The Windsor Girl by Sylvia Burton Read Free Book Online Page B

want to have a serious conversation with you’. 
    As William started to protest, his father said, ‘no.  I don’t want to hear any arguments.  You really must talk about it’.
    ‘I haven’t time for this Father’.
    ‘Well you will have to make time, because I’m not going until you’ve, at least, heard what I have to say.  I have watched you turn into a shadow of your former self and it’s not right.  I cannot stand by and see you work yourself into the ground without doing anything to stop it’.
    ‘I’m all right Father, really ’.
    ‘You’re not all right Son.  Sarah would not have wanted this .   It’s about time you did something about it’.
    ‘And what do you suggest Father?’ he said, his face suddenly dark with rage. 
    He had never spoken to his father in this manner and was immediately sorry. 
    ‘I shouldn't have spoken to you like that Father.  Forgive me’.
    ‘It’s all right Son.  I know how you are grieving for Sarah.  I do understand’.
    Again, William’s anger emerged.  ‘How can you understand?  You haven’t had your heart torn form your chest’.
    In desperation John shouted, ‘I think you should pull yourself together.  Find a girl and marry her.  Surely there’s a girl somewhere you could .........’  He didn't get to finish.
    William, with his face like thunder, picked up his jacket and made for the door. His parting words were, ‘oh yes, there’s a girl all right’.
    Rose was preparing vegetables, at the kitchen table, when she saw William enter.  She was surprise to see that he was hurrying in her direction.  Since the night of the party, so long ago, he had not stopped to speak to her, other than, to say ‘good morning’ or ‘good night’.  And now he was coming towards her.
    William, not stopping to consider the girl’s reaction, burst out, ‘Rose.  If I were to ask you, would you marry me?’
    ‘What?’  Rose was shocked.  This was the last thing she expected.
    ‘I know we don’t love each other, but will you marry me?  Yes or no?’ 
    He was aware of his angry tone and his uncaring manner but added, ‘Well?’
    Rose thought she felt her heart break as she looked into his tortured eyes.
    ‘Yes William.  I will marry you’.
    William said, more kindly, ‘thank you Rose’, and then walked out of the kitchen without another word.
    Four weeks later, Mister and Missus William Blunt, left the Fairfax Residence for the last time, to start their life together.
    William sighed, drained the pot of cold tea and thought, and here we are, Butler and Cook, married over twenty years.  No children and nothing to look forward to but old age .
    He had to admit that Rose was a good woman, always ready and willing to please him.  He knew that it couldn't have been easy for her but she had never complained.
    There was a knock, and his wife put her head around the door, ‘William?  It’s the upstairs doorbell dear’.
    ‘Thank you Missus Blunt’.
    He stood up and walked briskly upstairs to answer the door.  On his way he thought of Sarah, all thoughts of Ellie were gone from his mind.

Chapter Six
     
    Ellie turned the corner of Canal Street, her clogs clanging on the flagged path.  There was no one to be seen, so early on this Sunday morning, but she knew her mother would be up and about, waiting to see her on her first day off.
    Even after so short an absence, everything looked different. 
    How strange , she thought as she noticed, for the first time, the drabness of the back-to-back houses and the grubby curtains at the windows.  That is, the windows with any curtains at all.  Not everyone in the street bothered with such things, ‘only makes more washing’, they would say.
    She heard a sound and looked across the cobbled street to see Ma Bagnall, her shawl wrapped around her shoulders, displaying a big grin on round face.
    Ellie called to her.  ‘Hello Missus Bagnall.  Hope my noisy clogs didn’t wake you?’
    ‘Nay lass,