‘So he did, but apparently the lady doesn’t work that way. A financial advisor is just another skivvy at her beck and call, as far as Harriet Pendragon is concerned. She makes her own decisions, and once her mind is made up, she doesn’t believe in wasting time.’
‘Nor in rough riding over anyone who stands in her way,’ Morwen couldn’t help saying.
He shrugged. ‘She asked to see Walter and myself today, and I gather from what she said that Meadows is none too pleased at the way she counterminds all his suggestions,’ he went on, confirming Morwen’s opinion. ‘But she’s decided she wants Prosper Barrows as soon as the sale can be legally arranged, and she’s agreed to my conditions that she’ll have no further interest in Killigrew Clay.’
Morwen’s eyes stung as the relief and surprise of it all hit her in equal measure. She realized her hands were trembling, and fought to keep them still. But to be rid of the threat of that woman, in all departments, was as good as a doctor’s tonic…
‘Are we rich now, Daddy?’ Luke said, his brows puckering at the business dealings he didn’t really understand, but which sounded so grand and important. Arid Ran laughed shortly for the first time since coming home that day.
‘Let’s say we’re more than solvent, boy, which is just as good,’ he said. Luke didn’t understand that, either, but seeing that it was something that apparently pleased his father, he spoke hopefully.
‘So if we’re solv – whatever you said, can I have a pony of my own sometime?’
‘Perhaps. We’ll think about it.’
Although Ran sounded congenial enough for the moment, Morwen didn’t find it a totally convincing sound. Always perceptive to atmosphere, she knew Ran hadn’t forgiven her yet for the misdemeanour of still wanting Ben Killigrew. It was ridiculous and untrue. And it was heartbreaking and unbelievable that the ghost of a past marriage could threaten the love they had shared all these years.
But with the half-promise of a pony for Luke in the vague future, the bad moments in the turret room were forgotten as far as the children were concerned. As if to make further amends, their father deigned to romp and play with them until bedtime. But it was obvious to Morwen that his smiles and laughter weren’t for her.
* * *
When the two of them were alone, and the silences lengthened between them, she commented on the fact that he had spoken of business matters in front of the children. He didn’t normally discuss business in their earshot, and she knew she had to think of something to say, if only in some desperation at how distant he seemed.
He didn’t answer at first. He poured himself a large brandy, drinking it down in one swallow. Then he poured himself another, just as large, and drank it just as fast. She had no doubt that he fully intended to drink himself into a stupor tonight.
‘There seemed little point in keeping it secret from them, since they seem to know so much already about the goings on at the clayworks.’
‘Well, why shouldn’t they? It’s part of their heritage. They have a right to know their family history,’ she said, defensive at once.
‘Including the fact that their mother and grandmother were once bal maidens. It’s a fine credential for Luke to take to his school and university, isn’t it?’
Morwen jumped to her feet, stormy-faced and humiliated by his sarcasm.
‘So you are ashamed of me. You would have preferred it if I pushed it all under the carpet, like you’ve hidden your distaste all these years, I suppose! Well, you can’t hide it now! You’re more of a snob than Cresswell ever was when Matt first brought him to Cornwall. At least he came out and said what he thought. He didn’t disguise his true feelings under the pretence of love!’
‘I’ve never pretended that I loved you—’
‘What?’ she whispered, and he gave a smothered oath.
‘That didn’t came out the way I intended. You know I’ve loved you from the day I saw you, and there’s never been any pretence about my feelings for you. I can’t make it any plainer than that.’
Nor he could, except that he said it as curtly and unemotionally as if he was giving an instruction to one of his minions. It wounded her more than if he’d said he’d never loved her at all… but she knew that wasn’t true. In the end, seeing the stranger he had suddenly become, the love they had once had was all she had to cling on to.
‘So what happens now?’ she asked.
‘I’ll see Justin tomorrow and get all the documents drawn up, and we’ll meet at his chambers next week for the formalities.’
Morwen stared ahead blankly. He spoke of business matters, while her heart was breaking for want of a soft word from him. They had always been able to talk freely on any subject under the sun, and their sweet-talk had been as uninhibited as business-talk. But that special closeness and empathy had dissipated like so much will o’ the wisp.
‘I take it your mother had no objection to Matt and Louisa’s farewell evening then?’ he said, as if just remembering why his wife and children had been in the turret room to look at old decorations and trimmings.
‘No. She’ll want him to have a proper sendoff.’
It was the way the clayfolk spoke of buryings, and Morwen couldn’t help knowing the symbolism and sadness of the words. Earlier that day, they had all felt so joyful, and now, for her, everything had changed. And into the midst of everything else, came the certain knowledge that once Matt left for America, she would never see him again.
‘Ran—’ she put out a tremulous hand, not knowing what to say, but knowing she had to say something, to try to put things right between them.
He moved away from her hand, as if he couldn’t bear to feel her touch, and she flinched as if she was stung.
‘I’ve a great deal of work to do, so I shall be in my study for the rest of the evening,’ he said coldly. ‘Have Mrs Enders send a tray of food in for me later, and please see that I’m not disturbed for any other reason.’
He strode out of the room without another word or another glance. And he took the brandy bottle with him.
Hours later, Morwen was lying dry-eyed in bed when he came upstairs, stumbling across the room and falling into bed beside her with only half his clothes removed. He was asleep at once, snoring loudly and disgustingly, and stinking of spirits. And at last the stinging, helpless tears flowed from her eyes, wondering if things would ever be the same between them again. And wondering how something so innocuous as finding a pearl neckcloth pin could have been the trigger for stirring up such violent emotions.
* * *
No one in the New World household could miss the fact that there was a brittle coolness between the Wainwright parents. On the surface they were polite to one another, exaggeratedly so at times, but from the very next morning after his drinking rampage, Ran ordered everything belonging to him in their bedroom, to be removed to one of the guest bedrooms.
If there was anything more humiliating for Morwen, than to see the wide-eyed maids scurrying to do his bidding, she couldn’t think of it. Maids were notorious gossips, and not only within their own households, either.
Soon everyone in the county would know that Ran Wainwright no longer slept in his wife’s bed, she raged irrationally, but knowing that rage was the only way she could keep her heartbreak in check. They might just as well announce it in Tom Askhew’s wretched newspaper, and really give him something to crow about.
To help release some of the pent-up anger and the energy it evoked, Morwen threw herself into the plans for Matt’s farewell party. And also in trying to prepare herself for comforting Primmy, which she fully expected she would have to do.
Primmy would feel awkward and embarrassed, not quite knowing what to say to the family, and probably feeling a sense of guilt that she wasn’t here when her grandfather died. Morwen knew so well how guilt assailed a person at such times, unnecessary though it was. Primmy would need reassurance that Hal would have been more than glad that her future was settled.
All these things weighed on Morw
en’s mind, but they took her thoughts away from the appalling one that Ran seemed simply to have turned his back on her. It was ludicrous that he thought she was still pining for Ben after all these years, but it was a vulnerability in Ran that she had seen before, and one that he had to work out for himself.
The fact that he was drinking heavily again did nothing to ease her nerves, and didn’t seem to be doing much for him either. Anyone with half an eye could see that it was doing his temper no good at all, but she was shocked to get unexpected reports of his behaviour from her mother.
The afternoon before Matt was meeting his family home from Europe, Morwen and Bess met at Fieldings’ Tea Rooms. It seemed such a rare occasion to do this now, when it had once been such a happy, habitual event for the Tremayne women. Annie had promised to join them on this day, but Bess had something to say to Morwen before she arrived.
‘From what I hear, your husband seems to be stirring up a hornets’ nest at the clayworks,’ she said bluntly, never one to waste words.
‘Is he?’
Bess looked at her keenly. ‘So young Cathy told me yesterday, and all in a fluster she was too. Your husband gave Walter a dressing down for summat or other, in front of the clayworkers, and that ain’t a fair and right thing to do, Morwen. You know as well as I do that your Daddy would never have done such a thing. Nor Sam neither.’
It was a long while since she had said her eldest son’s name, and it brought a lump to Morwen’s throat. Nor did she miss the fact, that to Bess, Ran was referred to as ‘your husband’ at this time, which spoke volumes about her strong disapproval of his methods.
‘I can’t answer for what Ran does, Mammie,’ she said stiffly. ‘I daresay ’tis the sale of Prosper Barrows that’s got him riled up. He was determined to sell, but I’m sure he has a certain amount of regrets about it.’
She prayed that the explanation would satisfy her mother. But she should have known that it wouldn’t.
‘That don’t explain the dark shadows under your eyes, nor your woebegone face, my girl. There’s summat troubling ’ee, and troubles don’t improve by letting ’em fester.’
‘Well, if we’ve got troubles, they belong to us, and we’ll sort them out ourselves.’
‘Mind you do, then. And ’twouldn’t be a bad thing to warn your husband about his drinking, neither. It killed one of ’em, and ’twould be more than careless of ’ee to let t’other un go the same way.’
She wasn’t trying to be comical, because that wasn’t Bess’s nature, and in any case, Morwen was in no mood to see it that way. She was thankful to turn away from her mother as her sister-in-law Annie came into the Tea Rooms and joined them at the corner table.
Bess was too knowing by half, thought Morwen, but as a family, they’d never indulged in baring their feelings to one another, and she didn’t want to start now. If Bess thought it was merely the drinking that brought on Ran’s bad humour, so be it. Besides, how could she possibly say that the trouble was all in her husband’s mind – that he was jealous of her first love, who’d been dead and buried for more than a decade!
‘You look well, Morwen,’ Annie said brightly, defying all that her mother had just said, and Morwen smiled faintly. Annie had only ever seen what she wanted to see, but her temperament was much improved lately, now that her girls were happily settled in London. Morwen quickly asked after them, and Jack, and their boy.
‘They’re all well. And we’re looking forward to Matt’s party. It will be good to be all together again.’
She stopped abruptly, remembering that the last time was for the reading of Hal’s will, when she had made such an exhibition of herself, and she had the grace to blush. But Bess had obviously put such shows of temper into the past where they belonged.
‘Have you let all the others know about it, Morwen?’ Bess asked calmly.
‘Oh yes. It will be just the family, of course, but since Charlotte has asked if she can bring Vincent Pollard, and Albie is desperate to show off Rose Slater to us all, I couldn’t say no, Mammie.’
Since neither of the others had ever heard of Rose Slater, they were diverted from more personal matters, as Morwen described the girl to them, thinking how life moved on. All her older children had friends who seemed destined to be more than friends now, and she prayed and believed that each of them had found the right match. It was the order of things. And the family had had enough sadness in the past. Maybe in the not too distant future, there would be weddings to plan…
‘’Twill be a fine sendoff for Matt, for us all to be together,’ Bess said, nodding, and not letting her eyelids flicker for a moment, even though Morwen knew there had been one place missing at family gatherings for many years. Sam… and now Hal. And Ben.
With a feeling of horror, Morwen realized she hadn’t instantly counted Ben in her thoughts. Ben, who had once meant everything to her – and in the mind of her hot-headed, darling, short-sighted Ran, still did.
‘You’ll have to face the fact of losing him again, Mother,’ Annie reminded her gently.
‘I lost Matt many years ago, Annie. He’s as dear to me as any of my sons, but he’s made a good new life for himself, and ’tis right for un to go.’
And taking Primmy with him… Morwen felt a pang in her heart that she couldn’t share with anyone. Especially not Ran, and that was enough to give her the sharpest pang of all.
But once they had done their talking, Bess reminded them that she didn’t like to be away from home for too long now. Apart from the long hours she had once worked as a bal maiden in all winds and weathers, she had always been a home-body, and cherished the moment when she could be inside her own four walls.
For all the grandeur of Killigrew House, where Bess had never thought she’d live in a million years, she still thought of it as no more than having her own private place when she closed the door on the rest of the world, and that was the way she liked it.
‘I’m going to see Justin before I go home, Mammie. Do you want to come with me?’ she asked when they had finished their tea and scones.
‘No, dar. I said I’d visit Cathy today, to make sure young Theo’s still thriving,’ she answered.
‘I’ll come with you,’ Annie said, to Morwen’s surprise. ‘I haven’t seen much of the little scamp. And then I’ll see you home, Mother.’
For some reason, the small, satisfying conversation between them made Morwen feel oddly redundant. But she had shaken off the feeling by the time she reached Justin’s chambers, having previously sent a message that she would call on him. The clerk showed no surprise in seeing her this time, and showed her straight into Justin’s office. Her tall, handsome son greeted her warily, not too sure exactly what this visit was all about, and the clerk brought more tea without being asked, until she began to feel that she was awash with it.
‘I wanted to see you, to have your word that you and Walter won’t be getting up to any tricks at Matt’s party,’ she said at once, as blunt as her mother ever was.
She saw him redden slightly. It was hardly the way an up-and-coming lawyer cared to be addressed in his own chambers, despite the fact that they were alone. But however old he was, and whatever his status, he was still the child, and she was the parent. It was a remark her daddy had frequently made to his own brood in their growing up years, whenever he felt a reprimand was needed.
‘What tricks?’ Justin said. ‘I’ve no intention of doing anything, Mother!’
‘All I ask is that you’re sociable for the few hours you’ll be spending together. And if you can’t manage that, then please keep away from him.’
‘And have you instructed Walter to keep away from me?’
‘Not yet. But I will. I won’t have anything spoiling this farewell party for Matt, do you hear?’
Lord knew that she and Ran would have to mask their own feelings, she thought. No one must know or guess how estranged they had become in these last days. It terrified her to know how cold the atmosphere between them was now. It was like
a barrier of ice that neither of them could break through. Or apparently even wanted to.
‘Don’t worry,’ Justin said, seeing her drawn face now, and assuming it was on account of himself and Walter. ‘I’m sure we can call a truce for one evening.’
‘One evening? Oh Justin, don’t you know how I hate all this?’ she said, with a burst of her old passion. ‘You’re brothers, for pity’s sake—’
‘No, we’re not. You keep forgetting that, Mother,’ he said, with the infuriating calm of a lawyer’s logic.
‘Well then, just try to behave like the brothers you were brought up to be, can’t you? I love you both, but you’d try the patience of a dozen saints with your stupid pride!’
‘I know,’ Justin’s face suddenly broke into a grin. ‘But that’s something we all have to live with, Mammie.’
She managed a smile then, knowing it was true. He changed the subject quickly, telling her Ran’s business document was almost ready, and that there’d be no problems or delays with the sale of Prosper Barrows. Since she knew the dealings with Killigrew Clay were so involved with this sale, there was no breach of confidentiality in telling her. ‘Good. Ran will be pleased to hear it.’
‘So cheer up. You’ve got a party to look forward to, and money in the coffers. And there’ll be no more angst from the Pendragon woman, once the deed is done.’
And that was the most important of all. There would be only one more meeting with her, here in this office to sign all the papers, and then they would be rid of her for ever. She crossed her fingers for good measure at the thought, but praying that such a superstition wasn’t necessary. She just did it out of habit, to be on the safe side. And because she guessed how peeved David Meadows must be at the way Harriet Pendragon carried on in her own sweet way, no matter what his advice, or the effect on other people.
But there was no use worrying over any of them. At least Ran had got what he wanted, though he seemed to spend far more of his time in a bad humour than appearing to be pleased that the deal had gone through so easily.
Family Shadows Page 30