Betsey
Prequel to the much-loved Hartford Manor Series
by Marcia Clayton
Set in 1820, Betsey is the prequel to the much-loved Hartford Manor Series.
Betsey, a sadly neglected child, is shouldering responsibilities far beyond her years. As she does her best to care for her little brother, Norman, she is befriended by Gypsy Freda, an old woman whose family is camped nearby. Freda's granddaughter, Jane, is also fond of the little girl and is concerned about her.
Thomas, the second son of Lord Fellwood, happens across the gypsy camp and becomes besotted with Jane. However, Jasper Morris, the local miller, also has designs on the young gypsy, and inevitably, the two men do not see eye to eye.
Betsey is drawn into their rivalry for the attention of the beautiful young woman, and she finds herself promising to keep a dangerous secret for many years to come.
A week or so later, on a Sunday morning, Adam crawled out of bed earlier than usual and told Barney to get his coat on.
"Why, Dad, where are we going?"
"It's time you went out to work, lad. We need the money, and you've had more than enough schooling. I'm told the miller's looking for a boy, so we'll see if he'll take you on."
"Oh, Adam, could we not leave it just a little longer? Mr Billery says Barney's doing well at school, and I'd like him to stay as long as possible. I'm sure it will help him get a better job in the long run. Perhaps I could take in more washing to earn a bit more money."
"No, he's ten years old, and it's high time he earned his keep. Anyway, from what I see of it, you can't cope with the washing you do now, and I never see a penny from it. Come on, lad, get a move on, or someone else will get there before us." He fixed his wife with a firm stare, and seeing her husband was determined, she dared not say more.
Betsey was dismayed but knew better than to voice her opinions. When her dad was drunk and violent, Barney was often her only protector, and she was distraught to think he would no longer be there.
Saying no more, Barney got his coat on and hugged his mother, Betsey, and Norman. He held on to his little sister the longest.
"If I get the job, I'll come back to see you on my day off, Betsey, but you know where the mill is, don't you, so if you need me, you know where to come." He looked at her knowingly, to see if she understood.
Holding back her tears, she nodded and returned his embrace.
Adam was pleased when he and Barney seemed to have arrived at just the right time at the mill. Jasper was looking hot and bothered as he loaded the sacks of flour onto the cart, and he stopped and wiped his brow as he saw the boy and his father approaching. Adam had known the miller all his life.
"Hello, Jasper, I hear you're looking for a lad. Would you consider young Barney here? He's strong and intelligent; you'd get a decent day's work out of him."
"Aye, I am, Adam, he's a bit skinny, though. I shouldn't think he's got a lot of strength."
"Well, times are hard, you know, Jasper, but with a bit more food, he'll soon fill out. He's strong and wiry, and he knows he'll feel the buckle end of my belt if he doesn't come up to scratch.”
The miller surveyed the young boy.
"What do you think, lad; do you want to come and work for me?"
"Aye, sir, if my dad says I have to, then I promise I'll work hard."
"All right then, see if you can hoist that half sack of flour onto the cart, and then take the horse and cart around the yard."
Ignoring the sack of flour, Barney went first to the horse, stroked the old mare's nose, and spoke kindly to her. He then lifted the sack and, with considerable difficulty, managed to get it onto the cart. Saying nothing, he calmly patted the horse again and climbed onto the cart. He clicked his tongue and told the horse to move on, taking the cart carefully around the yard.
Though Barney did not know it, his father was both surprised and impressed, and stood with a wide smile on his face, admiring his son's actions.
"There, what do you think of that, Jasper? The boy's a natural with the old horse; you can see he'd be an asset to any business."
The miller took off his cap and scratched his slightly balding head. "Aye, I must confess he made a fine job of that. All right then, lad, I'll give you a month's trial. You can sleep in the loft above the barn, and come into the house for your meals. I can't afford to pay him much, mind."
"Aw, come on, man, we all know you're one of the richest men in the village; don't be mean."
However, the miller stood his ground, but eventually, the two men agreed on a wage that Adam insisted would be paid directly to him. He ruffled his son's hair and wished him luck as he walked home whistling, pleased with his morning's work.
As Barney watched his father amble off, he felt sad, not for himself, but for his family, whom he knew would miss him, particularly Betsey. His mother, too, would miss his help in chopping firewood and doing all the jobs around the house that his father should have taken care of, but never did. He was startled out of his thoughts by the miller.
"Come on then, lad, there's work to be done. No use standing there daydreaming. 'Twill be no holiday living here, but if you give me a good day's work, I'll see to it that you have a full belly, and it looks like that doesn't happen often.”
"Thanks, Mr Morris; I promise I'll work hard."
Betsey is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
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Marcia Clayton
Marcia Clayton writes historical fiction with a sprinkling of romance and mystery in The Hartford Manor Series, a heart-warming family saga that stretches from the Regency period through to Victorian times.
When she was a child, Marcia often had to amuse herself, as her siblings were several years older and her arrival something of a shock to her elderly parents. Her favourite pastimes were writing stories and reading, and she adored the Enid Blyton books, particularly The Famous Five and The Adventure Series. These books instilled in her a love of literature that has remained with her to this day.
Marcia was born in North Devon and is proud to be a Devon Maid – hence the title of her website – The Devon Maid Book Corner. Over the years, Marcia has held various jobs, mainly to work around raising her three sons, Stuart, Paul, and David. She worked in banking and nursing and, for many years, was the School Transport Manager for the local authority. Now retired, Marcia spends a lot of her time writing historical fiction, but also enjoys gardening, researching her family history, and walking in the lovely Devon countryside with Bryan, her husband of fifty-four years.
Marcia’s blogs are about a variety of subjects, including walks she has enjoyed, places she has visited, and recipes she likes to cook. There are also book reviews, interviews with other authors, and a monthly newsletter featuring her favourite book of the month.
Marcia likes to support and get to know other authors by inviting them to be interviewed, or by writing guest posts on book launches and reviews, and she welcomes requests to be featured.
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