Chapter 9

Caroline soon got to her feet, gently easing a disappointed and resentful Engelbart off his warm cushion of soft and girlish flesh, and went up to the house to have her morning shower and use the toilet. She saw Grace standing outside holding a bucket.

“Morning Caroline. Bath time! Stand nice and still!”

With this she came up to her and after raising the bucket high over Caroline’s head, emptied half of its icy cold contents all over her. She handed her a bit of soap and ordered her to use it. Then she rinsed her off by pouring the rest of the water over her.

“No more hot showers for you, my girl! I’ve been far, far too lenient with you, and it won’t do any longer. From now on it’s going to get a whole lot harder for you. How dare you complain of the cold nights, when I have slept through far colder ones without any warm body next to me. Now get off to work. I think a nice bit of ploughing is just what you need today. I have things to do around here, so you’ll be on your own for much of the day.”

Grace had said the previous day that the stubble needed to be ploughed into the cornfield and shown her where the hand plough was kept. When she had asked why the horse could not be used to pull the plough, Grace had gone white with rage and told her that such fine horses could never be used for such menial work. Caroline had been utterly cowed by this unexpected anger on the part of her formerly gentle and sweet friend and felt utterly crushed until Grace recovered her good humor and comforted the almost tearful girl with a kiss and a hug.