Jeff moved about the room, studying the paintings, stopping at the satinwood grand piano to run his fingertips over the ivory keys. Every so often he glanced at Feena. He was impressed. Dressed in a black suit with gold frogging over the hip-length jacket, she cut a dramatic figure. Her hair was softly curled close to her head and diamonds glittered at her throat, her wrists and on her fingers. Her make-up was expertly applied, she looked years younger. Moving close to her, he sniffed her strong musky perfume; he remembered it from his days as her lover.
Feena met his dark eyes, and there again was the superior, haughty look he’d been attracted to. She said, ‘I was saying to Hannah it’s a pity Prim didn’t come tonight but it does mean we will have even numbers round the dining table.’
‘It was kind of you to invite us to welcome Leah back,’ Jeff said.
‘My house is open to Hannah’s family at any time.’ She watched his lips as he put them to his glass.
Feeling embarrassed at the rather intimate looks passing between the couple who had sired and conceived her, Hannah looked away, glad that Miss Benson appeared at that moment and announced dinner was ready to be served.
Patrick sprang away from Matt and stood in front of Hannah. ‘May I have the honour of escorting you in, Mrs Penney?’ he said gaily.
‘I’d be delighted, Mr Patrick,’ she laughed, putting her hand on the arm of his shabby suit.
Feena spoke up before other arrangements could be made. ‘Mr Spargo, I’m sure you’d like to escort Leah. Matt, will you take Miss Treloar in? And Greg, dear, you can take me.’
When they were seated round the huge mahogany table, set with cut-glass candlesticks and bowls of scarlet camellias, Hannah said, ‘And what will we be feasting on tonight, Mr Patrick?’ There was a subtle change in her voice, as if she was trying to sound more cultivated. ‘I dare say you’ve been working hard in the kitchen all afternoon.’
Matt raised his dark brows impatiently; Feena saw it and pursed her lips.
‘Oh, we’re going to be very cosmopolitan tonight. We’re having minestrone soup, veal scaloppine and Marquise Alice,’ Patrick said proudly across the table from her, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
Leah leaned round Matt to Greg seated at the bottom end of the table and whispered, ‘What did he say?’
‘Veal cooked the Italian way and a French dessert, darling.’ He blew her a kiss.
Sitting at the head of the table Feena raised a toast to the couple back from honeymoon, waited for the good wishes to die down, then turned to Hannah. ‘I knew that gown would suit you, dear. The sequins match the colour of your eyes. You look gorgeous. Don’t you think so, Matt?’
‘Hannah would look gorgeous in a filthy sack,’ he replied shortly.
Hannah shot a vexed look at him. Patrick started off about the gardens again, taking it for granted Matt was listening to him. Leah concentrated on her food. Greg watched her fondly.
‘You look charming too, Miss Treloar,’ Feena went on. ‘Such a refreshing change to see evening trousers. I must get something like it for myself. You must tell me afterwards who your fashion house is. How are you enjoying your stay in Cornwall? You’ve been with us a month now. Have you decided to stay?’
Grace glanced at Hannah before answering. ‘Yes. I’m thinking of opening up a little gift shop. I thought I could also sell wool and stationery to keep it open all year round.’
‘What a novel idea,’ Feena said. ‘In Mevagissey? It’s the biggest place locally to attract holidaymakers.’
‘No, in Porthellis. I’m told quite a few people are about in the summer. It’s for something to do really. It’s not as if I need to make a massive profit.’
‘Have you thought about costume jewellery?’ Feena said. ‘That reminds me of something. Hannah dear, how would you like to have your ears pierced? It’s quite the thing these days. I could get someone to come to the house and we could both have it done.’
‘Hannah doesn’t need holes in her ears,’ Matt said tartly.
‘That’s for Hannah to decide, isn’t it?’ Feena returned.
All eyes were on Hannah for her reaction. ‘I would like to have my ears pierced,’ she said quietly.
Matt let the fork fall from his hand and clatter on the plate. He gulped water from a glass and glared at his wife.
Leah was eyeing Mrs Opie but she was ignored.
‘Yes, well, I thought I’d plant some Virginia creeper on one of the outside walls of the walled garden at the end of the year, then we’ll have a blaze of autumn colour,’ Patrick said to no one in particular.
Jeff accepted second helpings of everything, content to listen to the conversations, speaking only when spoken to. Halfway through the meal he suddenly became aware of the white damask napkin at his side; unperturbed, he unrolled it and tucked it into his collar.
Grace was intrigued by Matt. He had pulled his facial muscles in so tightly it was a wonder he could eat and drink. What an interesting specimen he was. He obviously adored Hannah but he had a moody streak in him. Grace wondered why Mrs Opie and Hannah were so close; odd for the mistress of a big house and the girl who’d been her housekeeper for a few short months, leaving in disgrace. Aunt Adela hadn’t come up with an answer to this mystery. Mrs Opie obviously didn’t mind about the baby, in fact she doted on him. Hannah behaved differently in these surroundings, she had publicly gone against her husband’s express wishes. It wasn’t surprising he didn’t want her receiving attention from her old employer. Had anyone noticed that Mrs Opie was ignoring the quiet little bride? And Leah was wife of the heir to the property. Grace looked again at Matt. He noticed and stared back blatantly. A stubborn, tough individual, she thought. He and Daniel hated each other; sparks could easily be made to fly between them.
‘Have you found somewhere to ride yet, Miss Treloar?’ Feena asked.
‘I have approached a couple of farms but they didn’t have any suitable mounts. Hemmick Farm has an empty barn that could be quickly converted into a stable. Mr Henry Teague has said he’s willing to do that and rent it out to me if I send for a couple of my own horses. I would employ a capable stable boy.’
‘I have a better idea,’ Feena said, her eyes firmly on Hannah again. ‘Install your horses in my stable. The stable boy could use the old coachman’s cottage. You could teach Hannah to ride and go out together.’
‘I’d be pleased to,’ Grace said, turning to Leah who looked as if she was trying to shrink in her chair. ‘I’d be happy to give lessons to Hannah and Leah.’
‘Of course, but I expect Greg will want to teach Leah, won’t you, darling?’
‘Yes, Grandma.’ He smiled at Leah. ‘It will be fun, darling.’
Leah tried to return his smile.
‘Don’t you like horses?’ Greg was at once concerned about his wife’s lukewarm response to the idea.
‘Yes,’ she said and concentrated on her dessert.
The meal was completed in a strained atmosphere. When everyone was back in the drawing room, Feena said brightly, ‘I’ve recently purchased a new board game that’s very popular in America. It’s called Monopoly. One has to acquire the most property to win. Who would like to play?’
‘Sounds interesting,’ Grace said.
‘I’ve read about that,’ Jeff said enthusiastically. ‘I’ll have a go.’
‘Thank you, Mr Spargo,’ Feena said regally. ‘How about you, Matt? I’m sure you could master it.’
‘Yes, all right,’ he answered, glancing restlessly at the clock on the mantelpiece.
Greg set up the folding card table for the board game. When he stood back, Leah nudged his arm. ‘I don’t want to play, Greg.’
‘Don’t worry, darling.’ He kissed the top of her head. ‘It’s not difficult. I’ll guide you.’
‘I don’t want to play,’ she hissed, her small round face turning hot and red.
‘Why not? What’s the matter?’ He slipped a protective arm round her.
‘Nothing,’ she said sullenly.
Shrugging his shoulders, Greg excused himself and Leah, saying she was tired and they would go to bed early. Leah kissed Jeff and Hannah and bid the others a quiet good night.
‘Understandable I suppose,’ Jeff smiled after them. ‘They haven’t been married long.’
‘Mmmm,’ Feena said vaguely.
She had studied the rules of the Monopoly game and the others soon picked it up. It was fought long and hard by all. Jeff was the first to lose when he overreached himself and flamboyantly bought all the property named on one side of the board. Feena was out next and then Patrick; he excused himself and left for the bathroom. The three younger people were left to battle it out. Hannah and Grace forgot their differences over Grace’s friendship with Daniel and enjoyed themselves as they had at their first meetings.
‘Can I pour you a nightcap, Feena?’ Jeff said softly, going to her where she was sitting on the sofa. ‘Do you still take a drop of brandy and water?’
‘I do, but I don’t want anything now, thank you.’
‘You look beautiful,’ he said.
It took all her willpower not to flush with pleasure at the unexpected compliment. ‘Still feeling the need to try out your old charm, Jeff? I don’t expect it works as well these days.’
‘I meant it. You look as good as the day I first saw you, out there in the woods. ’Tis no wonder Hannah’s turned out to be so beautiful,’ he ended proudly.
Feena nodded demurely. ‘She means everything to me. Matt doesn’t like me.’
‘Of course he doesn’t. We’re all jealous of the people who have pulls on the one we love the most. Matt feels threatened but he’s a good man. Hannah couldn’t have married anyone better, even from your class.’
Feena observed Matt as he threw the dice, a look of intense concentration on his face. ‘I hope he won’t go astray like you have always done.’
‘So do I, but he’s not likely to if Hannah looks after him properly. He’s a different sort of man to me. He’s not proud of his good looks. I was never born to be faithful to one woman.’
Feena looked Jeff fully in the eye. ‘Out of mere curiosity, how do you and Prim get on now?’
‘She keeps my house, cooks my meals, looks after Josh, but we don’t share the same bed, if that’s what you mean. Haven’t done so for a couple of years. Have you had someone else since we parted?’
‘No. You destroyed my trust in men.’
‘I made you bitter. That’s a shame. A woman like you, still quite young and desirable, shouldn’t spend all her nights alone.’ Feena was flattered but the next moment she asked herself if this persistent womaniser was amusing himself with her feelings. He couldn’t be trusted. He had ended their association, shunning her plea that they go away together and start a new life with the baby she was expecting. If he wasn’t sharing a bed with Prim, there would be another woman seeing to his needs, perhaps more than one.
A flurry of excitement at the game table caught Feena’s attention. Grace had just secured a lot of property. There was another woman attracted to a handsome rogue of lower birth, but in this case the man concerned was much more callous and conniving than Jeff Spargo. There was no use advising Grace to drop Daniel Kittow; Feena knew how impossible it was to use one’s common sense where such men were concerned. It would end when Kittow had no more use for her or was bored with her; then he would crush her, trample over her feelings, ignore her pleadings and thrust her heartlessly out of his life. Feena felt unsettled and resolved never to ask Jeff here again.
The game ended close to midnight, with Grace winning nearly all the property on the board. ‘I shall go to St Austell and buy Monopoly for my aunt and uncle. You must come up to the Manse and play with us,’ she said to Hannah and Matt.
Upstairs, Greg was having a hard time extracting from Leah why she had suddenly become unhappy. ‘Everything was fine in Paris and Scotland, darling,’ he said as they climbed into the fourposter bed. ‘Did someone say something to upset you?’
‘It’s nothing,’ Leah repeated for the umpteenth time. Greg would think her silly if she told him she was seething with anger at his grandmother. Throughout their engagement Mrs Opie had paid more attention to Hannah than to her. Leah had accepted it but she had thought she would become more important when she became Mrs Opie. But the lady had all but ignored her when she and Greg had arrived home this afternoon. Throughout the dinner Leah had felt she didn’t exist as far as Mrs Opie was concerned. She knew she didn’t have Hannah’s confidence and poise but she felt she should be treated at least on an equal footing with her sister.
Greg kissed her, nuzzled her neck, pulled at the silk ribbons on the front of her nightdress. ‘I love you, darling,’ he murmured huskily.
Her body tightened. She became frigid. Her lips did not respond to his. She felt she didn’t belong here, lying in this oversized bed.
‘Darling, what’s the matter?’ He smoothed her hair from her face and tenderly kissed the top of her nose.
She was near to tears. ‘I–I don’t want to, Greg. I’m tired.’
‘It’s all right.’ He kissed her hot, damp forehead. ‘It’s been a taxing time for you these last few weeks. You can relax now we’re home.’ With his arms round her, he settled down to sleep.
It wasn’t taxing away from here, she thought miserably, the tears hot on her cheeks. She had made love with Greg almost every night on their honeymoon. It had been unsuccessful on their wedding night and Greg had kissed away her tears of disappointment, reassuring her that she was only tense because of the wedding, that it would be all right next time. He had been right. But now they were back at Roscarrock, living under his grandmother’s roof, she was tense again.
All the guests from Porthellis squeezed into the car so that Patrick would have to make only one journey. The evening had ended on a happy note and Hannah was not pleased to find that Matt was in one of his moods.
‘Grace and I have forgotten our differences,’ she said, watching his grim profile in her dressing-table mirror as she unclasped her pearls. ‘It was a good evening so why are you looking grumpy?’
‘You haven’t got a clue, have you?’ he accused her, his tone exasperated.
‘What have I done?’ she said crossly, keeping her voice low so as not to wake Nathan. ‘I’m fed up with your attitude towards Mrs Opie. She’s my mother, remember? I have the right to go to Roscarrock and I don’t think it’s too much to ask you to behave in a reasonable manner about it.’
‘And what about Leah?’ he retorted darkly:
‘Leah? What about her? I don’t know what you’re driving at.’
‘Of course not, because you’ve always got your head in the bloody clouds when you’re in that damned place or with that damned woman. You were so busy standing in your own light tonight you didn’t notice Leah was left out of all Feena Opie’s schemes. She wasn’t given an evening dress to wear tonight. She wasn’t asked if she wanted to have her ears pierced. She wasn’t included in the ruddy horse riding. How do you think she must have felt? Left out, that’s what. That’s why she went to bed early. Even Greg didn’t notice the real reason. She’ll be living there from now on. What’s she going to think with Feena Opie lavishing all her attention on you?’ He stabbed a finger towards her. ‘Leah hasn’t been told the woman is your mother, has she? Even though she’s Greg’s wife, an Opie now herself. Your selfishness is going to make that poor girl feel very uncomfortable.’
Hannah was mortified but she was also furious at Matt’s outburst ‘You’re not concerned about Leah in all this, you’re only ranting and raving at me because you hate Mrs Opie.’
Throwing his suit jacket on a chair, Matt charged across to her and caught her arms. ‘When are you going to see that woman for the manipulating bitch she is? I forbid you to take Nathan to Roscarrock again.’
‘You have no right to do that.’ She struggled to get free. ‘You’re jealous that I’m close to someone else.’
‘Too right I am, you foolish woman.’ He
pulled her against him. ‘I’m worried about anyone who would come between us and I’m convinced Feena Opie’s trying to break us up.’
‘You’re being ridiculous. Let go of me, Matt.’
Gripping the back of her neck, he pulled the evening gown off her shoulders. ‘Take this off. I don’t want to see you in it.’
‘Stop behaving like this.’ She beat his chest ‘Who do you think you are? Daniel Kittow?’
He let her go so abruptly she nearly fell on the floor. ‘I’d never try to rape you,’ he said icily.
Hannah gulped. Her last remark had been cruel and undeserved. ‘I’m sorry I said that but I don’t like being shouted at and pulled around.’
‘I’m sorry. I got carried away,’ he said quietly. ‘But it’s difficult to make you see sense over Feena Opie.’
Hannah stepped out of the evening gown, put it on a hanger and placed it in the wardrobe. They undressed silently, avoiding each other’s eyes, and got into bed.
She recalled the few moments he had imprisoned her, pulled down the dress, exposed her breasts to his eyes. She knew Matt would never hurt her and she felt strangely excited. She put a hand on his chest. His skin was hot, his heart was heaving, he was still in a passion. She kissed his shoulder, stroked his hair. He rolled over to her and they made love fiercely.
Patrick had escorted Grace to the Manse but the instant he’d driven off she went down the hill and turned into Cobble Street. She could hear the Sunrise’s crew whooping it up down in the harbour. The lights were on in Daniel’s house and without hesitating she went inside. She was all dressed up, she knew she looked good, and she wanted Daniel to see her, to find her attractive.
He was in the kitchen rubbing oil into the new set of oilskins. ‘You’ll ruin your reputation coming here this late at night,’ he said, wiping his hands and lighting a cigarette. ‘You could have been embarrassed. I could have had a woman here.’
‘I’ve come here night and day and I haven’t seen anyone.’
‘That’s only because I’m not laying anyone from the village,’ he smirked, coming to her. ‘How did the dinner go?’
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