‘I love you with my whole being, Oliver Pengarron,’ she said. ‘And if I ever have to, I’ll fight tooth and nail for you.’
* * *
‘Do you think I need more holly over the mantelpiece, Beatrice?’ Kerensa asked, critically viewing her handiwork at decorating her sitting room for Christmas Day.
‘Naw, that’ll do I d’believe, young missus. I’d best git these other bits cleared up afore the boy ’ere eats they berries.’
Kerensa looked affectionately at Kane who was lying on his stomach on the floor, happily playing tug-of-war over a wooden toy with Bob. With plenty of good food and goat’s milk and an overabundance of love and attention, the boy had undergone a remarkable change during the last few weeks. His protruding bones had gradually disappeared as his body filled out, and he quickly became sturdy on his feet while showing a notable strength at pulling apart his toys and any other item that found its way into his searching hands.
His weeping sores had healed and vanished, his red hair became straight and shiny, and although his milk teeth were either missing or rotten, Doctor Crebo, who had been called in to look him over, advised that with the correct diet and fresh air every day, his second teeth would be healthy and strong.
Kerensa was happy at last, and not the only one to dote freely on Kane. Beatrice often sat him on what little lap she had left, Jack would take his tiny hand and show him the Manor’s horseflesh. Nathan held him to look up into the nests and cages of any injured animals in the hut, Jake laughed to himself and turned a blind eye when he liberally watered his plants rather than ask to be taken to the water closet, and Polly, Ruth and Esther indulged in his every whim. Oliver, who was probably the most indulgent of them all and had no belief in a child having to ‘behave himself’, delighted in giving him endless rides on Conomor around the stableyard.
Looking back at the mantelpiece Kerensa decided one more piece of holly would be required to complete the effect she desired and climbed up on the chair in front of her, reaching upwards.
‘You be careful, m’dear,’ Beatrice rasped, gathering up holly branches and sniffing noisily as her nose ran. ‘I’ll ’ave these outside an’ the gard’ners can do what they like with ’em.’
‘Why must I be careful?’ Kerensa smiled. ‘I’m not going to eat holly berries, Beatrice.’
‘Careful of climbin’ about, young missus, is what I d’mean.’
‘The mantelpiece isn’t that high.’
‘Gis on with ’ee,’ blurted Beatrice. ‘I seen it in yer face days ago. Don’t ’ee know yerself yet, cheeil?’
‘Know what, Beatrice?’ Kerensa asked, stepping down from the chair, ‘What are you talking about?’
Clutching holly in one hand, Beatrice wiped the drip from her nose with the heel of the other. ‘Think ’bout it,’ she said, broadly grinning at the puzzled girl. ‘When did Nature last pay ’ee a monthly call, eh? You haven’t seen nothin’ since the young’un’s been ’ere, ’ave ’ee?’
It took a full ten seconds before it dawned on Kerensa what Beatrice was hinting at. Then… ‘You mean?’
‘Ais. Yer good ’n’ proper with child at last.’
‘Oh! I… that’s wonderful! Oh, Beatrice!’ Rushing across the room Kerensa hugged the old woman. ‘Where’s Oliver?’ she said, jumping up and down with excitement. ‘He’s going over to Ker-an-Mor Farm this morning. Has he left yet? He said goodbye to us earlier.’
‘Dunno, m’dear, let un go anyway, no need to run after un like every other female ’as all ’is life. Let un wait till later.’
A heavy step was heard heading towards the back of the house for the stableyard.
‘That’s him now,’ said Kerensa.
‘Let un wait, maid, like I tole ’ee. Went ’urt un.’
Kerensa paced up and down, rapidly thinking things over. She stopped and looked at Kane, then Bob, then Beatrice, rubbing her hands together before placing them over her flat stomach.
With a sudden rush she gathered up Kane in her arms. Beatrice chuckled as the girl dashed past her and her light steps could be heard running through the house.
‘Oliver!’ Kerensa shouted at the top of her voice, Kane bobbing up and down as she ran. ‘Wait for me! Oliver…’
The Pengarron Sagas
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Pengarron Rivalry
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The Harvey Family Sagas
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First published in the United Kingdom in 1992 by Headline Book Publishing
This edition published in the United Kingdom in 2018 by
Canelo Digital Publishing Limited
57 Shepherds Lane
Beaconsfield, Bucks HP9 2DU
United Kingdom
Copyright © Gloria Cook, 1992
The moral right of Gloria Cook to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 9781788630726
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Pengarron Land Page 50