Mary's Child by Irene Carr

Author:Irene Carr [Carr, Irene]
Language: ukr
Format: epub
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Published: 2012-10-11T00:00:00+00:00

Morning brought a clear sky, a winter sun without warmth and a fresh smell to the earth. It also brought Lance and his family and Chrissie’s explanation: ‘This lady was visiting some friends near by yesterday and came here by mistake last night to catch the bus, so I put her up. Mr Morgan, I was wondering, if you’re not wanting the trap again today, and if you can spare me, I’m due a day off. I’d like to borrow the trap and I could take this lady into the town.’ It was not much of a story. Lance and Florence would not be fooled by it and Chrissie would tell them the truth later if she had to. Meanwhile it saved Grace Lawrence’s blushes as she sat by the fire, dressed again for the road.

Lance sighed, ‘Aye, you might as well. God knows there’s nothing for you to do, anyway.’

Florence took Chrissie aside to tell her, ‘It cheered him up, that trip into town, but as soon as he saw this place all his troubles came back to him.’ She sighed. ‘I don’t know what we’re going to do.’

The postman brought a letter from Frank Ward for Chrissie. She ran up to her room to read it, picturing him writing it, his brow furrowed as he concentrated on the unfamiliar task: ‘Dear Chrissie Carter . . .’ She smiled and wished he was with her, missing him. Then she put the letter away in her box with all the others. An hour later she drove the pony and trap into the town with Grace Lawrence at her side.

The house was a comfortable size for the banker and his daughter, in park Place on the edge of Ashbrooke. Chrissie halted the pony outside the gates opening on to the street of tall terraced houses behind well-kept gardens. She set Grace down in the road then gave her some advice: ‘Tell whatever story you like to the neighbours or anyone else who’s missed you. But tell your father the truth. You’ll both be happier. Tell him all the truth, that you know you’ve been silly, that it was because you’re fed up with sitting around doing nothing and you want to get a job and meet some young people.’

Chrissie paused for breath and Grace peered up at her and protested, ‘But I didn’t say that!’

Chrissie leaned down from her seat on the trap and said softly, ‘It’s true, though, isn’t it?’

The girl blinked at her short sightedly and admitted, ‘Yes, I suppose it is. I hadn’t thought of it like that, but – what job?’

‘There are two or three schools offering courses in typing and shorthand. Why not take one of those and then try working in somebody’s office?’ Chrissie had thought of it more than once. She had her bookkeeping and typing skills and could have got a job in an office, but loyalty to Lance Morgan had kept her with him.

Grace Lawrence bit her lip and then resolved, ‘I’ll do it.

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