Arian

by Iris Gower

  ‘I would be free to blacken both your names as much as I wished.’

  ‘I’m sure a man like Calvin Temple would be more than capable of refuting your accusations,’ Arian said hotly. ‘He has the courage to defy any blackmail attempt and take the matter to law.’ Arian lifted her chin defiantly.

  ‘In any case, what could you say except that you saw me helping him into bed?’

  ‘I saw you in your nightwear lying with him on the bed, the sheets tossed aside, his arm around you, you were kissing him.’ He paused as if to calm himself. ‘It was the dead of night. Who would believe it was an innocent meeting if I were to repeat what after all is the bald truth?’

  Simples paused for his words to sink in, and then continued. ‘Remember, his lordship is a man about to sue his wife for divorce on the grounds of her immorality. It wouldn’t look good if he was found to be bedding one of his servants, would it?’

  Arian was silent. What could she say? Of course it would be assumed that she and Calvin were lovers. No-one hearing Simples’s accusations could believe anything else.

  ‘And then there’s his lady friend,’ Simples persisted. ‘His relationship with her could be construed as intimate. He might be forgiven for taking one lady to his bed but his servant as well? That’s too much for even the most tolerant person to excuse. Public opinion is a dangerous weapon; questions would be asked about his wife. Did she deserve to be dismissed from the marital home or was some fault in Lord Temple the cause of the trouble?’

  Arian felt that all this was unreal. She couldn’t be standing here listening to Simples’s blackmailing threats. But what could she do? He was right. Gossip such as he was suggesting wouldn’t do Calvin any good at all.

  ‘I’ll think about what you’ve said,’ she spoke in a low voice, anger thudding through her brain. ‘That’s all I’m going to promise, that I’ll think about it.’

  ‘Think hard, I’ll be expecting you in my room later.’ Simples moved away, descending each stair with a precision of movement that jarred on Arian. He did everything precisely, with deliberation, as if nothing was on impulse but every move a calculated decision.

  Arian ate very little supper, her mind was in chaos. Should she go to Calvin? Tell him what Simples was about, have the man discredited? It was one way out of her predicament. But on the other hand, to tell the truth openly would be to hand Simples the excuse to declare war on Calvin’s reputation. People in Swansea, like everywhere else, loved a good scandal.

  Arian shuddered. She didn’t want to go to Simples’s room. She didn’t even wish to be near him. Why did he want to see her in private anyway? He’d told her he was not a man to force himself on a woman, so what was he planning?

  She was still debating with herself when, after supper, she climbed the stairs and paused on the landing. What if she decided not to see Simples? Would he carry out his threats to spread gossip about Calvin? She suddenly doubted it. Simples stood to lose a great deal – a good job and a secure future. He would be a fool to make an enemy of Calvin.

  She hesitated and then biting her lip, moved on towards her own room. She wanted nothing to do with him. His threats were idle. She would defy Simples, let him do his damnedest.

  She sat in her room trying to evaluate the situation. What did Simples have on her anyway, was it just the matter of the discrepancy in the books? Would that be enough to turn Calvin against her? She doubted it. He was far too sensible for that. She washed and undressed, her mind still racing. Doubt crept over her. Could Simples really blacken her name? Did he have something up his sleeve, a card he’d yet to reveal?

  Lying in bed, she stared up at the ceiling through the flickering candlelight. The cracks appeared to spread outwards in the shape of a map. There was Wales and England, there just near the window Scotland and a little way over, towards the door, was etched a shape that roughly resembled Ireland.

  How foolish she was. That was her last thought as she fell asleep and then she was plagued by dreams, dreams of herself locked in an embrace with Gerald Simples, an embrace from which it was impossible to free herself.

  She woke in the morning heavy eyed, the remnants of her nightmares still with her. And yet she felt triumphant – she’d defied Gerald Simples, called his bluff.

  When she was dressed, she hesitated a little before opening the door of her room, taking a deep breath, willing herself to be calm. What could he do to her? Here in the home of Calvin Temple she was safe, even from a man as ruthless as Simples.

  He saw her later in the back hallway, his face hardened as he stared down at her.

  ‘So you defied me,’ he said in a low voice. ‘This is not the end of the matter, Miss Smale.’ The words came out coldly, like stones falling into the silence. ‘I mean to have you for my wife, and I will have you, I promise you that.’

  She felt panic sweep over her. ‘I didn’t come to your room because I saw no point in it. You must realize it wouldn’t be any good, I could never love you,’ Arian paused to wonder why she was even trying to explain things to him, be just wasn’t hearing her, ‘so what is the use of you wanting me?’ she finished lamely.

  ‘I don’t care if you don’t love me now. Love can grow and if it doesn’t,’ he shrugged, ‘I can live with that, so long as I have you in my bed.’

  Arian shivered and squared her shoulders. ‘There’s no chance of that, believe me.’ He took a step towards her and she held up her hand.

  ‘Stay away from me, Mr Simples, just stay away from me.’

  He smiled then, slowly, unpleasantly. ‘I’ve told you once before, Miss Smale, I will never force you, not physically. You will come to me of your own free will. My plans are made and I will make it happen.’

  Arian hurried away, what if he could somehow make his words come true? Nothing could be worse than being tied to a man like that. He wasn’t quite sane, she was convinced of it.

  She told herself to be calm and moving towards the chair near the fire, she sank into it, clenching her hands together to stop them from trembling. She was being silly, melodramatic. Of course Simples couldn’t force her into anything, certainly not into coming to his bed of her own free will. It was nonsense, the dreaming of an unbalanced mind. Or was it?

  Calvin put his hands behind his head, his knuckles sinking into the softness of the pillows. He smiled as he watched Daphne at her ablutions. She was the epitome of charm and grace, she was the mistress of seduction and yet she had a sweet air of innocence about her as she stood naked before him.

  Daphne lacked the usual reticence of her own kind; women very rarely revealed their nakedness even to their husbands. He thought, with a sharp pain, about his wife. Eline had been modest in the extreme, always keeping her beautiful body covered. He had only known it by touch but God, he had loved her.

  He stared at Daphne’s long slender legs. She was elegant and tall and could have been angular had it not been for the fullness of her breasts. Her legs were astride as she washed delicately, the darkness of her hair a contrast to the alabaster skin. He desired her, oh yes, he desired her with every fibre of his being but then desire was easy, love was not.

  ‘Like what you see?’ Daphne said smiling archly at him, her soft mouth curved upwardly, invitingly. Calvin returned her smile. He took one arm lazily from behind his head and beckoned to her.

  ‘I like what I see very much,’ he said. ‘Come here and find out for yourself.’

  ‘But Calvin, darling, I have to go,’ Daphne said, ‘I’ve an At Home to attend with one of my best friends.’

  ‘An old flame perhaps?’ Calvin felt amused more than jealous as she nodded.

  ‘Well, to be precise, the old flame’s wife.’ Her cheeks dimpled. ‘It could all be rather embarrassing darling if I didn’t keep my head.’

  ‘Come here,’ Calvin said with mock sternness. ‘How can I look at you and not be stirred to passion?’

  Daphne looked down at him, a glow coming into her eyes. She moved languorously towards the bed, her pupils
dilated with anticipated lust, her lips moist.

  ‘I can see how stirred you are, my dear,’ she said and gently lowered herself down beside him.

  It was dusk when Calvin ushered Daphne outside to her waiting carriage. He stood there until the even clip clop of the horses’ hooves had died away and then he closed the door.

  Turning, he saw Arian standing in the shadows. She had a stillness about her as though she had been watching him. ‘Did you want anything?’ he asked, and an expression fleeted across her face that he wasn’t able to read.

  ‘Have I shocked you by entertaining my ladyfriend in my room?’ he asked moving closer, aware of how small she was, how fine boned. Perhaps it was just the contrast between her and Daphne that made Arian appear almost fey and somehow mystical.

  Calvin realized with a dart of interest that he knew very little of the girl’s inner thoughts – Arian was an enigma while Daphne was an open book anyone could read.

  ‘Come into the drawing room,’ he said, leading the way, ‘I think we should have a little talk.’

  She stood near the doorway, her eyes not quite meeting his.

  ‘Why haven’t you been happy here?’ he asked wishing to draw her out of her shell. He realized, in that moment, how reluctant he was to let her go.

  ‘I’ve enjoyed working for you well enough, sir, but to be honest with you, I think it is time I moved on.’

  ‘Move on, to what, though?’ he asked briskly. ‘To work for someone else? Is that what you wanted? I had the impression you wished to be your own boss.’

  Arian straightened her shoulders as though to do battle. She spoke in a rush. ‘Working for Mr Grenfell would give me an independence I don’t have here.’ She was breathless and Calvin knew she was nervous. ‘I would be selecting the best skins and doing the actual buying.’

  ‘I thought you wanted your own business?’ Calvin insisted. ‘That’s surely what real independence is all about?’

  ‘Aye, I know,’ Arian said, ‘but …’ her voice trailed away and Calvin felt himself relax.

  ‘But you thought I’d forgotten all about it?’ he supplied, feeling more in command of the situation now.

  She nodded, almost miserably. He looked down at her, saw shadows in her eyes. She felt he had failed her.

  ‘Well, in truth, it had gone out of my mind just lately,’ he said, ‘but what I have done is looked at suitable premises for you.’ A glimmer of a smile appeared on his face. ‘I hadn’t forgotten you entirely, you see. Arian, I would like you to realize your ambitions, I want to help.’

  ‘Thank you, sir.’ Her tone was stilted and Calvin felt there was more to her urge to get away from the manor than met the eye.

  ‘Is this sudden urgency anything to do with the missing money, by any chance?’ he asked quietly. ‘If so, please don’t give the matter another thought. I haven’t.’

  ‘No, it’s not that. It’s nothing, just that I don’t want to work here for evermore. I want to get out there, make my own mark on the world.’ She grimaced. ‘Perhaps you’ll think all that presumptuous on the part of a servant.’

  ‘Not at all.’ His tone became businesslike. There was no fathoming women, he decided, it was useless to try. ‘There’s a warehouse to let down at the docks, needs a bit of work but the construction is sound.’

  It seemed that Arian would turn his suggestion down, and suddenly Calvin knew he didn’t want to lose sight of her – she interested him.

  ‘It’s the chance you always wanted,’ he said smiling. ‘Have your ambitions changed or is it that you are afraid of the challenge?’

  He saw the rich colour suffuse her cheeks, her chin lifted and her eyes seemed to glow angrily.

  ‘There’s a silly thing to say.’ He heard the Welshness of her voice with amusement – the lilting sound was a contrast to her usual even tones. ‘It’s just that I feel obligated to Mr Grenfell, that’s all.’

  ‘Don’t worry about Craig,’ Calvin said. ‘I’ll square things with him, he’s an understanding sort of a chap.’

  Arian seemed undecided, she looked at him doubtfully and small white teeth chewed at her lip. She was little more than a girl, Calvin thought, and yet by all accounts she had lived the life of an experienced woman.

  ‘Is there something else bothering you?’ Calvin sensed an uneasiness in her that was so strong it almost reached out and touched him. She shook her head abruptly and a stray curl of silver-gold hair fell over her forehead.

  ‘No, nothing’s bothering me, but there are a few things I must think about, sir. Could I talk to you later about the warehouse and all that?’

  ‘Of course,’ Calvin said quickly, ‘no-one is going to force you into doing what you don’t want to.’

  Was he mistaken or did a strange expression fleet across her face? He turned away abruptly. He was being far too concerned with this girl – she was none of his business. He had enough on his plate already, with his divorce imminent and Daphne growing more and more tiresome every day.

  And yet when he had left her and was seated in the comfortable leather chair in his study, he could not help seeing her face, soft, petal-like and the bright tendril of hair falling childlike over her brow, and he was strangely affected by the image.

  There was something about Arian, he realized, that brought out his protective instincts. ‘Rubbish!’ he said the word out loud. All that he wanted was to bed the girl – why didn’t he face the truth? As for emotional entanglements, he could well do without that sort of complication in his life. He rose abruptly and moving to the sideboard, poured himself a stiff drink of porter.

  Arian sat in her room and stretched her bare feet out towards the fire. She was lost in thought, her brow furrowed, her hands twisting nervously at the folds of her nightgown. It had become clear to her, as she’d brooded in the semi-darkness, that she must get out of Stormhill, find rooms of her own, be independent. Calvin could scarcely be accused then of having a relationship with his servant.

  The gentle knock on her door startled her. She glanced up at the clock and sighed. It was bed time and no doubt Bella had arrived with her milk drink, the last of the evening.

  ‘Come in,’ she sat up straighter in her chair and turned with a welcoming smile that quickly faded.

  ‘Mr Simples,’ she said icily, ‘I wasn’t expecting you and as you can see, I’m not dressed for visitors.’

  He closed the door and came further into the room, his eyes drinking in every detail of her appearance. Arian felt almost naked under his scrutiny.

  ‘So your ideas of running a business are coming to fruition, then?’ he said slowly. Arian was suddenly angry.

  ‘I’ll not only have my own business but my own home,’ her voice low, ‘then you won’t be able to spread any lies about me and his lordship.’

  ‘You haven’t thought all this out, my dear Miss Smale,’ Simples said with maddening reasonableness. ‘If you were to leave, it would appear that his lordship had grown tired of you, cast you aside as he did his wife. This would not recommend you to a future employer, now would it?

  ‘Then there’s the discrepancy in the books. Didn’t you wonder why Lord Temple has never brought it up again?’ He went on without waiting for a reply. ‘I think I rather gave him the impression that it was your … er … little blunder. I excused you of course, said I knew what it was like to be short of money, told him it wouldn’t happen again and that I would be personally responsible for you in future. Lord Temple was very understanding but how would any future employer react to that little story, which his lordship would be honour-bound to confirm, should it get out.’

  Arian felt anger run through her veins like hot wine. She wanted to strike out at Simples, to tear at his smug face with her nails. She took a deep breath and forced herself to be calm.

  ‘How dare you do such a thing?’ her voice was low. ‘You know I didn’t make any error or take any money.’ She gave a short laugh ‘And you say you care for me. You must be mad.’

  His fa
ce darkened. ‘Be careful, Miss Smale, that you do not go too far.’ His eyes were suddenly like ice and Arian heard warning bells in her head.

  ‘Of course,’ she said more evenly, ‘you would make it a point of making known my so-called dishonesty to anyone you considered a threat to your plans?’ Arian’s spirits sank. She saw clearly just how far Simples would go in order to get his own way.

  He began to talk more quietly, even menacingly. ‘I’m not willing to let you out of my sight. I need you to be close to me so that I can keep an eye on you.’

  Arian felt her face grow hot with anger. ‘I don’t want you keeping an eye on me,’ she said fiercely.

  He took her arm. His grip was light but she felt almost mesmerized by the way his face was close to hers, his eyes, those strange eyes, were staring into hers.

  ‘I know too much about you, Miss Smale. There have been other, later … errors shall we call them? in the accounts. In any case, I will not let you go. I will do anything – and I mean anything – to anyone who tries to take you away from me.’ He paused for his words to sink in.

  ‘So you see,’ Simples continued, ‘you’d better accept his lordship’s offer. I intend to have you close to me here at Stormhill.’ He paused, looking at her as though he would like to press his mouth to hers.

  ‘Look on the bright side; there would be the prestige of running your own business, you would be free, independent, up to a point.’

  Arian looked at him sceptically. ‘But would I be free?’

  Simples smiled. ‘As free as you can be, Miss Smale but then none of us is entirely without obligations.’

  ‘Please leave,’ Arian said in a low voice. ‘I’m very tired and I think I’d better get some sleep. There’s a lot of work ahead if I’m to run my own company.’

  ‘Indeed.’ Gerald Simples moved towards her and Arian fought the desire to turn away from him. She stared levelly into his face, her expression forbidding any familiarity and after a moment, he silently let himself out of her room.