Taking Charge: A New Boss Emerges — Far from the Madding Crowd

Half an hour later Bathsheba enters the old hall in finished dress with Liddy, opens the time-book beside a canvas money-bag, and faces her men on the settle below. She announces the thieving bailiff is dismissed and that she will manage the farm herself with no bailiff at all, then demands news of Fanny Robin while coin lies ready for honest payment.

Jacob Smallbury reports dragging Newmill Pond with Boldwood; the new shepherd has searched Buck's Head. She pays wages worker by worker, navigating stammers, a sharp-tongued wife, and Henery Fray's commentary while Gabriel Oak leans against the doorpost with folded arms and accepts Cain Ball as his under-shepherd without minding the boy's youth or his unfortunate biblical name.

Billy Smallbury arrives from Casterbridge with harder news: the Eleventh Dragoons have marched away playing The Girl I Left Behind Me and Fanny has likely followed her soldier. Bathsheba sends word to Boldwood, declares herself mistress not master who will understand bad goings-on from good, promises to be up and afield before any of them, and sweeps out with Liddy while the hall door closes on her first night of visible command over Weatherbury Upper Farm.