Reuben & Martha Tapp

Reuben Tapp is a carter. His long cart is heavy enough to carry a ton of stone, and Bracken pulls it. Martha is a carrier. She drives her lighter spring cart with Dolly, on a round of parcels six days a week.

Every year at the Turnout, Reuben stands at the church gate with his hands in his pockets, a little apart, looking at other men's brasses and saying it is needless. Every year he is there. This year Martha finds out that he had been thinking of taking Bracken himself, with a crimson ribbon. He hadn't said. She hadn't asked.

Martha would like Dolly to go, once in the year, when nobody wants anything from her except to look at her. So on the Saturday night both horses are washed and brushed, and there will be two manes to plait in the morning.