Read i 57926919a60851a7 for Free Online

mugs brought the saliva rising into Cissie's mouth. They were drinking tea. It was over a month since she'd had a sup of tea and then it had been the cheap stuff at tuppence farthing an ounce.
    She had made that ounce last a week, just a teaspoonful a day, but stew it as she might, after the first brew it had come out like water, whereas if they had been able to afford the pekoe it would still have had color in it at the end of the day. But then the time was far behind them when they could afford to pay fourpence an ounce for tea.
    "Come in. Come in." Rose Watson moved backwards and waved them towards her, and they stepped over the threshold and into what Cissie thought was her first glimpse of heaven.
    The room was a great stone-floored kitchen, low- ceilinged with black beams crisscrossing it, the plaster showing as white as flour between them. The walls, also beamed here and there, were whitewashed, and around an open fire with an enormous bread oven at each side hung an array of shining copper pans, and on the broad rough oak mantel-shelf a graded line of brass candlesticks. The dresser, laden with crockery, was against one wall, a black settle against another, and in the middle of the room stood a long white wooden table, and on it a wooden platter on which lay a big loaf with a knob on the top, and beside it a piece of cheese that must have weighed all of three pounds.
    Without exception, they all had their eyes fixed on the table. Cissie had at first looked about the room, but now, like the children, her gaze was concentrated on the food, and the big woman, beginning to cut thick slices off the loaf, said, "You like cheese?"
    They were so dumbfounded they couldn't answer, not even Cissie, and the miller, roaring again, cried, "They've lost their tongues. Of course they like cheese. Just you try 'em."
    Rose cut hunk after hunk of cheese and placed one on each slice of bread, then handed them round. Serving Cissie last, she asked, "Would they like milk or tea?" And without hesitation, Cissie said, "Tea, please."
    The miller's laugh again filled the kitchen.
    "They're not daft.
    They're not daft. Tea please, she said. How often do you have tea? "
    He poked his head towards Cissie, and she answered quietly, " Not very often. Sir. " And he repeated, " Not very often. An' that's the truth you're speakin', I'll bet. "
    Cissie had never tasted tea like it. It as hot, strong, and sweet, and with each swallow it seemed to bring new life into her. She couldn't help but empty her mug quickly, and when Rose asked, "Would you like another?" she bit on her lip and moved her head in two small jerks, and although she couldn't see anything funny about it, this action of hers sent the miller into a choking fit of laughter; and all the while Matthew stood by smiling.
    When the last of them Iiad finished their bread and cheese and drunk their tea, Matthew buttoned his coat and said, "Well now, I'll have to be getting along, I'm a workin' man." This caused the miller to guffaw again, and his daughter said, "We'll be seeing you on Saturday then, Matthew?"
    He nodded at her and replied, "Saturday, Rose, Saturday." And on this she smiled, showing all her teeth again. Then she turned to the table and with an abrupt movement swept up the remainder of the big loaf and the cheese and, taking a piece of linen from the delft rack, she bundled them up in it and thrust them at Cissie, saying, "There, they'll be hungry when they get home."
    Cissie clutched the bread and cheese to her breast and stared into the broad plain face, and the tears that she had suppressed over the last trying days threatened to engulf her, and her voice broke as she said,
    "Thank you. Oh thank you. Miss." Then, her glance took in the miller and Matthew, who was unsmiling now, and she muttered thickly, "You're all so kind." And on this she turned and hurried to the door, and the children followed her.
    When they were all settled in the cart she was able to lift her head and