A few more vignettes, including talking about the schoolhouse, Sara in bed with a cold, and going down to the swimming hole, not in that order.
The next few weeks were pleasant enough and had a regular structure; mornings for chores, afternoons for recreation, Saturdays for the market, Sundays for church...
It's quite a pleasant life, Sara thought to herself often. Perhaps, had she known the Morris family when Miss Minchin tossed her out, she could have stayed with them had they been closer to London. Of course, what's done is done, but it was an oddly comforting thought nonetheless.
Sara also made herself a favored acquaintance within Ashfield. It did help she was a generous tipper, but many more were charmed by her gentle kindness and appreciation of their way of life for someone they considered so well-traveled. Not just Mr. Smith the general store owner, but also Mr. and Mrs. Day, the tailors, Mrs. Lowell the baker, and Mr. Keith the Butcher heard of this new girl, and after one conversation, were immediately smitten by her.
All the little ones of the village seemed to naturally flock to her, and she didn't mind at all, playing with them or giving them some kind of treat. They treated her as some sort of queen, with Becky as some sort of second queen by being so close to her. Once or twice, she and the other children, dressed in some clothes too dilapidated to be anything except for play clothes, each took lunch in a basket, and went swimming in the creek. Having never gone swimming herself, Sara did need some encouragement from both Becky and Teddy. Teddy even bragged that he would save her if she started to drown. Fortunately, no rescue was necessary, and everyone had a jolly time.
Sara had even seen the schoolhouse on her way to the market. Becky explained it used to be the old church before the new chapel was built. Now, the little ones of the village use it as a schoolhouse.
"Nothing fancy like Miss Minchin's. Just the three r's really." Becky explained the curriculum, as recounted by Teddy and Martha.
"No one's a regular teacher, either. It's usually one of the ones who can't work in the fields. School's more regular in summer and winter, since there's not much planting or harvesting going on."
"What gets done in the winter, then?" Sara asked.
"Oh, we still have the animals to care for. Egg gathering, cow milking... But after that, we're free to do what we want. It's much better to be in the country for snow than the city, if I'm being honest, London makes the snow all gray and dirty. Oh, did it ever snow in India, Sara?"
Sara shook her head, "Only in the mountains, but I never went there. Or perhaps I did when I was little, and don't remember much about it."
"Does it always snow in the mountains, like in Heidi?"
"It seems so. I don't exactly understand how, even in the hottest places, that mountains can have snow. Perhaps we can find out why together when we get back to London."
Becky gulped. Learning with Sara? That was only an unachievable dream! Sure, Sara's governess would also teach Becky her the three r's, but Becky never dared ask to learn more than that.
"A-are you sure? I'm not much for book-learning..."
"I'm absolutely positive. Becky, you really are better than you give yourself credit for." Sara squeezed Becky in a big hug.
One day, shortly after a sudden downpour, as summers tend to have, Sara shivered as she woke up. It wasn't even particularly cold, despite the lack of fire. Becky awoke to Sara's stirring, "What's wrong, Sara?"
"It's so cold..." Sara got out of bed, stepping onto the stone floor, shivering even more.
"You look a little red, Sara." She felt her forehead "Sara, you're burning up, get back in bed" Sara did, at Becky's insistence, as Becky tucked Sara in up to the chin "I'll tell Ma, okay?" Sara nodded and started to doze off, only to be awoken by Clara, holding a bowl of thin porridge.
Becky helped Sara sit up, and fed her. Mrs. Morris smiled, "Looks to be a summer cold. You must have not fully dried yourself after you got caught in the rain." She sighed and went to take the bowl to the sink and came back, "just rest today. If you like, I can have you moved closer to the hearth." Sara shook her head, "I don't want to be a bother, Mrs. Morris..."
"Don't be silly." She turned to Becky, "Becky, we have to get chores done."
"I don't wanna leave her alone, Ma..."
"I'll keep an eye on her, Becky." Granny Morris came in, holding a shawl, "don't worry too much."
Becky reluctantly left as Granny Morris smoothed the shawl over Sara, "You can keep me company today, little missy." And sat in an old chair. Not tired in the slightest, Sara took to talking to Granny, asking about what Becky was like as a little girl.
"Becky has always been a little angel. We always used to say she was the sunshine in the house. Her father, my son, utterly adored her. Of course, he loved all the children, but I believe Becky was special to him..." As Granny spoke, she continued her knitting.
"Whatever happened to Mr. Morris, if it's alright to ask?"
"It was an accident, right before Maudie was born. There was a thunderstorm... and he was tossed from his horse, and broke his neck..." She started to tear up. Sara noticed and sat up, "Oh, I'm so sorry..."
"Don't be, little missy. I'm happy he was my son. I have so many memories of him, that you forget the bad. That's one of the benefits of getting older, you know."
"Maybe Miss Minchin never had many happy memories. Perhaps that's why she's so cross all the time."
"Who?"
"Oh, my old headmistress at the school my papa took me to. She... she wasn't very kind to me... or Becky... Or anyone really..." Sara still got a cold chill just thinking about Miss Minchin.
"Oh, her... I suppose a life full of bitterness can make anyone cross... Still, if I ever see her, I ought to give her a piece of my mind." Granny made her unhappiness clear by the fierceness she started to knit.
"Granny, it won't do any good with someone like her. After all, Becky is with me now." Sara flustered a little, "I must admit, I don't really like to call it work..."
"Well, she earns wages, so it is work, wouldn't you think so?"
"I suppose you're right... Still, am I really any better than her?" Sara's insecurity was clear, but Granny would have none of it.
"Of course you are. You and that Carrisford are so kind to my Becky. It's more than we could have asked for... Especially after she told me how they treated her... If I weren't so old, I could strangle them."
Sara smiled a bit as she laid back down, "Perhaps you were a knight in your past life, Granny. That's what my papa always said about me. But it doesn't matter now, they're stuck doing the chores they pushed onto us." Sara shot up, "oh, is that too cruel to think of?" "No, they only reaped what they sowed. It's only fair."
She nodded in agreement as Sara started to get sleepy and mumbled, "I never knew my grandmother... I don't think she was anything like you... But I think I like you best..." As Sara nodded off, Granny completed the shawl and laid it over Sara as she slept, kissing her cheek. "You rest now, young missy..."
When Sara woke up again, the sun was almost down, and Becky was sitting next to Sara. "Oh, Becky, how long have I been asleep?" "Long enough. Granny said to let you rest, but now you're up, you wanna eat supper with us? It's the rest of the shepherd's pie from lunch. And Ma made too much, so there's extra if you're really hungry."
Sara nodded and got up, wrapping herself in the shawl left on her bed, and went to eat supper. She really was feeling much better now.