The agent looked at Drew and William, thinking there was no use looking at the house since they were not interested in renting the farm.
‘I’d like a look at the cowshed and dairy,’ William said, ‘ and we ought to get some idea of what the house is like.’
Rowbottom brightened. Maybe the young Scotsman was more interested than he’d let on so far and if he was as good as Walter Frame said, he could be the tenant they needed. He thought it might give a better first impression if they went in through the front door but it took Ed Dixon a while to find the key and turn the rusty lock to let them in.
‘It hasn’t been opened since the wife’s funeral,’ Ed muttered. ‘I thought I’d be next leaving this way.’ He pushed open a door on either side of the passage but they didn’t see much because the curtains were drawn across the windows, though they both looked big square rooms.
‘The house may be filthy and I see there’s cobwebs everywhere,’ Rowbottom added quietly, brushing one away from his face, ‘but the building is sound enough and I don’t think it’s damp. We try to keep the dwellings and buildings in good order. There’s four bedrooms and another two up the back stairs where the single men or maids sleep. They’re over the wash house.’ He led the way into a large kitchen cluttered with a settee as well as a bed, plus the usual dresser, table and chairs. A fire smouldered in the grate but the range didn’t look as though it had ever seen polish. William shuddered, imagining what his mother would have said if she saw it.
‘The other doors lead to the pantry, a cellar, and a store room,’ Rowbottom said, leading the way through the kitchen and down four steps into a large room.
It appeared to serve both as a wash-house and a dairy, judging by the copper boiler, washtub and wooden mangle at the near end and a row of unused milking buckets and milk churns at the other. A short passage led to a byre with stalls for eight cows in a single row.
‘Dairy maids wouldn’t need to get wet carrying the milk to the dairy with this arrangement,’ Drew mused. ‘It’s a good idea.’
‘This part of the farm yard is in good condition, and so are the cart sheds,’ Rowbottom said. ‘Lord Hanley insists on maintaining the roofs and buildings. So, gentlemen, I don’t think there’s much more I can show you. I see you’re not very interested in renting it, Mr Sinclair, but if you do consider it, I think Lord Hanley might allow an extra six months’ rent free until next spring, so long as the tenant agrees to get the place back into order.’ William lowered his eyes so the agent wouldn’t see his interest.
‘I would need to write to my – my wife, and describe the conditions.’
‘If you tell the truth it would put any woman off,’ Drew said.
‘I would need her cooperation before I could even consider taking a place in this state. I wouldn’t ask her to come under false pretences.’
‘I suppose you know best,’ Drew said slowly. ‘She will certainly be busy with a young baby.’
‘I know that. There’s a hell of a lot of work to do in the house and she would have a single man to feed and wash for if I could get one.’
‘I wish we could offer something better, Mr Sinclair, but you know where to contact me if you want to discuss anything. I’d welcome a decent tenant and I’d do my best to draw up a satisfactory lease. Now, I’m sure you’d like a lift back to the station?’
‘No, but thanks anyway,’ Drew said. ‘Our blacksmith at Wilmore is a cousin of the man here, Joe Wright. We have a parcel to deliver before we catch the train back.’
‘I see. So that’s how you heard that Moorend was to let?’
‘Yes, he knew I was keeping my ears open for a farm to let for cousin William so he passed on the news. Blacksmiths hear all the gossip.’
‘They do indeed but Joe Wright is a decent man. He’ll know if there are any maids or single men looking for work, Mr Sinclair.’
Drew had guessed that delivering the parcel of fresh strawberries and a jar of newly made raspberry jam was Tom Wright’s excuse to get them to call on his cousin, but William welcomed the opportunity to hear more about the surrounding land and farmers. Mrs Wright also provided them with cups of tea, a huge sandwich of fresh bread filled with slices of home-cured ham, a wedge of fruit cake, as well as apple pie and cheese.
‘An apple pie without the cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze,’ she chuckled, passing William a generous portion. ‘That’s what we say in Yorkshire and you’ll be needing your bellies full if you’re to walk back to the station and then the journey home.’
‘So what did you make of Moorend Farm then?’ her husband asked as he joined them at the table with a plate of food even bigger than theirs.
‘I warned my cousin here,’ Drew said with a grin, ‘but it’s even worse than we expected. Am I right, William?’
‘It will certainly need a lot of work. I wouldn’t give it a second thought if there was anything else likely to come vacant. As it is, I can’t ask Emma to come without warning her how bad things are. The house seemed full of stuff as it was left by his wife. It didn’t look as though it had been cleaned for years. Only the two milk cows and a nice-looking mare seemed well cared for.’
‘Aye, you’ll be right there, lad. The mare would be worth buying if you do take on the tenancy. I expect you prefer Ayrshire cows instead of Shorthorns, you being a Scotsman.’
‘I would, but I would take over the two he had. They looked healthy and seemed to have plenty of milk. Emma is good with animals and milking, and she can churn the butter as well as any woman.’
‘In that case, lad, I agree you need to tell her how things are. Don’t condemn poor old Ed, though. Doris used to have some nice furniture and things and she was a good wife before she fell ill. There’ll be lots of good stuff left if your wife can sew.’
‘Oh yes, Emmie can sew well. Even my mother admitted that.’ Mrs Wright guessed from his tone there was a bit of friction somewhere.
‘Moorend Farm was not always like it is now,’ she said. ‘It was as good as any other farm round these parts when Ed Dixon and his wife were younger. Let us know what you and your wife decide. We have a niece leaving school in a month’s time. She has everything to learn about housekeeping, but she loves kiddies and I hear you have a baby boy?’
‘Yes, we do. Emmie might be glad of someone to help with the baby.’
‘Aye, she’ll need a maid if she’s to tackle that place as well as milk the two cows and make butter,’ Drew declared. ‘I saw some hens wandering around. I expect she’ll want some of them so she can sell the eggs. Most of the farmers’ wives do that. Now, I think it’s time we were leaving if we’re to catch the next train.’ They both thanked the Wrights warmly for their meal, promising to let them know of any developments regarding Moorend.
That evening William sat down and wrote Emmie a longer letter than he had ever envisaged writing to anyone. He didn’t hide the fact that the house was filthy and neglected, or that they would have a lot of years of hard work in front of them to get the land back into a good state.
If we do take on the tenancy, we should be working for ourselves instead of putting money in the pockets of a boss, and we wouldn’t be living in a tied cottage. Even if my parents had let us stay at Bonnybrae, a cottage is the best we would have got from them.
If you can face a lot of hard work I think we shall do well together. I haven’t forgotten how wonderful it felt to hold you in my arms, Emmie, or how good we made each other feel. I really want you beside me and I shall not take the tenancy unless you agree. I expect we shall have some hard times but I promise I shall do my best to make it worthwhile for all of us.
I would need a man to help. They don’t have bothies down here as we do in Scotland. The agent said there were two rooms up a back staircase where single men or maids slept. They would eat their meals with us so that would mean extra work for you too, but I know you’re a grand wee cook and you’d be boss in your own kitchen. The blacksmith would like us to take on his niece as a maid. You w
ould need to train her but her aunt says she likes children so I thought she might help you with Jamie.
He added a few more sentences describing the area and the people he had met, and telling her about the gypsy wanting to tell his fortune. When he had written the letter, he read it through and told her again how much he longed for her company. Then he remembered that Emma had not earned any money since his mother dismissed her without even a reference. He added an envelope and stamp and pleaded with her to reply as soon as she could, then he sealed the envelope securely with wax.
When he had finished, he sat for a while deep in thought and the more he considered, the more he thought he would relish the challenge of taking on the run-down farm of Moorend and bringing it back to fertility.
He wondered whether his father would let him bring Queenie. He loved his dogs. If he could mow the long grass, and gather it into hay to sell for cash, he might be able to take on some sheep to graze the fresh pastures for a few months. He would ask Drew if the Yorkshire men took on sheep for folding. He would certainly need a dog then and he had trained Queenie himself to his own ways. The more he dreamed, the more he hoped Emmie would marry him and come to live in Yorkshire.
He took out his pen and ink again and a clean sheet of paper, and began to write to her father, telling him of his plans for Emma and her baby, promising to do his best to take good care of them. If she agreed to marry him, he suggested he should travel up on the train and have a quiet morning wedding the next day so that he could bring her and Jamie back with him. He said he was sorry for the way things had turned out but he would do his best to make amends, and he considered the sooner they were married the better it would be for all of them, especially their baby.
Once he had finished the letter, he decided to write to Maggie and tell her about the farm and his dreams for the future, as well as his suggestions to Emma and her father. He knew Maggie would smooth the path for them if she could, just as he knew his mother would never forgive him for dallying with a girl who was her servant. William understood her well enough to know she was a snob and her pride would prevent her attending his marriage to Emma. She would never give them her blessing. His father had liked Emma and her family, though. Maggie might persuade him to attend if only Emmie would agree to marry him. He didn’t blame her for not wanting to travel to Yorkshire and spend her life so far from her family, but the possibility that she might refuse filled him with dejection. He had never considered marriage to anyone until he knew he had given Emmie a child, and now he felt his life would be nothing without her to share it and help him on the unfamiliar path which lay ahead. It was a long time before he settled to sleep that night and even then he was troubled by dreams, and he wakened, unrefreshed.
Bert Greig was surprised when he received a letter. Few people had reason to write to him but he was warmed and reassured when he read it.
‘It sounds as though William Sinclair really wants to marry Emmie,’ he said, handing it to his wife. ‘He doesn’t sound like a man who is being forced into marriage against his will.’
‘Mmm, he doesn’t hide the fact that she will have to work hard, either,’ Eliza demurred.
‘Our own lives have not been easy, Lizzie. We’ve both worked hard and pulled together. I reckon Emmie is lucky to get a husband at all in the circumstances. He didn’t need to write. And another thing, he says they will be doing the work for themselves and the wee fellow, not for his parents or some stranger. This is Emma’s chance to make something of her life if you ask me, so long as she puts some effort into it.’
‘But they will be so far away …’ Eliza broke off, her voice wobbling.
‘Now Eliza, you’re not to keep reminding the lass. You know it’s the right thing for her to do. He gives his word that he’ll treat her kindly and take care of her. He sounds a decent laddie to me, even if he did take advantage o’ an innocent lassie.’
His wife remained silent, striving to accept that Emmie would live her life so far away from them. Her heart felt leaden and it was hard to put on a cheerful face when Emmie showed them the letter she had received from William. Her heart had beat faster when she read his words about making each other feel good and they would do so again when the two of them were together, and she longed to feel his strong arms around her again. She was sure she could never feel that way with anyone else. On the other hand, like her mother, her heart sank at the prospect of living so far away.
‘He tells you a lot more about the place and the house than he has told your father,’ Eliza said. ‘It sounds a terribly dirty place.’
‘Dirty?’ Emma gave a sarcastic grunt. ‘Nothing can be worse than Aunt Vera’s, especially the loft. It had never been cleaned in all the years she had lived in the cottage. She made sure I would get it done when she heard Dad was coming to bring me home.’
‘Emmie will manage fine,’ Bert interrupted. He still felt guilty about leaving her with Vera. ‘It will be your own home when ye’ve got it cleaned, lassie and nobody can give ye orders and tell ye what to do.’
‘But she’s so young and there’ll be nobody to advise her,’ Eliza protested. Bert ignored his wife for once and went on encouragingly, ‘You might be able to use some of the furniture the tenant is leaving behind. I’m sure you’ll make it look grand when it’s cleaned and polished. That will save a bit of money and maybe ye’ll be able to keep some hens and earn a wee bit for yourself. It sounds as though William is willing to pay a nursemaid to help with wee Jamie. Not every man would do that.’
When Emma’s brothers returned from work and heard the news, Richard and Davy both felt William Sinclair was doing the decent thing by their sister and they told Emmie she was lucky, knowing he might have left her with a baby to bring up on her own.
‘You should jump at the chance to have a husband,’ Richard said bluntly.
Joe made no comment. He still blamed William for taking advantage of their sister.
As soon as he had eaten his meal, Davy washed and changed and went off to see Julie, his own paramour. It was a great relief to him that her family had not condemned him for Emmie’s misfortune, but he knew some of the parishioners felt he was no longer good enough for a minister’s daughter. If Emma married William Sinclair, it would restore some respectability to his family. He was sorry they would live so far away because he was fond of Emmie, but the distance would allow people to forget.
‘I told the Rev Davidson about William’s letters and his proposal to come up and take her back with him,’ Davy said to his parents when he returned later that evening. ‘He has offered to conduct the marriage ceremony for them as early in the day as they find convenient. He had a suggestion to make about getting wee Jamie christened as well. He says things are a bit different in the Church of England and he would be happy to christen the wee fellow if that’s what Emmie and William want.’
‘Oh, I would like to see him christened,’ Eliza said, clasping her hands together. ‘What a good man the Rev Davidson is. He is a true Christian with a forgiving heart – not like Mrs Sinclair, sending her own son so far away because he’s caused a scandal,’ she added bitterly. ‘I’m sure it says pride is a sin in the Bible.’
Maggie received her letter from William with a mixture of joy and regret. She had always loved her youngest brother since he was an infant and her mother was too ill to look after him. She was saddened that he would settle so far away, but she was glad he would take care of Emmie and their baby son. Her mother had refused to hear William’s name mentioned since he left so she knew better than to discuss the letter. She was glad the postman had given it to her while she was out in the yard. She waited until the afternoon milking to tell Jim and her father of William’s plans to travel back to Scotland to marry Emma and take her and Jamie back with him.
‘He wants to know if he can take Queenie with him. He plans to rent a run-down farm and take on some sheep to eat the grass until he can buy his own stock. He trained Queenie after all. She’s really missed him since he wen
t away.’
‘We’ve all missed him,’ Jim said gruffly. ‘One of us will need to take the pony and trap to the station and bring him home the night before the wedding,’ he added eagerly. ‘It will give us a chance to hear all about the farm and his plans, and about cousin Andrew and his family.’
This was an unusually long speech for Jim. Their father was silent for a while, then he shook his head and Maggie thought he looked sad.
‘Your mother will not have him to stay here. She’s vowed he will never step through her door again. I could put my foot down over this, but William will have gone and we shall still be here. Perhaps you could ask Bessie to give him a bed for the night, Maggie? We can’t have him staying with the Greigs. It wouldna be right the night before he weds.’ His mouth firmed. ‘Emma was a good lassie and she’s from a decent family. I shall attend the wedding service. I hope you two will come with me?’
‘Oh yes, Father,’ Maggie said, her eyes shining with tears. ‘As a matter of fact, William hopes Jim will be his witness, or best man. But he was still not sure whether Emma will agree to marry him and go so far away from her family to live in Yorkshire.’
‘I see,’ James Sinclair said slowly. ‘Maybe you should go to see Emma tomorrow and help her decide to do the right thing. She hasna worked for months. She will not have any spare money for a new dress. You could take her with you and choose some material.’
‘Oh, Father, thank you,’ Maggie said. ‘Imagine you thinking of that. I’m sure Emma will be pleased and she is good with her needle. She will need a decent dress to go to church when she moves so I will choose material which will be suitable for a best dress. It will be better if they make a good first impression on the people where they will be living.’
‘Ye’re a good lassie, Maggie,’ James Sinclair said. ‘Get some material to make yourself a new dress as well while ye’re there and bring the account to me.’ He didn’t add ‘there’s no need to tell your mother’, but Maggie knew what he meant. Jim gave her a wink and a smile when he rose from milking one of the cows.
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