Chapter 16
When Ronnie explained the plan to Sarah, she was, at first, cautious.
She worried that it would be an imposition upon the Truscott family, but accepted that it was for her own safety and Anthony’s.
Ronnie reassured her that the family were looking forward to meeting her and arrangements were quickly made.
Sarah bade her aunts a tearful farewell and they, in return, encouraged her to do what was best for her and Anthony.
A few weeks later, the carter’s wagon dropped the three travellers off at the road junction at the top of Frog Lane.
Sarah took a deep breath of the fresh country air.
A gust of wind shook the hawthorn bushes and a shower of white petals covered Sarah’s hair like bride’s confetti.
Would she ever walk down the aisle with Ronnie?
If only she’d met him years ago, but then she was with him now and that was all that mattered.
Her stomach was turning somersaults. How would it all be?
Would they like her? She didn’t want to be a nuisance.
She would pull her weight, contribute to the household.
No one could ever accuse her of being lazy.
Anthony took her hand and looked up at her with round, questioning eyes.
It was expecting a lot of him, to settle into the life of another family.
He would be nervous of meeting these strangers, she was sure.
She was nervous and she could comfort herself with all the rational thinking of an adult.
She was prepared for him to clam up and not be communicative for quite a while.
Ronnie took her hand and kissed her gently on the lips. She felt his reassurance flow through her.
‘It will be all right,’ he said, smiling at her. ‘They are going to love you as much as I do.’
He took their bags and they began the long walk down the road towards Mead Cottages.
The patchwork quilt of the countryside spread out either side of the lane.
They passed a small copse and the scent of wild garlic filled Sarah’s nostrils.
The pungent aroma filled the air. She’d never smelled anything quite like it.
Catkins jiggled like lambs’ tails in the breeze and the pollen tickled her nose.
The sounds of bleating made Anthony perk up.
‘What’s that, Mummy?’ he asked Sarah.
‘Sounds like lambs calling for their mother,’ Sarah replied.
‘The lambing season is well underway by now,’ Ronnie said.
‘I’ll take you down to the Taylors’ farm and you can get closer to the lambs, Anthony.
Sometimes something happens to the mother sheep and she can’t feed her lamb.
It needs to be fed with a bottle. If you’re lucky, the Taylor sisters will let you hold the bottle and feed a baby lamb. ’
Anthony looked up at his mother and beamed a huge grin.
It’s going to be all right, Sarah thought.
Suddenly there was a disturbance in the brambles tangled around either side of the lane.
Ronnie signalled for them all to be still and quiet.
A tiny creature emerged tentatively. It stopped in its tracks, as if hypnotised, and turned first this way, then the other.
Its tiny, pointed nose twitched until it finally decided to hurry on and complete its crossing.
‘What was that?’ Sarah asked.
‘A shrew,’ Ronnie replied. ‘You don’t often see them. They’re so quick.’
‘I think you’re going to like it here, Anthony,’ Sarah said. ‘So many new things to find out about.’
Ronnie led them around the back of the house. He paused.
‘They should all be at home by now,’ he said.
He tapped briefly on the door before opening it. The warmth from the kitchen range wrapped around them and five pairs of eyes immediately focused upon the three figures standing on the mat.
‘Ah, here at last,’ Kate said, moving to embrace Ronnie.
In her excitement the words all came out in a rush.
‘Come in, come in. You must be exhausted by your journey. I’ve been sending the girls to the end of the road to look out for you every half hour or so and yet you’ve still managed to catch us on the hop.
Come on now, girls, take their coats. So, this must be Sarah and young Anthony.
We’re so pleased to meet you. Welcome to our home. ’
Albert stood and greeted Ronnie. He shook Sarah’s hand and offered her his chair.
‘Pleased to meet you, Sarah,’ he said.
‘Likewise,’ Jim said.
Kate hugged Ronnie and then kissed Sarah on the cheek.
‘Now, Albert, let’s get these bags out of the way and I’m sure the first thing they want is a nice cup of tea. Annie, get that biscuit tin out, would you? I bet that someone would like a biscuit. Am I right?’ Kate said, smiling at Anthony. ‘And how about a glass of milk?’
Anthony was entirely bewildered by everything and just looked at his mother who responded for him.
‘That’s very kind,’ Sarah said. ‘And tea would be lovely.’
‘How was the crossing?’ old Jim asked. ‘You’d not get me on one of those boats these days. Never did have very good sea legs. I prefer dry land nowadays.’
The evening was spent with the Truscott family doing their very best to help Sarah and Anthony feel at home.
Jim and Albert had shot some rabbits a few days prior to the arrival of their guests and Kate had made one of her excellent rabbit stews.
Sarah was very complimentary about the meal and the conversation was flowing, the family at pains to put their visitors at ease.
‘You’ll soon find your way around,’ Kate said. ‘Ronnie will show you the highlights of Micklewell tomorrow.’
‘It won’t take you long. There’s not an awful lot to see,’ giggled Rose.
‘But we can show Anthony the best stream for catching tiddlers,’ Annie said.
They were all very careful not to pry too much.
After all, they didn’t want to make Sarah and Anthony feel uncomfortable.
They had a lot to learn about each other and it would take time.
Once the table had been cleared and the washing-up done, Sarah pulled Anthony onto her lap and felt his small body begin to relax in her arms. The excitement of the day had caught up with him and his eyelids closed.
He began to give in to the demands of sleep.
‘The poor lad is exhausted,’ Kate said. ‘We should set about preparing for bedtime. We’ve made some arrangements for the girls to sleep with the Suss family over the weekend.
Annie and Rose are good friends with their girls and they jumped at the chance to spend time with them.
I won’t say sleep because, knowing them the way I do, there won’t be much sleeping done. ’
Annie and Rose cast a scathing look at their mother and Kate laughed.
‘Well, it’s true, isn’t it? Once you four get together it’s difficult to get a word in edgewise.’
‘I hope it’s not putting everyone to too much trouble,’ Sarah said.
‘Oh, we’re used to shuffling rooms in this family,’ Kate replied.
‘We’ve managed in the past and we’ll manage again.
Now, we’ll bed young Anthony down with you in the girls’ room, Sarah.
Jim sleeps in the front room anyway and Ronnie can join him.
When the girls come back, after the weekend, we’ll talk about more permanent arrangements. ’
‘This is so kind of you,’ Sarah said, her voice filled with emotion. The anticipation and excitement of the day had finally caught up with her.
‘No friend of Ronnie’s is a stranger here,’ Kate replied.
‘Now, let’s get this young man off to bed and have ourselves a little nightcap.
Albert, if I remember rightly there’s a bottle of port waiting for a special occasion somewhere.
I can think of no better time to open it than now.
Will you come back down and join us, Sarah, once the little man’s asleep? ’
‘Thank you, but I’m really tired and I will go to sleep with Anthony,’ Sarah replied. Her eyes filled with tears and Ronnie could see how much she was moved by the family’s kindness.
‘I can’t thank you all enough,’ Ronnie said, as Albert poured the drinks.
* * *
The following morning, Ronnie took Sarah and Anthony on a tour of the village. They walked along the towpath towards the mill.
‘And this is where I fell in, just like you, Anthony,’ Ronnie said.
‘Who rescued you?’ Anthony asked.
‘That’s a long story,’ Ronnie said. ‘I’ll tell you sometime. Important thing is, I survived and so did you. Also, without you falling in, I wouldn’t have met your mum.’
Ronnie and Sarah smiled at each other and took Anthony’s hands, swinging him between them. They all laughed. Now was a good time to put the question to her.
‘When this is all resolved, Sarah, will you marry me?’
‘Oh, Ronnie . . .’ Sarah began.
‘No need to answer now,’ he said. ‘I just want you to think about it, that’s all.’
She opened her mouth to respond. Ronnie stopped her with a kiss.