A Long Way from Heaven by N/A

Author:N/A
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Canelo Books
Published: 2017-03-20T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty

Thomasin endured the enforced bedrest ungraciously, feeling depressed about losing the baby and the thought of being unable to bear another. Her mother, who had been sent for after the nurse’s departure and ignorant of the full extent of her daughter’s suffering, made various comments designed to cheer but only succeeding in making Thomasin a thousand times worse.

‘For God’s sake, Mother, leave me alone,’ snapped Thomasin from the rumpled bed, and turned her face abruptly to the wall. Patrick had not informed her mother until Thomasin was on the mend and the nurse no longer needed.

Mortally wounded by her daughter’s ingratitude, Hannah slunk from the room and went to join the others downstairs.

‘How’s lass?’ asked William at his wife’s appearance. She sniffed into a handkerchief, trying to procure a tear of self-pity. ‘Oh, bloody hell!’ exclaimed her husband. ‘What’s wrong now? I ’ope th’asn’t been upsettin’ ’er.’

Hannah was offended. ‘It is I who have been upset. I cannot seem to do anything right for her. One puts oneself out and is she grateful? No, She has just told me I’m not wanted.’ She eventually succeeded in squeezing out a tear.

‘I’m sure she didn’t mean it.’ Patrick pointed at the pot of tea to show there was a cup going. ‘Ye have to make allowances for what she’s been through. I expect a few more of us’ll be feeling the edge of her tongue before she’s on her feet again.’

A sudden diversion was created by Dickie who tripped and gashed his head on the corner of the table. Hannah, completely forgetting the contretemps with her daughter, flew about searching for a cloth with which to bathe the injured spot, clucking over him like a mother hen. Five year old Dickie made the most of this attention, sobbing theatrically.

‘Now, now, big boys shouldn’t cry,’ his father told him, stemming the flow somewhat.

‘Big boy?’ cried William, picking up his grandson and sitting him on his lap. ‘Nay, he’s nobbut a goblin yet.’

‘No, I’m not,’ protested Dickie, measuring himself against his grandfather. ‘I’m nearly as big as you.’

William laughed and patted the boy’s glossy head. By, he were reet proud o’ these lads.

‘Of course,’ Patrick was saying, ‘all this means we can’t possibly go to Dunworthe Hall on Tuesday.’

William could hardly believe his ears. ‘Dunworthe Hall? Who’s off to Dunworthe Hall?’

‘Oh, me an’ Erin,’ replied Patrick casually and picked up the note that had arrived as confirmation of the summons. ‘Lord Herleigh wants her to play at his musical evening. Sure, I thought I’d told ye, Billy?’

With these words Patrick claimed the honour of being the first person ever to make William speechless – or almost. His face turned a funny purplish colour. ‘Bugger me,’ he kept repeating. ‘Bugger me.’

Patrick then dropped his faked indifference to tell them about the incident outside the Festival Concert Rooms. Their eyes grew wide in disbelief, and when he had finished Hannah’s face wore a dreamy, abstracted look.

‘Now, don’t be gerrin’ any ideas, lass,’ warned William. ‘It dun’t mean we’ll all be hobnobbin’ wi’ gentry.

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