Emily slept soundly that night in her mother’s grasp and by her father who was still asleep. The next day as Eppie descended with Emily down the stairs her other children; Ruby aged ten and Silas who was eight years. Ruby had black eyes and her hair was chestnut brown, she was middle height and thin but so were they all in the house. No matter how any one of them ate they never gained weight so one could say it was a genetic thing. Silas on the other hand had blonde hair just like Emily but his eyes were wide and searching that you could feel his eyes piercing into your skin when he was
watching. He was taller than Ruby and teased her about it most of the time, which constituted to most of the noise that is heard in the house in no 5 Clarkson Avenue. All her children were special in their own way and they brought
joy to her and Aaron everyday. Eppie named her son; after the man who had taken care of her and made her what she is today; Silas Marner. She had to repay him in some way for all he had done and she felt that was the best way.
Emily’s siblings came bouncing up the stairs to greet their mother. They had been up early playing cards and were looking for their younger sister but could not find her. “Emily, they shouted together we had been looking for you all over the place”. Emily in all her cheekiness said “ pppsssttt!!!! Everywhere except mum’s room you silly people” and she continued jesting. Eppie smiled at how her children got on together and then her thoughts drifted to Silas Marner, a person who has always been in her heart and in an instant her thoughts were gone with the wind.
The next day was Saturday; the weather was bright and sunny, everyone had done chores in the house and Eppie had just finished making breakfast. John, Gilbert Osgood’s son had just dropped a basket of fruits his parents asked to give Aaron and Eppie. Aaron was in the next room hammering a hole in the wall for some family photo frames. She went to inform him that the food was ready but did not bother to do the same for the children after all they all had different rooms and there was no point from going from one to another so instead she did the most humane thing. She shouted
“Ruby, Silas and Eppie wash your hands and come down for breakfast”. She enjoyed calling them according to their age gap and she still could not figure out why. After 3 minutes they were all seated on the table eating silently until Ruby spoke. “Mum, when will you tell us about Grandpa Silas all I know is that he saw me when I was born and apart from that I know nothing else”. Eppie then thought she should tell them about her days with Silas Marner before his death nine years ago. He died at an old age; she remembered quite clearly that he was always happy and joyous especially at the arrival of his first grand daughter. He was so glad the
day she was born that he cried, the very first time she had seen him cry although at first she could not believe it she had to because she could see with her own eyes that he really was a sensitive man. “Alright children” she said excitedly you have my time after your meal”. The three children turned towards each other grinning and then hurriedly finished their food.
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The house your Grandpa and me lived in was quite deserted, there were no neighbouring houses actually it was a stone cottage that stood among nutty hedgerows near the village of Raveloe and not far from the edge was a deserted stone pit. Your Grandpa Silas was a linen-weaver and he worked very hard but one day I called him from his work out into the sunshine to play. She remembered that day like it was yesterday, sunshine long and lasting making flowers thick on their stems. It was late in the afternoon and Silas carried Eppie and went beyond the stone-pits to where flowers grew he sat on the bank while she plucked flowers talking to him in babyish syllables. From then on they made such short trips a ritual or a habit as you may call it.
“Why did you and Dad decide to call me Silas”, her only son asked curiously. Eppie was sure he was getting confused that his name was being said so often. “Well, she began ‘apart from the fact it is a beautiful name I wanted never to forget a man who had adopted me as his own child and loved me dearly’. She paused for a little while looking at the children’s faces as they pushed closer looking at her lips like they were afraid to miss the next word that came from her mouth. ‘Every time, sweetheart I call your name or even look at your face he comes into my mind and then I know I am assured that as long as I live I would remember him and he would always have a special part of my heart’.
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Ruby then told Silas that he should not be worried, for their mum loved them all. “She is right you know” a voice answered from the fireplace, there was a
chair made of fine cotton and sitting in it was their father. Aaron Winthrop was a family man as much as he did everything in life. That was him: passionate about everything and became the luckiest man to the best of his knowledge when he married the most beautiful young lady Eppie. He loved his family and the fact that he did not regret staying in Raveloe or now London gave him comfort. He was a little bit of an idealist and a realist like vanilla and chocolate mixed as one. Their children thought they were a handsome couple and most importantly wonderful parents. At school their friends are quite envious of them because they are living comfortable and their good-looking parents rarely ever argue or fight. He loved his job at the nuclear plant and worked very hard to provide for his family. His only friends were his colleagues and he saw them everyday, sometimes he thought he should meet new people but dismissed this immediately because he loved his life and would not change anything.
Eppie Winthrop also enjoys her job as a teacher in a private school. She loves
children and is great at teaching. Her students respect and understand her making them achieve the best results among other schools. Silas Marner had disciplined her in her naughty years and she had learnt the right way to correct a child so they learn from their mistakes. Her children were studying in the same school and although she only taught in one of Rose’s classes, she occasionally went to their other teachers to find out how they were doing in school. Emily, Ruby and Silas were good children in school and at home. They brought good results and made their parent’s happy and proud. On holidays they went on trips, having a good time and enjoying their leisure. Many people thought of the family as an ideal one especially their next-door neighbours who were always arguing and fighting most of the time.
Aaron turned back to the fire and continued reading his newspaper after he said those last words to complete his earlier statement “We both love you all very much and wouldn’t have asked for better children”. This having being said Emily smiled happily and said “Thank you, daddy and mommy Can you please continue the story of Grandpa”.
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Silas Marner found me when I was just a little girl of aged 2; apparently my mother had died near his cottage and left me there. He found me and instead of taking me to the workhouse like the villagers in Raveloe thought was best he took care of me. “ Mum, what is a workhouse?” asked a curious Emily and Silas was all so glad he had the answer “Well youngster, it is where people with no mommies and daddies are taken to”. His mom pleased congratulated him on a “good work” note. ………… So he became my father and I his daughter, Eppie said delightfully. We became like a team he taught me all the values in life and I made him a joyous and friendly man he once was. “But you never mentioned he was unhappy”, Ruby said a bit sad.
Well, he told me that his life before I was sent to him was horrible. He was originally from a place called Larntern Yard but he was accused falsely of stealing
and he came to Raveloe a sad & lonely man who trusted no one and so made no friends. He worked every moment of the day and soon enough he got plenty money (gold). He took a great interest in them and they were his only comfort until someone stole it all from him. This broke his heart. “That was sad mommy”, Emily said. Her face had fallen and she looked about to cry. “Don’t worry baby because everything turned for the best” and she continued her story
He said I was the best thing that ever happened to him and that he loved me very much. He was a wonderful man who disciplined me when I was nutty and made me a mannered young lady. We were definitely not the richest people in the village but the happiest set of people.
“So is that the end since you lived happily ever after”, Silas enquired. “Actually it was not happily ever after… I mean not immediately after that”. The children who were already getting up sank back down and she continued.
All the time I spent in Raveloe I never knew my real father; sure I knew my mother was from some other place and
died but nothing was discovered about my father and then when I was eighteen a very rich man a Squire, Godfrey Cass came to the cottage …… you can imagine my surprise that such a distinguished man came to see us but it was not much of a surprise since Silas’ gold had been found with Dunstan Cass, Godfrey’s younger brother who had disappeared. She had no intention of telling them the villagers had found his body buried over the years and all the flesh went remaining bones. It was not proper and would make them scared. Even now it made her stomach churn just thinking about it. “Mommy…the story, you haven’t finished” Ruby said impatiently and Eppie apologised quickly recovering from her trail of thoughts.
I was therefore completely speechless and shocked beyond words when he declared to be my real father. It was like a safe box had been thrown on my head. He came with his wife, Nancy and they both wanted to adopt me so I could live with them but your Grandpa was very disturbed by this. Silas Marner was a very good man and although he did not want to
let me go, he wanted the best for me and told me to decide. My decision was to stay with the only man I had ever known, as my father and I ever want to know. Godfrey Cass had known where I was for 16yrs and yet told nobody I existed and I was sure if He and Nancy had children he would never have come to consult me. The children by now had all fallen asleep except for Silas who was tired also. Godfrey had died two years after Silas and a month after followed his wife. She knew then that the love they had for each other was very strong for Nancy Cass could live no more than a month without her husband and so ended her life. It was tragic and all the people of Raveloe mourned from them both; their love and the fact they had no heir to carry on their title. After Silas died and Aaron’s mother, Dolly Winthrop had also died years before, they decided they had reason to remain in Raveloe to preserve their memories and so stayed even as it became this new place; London. Eppie remembered the look on Silas face when he found out his former home Larntern yard no longer existed. As she and Aaron put the children to bed; Eppie putting the two older ones to bed while her husband put Emily to bed and while he was doing so his daughter asked him to tell her how they met and this time Aaron answered her saying
“ Well, your mum and I grew up together and she was as pretty as you” .At this his daughter blushed lightly and he continued,
“She grew up to be the most beautiful girl in Raveloe and I fell in-love with her and so did she. I asked her to marry me and she agreed and that was your daddy’s happiest day”.
Eppie was lying on the bed with Aaron and they were talking about the day’s events; she confided how relieved she was to have shared her life with her father Silas Marner, with the children and Aaron agreed with her. Finally, before they slept Eppie said a powerful sentence.
“ Silas Marner is a part of me and I would never let him go, day by day and as time passes away I would forever cherish him for saving me from the life I would have had without him. I would forever believe his memory will live on in me as a light on my path and guiding me every step of the way” and then she fell completely silent and you could tell in a few minutes that she was asleep.
The end.