Free The Black Moon by Winston Graham

from?'
    `Illuggan.'
    `That's far away, isn't it?'
    `Twelve mile maybe. But we don't live there now. We d'live at Nampara. That is, at Reath, just over the hill from Nampara. I'm working in the house , for Cap'n Poldark, carpenter and the like. My brother, Sam is down mine.'
    The boy shrugged. 'Mon Dieu. C'est incroyable.'
    `Please?'
    ‘ So perhaps it was my uncle who sent your to get this beam?'
    Drake hesitated but Sam, who until now had let his younger and more charming brother do' all the talking, interposed to remove the e asy temptation. `I'm sorry, no. Your uncle didn't know nothing of this. But dye see, with the assistance and to the greater glory of God, we been building up an old cottage. We been working on it two month or more and wanted a long beam fourteen, fifteen foot long for to carry the roof. And this was washed in at St Ann's and we bought him and was carren home.'
    `Excuse the question, ma'am,' Drake said. `But I b'lieve I see you at Grambler church most 'Sundays?'
    She had, taken off her spectacles again, and looked at him coldly with her soft, short-sighted beautiful eyes, `That may be so.'
    But Drake, however deferential, was hard to put down, `No offence meant,' ma'am. None at all.'
    She inclined her head.
    'In the secon d pew from the front,' he said, `right-hand side. You have a rare handsome hymn book wi' a gold cross on him and gold edges to the leaves.'
    The girl put down her sheaf of bluebells. `Geoffrey Charles, as it was customary in the old days to come through this wood .
    But Geoffrey Charles was looking at the beam. `It is off a ship, isn't it? See, here is a hole that must have had a metal rod through it. And the corner has been chiselled away. But all that will surely weaken it as a beam, won't it?'
    'We reckon to cut that end off,' said Drake. `We only d'want fourteen feet and this is nigh on eighteen.'
    `So why did you not saw it off before you left St Ann's? It would have made it that much less heavy to carry.' The boy chuckled at his, own astuteness.
    `Yes, but maybe we can find a use for the stump. Good oak be hard to come by. Where you've paid for him all ye don't like to take only the part.'
    `Is it very heavy?' The boy put his shoulder under the end that rested on the fallen tree and lifted. He went red in the face: ` Mon Dieu, vous avez raison-‘
    'Geoffrey!' said the girl starting f orward. `You will hurt yourself !'
    `That I will not; said Geoffrey, letting the end down again. `But it is heavy as lead 1 Have you already borne it more than two miles? Try it, Morwenna, just try it!'
    Morwenna said slowly: `It is only two fields after this wood to the public way again.; You will see the old pat h still marked. But when you go do not loiter.'
    `Thank you, ma'am,' said Sam. `We're in your debt for that.'
    Her dark sober glance went over the two young men. `I think there will be two men in the furthest field now milking the cows. If you were to wait a half-hour they, would then be gone and you would run less risk of being stopped.'
    `Thank you, ma'am. That's a kin d thought. We're doubly in your debt.
    `But before we go let us see you lift it!' cried Geoffrey
    Charles, "I cannot imagine y ou carrying it three miles more! ' The two brothers' exchanged glances. `Aye, we'll do that,' said Sam.
    So, watched by the young woman and the young boy, they heaved it upon their shoulders. Geoffrey; Charles nodded his approval. Their they lowered their burden again.
    Geoffrey Charles his earlier hostility gone, wanted to stay on, but Morwenna took him by the arm. 'Come, your mother will wonder what' has become of us. We shall be late for supper.
    Smiling Drake picked up the bluebells for her and put them into her arms. Geoffrey Charles said `I have not seen my Uncle Ross for some time. Pray give him my respects.'
    Both the brothers bowed and then stood together watching Geoffrey Charles and his governess return through, the trees the way they had come.
    Morwenna Chynoweth said: `I think;