A New Years walk

 

Elizabeth and John

New Year’s Eve there was a communal gathering in the village with carols and some story telling.

Just before midnight toasts were handed round, alcoholics for those who wanted it, or a choice of fruit juice, or tea.

At midnight they ran the chapel bell and toasted the New Year.

As people were departing John asked Elizabeth if she would take him for a walk, in the morning.

‘I don't get many days off, neither do you for that matter, tomorrow we are both off work; could you take me for a walk over the fells; I don't know where best to go; or for that matter I don't think I could find my way, like you do.’

‘Yes, that's a good idea; I will meet you about seven o’clock, we will catch the first light; bring a sandwich and a drink."

 

Next morning (New Years Day) They met on the road outside Apperset Farm. Elizabeth had two dogs with her, Patch and Ruby.

‘Morning.’ She called.

‘Are you bringing the dogs?’ He asked.

‘Yes, they, always come out for walks. they would pine if we didn't include them; they know the difference between work clothes and walking clothes, they are our work tools, and enjoy long walks whatever the weather.’

They crossed the road to the snicket gate leading onto the fellside.

‘Strike out to the right up the fellside.’ She said.

‘But there is no path?’ said John.

‘No, not enough people come this way to wear a path, we just know where we are going and make our own way. I won’t get us lost I may only be a girl; but I do know my way around. Just trust me and enjoy the trip.’

They pressed on, climbing higher, along the hill side. Nearing the top Elizabeth stopped. turning round she said to John.

‘Come up alongside me then turn around.’

‘I was trying to get higher, but this will do; wait here and watch the sun rise over the dale. I think it is nice to welcome the New Day and The New Year; as it rises across the dale.’

 

Looking back down the valley all was in darkness. In the far distance the hills were a silhouette forming a line separating the darkness of night to in the dale, to pink sky above.

The pinkness was visibly getting brighter, and redder, where dark and bright met.

A pinpoint of yellow light appeared above the hills, growing by the second until a hemisphere of light spread, dim touches of light over high places, hills, a church steeple, roofs of buildings.

It turned into a full bright disc; too bright for them to look at.

The light was now spread right across the vale, all the remaining shadows melting into the light.

John who was now stood slightly lower than Elizabeth, looking down the valley. Turned towards her.

‘That was wonderful, it was like, watching a new day wake up. Thank you for bringing me up here to witness it happen.’

In reply she pulled him towards her, took his head into her hands and kissed him on the cheek.

‘What was that for he asked.’

‘I have wanted to give you a kiss, since you carried me off the fellside, but never got the chance, to say thank you.’

‘It should be me giving you a kiss, for showing me this spectacle,’

‘Why don't you? I am here waiting for you.’

He reached out took her head into his hands. As he moved to kiss her cheek, she moved her head so that the kiss landed on her lips.

‘Why did you do that?’ he asked.

‘Take it as a seal of our friendship. I want to get to know you better; so that when someone asks if I am taken, I can say yes, by the local blacksmith, well I am not to be taken; if you know what I mean; but we are extra special friends; I have always wanted to get to know you. none of the other boys at school were as interesting as you. I do the books for a few; some do ask me out. Make this as the beginning of our friendship? a sort of commitment to each other?’

‘Yes, special friends.’

‘OK, let’s get on with the walk. we need to gain a bit more height.’

‘Let’s stop here and have a look.’

‘Down there, indicating is Rigg House, where Squire Albright lives. There is a footpath, that follows the river that we could have taken, but this way is more interesting.’

‘Would I have got a kiss that way?’

‘Possibly not, we would not have had the occasion, the moment,’

‘We will make our way down to cross the river, by Thwaite Bridge, Then, go over Cotter Rig and Bearset to Hardraw village. Let’s have snack before we go down,’

In Hardraw They called in at the Green Dragon Inn.

The landlord was behind the bar as they entered.

‘Now who have we got here? The blacksmith, with a young lady; aren't you one of the Worth family? the accountant?’

‘Yes, quite right, I do your books, as if you didn't know. We live opposite each other, and both have the day off. John has never been on the fell tops. So, this is a New Year's present, show him what he is missing out on cooped up in his nice warm forge.’

‘I have enjoyed the walk, but I'm starving now, have you any food available?’

‘I have some cold meat pie, if you want a slice. Would you want a slice Miss Worth.’

‘Yes please. Oh, and save Miss Worth, for work, I get enough of that at work. I am also known as Elizabeth, outside of work.’

‘Two slices of pie on its way, and two beers, or would you prefer a glass of something Elizabeth?’

‘No if he has a beer, so shall I, thank you. Can I take John to see the fall?’

‘By all means.’

‘Thanks, could you warm the pie for when we return.’

‘Yes, I will do that, with pleasure.’

 

They sat on the bench, where Arthur and Martha had sat just a few days earlier.

‘Thank you’ They both spoke at the same time.  

John said. ‘You go first.’

‘Thank you for the metal animals, But you have made a man and a woman? Was that a mistake? Or is it a hint?’

‘No not a mistake; it was intended, as a hint, do you mind? I mean are you interested, in me? I mean, I hope you are not offended, any way thanks for the jumper.’

‘I intended the jumper to get, your interest, I spun the yarn from our own Blackface sheep. It will keep you warm on our future walks.’ 

She took him behind the waterfall.

Standing behind the water screen, she pulled him to her.

So that their bodies were touching, she could feel a hard lump, pressing against her,

‘I don’t want that, not yet at any rate, but I must keep him happy and interested.’ She thought.  She pulled him down to her height and gave him a long lingering kiss on the lips.

‘Do you want to marry me?’ He asked.

‘Yes, I do; but not just yet; I will come and help you in the forge, you can come out with me.

I will ask Grandad to get you a dog of your own and train it for you; Ask me again, when you can control a dog.’

‘Is that a challenge?’

‘Yes. I want to learn how to make things on the anvil.’

They had another kiss, then left the water screen and returned to the bench.

‘We will remember this place for all time.’ John remarked.

Elizabeth replied. ‘Behind the waterfall.’

They sat quiet for a while.

Elizabeth broke the silence.

‘Thing is I don’t want to disappoint you,

I want to be with you; but I don’t want to be tupped; just yet.’

‘That’s OK, by me, we can be together, can’t we?’

“As long as we both agree, let’s go back now.”

They went, hand in hand back to the inn, for the warm pie and beer.

After the snack they walked back to Apperset by road, hand in hand, releasing hold as they approached home.

‘I enjoyed that. will you take me with you again?’

‘Well now we are special friends, you may come with me anytime, with or without, a chaperon, whatever they say.’

 

A few days later, Martha asked.

‘Is it right that you went off over the moors, alone, with John?’

‘Yes, we did go over the moors together. Nothing happened, and if it did happen, it would be no disaster, we have come to an agreement, to be special friends, like brother and sister; just get to know each other, just see how things go.’

‘Its alright; I just thought; well, you know what people are like, they see you together; I wish it could be the same between me and Arthur.’

‘Just wait until you can drop a hint. He hasn't said anything or mentioned any other girl. Get in and stake your claim, try to get him alone, like I did.’

 

A dog for John.

 

Elizabeth asked grandad to find and train a dog for John.

‘John proposed to me, I told him that he could ask me again, when he can control a sheep dog; can you buy one and train it for him, I will pay for the dog, then he can come for walks, with me, and learn the controls, as we go around. I always take Ruby, so we will have two dogs; If he can’t manage I will take, his dog, I enter the two dog events using Arthur’s Patch, so I would be entering my own dogs.’

 

Grandad found a suitable dog; a Border Collie b***h, a bit older, but ready for training, they called her Liz.

The training went well, John would take her for walks with Elizabeth; giving her lots of affection when she answered his call.

Elizabeth rigged up some hurdles to represent a trial course, where John, could train her. She now stayed with him at his work, often marshalling the Geese, which were being fattened, for Christmas. 

Mid-March: Liz’s training was going well, Elizabeth told John to bring her to help move some sheep closer to the farm.

‘They are nearing lambing; we will need to keep an eye on them, you can stay with me a few nights, some will need help to lamb, you can help me with a few, then take over yourself. I think you will like it, bringing new life into the world; get them breathing, then watch them stager on to their legs, then go to mum for their first feed. I think you will like it. Oh. you will need some warm clothes the barn is very draughty.’

 

 

20 Lambing

Elizabeth called to John. ‘Get you stuff together, it looks as though it is going to be a busy night, quite a few look to be ready to drop, Arthur can do tomorrow night with Grandad.’

Over the course of the night, they delivered fifty new lambs.

‘How long does this go on for?’ Asked John.

‘Oh, three or four weeks, the fell sheep will be the last lot, possibly end of April.’

Martha asked next day.

‘Where were you last night? You never came home; your bed hasn’t been slept in?’

‘Oh, I was with Elizabeth last night.’

‘You didn’t? You haven’t? Have you?’

‘No, we didn’t. We delivered 50 lambs; we were in the lambing barn.

We had one sheep with triplets, and one with a dead lamb. Elizabeth stripped the skin off the dead lamb, then sewed it onto the smallest triplet and gave to the mum of the dead lamb. She sniffed it, licked it then gave it some food. Its Arthur’s turn tonight, ask if you can go with him, see for yourself what it is like bringing in new life.’

‘Thanks, I will.’

Next day she said to John.

‘You didn’t tell me they tied a rope around their front legs to pull them out.’

‘Oh yes but only those where they are having difficulties. The other ones that are alright just let them drop out, as Elizabeth said. ‘They were ready to drop’, I didn’t realise what she meant at the time, it wasn’t until I saw them, I realised.’

‘We had to make milk bottles for four of them. Arthur took them into the house where they could be kept warm, they will need four feeds a day, until they are strong enough to go outside. I am going again with Arthur, are you going again?’

‘Yes. It isn’t so hard, I wasn’t too tired to work, and it’s an excuse to be close to Elizabeth.’

‘As if you need an excuse, you'll do anything to be near her.’