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Whatever answer Daniel would have given to this was checked by the door opening and his father appearing; and what made them both look at him was that he wasn't dressed for riding but was in his ordinary working-day apparel. Moira put in quickly, Ì didn't know you were up. I'll get your breakfast in a minute.`

Both she and Daniel were then surprised at his tone when he said, `That doesn't matter; it can wait,às he walked towards the long kitchen table where, his hands gripping the back of a wooden chair, he looked from one to the other as he said, Ì'd better tell you because it concerns us all;ànd turning to Daniel, he addressed him pointedly, saying, Ìt's no use you getting on your high horse and telling me what can be done, and what should be done, and what hasn't been done; the fact is we're up against it and 283 I'm having to sell Westfields.`

`What!` The expression on Daniel's face could have been described as comical, so twisted was it; then he stammered, `W ... W ... Westfields? It's the most fertile part of the land, and runs the complete length of Barton's!`

`Tell me something new, something I've never heard before, not something I was brought up with, and my father before me. That's why it's being sold: because it is fertile.`

`But ... but I understood Barton is finished, that he's having to sell up.` Daniel's voice had risen almost to a shout.

`Yes, and you understand right. But the man who's buying Barton's hasn't got enough land for his various purposes: he doesn't only want to farm, he wants to build, and on Barton's land.`

`Well then, if that's the casè-- Daniel's head was bobbing now like a puppet's-- ìf that's the case then get this man to buy us out an' all, because with that land gone we, too, could be sunk.`

`Then, young man, Mr Manager, Mr Know-all, can you tell me what else I can do to save this house and the remains of the farm from going into the hands of the bank?`

Ì can't tell you what you can do now, but I can tell you what you shouldn't have done over the past years: you shouldn't have spent so much on your drink and your whores.`

`Daniel! Daniel!` Moira was standing in front of him, forcibly pushing him back towards the outer door, the while he still attempted to thrust her aside as he went on yelling, Ì can't say it too often: that you lived on my mother for years and you've never been man enough to earn a living for your family.Òne arm stretched out, Moira opened the back door and pushed him outside, and he in turn almost knocked one of the children backwards.

After the door was clashed closed he stood in the yard staring at it, then looked to the side to see Sean leaning against the wall rubbing an elbow. And he turned on him, still shouting, `Serves you damn well right! Listening at doors again.`

`Daniel ... I want to talk to you.`

`Well, I don't want to talk to you, not

now. You've kept your mouth closed for 285 days, so keep it that way.Ànd with this, he marched across the yard and into the stable block, and there, leaning over the half door of an empty stall, he lifted his fist and banged it against the stanchion.

After a moment or so he turned and leant against the stanchion and from there he looked towards the barn door to where Sean was standing, and he bowed his head as he said, Ì'm sorry. I'm sorry.`

`'Tis all right.`

When the boy came towards him Daniel said, `What did you want to say?`

`Doesn't matter, not now.`

`Go on, go on, whatever it is.`

`No, not now. But ... but can I ask you something else?`

`Yes, anything.` Daniel looked wearily down on the boy, and Sean, looking up at him, said, `Do you think that Maggie Ann will die before the year is out?Àt this Daniel lifted his head, took a deep breath and stopped the sharp retort he was about to give.

Instead, he said, Ì don't know that, Sean; nor does anyone else. She'll go in God's good time, as she herself would say. But ...

but don't worry about her, because she's happy. In a strange way, she's happy, and--` he now took hold of the boy's hand and walked him towards the door, saying, `you've got to believe that; it would make her sad if she saw that you were sorry for her. She likes you to sit with her, doesn't she? Well, go on now, because I've got to do some work, or at least some thinking. You understand?`

`Yes. Yes, Daniel, I understand.Àt this, the boy withdrew his hand from Daniel's, then walked slowly across the yard and into the house again. Daniel turned back into the stables and, lifting an old jacket from a peg, he put it on, because he couldn't trust himself to go back into the house to get his coat.

He now walked, not towards the farm proper, but through the tangled gardens that eventually led to the Westfields, which area was a good third of their complete acreage.

Almost two hours later Daniel returned to the house and, when he saw the pony and trap standing under cover of the open barn, for a split second his mind cried, It's Frances. But then his reason told him Frances would never be allowed to use their

trap to come here. And anyway, this was a very 287 smart outfit.

He went quietly into the kitchen thinking that whoever the visitor was, Moira would have taken them into the drawing-room; but immediately he was brought to a halt by the sound of the gabble of voices and laughter coming from along the corridor. Whoever the visitors were, they were in Maggie Ann's room.

He racked his brain for a moment as to who would Moira take into Maggie Ann's room. And the answer came: Pattie. But Pattie wouldn't come in a trap. Why not? Some friend could have brought her. But then she wouldn't risk meeting Father. Well, he would have to see who was causing this unusual joyful chatter.

However, before he reached the end of the corridor he knew who the visitor was, because he remembered Moira telling him Janie had called earlier in the week.

He opened the door into a crowded room, for the whole family was present, even Bridget, propped up at the end of the bed. And on a table to the side of the window was stacked a pile of coloured parcels, some small, some large; and

Moira was crying to Margaret, `Now leave them be! Leave them be!`

`Look, Daniel, presents!`-- Catherine was jumping up and down--ìn pretty boxes for Christmas; and look at Maggie Ann's shawl!` She was clinging on to his hand now.

He didn't look towards the bed and Maggie Ann, but at Janie, who was standing close to the bed-head, and he said, `Hello, Janie. By! you've started something, haven't you? We'll be expected to keep this up, you know.`

Ànd a very good thing, I should say,ànd she nodded at him.

`Daniel!` said Moira. `Will you cast your attention this way for a minute and see what this dear girl has brought Maggie Ann?`

Daniel was now standing by the bedside looking down on Maggie Ann's pallid but smiling face, for about her shoulders and across the top of the quilt was draped a blue shawl. That it was of fine wool he could see, and of its kind and quality he was informed the next moment by Maggie Ann herself saying, `Did you ever see anything so beautiful? It's as blue as the sky on a summer's day.

And it's cashmere, real cashmere. 289 Feel it.`

He leant forward and rubbed his fingers over the long silken fringe, and said, Ìt's indeed beautiful, and as soft as down.` He now looked up towards Janie and paused for a moment before he said, `This is very kind of you, Janie ... altogether, it's very kind of you.`

`Janie said we should have a Christmas tree. You could cut the top off one of the firs and stick it in a butter barrel. She said that's what they used to do at her house. And then you hang coloured papers and baubles on it and the presents. You get them on Christmas mornin'. That's what they do at your house, isn't it, Janie?`

`Yes. Yes, it is, Margaret.`

She turned to explain to Daniel, saying, Ìt's very easy to do; but perhaps you've made one before?`

`No, no. But I read that Prince Albert thought up the idea; or perhaps it was something that he had been brought up with.`

`Yes, it was.` Then Janie turned to Moira, saying, `Father picked up the idea when I was little. But with his first attempt he nearly

set the house on fire, for while he and Mother were decorating it with streamers and holly his cigar came in contact with the paper and away it all went up ... up!` She demonstrated by lifting her hands. And now, turning to the children who were laughing, she said, `The funniest part was, that they didn't know whether to throw it out of the window or run with it through the hall. But anyway, it would have been very heavy to lift, being in a tub. And to make matters worse one of the maids brought a bucket of water and another a dish of salt, and between them they quenched the flaming tree, but not without a lot of mess. My mother said she would never have another one.`

`Did you have another, miss?`

`Yes, Patrick, the next year; but she never let my father go near it.`

There was more laughter until Margaret said, `Can we take our presents and keep them till Christmas, Mama?`

`No, you can't! I've already told you they are not to be opened until Christmas morning; and that's in ten days' time.`

`We wouldn't open them, Mama,` piped Catherine.

Òf course you wouldn't,` said Moira,

ùntil you got outside the door. And 291 that's where you're all going, for Maggie Ann has had enough of you.`

Òh, Maggie Ann never has enough of them,` said Maggie Ann now. Ànd I'll tell you what, my dears, you'll have your Christmas tree and you'll have it in here. So off you go now, as your mama bids you.`

When the children went out, all exclaiming on the wonders of a Christmas tree and the presents to be hung on it, and itself in Maggie Ann's room, Moira picked up the child from the bed, saying, Ì'm going to make a drink, and yoù--she inclined her head towards Daniel--`sit yourself down for a minute and act like a normal human being does on a Sunday.`

`Yes, do, Daniel,` said Maggie Ann. `Both of you sit down beside me and let's have a crack for, you know, I've never liked Sundays. Never in me life have I liked Sundays. A day of rest, they called it, it was always the heaviest in the week for me, for I had to be up afore me clothes were on, and there I would be cookin', not only for the family but for the tribes that seemed to drop in. Most people seemed to take it

into their head that they would like to go and see old so and so on a Sunday. And they always timed their coming, at least they did over there, just around dinner time, and they would always say they didn't want to put you out. But there, you had to squeeze in another two or four, sometimes more, an' that would be besides relations. An' money was tight at times in Moira's family, oh aye, it was that, and I had to do a lot of stretching with the food.` She smiled widely now. Ì used to give them their suet puddin' first, generous helpings I would give them of that, so when it came to the meat they hadn't much room for it, although some would eat until they had stomachs on them like poisoned pups.`

When Janie's laugh rang out, Daniel was forced to join in with it, although at the moment he felt in no mood for laughter: Janie's very presence and the gifts she had brought were, in a way, adding to the irritation seething in him, which was the residue of the flaming temper that had filled him earlier as he had stalked the fields his father proposed to sell.

He stared at her now. She looked so relaxed, so at ease ... at home, as it were. Her home life must be the antithesis of

what she saw taking place in this house. 293

She was saying to him now, Ì saw Pattie last night ... and John. We were at a lecture in Newcastle. It was on modern literature, and very interesting. Do you manage to read much? Oh, that's a silly question, isn't it? I'm sure, when you finish at night, all you want to do is to drop into bed.`

Before he could answer, Maggie Ann put in, `Yes, you're right there, girl. Working from five in the mornin' till nine at night doesn't leave much time for readin'. But still, I think he's done his share. You used to keep us alive, didn't you? with your chatter about books when you were at that school. You used to quote from Mr Dickens and men like Collins and a Mrs Gaskell. See! aren't I clever? You didn't think I could remember names, but there you are, I do.` She moved her head slowly as she went on, Ì've never been able to write me own name or read a word from a page, but me memory now ... I have a memory like, say, the elephant has.`

`Well,` said Janie, kindly, `you learn as much by listening, and if you have a good memory into the bargain, then you very often can take more in than those who can read and write.` Then turning to Daniel, she said, Ì've just finished a book by Mrs Gaskell. She's an excellent writer; like Dickens, in a way, but in a different style. I've always thought Dickens's characters are more like caricatures. What d'you think?`

Òh, I haven't read him since my schooldays; but yes, I think you're right.`

`Whereas Mrs Gaskell's characters seem to step out of the pages; they're believable, and she shows up the conditions of the workers to such an extent that, on the other hand, you are saying to yourself, it's unbelievable that people can live in such conditions and be expected to work such long, long hours.`

More to make conversation than anything else, he said, `Quite candidly, I can't recall reading Mrs Gaskell. Dickens, yes; but not her. She sounds very interesting.`

Òh, she is, she is. I have two of her books at home. I'll bring them for you if you would like them.`

`Yes. Yes, thank you.` He tried to sound enthusiastic; then, getting to his feet, he said, Ìf you'll excuse me 295 I'll go and see what Moira's doing with that coffee, and then I feel I need a change of` --he swept his hand down his rough coat--ànd it being Sunday. What d'you say, Maggie Ann?`

Ì say you look good in anything to me. But I've never seen you in that old coat before. The last time I saw it, it was hanging in the stables.`

`You're right there; but I happened to go out without a coat and I was in a hurry and I didn't want to come back in, so I made use of it.` Then aiming to be jocular, he said, `But, madam, if you don't like my attire, you know what you can do.Ànd on this he went out on a forced laugh.