House of Green Dragons [antikvár]

CHAPTER ONE Cross was an isolated village among the flat lands of the fen. At one time its link with the world outside was the old coach road, ten miles to the west, but now there was a branch railway line only five miles off. Cross seemed as unchanged as ever. Life there still moved at the pace of the heavy gleaming farm horses and the revolving seasons. Spring had brought to the village its benison of renewed Ufe and was slowly turning into summer. 'What'll you do now, Rebecca?' Rebecca Redfearn looked over the table at Annie Bell's thin pointed little face, with its bright blue eyes alight with curiosity. Then she looked past Annie, through the open door. The brick path, which led through borders of gillyflowers to the gate, was glowing in the sun. 'I don't know,' she answered slowly. But the decision had already been made. It was in the bottom of her mind, curled up hke some little animal in its winter sleep. It had been made four days ago and in time would emerge as a conscious thing, which would take her far from hearth and home. 'You can't stay here, can you?' asked Annie. There was sadness, as well as curiosity, in her voice. All her life she had lived near to Becky. The thought that the cottage would no longer be Redfearns' seemed to Annie like the end of the world; an event so unimaginable that it might be followed by who knew what - by the moon riding backwards in the sky or apples ripening in June. But she knew and Becky knew that Becky could not stay on in