Free Replenish the Earth by Anna Jacobs Page A

good tenant, Janey Bell is. I’ll come across and tell you if Mr Rogers is well enough to see you. He’s been ill. And ‘I’ll drive you back afterwards, if you like. I have some - er, things to attend to in the village.’
    ‘Thank you.’ She guessed he was waiting for her on purpose, but she couldn’t afford to be proud. And in any case, she didn’t think she could face the journey back to the Manor on foot, especially with a load of provisions.
    Sarah went into the inn first to return Prue’s basket and found herself being catechised about how she had found things at the Manor, all in a very respectful but nonetheless determined way. Prue had clearly decided to take Miss Elizabeth's daughter under her capacious wing.
    Will peered through the open door to say, ‘Parson’s happy to see you, Mistress Bedham,’ then vanished before Sarah could say anything.
    Prue watched him walk away and sighed. ‘Had a hard time, Will has. Fine young man, though. ’Tis a pity there aren’t more like him.’ 
    Sarah made her way across the village green towards the cottage that Prue had pointed out to her as Mistress Bell’s shop. The door was open, but when she went inside, there was no one waiting to serve her. She could hear voices coming from the back room, so after a moment or two, she called out, ‘Hello! Is anyone there?’
    The sounds ceased abruptly and a thin-faced woman of about Sarah’s own age peered through the low doorway at the back of the shop. ‘Dear, oh Lord!’ she exclaimed. ‘I never heard that door go. Just a minute, please.’ She vanished again, to be heard yelling, ‘Susan! You see that our Bessie eats her bread, then you can scrub that table.’
    When she reappeared, she was smiling brightly, ready to give her full attention to her customer. ‘I’m that sorry, mistress. I usually hear the door opening when folks come in.’
    ‘The door was already open.’
    ‘Drat the boy! I told him to shut it behind him!’ She looked at Sarah with frank curiosity. ‘What can I get for you, Mistress Bedham?’
    ‘I have a whole list of things that I need.’ Sarah made as though to hand over the piece of paper and Mistress Bell went red.
    ‘I can read a bit,’ she said stiffly, ‘but it’d be a sight quicker if you read your list out to me. I’m not very fast.’ She went even redder and added, ‘And I’ll hev to ask you to pay for the things now, if you please. I can’t afford to give credit, not even to the gentry. Hoping I don’t give no offence, mistress, but me bein’ on my own, I hev to be careful.’
    Sarah smiled reassuringly. ‘That’s all right. I prefer to pay as I buy, then I know where I stand, too.’
    Mistress Bell's sigh of relief was audible. ‘What be you wantin', then, Mistress Bedham?’   
    ‘Just about everything, I’m afraid. Mary helped me to make a list, but if you think of anything else I might need, please tell me, for there are few stores of anything left at the Manor and I’m not used to country ways.’
    ‘I’ll be very happy to oblige.’ Mistress Bell beamed at her, then yelled, ‘Susan! Fetch my stool for Mistress Bedham this minute!’
    The stool was brought within seconds by a little girl who gaped at the newcomer till her mother hissed at her not to stare like a scarecrow in a field! Then Mistress Bell settled down to fill a satisfying large order.
    As Sarah left the shop, two men turned round to eye her speculatively and with a sinking heart she recognised Sewell’s bullies. They were standing on their own in front of the blacksmith's forge and everyone was giving them a wide berth. However, they made no move towards her. More conscious than usual of her limp, she made her way across the green.
    The front door of the parsonage was opened by a dignified older woman, who dropped a small curtsey and begged Mistress Bedham to step inside. ‘Parson’s waiting for you in his study. We’ve had to take the sofa in there for him, for he would be near