Gates of Paradise (35 page)

‘Your Billy's grow'd so's Oi wouldn't ha' know'd him,' Harry said as he handed Betsy into the cart. ‘Quite the young gentleman.'

‘He starts apprentice in a week or so,' she said, beaming at her grandson as he settled alongside her.

Harry was impressed to hear it. ‘So soon?'

‘He
is
fifteen,' his grandmother said. ‘Time he learnt the trade, eh, Billy? How's Lizbeth?'

‘She got a foine ol' feast ready for 'ee,' Harry told her happily.

And a fine old feast it was, with the entire family gathered round his kitchen table with porter and small beer aplenty and more food than they could possibly eat. Johnnie's daughter Hannah sat between Lizbeth's two daughters, chatting nineteen to the dozen, for they were great gossips, and
gentleman Billy sat beside his cousin John, who was ten years younger than he was and a very messy eater, and was told what a kind young man he was by the messy eater's mother, and didn't admit that his altruism was actually because he enjoyed being hero-worshipped, and Lizbeth and Betsy had so much news to exchange they had to be reminded to pause from their talk to eat. The brothers carved meats at the sideboard and filled plates to capacity and talked to their father who sat at the head of the table, looking stooped and very wrinkled, as well he might on his ninetieth birthday, but enjoying the occasion despite his frailty. In short it was just what a family gathering ought to be.

When the meats had been cleared to Lizbeth's satisfaction and the fruit pies had been brought to the table, the talk turned to the work they were doing. Harry told his brother what a fine herd he'd got that year, Betsy said her dame school was thriving, ‘I took four new pupils this term', and Johnnie spoke at some length of the improvements he was making to his printing firm. ‘There are more newspapers comin' out than ever,' he said, ‘and our print works is renowned for reliability, though I says it who shouldn't.'

‘Oi allus knew my boys 'ud do well,' Hiram said. ‘An' if your Ma could ha' been here to see you, she'd ha' said the same.'

The brothers sent quick eye-signals to one another. The subject had to be changed and quickly or he would be in tears. It was nearly twenty years
since their mother had died but he still felt it keenly.

‘We've had a bit of a stir down this way recently,' Harry offered. ‘'Aven't we Father?'

Hiram cupped his ear with his hand. ‘What? What's ‘at?'

‘A stir, Pa,' Harry shouted. ‘Oi was tellin' Johnnie we've had a bit of a stir hereabouts.'

‘Not so's Oi've noticed,' Hiram said. ‘What stir?'

‘Some lawyer feller's been stayin' in The Fox askin' after William Blake,' Harry said, explaining to them both. ‘Wanted to know about his trial seemingly. Who gave evidence an' so forth. I got the feelin' he thought there was more to it than met the eye. Things what should ha' come out an' was kept hid. What do 'ee think to that?'

‘Well I never,' Betsy said, much surprised. ‘Fancy that, Johnnie. After all this time. Did he find anythin' out?'

‘Not from us,' Harry said happily. ‘We sent him off with a flea in his ear.'

Betsy enjoyed that. ‘You would.'

‘Not that there's many people left for him to ask now,' Johnnie said, eating his pie. ‘Apart from Pa here – and Will Smith, I s'ppose. Is he still around?'

‘An' me, don't forget,' Harry teased. ‘He come up to the farm to see me.'

‘He had time to waste then,' Johnnie teased.

‘Oh, Oi never told him nothin', if tha's what you means.'

Johnnie was still teasing. ‘On account of you don't know nothin'.'

Harry gave his brother a wicked grin. ‘Now that,' he said, enjoying his moment, ‘dear brother John, is where you're wrong. If Oi'd had a moind to, Oi could ha' told him a great deal. On account of Oi heard every word.'

Betsy was intrigued ‘What do 'ee mean, every word? Every word a' what?'

‘Every word a' what went on in the garden,' Harry said.

‘You never did!'

‘Oh, Oi heard roight enough. 'Twas a hot day if you remembers an' Oi'd took toime off for a breather. Father'll tell you, won't you Father. An' Oi was sitting leanin' against ol' Blake's garden wall an' Oi heard him come out into the garden. Furious he was. “Oi don't allow soldiers in moi garden,” he says. “Be off out of it.” An' the soldier says, “Oi'm a member a' the 1
^st
Royal Dragoons,” he says, “an' Oi can go where Oi please, so you can put that in your poipe an' smoke it.'”

‘Good lord,' Johnnie said, round eyed at such a revelation. ‘You really did hear it. I thought you were too young to know anything about it.'

‘Oi was twelve,' Harry said. ‘Nearly as old as your William here. Oi knew about it roight enough.'

‘So go on,' Betsy urged. ‘What did he say next? I bet you don't remember
that
.'

‘Ah well,' Harry said. ‘Now that would be tellin'.'

My heartfelt thanks to the following for their assistance in the writing of this book.

Heather Howell of Blake's Cottage, Felpham.

Peter and Nina Johns of Robson's Cottage, Lavant.

The staff of the Public Records Office, in particular Ron Iden, Chichester.

Joan McKillop, Custodian of the Cowper and Newton Museum, Olney.

Eileen Page and Peggy Horwood, who lived in the old Fox Inn as children.

Dr Keri Davies, Historian of the Blake Society.

Beryl Kingston
was born in Tooting in 1931. She was eight when the war began and spent the early years of her education in many different schools, depending on her latest evacuation. As an undergraduate she attended King's College London, where she read English.

She married her childhood sweetheart when she was 19, with whom she has three children. Kingston was an English teacher before embarking on a career as a full-time writer in 1980.

Discover books by Beryl Kingston published by Bloomsbury Reader at

www.bloomsbury.com/BerylKingston

A Time to Love

Fourpenny Flyer

Gemma's Journey

Maggie's Boy

Sixpenny Stalls

Tuppenny Times

For copyright reasons, any images not belonging to the original author have been
removed from this book. The text has not been changed, and may still contain
references to missing images.

This electronic edition published in 2013 by Bloomsbury Reader

Bloomsbury Reader is a division of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 50 Bedford Square,
London WC1B 3DP

First published in Great Britain 2006 by Allison & Busby Ltd

Copyright © 2006 Beryl Kingston

All rights reserved
You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise
make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means
(including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying,
printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the
publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication
may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

The moral right of the author is asserted.

eISBN: 9781448213931

Visit
www.bloomsburyreader.com
to find out more about our authors and their books
You will find extracts, author interviews, author events and you can
sign up for
newsletters
to be the first to hear about our latest releases and special offers.