‘Ah, I see! You think you’re to be done out of your pound of flesh, do you, my pretty boy?’
Justin went brilliant red. ‘Why do you always belittle me?’ he almost wept. ‘Why do you hate me so much?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, Justin,’ Ben said coldly. ‘I don’t hate you. You’re my son.’
He stopped, the realization of all that was happening finally sinking into his fuddled brain. Again, he turned on Morwen.
‘You can deal with this. It’s your family at the root of it all, so you sort it out. I wash my hands of it—’
‘Ben, you can’t!’ she said, incredulous.
‘Why not? They’ll all get the money when I’m dead, and I’ve no intention of standing here wrangling about it now. That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? They each want their portion of silver, but I’m not dead yet, and until I am, you’d all better remember just who holds the purse-strings.’
‘Even if there’s nothing in it? Even if the head of the household is feckless enough to gamble it all away?’ She whipped out the words without thinking, and he rushed at her so fast she had no chance to avoid the blow to the side of her face. She reeled backwards in shock and pain, and the next second she saw Walter at Ben’s throat. The boy was strong, and Ben was unprepared. He staggered as Walter all but throttled him, shouting into his mottled face.
‘You touch my mother again and I’ll kill you, you bastard! Get out of here before I forget my upbringing and revert to my common roots! Get out, you hear?’
He let him go, and Ben choked, clutching at his throat. The children crowded together, circling Morwen, more in fright than anger, but to Ben they formed a solid barrier. And since his head spun so much and his chest sawed with knifing pains, he blundered out of the room, shouting back abuse that could be heard all over the house, and would surely be repeated by the servants all over town.
‘Walter—’ Morwen said faintly.
Should she go to Ben to see that he was all right? He had looked so alarmingly awful… but the children needed her more, and she put her arms around the girls.
‘You needn’t worry about him,’ Walter said bitterly. ‘If he tries to hurt you again, come to me. I’ve no intention of returning to school and he can say what he likes about that.’
There was no sign of love in his manner, it was merely the voice of a young man defending a woman. There was no hesitancy about the school, either. He stated his decision, and she knew he meant it. If she had ever thought Walter immature, Morwen knew that the last hour had changed everything. Walter was a man.
‘I hate him,’ Justin said unnecessarily.
‘Please don’t,’ Morwen said swiftly, at which Albert and Primmy spoke at once.
‘How can you say that after what he did to you?’
‘How can you defend a man like that?’
Morwen tried to explain. ‘He wasn’t always like that, my darlings. When I met him he was young, strong and handsome, and very much like—’ she had been about to say like Walter, until she caught Justin’s eye. She gave a small sigh. Every word would have to be used carefully now, if she wasn’t to divide the children. ‘He was like a god to me,’ she amended. ‘Things change people, and he’s under a lot of strain.’
‘It doesn’t mean he can hit a woman,’ Walter was still stoical, and Morwen saw that his schooling had done him some good after all.
‘What are we going to do, anyway?’ Primmy muttered.
Morwen stared at her. ‘Do? Why should we do anything? We’re still the same people, Primmy—’
‘No, we’re not. I’m not your daughter any more. I’m somebody else, and I don’t even know who I am.’
She began to cry. She had held in all the emotion all this time, but now it came flooding out, and when Morwen tried to hold her close, the girl flung herself away and lay face down on the sofa. Charlotte looked frightened, and the boys uncertain. Primmy so rarely cried.
Hal and Bess found them all like that when they came into the house after Matt had delivered his message and gone on to Truro. The revelation was too important to all of them to keep to themselves now. Jack and Freddie must be told, and so must Ran.
‘Our Matt says they’ll stay at Ran’s for tonight,’ Hal told his daughter. ‘They’ll come back sometime tomorrow unless you send word to change their plans.’
Morwen’s eyes filled with tears. What Matt meant was that if he wasn’t welcome any more, he would stay away.
‘Matt will never be turned away from my house, Daddy,’ she choked, and then she was in his arms, while Bess seemed to encompass all the children at once, talking to them in her calming voice. Bess had never lost her homely Cornish accent, or tried to.
‘We’ll go up to the nursery and try to sort things through,’ Bess soothed them. ‘Nothing was ever so bad that talking it through didn’t make it better. Will ’ee all come with your Grandma, me dears?’
They didn’t move for a minute, and then Charlotte put her hand in the old pin-pricked one.
‘You’ll always be our Grandma, won’t you, Grandma Bess?’ she said waveringly.
‘Of course I will, my lamb. Allus was and allus will be.’
Morwen watched them go, trailing behind her comfortable shape, until at last she and Hal were alone. She looked at her father wordlessly. He held her close to him, and she could smell the rugged outdoors on him. The clay and the moors and the dear familiar essence of him.
‘Your Mammie will sort this, my darling girl,’ Hal said huskily. ‘She’ll find the right words, never you fear.’
It was ironic. Her uneducated mother would find the words… when all the explanations in the world couldn’t put this right, not really. She leaned against Hal, wanting his strength, his solid sense of immortality in a world that was frightening in its changing patterns. She was an adult, but suddenly she longed for the simplicity of childhood, when decisions were made for her, and she had none of life’s responsibilities.
‘Oh, Daddy, how I wish—’ she whispered against the dark woollen cloth of his coat. ‘I wish everything could be like it was before. All of us cosy at the cottage, with Sam and Matt and Jack working with the clay, and Freddie running wild on the moors with the kiddley-boys, and me and Mammie and you—’
‘We can’t ever go back, Morwen love,’ he said quietly. ‘You know that. All we can do is go on the best we can. ’Tis all any of us can ever do.’
He kissed her fevered cheek, his girl-child who was so very special to him, and he longed to give her the comfort she sought. Knowing that he couldn’t, not this time. But he believed implicitly in his own words. Bess would sort things, as she had always done for all his family.
* * *
Whatever her mother said to the children, they came downstairs subdued but clearer-eyed. Sam’s children spoke in whispers about being chosen ones, which made it all sound a bit irreverent, and clearly irritated Justin. But they had stopped resenting Morwen so much, and were trying very hard to understand that she and Ben had only wanted the very best for them.
Walter still thought darkly that the real villain was Cresswell for being so snotty, however unintentional. But since it was unlikely they would see him again after next week, Grandma Bess had made it plain that it would upset her and Hal very much if they didn’t all try to get along together for these last few days. And the children had reluctantly agreed.
Hal and Bess stayed until after the children went to bed. There was no sign of Ben, and Morwen guessed he would be drinking again to put the afternoon into oblivion. He would never think that she needed him, that this was something they should be sharing, and she had never felt so lonely.
She had been in bed a long while when she heard her door open, and remembered too late that she had forgotten to lock it. She turned quickly, seeing Ben’s swaying figure silhouetted in the light from the window. For a moment she felt real fear.
And then she heard him. Deep, wrenching sobs were coming from his throat, as if they came from his soul. She
had never heard him cry like this before. Her heart ached for him. He stumbled to her bed, and almost fell on to it, scrabbling to get beneath the covers to hold her.
Her fear dissolved. There was nothing sexual in his embrace. There was only the need to be with another human being, and she recognized that need and met it generously. She held him, rocking him in her arms as if he was a child, and his muffled words throbbed through her body.
‘Dear God, Morwen, what a mess we’ve made of our lives. What a bloody terrible mess.’
There was no thought of recrimination in her. No accusations, no hate, just pity for this poor wreck of a man who had once been so strong and so loving, and everything she had ever wanted.
She held him until he felt heavy against her and she knew he was asleep. And when she awoke in the morning she was alone.
Chapter Twenty-One
It was an uneasy, nervous week. Cresswell had been given a very strong talking-to, and had apologized to everyone in sight, scared out of his wits by his father’s anger. No matter how much Louisa pleaded that the boy hadn’t known the truth, Matt had been increasingly aware of his son’s vindictive nature, and this seemed as good an opportunity as any to assure him in no uncertain terms that it must stop.
On the evening after all the upset had occurred, Freddie and Venetia arrived at the house. She proudly displayed a gleaming new betrothal ring on her third finger, the heavy gold circlet enclosing four beautiful garnets.
‘We haven’t come merely to show off Venetia’s ring, though,’ Freddie smiled, when everyone had duly admired it. ‘We want to ask the children a special favour.’
Venetia broke in. ‘I specially want Primmy and Charlotte to be my flower-girls at the wedding, and since the boys are too old to be pages, we wondered if Walter and Albert and Justin would be ushers at the church door. It’s a very responsible job, showing people to their seats and handing out the hymn books. Do you think you can do it, boys?’
Morwen held her breath. How thoughtful they were to think of this. Drawing the children together in a common task. And of course, there was no question of including Cresswell, since he would be back in California with his parents long before then.
Primmy’s smile was almost back to normal, and Charlotte squealed with delight.
‘Will Grandma Bess make us each another new dress, do you think?’ Primmy enquired eagerly.
‘Of course,’ Freddie grinned. ‘You and Venetia can choose the colour you want, and what flowers you’ll wear in your hair and strew about the church.’
It would be a grander wedding than her own, Morwen thought reminiscently, since Venetia’s father was now a Lord. But it had been Morwen and Ben’s own choice to be married at Penwithick church, so that Celia could be a part of it all…
‘Mother, can we?’ Primmy asked, and Morwen nodded at once.
‘Of course. I think it’s a wonderful idea.’ She looked at the boys, waiting.
Walter was still edgy. He had stolidly refused to leave the house that morning and go to school, no matter how Ben had raged at him. Morwen had supported the boy’s wishes, and in the end Ben had stumped off, defeated. She hated to see him like that. She still remembered last night, when he had cried in her arms. But Walter was still the vulnerable one, and he was the one who needed her now.
Ran had brought Matt and his family back during the day, but they were never alone together. He couldn’t say the things he wanted to, but to Morwen his strength and love were almost tangible. She could see it in his eyes, and wondered that no one else could see it too.
‘We won’t have to dress up in frills, will we?’ Walter hedged, before agreeing to this new suggestion.
‘Good Lord, no,’ Freddie said quickly. ‘You’ll wear proper suits like the rest of the men. As the oldest, Walter, we shall expect you to keep the other boys in order.’ He gave a small wink as if they shared a secret, and Walter suddenly smiled.
‘Can I come and stay with you for a while when Uncle Matt’s gone home? It will be very dull around here with the others at school, and Granddad Hal thinks it’s best if I don’t start at Clay One yet. The men are getting angry because of the delay with the French ship, and he thinks my presence will annoy them even more.’
Freddie laughed.
‘Is this your price for being chief usher at my wedding?’
Walter laughed back, and the camaraderie between them was the best thing Morwen had seen in two days.
‘If you like.’
‘Then, if your mother agrees, of course you can come and stay. You can help me in the shop.’
Morwen wondered fleetingly if Walter’s presence would disturb any little têtes-à-têtes between the newly engaged couple. But Freddie and Venetia had made their own decision about that. They had all the rest of their lives to be together, and they could wait now until their wedding-day.
It wasn’t until later, at Ran’s house-warming-cum-farewell party for the American Tremaynes, in fact, that Morwen realized there was another attraction in Truro, apart from Walter’s sudden affinity for her brother Freddie. There was also Cathy Askhew.
* * *
Ran was determined to make this party a happy occasion. There were to be no upsets, no favourites, no undercurrents. Louisa was his cousin, and if this visit hadn’t been all that she might have wished, he meant to make this last day the happiest since her arrival. Tomorrow the whole family would be taking the journey back to Falmouth to see them safely on the ship to America. Tomorrow there would be time enough for tears.
Tonight they were all going to enjoy themselves. There was food and drink in plenty, and games, and he had hired some musicians to play for dancing. The young ones as well as the older ones were encouraged to join in. Hal declined, and Annie had gone upstairs to rest for an hour during the party. Ben said valiantly that it was bad manners to leave someone sitting alone, and volunteered to sit out with him. He flashed Morwen a quick glance, daring her to comment, but they both knew well enough that such exertions would be bad for him.
When Morwen was out of breath with circling in Matt’s arms, she begged to be allowed to rest awhile, and watched instead as Walter manfully cavorted around the large drawing-room with Cathy Askhew held at arm’s length. This was something neither she nor any of her brothers had done at so young an age. She was filled with tenderness at the concentration on Walter’s face, obviously wanting to make a good showing in front of his lady.
She caught her thoughts up short – his lady? Cathy Askhew was still a child, the same as he was… but Walter had proved of late that he was far from being a child, and Morwen noted with surprise the way Cathy lowered her eyes in an unconsciously flirtatious manner, and the way her small breasts rose and fell in the silky dress she wore. Her ringlets were golden, like her mother’s had been, and Morwen saw Jane’s knowing smile as she passed Morwen and Ben in the arms of the gallant Jack Tremayne.
‘History repeating itself, would you say, my love?’ Ben mocked her. ‘Worried by it, are you? And no doubt dubbing the delicious little Cathy as the next Miss Finelady!’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, Ben. And please don’t drink too much,’ she hissed beneath her breath.
Despite her own feelings, she hated to hear him demean Cathy by his words. She was a nice girl. She too would be leaving Cornwall soon, which might be just as well, Morwen thought with sudden anxiety, as the dance ended. She didn’t miss the way Walter followed the girl’s every movement and accompanied her to the cold table to help her load her plate with meats and vegetables, and carried the food for her.
The music started up again, and she saw Ben lurch through the dancers until he reached Jane.
‘Will you dance with me, my Lady?’ he said in a voice loud enough for Morwen to hear.
Morwen turned away as she heard Jane’s friendly laugh. He did this to torment her and she knew it. But while she still burned with mortification, Ran held out his arms to her, and she went into them, dream-like, and everything in her world was the right w
ay up once more.
‘I’ve missed you,’ he said, under cover of the music.
‘And I you,’ she whispered back. ‘So much.’
Only by the tightening of his fingers around hers would anyone with sharp eyes have noted the intimacy between them. They were isolated in the midst of their family and friends, and for poignant moments Morwen could pretend that this was a dance without end.
‘How is he?’
‘The same. I wonder how long he can go on like this. He drinks incessantly. He – he revolts me.’ She said it quickly, knowing that she betrayed Ben by her words, but unable to be anything but honest with this man who gave her hope that someday life could still be beautiful.
‘He doesn’t attempt—’
‘Oh no.’
They shouldn’t be having this conversation. It was farcical and endearing to feel Ran’s indignation that her husband might be sharing her bed, which he had every right to do. They could only speak in short snatches, as they whirled around the room with the others. But she was very aware of his caring, and was cheered by it.
None of them was going back to St Austell that night, since Matt and his family had to reach Falmouth by mid-day. There was plenty of room at Ran’s house for Hal and Bess, and for Ben and Morwen and the children, though it had been necessary to suggest that Ben shared a room with the three boys, and Morwen with the girls, for which she was eternally grateful.
The others would go home to Truro, and they would all be together again tomorrow. Except for Jane and her daughter, of course. But Walter had something to say about that.
‘Mother, Cathy’s never seen the harbour at Falmouth. Couldn’t she come along as well, to see them off?’
Family Ties Page 28