She seemed loath to leave Mary to herself, and even proposed that she should sleep with her, nominally for the sake of warmth, until the strain of George’s trial should be over, an offer that Mary found it difficult to refuse with grace. When she left them she took the younger woman to her breast and kissed her tenderly. Abner opened the door for her, and when he returned he saw that Mary’s eyes were bright with tears. He felt that he himself must struggle to add some words of reassurance, but before he could do so she had said good-night and vanished.
Next morning he rose early. He had lit the fire and made the kettle boil before she was astir. When she heard his feet in the kitchen she hurried to come down and thank him.
‘You needn’t have done that,’ she said.
‘That’s nowt,’ he replied bluntly. ‘We’ve got to get on the road early.’
After breakfast she deposited the children, as had been arranged, with Mrs Mamble. Morgan, who scarcely ever left his mother’s side, resented this.
‘Where are you going, mam?’ he cried.
‘Only to Lesswardine with Abner here.’
‘You’re not going for good, mam? You’re coming back again?’
‘Don’t be a silly boy, Morgan. Of course I’m coming back.’
‘When, mam?’