• December Bride
  • Part One

Hanna057

52

and shivered. Hamilton’s face lit up with a slow unfamiliar smile. She

turned her eyes away and pulled the cowl of her shawl over her face. The

young farmer’s boot clumped down on the floor and he walked slowly

towards the door. "Is there ocht else ye want before I go? Water?

Kindling?"

'"Thank ye kindly, Hamilton. All’s in now."

He turned again at the door. "I’ll come over tae see ye, maybe?"

Martha hastened forward both hands outstretched, her face glowing

with affection. "You’ll aye be welcome." She caught his hand between

her thin hard palms.

Hamilton clambered up into the cart and wheeled the horse to the

road. "Goodnight tae ye, Martha" he said. The old woman was an indistinct

figure in the gloom of the cottage. The flesh of her head and her hands

and her feet shone palely in the glow of the fire.

At the top of the hill he checked the horse and looked back at the

cottage. The light suddenly grew stronger in the window, Martha had lit

her lamp.

Coverage: 
1951
Keywords: 
Martha, Cottage
Citation: 
Linen Hall Library, "Hanna057", Northern Ireland Literary Archive, accessed Fri, 12/13/2024 - 17:47, https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/hanna057