Over the Gate Quotes

“Later that evening she thrust the exercise book into her fire, and holding it resolutely down with the poker, she watched it burn to ashes.”
― Miss Read, Over the Gate: A Novel

“Mr Willet’s ruddy face was beaded with sweat. He had rolled up his shirt sleeves, and his muscular hairy arms were smudged with grass stains and blotched with pink where the nettles had stung him. Nevertheless, he appeared unperturbed.”
― Miss Read, Over the Gate: A Novel

“Mary found herself carrying home bundles of shirts whose collars needed turning, sheets that needed sides to middling, and damask table linen in need of fine darning.”
― Miss Read, Over the Gate: A Novel

“During the dinner hour I consulted Mr Willet about my little cat. For several days he had been off his food, and I had supposed that a diet of local mice had been preferred to the delicacies offered by me. But this morning he looked wretched, sitting four-square with paws tucked under him, and his eyes half-closed. ‘Fur balls,’ pronounced Mr Willet. ‘I’ll get the vet,’ I said at once. ‘Ain’t no need to get him out from Caxley,’ said Mr Willet. ‘You give ol’ Tib a spoonful of liquid paraffin to oil the works. He’ll be as right as rain tomorrow.”
― Miss Read, Over the Gate: A Novel

“badinage”
― Miss Read, Over the Gate: A Novel

“The weather grew steadily worse. Sleet swept across the playground and a wicked draught from the skylight buffeted the paper chains. I put the milk saucepan on the tortoise stove and the children looked pleased. Although a few hardy youngsters gulp their milk down stone-cold, even on the iciest day, most of them prefer to be cosseted a little and to see their bottles being tipped into the battered saucepan. The slow heating of the milk affords them exquisite pleasure, and it usually gets more attention than I do on cold days.”
― Miss Read, Over the Gate: A Novel

“Here, I can’t come in like this!’ protested Mr Willet at the kitchen door. ‘All cagged up with mud!”
― Miss Read, Over the Gate: A Novel

“Well now,’ said my caretaker, eyes brightening, ‘I don’t mind if I do, Miss Read. I’m fair shrammed.”
― Miss Read, Over the Gate: A Novel

“Them as really knows ’em, Miss Read, will tell you what that poor soul suffers with his everlasting taradiddles.”
― Miss Read, Over the Gate: A Novel

“Ah well, I thought, as I returned to the school house, people are kittle-cattle, as Mr Willet is fond of reminding me.”
― Miss Read, Over the Gate: A Novel

“Our village of Fairacre is no lovelier than many others. We have rats as well as roses in our back gardens, scoundrels as well as stalwarts ploughing our fields, and plenty of damp and dirt hidden behind the winsome exteriors of our older cottages. But at times it is not only home to us but heaven too; and this was just such an occasion.”
― Miss Read, Over the Gate: A Novel