Abbeyford Remembered Read Online Free PDF Page B

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    â€œNo, no,” Carrie said, wriggling a little as if to slide from the horse. “ Me Pa, if he sees me with you, he’ll like as not beat me.”
    â€œOh, I see.” Suddenly Jamie grinned making his usually serious face seem boyish and mischievous. “ I wouldn’t like that!”
    â€œNor would I!” Carrie retorted with feeling and grinned back at him. Their shared secret meeting seemed to bring them close.
    He dismounted and held up his arms towards her and she slid from the horse’s back into them. He did not release her immediately but stood looking down at her.
    â€œCarrie – oh Carrie,” his voice was suddenly husky. “You’ve the loveliest eyes I’ve ever seen …”
    Without warning his arms were strong iron bands about her and his mouth was hot upon hers. Readily Carrie responded to his kisses, her heart pounding fiercely. At last they drew apart, their eyes shining, their hot breath mingling, startled by the suddenness, the newness of this emotion.
    â€œI’ll – see you again?” he whispered.
    Carrie, innocent of all guile, nodded, her mind in a turmoil. Hastily, suddenly afraid they’d be seen, she broke away from him and ran up the hill.
    â€œTomorrow?” he called after her. She paused in her flight, turned and waved. He returned her wave and then she was running up the hill again, her feet hardly touching the ground, her heart singing. At the top she turned. He was sitting astride his horse now, but still watching her.
    He waved again and she lifted her hand in farewell, then Jamie turned his horse and cantered back towards Abbeyford.
    When he was a small speck in the distance, Carrie turned and began to walk slowly down the other side of the hill towards the railway workings.
    Carrie’s mood of joy was short-lived. As she neared the bank overlooking the railway workings she saw her three brothers climbing towards her.
    Luke, the eldest, was in the centre, leaning heavily upon the two younger boys, who themselves looked scarcely to have the strength to help him. All three were thin, their clothes ragged and they were covered – clothes, skin and hair – in the grey dust from the stone they had hewn since early morning. It was early for them to be coming home, and Carrie ran to them in alarm, fearful that Luke must have been hurt in some accident.
    â€œWhat is it? What’s the matter?” she cried anxiously, swiftly taking the place of Tom at Luke’s side.
    â€œ ’Ee’s bin coughin’ ’is guts up!” volunteered Matt, and as Carrie searched the thin, sickly face of her elder brother, her heart gave a lurch. There was a thin trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth. She’d seen that before. One of the other children, who had died of consumption a year back, had coughed up blood!
    â€œDunna let on to Pa,” Luke gasped, “that we’ve come away ’aforetime.”
    â€œ ’Course I won’t,” Carrie replied with affectionate impatience and gave his shoulder a squeeze. “What d’you take me for?”
    As they neared the shack, a handsome gig pulled by a high-stepping pony and carrying two women came lurching down the cart-track towards them. The older woman, holding the reins, pulled the pony to a halt beside Carrie and her brothers. Carrie stared open-mouthed at the two women – ladies without doubt. She had never seen such finery – silk dresses and bonnets, with delicate lace trimmings. The older one, whom she presumed to be the younger girl’s mother, was still a beautiful woman, with smooth skin, green eyes and lovely auburn hair arranged to frame her face. The younger girl, too, was undoubtedly pretty but there was a discontented pout to her mouth and a coldness in her blue eyes. She twirled the parasol she held and sighed with boredom. The older lady was returning Carrie’s gaze with equal interest, almost as