Authors: Jean Stubbs
They stood together bare-headed in Garth churchyard, two middle-aged men at the head of their families, and watched the sexton begin to spade earth on to the coffin.
‘I had thought, somehow, that she would never die,’ said William, in sorrowful disbelief.
‘Eh, she’d have lived to be a hundred if it weren’t for our Charlotte’s trouble,’ Dick replied quietly.
They stood a few moments longer, before walking away. The funeral had been subdued because of circumstances, but full of a profound respect. Many who were prepared to cut William on account of his sister had pressed his hand in silent sympathy on account of his mother. Humbler mourners had walked from Snape to attend the service and express their sorrow, and Garth villagers wrapped their shawls about their heads or took off their hats in quiet reverence. William and Dick did not know all of them, but Dorcas had, and they would remember her.
There were to be no junketings, but the privacy of the event suited the Howarths better. They had suffered too much to go through a burial banquet as well. It was enough that her family, all but one, were there. They could drink ale or tea together and eat Alice’s honest currant cakes, and spread the summer’s jam on homebaked bread and butter, and talk as they felt inclined. By tacit consent, the brothers, as chief mourners, were left alone and presently went outside to look round Kit’s Hill. And William lapsed into the comfortable speech he had used with Ned. Picking up fragments of the past.
‘Mother drove us to Millbridge in the trap, one time, our Charlotte and me. We’d been mewed up for a long while with that cattle disease, rinder-pest. Forty years, come last May, it would be. And the blossom was out. I broke a sprig off for our Lottie. “Sit down!” says Mother, in that quick short way she had. And I sat. I did as I was told!’
They smiled at each other, knowing.
‘Her back was as straight and supple as a willow wand. Then she points her little whip down below there, and says, “Look, children. You can see the journey we are going to make, almost from start to finish!” Aye, and the valley was different then. And I have to admit to being one of them as altered it so much.’
He was silent a moment. How could he be sorry? And yet some part of him grieved for the shining river and the villages strung like daisies on its chain.
‘But it’s allus the same up here, Dick,’ he went on cheerfully. ‘Kit’s Hill doesn’t change so as you’d notice it. It’s a fair while since I’ve been here, too. Too long, to tell thee the truth. So shall us stretch our legs a bit and you can show me round? I’ve got summat to ask thee, Dick.’
They began to mount the long hill up to Scarth Nick, overlooking the valley. Dick strode easily, as one who was accustomed to such exercise. But William had to stop now and again, for he was some years older and no countryman these days.
‘I’m leaving Wyndendale for good, lad. Nay, don’t look so startled. There’s nowt for me here now, and you know it. I’ve done no wrong but they’ve got a big stick now to beat me with, and there’s too many of them want to get hold of it! They’ll see that I go no further here, bar making a profit, and I want more than that. So we’re off!’
‘But, Will, you was born and bred here,’ said Dick, aghast. ‘It’s thy roots and home and family and all.’
‘Eh, I’m not pacing away tomorrow, lad. Nor next month, nor maybe next year. I shall take my time and look round and find somewhere else for us. And I shall sell Snape. The war won’t last for ever! And it might not be worth as much in peacetime. But I wanted thee to be the first to know, after Zelah, what I had in mind.’
‘If she has a lad this time,’ said Dick, thinking, ‘he’ll be born out of his rightful place.’
‘Aye, I know. But the Williams never stop at home, Betty Ackroyd used to say. I’d sooner stop and king it here, if I had the choice. But if they won’t let me be king I’ll go some place as will!’ He grinned at his younger brother. ‘They call that being a great man!’ he said drily. ‘Well, I’ve learned a thing or two the past few years, and I can tell thee who the great men are. The quiet ones like thee and my father, and Caleb. The ones as don’t need a brass band to march in front of them and tell folks they’re coming. It won’t alter me to know that, but at least I do know it. I’m a nowt, as Betty would say!’
He laughed at his brother’s perturbed face, and clapped him on the back companionably.
‘Now listen to me, Dick, because you’re the Howarth as matters. And you’re the Howarth as is stopping here. How are you off for money, lad? The truth, mind! Tell me t’truth.’
‘Well, a bit short, our Will. But nowt as a good harvest wouldn’t put right.’
‘That harvest never comes,’ said William humorously, honestly. ‘You’re behind the times, our Dick, and that’s just where I want you to be. I don’t want any clever bugger improving Kit’s Hill and turning it into a cotton-mill — nor an ironworks, neither, come to that! Now, I’m selling Bracelet and Thornton House and putting the money in our Charlotte’s name. If she doesn’t come back then it goes to her children. That’s how she and Mother wanted it, and that’s how it will be done. Hurst is seeing to it all for me, and he was fond of our Charlotte — still is — so I know he’ll do more than his best for her.
‘I’m selling my share of Belbrook to Caleb, at a bit below the fair price, which is what he deserves. He’ll be ironmaster in Wyndendale then. By Gow, though, he’ll be on his own here. He’s got nobody. Well, some have all the luck and t’others dursen’t step over the threshold! Any road, what I get for Belbrook will be a tidy sum, and I want that money to go to you and yours as soon as I get it. Wait a bit! Wait a bit!’ Holding up his hand. ‘Don’t go and chuck it in my face afore I’ve done talking! Hear what I have to say. It’s not just for thee, lad. It’s summat I can do for all of us, wherever we are. Father used to say that there’d been a Howarth at Kit’s Hill as long as the farm had been there. Well, I’m making sure of that as far as I can do. I want summat to be right, whatever sort of a bugger’s muddle goes on anywhere else. So think on, our Dick, afore you say no!’
Then he laughed aloud, and said, ‘By Gow, you do look like Father when you’re being awkward and stiff-necked, our Dick!’
They smiled at each other then in complete understanding. Nothing needed to be argued or explained. So they strode on past Owd Barebones and the Ha’penny Field: judged a coming crop of Swedish turnips, talked of the drovers. The evening was sweet and mild about them.
‘It seems a poor thing just to say thankee, Will. But I do thank thee. And from the bottom of my heart.’
‘You’re doing me a favour,’ said William, content.
They reached Breakneck, and surveyed Wyndendale.
‘Well, we’ve come full circle, I reckon,’ said Dick. ‘This is where he died, nigh on thirteen years since! Eh, look at that view, wilta? If that doesn’t beat all!’
Kit’s Hill lay small and perfect below them, with smoke curling from its kitchen chimney.
‘How long is it since we first built her?’ William asked. ‘Nay, God alone knows that.’
‘I’ll get Ellis Field to find out for us. We may as well keep the record straight. Oh, and that’s another thing. Ambrose is taking all our Charlotte’s private papers — not the Jack Straw lot, that was King’s Evidence — papers she’s had for years, since she was a lass. Essays in Latin and Greek. Letters that she and Toby Longe wrote to one another. Grand stuff,’ said William humbly. ‘She was a right smart lass. It’s a bloody shame. It went wrong somewhere for her. I don’t know how nor why.’
They began to walk down from the Nick.
‘So if it’s all right with you, Dick, I’d like to give our mother’s papers to Cicely. They were very close, those two. Closer than Cicely and Charlotte. And the littlest lass is called Dorcas Pole. What do you think to that?’
‘Aye, it’s all right by me,’ said Dick readily. ‘Cicely won’t treasure them more than I would, but she’d understand them better. Is there owt else to divide up?’
‘Charlotte’s bits and pieces, and Aunt Wilde’s furniture, will go to the children sometime. But I’m flummoxed what to do with Mother’s stuff! She thought the world of that roomful of furniture she fetched in and out of Kit’s Hill. It belonged to
her
mother.’
‘It’s nowt in our line,’ Dick said. ‘But what about your girls?’
‘Too far ahead to judge. I was thinking. Should Cicely not have it as well as the papers? She and Jarvis aren’t rich, and they have that great parsonage to fill. Then Mrs Dorcas can go in one piece.’
‘Aye,’ said Dick, his face clearing. He chuckled.
‘What’s to do?’ asked William, grinning.
‘Eh, I shouldn’t laugh, but I mean no harm by it. I couldn’t help thinking on, our Will.’
‘Well, don’t keep the joke to thyself, lad!’
‘I were thinking. If the life hereafter is owt like this one — she’ll be sorting father up right now, for all that he’s been there longer than she has!’
Then they burst into peals of laughter, clapping each other’s shoulders.
‘I’ll race thee down the slope!’ cried William, eyes glinting, for he must prove
himself over and over again, always.
‘Right! I’ll give thee a start, seeing as tha’rt eleven years older than me!’
And they ran down the hill, arms wide, shouting and laughing. So that those who saw them coming from afar off thought they looked like boys together.
10
July
1978
-
7
July
1980
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