Josephine Cox Sunday Times Bestsellers Collection. Josephine Cox

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СКАЧАТЬ all ready for you and young Jamie. All you’ll want is new bedding and certain silly bits and pieces a woman needs to keep her happy. And you needn’t worry about the bairn when you work the half-day for Mr Maitland, because Vicky’s already said she’ll be more than happy to keep an eye on him. And it goes without saying that when you’re working here for the rest of the week, the bairn is welcome as the day is long.’

      And so it was settled. Lucy would move in within the next few days, and while she was getting organised, Barney would make sure the garden was cleared and all was spick and span for her and the child.

      A few days later, Lucy was saying her goodbyes in Viaduct Street. ‘I’ll never be able to thank you enough for what you’ve done for me.’ Emotion thickened her voice as she threw her arms round Bridget and hugged her so hard, the poor woman had to wrench her off.

      ‘Be Jaysus, will ye get offa me! Are ye trying to strangle me or what?’ Holding Lucy at arm’s length, she looked into those sincere brown eyes and thought how much she would miss this young woman; with her impromptu singing and bright, happy presence, the house would be all the poorer for her not being there.

      ‘I’m truly sorry to see ye go,’ she told Lucy now, ‘but I’m happy for you, so I am. You’ll have your own front-door key and Jamie will have his own little room, and when me and the girls come acalling, you’ll have fresh-baked muffins ready for us, and a big pot o’ tea waiting.’ She gave a wink. ‘Unless o’ course you’ve a drop o’ the good stuff hidden away in the cupboard for an old friend?’

      With the sadness lifted, Lucy laughed out loud. ‘Oi will,’ she answered, mimicking Bridget’s strong Irish accent. ‘Sure Oi’ll have a little bottle tucked away and ye can drink to your heart’s content, so ye can.’

      Bridget roared with laughter. ‘Ye sound more like me than I do me self. Go on, ye little divil, be off wit’ ye!’ She gave her another hug, and craftily dropped a couple of coins into the palm of her hand. ‘A little something to get ye started. Take care of yourself, m’darling,’ she said softly, and before she might start blubbering herself, she sent Lucy on her way.

      A few minutes later, along with her few belongings and the child on her knee, Lucy settled herself in Barney’s wagon.

      ‘Any regrets, lass?’

      The young woman shook her head. ‘Not a one.’ The only regrets she had were old ones, and now they didn’t seem to matter quite as much.

      When he arrived at Bridget’s house, Barney had greeted Bridget and the girls with his usual friendliness, and now he was leaving with Lucy beside him, he said his goodbyes with the same warmth, for that was his manner.

      ‘All set, are we?’ He had witnessed the emotional scene between Lucy and her friends, but like Lucy, he knew her leaving was all for the best.

      ‘All set,’ Lucy replied, a brief rush of sadness clouding her face.

      ‘Then you’d best hold on tight because once I let this wild animal have its rein, there’s no telling where we might end up!’

      His little attempt at making her laugh worked wonders, because she laughed so hard she couldn’t reply. Pleased with himself, he gave her a warming wink, gently slapped the horse’s great wide rump to drive the bumbling animal forward, and told her in that quiet, no-nonsense manner, ‘You did the right thing.’

      And that was all he would ever again say on the matter.

      As the shire ambled away down Viaduct Street, Lucy turned to look at the four women standing on the doorstep, and as they waved back, she blew a kiss. ‘I’ll miss you,’ she murmured.

      Barney glanced at her. ‘There’s your past and ahead is your future,’ he said simply. Barney Davidson was known as a man of few words, but when he took a mind to speak, his few words said more than a vicar delivering a sermon.

      As they meandered along, Lucy considered his wise words, and she knew he was right. After everything that had befallen her, this was the start of a new life, where she could put all the bad things behind her and start over again.

      At long last, she had something to look forward to.

      Once they were beyond the city roads and were heading towards Comberton, she watched Barney take the old briar-pipe and his baccy pouch from his waistcoat pocket; letting loose of the reins he gave the horse its head, and after carefully packing the pipe with the baccy he struck a match on the sole of his shoe and lit up. He then drew leisurely on the pipe, the twirls of smoke rising to slowly evaporate above his head.

      Suddenly in the midst of his thinking, he turned to smile at Lucy in that comforting way of his. At the time, Barney’s wonderful smile merely warmed her heart, though inevitably bonding her to him.

      It was many years later when, looking back on that magical, intimate moment, with the child asleep and the two of them gently following the narrow country lanes, Barney contentedly smoking his pipe and the sound of the birds singing all around, Lucy realised she must have fallen hopelessly in love with him then – and she never even knew it.

      Barney Davidson. A wise and kindly man who knew the earth as if it was his own; a man who had the heart of a lion and could protect the weak, that was Barney.

      Just for now though, misinterpreting her deeper feelings, Lucy saw Barney only as a very dear friend. No more than that.

      Yet, even though many a moon would shine before she came to realise the true depth of her feelings for him, Lucy already knew in her heart and soul, that she would never meet his like again.

       Chapter 9

      THE WEEKS PASSED and already it was the end of July.

      Lucy and Jamie had settled in well to Mr Maitland’s vacant cottage. It was almost as though they had lived there forever. Lucy was happier than she had ever been; every day was like a holiday. Her life was filled with new experiences and here in the countryside where she was a part of the greater picture, what had previously seemed to her like mountainous problems, now seemed almost trivial.

      She counted herself fortunate to have such friends as the Davidsons; they were a joy to be with. Working or relaxing, every minute in their company drew her more and more into their family.

      Sometimes on a Sunday evening, Bridget or one of the girls from Viaduct Street would visit, and they would sit and talk, and laugh to their hearts’ content. Lucy made sure to keep a measure of the ‘good stuff’ hidden away for when Bridget came. ‘Oh, you’re a darling – what are ye?’ Tipping up her glass and warming the cockles of her heart, Bridget would dance and sing and go home all the merrier.

      As arranged, through the week Lucy worked with the Davidsons, and on Saturday morning she went up to Leonard Maitland’s house, where she did the ironing and other jobs like cleaning his silver. After midday her work was done and the weekend was her own, to enjoy the cottage and play with her child.

      Each day saw Jamie grow more and more sturdy; he now was very active and the fresh air was doing him a power of good. He loved his new family and had begun to talk in his own way to them all. Everyone loved the little toddler and enjoyed having him around the farm.

      On this particular Saturday, Lucy was replacing СКАЧАТЬ