sudden, isn’t it?’

‘Nothing of the sort. He’s wanted her for years. So don’t go jumping to conclusions about that!’ Pru added, as people crowded round.

One of the listeners gave a knowing laugh. ‘Only one reason I know why people rush to wed!’

Gloria whirled round, unexpectedly. ‘Well, not this time, stupid. Prudence is quite right. If you knew Ephraim Tull, you’d realize. Drier than an old stick. And a Strict Adherent, too. More moral than a month of Sunday schools. He wouldn’t get a girl in trouble, if he was able to – or take a girl to wife who wasn’t what she ought to be.

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