(6/13) Gossip from Thrush Green by Miss Read Page B
Authors: Miss Read
Tags: Fiction, Country Life, Country Life - England, Pastoral Fiction, Thrush Green (Imaginary Place)
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Donald would have told you, him being a doctor. He must have seen it happen.'
'Probably,' said Winnie, 'but he was always very careful not to discuss his patients with me.'
'Ah! That's it, of course! But you will let Jenny know what happens, won't you? She might not be sure.'
'I am positive that Jenny knows all that is necessary,' said Winnie, 'and in any case, arrangements between Mr Hodge and Jenny are entirely their affair. It's something we should not discuss.'
Jeremy looked at her in mild surprise.
'But everyone, absolutely everyone is talking about it in Thrush Green!' he told her.
And that, thought Winnie, could well be believed.
'Time for supper,' she said briskly, and made her escape to the kitchen.
The day of the Henstocks' departure for Yorkshire dawned bright and windy. Great clouds scudded across the sky before an exhilarating south-wester.
Dimity and Charles packed their luggage into the car in high spirits. The ancient Ford had been polished the day before, and gleamed with unusual splendour.
Before they set off, Dimity called at Ella's to give her the key and a number of agitated last-minute directions.
'There are six tins of evaporated milk in the larder, for the cat, but there is one opened in the fridge which should be finished up. And there's plenty of pig's liver in the freezer, Ella dear, if you don't mind taking out a small packet the night before you need it. I've left scissors as well as a knife and fork with her plates, and perhaps—'
'My dear Dim,' said Ella, 'calm down! I know where everything is, and that cat won't starve, believe me. Now, you two go and have a real break, and forget all the duties here. They'll be waiting for you when you get back—you know that.'
'We really will relax,' promised Dimity. 'You can't imagine how we've been looking forward to it. You know the house will be empty until Wednesday? Hilda and Edgar are breaking their journey at Coventry to see a cousin in hospital.'
'I'll keep my eye on things,' Ella assured her, ushering her firmly down the garden path. 'Now off you go, and I'll see you the minute you get back. Have a lovely time.'
She watched Dimity flutter across the road and enter the gloomy portal of the Victorian rectory, then turned back to tackle the daily crossword.
'Poor old Dim,' she said aloud, as she searched for a pencil. 'Do her a world of good to see the back of that dreary house.'
She little thought that her words would prove to be a prophecy.
***
The bright breezy weather continued in the early days of May, much to the satisfaction of Thrush Green gardeners, zealous housewives who rushed to wash blankets, and Miss Fogerty and Miss Watson who had the inestimable relief of seeing their charges running off steam in the open air at playtimes.
'I think I really must find some new toys for the wet day cupboard,' observed Agnes to her headmistress. They were enjoying their morning coffee in Agnes's new classroom, and the infant mistress was surveying a pile of torn comics and incomplete jig-saw puzzles which were due to be deposited in the dustbin.
They've done very well,' conceded Miss Watson, scrutinizing the top comic. 'I see this one is dared 1965. Pity dear old "Rainbow" is now defunct. Did you have it as a child, Agnes?'
Alas, no! My father thought comics an unnecessary indulgence, but I sometimes saw "Rainbow" at a little friend's house. I particularly enjoyed Marzipan the Magician, and a little girl with two dogs.'
'Bluebell,' said Miss Watson. At least, I think it was. It's some time since I read the paper, but how I loved Mrs Bruin! I wonder why she always wore a white cap, and that same frock with a poached-egg pattern?'
Easy to draw, perhaps,' suggested Agnes practically. 'Do you think I could transfer some of the boxes of beads to the wet-day box?'
An excellent idea,' said Miss Watson. 'And remind me to look out some old "Geographical" magazines when we go home. Plenty there to amuse them. Such beautiful pictures—and
'Probably,' said Winnie, 'but he was always very careful not to discuss his patients with me.'
'Ah! That's it, of course! But you will let Jenny know what happens, won't you? She might not be sure.'
'I am positive that Jenny knows all that is necessary,' said Winnie, 'and in any case, arrangements between Mr Hodge and Jenny are entirely their affair. It's something we should not discuss.'
Jeremy looked at her in mild surprise.
'But everyone, absolutely everyone is talking about it in Thrush Green!' he told her.
And that, thought Winnie, could well be believed.
'Time for supper,' she said briskly, and made her escape to the kitchen.
The day of the Henstocks' departure for Yorkshire dawned bright and windy. Great clouds scudded across the sky before an exhilarating south-wester.
Dimity and Charles packed their luggage into the car in high spirits. The ancient Ford had been polished the day before, and gleamed with unusual splendour.
Before they set off, Dimity called at Ella's to give her the key and a number of agitated last-minute directions.
'There are six tins of evaporated milk in the larder, for the cat, but there is one opened in the fridge which should be finished up. And there's plenty of pig's liver in the freezer, Ella dear, if you don't mind taking out a small packet the night before you need it. I've left scissors as well as a knife and fork with her plates, and perhaps—'
'My dear Dim,' said Ella, 'calm down! I know where everything is, and that cat won't starve, believe me. Now, you two go and have a real break, and forget all the duties here. They'll be waiting for you when you get back—you know that.'
'We really will relax,' promised Dimity. 'You can't imagine how we've been looking forward to it. You know the house will be empty until Wednesday? Hilda and Edgar are breaking their journey at Coventry to see a cousin in hospital.'
'I'll keep my eye on things,' Ella assured her, ushering her firmly down the garden path. 'Now off you go, and I'll see you the minute you get back. Have a lovely time.'
She watched Dimity flutter across the road and enter the gloomy portal of the Victorian rectory, then turned back to tackle the daily crossword.
'Poor old Dim,' she said aloud, as she searched for a pencil. 'Do her a world of good to see the back of that dreary house.'
She little thought that her words would prove to be a prophecy.
***
The bright breezy weather continued in the early days of May, much to the satisfaction of Thrush Green gardeners, zealous housewives who rushed to wash blankets, and Miss Fogerty and Miss Watson who had the inestimable relief of seeing their charges running off steam in the open air at playtimes.
'I think I really must find some new toys for the wet day cupboard,' observed Agnes to her headmistress. They were enjoying their morning coffee in Agnes's new classroom, and the infant mistress was surveying a pile of torn comics and incomplete jig-saw puzzles which were due to be deposited in the dustbin.
They've done very well,' conceded Miss Watson, scrutinizing the top comic. 'I see this one is dared 1965. Pity dear old "Rainbow" is now defunct. Did you have it as a child, Agnes?'
Alas, no! My father thought comics an unnecessary indulgence, but I sometimes saw "Rainbow" at a little friend's house. I particularly enjoyed Marzipan the Magician, and a little girl with two dogs.'
'Bluebell,' said Miss Watson. At least, I think it was. It's some time since I read the paper, but how I loved Mrs Bruin! I wonder why she always wore a white cap, and that same frock with a poached-egg pattern?'
Easy to draw, perhaps,' suggested Agnes practically. 'Do you think I could transfer some of the boxes of beads to the wet-day box?'
An excellent idea,' said Miss Watson. 'And remind me to look out some old "Geographical" magazines when we go home. Plenty there to amuse them. Such beautiful pictures—and
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