A Mother's Sacrifice by Catherine King

needs a new piece of wood.’
    ‘There’s some across the rafters in there.’ He tossed his head to indicate the cowshed. ‘Have you got any nails?’
    They had some upstairs in her father’s tool box. ‘We can’t pay you,’ she said.
    ‘I’ll fix it if your mother will let us stay a few more nights.’
    She didn’t think it was a good idea to encourage strangers. But they needed the cart fixing. ‘I’ll ask her,’ she said.
    They parted at the cowshed door and Mr Ross went inside to his father.
    Quinta placed the heavy buckets of water outside the scullery door and straightened her back, taking a few minutes to enjoy the clean fresh air. She felt his presence before she saw him, astride his horse beyond their cottage on the track up to the moor. What was Farmer Bilton doing there at this hour of the morning? Angrily, she marched towards him.
    ‘You have no right to spy on us like this!’
    ‘I’m looking out for my property. I’ve heard there are vagrants about.’
    She wondered if he had seen the sergeant and his son. ‘Well, this is our land, not yours!’
    ‘Only while you pay me rent.’
    ‘We’ll get your money.’
    He sneered and swung down off his horse, leaving the reins trailing. ‘Why hasn’t your ma been to see me about you yet?’
    ‘She - she’s poorly.’
    ‘She’s stubborn, you mean!’ He grabbed her arm roughly and yanked her towards him. ‘My patience is running out.’
    ‘Let go! You’re hurting me!’
    He ignored her plea and shook her as if to emphasise his strength. ‘I will have my way. If you don’t want to end up with no home you’ll make that clear to her.’
    ‘You can’t make us do what you want!’
    ‘Can’t I? I have the vicar on my side.’ His fingers bit painfully into her flesh.
    ‘He won’t be if I tell him about this!’
    He relaxed his hold on her and replied, ‘You would try the patience of a saint.’
    She broke free, rubbing her bruised arm vigorously. ‘And you can get off our farm!’
    His mouth turned down in a grimace, but he gathered the reins and remounted. Quinta watched him ride away, taking the time to calm down. They were well away from the cottage but she hoped Mother hadn’t heard any of this conversation; they needed their cart mended more than ever now and she went indoors to tell her about Mr Ross’s offer.
    Laura was suspicious. ‘Why does he want to help us?’
    ‘He’s asked to stay a few more days in our cowshed,’ Quinta explained. If he doesn’t go off with the cart when he’s fixed it, she thought suddenly.‘He said his father had to see a surgeon.’ She realised that was why he had offered to mend the cart. Not for them but to take his father to town. She had thought it was a good idea at first, but now she wasn’t sure and added, ‘You are right, Mother, he wants the cart for himself and not for us.’
    ‘I knew it! They’ll steal everything from us and you as well!’
    ‘Do be calm, Mother. Who would want to steal me?’
    ‘Farmer Bilton wanted to take you from me, my love.’
    He still does, she thought, but said, ‘The garden is growing well now. If we took a cartload of crops to market we might manage the rest of the rent at Midsummer.’
    ‘What? Sell all our young vegetables?’
    ‘They’ll fetch a good price this year and we can buy flour and sugar.’
    ‘And scented soap and beeswax candles,’ her mother breathed.
    ‘Well, don’t forget we’ll have to save some seed for me to plant as well,’ Quinta countered. ‘Oh Mother, do let Mr Ross mend our cart. We haven’t been to town for ages.’
    ‘It’s a long way, my love. And a cartload of vegetables will be heavy to push.’
    ‘Seth might help, Mother. It’s mostly downhill until we get to the Hall. And it won’t have as much in it on the way back.’
    ‘Well, I’m not much use these days.’
    ‘Nonsense! I’ll go to the Dispensary for more of your cough mixture.’ Quinta felt excited by their plans. ‘Oh, Mother, you were