Trevallion

by Trevallion (retail) (epub)

  She called to Tamsyn and stayed still in the hope of hearing a reply. But there was nothing. She took another step forward and something overhead whacked her on the temple and she was sent sprawling to the ground. She shook her head to clear it and that’s when she realised she was in total darkness and absolute silence and she had no way of knowing which was the way out. Panic overwhelmed her and she screamed from the depths of her soul.

  ‘Becca, it’s all right! Just stay where you are.’

  ‘Tamsyn!’ she screamed.

  ‘It’s Alex, Becca. Just stay put. I’m coming for you.’

  Alex’s voice broke through the terrifying fog of her mind and she quietened to a whimper. ‘Hurry, Alex. I’m so frightened.’

  It was only seconds later but it seemed like hours before his hands reached out for her. She clutched at him and he pulled her into his arms. She threw her face against his chest and sobbed. ‘I was so scared. What must poor little Tamsyn be feeling?’

  ‘We can’t do anything for Tamsyn like this, Becca. My cigarette lighter will light the way out of here and then we’ll go for help. It needs experienced miners to go further in and find Tamsyn. I’ll run to Cligga.’

  ‘Loveday will never forgive me for this,’ Rebecca wailed, clutching his shirt.

  ‘First things first, my love. I’m going to take you outside. It’s not very far. Just keep calm and mind your head.’

  Alex kept one hand on Rebecca’s head to guide it under the tunnel roof and with the other he flicked on his cigarette lighter to light their way out. A minute or two later they emerged in the bright sunlight and she was taking in deep gasps of fresh air. Rebecca wiped dirt from her face and gasped as she was met with another shock.

  ‘Tamsyn! We thought you were lost down the mine.’

  ‘It was only a game, Becca. I hid away from you,’ Tamsyn said shamefacedly and looking as though she was about to burst into tears.

  Alex put his arm round Rebecca, who was still shaking. ‘Stephen,’ he said sternly. ‘Explain.’

  ‘I’m sorry, Uncle Alex. It was only a joke. I did call after you but you wouldn’t listen. We didn’t mean you to go inside there.’ The boy was looking at a trickle of blood on Rebecca’s head and seemed to be near to tears himself. ‘I’m sorry you were hurt, Rebecca.’

  ‘I have never heard anything so… so damned irresponsible! I’ll have your hide for this, Stephen. This time you’ve gone too far. Back to the car. We’re going home at once.’

  ‘Yes, Uncle,’ Stephen muttered, lowering tear-filled eyes to the ground.

  Rebecca eased herself away from Alex. ‘You take Tamsyn back to the picnic spot and give her some lemonade, Alex. I want to talk to Stephen alone.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Do as I say, please, Alex. I’ll explain later.’

  Her voice brooked no argument and Alex complied. He held out his hand to Tamsyn and they walked away together, a striking contrast, the small fair girl and the tall dark man. Sensing he had to behave, Motley went along quietly with them.

  Rebecca and Stephen were left outside the mine opening. The ground was sunken here and Alex and Tamsyn were soon out of sight.

  ‘I didn’t mean you any harm,’ Stephen said, his voice thick with tears.

  Rebecca handed him her handkerchief. ‘I know, Stephen. That’s why I told your uncle to leave us. Let’s sit down, my legs are still a bit shaky.’

  He flopped down, drying his eyes on the hanky and she sat close beside him.

  ‘I’d never do anything to hurt Tamsyn. Never,’ he stressed. ‘I’m very fond of her, you know, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.’

  ‘I know that. Now I’m out of there I can see it was only a bit of youthful fun and if your uncle and I hadn’t panicked but had stopped and listened we would have heard what you were shouting at us.’

  ‘You’re a good sort, Rebecca… for a girl. I wish my uncle liked me as you do. Just as we were beginning to get along with each other I have to go and spoil it. He probably won’t buy me a pony now.’

  Rebecca took his hand. ‘He will, don’t worry, and I’ll talk him round to carrying on with our day out. I want to go beaching myself and I’m not going home until we do.’

  Stephen laughed through his tearfulness. ‘I wish my mother was more like you, Rebecca. It’s no wonder Uncle Alex likes you round him all the time. You would have been quite safe in the mine if you’d only known you couldn’t go far in. I’ve seen the old map and it’s only part of an adit, used for ventilation, and it’s been blocked up for years.’

  ‘Now you tell me.’ Rebecca lifted her eyes to the heavens and gave a small laugh.

  ‘I wouldn’t do anything to risk hurting Tamsyn,’ Stephen stressed again. ‘If she had really been in danger I would have been screaming and shouting for help. I’d be distraught if anything terrible happened to her.’

  He couldn’t check his tears any longer and Rebecca put her arms round him and he cried on her shoulder. Rebecca kissed the top of his head, and when he was sure there was no evidence on his face to show he had been crying they rejoined the others.

  * * *

  ‘If you’re going to keep on sulking with me then I’m going straight home,’ Rebecca said crossly as Alex lifted the picnic basket out of the motorcar in front of Trevallion House.

  Percy Gummoe came forward and took the picnic basket from him.

  ‘I don’t expect my orders to be disobeyed,’ Alex retorted. ‘Stephen should have been punished. You had no right to say he could spend the evening setting up the model railway in one of the spare bedrooms. You’re not the boy’s mother and you’re supposed to be my assistant, not my boss!’

  Percy moved off grinning and Rebecca raised her eyebrows and smiled at Alex sardonically. ‘Has anyone ever told you how handsome you look when you’re angry?’

  ‘Rebecca Allen! I’ve a good mind to put you in…’ He scratched his head while he thought about it.

  ‘In what?’ she teased him, enjoying herself and laughing. Alex had not stopped grumbling since she and Stephen had returned to the picnic spot and she had sent the children off to play.

  ‘What on earth do you think you’re doing?’ he’d demanded as she’d unpacked the basket he’d been piling things into.

  ‘As far as I’m concerned, the incident is over,’ she replied, sitting down on the blanket and biting into a sandwich.

  He had snatched the sandwich out of her hand and thrown it away. ‘It’s not as far as I’m concerned. Stephen’s prank nearly went horribly wrong. You were frightened half to death and could have been badly hurt. I said we’re going home and we’re going!’ He threw the basket lid open to start repacking. Rebecca tore it out of his hands.

  ‘This is Stephen’s day out, not yours.’

  ‘What’s that got to do with anything? His behaviour—’

  ‘Was that of a boy having fun. There was no malice intended in what he did. Don’t be so hard on him, Alex.’

  Alex slumped down beside her. ‘You… you… I don’t know what to say about you. Here I was worrying about tying you down because I need you and you’re the one calling the wretched tune!’

  ‘Do you want a chicken sandwich?’

  ‘No, I bloody don’t!’

  ‘There’s no need to swear.’

  ‘Becca!’

  ‘There’s ham as well.’

  Alex snatched the proffered sandwich from her, bit off a huge chunk and nearly choked on it. Rebecca sat quietly, eating demurely.

  ‘And they say it’s a man’s world,’ he complained to the cliff, sky and the breakers of the Atlantic Ocean rolling towards Perranporth’s beach. ‘Well, I had good men under my command and all of them had their faults. But,’ and he looked straight at Rebecca, ‘not one of them was as cunning and as conniving and downright insubordinate as a certain woman I know.’

  ‘I bet they all moaned when they couldn’t get their own way, just like you do,’ she said sweetly. ‘Tea? I think there’s coffee in the other
flask.’

  Alex leant on his elbow and pushed his cheek out with his tongue. With narrowed eyes he said, ‘I know what I would have done to you if you were under my command. Coffee, please.’

  ‘I’m sure you were a fair officer and I just want you to be fair to Stephen,’ she returned, pouring his coffee. ‘He doesn’t seem to have had much of a life and now at long last he’s got the chance to get really settled. He’s got a new home and he’s got Tamsyn. Given a bit of attention and encouragement he could be turned into a fine young man.

  ‘Hasn’t it occurred to you, Alex, that he could have asked one of the boys from his school to Trevallion for the weekend and taken him on this trip? He’s told me he’s made friends. But instead he wanted Tamsyn to come. It shows he has loyalty. You would have bent over backwards to do anything for your men, wouldn’t you, so why not Stephen? You’re always so quick to punish him. Can’t you try to understand him a little bit more? Try to build up a good relationship with him?’

  His face tight and dark, Alex sat up and lit a cigarette. ‘I’ve said it once before but you’ve got a tongue like a shrew, Becca Allen.’

  ‘But do you understand what I’m trying to say?’

  ‘Yes, yes, all right! I’ll take the boy into Perranporth and buy him the biggest damned kite I can find and then I’ll take him up the dunes and teach him how to fly it. A one-to-one relationship. Is that all right with you? God save me from a woman who’s always right!’

  Rebecca stole a glance at his outraged face and thought it wise to stay quiet. She rubbed at the dirt on her dress.

  ‘Where’s your handkerchief?’ Alex said suddenly.

  ‘Stephen’s got it.’

  Alex took a napkin from the basket. ‘This will do. You’ve got some blood on your head.’

  He leaned over and gently wiped at the trickle of blood on her temple.

  ‘Ouch.’

  ‘You’ve got a bad bruise. You were lucky I suppose, could have been worse.’

  ‘I was so glad you got to me quickly,’ she said seriously, her eyes on his chin as he cleaned up her head. ‘I can imagine something of what you’ve been going through with your nightmares.’

  He looked into her eyes. ‘Perhaps you realise now how comforting it is to have someone you trust put their arms round you and help you through the ordeal.’

  ‘Yes. It’s good to have a friend close by in those circumstances.’

  ‘Some people are good to have close by all the time and not just because they’re a friend.’ Alex said no more and got up to call the children.

  They went into Perranporth to buy a kite and then to the beach. As Rebecca and Tamsyn built sandcastles by the stream running across the beach, the kite-flying up in the dunes went well and both Stephen and Alex were smiling when they scrambled back down. Stephen excitedly promised to take Tamsyn up into one of the fields after church the next day and show her how to fly the kite.

  The journey home had been quieter. Alex was still smarting at having his orders so blatantly disobeyed but he wasn’t a man who bore grudges.

  ‘You’re going to put me in what, Alex?’ she teased him as they stood in front of Trevallion House.

  With a glint in his dark eyes, he replied, ‘In your place I think, Miss Bossyboots.’

  Rebecca squealed and ran round the car. Alex caught her by the shoulders and swung her round and as they laughed together and she playfully struggled, a voice boomed out at them.

  ‘Just what the heck do you think you’re doing with my daughter, Major?’

  Rebecca turned and found herself facing her furious father. Before either of them could explain, another voice assailed them from the main doorway of the house.

  ‘Yes, Alexander. What are you doing with that girl? It’s not the way for an officer and a gentleman to act. Mauling a servant girl in front of her father.’

  ‘Susannah!’ Alex gasped, dropping his arms from Rebecca. He felt embarrassed in front of Trease but disturbed to see Susannah and angry at the way she had spoken to him.

  ‘Dad, we were only having a bit of fun,’ Rebecca said, red-faced.

  ‘I didn’t know my daughter’s new position meant you could fool around with her any time you liked, Major,’ Trease said angrily, striding forward and taking up a threatening stance.

  ‘It was only a little harmless horseplay, Trease,’ Alex said. ‘We… we had a good day out. We were in good spirits, that’s all.’

  ‘Is it?’ Trease asked. ‘Are you sure about that, Major? I’ve been thinking about you wanting my maid round you all the time. ’Tisn’t healthy in my reckoning and ’tis time it was stopped. I’ve been thinking too about the time she come home from the gatehouse all upset and packed her bags to leave. ’Twas through you, wasn’t it? You tried to have your way with Rebecca and that’s why she came scurrying home. Now you’re trying a different approach. Your sort’s all the same. That sister-in-law of yours can’t keep her hands out of Joe Carlyon’s trousers.’

  ‘Dad!’

  ‘You dare to speak—’

  Alex broke off as Trease grabbed Rebecca by the arm and pulled her towards him. ‘Tell me it’s not true, girl. Go on, tell me he hasn’t tried to get you into bed!’

  ‘He hasn’t!’ Rebecca shouted back. She didn’t count the time Alex had been out of his mind with panic. ‘Major Fiennes is an honourable man and he has never made advances towards me.’

  ‘Then explain why you are in such an untidy state, girl,’ Susannah Bosanko’s shrill voice cut through the air. ‘Look at your dress and face. What have you been doing?’

  Rebecca wrenched herself free from Trease and marched up to the old woman. ‘If you must know, I was trapped down a mine adit and the Major rescued me. Nothing untoward has happened between us. It’s only yours and my father’s dirty minds! What business is it of yours anyway?’

  Susannah raised her hand to strike Rebecca across the face.

  ‘Don’t you dare, Susannah!’ Alex shouted, the rage in his voice terrifying.

  ‘My dear boy,’ Susannah purred, the expression on her hideous face changing from wrath to simpering softness with a speed that made Rebecca blink. ‘I was only going to slap the girl because I was afraid she was getting hysterical. Now I suggest we all calm down. Everything has been suitably explained, wouldn’t you agree, man?’ she called to Trease.

  All eyes were on Trease, who was looking angry and uncertain. He didn’t like the way the old baggage had addressed him. ‘I’d be obliged, Major, if you didn’t make so free with my daughter in future.’

  ‘Fair enough, Trease,’ Alex said coldly. ‘And I’d be obliged if you kept your mouth shut about the lady of this house. I won’t tolerate that kind of filthy talk from you again.’

  Trease gave a curt nod but he went up to Alex and said in a hard voice, ‘You’re a brave man, Major Fiennes, when you’ve got my daughter holding your hand.’ He got into the Spyker and drove it round to the garage.

  Alex turned to Rebecca and said quietly, ‘I’m sorry about this, Becca. You may please yourself what you do for the rest of the day.’

  ‘Thank you, Alex,’ Rebecca said, glaring at Susannah. ‘I think that first I’ll go home and change.’

  ‘Have you tried to seduce the girl?’ Susannah asked as she watched Rebecca’s long-legged strides towards the creek.

  ‘Of course not,’ Alex snapped. ‘Shall we go inside?’

  ‘Why “of course not”, dear? Have you no feelings in that department? Rebecca is a beautiful healthy woman. Don’t you want to lie with her?’

  ‘Inside, Susannah,’ Alex said through clenched teeth. He took Susannah’s arm and tried to propel her into the house but she resisted him.

  ‘Your chauffeur was right about your sister-in-law, Alexander darling. There is no lady residing in this house. The silly bitch has been trying to entertain me while I’ve been waiting for your return and I could see she was itching to get away. Your groom, isn’t it? I don’t understand why you tolerate it.’

>   ‘They’re in love,’ Alex said savagely, making a stand for Abigail’s reputation for the first time in his life. ‘And you know all about affairs, don’t you, Susannah?’

  Susannah’s eyes seem to glitter with a strange malevolent energy. Alex felt sick to his stomach and began to tremble.

  The old lady smiled through her lizard eyes. ‘Are you quite well, Alexander?’

  ‘I’m a little tired, Susannah. I shall go to my room and bathe and change my clothes. I’m afraid you will have to do with Abigail’s company for a while longer.’

  * * *

  ‘Alexander is back and has gone upstairs to freshen up,’ Susannah informed Abigail as she returned to the drawing room. She stood next to the fireplace and glared at Abigail as she lit a cigarette.

  ‘I was wondering where you were, Miss Bosanko,’ Abigail replied uncomfortably, gazing at the red tip of her cigarette. She’d just spent a most trying hour playing hostess to the harridan who had arrived at Trevallion unexpectedly and insisted she would wait for Alex’s return. Susannah had plied her with personal questions about Alex and had criticised everything Abigail had done to the house. ‘You found the bathroom all right, I hope? I was about to come and look for you.’

  ‘Smoking is a beastly habit in a lady,’ Susannah hissed.

  ‘Oh, I… I… do beg your pardon,’ Abigail stammered, hastily stubbing out the offending article.

  ‘What does that creek girl mean to Alexander?’ Susannah asked sharply.

  ‘You mean Rebecca? He’s just made her his personal assistant. Why do you ask?’

  ‘Because I wish to know. Is Alexander bedding her?’

  Abigail had endured enough and shot to her feet. ‘What my brother-in-law does in his private life is his business, Miss Bosanko. If you are going to be insulting I shall ask you to leave. This is my home and I will not tolerate it. You have been ungracious to me from the moment you arrived.’

  Susannah crossed the room with frightening speed and grasped Abigail by the wrist. ‘Are they lovers? Tell me!’