Midsummer's Eve

We talked a great deal about the old days, and I noticed how often the Cresswells came into the conversation. He was also very interested in Jonnie.

I talked very enthusiastically about the child and about the Cresswells. The weeks I had spent at the Mission, I told him, had done a great deal for me.

I tried to make him realize what a wonderful woman Frances was-so strong, so determined, and so unsentimental for all her desire to do good.

"Like her brother Joe?" asked Rolf.

"Not in the least. Frances is herself and no one is quite like her. She changed Peterkin completely. I used to think he would never do anything, and when we met her and went to the Mission, he found a purpose in life and he fell in love with her.”

"Well, she is one of the Cresswells.”

"She reminds me of Uncle Peter in a way. She kept her head up when all that was going on. She didn't let it affect her work.”

"And now your uncle is climbing out of the slime of scandal with the help of the Cresswell Mission.”

"They are such a charming family. I spent a week-end there once ... long ago, it seems, before all that happened. Mr. and Mrs. Cresswell are so delightful. It was good to be in the heart of such a family.”

"Which contained Frances and Joe.”

"Yes and all the others. Oh, I do wish Joe would try to get back.”

"I've no doubt you will persuade him.”

We had come to a field and he broke into a gallop.

They were happy mornings. I did not want to give this up, for always in my heart was the hope that something would happen ... some little word, some little action, and I would be confessing how I felt and he would tell me that he had never changed.

Then the rumors started.

Kitty had been out with Mabel and she told me that one of the boys |< from the stables had been in the woods when he had seen a fire.

"It was where the old witch's cottage used to be," said Kitty. "It wasn't an ordinary fire. There was something funny about it.”

"Funny?" I asked. "How can a fire be funny?”

"Ghostly. Like it wasn't there ... and yet it was.”

"Do you mean it kept disappearing?”

"I don't know, but young James was so scared he just ran, and he didn't stop running until he was back in the stables. He said it was like having the Devil at his heels.”

I told her that there had always been a certain feeling about that particular part of the woods since one Midsummer's Eve when a mob had set fire to the cottage.

"I expect it was just a tramp making a fire," I said. "What else could it have been?”

"Mrs. Penlock thought it might be Mother Ginny come back to haunt the place. Mr. Isaacs even said he wouldn't go near it for a gold watch ... not even for a farm.”

I did not take much notice. But the rumours intensified. Someone saw a figure there. It just appeared among the trees. It wasn't possible to see who it was but it looked like an old woman.

Few people went to the woods and certainly no one did after dark. There was a certain tension everywhere. It reminded me of those days just after that Midsummer's Eve.

People looked a little furtive and I wondered how many of them were remembering that night.

I went down to the quay one morning with Kitty to buy some fish. Jack Gort was there with his creels and his tubs.

I said: "Hello, Jack. Had a good catch?”

"So-so, Miss Cadorson," he answered. "Could have been better. Wind's a bit strong.

Couldn't stay out as long as I'd have liked to. I dunno. These winds do blow up sudden, like something's behind it all.”

"Oh?" I said.

"Well ... all this going on in the woods. Fires and figures like ... It don't be healthy if you'm asking me.”

"You don't believe Mother Ginny's come back to haunt all those people who sent her to her death?”

"Oh, 'twas her own doing. Her should know that. But they say as some don't rest and I reckon she be one of them.”

"Poor Mother Ginny! It was a terrible thing that happened to her, and those who had a hand in it might be conscience-stricken.”

"Oh, 'twas her own doing," he insisted. "Her ran right into the fire.”

"You were there, Jack... ?”

"Aye.”

"With half the people in this place.”

He nodded. "You be right there, Miss Cadorson.”

I thought: They should feel uneasy. Let them remember. That way it may never happen again.

I went back with Kitty.

Mrs. Penlock called to see me.

"Oh, 'tis nice to see 'ee settled in," she said. "I reckon you won't want to be leaving.”

"I'm quite comfortable here.”

"But for all that, 'tis not the place for you. Up at the big house, that's where you belong to be.”

"That's all over, Mrs. Penlock.”