The extract below comes from what may be the first chap - when Assie makes the promise that carries her into the action of the novel..... Though I may dump in and kick in a bit later in the story, not sure about that. Comments v welcome!
Assie raced through the morning as fast as she could. The two ewes were milked in a flash and the yard had a scanty clean. And if there was a little less milk in the buckets than usual Assie didn’t trouble herself too much about it. She poured out a little onto a stone for Flea to lick up and went to her last job; taking the scraps and mess to feed the pig. It always smelt terrible in the pig’s muddy corner of the field, but she liked the old sow, with her snuffling snout. She had bright, thinking eyes and gave out knowing looks when she was fed. When all was done, Assie led Sunna out quickly, wanting to get away before her Mother could spot her and find another job for her to do. Together they walked out of the field and set off towards the pool that stood below the buildings. Assie scrambled onto her broad back as soon as they were past the gate, urging Sunna on. They were both in high spirits in the morning sun and soon they were trotting down over the soft peat towards the water. Assie shouted “now Sunna, go!” and they galloped along the water’s edge, churning up the mud and sending spray flying as they went. They pulled short as they came to the stand of twisted mountain oaks that stood at the head of the mere, Assie laughing and Sunna snorting and flicking her ears.
“A fine morning for a gallop in the clear air.” The voice startled her and she turned quickly to see who was there. Under the knotty branches of the trees, a woman sat very upright on a fine grey. She was quiet and pale. Dressed in soft grey wool, her dress tied up around her waist to show a pair of felt britches just like the ones Assie wore.
“I am a friend of your mother’s Assie. Do you not recognise me?”
Assie frowned a little. The face was familiar. She wore a dark shawl, but Assie could see curls of fiery copper around her face. Someone she had met before. At a gathering at the Garth maybe, in the weaving sheds or the kitchen.
“It’s a fine day anyroad and I have something to celebrate.”
“What is that then?”
“I”m ten. It were m’birthday yesterday. So now I’m nearly grown. And I can stay with me Ma. I don’t have to go to Garth.” The lady looked at her. “What do you mean, have to go to the Garth?”
“Fr Eldgrim came yesterday and told me I had to go, and I didn’t want to but he wouldn’t listen.”
‘Did he indeed?” the lady looked cross “well I am sure he had no right to be so high handed”
“No, he had not, and he wouldn’t even leave a blessing on the house when he left.” Now the lady looked really angry, though she said nothing.
“No, but I aint going to do what Mr Needlenose says anyroad!”
“Mr Needlenose?”
‘that Father Eldgrim the Magnificent Sneerface.” The grey woman started to smile.
‘that’s him. Mightymouth. Sir Givingeveryoneorders.” The sun broke out across the water and touched them with warmth as they both snorted and chuckled.
They subsided a little and the woman said, ‘so tell me Assie. Tell me the whole story of what Fr Eldgrim, servant of the Bishop, did to make you dislike him so”
“He came here yesterday and told me I had to leave and come wi’him and I didna want to and then he said.......” As they trotted comfortably around the lake, Assie told the whole indignant tale. As she spoke she threw some glances sideways and saw how beautiful and animated the woman beside her was, how she frowned and tutted when she heard of Father Eldgrim’s behaviour. Sighed at the account of the conversation with her mother in sheltered corner of the field. Clapped her hands at the description of how Assie and her mother had made up, and how at the end of that long day, Assie, her little sister Dotta and the yard girl Sissie all tumbled together on the bench eating her mother’s little cakes as they came hot off the griddle.
“You have a lovely family Assie. They are good and kind people.”
‘They are so – the best.”
“Would it hurt you then so much to leave them?”
“Oh yes! Only – if you’d come to Holmefold to ask, mebbe I’d have gone. It was Master Grimshanks ordering me round so high’nd mighty that med me say no.”
The woman stopped and turned quietly to face Assie. Sunna stopped too and the beams of bright sun fell across them through the birches.
Years later the scent of damp spring earth and the naked green of new leaves would bring back to Assie the rush of love that she felt at that moment.
“What if I said to you then Assie, that I would like you to come with me? To work by my side and help me to nurse my new little baby, like a sister, when she comes.”
Assie saw then that the lady was round in the belly. Just beginning to swell a little. She sat and looked straight into the eyes that regarded her gently and warmly. They were green and brilliant with the exact quality of light on the new leaves.
‘Then I would have said aye. With all my heart.”
“Good, then let’s go and ask your mother is she will allow it” Assie was alarmed at the brisk tone of the lady’s suggestion. She had spoken on impulse and not given weight to the words. Now they were being taken for true.
“But.... but she’ll never agree to me going off with a stranger.”
“No but when she sees that her old friend the Lady Ingrun requests that her daughter come as helpmate to Wide Ford Garth, I think she will give her consent. Don’t you Assie?”
