POVERTY'S PRIDE

CHAPTER SEVEN (Part Two)

                        CHAPTER SEVEN (Part Two)

Rosalind was looking forward to her first Sunday morning service at the ancient village church of St Mary’s.

     The family’s big landau stood before the front entrance with Mr Jowett in the driver’s seat steadying the four magnificent horses.

     With Pricilla at her side Rosalind went out to the coach with the rest of the family, but she hung back when she saw Sir Leopold. She had been told the whole household attended the morning service but she had not expected to see him among the party for he did not strike her as a man of religious bent.

     The family crowded around the carriage door. Mr Cedric handed his daughters inside and then stood back for his father to enter before entering himself.

     Mrs Gilbert pushed her way forward to enter next. ‘You travel in the trap with the rest of the servants,’ she said sharply to Rosalind.

     ‘But Father, I want Rosalind to ride with us,’ Pricilla protested loudly from inside the carriage. ‘Please, Father!’

     Mr Cedric alighted from the coach, his face blank of expression as he looked at the housekeeper.

‘There’s room for one more only,’ he said to her. ‘Rosalind will ride with us. Perhaps you’ll be good enough to take the trap, Mrs Gilbert?’

     The housekeeper’s face turned dark red with fury.

     ‘But I have always ridden to church with the family, Mr Cedric,’ she exclaimed in a piercing tone. ‘It’s been a tradition of many years,’ She tried to peer inside the coach. ‘Sir Leopold! I protest at this treatment.’

     Sir Leopold remained silent which Rosalind thought was cowardly of him.

     ‘I don’t mind taking the trap,’ Rosalind said to Mr Cedric in an effort to be conciliatory. ‘I am a newcomer, after all.’

     ‘So she should!’ exclaimed Mrs Gilbert. ‘The jumped-up hussy.’

     Mr Cedric scowled. ‘No,’ he said sharply. ‘Pricilla wants her close. We’ll have no more argument, Mrs Gilbert.’

     Whereupon he took Rosalind by the elbow and practically pushed her through the coach door. Rosalind felt her face flame up as she took a seat between Pricilla and Melissa, who hissed like a snake at the close contact.

     Cedric and Sir Leopold sat opposite. Feeling embarrassed and out-of-place Rosalind kept her gaze down, certain that Sir Leopold’s expression would be disapproving. She would have much preferred to travel in the trap, with the kitchen staff for congenial company.

     Mercifully the coach ride to the church took no more than fifteen minutes or so. The lovely old church looked holy and serene in the morning sunshine. Everyone alighted and walked up the stone path to the door. Sir Leopold and Mr Cedric went inside the church almost as once.

 Villagers were arriving too and other families in the district. Rosalind spotted Brice Thomas and his sisters. Melissa eagerly hurried over to them and Pricilla pulled at Rosalind’s hand.

‘Come on Roz. Let’s join the Thomases. We can sit in their pew.’

     Rosalind held back. ‘I think not Pricilla,’ she said. ‘It wouldn’t do. You go and join them.’

     Hesitating for just the moment the girl ran off towards the group who were making their way in. At that moment the trap arrived, George Dobbs driving, and the staff stepped down. While Mrs Jowett, Maggie and Linda were talking and laughing, Mrs Gilbert marched up the stone pathway with a face like thunder. Hastily Rosalind stood aside for her not wanting a scene outside the church.