(6/13) Gossip from Thrush Green by Miss Read Page A

people think? Silly old man! Making me look a fool.'
    'Not at all,' replied Winnie. 'It's most thoughtful of him. I'm sure it's all done in a purely friendly spirit.'
    'Well, I'm not so sure he isn't missing his Gertie's cooking,' said Jenny bluntly. 'Looking around for a housekeeper, I'd say. I'm half a mind to snub him soundly, cheeky old thing! As if I'd ever leave you!'
    'Don't worry about it,' begged Winnie. 'Just accept the situation, and be polite to him. Time enough to worry if he pops the question.'
    But despite her calm exterior, Winnie herself was a little perturbed. Jenny, she suspected, had summed up the position very neatly. If, of course, her feelings changed, marriage to Percy might be a very good thing for dear unselfish Jenny. He was a kindly fellow, affectionate and thoughtful. He had a sizeable farm and a pleasantly situated farmhouse which Jenny would enjoy cherishing. No, thought Winnie, of course she would not stand in Jenny's way if that was what she wanted one day in the future, but how she would miss her if that situation arose!
    Comment at The Two Pheasants was less polite.
    'No fool like an old fool,' quoted one of the customers.
    'You'd think old Perce would count his blessings being a peaceful old widower,' said another sourly. It was well-known that his own marriage was fraught with acidity, acrimony and the results of too much alcohol.
    Albert Piggott grunted his agreement. He knew about wives too.
    'Not that Jenny wouldn't do well for herself,' he conceded. 'Percy's a warm man. Got a bit in the building society, and some in the post office. He told me so himself one day. And then his Gertie was a rare one for managing. I bet she left a nice little nest-egg. No, if Jenny's got any sense she could do worse than plump for old Percy.'
    'What Jenny does is one thing,' announced the local dustman, pushing across his glass for a refill. 'What I hates to see is a chap of Percy's age making sheeps' eyes at a gal. Looks a right fool he does, mincin' along with a ruddy bunch of flowers in his hand. Don't seem to care what people say, neither. I told him straight: "You be a bigger fool than you look, Perce Hodge, and that's sayin' something!" But he only smirked. Hopeless, that's what he is! Absolutely hopeless!'
    'Ah! He's got it bad,' agreed Mr Jones, the landlord. But there, that's love. Takes you unawares like. Now drink up, please gentlemen! You can all see the clock!'
    And the affair of Percy and Jenny had to be discussed later in the night air of Thrush Green.

    Jeremy, naturally, was an interested observer of Percy's attentions, and frequently enquired about them.
    Winnie did her best to evade his questions, but he was a persistent young man, and sometimes caught her off guard.
    'What will you do if Jenny goes to live at the farm?' he asked one evening, looking up from an ancient jigsaw puzzle which Winnie had unearthed for his pleasure.
    'I don't suppose she will go,' answered Winnie equably. Jenny seems very happy here.'
    'But it may be the last chance she gets of getting married,' pursued Jeremy. 'I mean, she's quite old. Do you think she'll have any babies?'
    'Was that the door bell?' asked Winnie, playing for time.
    'No. You see, you have to be pretty young to have babies. Paul told me all about having them last holiday.'
    He searched among the box of pieces and held up a bit of blue sky triumphantly.
    And how much, wondered Winnie, did Paul Young impart to his friend of this particular subject? And had Phil been informed?
    'Do you think Jenny knows about babies?'
    'I'm quite sure she does,' said Winnie hastily.
    'Well, it all sounded pretty odd to me when Paul told me, but I was jolly glad to know what that button in your stomach was for at last.'
    'Really?' said Winnie, much intrigued.
    'Didn't you know? It blows up like a balloon, and when it pops, a baby is there.'
    'Indeed?' observed Winnie politely.
    'I'm surprised you didn't know,' said Jeremy severely. 'I should have thought Uncle