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"I believe it's something for me to wear," she said finally, as they climbed out of the trap at the front door "a ring, Joanna.... I've always wanted a ring." "It's better than a ring," said Joanna, "leastways it's bigger," and she laughed to herself. She led the way upstairs, while Mrs. Tolhurst and old Stuppeny waltzed recriminatingly with Ellen's box.
Old Stuppeny had died in the winter following Ellen's marriage, and had been lavishly buried, with a tombstone, and an obituary notice in the Rye Observer, at Joanna's expense. In his place she had now one of those good-looking, rather saucy-eyed young men, whom she liked to have about her in a menial capacity.
"My Sunday coat!" shrieked Stuppeny. "Yes quick! I can't wait here all day." "But I can't put on my good coat wudout cleaning myself, and it'll täake me the best part o' the marnun to do that." Joanna saw the reasonableness of his objection. "Oh, well, you can leave it this once, but another time you remember and look decent.
The old folk, like Stuppeny and such, ud find their stomachs keep them awake. We've got two turkeys and a goose and plum puddings and mince pies, to say nothing of the oranges and nuts that ain't the kind of food to go to bed with." "I agree," said Martin, smiling. "Then you'll come and have dinner at Ansdore?"
He came around two weeks back to ask about Milly Pump, my chicken-gal, getting confirmed, and I told him I liked him and his ways so much that he could confirm the lot, gals and men even old Stuppeny who says he's been done already, but I say it don't matter, since he's so old that it's sure to have worn off by this time." Martin stared at her with his mouth open.
"We all have dinner together on Christmas Day," continued Joanna, "men and gals, old Stuppeny, Mrs. Tolhurst, everybody we'd take it kindly if you'd join us. But I'm forgetting you'll be having your own dinner at home." "We shan't have ours till the evening." "Oh late dinner" her tone became faintly reverential "it ud never do if we had that.
Then he stood by while at an outfitter's she inspected coats for Stuppeny, and finally bought one of a fine mulberry colour with brass buttons all down the front. She now returned to the market-place, and sought out two farmers from the Iden district, with whom she made arrangements for the winter keep of her lambs.
Old Stuppeny had made this remark at intervals for the last sixty years, indeed ever since the day he had first come as a tow-headed boy to scare sparrows from the fields of Joanna's grandfather; so no one gave it the attention that should have been its due. Other people aired their grievances instead. "I wöan't stand her meddling wud me and my sheep," said Fuller, the shepherd.
This as she bundled her up beside her in the trap, while the porter helped old Stuppeny with her trunk. "I can dance the waltz and the polka." "That's fine I've promised the folks around here that you shall show 'em what you can do." She gave Ellen another warm, proud hug, and this time the child's coolness melted a little. She rubbed her immaculate cheek against her sister's sleeve
Broadhurst or Luck ud look a bit smarter, but it ud be hard to spare them.... Stuppeny ud look different in a livery coat with brass buttons.... I'll look around for one if I've time this afternoon." It was nearly seven miles from Ansdore to Lydd, passing the Woolpack, and the ragged gable of Midley Chapel a reproachful ruin among the reeds of the Wheelsgate Sewer.
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