Briar Patch by Linda Sole

one. Pa wants to give it away but Ma won’t let him.’ She gathered her things. ‘Thank you for these, miss.’ She hesitated, then: ‘I take Milly for a walk in the mornings sometimes and I go down to the wild meadow. I could bring her tomorrow.’
    â€˜Would you do that?’ Roz smiled. Perhaps Carrie was a little simple but she certainly wasn’t stupid. She liked her dreamy look and the smile that lit her eyes from inside. ‘I should like to see her if you don’t mind, Carrie.’
    â€˜I’ll bring her tomorrow,’ Carrie promised. ‘Thank you for the things, miss. I’ve never had pretty bits like them beads and the lace.’
    â€˜You are very welcome.’ Impulsively Roz moved towards her, kissing her on the cheek. ‘I shall walk to your wild meadow at this time tomorrow.’
    â€˜Bye then, miss.’ Carrie seemed to be looking beyond Roz and her eyes had lost their animation, becoming vacant as she stared into space.
    Roz realized that she had switched off. She walked away, glancing back a couple of times. Carrie was still standing in the same place, clutching her bundle in her arms. Roz understood why people thought she was daft; she wasn’t really, just different.
    Some of Roz’s anger had drained out of her but now she felt empty and lost. The future seemed grey and endless. What was she going to do with the rest of her life?
    At least she was luckier than Carrie. Yet Carrie hadn’t seemed resentful. She’d said she wanted a baby, which struck Roz as a little strange. Somehow that didn’t fit with her story of being raped, but perhaps she only felt like that now she had the child. Her emotions must have been all over the place these past few months.
    Roz would not have to face the same humiliation. Her womanly flow had started six days after the night she’d been raped. Had she been carrying Paul Richmond’s baby, she might have killed herself. Her mother would never have forgiven her for bringing shame on them.
    It was going to be hard living with just Lady Thornton for company. The move to the dower house would happen while Philip and Julia were on their honeymoon. Before that there was the wedding.
    â€˜We shall stay with Julia’s aunt for a few days,’ Lady Thornton had told her daughter the previous evening. ‘Lady Mary is giving Julia a wedding reception as a gift. I had thought they might prefer to have the wedding here, but apparently Julia’s aunt wants to have it at her home.’
    â€˜That’s kind of her, Mama – and will save you the trouble.’
    â€˜As if I should grudge anything I do for my children. However, Julia is anxious to oblige her aunt and naturally Philip agreed. I shall arrange for our things to be moved while we are away and we’ll return to the dower house.’
    â€˜I suppose we couldn’t let the dower house and take a house in Bath?’
    â€˜Whatever are you thinking about?’ Lady Thornton looked down her long nose. ‘I couldn’t possibly afford to live in Bath. You must make up your mind to a quiet life at home with me – or find someone to marry.’
    â€˜No one has asked me,’ Roz reminded her mother. ‘I might have said yes had Mr Harcourt shown any interest – but he’d heard about Carrie Blake and I dare say he did not wish to be associated with our family.’ His disapproval had made her uncomfortable at the dinner table.
    â€˜Philip told me that her brother had the effrontery to enter the archery contest. He says you let him win the money – did you?’
    â€˜I might have done. She was owed something.’
    â€˜I do not know how you could say such a thing. After what happened, they should never have attended the fete. Philip should have sent him away instantly.’
    â€˜Do you not think that might have caused more scandal?’
    â€˜Please do not contradict me. Allow me to be