The Buttercup Fields by Author

Author:Author
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-04-16T16:00:00+00:00

The household was awake and busy when Becca got back. Her mother was up to her elbows in flour making bread, while Ellen retched into a bucket in the corner as she’d done every morning for the past six weeks.

‘Where’s Tommy?’ Becca asked, looking round for her young brother.

Daisy Stansgate brushed a strand of hair back with a floury forearm. ‘Gone to help your dad. He’s helping George with the milking. They want to get it done early so Dad can get the trestles up in the yard and George has got to go and get hisself togged up for his wedding. Mr Warner said we could put the trestles up in the barn if the weather was bad but thass going to be a lovely day so we might as well have it out in the open. You can start carving the ham, my girl. It’s on the cold slab in the larder, there.’

‘Is there any tea in the pot?’

‘Yes. It’s freshly brewed. You can pour me a cup, too. What about you, Ellen? You ready for a cup o’ tea?’ Her voice sharpened as she spoke to her younger daughter.

‘No.’ Ellen sank down on the settle by the side of the fire. ‘I’ll jest have plain water.’

Becca pured two mugs of tea and put one on the end of the table for her mother, leaving Ellen to get her own water. She hummed to herself as she cut herself a slice of bread and dripping.

‘Thass nice to hear you singing to yourself, Becca,’ Daisy said. ‘I know that’ll be hard for you, today.’ She shot a disapproving glance at Ellen. ‘That won’t be easy for any of us, come to that.’

Becca pursed her lips. ‘Don’t you worry about me. I’ll manage,’ she said grimly.

Daisy’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Changed your tune, my girl, haven’t you, all of a sudden?’ she said. ‘But I’m glad to hear it.’ All the same, the look she gave her elder daughter was anxious.

Becca shrugged again and walked into the larder to fetch the great ham that had been cooked in the copper the day before. It was the gift of Samuel Warner, the farmer who employed both George Askew and Joe Stansgate – and sometimes the rest of his family, too.

‘How many will there be to sit down?’ Becca called over her shoulder.

‘Twenty-five,’ Daisy said. ‘And I jest hope there’ll be enough food to go round.’

‘Of course there will, Mum,’ Ellen said impatiently. ‘For goodness’ sake, stop making such a fuss.’

‘You’re a bit crotchety considering it’s your wedding day, my girl. If you’re feeling better you can go outside and see if the faggots in the oven are burned yet. They should be done time the dough on the hearth has risen.’

‘Set for twenty-six, then,’ Becca said without looking up as she began to carve. ‘Jethro Miller’s coming.’

‘And who invited him, might I ask?’ Ellen said.

‘I did, if it’s any of your business,’ Becca said in the sharp tone she reserved for Ellen when she couldn’t avoid speaking to her.

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