Sea Mistress

by Iris Gower

  The sound of pounding hooves beat in Daniel’s brain, his head ached suddenly, his mouth was dry. He clutched the gate for support and took a deep breath trying to steady himself. The man was a monster, he would do anything to cause trouble. And yet, he had seen Ellie unclothed, he must have done to know about the mole on Ellie’s shoulder.

  She wasn’t capable of betraying him, was she? He could see her face in his mind’s eye, the clear eyes, the way her mouth curved when she looked up at him. She wouldn’t have slept with Hewson since she had met Daniel, he was sure of it. But could he bear it if she had been Hewson’s mistress before that?

  He returned to the house and without looking into the parlour went upstairs to the room he shared with Ellie. He looked down at the bed, his marriage bed and a feeling of nausea rose to grasp at his throat. Ellie must, at some time, have been intimate with Hewson and did it matter when it had happened? It shook him to the core to realize that Ellie was not the person he believed her to be.

  She came hurrying up the stairs behind him. ‘Dan, what is it?’

  He faced himself in the mirror and saw that he was white, his eyes burning with the pain of his anguish. ‘I just saw Hewson,’ he said and he saw Ellie’s eyes darken. Was it with dislike for the man or guilt, a treacherous voice in his head asked.

  ‘What did he want?’ She sounded anxious, well, she would be. He looked at her, searching her face for some indication of what she was feeling and after a moment moved to close the bedroom door.

  ‘He told me how much he enjoyed your charms.’ The words came out like an accusation and Ellie flinched.

  ‘And you believed him?’ Her tone held incredulity and for a moment, doubt shook him.

  He moved to where she stood and carefully opened her bodice, she looked up at him in bewilderment. He pressed his finger against the mole and, sickened, remembered how he had pressed his lips to the very spot. Had Hewson’s mouth been there before him? The thought was unbearable.

  ‘He kissed you there,’ he said flatly.

  ‘No!’ Ellie said fiercely.

  ‘How did he know about it then, the beauty spot wouldn’t be revealed by any gown however low it was cut.’

  Ellie’s face flushed a fiery red. ‘Let me explain, Dan, sit down, be calm, just don’t . . .’

  ‘So the man has seen you disrobed? Answer me yes or no, Ellie, please.’

  ‘It wasn’t like that,’ Ellie sounded desperate, ‘he came uninvited into the house, he was unwelcome, you know how much I dislike him.’

  ‘So you’re saying he forced his attentions on you.’ Daniel could not stop the interrogation now if he wanted to, anger was reverberating like a drumbeat through his head.

  ‘Yes, that’s what happened.’

  ‘And you didn’t think to call for the help of your friend Martha or Rosie for that matter?’

  ‘Of course I did. Calm down, Dan, for God’s sake!’

  ‘Taking the name of the Lord in vain isn’t going to convince me of your innocence.’ Daniel knew he sounded like a pompous prig but the words came of their own volition.

  Ellie drew herself up, her face suddenly blank. ‘Very well, you are determined to think ill of me. We will say no more of this tonight, we’ll talk in the morning when you are in a better humour.’

  He grasped her arm and before he knew what he was doing he had raised his hand threateningly. Aghast, he stood back from her. ‘Lord Jesus Christ help me.’ He shuddered, rubbing at his eyes. ‘I don’t know what I’m doing. See, Ellie what you have brought me to?’

  He turned and left the room and made his way down the stairs and out through the front door leaving it open behind him. He didn’t know where he was going, all he knew was he couldn’t remain in Ellie’s company or he wouldn’t be responsible for his actions.

  He walked away from Glyn Hir, taking the back roads into town. He intended to put as much distance between himself and his new wife as he could.

  Ellie sank onto the bed dry-eyed with shock. She remembered only too well how Hewson had attacked her. The situation had been none of her making. How could Daniel even think she had encouraged Matthew Hewson, the man repelled her?

  She heard the front door closing and her heart lifted with hope, had Daniel returned? She went to the top of the landing and saw Martha below in the hall with her hot water bottle, present on all occasions, even on a summer’s night such as this one, and her heart sank.

  ‘The front door was left wide open,’ Martha spoke reprovingly. Her tone changed as she glimpsed Ellie’s strained expression, ‘Has anything happened?’

  Ellie shook her head miserably. ‘No, go on to bed, Martha, don’t put the bolt on, Dan is out walking.’

  If Martha considered the situation a little strange, she didn’t give voice to her thoughts. She climbed the stairs and paused for a moment, looking at Ellie. ‘Sure you’re all right?’

  Ellie nodded, ‘Yes, I’m sure. Goodnight Martha and God bless.’

  Unable to sleep, Ellie waited in her room for a moment for Martha to settle and then crept down the stairs to the kitchen. Rosie was there setting the table for breakfast.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ she asked as Ellie sank down into a chair, her head in her hands.

  ‘What’s the matter, you can tell me?’ Rosie said gently. ‘Have you and that handsome husband had a lover’s tiff, is that it?’

  All at once, Ellie began to cry. She put her arms on the scrubbed surface of the table to cushion her head. She felt Rosie’s hand warm on her back and heard the girl’s soft voice. ‘There, there, it happens all the time, it’s only natural, mind.’

  Ellie drew a shuddering breath and looked up at Rosie, the girl was looking at her with sympathy and Ellie felt that Rosie was so much wiser than she was in experience of the world.

  ‘It’s Mat, isn’t it, he’s been making trouble again. I saw him lurking outside. I watched from the window as he leaned on the gate like he owned it and spoke to Daniel.’ Rosie was unashamed of her attempt to eavesdrop. ‘I could hear raised voices but I couldn’t make out what they were saying. I could see Daniel was very angry though.’

  She drew her chair to Ellie’s side. ‘Take my advice, don’t quarrel over Mat, he’s just not worth it. He’s a real bad lot is that one and I should know.’

  ‘I didn’t really have much choice,’ Ellie said, her voice hoarse with tears, ‘he’s been turning Dan against me, telling him that him and me, well that we . . .’ She broke off unable to put the terrible accusation into words.

  ‘Daniel should have more sense than to listen to him,’ Rosie said stoutly, ‘he should know you wouldn’t touch Matthew Hewson with a bargepole.’ She sighed. ‘But then men haven’t got much sense, not when it comes to love they haven’t.’

  Ellie sighed heavily, thinking over Rosie’s words. The clock struck the hour and she glanced up at it, worried about Daniel. What if he’d gone in search of Matthew, what if it came to blows between the two men, Dan might be hurt.

  ‘You go to bed, Rosie, I’ll wait up, Daniel won’t be long now, I’m sure of it.’ She wasn’t sure at all, indeed, she wasn’t sure of anything at this moment. Rosie hesitated and Ellie forced a smile.

  ‘As you say, it’s just a lover’s tiff, go on up, you have to rise early in the morning, you need your sleep.’

  Ellie sat dry-eyed and wide awake in the kitchen until the cold, grey light of early morning poked prying fingers in through the window. She admitted to herself then that Daniel wasn’t coming back, not today, perhaps not ever.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Boyo watched with a critical eye as the rebuilding work at the tannery progressed. Gradually, the ruins were being replaced by new structures which rose phoenix-like from the ashes of the fire.

  Glyn Hir was where his future lay; here, God willing, he would bring April as his bride when the time was right. Of course, they were both too young yet to make a serious commitment but in his heart he knew there would never be anyone else for him.


  Sometimes he felt guilty about his past, he would watch Rosie with her voluptuous figure and feel the hot sweet sensation of lust sweep through him. At those times he prayed to God to take away his unworthy thoughts. Once, Harry had caught him, head bowed, hands pressed together and asked him what he was praying for. When Boyo told him, he’d flung back his head and laughed.

  ‘Duw anwyl, the good Lord never intended man to be a faithful creature,’ he said. ‘The Lord knows everything and he knows how frail a vessel he’s built. Since Adam sinned we have all been tarred with the same brush, we look upon a woman and we want her, it’s natural, see?’

  Boyo, knowing that Harry rarely entered the door of a church, took leave to doubt his views on morality. Still, God was merciful, he would forgive and Boyo felt his conscience ease a little.

  He still lived in the house on the edge of the tannery and though Ellie was married now, nothing really seemed to have changed. Daniel Bennett had returned to college and life had continued in the same even pace as before. Except that Ellie seemed to have lost all her joy in loving and living. Had her marriage been a mistake he wondered?

  At first, she’d seemed happy and contented, very much in love with her husband. It was only in the last few weeks that she mooned about the place with sad eyes and a long face.

  Ellie came out of the house at that moment and crossed the ground between the house and the tannery wall. She walked stiffly as though holding herself in check and Boyo saw with a shock of alarm how thin she had become.

  ‘Ellie,’ he stood six inches taller than her now, his body had filled out, he was a man and he was proud of it. ‘Ellie, it’s awful to see you like this, what’s happened, what’s wrong with you, are you sick?’

  ‘Sick at heart, Boyo.’ She put her hand on his arm, ‘I can’t talk about it but please try not to worry, it will all sort itself out in time.’ She didn’t sound as if she believed her own words and Boyo frowned. ‘Can I help, Ellie, is there anything I can do?’ He thrust his hands deep into his pockets, he might be a man on the face of things but he was still full of uncertainties when it came to handling emotions.

  Ellie shook her head, ‘No, love, no-one can.’ She changed the subject adroitly. ‘Have you remembered Caradoc is coming tonight? You will be here to have your coaching in the book work, won’t you?’

  Boyo frowned, Caradoc was kind enough and intelligent but he didn’t seem eager to impart his knowledge too quickly. Boyo had more than a sneaking feeling that Caradoc was more interested in sitting in the kitchen talking to Rosie than instructing him in the facts and figures of tannery affairs.

  Ellie gave Boyo one of her rare smiles. ‘It’s taking a long time, isn’t it, are you finding the lessons very difficult?’

  ‘Well, no, it’s not that,’ Boyo didn’t want to sound critical, he searched his mind for something to say and failed and he just shrugged.

  ‘Shall I have a word with Caradoc on your behalf?’ Ellie leaned her arms on the warm stone wall and her bodice flapped around her thin frame like washing on the line.

  ‘No, there’s no need,’ Boyo said quickly. ‘It’s just that Caradoc likes to take his time.’ He smiled. ‘He’s getting very keen on Rosie, that’s what it is and if I learn too quickly, his visits won’t be necessary.’

  Ellie didn’t seem surprised. ‘Rosie and Caradoc?’ she said thoughtfully, ‘I thought so.’ She put her head on one side consideringly. ‘I think you are right, Caradoc is getting serious about Rosie.’

  Boyo knew damn well he was right, he knew the signs; didn’t he suffer from the same symptoms himself?

  ‘I’m surprised Martha hasn’t noticed anything,’ Ellie said thoughtfully, ‘she’s usually the first one to make comment on affairs of the heart.’ Ellie sighed. ‘But then I haven’t been very good company of late, I’ve been too wrapped up in myself to notice what’s going on under my nose.’

  Greatly daring, Boyo rested his hand on Ellie’s thin shoulder. ‘I can see you’re unhappy and it worries me, what is wrong, Ellie?’

  Ellie chewed her bottom lip. At last she spoke. ‘It’s just that Matthew Hewson has been causing trouble again,’ she closed her eyes for a moment as though in pain. ‘Matthew spoke to Dan, gave him the impression that he and I had been, well, close. Remember the night Matthew attacked me? Well he saw a mole on my shoulder and taunted Daniel with it.’

  ‘What a pig!’ Boyo said fiercely. ‘No-one knows better than me how much you despise Matthew Hewson, you wouldn’t want him within a mile of you. Shall I talk to Daniel, tell him what really happened that night?’

  Ellie shook her head. ‘He hasn’t shown a great deal of faith in me, has he? He should believe me. No don’t speak to him, Boyo, if Daniel can’t take my word for it then perhaps we’ve made a terrible mistake by getting married so soon.’

  Her words echoed Boyo’s own doubts but he spoke up stoutly. ‘Don’t you believe it.’ Boyo wanted to hug her but he didn’t dare presume so far. ‘You and Daniel Bennett were meant for each other, anyone can see that a mile off.’ It might not be what he really believed, indeed, he didn’t know what he believed but his words seemed to comfort Ellie.

  She smiled up at him gratefully and Boyo felt a wave of anger run through him. He had never liked Matthew Hewson, Boyo would not forgive him for the uncalled for slap he’d aimed in Boyo’s direction for no other reason than that he was in a foul mood. As for the sound beating Matthew had given him, well that was called for, Boyo had done him wrong and it was only fair that he take the consequences. But now Matthew had picked on Ellie, had tried to ruin her marriage, such mischief was unforgivable.

  Ellie straightened and her voice became brisk as she changed the subject. ‘The buildings are nearly finished; soon, Boyo, you’ll have a job to work at, will you be pleased?’

  ‘I can’t wait,’ Boyo frowned, his future was becoming clear, a smooth path stretched before him and yet there was one thing worrying him. He wondered if this was the right time to talk to Ellie about it, she had enough on her plate as it was and yet wouldn’t his problems take her mind off her own?

  ‘Come on, out with it,’ Ellie said softly in her usual perceptive way, ‘I can see you are dying to ask me something.’

  ‘It’s my name,’ Boyo said self-consciously, ‘it’s not bothered me before but how can I think of asking any girl to marry me when I haven’t even got a proper name?’

  Ellie studied him for a long moment and then she took his arm. ‘I see your dilemma. Come on, let’s walk back to the house.’

  She was silent for so long that Boyo wondered if she’d heard what he said. Then, with some of her old sparkle, she looked up into his face. ‘I could go to the workhouse for you, find out if they have any records there of your birth.’

  Boyo felt hope grow within him, it was such a simple idea that he wondered why he hadn’t thought of it himself. On the other hand, should he begin making enquiries himself, the powers that be might not feel inclined to divulge any details they might have of his birth. Ellie, however was a respected member of the community, she had been Mrs Jubilee Hopkins for some years and now she was married to a man taking the cloth. If any information should be available, Ellie would have a good chance of learning what it was.

  He took a deep breath. Will you do that for me, Ellie, I’d be so grateful?’

  ‘I’ll go down to the workhouse as soon as I can, I promise you.’ She squeezed Boyo’s arm. ‘It’s about time I thought of someone else’s problems other than my own.’

  It was the reaction he had hoped for and Boyo felt a moment of triumph, in a way it was as though he had solved two problems in one fell swoop. Together they went into the house and the hallway was cool after the early September sunshine outside. Boyo had always loved this house, it had been his only real home. He’d been taken from the workhouse when he was about eight or nine years old and he remembered it as though it was yesterday.

  He shuddered as he thought of the workhouse, the grey old buildings, the long bare
dining room, the rough benches at the tables, the poor quality of the food. He supposed he’d been lucky that he had been the right age to begin work and a healthy child to boot. Lucky too that Jubilee had taken an instant liking to him and had decided upon taking him to live at Glyn Hir.

  Jubilee had made him a home over the stable, a comfortable place, somewhere of his very own. In return, Boyo had worked hard. The work had been tiring, long hours and heavy labour, but it had given Boyo a sense of his own worth. It was only after his fight with Matthew that Ellie had insisted on Boyo living in the house.

  He glanced fondly at Ellie as they stood together in the hallway, she was the one who had given him his real chance in life, Ellie had faith enough to train him to be in charge of the tannery when she eventually moved away. His heart swelled in pride at the prospect of being boss, more than a foreman, he would be a manager. The position offered security, he would have a real future, something solid to offer April when they were married for they would be married, he was determined upon it.

  Caradoc Jones was there before them, he must have come round to the back of the house, Boyo surmised, otherwise he would have seen the accountant’s approach. It was patently obvious why he would choose to enter the back door, the kitchen was where he would find Rosie. Caradoc smiled somewhat sheepishly at Ellie as he emerged from the passageway leading to the hall, ‘Day to you, Ellie, I called a little early so Rosemary gave me a cup of tea, I hope you don’t mind.’

  ‘Of course I don’t mind,’ Ellie said, ‘you are doing me a favour by coming here, I appreciate it.’ She smiled up at Caradoc. ‘Is your pupil shaping up well?’

  ‘Pupil? Oh, aye, Boyo’s a bright lad, no trouble teaching him, indeed, he learns a little too quickly for my liking, I can see I’ll be out of a job if he keeps this up.’

  Ellie smiled. ‘No fear of that, we’ll always need your expert eye on our business. Jubilee was good with the books but he always appreciated your ability to spot any errors.’

  She turned towards the parlour. ‘I’ll leave you to get on with it then. See you both later.’