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She found that she had a more appreciative listener in Dick Socknersh. He received all her plans with deep respect, and sometimes an admiring "Surelye, missus," would come from his lips that parted more readily for food than for speech. Joanna found that she enjoyed seeking him out in the barn, or turning off the road to where he stood leaning on his crook with his dog against his legs.
I don't know as I've ever seen a Spanish sheep.... Garlinge is up by Court-at-Street, ain't it?" "Yes, missus. 'Tis an unaccountable way from here." "I'd write first. What d'you think of the notion, Socknersh? Don't you think that a cross between a Spanish sheep and a Kent sheep ud be an uncommon fine animal?" "Surelye, missus."
She had been to his cottage only once before, when he complained of the roof leaking, but Socknersh would not have shown surprise if he had seen Old Goodman of the marsh tales standing at his door.
Her vitality and happiness seemed to shine from her skin, almost to light up the dark and heavy figure of Socknersh in his Sunday blacks, as he staggered and stumbled, for he could not dance. His big hand pawed at her silken waist, while the other held hers crumpled in it his hair was greased with butter, and his skin with the sweat of his endeavour as he turned her round.
Joanna certainly did not "see through" Dick Socknersh. She knew that she was chiefly to blame for the tragedy of her lambing, and when her reason told her that her looker should have discouraged instead of obeyed and abetted her, she rather angrily tossed the thought aside.
She saw all her life stretching behind her for a moment the moment when she had stood before Socknersh her shepherd, seeing him dark against the sky, between the sun and moon. That was when Men, properly speaking, had begun for her and it was fifteen years since then and where was she now? Still at Ansdore, still without her man.
I tell you, after that, she'd be fool enough for anything." "Maybe she'll do well by it." "Maybe she'll do well by marrying Dick Socknersh. I tell you, you döan't know näun about it, missus. Whosumdever heard of such an outlandish, heathen, foolish notion?" On the whole Joanna was delighted with the success of her appearance. She walked home with Mrs.
"I'll get shut of Socknersh," she said to herself "I believe folks are right, and he's too like a sheep himself to be any real use to them." She walked on a little way, over the powdery Brodnyx road. "I'm silly that's what I am. Who'd have thought it? I'll send him off but then folks ull say I'm afraid of gossip."
Her choice lay between Relf and Day and Socknersh. She knew that she meant to have Socknersh he was not the best shepherd, but she liked him the best, and he would mind her properly and take to her ways ... for a moment he seemed to stand before her, with his head stooping among the rafters, his great shoulders shutting out the window, his curious, brown, childlike eyes fixed upon her face.
She would never forget that last look on his face.... Then she began wondering why this should have come upon her. Why should she have made a fool of herself over Socknersh, when she had borne unmoved the courtship of Arthur Alce for seven years? Was it just because Alce had red whiskers and red hands and red hair on his hands, while Socknersh was dark and sweet of face and limb?
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