by Gloria Cook
His spirit lifted a little at the thought of his vindictive scheme, and to provoke more good will in the village, he kept Dilly Trewin busy by throwing enough coins on the bar to buy every drinker enough ale to last the entire afternoon. However, as he called on Lizzie’s able services, he had to pay her twice the usual amount to take his wrath out on her. And when he got Sarah home . . .
Twenty-Three
Joshua was on his way to the west wing. Laketon was so demanding it was necessary to make a call there first thing every morning. Sometimes he was a pain, but he did love him and he felt bad about his fascination with Sol. He hadn’t gone far when he was pounced on by Phoebe. ‘I’d like a word with you, brother-in-law.’
He didn’t like the smug gleam in her eyes. ‘What about? I’m in a hurry, Phoebe.’
‘I won’t keep you long. I’ve got a list to give you.’ She thrust out a long sheet of paper.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Oh, I’ve spent a while scrutinizing my home. It’s still too humble for my taste. I want everything I’ve written down and I want it within a month.’
Frowning, Joshua glanced at the paper. It was packed with writing. Next instant he was shouting. ‘You want further extensions? A pool? And a whole new wardrobe and two thousand a year of your own? You’ve taken leave of your senses, woman. Does Michael know about this?’
‘No. As far as he will know, you’ve ordered the additions to Wellspring House out of the kindness of your heart.’ Phoebe smiled the most self-satisfied of smiles. ‘But he might be told, Joshua, and the rest of the county, about your secret.’
‘Secret?’ Joshua swallowed hard. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘Oh, don’t say you’d never thought you and Laketon Kivell would be discovered? You will have to be more careful, Joshua.’
Joshua blanched. ‘B–but you can’t blackmail me like this?’
‘You think very hard about it, Joshua.’ Phoebe patted his hand. ‘No doubt, you’re on your way to see your lover. Ask him what he thinks about it.’ She flounced away, singing merrily.
A short time later, Laketon was listening to him with narrowed eyes. ‘What are we going to do?’ Joshua wailed, rapping on the list. ‘She won’t leave it at this. She’ll demand more and more. Blackmailers do. If she tells anyone we’re both lost.’
‘We won’t do anything,’ Laketon replied in the coldest voice. ‘I will.’
‘What? What will you do?’
‘Don’t trouble yourself, Joshua.’ Laketon was confident and calm, and Joshua heard the menace in his voice. ‘I’ll get us out of this spot of bother. Aren’t I always the stronger one?’
‘Yes.’ It was Laketon’s strength, his artfulness, his masterful control that held Joshua to him as a willing prisoner. ‘Most definitely, dear heart.’
Laketon smiled a deeply satisfied smile. The most important thing to him was to have Joshua’s adoration. ‘You go on as you always do. Forget about Phoebe and her vicious little scheme.’
‘You’re going to frighten her off?’
‘Let’s say that she won’t be causing us any more trouble. Your father’s old suite is nearly finished. Come and see. As you never darken your wife’s bedroom door any more, and as I can slip into the house as silently as a mouse, it will do us very nicely.’
Joshua eagerly allowed Laketon to lead him away.
Sol was outside the workshop taking a smoke. Amy came out of the house to shake the breakfast crumbs to the birds. He gave her a small wave, longing to linger and gaze and smile at her. Amy lifted her hand in return, but after a moment she and Sol broke away and headed back to their respective places.
Sylvia was watching from a window. The young couple were working hard not to compromise their promise not to meet and carry out an affair. Sol toiled away long hours and had gained the respect of the merchants and the traders Chy-Henver did business with and none were pressing for overdue payment. Sol was an honest young man, diligent and clever, and thoughtful and kind. It was known round the village he no longer spent time with loose women. It seemed he really did love Amy. And Amy really loved him. It sang out of her every second of the day. She’d sigh and brood and look downcast, but she wasn’t rebellious or complaining, nor did she sneak about trying to see Sol alone. She’d had a lot to put up with but she’d shown, like Sol, a high level of maturity.
She watched Amy warm her hands at the slab. ‘I was wondering if Sol and Jowan would like to come inside for their dinner today.’
Amy twirled round. ‘Mother . . .?’
‘Well, it’s a bitterly cold day.’ Sylvia pretended disinterest, while folding dried linen. ‘They both work hard. Doesn’t seem right to deny them a bit of warmth and comfort.’
Amy allowed herself a small hopeful smile. Was her mother thawing towards Sol at last? ‘They’ll both be glad of that.’
‘Why don’t you run along and tell them?’
‘Really?’ Amy was halfway to the door then hesitated.
‘Yes, my love,’ Sylvia said. ‘Go and tell Sol.’
Amy was on the verge of an excited dance yet still hardly dared to believe this was the best of news. ‘You mean it?’
Sylvia waved her hands at her. ‘Off with you then. I’ve kept you apart for long enough. I’m still concerned about Sol going off to travel but he’s proved he can be trusted. I’m sure he’ll do right by you.’
‘Oh, Mother!’ Months of despair fell away from Amy and she ran to give Sylvia a hug. Amy raced to the workshop. Sol looked up in surprise, then he saw her excitement and elation and he knew this wasn’t going to be anything snatched or stolen. She ran straight into his arms. They were facing happiness at last. Jowan left them alone. Outside, he took a letter from the post boy and carried it to the house.
Titus had also received a letter. Sarah could see it gave him much satisfaction. She prayed it would put him in a good mood. No matter how many signs she hoped to see in her body to indicate pregnancy, morning sickness, or swollen breasts, or mood swings, there were none, and Tempest had looked at her again today and had sadly declared she saw nothing. It might mean she was barren. Some bal-maidens were. It might simply be it was taking her longer to conceive, but Titus was unlikely to have the patience. He didn’t show as much kindness towards her now, except when his mother was there when he would speak sweetly. He showed Arthur and Tamsyn no interest at all and didn’t like them anywhere near him. He wouldn’t allow them to eat at the same table and he bawled at them if they made the smallest noise or got in his way.
‘I don’t like it here any more,’ Tamsyn had sobbed last night when Sarah had tucked her up in bed. ‘Titus hit Arthur really hard for leaving a book on the stairs. He’ll hit me next.’
‘But we have so much more here now,’ Sarah had tried to soothe her.
‘I’d rather be with Aunty Molly,’ Arthur had said aggressively. The Kivells were showing a softer side in the village but many were still fearsome and the children apt to fight. The children of Titus’s two common-law wives saw Arthur and Tamsyn as usurpers and bullied them. ‘We never get to see her any more. I prefer the children at the mine. Life was hard but at least we belonged there.’
‘Things will get better soon,’ Sarah had said, but she knew she might be unable to keep her promise. If Titus wasn’t watching her, he’d demand a detailed account of everything she did, even what she thought. He picked at her ways, saying she should make more effort to be genteel like his mother. Never a day went by but he wanted intimacy. If he got back late he’d wake her in the middle of the night. Sometimes he was rough, like the very first time, and he’d hurt her, but as he didn’t take criticism she dared not mention it.
She was standing side on to Titus. He was staring at her, as if analysing her, puzzled, as if he was angry with her but didn’t know why. Then he looked as if he’d worked it out and was even more bewildered. Sarah grew uneasy. He cried out. She leapt in shock. Tried to stay calm, but she knew what this was about, ‘What’s the matt
er, dear?’
‘Come here!’ He thumped his hand down on the dining room table, where he was sitting, having demanded a late lunch.
She froze. ‘Why? Have I done something wrong?’
‘I don’t know. Have you? Come here, I say.’ He was up and on his feet, waiting for her to obey his order.
She went near to him on trembling feet. His face was as dark as night. When she got close enough, he yanked her sideways. ‘Your body is flat! You should be showing by now. Have you miscarried and not told me?’
‘It–it’s not that,’ she gulped. How was she going to tell him the truth? Make him understand?
He placed a hand tight around her chin and breathed at her. ‘What is it then?’
‘Well . . .’
‘Well? Well? Well bleddy what? Speak for God’s sake!’ His hand squeezed cruelly.
‘You’re hurting me!’
‘Are you pregnant or not? Tell me the truth or I’ll shake it out of you.’
Her eyes were stung with tears of pain and fright. ‘I don’t think I ever was pregnant. You see I don’t get courses like other girls. I made a m–mistake.’
‘You made a mistake!’ he roared. ‘No, it was me who made a mistake. You married me falsely. You’re barren. No use to me at all, you lying little bitch!’ He struck her violently across the face.
Sarah’s head was swung round at a right angle. She screamed in agony. He had a vicelike grasp on her shoulder and he struck her again, and she screamed again.
He shook her as if she was a rag. ‘Do you think I invested all that time and money in you for nothing? If you can’t give me children then I’ve no use for you. I want back everything I’ve given you. Then you can get out of my house. Get out of my life! And take those disgusting brats with you.’
Hearing her screams, Tempest rushed into the room. ‘Titus! Get away from her. I told you what would happen if you ever hurt Sarah. A curse on you.’
‘What?’ In an instant his wrath and confidence evaporated. ‘Take it back.’
‘No. Never,’ Tempest said, shielding Sarah with her own body. ‘You’re rotten and you’re evil. I should have killed you the same day I killed your father, put an end to another devil’s heart.’
‘Don’t say that, Mama.’ Sarah was shocked to see him scared, actually weeping, pleading with his mother with outstretched hands. ‘You can’t mean that. Take it back. Take it back!’
‘It’s you who will leave this house for good if you don’t change, Titus. You can leave it now. I don’t want to see you for several hours.’
‘Mama! Take back the curse.’
‘Get out of my sight!’ Shaking in fury, Tempest pointed to the door.
He strode out, his head up, but he was quivering and his face looked haunted.
Tempest took Sarah to sit down. ‘I was afraid this would happen when he found out there was to be no baby. Are you badly hurt?’
Sarah shook her head. ‘Can you really curse people?’
‘It won’t hurt him to believe so until he calms down, which might take several days.’ Tempest stroked her hair away from her burning face. ‘Sarah, I’m going to have to get you and the children away from here, and then we’ll have to decide what to do. Do you want to continue as Titus’s wife?’
She hung her head miserably. ‘I could stand it if it was just myself, even the worry if he was going to get angry and hurt me. I do love him, you see. But I don’t know if it’s right to let Arthur and Tamsyn suffer too.’
‘I’ll get someone to take you to a hotel in Redruth. In a few days I’ll come to you. Sarah, you are a Kivell wife, and whatever you decide you can rest assured that you will always be under Kivell provision.’
The letter addressed to Chy-Henver was for Amy. Jowan gave it to her after she and Sol had reluctantly unlocked themselves from a series of passionate embraces. ‘How unusual.’ She turned the wax-sealed envelope over and over in her hand. ‘It can’t be from Tara, she always sends letters by hand. I’d better open it in front of Mother. It’s the polite thing to do.’
A horse came charging into the yard. Jowan peeped outside the workshop. ‘Sol! It’s Father, and by the look of him it’s trouble.’
Moments later, Titus had an audience of all those there. He thrust his letter and a document at Sylvia then leered at the gathering. ‘See this, woman? It’s your notice to quit! I managed to track down your husband and this says that he’s agreed to sell me Chy-Henver, all of it, down to the last speck of sawdust. I want everyone here off the property within the hour or I’ll toss you out as trespassers.’
Before Sylvia could respond, Sol hurled at him, ‘Do you really think we’ll accept that as a bona fide document? You’ve got someone to produce a forgery. It’s the sort of level you’d stoop to.’
‘Think what you damned well like!’ Titus stormed, balling his fists, looking as if he wanted to tear Sol and everyone else apart. ‘It says I’m the owner of this shabby little place and I can do what I like with it.’ He began to mock. ‘Which is to close the business down. It could have been yours, Sol, but you’ve turned your back on me so it’ll belong to no one. I’ll burn it down!’
Amy had taken a few steps away. She ripped her letter from the wax and read the contents. She gasped in shock, hardly believing what she was reading. Then she faced Titus. ‘Well, it’s very strange that you should have a letter on the same day as me from a lawyer. This says Chy-Henver had been handed over to me, by my father.’ She waved a document in front of him. ‘See here? That’s my father’s signature.’
Crumpling Titus’s script in her hands Sylvia threw it down in the dirt. ‘That’s all your deeds are worth, Titus Kivell. Now get off – my daughter’s land.’
Titus looked as if the last breath had been knocked out of him. Alarming pains shot through his limbs and through his chest, as if great weights were crushing him. ‘I’ll make you all pay!’
‘Pay for what?’ Sol cried. ‘What have any of us ever done to you? You seek revenge where none is just. You’ll suffer all kinds of hell for this.’
Titus recalled his mother’s curse. He had trouble getting his breath and he felt about to die. He staggered on his feet, his hands to his throat, terrified for the first time in his life. ‘Help me . . .’
‘Don’t be pathetic,’ Sol said, walking towards him, making him back away. ‘You’re all finished up, Father. Your rotten schemes will frighten and intimidate no one any more. Go home and settle down and wait for old age or you’ll end up like your old friend, Darius Nankervis, and suffer some kind of terrible fate.’ Sol knew the exact words to say to humiliate and torment him.
Jowan fetched Moonlight, his father’s mare. Gripped in the fear that his mother ill-wishing him was working and he was about to die Titus grabbed at the reins, missed them, then scrabbled about until he succeeded. Even in his horror, he was aware of the others standing back and watching him dispassionately. It hit him like a bolt from hell how his sons held no respect for him. Somehow he got up into the saddle and kneed the mare to walk away. He headed off for the moors, his only thought that if he was to die a horrible lingering death he wanted no one to be watching him.
‘Well,’ Sylvia said. ‘Your father came through for you, Amy. He actually kept his word. Does the letter say where he is?’
Amy searched her mother’s face for signs of upset but she was calm and even seemed pleased. ‘It says that by the time I receive this he’ll be somewhere overseas and that he’ll never contact us again.’
‘It must be a relief to have the ownership of Chy-Henver settled at last, Amy, Mrs Lewarne,’ Sol said, slipping his hand around Amy’s.
‘It is,’ Sylvia said. ‘Sol, do you think your father will come back and cause trouble?’
‘I’m afraid that’s a possibility. He’s always been a vindictive man.’
‘Then if it’s all right with you, perhaps you’d like to move back in again until we’re sure all will be well. I shall be keeping a wary eye on you and Amy.’
‘I’d be honoured to, ma’am. I’d like to talk to you about Amy and I getting engaged,’ Sol said, daring to slip an arm round Amy’s waist.
‘Don’t you think that’s looking a little too far ahead? You have plans that don’t include Chy-Henver,’ Sylvia said, although she was smiling.
‘Not at all. The future starts here, and whatever happens, wherever I may be, Amy will be part of it.’
Sylvia gazed at Jowan. ‘Well, you are training a resourceful craftsman in your brother there. That was what I was hoping to hear, Sol. And as you often say yourself, what will happen, will happen.’
That same morning, over at Poltraze, Tara was reading something, not a letter or a document, but her diary. She closed it, locked it, then pattered down the stairs and went to the library. To Michael. She spent part of most days with him. Sometimes they worked on the family records together. Often they made love. With Joshua having abandoned the marital bed for good, and with him out most nights, it was easy for Michael to take his place. Tara didn’t love Michael but she was fond of him, she enjoyed making love with him, he had just the right amount of gentleness and virility to suit her needs. And now she had something to tell him. She was with child. It was really too soon to be certain but her cycle had always been regular to the day, and while being a week late, she had been sick these last few mornings, and she just knew she was pregnant.