Josephine Cox Sunday Times Bestsellers Collection. Josephine Cox

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       Chapter 14

      AFTER THEIR PARENTS’ euphoria, the Davidson children reacted to Leonard’s offer in different ways.

      ‘I’d rather stay here,’ Susie said, in confrontational mood.

      ‘Look, love, I’ve already told you. We can’t stay here,’ Barney explained for the third time. ‘Mr Maitland has been forced to sell this farm to help pay off his grandfather’s debts.’

      ‘Listen to your father, sweetheart.’ Vicky despaired. ‘Whether we like it or not, this farm is being sold. It isn’t Mr Maitland’s fault, and it isn’t our fault. It’s the circumstances we all find ourselves in. We would all love to stay here, but we can’t, and so we have to accept things the way they are.’

      Unlike Susie, Thomas was thrilled at the news. ‘You’re being right selfish,’ he told his younger sister now. ‘The fact is, we’re left with three choices. Either we take work in the Liverpool area, or we move away and hope something turns up that will suit everybody. Or we accept Mr Maitland’s generous offer and be thankful. Think about it, Susie! AMERICA! There are many girls your age who would give their right arm for the chance we’ve been offered!’

      ‘They can have it then!’ Kicking the rug at her feet, Susie folded her arms and slumped into a chair. ‘Because I don’t want to go.’

      Gesturing for the others to leave the room, Barney went and sat on the arm of her chair. ‘What is it that worries you?’ he asked gently. ‘Is it because you’ll be leaving your friends behind? If it is, you can always keep in touch. You can write to each other and later, maybe, they can even come and visit.’

      ‘How can they?’ Now the tears were falling. ‘America is the other side of the world!’

      ‘Naw … you’ve got that wrong, pet.’ Sliding his arm round her shoulders, he drew her close. ‘I won’t deny it is a long way,’ he coaxed, ‘but it’s not the end of the world. Look at Mr Maitland – he’s gone over and come back twice this year, hasn’t he?’

      Susie looked up, her eyes swimming with tears. ‘I’m frightened, Daddy.’

      It cut him to the quick to see his daughter upset like this. ‘There’s nothing to be frightened of.’ Barney put his hand under her chin and raised her face to his. ‘Do you think me and your mammy would want to take you, if we thought you’d come to any harm?’ He smiled his reassurance. ‘Trust me, we’ll take good care of you, my darling.’

      Kissing the top of her head, he drew her closer. ‘When you’ve seen the ships going away, how many times have you said to me that you’d love to be on one of them? Well, now you can!’

      Looking up, she gave a shaky smile. ‘I didn’t think it could ever really happen.’

      ‘Well, now it has. Look, we can sail off to America and try to make a new life, and if it doesn’t work out, Mr Maitland has promised to pay our fare back. But we have to give it a chance, because everybody is so excited to be going, and like Thomas said, it’s a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And later, when we’ve saved enough money, we can come back for a visit. Would you like that?’ With the tip of his finger he wiped away the tears that quivered on the end of her lashes.

      ‘I think so.’ At last a brighter smile. ‘Yes, Daddy, I’d like that.’

      Barney nodded. ‘Then that’s what we’ll aim for – saving enough money between us to come back for a visit.’

      ‘Do you promise?’

      He hesitated, that small grain of dark instinct holding him back. ‘I promise I’ll do my very best.’

      ‘So will I,’ she said eagerly. ‘You said Mr Maitland told you I could get work with one of the hat-shops, and they would teach me the trade?’

      ‘Yes. That’s what the man said all right.’ Barney was relieved to see a glimmer of enthusiasm. It would break his heart to force her into something that made her desperately unhappy.

      ‘Maybe one day, I might have my own shop in Boston?’

      Barney laughed. ‘You might at that,’ he said. ‘Work hard and save, and who knows what the future holds?’ For all of us, he added silently. He only hoped his health would hold up through the trials and thrills that lay ahead.

      Having placed herself where they could not see her, Vicky watched from the doorway. Deeply moved by Barney’s understanding of his daughter’s fears she had wiped away СКАЧАТЬ