Excerpt: ...the first police spy that comes in my way!" "And yet you trust me!" the girl flung at him, her eyes scornful. To her they all, all seemed cowards. "Ay, but you are a woman," Giles answered. "And though I'm not saying there's no Polly Peachums, I've not come across them. Treat a maid fair and she'll treat you fair, that's the common way of it. She'll not stretch you, for anything short of another wench. But a man! He's here and there and nowhere." "That's just where this man is," she answered curtly. "Where?" ...
Read More
Excerpt: ...the first police spy that comes in my way!" "And yet you trust me!" the girl flung at him, her eyes scornful. To her they all, all seemed cowards. "Ay, but you are a woman," Giles answered. "And though I'm not saying there's no Polly Peachums, I've not come across them. Treat a maid fair and she'll treat you fair, that's the common way of it. She'll not stretch you, for anything short of another wench. But a man! He's here and there and nowhere." "That's just where this man is," she answered curtly. "Where?" "Nowhere." "What do you mean?" "He's cut his lucky. He's gone to Carlisle to see his brother and keep his skin safe--for a week. He's like a good many more I know," with a glance which embraced every man in the room: "willing to eat but afraid to bite." "But he has left his house?" "That's it." "And who's in it?" "His wife, no one else. And she's bedridden with a babby, seven days old." "What! And no woman with her?" "There was," Bess answered, "but there isn't. I quarrelled with the serving-lass this afternoon, and at sunset to-day she was to go. If she comes back to-morrow I'll send her packing with a flea in her ear!" "But who----" "Gave me leave to send her?" defiantly. "He did." Thistlewood smiled. "And the wife?" he asked. "What'll she say?" "Say? She'd not say boh to a goose if it hissed at her!" Bess answered contemptuously. "She's a pale, fat caterpillar, afraid of her own shadow! She'll whine a bit, for she don't love me--thinks I'll poison her some fine day for the sake of her man. But she's upstairs and there's no one, but nor ben, to hear her whine; and at daybreak I'll be there, tending her. Isn't it the natural thing," and she smiled darkly, "with this the nearest house?" "Curse me, ...
Read Less
Add this copy of Starvecrow Farm to cart. $12.62, very good condition, Sold by Prominent Trading Company rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Hereford, HEREFORDSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2012 by RareBooksClub. com.
