'I don't see how it is to be managed,' she mused; 'and yet there's
nothing near London as I'd give two pins to see. There's Richmond as
we went to one Sunday; it was no better, to my way of thinking, than
looking at a picture. I'd ever so much sooner be a-walking across
the turnips by the footpath from Darkin home.'
'Couldn't we, for once in a way, stay somewhere over-night?'
'It might as well be two,' said Mrs Marshall; 'Saturday and Sunday.'
'Two,' said Madge; 'I vote for two.'
'Wait a bit, my dears, we're a precious awkward lot to fit in--
Marshall and his wife me and you and Miss Clara and the baby; and
then there's Baruch, who's odd man, so to speak; that's three
bedrooms. We sha'n't do it--Otherwise, I was a-thinking--'
'What were you thinking?' said Marshall.
'I've got it,' said Mrs Caffyn, joyously. 'Miss Clara and me will go
to Great Oakhurst on the Friday. We can easy enough stay at my old
shop. Marshall and Sarah, Miss Madge, the baby and Baruch can go to
Letherhead on the Saturday morning. The two women and the baby can
have one of the rooms at Skelton's, and Marshall and Baruch can have
the other. Then, on Sunday morning, Miss Clara and me we'll come
over for you, and we'll all walk through Norbury Park. That'll be
ever so much better in many ways. Miss Clara and me, we'll go by the
coach. Six of us, not reckoning the baby, in that heavy ginger-beer
cart of Masterman's would be too much.
Pages:
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188