A Village Scandal

by Dilly Court

  Next morning, after a restless night when she had barely slept, Daisy reached out as she had done every day since they were married, but Jay’s side of the bed was cold to the touch. She snapped into a sitting position, running her hand through her tousled hair. So it was not simply a bad dream. Jay was still missing, and the worries she had attempted to dismiss came flooding back with a physical force that made her gasp.

  She leaped out of bed and stripped off her nightgown, allowing it to fall to the floor. The maid had not appeared to light the fire but Daisy was oblivious to the early morning chill. She threw on her riding habit and dragged a comb through her long, dark hair, securing it in a chignon at the nape of her neck. This was not the time to worry about her looks or the latest fashion; her greatest need was to discover Jay’s whereabouts and it was just possible that Lewis’s father, Farmer Johnson, might have the answer.

  Daisy left the house, startling the bleary-eyed footman who rushed to open the door for her. ‘If Mrs Tattersall asks where I am, James, you may tell her that I’ve gone for a walk.’

  He nodded mutely and stood to attention as she walked past him. She caught a whiff of stale alcohol on his breath, and it was obvious from his bloodshot eyes and hangdog demeanour that he had been celebrating into the early hours. However, that was the least of her worries. She set off towards the stables, but as she entered the cobbled yard she saw Faulkner, the head groom, with his head held under the pump. He straightened up abruptly at the sound of her voice and made a grab for a grimy towel, which he wrapped around his bare torso.

  ‘Mrs Tattersall, ma’am. I’m sorry, I wasn’t expecting to see you here.’

  ‘It’s all right, Faulkner. I apologise for disturbing your ablutions, but I need my horse saddled immediately.’

  He glanced over her shoulder. ‘Will the squire be riding with you, ma’am?’

  ‘Not this morning.’

  ‘Shall I accompany you, ma’am?’

  ‘No, thank you. I’ll go alone.’

  Faulkner opened his mouth as if to argue, but he closed it again, nodded and backed away. ‘I’ll have your mount ready in a few minutes, Mrs Tattersall.’

  Daisy had had plenty of time to practise her equestrian skills since her marriage, and Jay had taken pleasure in showing her parts of the county that she had not previously seen, but now she was going out alone in the hope of discovering her husband’s whereabouts. Since last evening she had gone through a range of emotions from puzzlement to anger, and from anger to desperation. She waited impatiently and at last the stable boy brought her bay mare to the mounting block and held her head while Daisy settled herself in the saddle.

  He eyed her warily. ‘Mr Faulkner said I could go with you, ma’am. If you so wished.’

  Daisy was about to refuse, but she had second thoughts. ‘You grew up in Little Creek, didn’t you, Barney?’

  ‘Yes, Mrs Tattersall.’

  ‘Then you’ll know Lewis Johnson.’

  ‘Yes, ma’am. We was at school together.’

  ‘Saddle up then, Barney. I want you to find out anything you can about Lewis’s whereabouts yesterday. If he’s at home all the better, but if not then it’s vital that I know anything that would give me a clue as to why he came to the manor house in such a state last evening.’

  ‘I’ll be like one of them detectives then, ma’am.’ He gave her a wide grin and raced back into the stable, returning so quickly that Daisy was certain Faulkner had assumed that she would allow the boy to accompany her, and had the pony saddled and ready. She dug her heels into the mare’s sides and clicked her tongue against her teeth. ‘Walk on, Cinders.’ They rode sedately until they were out of sight of the main house and then Daisy encouraged Cinders to a trot, then a canter and finally a gallop over the fields to the Johnsons’ farm. She dismounted in the farmyard, tossing the reins to Barney.

  ‘I won’t be long.’ She strode across the yard, causing the hens pecking for food to scatter with loud squawks of protest and the sheep dog rushed at her, wagging his tail. She patted his head absently as she made her way to the back door and knocked.

  It was opened by Mrs Johnson, who was red-eyed as if she had been crying. ‘Oh, Mrs Tattersall, ma’am. I weren’t expecting you.’ She wiped her hands on her apron and stood aside. ‘Won’t you come in?’

  ‘Thank you.’ Daisy stepped inside and was immediately assailed by the delicious aroma of baking bread. Two large hams were hung in the chimney breast, curing in the smoke from the blazing fire, and a kettle hummed merrily on the hob. A girl of about fourteen, whom Daisy recognised as being Lewis’s younger sister, Janet, was kneading dough at the vast pine table in the centre of the beamed kitchen. The flagstone floor was white with flour dust in a large circle around her.

  ‘You’ll have to excuse the mess, ma’am,’ Mrs Johnson said apologetically. ‘We wasn’t expecting visitors this early.’

  ‘I think you know why I’ve come.’ Daisy decided that the direct approach was best. ‘Your son Lewis came to our house last evening with a message for my husband.’

  Mrs Johnson looked away, twisting the folds of her apron in her work-worn hands. ‘Yes, I believe he did.’

  ‘Might I see Lewis? I need to speak to him urgently.’

  ‘He didn’t come home, missis.’ Janet continued to pummel the dough as if it were her worst enemy.

  ‘Mind your tongue, Janet,’ Mrs Johnson said crossly. ‘Who asked you, anyway?’

  ‘Well, it’s true.’ Janet flipped the dough over and punched it with both fists.

  ‘Lewis is a good boy.’ Mrs Johnson met Daisy’s anxious glance with a sidelong look.

  ‘Yes, I know that,’ Daisy said earnestly. ‘I got to know him quite well when I was on board the Lazy Jane. But I’m here to ask for your help because my husband hasn’t returned home either. Do you know what it was that Lewis had to tell him?’

  Mrs Johnson shook her head. ‘No, ma’am. Except that it was to do with the ship.’

  ‘Lewis wants to go to sea again,’ Janet volunteered. ‘He don’t want to work the farm like our brothers.’

  ‘Hush, Janet. No one asked you.’ Mrs Johnson’s eyes filled with tears and she blinked them away. ‘Lewis can’t settle to life on shore.’

  ‘Was the Lazy Jane anchored in the creek yesterday?’ Daisy asked anxiously.

  ‘If it was, our Lewis would know.’ Janet shot her mother a rebellious glance. ‘He watches out day and night for its return.’

  ‘I’m afraid he’ll get into bad company,’ Mrs Johnson said desperately. ‘Lewis is a good boy but he hangs around with some of those in Burnham that are out-and-out rogues.’

  ‘I’m sorry.’ Daisy looked from one to the other. ‘But that doesn’t explain why he came to fetch my husband or why neither of them has returned home.’

  ‘I can’t help you, ma’am. I wish to God that I could.’ Mrs Johnson covered her head with her apron and sank down on the nearest chair, sobbing.

  Janet abandoned the bread dough and rushed to her mother’s side. ‘Look what you done now, missis. Go away and leave us be.’

  Outside in the relatively cool air of a late April morning, Daisy beckoned to Barney, who was holding the reins of both animals while he chatted to one of the farm workers. He broke away and led the horses towards her.

  ‘Did you discover anything useful?’ Daisy asked when he drew near.

  ‘I dunno, missis. It might or it might not be what you want to hear.’

  ‘Just tell me, Barney. Let me be the judge.’

  ‘Well, I was chatting to Lewis’s older brother, Wilf, and he said that Lewis had been hanging around with the Dorning brothers.’

  Daisy stared at him, frowning. ‘I don’t know them.’

  ‘You wouldn’t want to, missis. They’re not the sort of people you’d wish to know.’

  ‘So what are you saying, Barney?’

  ‘I’m saying nothing, missis. It’s just that the Dorning boys is, or I should say was, also Benny Sykes’s cou
sins.’

  ‘And you think that Benny’s death has something to do with Lewis’s disappearance?’

  ‘Like I said, missis, I dunno nothing. I’m just telling you what Wilf said.’

  Daisy thought for a moment. ‘Where does Mrs Sykes live? I seem to remember it’s somewhere close by – it was the pig man’s cottage, but I’ve lost my bearings.’

  ‘It’s not far. Down the lane, about a quarter of a mile. Shall we go there next?’

  ‘Help me up onto the saddle. We’ll call on Mrs Sykes. I should pay my respects.’

  Mrs Sykes was up to her ankles in dung as she cleaned the pigsty. Her hair was tied up in a ragged scarf and she was enveloped in a large none-too-clean apron, her feet encased in boots several sizes too large so that she was in danger of stepping out of them each time she moved. She leaned on the shovel, staring at Daisy with a suspicious frown.

  ‘Mrs Sykes, I’m sorry to interrupt when I can see how busy you are,’ Daisy said hastily.

  Mrs Sykes stared at Daisy, the lines on her face deepened by a frown. ‘Can I help you?’

  ‘I don’t suppose you remember me, Mrs Sykes.’

  ‘Yes, I do. You and Captain Jay came to see me after my Benny’s terrible accident in the galley. He were always a clumsy boy, but he didn’t deserve to die in such a painful manner and without his ma to hold his hand.’

  ‘As I said then, I’m very sorry for your loss.’

  ‘But that ain’t why you’ve come all the way here today, is it?’

  ‘No, it isn’t. I do need your help, as it happens, Mrs Sykes. You must know that Lewis didn’t return home last evening.’

  ‘Yes, so I heard.’

  ‘Lewis came to the manor house with an urgent message for my husband. They left together and no one has seen them since.’

  ‘I don’t see how I can help.’

  ‘I’ve heard that Lewis is close to his cousins, the Dorning brothers. I was wondering if they might know something.’

  ‘I don’t have nothing to do with my brother’s boys. They turned out bad, and I told Lewis not to have anything to do with them.’

  ‘I understand,’ Daisy said gently. ‘But I’d like a word with them.’

  ‘I don’t advise it, ma’am.’

  ‘Where would I be likely to find them, Mrs Sykes?’

  ‘The Anchor Inn or the White Hart. Everyone in the area knows the Dorning brothers, to my shame. Thank the Lord my brother died of a fever some years back. He never lived to see the family name dragged through the estuary mud.’

  Daisy backed away. ‘I’m sorry, Mrs Sykes. But thank you for your help.’ She started back up the lane to where Barney was waiting with the horses.

  ‘You might find out things best left forgotten,’ Mrs Sykes called after her.

  Daisy returned to the manor house, and she made an excuse to go out again after a quick luncheon with her mother-in-law. Mary, like herself, was growing more worried with every passing minute that there was no news, but Daisy had no intention of giving Jay’s mother false hope and she did not mention her conversation with Mrs Sykes. The Dorning brothers might be exactly what their aunt said, a pair of good-for-nothings, but on the other hand they might know what had distressed Lewis and made him seek Jay’s help. The message he had given Jay was the key to the whole mystery, and Daisy knew that something serious must have happened to keep Jay from her, particularly on their wedding night. She would discover the truth, no matter what it cost.

  Daisy entered the smoke-filled taproom of the Anchor with Barney at her side. The old pub on the water’s edge was crowded with fishermen and farm workers, and the air was heavy with the smell of ale and rum. A driftwood fire crackled in the hearth and straw covered the flagstones, absorbing the mud brought in on the men’s boots. Conversation ceased abruptly as heads turned to stare at the well-dressed young woman who had suddenly entered their domain. The potman hurried up to Daisy.

  ‘This ain’t the place for a young lady like yourself, miss. Why not try the hotel in the main street?’

  ‘I haven’t come to stay,’ Daisy said hastily. ‘I’m looking for the Dorning brothers.’

  The silence grew more intense and the atmosphere changed noticeably. Daisy could feel a buzz of unease in the room, as if a beehive had been disturbed by robbers after the honey.

  ‘You’ll not find them here.’ The potman edged her towards the door. ‘I’d go now, if I was you, miss.’

  ‘At least tell me where I might find the Dornings,’ Daisy said in desperation.

  ‘Aye, boss. We know their cousins,’ Barney added. ‘Got a message from the family, so to speak.’

  ‘Why didn’t you say so afore?’ The potman shooed them outside. ‘I wouldn’t say so in front of them in there, but I’ll give you this bit of advice. Try the old chapel on the edge of the marsh, but don’t say I said so.’

  ‘Where is it exactly?’ Daisy asked eagerly.

  ‘The boy will take you there.’ The potman turned to Barney. ‘You know the one I mean, son?’

  ‘I think I do.’

  The potman chuckled. ‘That’s right, boy. Don’t give a straight answer, or you might find yourself in hot water.’

  ‘Tell me where this place is, if you please.’ Daisy was growing impatient. It was late afternoon and in an hour or two it would be too dark to find their way. She had a sudden vision of Jay facing some unknown danger and she could do nothing to save him.

  ‘… And then you keep on following the coastline until you come to the chapel. Did you get that, miss?’

  Daisy stared at the old potman. Her thoughts had been miles away, but out of the corner of her eye she could see Barney nodding, and she managed a smile. ‘Yes, thank you. You’ve been very helpful.’ She took her purse from her reticule and gave the man a silver sixpence. He raised her hand to his lips and bowed his head.

  ‘Ta, miss. You’re a real lady.’

  ‘We’d best go now, missis,’ Barney said in a low voice. ‘We’ve still got a long way to go.’

  The haze of doubt and longing cleared from Daisy’s brain and she took a deep breath. ‘Fetch the horses, Barney. We’ll be on our way.’

  They rode for several miles and the sun, which had come out briefly, was now plummeting to rest behind a bank of purple clouds. A chill, salt-laden wind blew in from the sea and Daisy was glad of her thick riding habit and leather gloves. Barney was not so well wrapped up, but he did not seem to feel the cold and he was obviously enjoying his time away from his normal routine in the stables. They had left the village behind and were now in open countryside with a distant view of the sea. Daisy was beginning to think they were lost when Barney pointed excitedly and over the rise she saw the roof of the small Saxon chapel.

  ‘Best let me go first,’ Barney said in a low voice. ‘If the boys are there and you ride up they’ll either run or they might turn nasty.’

  ‘Surely they wouldn’t attack a woman?’

  ‘I wouldn’t count on it, ma’am.’

  ‘All right, but don’t take risks. If they seem unfriendly just walk away. If they seem reasonable ask for a parley.’

  ‘For a what, ma’am?’

  ‘Tell them that Captain Fox’s wife would like to speak to them. They might know my husband by his former name.’

  With a nod and a wave of his hand, Barney urged his horse to a trot and headed for the chapel. Daisy could only wait and hope that if the Dorning boys were there they would be willing to cooperate. She leaned over to pat Cinders’ neck, crooning softly to the horse, who showed her appreciation with a gentle whinny. But dusk was rapidly swallowing up the saltings, and in less than an hour it would be dark, with no lights to guide them on their way home. Daisy waited anxiously and was beginning to think that something dreadful might have befallen Barney when she heard the muffled sound of hoof beats on the tussocky grass and he rode into view.

  ‘Well?’ She could hardly wait for him to catch his breath.

  He shook his head. ‘No one there a
nd no sign of anything untoward, missis. They’re not stupid enough to leave anything for the law to find, and it didn’t look as if anyone had been there for quite a while.’

  Disappointed, but not surprised, Daisy nodded. ‘Thank you for trying, Barney. I think we’d better head for home. It’ll be nightfall soon and it looks like rain.’

  The rain came down in sheets, not little dainty spots, but a torrential shower that soaked through Daisy’s clothing in minutes, despite the thickness of the material. They rode on in silence as darkness enveloped them, blotting out the landscape. Daisy had to rely on Cinders’ surefootedness to get them across the clifftops to the lane, which led eventually to the gates of Creek Manor. The gatekeeper rushed out to admit them, and if he was surprised to see the lady of the manor dishevelled and soaked to the skin, he was too well trained to show any emotion. Daisy rode on and dismounted outside the main entrance, leaving Barney to lead Cinders to the stables for a rub down and a well-earned feed and a rest.

  James stood by the open door, staring straight ahead, for which Daisy was grateful. She caught sight of herself in one of the long mirrors as she headed for the staircase and she was shocked by her bedraggled state. It was one thing to feel wet and uncomfortable and quite another to see her wet hair hanging loose around her shoulders and her perky little riding hat totally ruined. She doubted if her habit could be saved, but that would not have mattered an iota had she come home with news of Jay’s whereabouts. She reached the top of the stairs and was about to enter her bedroom when Mary came hurrying towards her.