Anna of the Five Towns; A Novel (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: Ill: THE BIRTHDAY THE next morning there was no outward sign that anything unusual had occurred. As the clock in the kitchen struck eight Anna carried to the back parlour a tray on which were a dish of bacon and a coffee-pot. Breakfast was already laid for three. She threw a housekeeper's glance over the table, and called: Father Mr. Tellwright was resetting some encaustic tiles in the lobby. He came in, coatless, and, dropping a trowel on the hearth, sat down at the end of the table nearest the fireplace. Anna sat opposite to him, and poured out the coffee. On the dish were six pieces of bacon. He put one piece on a plate, and set it carefully in front of Agnes's vacant chair, two he passed to Anna, three he kept for himself, - Where's Agnes ? he enquired. Coming?she's finishing her arithmetic. In the middle of the table was an unaccustomed small jug containing gilliflowers. Mr. Tellwright noticed it instantly. What an we gotten here? he said, indicating the jug. Agnes gave me them first thing when she got up. She's grown them herself, you know, Anna said, and then added: It's my birthday. Ay he exclaimed, with a trace of satire in his voice. Thou'rt a woman now, lass. No further remark on that matter was made during the meal. Agnes ran in, all pinafore and legs. With a toss backwards of her light golden hair she slipped silently into her seat, cautiously glancing at the master of the house. Then she began to stir her coffee. Now, young woman, Tellwright said curtly. She looked a startled interrogative. Were waiting, he explained. Oh said Agnes, confused. I thought you'd said it. ' God sanctify this food to our use and us to His service for Christ's sake, Amen.' The breakfast proceeded in sile...