The Maidens of Walsingham
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Catherine sat down in her former place, took her dead father's hand in her own, and then said quietly to her sister:
– 'It concerns you too, Chris. Father wouldn't want Cassie to suffer.
Christine looked up at her with a look of understanding and pain.
– 'Yes, Cassie mustn't know,' she replied quietly to her sister.
– What are we going to do now? Lord, what are we to do? Oh, what grief! – The peasants cried out, and the wailing began again.
– We must bury him as a good Christian," said Catherine, turning again to the crowd. – And a new pastor must be sent for at once!
– Where? Where will we find him? – replied the peasants, who did not understand how to make sense of this terrible turn of events.
– I will take care of it," said Mr. Pilough loudly, touched by the scene. – I will write to London at once, and a new parson will be sent to you, while you make the funeral arrangements.
Without further ado the architect mounted his horse and rode off to the manor.
The parson's body was carefully carried to the church, where it was washed, changed into the parson's attire, in which he had conducted the services, then the local undertaker took his measurements and began to build the coffin. The peasants went home weeping and praying for the soul of the pastor who had left them. Those peasants who were not in the field soon learnt of his death. The children, however, were told the same thing as Cassie. Cassie herself, who returned home in the evening, contented and cheerful, quickly ate the supper Kate had prepared and, tired, went to bed.
The older sisters sat for a long time in their father's room, on his mattress, holding hands: Kate looked at the crucifix with a fanatical gleam in her eyes, and Chris stared thoughtfully at one point on the wall. Both girls clearly realised that from that day on they were completely alone, and that now they had no one but their sisters. But still, they did not fully believe in their father's death, as if it were some bad dream, and their father would come home any minute and embrace them. Then Christine did go to bed, but could not sleep until the morning, hearing Catherine praying in a loud whisper in her father's room.
"God help us!" – Christine thought, and wept bitterly, trying not to let her cries be heard by her sisters. In the morning the girl cautiously approached Kate, who was still sitting by the crucifix praying.
– Catherine, go get some sleep, and I'll make breakfast and feed Cassie," she said affectionately to her sister, touching her shoulder.
– No, Chris, thank you. I'm not tired at all," Catherine replied muffled. – I'll do all the cooking myself, and you'd better go and get some water for the vegetable garden. We're not going into the field today. When Cassie wakes up, tell her her father's gone.
– Whatever you say," Christine replied briefly.
She dressed, put on her shoes, took the bucket and went to the river. Christine realised clearly the weight that had fallen on Catherine's shoulders – the loss of her father was a burden more for her than for Christine herself, and even more so for Cassie.
"Poor Catherine, she is so lost! I must help her. I must go to town and get a job!" – Christine thought, slowly heading towards the river: she was overwhelmed with the desire to help Catherine, to support her, not only morally, but also with money.
Catherine sat at the crucifix and thought about that from now on her sisters' welfare depended only on her – she was the head of the family, and the responsibility for her sisters and their lives rested solely on her.
"I'll do anything to keep them from suffering, just give me strength, Lord!" – she thought, and then rose and, with a heavy heart, went to prepare breakfast. Looking at the sleeping Cassie, Kate smiled softly. – 'My sweet girl, I will never leave you. No one and nothing will separate us!" – Kate thought determinedly and stroked Cassie's hair.
When Cassie woke up, Christine was already back from the river and breakfast was ready.
– Wash your face, and sit down to eat," Kate said to her younger sister, as she poured the porridge into bowls: the portions were larger than usual, for Kate had used the same measure of grain she had used earlier, which was for four people.
Cassie washed and dressed, sat down at the table and began to eat.
– Where's Daddy? – she asked, only now noticing that they were eating breakfast without her father.
The older sisters looked at each other.
– Father said he wouldn't have breakfast," Kate answered her, trying to be as convincing as possible.
– Why? Had he already eaten? – Cassie asked innocently, dipping her wooden spoon into the porridge.
– Yes, he ate early," Christine said, agreeing with Cassie's levity.
– Where is he? – Cassie asked again.
– He has important things to do. You remember he's very concerned about the church and the village, don't you? – Catherine answered her. – He must have gone to that beautiful Rivershold estate.
She and Cassie had seen that estate and the master's house once, but the girls had not been impressed: Catherine because of her aversion to luxury, and Cassie declared that it was a palace haunted by ghosts and an evil giant (so the boys had told her), but she was not afraid of ripping off his apple trees.
– Would he be back soon?
– Yes, of course.
– Are we going to matins?
– No, for Dad had gone, and there was no one to give it today.
Cassie looked at Catherine indifferently: she was not at all worried about her father, for she knew he would always come home.
"And maybe he'll bring something delicious! That good funny doctor always brought something delicious!" – Cassie thought happily, looking forward to her father coming home.
– And we caught a bunny yesterday: he was so cute and shook so much, but we petted him and let him out into the field. Fred said he was scared and that we were scaring him, so he ran away so fast! – Cassie said, and then went back to eating. – What delicious porridge today, Katie!
Catherine smiled, but a heavy sigh escaped from her breast: she found it hard to bear the indifference and inconsideration with which her little sister lived, and it seemed to her that she bore the pain of loss not only for herself, but also for Cassie.