The Witches Page #2

Mr Bax?

Alan?

Well, I'll say good night, then.

- Miss Westleton...

- Not so fat either.

How can I get you all sorted out

if you talk at once.

Let's start with you.

- What's your name?

- I'm not in your class.

- Whose class are you in?

- Hers!

Miss Mayfield?

I'm Sally Benson.

I bet you thought you'd have to start term

without me - tinies and all.

I am sorry - I just got back from France,

and the boat was held up in fog.

Never mind,

we'll have a proper talk later.

Come along my lot.

Come on through, come on.

- This one belongs to you, too.

- Yes.

Come on.

Come on through, come on.

Come on, hurry.

- Maureen Crovvther.

- Present, Miss.

- Ronnie Dowsett.

- Present, Miss.

- Mary Parker.

- Present, Miss.

- Gordon Parker.

- Present, Miss.

Linda Rigg? Linda?

Present, Miss.

Linda, what have you got there?

This, Miss.

A doll. Don't you think

you're a bit big for that?

You put it away.

Now I shall try very hard

to remember all your names,

but it's going to be easier for you

because you've only got one

to remember,

and that's Miss Mayfield.

Yes, Miss Mayfield.

You sit there while you drink your milk.

I'll be back in a moment.

How he's wept -

have you heard him?

- His first day, too.

- Yes.

Are you getting them sorted out?

I'm trying to,

but they all look alike.

That's the Heddaby face.

Inbred for centuries. Appalling.

- All except that rather darker one.

- Who? Ronnie Dowsett?

They're very thick those two.

Well, good luck to them.

- Do you like Heddaby?

- Yes, don't you?

Mmh, not to live in.

My boyfriend lives in town.

Still, it's very restful.

Good for the soul, as they say.

It's a nice place to get over things.

I mean, well, it's unhurried,

among nice simple people.

Well, all good fresh meat here,

Miss Mayfield.

None of that frozen stuff.

Leave that to the Eskimos, I say.

It chills good hot blood -

eh, my dear?

Speak for yourself,

she says.

How much?

Six bob.

Six shillings.

Oh, he's a right good 'un,

this one.

He'll jug out fine.

Just remember now

and do him good and slow.

There!

That's all.

Thank you.

- Good morning.

- Good morning, Miss Mayfield.

Hello.

- Good morning, Joe.

- Good morning, Miss Mayfield.

Good morning, Linda.

Good morning, Ronnie.

Good morning, Miss Mayfield.

- Here's your tuppence ha'penny change.

- Thank you.

- Oh, Miss Mayfield.

- Valerie.

A right old squash in there, eh?

Every Saturday.

Oh, give me your order, look,

and I'll bring it round later.

- Are you sure?

- I was going to finish off that bit of ironing.

- Oh, that's good of you, Valerie.

- l'vejust got to help my mum out first.

Hello there, Miss Mayfield.

- How's she making out?

- Oh, she spoils me.

- Won't let me lift a finger, Mrs Creek.

- That's right.

My Val was brought up to hard, work.

Eh, girl?

Oh, you're a terror, mum.

I can wind her

round my little finger, really.

- You give the game away.

Mum.

Did you see anything like that?

Linda Rigg, your granny was in here

looking for you not half an hour since.

- Granny?

- Left to run her own errands.

You better go and find her.

- Oh, I expect she just forgot.

- No, she never.

You tell her you're sorry.

And you, boy...

You let her go.

Did you see that then?

Courting!

Well, they were just looking

at the things.

Mere kids.

They'll take watching.

Oh, don't you worry, mum.

Miss Mayfield'll

keep an eye on 'em.

- I'll do what's right.

- Course you will. You lay it on.

- I'll bring these round later.

- Thank you.

- Ronnie.

- Yes, Miss?

Are you going my way?

I'd like to have a word with you.

About that essay

you wrote yesterday.

Oh?

It turned out to be more of a story

than an essay, didn't it?

- I suppose it did.

- Oh, don't worry about it. I liked it.

It was really quite remarkable

in its way.

And you didn't need me to tell you

it was good, now, did you?

- Gordon Parker.

- Present.

Linda Rigg.

Lin... Does anyone know

why Linda's absent today?

All right, then.

Er... geography

Sandra, how long did you spend

on your homework? Three minutes?

- No, Miss Mayfield.

- Less than that?

Ronnie, did you write this?

It isn't my writing.

No, and it's not your spelling either,

I'm glad to say,

butjust the same - did you?

Ronnie, tell me.

Is this some kind of bad joke?

No. It's true.

That Linda's grandmother

is cruel to her?

- Now, did Linda tell you that?

- I saw it.

You saw what?

They were in the wash house,

and she thought I'd gone.

I looked.

She stuck Linda's hand in the rollers

and turned the handle.

- What?

- She put Linda's hand in the mangle.

Mrs Rigg?

- Hello?

- Mrs Rigg?

- Yes, that's right.

- I'm er...

Oh, I know who you are.

You're the new teacher.

- Come in my dear.

- Thank you.

- Ah, Linda. Good afternoon.

- Hello, Miss Mayfield.

- Look what Gran gave me.

- Hmm. How nice for you to have.

Well, I'd half promised her,

and with her feeling a bit poorly like

ljust run over to Cogham for it.

Well, we were rather wondering

why Linda hadn't been to school today.

Tell your teacher.

I hurt myself with the mangle.

I was wringing out

some dolls clothes, see?

I dunno -

Gran says I'm cack-handed.

Clumsy that is, Miss.

She is too sometimes, bless her.

Well, I couldn't find no bones broken,

so I just gave her a herb brew

to give a good night's sleep.

Slept right through, I did.

Gran's a wonderful one with herbs!

The old ways, Miss.

They served when there were no doctors,

and they serve still.

Ever had a poultice

made of mouldy bread?

No, I don't think I have.

But you've had this penicillin though,

haven't you?

- Oh yes.

- It's the same thing.

She makes wine and all.

Give her a glass

of your cowslip, Gran.

Won the Women's Institute prize.

Anything Gran put in for

she always wins.

Except the chutney, love.

Don't forget the chutney.

Is Ronnie all right?

Yes, he is,

but he's worried about you.

- Did he tell you about this then?

- He's mentioned it.

He shouldn't have.

He shouldn't have been

hanging around here at all.

We don't want anything

to do with him, do we, Gran?

That Ronnie Dowsett?

No, we do not, and that's a fact.

He's no good, that boy.

He's going right ahead

to be another layabout like his father.

Now...

- Miss Mayfield.

- Thank you.

- Just a drop for you, pet.

- Looks delicious.

There.

Ronnie Dowsett -

he seems like a bright, decent boy.

Ah - "seems".

They're both getting to a certain age,

and I won't have him messing about

with my Linda.

- Oh, but...

- No, it's all right.

I've had it out with her.

I won't have her go

the same way as her mother.

I've had it happen once.

Never again.

She understands.

- Of course. You have a right...

- I have, and I must use it.

Well...

I must go.

Thank you for the wine, Mrs Rigg,

and Linda -

hope to see you in school tomorrow.

Oh, here's my cat.

He must have followed me here.

- Yours, Miss?

- Mmh, he's adopted rne.

I haven't a name for him yet,

but I think I'll call him Smokey.

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