by Nancy M Bell
“What do you mean, what my mum did?” Bella demanded.
Sarie sighed and gave her mum a hard stare. Sarie knew the story of what had taken place between Bella’s parents, but she knew that Bella didn’t have a clue. The gossip had been all over the village and there were some who still talked about it come every August. Barney had managed to keep the truth from Bella’s ears so far.
“Lily left your da ten years ago this month. She said she was going up to London for the weekend, like she did most weekends, and she never came home,” Mrs. Waters told an astounded Bella.
“But she took me with her sometimes didn’t she? Da said she always wanted to take me and that he hadn’t let her that last time and that’s why she didn’t come home. She was that mad at him.” Bella spoke quickly.
“Your da loved your mum very much Bella, and he would never hear a bad word about her. No matter how she carried on. He never wanted you to know the truth. Truth is Lily Raginnis was never good enough for Barney Angarrick, although he could never see that,” Mrs. Waters said sadly.
“So you think that by me running off to London without telling him that he’ll think I’m just like my mum?” Bella asked.
“It would pain him greatly, although he would die before he admitted that to anyone,” Mrs. Waters agreed.
“I will think about telling him then. But I’m still going, he won’t stop me,” Bella promised.
Bella pushed back from the table and reached for her jacket. Sarie walked with her to the back door. Bella pulled on her jacket and gave Sarie a quick hug.
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow and let you know how things go,” Bella told her.
Outside the morning was well on toward noon and the sun was shining through the last of the mist. Bella put her foot in the stirrup and stepped up onto Raven’s back with the ease of long practice. Clucking to the black mare, Bella settled her jacket about her and picked up the reins as Raven started to head down the hedge-lined lane to the road. Bella let Raven pick her way along without paying much attention to where the mare was headed. She was lost in her thoughts. The quandary of whether to tell Da about King’s College before or after she left was foremost in her mind. Bella didn’t want to hurt him, but she did want very much to go and study at King’s College Hospital in London.
All the stuff Mrs. Waters said about Mum! Bella wondered if that was true at all, although why she would lie to her about something like that was beyond Bella’s reckoning. She had never known Mrs. Waters to lie, or to gossip about anything, for that matter. So maybe there was some truth to what she said. Bella wanted to ask Da but was afraid to. Barney Angarrick rarely spoke his wife’s name after she left him. If he had to refer to her it was ‘Arabella’s mother’ or ‘the ex’ that came out of his mouth. Arabella thought about Da’s reaction the few times she asked about her mum. He always avoided the question and looked very uncomfortable. Bella had finally quit asking when Mum was coming home. Truth be told, Bella hadn’t missed her hardly at all. Her mum was just someone who came and went in her young life without making much impact. Bella could barely remember her; just that she was very pretty and always dressed better than the mums of her friends. It was her Gramma Angarrick who had the hand in raising Bella. Bella had spent more time at her gramma’s than she had at home. Mum always seemed to have an important appointment, or meeting, or something that kept her away from her daughter. In fact, other than to dress her up and show her off when it suited her, Lily Raginnis Angarrick had little time for her baby as she went from pram to toddler to school age. And then Lily was gone, off to London, where she had always longed to be. No longer tied down by her big lug of a husband and her cute, but quite inconvenient, daughter. The child would be better off without a mother who didn’t really love her, Lily told Barney as she left for the last time.
Bella wasn’t paying attention to where Raven was going and the mare took a track that took them past Penzance and south toward Newlyn. When Bella thought to look where they were headed she was surprised to see that they were almost to Lamorna Cove. She knew she should turn around immediately and head for home, but she just didn’t feel like facing Da just then. He would be up and teazy as an adder after being up at the Arms till time was called. The wind came up from the cliffs and lifted Bella’s heavy hair from her face. She nudged Raven into a trot and continued on towards Lamorna Cove. Just as Raven trotted up the last bit of a rise to a point that overlooked the cove she stumbled and her gait became uneven. Bella immediately jumped down from her back, before the mare was even stopped. Leaning down, Bella ran her hand down the mare’s left foreleg. The tendons felt fine, tight and hard. Bella breathed a sigh of relief. At least Raven hadn’t blown a tendon. She lifted the big black hoof and probed the recesses of the frog with a hoof pick that she pulled out of her back pocket. There was a largish chunk of grey granite wedged tightly into the cleft of the frog. Bella tried every angle she could with the hoof pick but couldn’t budge the stubborn stone. Well, this was just great, wasn’t it just? Way down by Lamorna Cove, and nobody knew where she was, and no way to get Raven home without really injuring her by making her walk on the sore hoof. Grunting, Bella lifted Raven’s hoof again. The mare reached down and rested her big muzzle on Bella’s head.
“That’s not helping, Raven!” Bella said testily.
Her arms were tired from wrestling with the hoof pick and she had a big scrape up the knuckle of her thumb where the pick had slipped. Swearing in frustration, Bella put Raven’s hoof back down and sat on a nearby rock to rest. The wind had picked up considerably, and unless Bella was wrong, it was blowing in more rain. She hitched the hood of her jacket up over her head and considered what to do. She nearly jumped out of her skin when a man spoke right by her left shoulder. Even more surprising, was the fact that Raven never even gave any notice that he was there.
“Are you having trouble, miss?” the stranger asked.
Bella scrambled to her feet and moved closer to Raven. She knew she could vault unto Raven’s back in an instant, and even lame, Raven was quicker than a man on foot.
“In a way,” Bella said warily.
The man wasn’t familiar at all, which meant he couldn’t be from these parts. Bella knew most of the folks from hereabouts, although, she owned, she didn’t know them all. So maybe he was okay, but then again maybe he was a smuggler. There was still some smuggling in this part of the country; the Admiral Benbow on Chapel Street was rumoured to have a secret tunnel that was still in use. Da and Brian Treliving were talking about it just the other night in the kitchen: strange lights and other things out by Lamorna Cove and Gwynnap Head, and secret goings-on in the Penzance around the Abbey Warehouse.
“Can I be of any service to you, then?” The man’s deep low voice recalled Bella to her present dilemma.
As he spoke the man moved closer to Raven, the black mare allowed him to place his hand on her shoulder. Bella moved behind the mare’s big body. She was surprised Raven let the man anywhere near her; the big mare was usually very wary of strangers and very protective of Bella. The man bent his dark head and ran a hand down Raven’s sturdy leg. He picked up her foot, crooning to her all the time in a voice so low Bella couldn’t make out what he was saying. Raven seemed to approve however as she lowered her nose and blew her breath over his hair. Bella heard the low rumble of the man’s laugh as he placed Raven’s hoof back on the packed earth of the track.
“I don’t suppose you have a hoof pick on you, do you?” The stranger looked directly at Bella for the first time.
“Here.” Bella stuck her hand out from behind Raven’s neck and offered him the hoof pick.
“Now, my love, let’s see if we can shift this great bloody rock you’ve picked up, shall we.” The man picked Raven’s hoof back up as he spoke.
Bella peered under Raven’s belly to watch. His hands were strong and worn, dark hairs sprinkled the dark tan of his skin. He must be a fisherman, like Da, Bella supposed.
A dark hank of black hair hung
over his forehead as he worked. Deftly, the stranger worked the hoof pick in under the silvery edge of the granite. Finally, with a sudden twist of the pick, the rock came loose and dropped onto the track. The stranger probed Raven’s hoof with his fingers and tapped on it with the pick. Satisfied with the mare’s reactions he set the foot back on the ground. He straightened up and handed the hoof pick back to Bella with a smile.
“There she should be right as rain, now,” he said with satisfaction. “She’s a right rare pony, this one.” The man stroked Raven’s neck in appreciation.
“Thanks for your help,” Bella said politely.
“My name is Vear.” The dark stranger held out his big hand to Bella.
“I’m Bella.” Bella put her hand into his and shook it.
“What are you doing all the way out here and with a storm brewing?” Vear asked Bella.
“I was just thinking and not paying attention. Raven brought me here,” Bella said truthfully.
“Well then, I have to thank Raven for the pleasure of meeting you.” Vear’s dark eyes sparkled with humour.
“Are you from around here?” Bella asked. Then she cursed herself silently, like he was going to tell her if he was a smuggler! Or worse.
“I’ve been around these parts all my life,” he replied.
He sat down on a boulder not far from Bella, the cloth of his trousers pulling taut against his muscular thighs. He folded his arms across the front of his jacket and regarded Bella intently.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before,” Bella said carefully.
“I’m from over by Trevescan, I was just visiting some relatives over this way,” Vear reassured her.
“Oh, well, yes. I guess I don’t know a lot of folks out Land’s End way.” Bella relaxed a little.
“You look like you might be kin of Barney Angarrick,” Vear observed.
“He’s my da!” Bella said in surprise. “Do you know him?”
“I’ve seen him by the docks in Penzance some, and out on his boat sometimes,” Vear said. “I hear he’s a good man.”
“I guess,” Bella said.
Vear must have been about nineteen or twenty. She regarded him from under lowered lashes. Not too old for her to be interested in, to be sure. He was certainly good-looking. Long sooty lashes protected his large dark eyes. They must be a very dark brown as the irises looked black in this light. He wore the clothes of a fisherman, with a cloth cap stuck in his back pocket. His trousers encased his long legs and were tucked into the tops of his sturdy work boots. Bella moved out from behind Raven and perched on a boulder beside him. She smiled at him for the first time and was rewarded with a brilliant smile in return.
“Do you think she’ll be okay for me to ride home?” Bella indicated Raven.
“I think she’ll be right as rain,” Vear said.
“Well, I guess I should be going,” Bella said but didn’t move from her seat on the rock.
“Aye, that you should. It looks like the weather is closing in again.” Vear looked out at the sea to the south where clouds were gathering.
“Do you get to Penzance much?” Bella asked boldly.
“Mayhap, I do some.” Vear grinned broadly.
“Maybe we could have some tea next time you’re there,” Bella invited him. “At the café, I mean. Not at the house.”
Lord, wouldn’t Da have fits if she asked a man home to tea without clearing it with him first. Of course, Da would be fine with it if she asked Daniel Treliving. She couldn’t fathom what Da saw in Daniel; he was such a snake. Just plain mean, but Da would hear none of it. Wanting her to go the pictures with him just last week. Bella snorted. When pigs flew!
“I would like that very much. But why don’t we just meet on the Cliff Road near Skilly and have our tea as a picnic looking out over Mount’s Bay,” Vear suggested.
“We could, I guess,” Bella said.
“I don’t much like towns and lots of folks about,” Vear said apologetically.
“That would explain why I don’t ever remember seeing you around then,” Bella said.
“When would you like to meet there?” Vear asked.
“Well, it will have to be Saturday next, I’m leaving for London to train at King’s College School of Nursing the week after that,” Bella said importantly.
“It’s a date then. Saturday next. Let’s say about one o’clock?” Vear wanted to set a definite time to meet.
“That will be fine with me.” Bella smiled.
Bella slipped down off her perch on the boulder and threw the reins over Raven’s head. Vear moved to help her mount, but before he had gotten himself properly off his boulder Bella was already grinning at him from the saddle.
“Well, I’m off then. Thanks again for helping with Raven.” Bella hesitated as Vear came closer.
He put his hand on Bella’s leg and reached up with his other hand to pull her head down to his. Raven wasn’t really a tall pony, only 14.2hh, and Vear was a very tall man. Bella drew her breath in quickly, she wasn’t sure if she was excited or scared. Vear’s eyes were huge and fathomless seen from Bella’s point of view, mere inches away. Suddenly his mouth was on hers, soft, warm, and undemanding. She felt the soft wet flick of his tongue on her lips and then he was standing back from Raven’s shoulder. Bella didn’t remember him moving there at all. There was a small enigmatic smile on his lips as he lifted his hand in farewell.
“Till Saturday then, Bella.”
The rain that had been threatening began to fall in earnest, whipped by the southwest wind. Bella pulled her hood up over her head and peered out at Vear from the scant protection it offered.
“Saturday,” she agreed.
Bella urged Raven back down the incline they had climbed earlier. At the bottom she stopped to look back at Vear. The man was nowhere in sight. Bella supposed he must have headed back to his relative’s place to get out of the wet. Bella sighed. It was going to be a long wet ride home. Da would be expecting supper on the table as usual. Bella was no closer to deciding when and how to tell him about nursing school. The more she turned it around in her head the more confused she got. So instead, she thought about Vear. What a strange name. It didn’t sound like a local name at all. Bella wondered what his last name was. She was surprised she hadn’t thought to ask him. Around here it seemed everyone was related in some way, however distantly.
Raven seemed none the worse for wear for her incident with the stone. She picked her way through the streams of water that pooled along the path. Sooner than Bella though possible she was turning into the yard at the back of her house. Through the kitchen windows Bella could see that Da had company. It was hard to tell through the rain-streaked glass, but it looked like Brian Treliving and his girl, Eileen. Bella hoped that Daniel wasn’t there as well. He was such a pain in the arse. Always sneaking up behind her and trying to put his hands where they didn’t belong. Boasting to Bella that he had already talked to her father and that Da was more than willing to have Bella marry Brian’s brother. Bella fumed, Daniel acted like he already owned her. And she didn’t even like him! Bella didn’t think Da would make her marry the bloke if she really didn’t want to, but she wouldn’t put it past Daniel to try and pull a sly one over on her either. Get Da drunk and coerce him into sign something promising her to Daniel. Bella knew her Da, if he signed something, or gave his word, it was written in stone. Even if he didn’t agree with it when he was sober. His word was his word. His reputation rode on the integrity of his word he had told her often. If it got out that Barney Angarrick didn’t stand behind his promises, well it was all over, so it was. That was just how it was, Barney would tell her.
“Over my cold, dead body.” Bella muttered as she put Raven away for the night.
She would jump off the cliffs before she would ever let Daniel Treliving touch her in that way. Let alone marry the man. Bella touched her lips and smiled as the thought of the cliffs brought her meeting today with Vear back to the forefront of her mind. Her mou
th still tingled from the touch of his lips on hers. She could still feel the strength of his fingers on her leg and the gentleness of his hand on her arm as he pulled her down for the kiss.
“Daniel, be damned.” She harrumphed as she marched across the wet yard to the house.
Inside the warm bright kitchen Da and his company were sitting around the table with a pint of dark ale in front of each of them. To Bella’s dismay, Daniel was there, firmly ensconced on Barney’s right hand side.
“Come on and join us, Bella,” Da said.
“I just need to go up and get changed into some dry clothes.” Bella headed for the hallway.
“Be sure you come back on down, girl. Or we’ll have to send someone to look for you.” Da winked at Daniel as he spoke.
“Unless that’s what you want, is it? Me to come looking for you?” Daniel smirked at her.
“You wish!” Bella frowned at Daniel. “I’ll be back down directly, Da,” Bella said as she left the kitchen.
Quickly Bella changed and dried her hair. In no time flat she was headed back down the dark stairs and into the hall. Daniel reached out of the shadows by the front door as she turned the corner at the foot of the stair. Bella jumped in fright and then slapped his hand away in disgust. Daniel tightened his hold on her upper arm as Bella squirmed to get away from him.
“Leave go of me!” Bella hissed at him.
“Ah, it’s a tease you are, young Bella,” Daniel crooned at her. “You know you wanted me to find you here in the dark. I saw the come-hither look ya threw at me when you left the kitchen.”
“Leave go of me, or I’ll yell for Da!” Bella threatened. “It was more a ‘go to hell’ look, you fool.”
“Barney will do you no good if you yell. I talked to him out on the boat today and he agrees that it’s time for you to settle down and think about starting a family.” Daniel pulled her closer.
“Not with you!” Bella was horrified.
“Why not with me?” Daniel dug his fingers harder into her arm, the other clutching her waist.