‘I’ll put the silk away safely in my room,’ I said hesitantly. But Garth paid no attention, and after a few minutes I hurried up to my room, placing the silk on my bed, where it lay like a pool of bright water under the summer skies. Lovingly I touched the smoothness of it, wondering what on earth Jonathon had meant when he had said that the silk had been plundered.
The oppressive atmosphere of the house was giving me a headache, and the sun shining warmly now outside the window seemed to beckon to me. I was quietly leaving the house when I heard footsteps behind me.
‘Do you mind if I come with you?’ Garth spoke so sternly that I would not have dared refuse him even if I had wanted to. I nodded my head in assent, and with a grim look in his eyes, he held the door open for me.
We walked in silence for a while, the cold fresh air whipping the sparse grass at our feet. I knew that Garth had something he wished to say to me, and my heart beat fast with apprehension.
‘I trust you realise that Jonathon is very vulnerable,’ he said at last. ‘He probably believes himself to be in love with you at this moment, but don’t expect the feeling to last.’
Anger raced through me, bringing the heat to my cheeks. I clenched my fists, longing to strike the superior look from Garth’s face.
‘You are determined to think ill of me, aren’t you?’ I challenged. ‘You realise now that I am not a fortune hunter, so you assume that I wish to be married.’
He looked me over coolly for a moment. ‘I thought it was every young lady’s wish. I’m sure you do not want to be a spinster all your life.’
I stopped walking and stood before him. ‘Don’t be so arrogant. Please do not fear for yourself or your brother; I have no plans to wed either of you.’
He put his arm around my shoulder in a sudden companionable gesture and, to my surprise, changed the subject entirely.
‘Look, there over the bay; see how well my new ship looks?’
I followed the direction of his pointing finger, and indeed, the ship stood out from the rest, gleaming with fresh paint, tall and proud against the old wall of the harbour.
‘I mean to take you to see her at close quarters one of these days,’ Garth continued. ‘I have named her after you, and she has a figurehead in your likeness.’
I stared at him uncertainly. Was he making fun of me, or was he speaking the truth? He correctly interpreted my expression.
‘She is high-breasted and small of waist, with black eyes and flowing red curls, just like you.’ He paused for a moment, staring down at me with a gleam of amusement in his eyes.
‘Do you know what I have called her?’ He smiled, his teeth very white against the brown of his face. ‘Sea Witch.’ He regarded me steadily, and I struggled between laughter and anger.
‘If I am a witch, you are a devil. How did you come by the bolt of silk you gave me?’
He stared at a seagull wheeling overhead and was silent for so long I began to think he had no intention of answering me.
‘It is as Jonathon told you.’ He spoke so suddenly that I was startled. ‘I wait in sheltered coves until a rich merchant vessel founders against the rocks, and then I relieve her of her cargo.’
I stared at him, aghast. ‘You mean you are a pirate?’ I drew a little away from him, expecting a denial. It did not come.
‘I suppose I am, but then the sailors from the ships think the cargo a good exchange for their lives. They would drown if it weren’t for me.’
‘It is no wonder you do not want Grandmother’s money,’ I said scathingly. ‘It is too honest for you.’
I turned and blundered away from him, not seeing the heather-covered ground beneath my feet. Long withered stalks of grass caught at my skirt, and occasionally my feet sank into marshy ground. But I ignored the cold wetness and pressed on to higher ground.
The heat of my anger made me oblivious to the fact that the sun had disappeared and the skies had become leaden and ominous. All I could think of was that Garth was a self-confessed plunderer.
It began to rain. Driving, spiteful darts of rain almost crystallised into hail, and above me, mists swirled over the head of the mountain. To my left, I saw a small hollow in the rocks that promised some shelter and, slipping on the wet grass, I hurried toward it.
Huddled there against the cold rock, I had time to look about me. It was obvious that my anger had spurred me on to ground that was quite unfamiliar to me. The empty, desolate hills hunched over me, blotting out the thin light so that I could hardly see my hand in front of my face.
I stood still for a time, waiting hopefully for the rain to ease, but at last I could bear the desolate silence no longer. I pulled my damp cloak around me and headed down in the direction where I thought the road might be.
I heard a call, thin and far away, and with a burst of excitement, I placed my hands around my mouth and shouted back. The voice came again, and then I could hear the faint but distinct beat of hooves.
I hurried toward the sound, stumbling in my relief. A horse and rider appeared suddenly from out of the mist, bearing down on me. I stood there waiting, straining my eyes to see who my rescuer was.
The man was large and high on the saddle, a cloak flowing behind him like wings. He did not check his pace but urged his animal onwards. With a shock I realised that the flying hooves were almost upon me. I threw myself sideways, hitting the ground with such force that the breath was knocked out of me. Struggling to my feet, I tried to run, but the animal had spun round and was heading toward me once more.
‘Stop!’ I screamed, but my voice was carried away in the mist. In my haste, I stumbled and lost my balance. Then the thundering hooves were so near, it was like the beating of my heart.
I waited until I could hear the animal’s breath and then, at the last minute, flung myself away, out of danger for the moment at least.
Slowly I crept behind a boulder, shivering with fear, almost afraid to breathe. I could hear the man cursing as he searched for me. But now the mist was my friend, concealing my hiding place so effectively that at last my pursuer gave up the chase. I lay still for a long time, trying to regain my courage, and then I moved slowly along the ground, following the fresh tracks of the horse down from the mountains.
To my amazement, the tracks led back to the Hall. I went into the welcoming warmth to be met by Lucy.
‘Oh, miss, we’ve all been that worried about you, what with the mist and all.’ She took my cloak with a disapproving click of her tongue. ‘You go into the sitting room, and I’ll bring you a hot toddy.’
I smiled my thanks; the thought of a hot drink was a very pleasant one. I walked quickly into the room, drawn by the large, cheerful fire.
‘So you have returned to Langland Hall.’ The deep voice spoke suddenly at my elbow, and I turned nervously to find Daniel Perkins staring down at me. He moved toward me, a menacing look in his eyes, and I stepped back a pace or two.
‘What do you mean?’ I asked in a small voice, and he grinned at me in a way that made my flesh creep.
‘There is no need for pretence,’ he said, his glittering, snake-like eyes never leaving me for a second. ‘You know that I was up in the mountains, too, don’t you?’ His hand snaked out suddenly and caught mine.
I gave a little scream, and suddenly the door opened and Jonathon, a look of surprise on his face, came across to where I was standing.
‘What’s going on, Perkins?’ he asked in a quiet voice. My arm was released, and thankfully I moved nearer to my cousin.
He put his arm around my shoulder. ‘Mr Perkins was just about to leave,’ he said, and gestured toward the door.
When we were alone, I sank into a chair, and Jonathon took my hand in his.
‘There is no need to be afraid, Catherine,’ he said. ‘I will always be here to look after you. If only you would agree to become my wife, I could really look after you; you would be safe then.’
I sighed. ‘It’s no good, Jonathon. I am very fond of you, of course, but I’m afraid
I do not feel love for you.’ I rose to my feet. ‘Now I really must go and change my wet shoes!’
I saw Lucy in the hallway. ‘Would you bring the toddy to my room, please?’ I said, and she nodded, following me up the stairs.
The rain was beating steadily against my windows, and I moved over to the fire, taking the drink from Lucy thankfully. She lifted the bolt of blue silk from my bed and placed it on the chest of drawers.
‘Isn’t it beautiful, miss?’ Lucy fondled the soft cloth. ‘It will look lovely on you. Mr Garth always did have good taste.’
I relaxed in my chair, feeling rather flattered that Garth had given my gift so much thought.
‘Do you know anyone who could sew it for me, Lucy?’ I asked, rubbing my bruised legs to ease the ache in them. She saw the gesture and, with an exclamation, bent down to inspect the marks.
‘My word, miss, whatever happened to you?’ Her eyes were large, and I couldn’t help but smile in spite of the shiver that passed through me when I thought of those moments on the mountain with the large horse, like an avenging devil, bearing down upon me.
‘I slipped; the mist was so thick I didn’t know where I was going.’
She insisted on bathing my legs there and then, and I did feel pleasantly comfortable after her ministrations.
‘Good thing Mr Garth did not know you were lost in the mountains, miss,’ she said. ‘He would have been in a proper state.’
‘I doubt that!’ I said drily. ‘Where is he now?’
She shrugged her shoulders. ‘I think he might be gone to the docks; there was some talk of missing cargo. Mr Perkins came up to tell Mr Garth about it.’
I pondered a little on that. Perkins meant me mischief; that much was obvious. But was Garth involved with him?
‘By the way, miss,’ Lucy picked up the tray, ‘I do know someone who will sew your dress. I’ve just thought of it.’
‘Oh, good!’ I said. ‘I really must try to rest now; I’ve developed quite a headache.’
She was immediately solicitous. ‘Try to sleep, miss; you’ll be all right in the morning.’
My room suddenly seemed menacing to me – a prison from which there was no escape; a place of evil where someone was even now plotting my death.
Seven
I drew the pony to a halt outside the address Lucy had given me. The narrow gateway seemed strangely familiar to me, the small house being situated on the seafront near the soft wash of the waves.
My heart turned over with a feeling of horror as I recognised the home of Daniel Perkins. I stood for a moment in an agony of indecision, my heart beating suffocatingly fast.
‘What do you want here?’ I looked up to see Sarah leaning insolently against the door, watching me. She stepped forward and fondled the pony’s ears. ‘So you’ve come to see me again,’ she said softly. ‘We made Miss High and Mighty walk home last time, didn’t we?’
Her eyes were malicious. ‘You can come in if you like,’ she said. ‘My father is not at home, so you’ll be quite safe.’
‘I would like you to explain that remark!’ I stepped forward, longing to box her ears, and even though she towered above me, she stepped away a little, alarmed at my anger.
‘There’s no need to get your dander up!’ she said, keeping her distance. ‘I didn’t ask you to come, did I?,,
‘No, you didn’t,’ I said impatiently. ‘And this isn’t a social visit, believe me!’
She shrugged her rounded shoulders and closed her mouth sulkily.
‘I believe your mother is sewing a dress for me,’ I said cheerfully, pretending not to notice her ill temper. ‘Could you tell her I have come for a fitting?’ Reluctantly the girl went into the house, leaving me standing outside. I carefully secured the pony to the gatepost.
Mrs Perkins hurriedly came to the door, jerking her head toward me in a nervous birdlike fashion that still took me by surprise.
‘Come inside, miss. I do not know what the girl is thinking about, leaving you to stand outside.’
I went through into the musty parlour where I had spent my first night in Swantown, and saw the silk miraculously shaped into a dress.
‘I followed the measurements that Lucy gave me, miss, but I will have to fit it on you just to make sure that everything is as you want it.’
It took only a few minutes for me to slip off my dress and hold the silk around me, while Mrs Perkins took in a tuck here and there, deftly placing the pins where they were needed.
She stood back to admire her handiwork and smiled thinly, clasping her bony hands together.
‘Very nice it looks, miss; the colour is so becoming to your hair. Shows it off a treat.’
From some other, room I heard a long peal of laughter, and from the way her neck stiffened I knew that Mrs Perkins had heard it, too. She went to the door and called her daughter.
‘Sarah, come here this minute.’ She glanced apologetically at me and stood tapping her foot impatiently on the floor.
The girl certainly did not hurry. At last she appeared in the doorway and stared insolently at me as I stood carefully holding the blue silk around me.
Mrs Perkins caught her arm and shook her. ‘I will not warn you again. I’ll tell your father, that I will!’
Sarah pulled away indifferently and tucked a strand of blonde hair back under her cap.
‘I was doing no harm,’ she said lazily. ‘I was only talking to Mr Llewellyn. No wrong in that, is there?’
She caught my eye with a look of triumph, and the thought flew into my mind that perhaps she was Garth’s woman while he was in Swantown port.
I felt almost physically ill and quickly drew off the silk gown and dressed myself with shaking fingers, acutely conscious of Sarah standing watching me.
‘Go into the kitchen and see to your father’s dinner. And stop gawping at Miss Llewellyn. Don’t you know it’s rude?’
Sarah’s lips turned into a smile, and she spun around, leaving us abruptly. A few moments later I heard her giggling once more. How I longed to scratch her eyes out!
‘Thank you,’ I said, trying desperately to see into the kitchen. But instead of taking me the back way, Mrs Perkins opened the front door.
As I led the pony out onto the street, I tried to turn my thoughts to other matters. I would go to see Mr Sainsbury and ask him for some of Jonathon’s money so that he could start the repairs on the Hall. I felt sure it was a project that would gain Mr Sainsbury’s approval.
As I came level with the office, I could see that it was empty. Mr Sainsbury no doubt had important business elsewhere, and in a way I was rather relieved. I really was in no mood to concentrate on money matters just then.
I turned toward home, allowing the pony to make his own pace. In my mind’s eye was a picture of Garth, his handsome head bent toward Sarah Perkins’ blonde one, holding her close in an embrace. Heat rushed into my cheeks as I angrily pushed my thoughts away.
Well, he would see how cool I could be toward him, I told myself firmly. I was no simple town girl to be taken in by his swashbuckling ways.
The sun slid from behind a cloud, warming the air, and I pushed back my bonnet, untying my hair so that it fell free on my shoulders.
I would put Garth right out of my mind! He was a thief, and worse than that, he might easily be a murderer, too. I sighed, knowing that the worst part of it all was his fickleness – the fact that he might have a woman in every port, and Sarah Perkins in this one.
‘Catherine, wait!’ I looked around, startled. Garth quickly caught up with me, astride his splendid black stallion. ‘We seem destined to meet on this road,’ he said, smiling down at me, and I glared at him angrily.
‘We could have easily gone into town together,’ I said icily. ‘It seems we were heading for the same destination.’
He looked down at me with eyebrows raised as if he had no idea what I was talking about.
‘I have been at the docks,’ he said genially. ‘If it is not a rude question, where were you? I
certainly did not see you on the quayside.’
I glanced up at him, almost hating him as I again heard Sarah Perkins’ silly laugh.
‘Someone has been helping himself to my cargo.’ He was almost shouting above the brisk wind that had sprung up with startling suddenness. ‘And I do not like it; not at all.’
There was a frown between his brows, but I was not going to be drawn off the tack.
‘Looking at the house of Daniel Perkins, were you?’ I spoke with all the sarcasm I could muster, and a strange expression came into his eyes.
‘I had not thought of that, I must confess,’ he said slowly, and I shook my head in despair. Lies fell so easily from his lips.
I tried to spur the pony on, but the road was steep, and in any case there was no possibility of leaving Garth’s stronger horse behind. He could ride twice as quickly as I if he wanted to.
I did not speak another word to him, even though several times he made some pleasant remark or other. I was determined to put a barrier between us so that he would grow tired of trifling with my affection and leave me alone.
At last the Hall was in sight. I sighed with relief and brushed away his hand when he would have helped me alight from the trap.
‘So you are going to play childish games, Catherine.’ He stared at me for a long moment, and I turned away quickly from the light in his eyes.
‘I do not think it is childish to repulse the advances of a thief and a liar,’ I said with as much dignity as I could muster.
He flung back his head and laughed aloud. ‘Oh, Catherine, so you are beginning to believe all those stories about me, are you?’
I swept past him into the sitting room, and Jonathon rose from his chair with a welcoming smile.
‘I have just this minute come in before you.’ He poured me a glass of wine. ‘I took a brisk walk across the hills. It did me a power of good. I feel most refreshed.’
Garth eyed him curiously. ‘I could have sworn I saw you in town.’ He shrugged his shoulders. ‘No doubt I was mistaken.’
‘No doubt,’ Jonathon said in a tone that implied Garth was prone to be mistaken.
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