Betrothal -- Fiction; England -- Social life and customs -- 20th century -- Fiction; Families -- Fiction; London (England) -- Fiction
Could they all get in? Of course they could. The luggage was all on the
luggage-cart, and Rock and Clarence with it; a silver moon, just rising
now above the station roofs, peeping at her, laughed at her serious
dignity.
“No, we’ll go on the box, Philip and I,” said Katherine. “Of course I
shan’t be cold. No, really, we’d rather, wouldn’t we, Philip? Plenty of
room, Jacob.”
They were off, up the little hill, down over the little bridge and
through the little village. Katherine, sitting between Philip and Jacob,
pressing her cheek against Philip’s rough tweed coat, her hand lying in
his under the rug, seemed to slip, dreaming, fulfilling some earlier
vision, through space. She had wondered sometimes, in the earlier days,
whether there could be any greater happiness in life than that
ever-thrilling, ever-satisfying return to Garth. She knew now that there
was a greater happiness....
A white world of crackling, burning stars roofed them in; an owl flew by
them through the grey dusk; the air smelt of spring flowers and fresh
damp soil. The stream that had been with them since their entrance into
Glebeshire still accompanied them, running with its friendly welcome at
their side. Beyond the deep black hedges cows and horses and sheep moved
stealthily: it seemed that they might not disturb the wonderful silence
of the night.
“Are you warm enough?” he asked her; he caught her hand more tightly and
kissed her cheek, very softly and gently. She trembled with happiness,
and pressed more closely against his coat.
“Can you smell the sea yet? You will when you get to the top of Rasselas
Hill. This is the high road to Pelynt. It runs parallel with the railway
until we get to the cross roads, Pelynt Cross, you know.... You’ll smell
the sea there. You can see it on a clear day. To the left of you there
is just Pelynt Moor. It runs for miles and miles, right along by the
Drymouth Road.... Look through the break in the hedge. Do you see that
light across the field? That’s John Pollen’s cottage. John was murdered
just about a hundred years ago. He was an old miser, and some men robbed
him, but they never found his head. They say he wanders about still
looking for it.... Oh, if this could go on for ever. Philip, are you
happy?”
“Happy?” ... Ah! she could feel his body quiver.
“Yes, and now we’re coming down to the Well. There’s a little wood just
at the body of the hill. We always call it the Well because it’s so dark
and green. It’s the most famous wood for primroses in all Glebeshire.
They’ll be coming now.... We’ll walk here.... I cried once because I
thought I was lost here. They forgot me and went home. Then I was
comforted by the postman, who found me and carried me home.... Jacob, do
you remember?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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