Sorry for the bit of a Break but school took over *sob *

I hope someone is still reading this :D

Chapter 6

1878 Elsie

Aged 15

It had been just about two years since her father had collapsed after that fateful christmas day, Elsie mused day dreaming out of the window. The doctor Caroline had fetched said it was a 'brain problem' it was relative new area of medicine so he didn't feel confident treating it but if we wanted to spend money on a specialist he would put us forward. Mother nearly died when she heard how much and said a firm no we would cope.

Cope that is a nice way of putting it a farm is hard enough to run enough without one of the main workers ill, not that pa would say he was ill, so Elsie had to drop out of school shortly after and work full time on the farm. She remembered that conversation clearly.

Jan 1877 "Elsie can you come downstairs a moment" Her mother called, grudgingly putted down her book she had obeyed to find her father sitting with her mother, this was never a good sign.

"Elsie you do realise that now your father is ill" Her father shot a look that could kill "Well ageing you do realise it is partly your responsibility to help out more"

"You don't mean full time do you ma? But what about my education? I need that as well" Elsie was distraught those three days at school were pure release to her.

"Yes well maybe not at the moment darling but soon" Her mother was trying to make the best out of a bad situation you could tell but for once Elsie wasn't going to put up with it she had goals in life she would not give them up.

"NO Ma, I need this I love school, I don't want to end up living on the farm married to some man who probably won't care about me, with an education I could get a better job in a city and find someone who cares about me, I want to do something with my life be proud of it" as she finished she saw her mother's shocked face and her father's darken with anger.

"Let me tell you Elsie Hughes, you are 13, you are in my house, you abide my rules and you will give up these fanciful dreams" Her father stood up and stepped towards Elsie who promptly backed away the fear of god slowly seeping in to her "I don't care if you want this and want that, you are a farmers daughter and you WILL NOT BE ASHAMED ABOUT IT"

"Pa really... I didn't mean...Please" Elsie felt the tears forming when he grabbed hold of her upper arm and pulled her round to face him, "I only meant-"

"WHAT? ONLY MEANT WHAT? TO INSULT ME AND YOUR MOTHER AND OUR WAY OF LIFE? IT ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOUR POXY EDUCATION" He held her by her shoulders bellowing in her face "IT IS NOT A DISHONEST WAY OF LIFE WE ARE RESPECTED, WOMEN WITH EDUCATIONS ARE MOCKED AS THEY ARE NO USE, A TRADE IS A USE, AND WE HAVE BEING TEACHING YOU ONE ALL YOUR LIFE GIRL"

"But pa It doesn't appeal to me a farmer I like has asked for a betrothal and I turned him down as I don't want to be a farmer's wife I can't deny it" she shook with fear she never spoke back to her parents ever. Her father just stared like she was someone he didn't know, he just let her go and turned around as if searching for a solution, Elsie breathed out, then the back hander came knocking her off her feet. The pain was unbearable the taste of blood in her mouth, the tears frozen in shock, he had never hit her ever.

"Never say anything like that again young lady, you are a child, and have no say in the matter, you will go back to this farmer and say you were hasty with your decision, you can wait two years to marry him, you will leave school it has put too many expectations in your head, you will work on the farm I don't care if you don't like it and if I ever... ever here such words come out of your mouth again with such disrespect I will knock you into next year to teach you respect my girl" Her father was deeply calm and it was so much more frightening, Elsie sat there holding her face. "Do you understand?".

Elsie couldn't speak, she shook everything she wanted in life taken away in an instant by a man who was suppose to support her. Her father just stared at her "Elsie? Answer me girl!" He took two steps towards her, suspecting another punch, she stammered "I understand pa, I will go to see Joe in the morning and give up school".

Her father nodded "Anne just leave her there, if she is so mature in the world she can pick herself up" he beckoned to her mother who just stared at her as if she could not believe what had just happened, but Anne rose and began to walk upstairs with her father. "Elsie this is for you best interests you will thank us one day" her mother's statement stung, and with that her mother turned and retreated up the stairs.

Elsie shook at the memory since then she had been punished for the slightest thing, like not doing a job fast enough, or apparently giving attitude when asked to do something. It wasn't regular but her father's brain problems brought on a bitterness to keep her controlled, well she thought it was the brain problems what else could it be? It was alright for Caroline she had married Tom Hawes the farmer who wold get the farm when father died. She was the perfect daughter, married, probably pregnant, the perfect farmer's wife.

She sighed she had told Joe she would marry him after her sixteenth birthday he was overjoyed he had just turned eighteen and seemed content with Elsie. She did not feel the same but if she had to marry a farmer she would it rather be someone she knew respected her at least. Trapped at 15 who would believe it. The book in her lap slid to the floor with a thud, an introductory guide to english history, Mrs Marks her old teacher met her in the village every week at church to give her a new book so that she may still learn, to her educated females were everything and Elsie adored her for it. Obviously the book was kept under a loose floor board in her room, she would be dead if her parents knew, she placed the book back in it's hiding place.

She sighed in July next year she would have to marry Joe and her life would be set in stone, boring routine every day, she was going slowly mad just thinking about it, she wasn't even sure if she wanted children. Making her way downstairs she picked up the newspaper it was folded over at the advertisements section a paragraph caught her eye.

WANTED GIRL UNDER TWENTY ONE FOR HOUSEMAID DUTIES PREFERBABLY WITH NO EXPERIENCE AS TRAINING WILL BE GIVEN GOOD RATE OF PAY. CONTACT MRS MCPHEE AT HOUSE EDINBOROUGH.

Elsie just stared a way out she would apply she could have a respectable job with oppurtunities she would apply and pray this was her chance to escape.