Too early to begin enquiries, she thought as she prepared a breakfast tray for her daughter-in-law; we’ll let old Barney be put to rest afore we put ’question, but there’s nowt to stop us planting ’idea in Jack’s and Susan’s heads.
The children kissed her goodbye and she knew she’d miss them if they weren’t living with her, but they’d pass by on their way to school and being only next door they could come and stay whenever they wanted. But there was Molly to think of; what to do about her? Would they accept her at school, and would Susan do right by her? Was she capable of understanding this special little girl?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Peggy took Susan’s breakfast up and placed it on the bedside table. ‘I’ve cooked a rasher and made you a cheese omelette. I thought you’d digest it better than fried eggs.’ She’d also brought her a pot of tea and a slice of toast.
‘Thank you.’ Susan pulled herself up, wincing as she did so.
‘I’m going to slip down to ’village and then go on to Hedon. Will you be all right?’ She thought that Susan looked very pale and mentally added to her list some calves’ liver from the Hedon butcher. ‘I’ll tek Molly wi’ me.’
‘Yes, I’ll have another sleep after I’ve had breakfast,’ Susan said. ‘Thanks, Peggy. I’m – sorry I was so stroppy yesterday. Midwife was a bit rough; didn’t seem to care.’
‘She was concerned, I think.’ Peggy offered up the excuse.
‘I didn’t do anything to hurt babby,’ Susan assured her. ‘I admit I took something to bring it on quicker; somebody I know had used this tincture of something and it had worked for her and she had an easy time and a healthy baby.’
‘Ah!’ Peggy was relieved to hear it, though not wholly approving. ‘Mebbe he wasn’t meant to be,’ she murmured. ‘Not all of them are. I had a miscarriage after Jenny. That was a great loss to me. But you must rest up now and think that mebbe it was for ’best. And you’ve got four beautiful girls,’ she added, ‘so count yourself lucky.’
Susan gave a droll laugh. ‘Three,’ she said, ‘and Molly. She’ll never come up to much, that’s what ’doctor said, and he should know.’
‘He was wrong,’ Peggy said defiantly. ‘She’s a lovely, bright little girl and we must do our best for her.’
Susan nodded but didn’t seem convinced, and pulled the tray towards her. ‘Could you get me something from ’Hedon pharmacist while you’re out?’ she asked. ‘I’ve got a pounding headache.’
‘Yes.’ Peggy turned to leave. ‘I’m going down to ’village to ask about ’day of Barney Foggit’s funeral. Did Jack tell you he’d died? He was a good age, as is his widow. She’s going to live with one of her daughters, so I heard.’
‘Is she?’ Susan began her breakfast, so Peggy left, saying, ‘I’ll tell Jack to look in on you, but I’ll be back by dinner time in any case.’
Well, I’ve dropped a hint, she thought as she gathered up Molly and Robin, her shopping basket and an extra shawl to put over her coat; whether it will drop on stony ground or flourish will remain to be seen. She called to Aaron as she drove off, to tell Jack to look in on Susan, and ignored his shout asking where she was going.
‘We’re going a different way,’ Robin said as they took a left turn out of the gate. ‘I thought Hedon was that way?’ He pointed back over his shoulder.
‘It is,’ Peggy told him, ‘but I need to go to Paull first.’
‘Oh, so will we see the estuary?’ he asked eagerly. ‘I haven’t seen it yet, at least only from a distance. I’d like to compare it to the Thames.’
‘What’s the Thames?’ Molly said.
‘It’s a river like the Humber,’ he replied. ‘Except, well, they’re not just rivers – well, they are rivers, but when the Thames is in London it’s a river, then it flows on all the way to Kent and becomes an estuary; I think that’s right,’ he said thoughtfully. ‘It’s because a lot of other rivers and streams and tributaries run into it, and then the estuary runs into the sea.’
‘Our estuary runs into ’sea as well,’ Molly said. ‘I’ve seen it when we went to Spurn Point.’
‘Have you?’ Robin exclaimed. ‘You lucky thing! I’d love to see that.’
‘We can only go when ’tide is right,’ she explained, ‘cos sometimes when ’spring tide is very high, or in winter, Spurn is washed ower wi’ seawater and we can’t walk on it.’
‘Why is it called Spurn Point?’ he asked her.
She chuckled. ‘Cos it’s got a point at ’end of ’road; it’s like a bent finger, and Grandda said its shape changes cos of ’sand and clay allus shifting.’
Peggy was listening to their chatter and was astonished at how much Molly had remembered from their visit to Spurn, which must have been at least two years ago. She can learn, she thought. She shouldn’t be consigned to the scrap heap. She just needs someone patient enough to teach her.
‘Oh, look! The estuary is right there.’ Robin stood up in the back of the cart as they clip-clopped into the village. ‘I didn’t think we’d be able to get so close.’
The muddy brown choppy waters were right in front of them. Here was the road, there a fence, and below it the estuary. To their left was a lighthouse and Molly pointed out some houses and said they were coastguard’s cottages. To their right was a long street of houses and an inn on the corner, all with their backs to the water.
‘I just need to pop into ’post office,’ Peggy said. ‘If I tie Betsy up here so you can see the estuary, can you both be trusted not to wander off, and definitely not go on to ’slipway?’
‘Yes,
