The Master of Liversedge
Page 20
She nodded, more sober now.
‘Then you came,’ he continued. ‘I felt at once I could confide in you, even rely on you — ’
‘That is not the impression you gave me.’ Mary could not help interrupting him at this remark. ‘You made me feel sadly inadequate at times.’
‘You are thinking of that business with Caroline? I realized afterwards that you were perfectly right, and that I was expecting too much of you, if you were supposed to know what she was about every moment of her day. But at the time, my anxiety for her overruled all considerations of the kind — ’
‘I see,’ said Mary. ‘And I suppose it was the same kind of thing that led you to think the worst of me over the threatening letter? That hardly suggested that you placed any reliance in me, you know.’
He looked a trifle taken aback. ‘Yes, well, you must see how it was — that note had put me in a passion, and my judgement was distorted. Afterwards, of course — ’
‘I see. So you feel you can rely on me — when you are not in a passion, sir?’
He looked at her severely. ‘I shall most certainly box your ears, one of these days. Take warning.’
She moved away from him hastily.
‘Mary,’ he continued, in a different tone. ‘I don’t want to go on alone, any more. All that I promised your uncle this morning — and much more, that I mean to attempt in my manufactory — I can’t do it on my own. I need your help, lass.’ He paused. ‘It won’t be an easy life. There’s not too much money; and don’t make the mistake of thinking that the labour troubles are all at an end — I certainly don’t. There’ll be outbreaks again, no doubt, though perhaps we shall have peace for a while, now. But we’ll have hope, Mary — the hope of building up a secure business that will provide a living not only for us, but for hundreds of working folk: the hope of a full life together.’
He stopped suddenly, and moved closer to her, his eyes intense with feeling.
‘So now you see why I must know whether you are in love with young Webster.’
She shook her head. ‘I can’t think why you should ever have supposed it.’
‘Well,’ he said, hesitantly. ‘It did seem that night as though you were enjoying his company.’
‘Just as you were enjoying Miss Grey’s?’
‘Oh, Miss Grey!’ He shrugged. ‘She chose to amuse herself with me, that is all. She has found someone else for the honour, now.’
‘And so you turn to me?’
‘There’s no doubt about it, I shall have to box your ears! But don’t tease me, Mary! Will you take me?’
‘That depends. You’ve offered me many things, sir, but not the one I wanted.’
He looked at her questioningly. ‘What more is there that I can offer?’
She looked down. ‘You’ve — you’ve said no word of love,’ she mentioned, ‘except in connection with Mr. Webster.’
‘Didn’t you know?’ he asked incredulously. ‘Didn’t you ever guess?’
‘No.’ She looked up with a shy smile. ‘I thought I was to accept you because you needed my help, and felt you could rely on me — when you weren’t in a passion, of course — ’
‘Words are no use,’ he said, with difficulty. ‘Tell me one thing, first — do you care for me at all?’
‘Didn’t you know?’ she mimicked, softly. ‘Didn’t you ever guess?’
‘And you don’t really dislike me to lay hands on you, as you said a while back?’
But she could not answer this. He looked into her face, and made up his mind.
‘That’s all I need to know,’ he said.
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Author’s Note
This novel is based upon contemporary accounts of the risings of the Luddites in the West Riding of Yorkshire in 1812. Many of the incidents and some of the characters it contains are authentic.