The Feud

by James, Amanda

  Only, there was sleeping potion in the wine, not a love potion, Lavender was told later. Morvoren put it there. When Matt passed out, Lavender had become worried and had just been about to phone an ambulance when Morvoren and Jamie burst in, did what they did, and threatened Lavender, said she must keep quiet, or they’d both deny it and put all the blame on her. They had airtight ‘alibis’ from Annie and Bob. They had both been round at Annie’s playing cards all night. Lavender had been horrified at what they’d done, but then they’d told her hideous lies about Matt to justify it. Lavender believed them for a time until she started getting suspicious of Morvoren’s obsession. She’d been mortified about what had happened, and eventually told Matt the truth, even if it might mean she’d get in serious trouble for hiding it.

  Lavender came up with a problem during their discussions of the ‘story’. Why hadn’t she drunk the wine that night? Matt would have noticed, surely? Matt solved that one – because she had poured it in the kitchen and brought the glasses in. Hers was normal red wine. That would work. Matt crunches into a biscuit and watches Lavender dip hers in the tea. Their story might work… but would she get off scot-free?

  She sips her tea and looks at him. ‘What are you thinking?’

  He tells her.

  ‘I think I have a better chance of getting off now than I did before you arrived today. I think our story works, and believe it or not, I was considering going to the police and telling the truth next week. I feel better about doing that now. But if I go to prison, then so be it. Living with the guilt is eating me up… And I know it means dropping Gran and Jamie in it up to their eyes, but they deserve it. They have this “alibi”, but if it goes to court, I bet they’ll trip themselves up under cross-examination. Gran is no good at lying to people’s faces. She gets flustered and loses her temper.’

  Matt’s heart goes out to her. She’s willing to risk her liberty to do the right thing. ‘The thing is, Lavender, even if Morvoren and Jamie don’t get punished because of the so-called alibi, I’d be happy with clearing my name and maybe getting my job back here. I would put in a good word for you, say that I believed you, that you were completely innocent, and you were manipulated. The lies they told you helped you to keep the truth a secret because of what happened to you as a child…’ Then he stops. ‘Hmm. You might not want people to know.’

  She shrugs. ‘It’s about time people did know. At the time I never told a soul… I was too ashamed. The teacher left a few months later and I tried to get on with my life. I told my parents a good eight years after, when they asked why I never had a boyfriend and ran a mile when boys showed interest. I told them never to breathe a word of it to anyone – Dad told Gran, and predictably she went nuts. In my case, there was nothing much anyone could do about it by then, of course. Dad did tell the education authority and they said the teacher was currently in prison. He’d abused another few girls in another school and somebody had spoken out. So now I don’t care who knows. It wasn’t my bloody fault, I’ve nothing to be ashamed of, and at least people will know I’m not “weird”. Sodding Jamie already knows – thanks to dear old Gran.’

  Instinct leads Matt over to Lavender and he sits on the arm of her chair. He places his hand on her shoulder and says, ‘This must be really tough, but you are doing the right thing. You’re so brave and we’ll get through this together. I’ll do all I can to help if you let me.’

  Lavender looks at him and places her hand over his. ‘Thank you, Matt. It makes me feel better that I have you in my corner… I’m so lucky to have your support given what I’ve done.’

  Matt kneels in front of her. ‘Hey. Look at me. As I said, you’ve been manipulated for years and used by your grandmother… You’re as much of a victim as I am.’

  ‘Not sure that’s true… but thanks for saying so.’ Lavender leans in and brushes her lips across his cheek.

  Matt looks into her eyes and she doesn’t look away. He swallows hard and looks at her mouth. Is he misreading the signals? The air between them is charged with electricity and suddenly she cups his face in her hands and presses her lips to his. Kissing her back, he can feel his desire growing and pulls back a little as he’s scared of frightening her.

  He says, ‘I’m sorry… This might not be such a good idea at the moment. Our emotions are all over the place and I don’t want to take advantage of you.’

  Lavender shakes her head and places a forefinger on his lips. ‘I kissed you first, remember?’ She moves her finger from his lips and traces the contours of his jawline. ‘I’ve wanted to kiss you since the first day we met.’

  Matt can’t believe his ears. ‘You have?’

  ‘I have.’ Then she kisses him again, and this time he doesn’t hold back.’

  * * *

  Morvoren stamps her feet and rubs her arms. She’s been waiting behind the hedge lining the lane to Lavender’s cottage for the last hour and twenty minutes. It will be dark soon and her old bones won’t tolerate the damp, cold autumn air. When she saw that bastard Trevelyar’s car outside Lavender’s, she couldn’t believe her eyes. She’d sneaked up to the back window and seen the two of them sitting there all comfy cosy, having a chat like two old friends. It had taken all her resolve not to burst in there, but she wants to have the element of surprise. Lavender can’t know that she’s been seen. If she knows, she’ll be on her guard. If Trevelyar doesn’t leave soon, she’ll ring Jamie. He’ll have something to say.

  Five minutes later, she’s about to head home when the door opens and Trevelyar comes out, stops on the path and pulls his coat on. Lavender’s leaning against the doorpost bathed in the soft yellow oblong of light like some ethereal fairy. She’s smiling and then laughs at something he says. When he leans in and places a kiss on her mouth, it takes all Morvoren’s strength not to fly over there and strike him. So much for her being shy of men because of what happened in the classroom. She’s obviously got over it now – the slut!

  He walks to the car and they wave to each other before he gets behind the wheel. Then he backs up and toots the horn before driving away. Morvoren ducks her head and waits for him to pass her hiding spot. When she looks back, the door’s shut and the porch light goes off. Her legs feel wobbly and her pulse is rapid. She needs to go home, take some deep breaths on the way.

  Morvoren’s worst fears have materialised… a granddaughter of hers and a Trevelyar. How could she! Even though she and Lavender had a falling out, surely she must have known it wouldn’t last, that they’d be friends again soon? Because they are blood. Blood binds, bonds – connects one generation to the next. But after everything Lavender knows about the past, about the feud, she’s prepared to lie down with the enemy. Morvoren stomps from the field into the lane, a multitude of emotions writhing like a rampant vine in her chest. Sorrow, disbelief and fury. Fury feels best. It’s cleansing, gives her strength and the resolve for what she must do. She hawks and spits on the road in disgust. If Lavender prefers a stinking Trevelyar over her own family, her traditions, her roots… then so be it. When he meets his end, she can go to hell with him!

  Chapter 22

  Matt’s ridiculously pleased with the CCTV setup. He can access views of both inside and outside remotely from his phone, and only the trained eye can detect the ones on the front and side of his cottage. It all cost an arm and a leg, so the ones at the back of the house will have to wait a bit. The trouble is, at the back is an old shed on a scrap of lawn accessed by a rickety gate from the lane – so it’s very easy to get into the garden undetected. Intruders wouldn’t be able to get in, however, unless they came around the side, and then they’d be picked up easily by a camera under the roof, about halfway down. It had two lenses also. One angled to the back, the other to the side. If the old witch tried to damage his car again, or leave any more beheaded animals, she’d be caught on camera, no trouble.

  He’s also ridiculously pleased about himself and Lavender. The way she just leaned over and kissed him the other day still won’t go into
his head properly. Matt’s afraid he’ll wake up and find it’s all a dream. The kiss had progressed to more, but then she’d pulled back, saying she wasn’t ready, but she thinks she will be soon because she likes him so much. Apparently, he’s the first man she’s ever considered ‘making her boyfriend’. Matt found that so endearing and old-fashioned… refreshing. Both agreed to take everything slowly, but his head is full of her during all his waking hours and she walks through his dreams too.

  They’re meeting tonight for a meal at the Driftwood and he can’t wait. Lavender wanted to go to the police the day after they’d got together, but he said to wait until they were sure the story was as good as they could get it. Next week will be soon enough. Part of him is delaying because he’s worried she’ll get into trouble, despite everything they plan to say. So, for this reason, he’s reluctant to go ahead – and because he wants to get to know her better without all this drama hanging over them. They will have to go through with it, however, if he’s to hold his head up in the village once again and get his career back on track.

  Three hours later, the mirror tells him he’s trying too hard. It’s a meal at the local pub, not dinner at The Ritz. He’s still too early, but wants to spend time getting the look just right. Matt takes his suit and tie off and loosens his hair from the band. It’s almost past his shoulders now – too long even for him. A trim at the village barber goes on his mental to-do list. The black jeans and dark red shirt he’s discarded on the bed get dragged back on and he looks at himself again. His gran once said his granddad looked like Elvis when he was a young man. When he saw her last week, she said Matt reminded her of him sometimes, so he scrapes his hair back and does an Elvis pose. Yeah… he has the hair colour, the eyes, possibly the nose. The mouth is a bit fuller though. Satisfied he’ll do, he wiggles his hips and belts out a few verses of ‘Jailhouse Rock’ before leaving the bedroom.

  * * *

  Peering round the side of the shed, Morvoren watches Trevelyar through the uncurtained upstairs window. He’s dancing. What a prick he is! Must love himself, gyrating in front of the mirror like that. Just like his grandfather: a pompous, posing fucking peacock! Her pulse races and she can feel palpitations drumming in her throat. Closing her eyes, she takes a few deep breaths. The shed smells of wet wood and rusty hinges. Calm down, Mor, you can’t get overwrought. You need your wits about you. She’s not felt fighting fit lately; these palpitations are getting more frequent. She has a nasty cough too, off and on. Still, she’s nearly eighty – if she’s not long for this world, it makes her all the braver to do what needs to be done. There’s a slight pang in the old heart about what has to be done regarding her granddaughter, but then she’s made her bed.

  A few minutes later, the kitchen light comes on and she can see Trevelyar washing up. He’ll be making his tea in a minute and that’s when she’ll strike. This thought gives her energy. A surge of power strips back the years, smooths her aches and pains, and she’s seventeen again, ready for anything. Ready for revenge. And how fitting for the young Trevelyar to go in this way. His bastard of an ancestor started it – but she’ll finish it.

  She eyes the large plastic container of liquid near her feet. It nearly defeated her on the way here. She’d concealed it within her innocent-looking shopping trolley, and she’d dragged, pulled and pushed the weight of it from her car, parked a mile away, all the way down the lane. Morvoren sniggers into her hand. It won’t be heavy soon, though, will it? And what an unholy surprise it will be for Matthew Trevelyar.

  Chapter 23

  The mirror tells Lavender she’s trying too hard. She’s going for a bite to eat at the local, not to a nightclub. She strips off the tight black dress with the plunging neckline and slips on her usual floaty apparel. Red’s a change for her. She rarely wears it, and she thinks it’s a good contrast to her blond hair and lavender eyes. The black dress is back on its hanger, but should it be? She strokes the velvet and reconsiders… It is very smart and has a swirly hem, and most of all, it’s very sexy. Her reflection shows her rosy cheeks and guilty eyes. Sod that. What has she got to feel guilty about? She’s a grown woman about to meet a man she cares about. The past is the past and she’s ready for the future.

  The black dress is off the hanger again and held in front of her; she strokes the velvet and unzips it. Matt’s kisses from the other night play over in her head again and a silly smile curls her lips. For the first time in her life, she hadn’t wanted to run away from a man’s embrace. It had felt natural and normal, so she can’t be a freak, can she? As she pulls the dress over her head, the smile disappears. If only they didn’t have the confession to the police to contend with. How long will their happiness last if she gets arrested, possibly jailed? All the more reason to make the most of the time I have now.

  Then there’s a knock at the door. Great. If that’s Gran, she can piss off. She hurries downstairs, grumbling to herself.

  ‘Hi, Lavender. Not sure if you know me?’

  Lavender looks at the smartly dressed woman on her doorstep. A dark asymmetric bob, green catlike eyes and red lipstick… She’s seen her before, but can’t quite place her…‘I’m not quite sure…?’

  ‘I’m Jessica Blake, the deputy head at Penhallow. I think we met once at a fundraiser for the school?’

  Ah yes, that was it. Lavender remembers not warming to her at all. ‘Of course, yes. I donated a painting for it, didn’t I? What can I do for you this evening, Jessica?’

  ‘Um, can I pop inside for a mo?’ Jessica rubs her hands together as if she’s cold.

  ‘Yeah, but I’m going out shortly.’ Lavender stands aside and waves her along the corridor and through to the kitchen. What the hell can she possibly want?

  Jessica’s gaze sweeps up and down the black velvet dress and she shrugs. ‘You off somewhere nice?’

  ‘Meeting a friend.’

  Jessica raises an eyebrow and looks at the dress again. ‘No probs. This won’t take long.’

  It might seem rude not to offer Jessica a drink, but if she does, the woman will stay longer. ‘Take a seat,’ Lavender says, gesturing to a kitchen chair.

  ‘I’ll stand, thanks.’ The pleasant tone has gone, the smile with it. ‘I’ll come straight to the point. Do the right thing by my boyfriend, or I’ll make your life very unpleasant.’

  ‘What are you on about… and boyfriend? I don’t know your boyfriend.’

  ‘He’s Matt Trevelyar.’ Jessica folds her arms and glowers.

  Lavender’s legs go weak and she sits in a kitchen chair. She can’t speak… can’t think. There’s treacle where her brain used to be. All she can hear is He’s Matt Trevelyar on a loop. Must be another Matt, because Matt is with her… isn’t he?

  Jessica leans against the wall. ‘Anyway, there’s no doubt you’ve been instrumental in bringing about his downfall – meaning his suspension and consequent resignation. How could anyone sink so low as to target an innocent man because of some stupid feud? The kids have lost a great teacher because of you, and half the village think he’s a pervert. You should be ashamed.’

  Lavender sighs and wonders what Matt’s told her. Has he mentioned Lavender’s confession? The best policy is to keep quiet, even though all she wants to do is rage, scream and yell. How could Matt do this to her? All the time he was kissing her the other night he knew he was someone else’s boyfriend… It didn’t seem possible. It felt so real. How could she be so wrong? She also wonders if she has enough strength to stand up. She grabs the edge of the table and rights herself. ‘Can you leave now, please? I have nothing to do with any of that.’

  ‘I’m not done yet. Matt told me your grandmother tricked you into believing he was a wife beater and child molester. I reckon that gives you plenty of motive – plus your stupid old feud too.’

  Lavender’s relieved Jessica doesn’t know about her confession, which makes her think she needs to get to the bottom of Jessica and Matt’s relationship. If they were so close, wouldn’t he have told her the whole
thing? She owes it to him not to just believe this pompous, pushy woman. After all, they were colleagues. Couldn’t he have talked to her just as a friend? Maybe Jessica is making their relationship out to be more than it is.

  Feeling stronger now, she looks Jessica in the eye and says, ‘As I said, I’d like you to leave.’

  ‘I’ll leave.’ Jessica stops leaning against the door post and saunters down the corridor towards the front door. Over her shoulder, she says, ‘But if you haven’t been to the police by this time tomorrow, your name will be dragged through this town, and your creature of a grandmother’s too. Everyone will know what kind of people you are… if they don’t already. Then Matt will go to the police.’

  At the door, she turns and glares at Lavender. Lavender shakes her head. ‘Dear oh dear. I don’t know Matt that well, but he doesn’t strike me as the kind of man to let his’ – she sweeps Jessica top to toe with a contemptuous gaze – ‘girlfriend do his dirty work for him. I think he might have told me all this himself – not sent you.’ Lavender folds her arms and looks Jessica up and down again. ‘In fact, Miss Blake, I do believe you’re not his girlfriend at all.’

  ‘You can believe whatever the hell you like!’ Jessica snaps, but Lavender has clocked the shifty slide of her eyes, the bristle of her shoulders. She was right. Jessica is hiding something.