The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900 ... - Gredos

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
"Indeed?" said her mother, pausing with uplifted needle. "And when did you make that
discovery, my dear?"
"Why, madam, I have just been informed, first by two sturdy, rough-tongued old
ploughmen, and afterwards by my father himself that Simon Fleetwood commands here
now."
"And does that displease you very much?"
"Why, Mamma, of course it does. How can I be otherwise than mortified on realising
such altered circumstances? We Charnocks are to submit in silence while Yeoman
Fleetwood commands! It is a most painful and ridiculous situation. I cannot help
thinking he must have taken advantage of my father's straits to have thus obtained
control of his affairs."
“No, Rachel, you are unjust to Simon."
Mrs. Charnock pushed aside her frame and leaned forward, speaking earnestly. “You
are unjust, I say. If Simon has undertaken this trust it is from motives which you should
be the first to honour.” She broke
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off, remembering her promise, and fearing to say too much.
"Will this change in the management of affairs be of great assistance to my father,
then?" inquired Rachel in an altered tone.
“Why, that remains to be seen. Simon will do his best; the pecuniary gain to him will be
very small, and the trouble and responsibility great"
The girl's expression changed; she looked pensive, almost penitent. After a time she
spoke again, and with a sigh.
“I am sorry to have been so hasty, Mother. I have really a very great regard for Simon.
But I wish," she added impulsively, "he had not thought it necessary to plough up the
park."
When, a little later on, she betook herself once more to the scene of her morning's
encounter, she felt a return of irritation against Simon, who was the unwitting cause of
her finding herself in such a false position. Thanks to him she would now be forced to