And up to the last possible moment, even to her daughter, she was
determined to ignore what had happened.
But she knew and Essy knew that she knew.
"Doan yo saay it, Assy. Doan yo saay it."
Essy said nothing.
"D'yo 'ear mae speaakin' to yo? Caann't yo aanswer? Is it thot, Assy?
Is it thot?"
"Yas, moother, yo knaw 'tis thot."
"An' yo dare to coom 'ear and tell mae! Yo dirty 'oossy! Toorn an'
lat's 'ave a look at yo."
Now that the innocence of her face was gone, Mrs. Gale had a stern
duty to perform by Essy.
"They've gien yo t' saack?"
"T' Vicar give it mae."
"Troost'im! Whan did 'e gie it yo?"
"Yasterda'."
"T'moonth's nawtice?"
"Naw. I aassked 'im t' kape me anoother two moonths an' 'e woonna.
I aassked 'im t' kape me over Christmas an' 'e woonna. I'm to leaave
Saturda'."
"Did yo expact 'im t' kape yo, yo gawpie? Did yo think you'd nowt to
do but t' laay oop at t' Vicarage an' 'ave th yoong laadies t' do yore
wark for yo, an' t' waait on yo 'and an' foot? Miss Gwanda t' mak'
yore bafe-tae an' chicken jally and t' Vicar t' daandle t' baaby?
"'Oo's goan t' kape yo? Mae? I woonna kape yo an' I canna' kape yo. Yo
ain' t' baaby! I doan' waant naw squeechin', squallin' brats mookin'
oop t' plaace as faast as I clanes it, An' '_E_ woonna kape yo--ef
yo're raakonin' on 'im. Yo need na tall mae oo t' maan is. I knaw."
"'Tis'n 'im, Moother. 'Tis'n 'im."
"Yo lil blaack liar! '_Tis_ 'im.
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