Free Regret to Inform You... by Derek Jarrett Page A

Tommy put it, ‘Two bums per box,’ they had enough for around forty. Next, they struggled in with several wide planks which they placed on upturned wooden barrels. ‘That’s enough for around sixty. Mr Mansfield said he wanted ten proper chairs for guests, so let’s take the small cart from outside up to the store next and load them on.’
    A short while later, Streaky Bacon and Dan Reynolds came in carrying an assortment of materials, with Dan announcing: ‘These will do to cover the boxes and help keep splinters out of people’s backsides.’
    â€˜That looks really good,’ commented Racer. ‘With the stage over there we know where the entertainers are going to be, so let’s set up the chairs in the best position for the guests, keeping the middle for dancing.’
    â€˜Don’t forget the tables we have to bring in for the drink and food, mugs and so on. I think they will all be best over in the corner furthest from the door,’ added Tommy.
    An hour later the barn was ready, lamps were brought in, some hung on previously fixed wall hooks and two buckets of water placed nearby. Doris Groves and Grace Reynolds, two young girls who worked in the large farmhouse, appeared carrying armfuls of bunting. ‘We’ve been cutting out triangles and squares in as many coloured cloths as we could find,’ said the pretty, dark-haired Doris, clearly aware of her good looks. Grace and Abraham gave each other a smile. They had been friends for years; their birthdays were only a month apart and the two had always vied for top place in the class. They saw each other less often now, but enjoyed exchanging news of families and what each was doing.
    â€˜Come on,’ encouraged Abraham, ‘let’s see how long they are and then we can either hang them round the walls or fix them so they go from side to side.’ They agreed that running them between opposite walls gave the best effect and this was soon done.
    â€˜I’ll just run up to the house,’ said Racer. ‘Mr Mansfield asked me to let him know when everything was done.’ He hurried up the short distance to the substantial Georgian farmhouse. The Mansfields’ two daughters had married and moved away, but five domestic workers were maintained, not least to ensure the farm workers had proper meals. Within five minutes Abraham was back accompanied by the farmer. He was a well-built man in his mid-fifties, comfortably dressed in dark grey matching jacket, waistcoat and trousers, the latter embraced by tight-fitting calf-high boots.
    He took a long look around and then his strong-looking face broke into a smile. ‘It looks good, lads and ladies.’ Doris and Grace immediately broke into blushes. ‘You’ve all done well. Maybe just move those tables for the drinks and food a little forward. Tommy, go and find Peter and a couple of other lads and tell them they can start moving the ale and other drinks down here. Thanks to all of you. It’s nearly midday so I don’t see why everyone can’t finish around two o’clock, go home and get ready for this evening.’
    By fifteen minutes past two, the barn and yard were quiet. Abraham and Tommy, helped by two other strong youngsters, had negotiated the last items needed for the evening and all except Abraham had departed. He was just changing from his working clothes into more suitable attire for his next activity. He put on some lighter footwear which together with his loose-fitting top and leggings made him ready to run home, his working clothes in the backpack. Not wanting to miss any opportunity to improve his fitness for the new season, he set off along Wood Lane, away from the village for a mile, turned right to circumvent the most outlying farm cottages before turning north to approach Rusfield by way of Parkers Wood and the meadow. As he got to the village green, Miss Rushton briefly stopped cleaning the window of the