Anne had woken up with a sense of dread in her stomach. The day was here. She was sixteen. It was a day like any other. They never celebrated birthdays in a grand way. There was work to be done if they wanted to eat. And it wasn’t that different from turning fifteen. Only it was... To Anne it was.
She sat up with a jerk when she heard movement in the other room. Her father was already up and lighting the stove. That was Anne’s job. She had not heard the clock strike four. It was a day like any other and now she was gonna get told off. She should hurry. A merciful distraction.
She washed quickly and slipped her clothes on. Then she looked in the cracked mirror and the inevitable dread returned. She really ought to start wearing her hair up permanently now. She already did it to church. She enjoyed it on those occasions, because people told her she looked elegant. It was playing at being a woman. But from today on, it was not a child’s game. She was a young woman.
She brushed her hair slowly, dreading the sight of her pinned up hair more than her father’s reprimands for being late.
Sixteen. She was now as old as Maggie had been when she got married. It was hard to believe. Maggie had seemed so old and grown up in her eyes, although her father had thought her far too young at first, invoking the promise to their mother that the girls would not marry before they were nineteen at least. In Anne’s eyes Maggie had been a woman grown. Anne studied her own reflection. She looked quite grown up with her hair up. She had already started wearing longer skirts. But she felt like a girl.
At sixteen, Rose had been a maid in York, far away from her family, working to support them. And at sixteen Alice… Anne still shuddered to think of it. Noah Longbottom of all boys. Anyway, Alice too had married at sixteen.
Maggie seemed ever pregnant and miserable. Rose had been miserable in service. Her marriage ought to have brought happiness, but Anne could feel something was wrong. And as for Alice… It seemed there was nothing left of her sister. Alice didn’t even write back to her these days. Womanhood had brought her sisters no happiness.
And now she was next.
She certainly wouldn’t rush into any marriage. She would let no boy trick her. She would reject promises of wealth and happiness. She knew she wasn’t very brave, but she’d rely on herself.
She’d rely on herself.
She stood before the mirror in silence for a moment, then she turned and knelt by her bedside. Her prayer was no doubt a heresy, but the vow was solemn. She rose with a dignity that was quite unknown to her.
She felt ready to face her father’s reprimands, but the only shouts that greeted her that morning were “happy birthday!” It was not yet four. But her brothers were up as well as her father and all her chores had been done. Her father seemed quite emotional as he hugged and kissed her, and told her her mother would have been so proud if she could see the good little woman Anne was growing up to be. He told her that she was to take Ellie and Kate to have ice cream at the new parlour on Saturday and buy a new pair of good shoes. Will gave her decorative flowers for her hat. Bram, much to his family’s surprise, had won two tickets for a magic lantern show in a spelling contest at school last week, which he now offered to his sister for her birthday with much pomp and ceremony. Anne, quite overwhelmed, asked him if he would please accompany her to the show, which he accepted with evident relief.
And then the day continued as usual. Her father and Will off to sea. Bram and herself off to the Scaur to pick flithers, until Bram had to leave for school. Anne had just returned to the yard, carrying her basket on her hip, when the postman arrived.
She put the bait down and took the package, studying it for an address. There was only her own. No sender. For a moment, she wondered if, or maybe just hoped, it was from Alice. But the handwriting didn't match. All the same, she was thrilled. She had never received a birthday package in the post before.
She opened it, then thought better off it and washed her hands. Flither picking was a mucky job. When her hands were clean, she took the package inside, sat down and opened it further, her stomach fluttering with excitement.
She sat up with a jerk when she heard movement in the other room. Her father was already up and lighting the stove. That was Anne’s job. She had not heard the clock strike four. It was a day like any other and now she was gonna get told off. She should hurry. A merciful distraction.
She washed quickly and slipped her clothes on. Then she looked in the cracked mirror and the inevitable dread returned. She really ought to start wearing her hair up permanently now. She already did it to church. She enjoyed it on those occasions, because people told her she looked elegant. It was playing at being a woman. But from today on, it was not a child’s game. She was a young woman.
She brushed her hair slowly, dreading the sight of her pinned up hair more than her father’s reprimands for being late.
Sixteen. She was now as old as Maggie had been when she got married. It was hard to believe. Maggie had seemed so old and grown up in her eyes, although her father had thought her far too young at first, invoking the promise to their mother that the girls would not marry before they were nineteen at least. In Anne’s eyes Maggie had been a woman grown. Anne studied her own reflection. She looked quite grown up with her hair up. She had already started wearing longer skirts. But she felt like a girl.
At sixteen, Rose had been a maid in York, far away from her family, working to support them. And at sixteen Alice… Anne still shuddered to think of it. Noah Longbottom of all boys. Anyway, Alice too had married at sixteen.
Maggie seemed ever pregnant and miserable. Rose had been miserable in service. Her marriage ought to have brought happiness, but Anne could feel something was wrong. And as for Alice… It seemed there was nothing left of her sister. Alice didn’t even write back to her these days. Womanhood had brought her sisters no happiness.
And now she was next.
She certainly wouldn’t rush into any marriage. She would let no boy trick her. She would reject promises of wealth and happiness. She knew she wasn’t very brave, but she’d rely on herself.
She’d rely on herself.
She stood before the mirror in silence for a moment, then she turned and knelt by her bedside. Her prayer was no doubt a heresy, but the vow was solemn. She rose with a dignity that was quite unknown to her.
She felt ready to face her father’s reprimands, but the only shouts that greeted her that morning were “happy birthday!” It was not yet four. But her brothers were up as well as her father and all her chores had been done. Her father seemed quite emotional as he hugged and kissed her, and told her her mother would have been so proud if she could see the good little woman Anne was growing up to be. He told her that she was to take Ellie and Kate to have ice cream at the new parlour on Saturday and buy a new pair of good shoes. Will gave her decorative flowers for her hat. Bram, much to his family’s surprise, had won two tickets for a magic lantern show in a spelling contest at school last week, which he now offered to his sister for her birthday with much pomp and ceremony. Anne, quite overwhelmed, asked him if he would please accompany her to the show, which he accepted with evident relief.
And then the day continued as usual. Her father and Will off to sea. Bram and herself off to the Scaur to pick flithers, until Bram had to leave for school. Anne had just returned to the yard, carrying her basket on her hip, when the postman arrived.
She put the bait down and took the package, studying it for an address. There was only her own. No sender. For a moment, she wondered if, or maybe just hoped, it was from Alice. But the handwriting didn't match. All the same, she was thrilled. She had never received a birthday package in the post before.
She opened it, then thought better off it and washed her hands. Flither picking was a mucky job. When her hands were clean, she took the package inside, sat down and opened it further, her stomach fluttering with excitement.
