Letters to the front

Chapter 6 - Market Day

Alice

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It had been two months since i had been forced to leave my home. Two months since Edward left. One month and two weeks since Sebastian left. One month and two weeks since i began writing to Luitenant Kingston. I opened a letter from him eagerly, the post was so slow, but i managed to get one every couple of weeks. We had now begun to talk about ourselves. In his last letter he described himself as 'a rich boy completely out of his depth'. He meant it jokingly of course, at least, i thought he did. 

I swept the sweat off my head as i bent over, picking up handfuls of carrots, putting them into the wiccer basket. It had taken hours, but the field was almost finished. 

I picked the final one and smiled at my handiwork. A field freshly picked was an encouring site, the carrots would be sold at the market. I put the final lot in the barrow and wheeled it back to the barn. My aunt stood packing the vegestables into sacks, "another barrow" i said. 

"Thanks Alice" she said, as i picked up a sack and began helping to pack them. 

"Are we selling wool too?" i asked.

"Yes, your uncle did that a couple of weeks ago" 

"I wish i'd been here to help" 

"Don't worry about it" she said, "any word from Edward?" 

"Not yet, Luitenant Kingston said he'd try and send the letter on, i've written again though, just in case"

"Very nice of that Luitenant"

"It was" i agreed.

"I notice you've been getting a lot of letters from him" she said pointedly.

"Yes" i said, my voice cautious. 

"Talking about anything in particular?" 

"Not really" i said, "must be nice for him to have someone to talk to, i suppose"

"Does he not have a family?" 

"Well, i don't know, don't want to pry" i said, slinging a sack over my back and hauling it over to the cart. 

"But you have been very friendly"

"It would be awfully rude to begudge a few letters when he is doing so much to help me" i said, raising my eyebrows.

"Ok, what about Sebastian?" she asked. My blood froze, i remembered the look in his eyes, i don't care for you...believe what you want. 

"No, no i don't think he want's to speak to me" 

"You two were getting on very well before he left!" she said in surprise.

"It's complicated" i said hastily. She put a hand on my shoulder.

"If you need to talk..." she began.

"I know, thanks" i said, smiling as if nothing were the matter at all. 

Monday rolled around, Market day. We had to get up at the crack of dawn, everything loaded up the night before at seven o'clock my uncle and me set off the morpeth, over two hours away. 

We took Sam, needing his power to get us there. We sat a top the cart and Sam took off into trot, ears pricked and bounding happily along. I wrapped the shawl tightly around me, soon it would be warmer though. My uncle was looking out at the long road ahead, as we got closer to the main town, we passed more carriages and soon we were stood in the busy market square. "Stay with the cart" said my uncle. 

I nodded and took Sam, stroking his nose, he knickered softly and nudged me, hopeful of a carrot. I looked across the square and saw my Uncle talking to my parents, my father didn't look at me, my mother started towards me, but my father grabbed her arm. My uncle came back looking defeated and moody. "You okay?" i asked.

"Perfectly" he snapped.

I stayed silent as i unloaded the carrots. I shuddered when i saw Lionol Harrogate, now at my parents stand. He turned and spotted me and i shuddered. He strutted across the square, he was only one year over the age of being conscripted, which was unfortunate. "Alice" he said slowly. 

"How can i help Mr. Harrogate?" i asked brightly.

"Can i have a pound of your finest rump steak?" he said, please, this isn't even flirting, just embaressing. "Mr Harrogate, we don't sell meat"

"Then i'll have your ripest apples" he said.

"How many?" 

"A pound" 

I silently turned and began weighing the apples, feeling his intense stare burning my back. I handed him the bag and his hand brushed mine, i whipped my hand back and he laughed. 

"You are most amusing, Alice" he said.

I couldn't say or do anything as he leaned closer, knowing he could evict my parents. His breath stank of garlic and i could see sweat dripping off his oily skin. "Can i help, Mr. Harrogate?" my uncle asked coldly. I jumped, i hadn't heard him behind me. 

"Your dear Alice as just helped me" 

"Yes, she's very helpful for her age"

"Yes, very for someone so young, and so beautiful too" 

"That she is" my uncle said, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. 

"I'd keep an eye on her, i know i will" he said, i shuddered and felt myself feeling ill.

"I will be" he said, his gaze could have struck fear into the hearts of men. 

"Alice, go get Sam some water" 

Gratefully, i rushed to the tap and filled a bucket, bless my uncle. Harrogate had moved onto other stands, my uncle took the bucket from me when i got back, "thanks" i said quietly. 

"Let me know if he bothers you again" 

I nodded silently and carried on serving. 

After lunch, my uncle let me go for a wander, i didn't come to town often, so i took advantage when i did. A nurses stand stood nearby and i felt myself drifting towards it, unexplainably.

"We're desperately short staffed, men are dying and we have no way to help them, please, for the sake of your country volunteer!" someone cried. Women hurried past, not wanting to be drawn in, i knew i shouldn't but i did. "What's your name, Miss?" asked the woman.

"Alice Hardwick" 

"Age?" 

"Eighteen" i lied, knowing i looked old enough to pass for it.

"Can you volunteer please?" 

"Of course" i knew my family could manage without me, that my aunt would care for Ruby, i couldn't stand the thought of Sebastian or Edward dying because no one could help. 

"Thank you, we'll send you more information over the following weeks"

"Thanks" i said, hurrying away from the stall before i could be spotted. 

"Where have you been?" 

"Just looking" i said innocently. 

"Harrogate hasn't been bothering you has he?" my uncle looked murderous.

"No!" i said hastily, his face softened. 

"Well we're loading up, got a long road back" 

I started lifting empty crates back on the cart, my uncle put Sam's harness back on, he nodded and i smiled, horses were simple. I would miss them, i tried to hold back the tears and somehow managed to smile as i got on the cart. I looked back as we left the market, my parents hadn't even spoken to me, that had hurt. A lot. 

We didn't talk much on the way back and i was struggling to come up with a way to break the news to my aunt and uncle, they would not be happy.