‘No, we’re bloody not!’ Daniel swore. Shoving himself between the two younger Penroses, he strode to the cabin. ‘Get out!’ he snarled at Andy, and the youngest Penrose, who was endeavouring to pull off his oilskins, scampered out like a nervous puppy.
There were mugs of steaming tea and food on the table and Daniel sent them hurling across the cabin with one sweep of his arm. He could have torn the boat apart. He wanted to hurt someone, make someone suffer.
‘Bastard. Bible-thumping bigot. Pious prig,’ he raged, his breathing ragged. ‘I’m only trying to make a living for my family.’ As he said it, he knew it wasn’t true. He’d passed on stolen goods for excitement, as rebellion, because he loved flouting the law and thumbing his nose at convention. To show himself what sort of man he was? Like a sailing ship suddenly deprived of a powerful wind, he collapsed on the bunk behind him. As if a lid had been whipped off a chest of treasure, he saw the hoard inside as his inner self, not sparkling, desirable, precious, but tarnished, contaminated, rotten.
He had always thought himself a winner, but now he realised what it felt like to have no one care about him in the whole world. Grace loved him but didn’t trust or respect him. Melanie would climb on to his lap if he beckoned to her, give him a shy peck when he gave her a present, but he doubted that she had acquired love and trust for anyone but Grace.
And Hannah loathed him; she didn’t care what he did as long as he didn’t harm her family. She wouldn’t give a damn if he died.
The pain of his existence hit him lull force. For the first time in his life he felt useless, having no future to live for except two people who could only offer him a flawed love. Burying his face in his hands, he wept.
* * *
Mary Grayson told Lily that the younger Mrs Opie was in the drawing room and was expecting her.
‘Here, take these.’ Lily held out her chubby hands which were clutching a huge posy of primroses. ‘Put them in water for Miss Leah, will you, please? It’ll cheer her up, she loves wild flowers. I’ll show myself in.’
‘She’s down in the dumps today,’ Mary whispered, taking the long-stemmed pale yellow flowers. ‘She can’t wait for her labour to start and get the birth over.’
‘No wonder.’ Lily made an effort to keep her voice down. ‘Going around like a beached whale would drive me mad too. Do you like working here, Mary?’
‘Oh, yes, it’s the best position I’ve had so far. It’s my afternoon off today. I haven’t been down into Porthellis yet. I thought I’d walk there to see Mrs Penney’s chandlery.’
‘Be sure to call on me then. The cottages next to the quay, number seven.’
‘Thank you, Mrs Rouse.’
‘She’s a good sort,’ Lily said, referring to Mary when she was sitting opposite a very grumpy-looking Leah.
‘She rubs my back for me, which is killing me at the moment, and is very gentle.’ Leah screwed up her face as she tried to wriggle into a more comfortable position. She was half lying on the sofa, her feet up on cushions.
‘Getting you down, is it?’ Lily nodded at the almost grotesque rise of her stomach.
‘Oh, Lily, you haven’t got a clue what it’s like. I can’t put my stockings on by myself. I can’t see my feet unless I’ve got them raised up like this and they ache all the time. I’ve got constant heartburn. I have to keep rushing to the lavatory for a wee. My bosoms have gone into a horrible shape and it feels as if a heavy lump of dough is pressing down on my whatsitsname and hanging down to my knees.’ Tears filled her eyes and overflowed. ‘I’ve been beastly to Greg. I snap at everything he says. He won’t love me any more. I’m fat and ugly and I’ll always stay like it.’
Lily hugged her, stroking her long hair. ‘Come on, you silly. Of course Greg still loves you. The moment the baby’s born things will return to normal. Dry your eyes now. If Mary tells anyone you’ve been crying there’ll be a fuss. She’ll be here in a minute with the tea and I’ve told her to pile on heaps of cake.’
Leah found her hanky, wiped her eyes and blew her nose. ‘I’m so glad you phoned wanting to come today. The time’s dragged like years since you were here with Lizzie and my sisters. Have you got your wedding photos yet? I’d like to have one.’
‘Be a few more days before we get them.’ Lily returned to her chair and chuckled, her eyes twinkling. ‘I hope I don’t get caught with a baby yet. Now Jowan’s finally got the hang of it I’m enjoying all the practising.’
‘I’ll tease Jowan when I see—’ A sharp pull inside her tummy silenced her.
Lily dashed across the room. ‘What is it?’
After a moment Leah sighed. ‘Oh, nothing. I’ve had these twinges for days but nothing comes of it. The midwife calls every day. She says something much stronger and longer lasting must happen before it signals the start of labour.’
Mary came in with the tea tray. ‘Are you all right, Mrs Opie?’
‘Only another false alarm, Mary,’ Leah said, despondent again. ‘Thanks for bringing the tea. What lovely primroses,’ she added when Mary left. ‘Did you pick them, Lily?’
‘Yes, my dear. Specially for you. The hedges are bursting with them this year. You should go outside for a little while, the air’s fresh and sweet today. Shall I pour the tea?’
‘Yes, please. I don’t think I could move to do it.’
‘Actually, I’ve brought you something you could add to the hot water. Epsom salts. I was talking to my mother-in-law about childbirth last night and she says she took it each time to get things going as her two boys were overdue. It’s harmless, it won’t hurt you. The worst that can happen is you’ll get the runs.’
‘I don’t know,’ Leah said uncertainly. ‘If it was that easy the midwife would have mentioned it. Besides, it’s three more days till I’m overdue. I’ll hide it away and think about it then.’ She took a sip of tea and rested the cup and saucer on her bump. ‘Did Lizzie, Sarah or Naomi say anything about having tea here last week?’
‘What, you mean did they enjoy it? They thought it was wonderful, said so all the way home.’ She offered a plate of fancy cakes to Leah, who declined. Lily munched her way through two cakes, then said, ‘Hannah will be able to come here again soon, now things in the chandlery have settled down. She works there all morning then catches up on her housework. They must have taken some good money. People have come from all over to look round it.’
I don’t want to hear about Hannah, Leah nearly snapped. Why can’t people think only about me and my baby? Why does her wretched name have to come up all the time? Even Miss Benson has been down to the village to see her stupid shop and come back talking as if she and Matt had opened a chain of big stores.
‘I’ve engaged a nursemaid at last,’ she said pointedly.
‘Oh, good. What’s she like?’ Lily gulped down her tea, refilled her cup and started on another fancy.
‘She’s twenty-eight and comes from Par. Her name’s Elsie Baker, she’s got good references and is very experienced with young babies. She’s gone home with her family for a while because the people she used to work for are going abroad to live. She’s on the telephone and we’ll contact her when my labour begins.’
‘I’m glad you’ve got that sorted out. You want someone older like that, more sensible and trustworthy than a young maid.’
‘That’s what I thought,’ Leah said.
‘Hannah went to the doctor’s yesterday. She hasn’t said why. Your Aunty Janet thinks she could be pregnant again.’
It was too much. Must she have Hannah rammed down her throat every minute of the day? ‘For goodness’ sake!’ Her sharp movements knocked over the cup and although the tea wasn’t hot, she screamed shrilly.
Lily sprang up, going to the door. ‘I’ll get a cloth.’
‘I don’t want a bloody cloth!’ Leah shrieked at the top of her voice. ‘I want you and everyone else to stop talking about Hannah all the time!’
Mary was taking a parcel from the postman at the door and she turned a shocked
face to Lily. Greg hurried out of the study.
‘Anyone would think Hannah was the only one in the world who mattered,’ Leah screamed. ‘I’m about to produce the heir to Roscarrock but everyone cares more about her than me or my baby just because Mrs Opie’s her real mother!’
Greg pushed past Lily and hurried over to Leah. ‘Darling, what are you saying? You’re getting hysterical. What’s upset you like this?’
Leah was sobbing wretchedly and wouldn’t allow Greg to comfort her. ‘She’s not more important than I am. She’s not! I hate Hannah! I hate her! Oh, God,’ she sobbed like a tormented child, ‘I hate her.’
Chapter 30
It had been Prim’s turn to look after Nathan and she was making her way with him to the chandlery to hand him back to Hannah. Josh was lolloping along at her side, tickling Nathan under the chin, making him chuckle.
‘Give over, Josh,’ Prim ordered him sternly. ‘You’re making him wriggle. I can’t carry him like this, he’s too heavy.’
Josh understood the gist of what his mother was saying and held out his arms for Nathan. When they’d crossed the bridge, Prim handed him over. ‘Hold him tightly but don’t squeeze him,’ she said, fussing with Nathan’s jumper as he was held in Josh’s strong arms.
As they went on, Josh swung his little nephew from side to side and Nathan howled with laughter. Prim tut-tutted good-naturedly.
Daniel was working alone on the boat, carrying out a bucket of ashes from the stove, and stopped to study the fair-haired little boy with his brain-damaged uncle. He was sorry that Nathan wouldn’t be attending Melanie’s party this afternoon. When the boy was older, what reason would Hannah give him for not mixing with his children? He couldn’t care less if Matt always hated him but he didn’t want Nathan to look down on Melanie and his coming baby. After the party, Mrs Penrose was going to stay on with Melanie while he and Grace dined at a hotel in St Austell to celebrate her pregnancy. He was looking forward to watching his new child grow inside Grace, its birth and infancy. It gave him hope.
Prim noticed him staring and stood still with her hands on her fat hips. Daniel could almost feel her animosity stretching across the water. He put down the bucket of ashes and returned to the cabin.
Josh was spinning Nathan round and round in a circle.
‘Walk with him properly, Josh,’ Prim said crossly. ‘He’ll get so excited Hannah will have a hard job putting him down for his afternoon nap.’
Josh slowed down but he couldn’t walk straight. Dizzy and out of control, he lurched away from Prim towards a patch of scrubby grass in front of a stretch of rough wall that overlooked the beach, or the water if the tide was in, as it was today.
‘Josh!’ Prim screamed. ‘For goodness’ sake, stop!’
A primitive sense telling him to cling on to Nathan, Josh tried desperately to regain his balance. Prim could hardly believe her eyes as the next moment he toppled over the wall into the sea with Nathan.
‘Help! Help!’ she shouted, dancing about on her short fat legs. The water was deep and they were both in danger of drowning. She couldn’t swim, Josh did not have the coordination to swim and there was no hope of him saving Nathan.
Hearing Prim’s hollers, Daniel came aft. Seeing her alone in a frenzy he guessed what had happened. The few people who were about were running to the scene of the accident but he slipped over the side of the Sunrise and swam towards Prim.
A man jumped into the water and made a grab for Josh who was howling, panicking, gulping mouthfuls of salt water, his arms flailing about dangerously. He was too strong for the man and he was soon at risk of being drowned himself. A youth who had jumped in to search for Nathan went to his aid.
Stopping to scan the churning waters, Daniel could see no sign of Nathan. A tight coldness was feeding his heart with dread. Remembering how Hannah had been after her miscarriage, he feared she would lose her mind altogether if she lost her beloved son.
‘What’s going on out there?’ Hannah asked a customer in the chandlery after glancing at Matt. All three went to look out of the door. On seeing Prim several yards away, standing mutely with her hands clamped to her face and frantic activity in the water, they ran to her.
Hannah shook her. ‘What’s happened? Mum, where’s Nathan?’ Prim’s wide-eyed stare down at the water told her. ‘Oh, my God. No! My baby!’
Letting out a cry of anguish, Matt kicked off his shoes and joined in the rescue. More people had arrived and Roy Rouse stopped Hannah from jumping into the water too. ‘Leave it to Matt, m’dear. You’d be more of a hindrance.’
Her hands clenched to her chest, heart torn with fear, Hannah watched as a red head broke the surface and she realised Daniel was trying to save her son. ‘Oh, please God,’ she prayed aloud. ‘Please, please let one of them find him.’
Kicking and struggling against his rescuers, Josh was gradually dragged to the wall and more pairs of hands reached down to haul him up. He was coughing and spluttering from the sea water he’d swallowed and began to vomit. Hannah didn’t look at her brother, keeping her eyes on the churning water. A voice said, ‘He’s brought it all up, I reckon. Still, the doctor should be called t’come and look at un.’ He was carried back out of the way and was forgotten as the fight went on to find and save Nathan.
Time and time again Matt and Daniel and a few other hardy swimmers ducked under the water and came up for air. Hannah was now in her father’s arms, more terrified with every passing second that she had lost her child. She tried not to worry about Matt over-exerting himself.
Not finding the little boy in the area where he’d plunged into the water, Daniel struck out and searched about under the nearest lugger. He saw what looked like a rag. He reached out and grabbed it and it floated towards him. It was Nathan’s jumper. Pulling the boy into his body, he swam sideways to get out from under the boat then he straightened up to head for the surface. He had only moved a foot when his shirt sleeve caught on the hull of the boat and he was impaled, trapped. He struggled to rip himself free but the cloth wouldn’t give. He felt no pain but knew the sharp wedge of wood had sliced into his shoulder.
His lungs were bursting for air but there was no knowing how long Nathan had been under the water. Working up all his strength, he thrust the boy upwards, praying his body would break the surface.
Hannah cried out as Nathan suddenly appeared above the water. Matt had come up for air and he swam the few yards to his child. Nathan was limp against him as he made for the wall. Hannah was on her knees and leaning over the edge. With Jeff’s help, she gently lifted Nathan away from Matt into her arms.
‘Nathan? Nathan?’ She wiped a hand over his pale face. His head rolled. His eyes were closed. ‘Can you hear Mummy?’ she pleaded. ‘Please, darling, open your eyes for me.’ She was about to give him artificial respiration when Nathan took in a loud breath and his eyes snapped open. He coughed and struggled to sit upright and began to cry. Hannah cradled him into her body and cried too. Then Matt, who had to be helped out of the sea, was dripping beside her. He took them both into his arms.
‘Good job Daniel went over there for un,’ Roy said grimly as the other rescuers came ashore. ‘I saw his hand under the boy.’
Hannah looked across to where the water was slapping against the lugger. There was no sign of Daniel.
Janet was there with a blanket and Hannah wrapped it round Nathan.
Moments passed, then more.
‘Why hasn’t he come up?’ she asked anxiously. Now that her son was safe, she realised the last thing she wanted was for Daniel to be dead and she yelled urgently, ‘Where is he?’ Then she saw the red stain floating on the choppy surface.
Letting go of his wife and son, Matt went back into the water and swam to the place where Nathan had emerged.
‘Matt, be careful,’ Hannah shouted after him.
He dived under, swimming towards the bottom of the boat, and saw Daniel struggling to free himself, blood fanning out around him.
Realising
he was trapped, Matt touched him, feeling for the place that was keeping him prisoner. Frantic for air, light-headed, death imminent, Daniel’s fight was causing the slice of wood to cut deeper and deeper into his wound. Sensing someone was trying to save him, he forced himself to be still and allow the newcomer to free him. Matt felt round the flesh and the wood, then he pushed Daniel’s body down and then up and away from the snag, blood pouring from the injury. Daniel was too weak to make for the surface. Matt swam upwards, taking him with him, then he felt Daniel rising quickly as other rescuers came to his aid.
Daniel felt the cold air hit his face. The great rush of oxygen he gulped in seemed to shatter his chest and he lost consciousness.
* * *
‘We ought to say something to him, Matt,’ Hannah said quietly. They were gazing down on Nathan sleeping in his cot.
‘I know,’ Matt said, slipping his arm round her waist. ‘He saved Nathan’s life but it still doesn’t come easy having to thank him for it.’
‘He was badly hurt.’
‘It doesn’t cancel out what he got his men to do to me.’
‘I know. And you saved his life and that doesn’t cancel out him saving Nathan. Thank goodness Josh is all right. The accident wasn’t really his fault, he’s had a terrible fright but I shall insist he never goes near the water with Nathan again. I don’t want to let Nathan out of my sight but the sooner we go to see Daniel the better.’
‘All the way to the hospital? Now?’
‘No, your mother told me he’s home. He insisted Melanie’s birthday party went ahead. It must be over by now. Let’s ask Grace if we can see him.’
A few moments later they were standing outside Chynoweth’s front door. ‘I never thought I’d actually knock on his door and ask to see him, except to knock his block off,’ Matt sighed under his breath.
‘I doubt if Daniel will crow over us or be nasty,’ Hannah said. After all, she knew how Daniel felt about her. ‘Let’s just be careful what we say. We are truly thankful he saved Nathan’s life, aren’t we?’
Porthellis Page 30