Northern Spirit (50 page)

‘I only went out of sheer need. I couldn’t come back to Keld Head; this
place sickens me. . . . It was pure selfishness that I went to her. I was
afraid.’

‘Listen, David. When you brought her to my office a few weeks ago, she
told me that George hadn’t left you anything in his will. Of course, I already
knew, as I’d been his solicitor too. It was a travesty what he did to you and,
at the time, I tried to reason with him to reconsider, but there was no
reasoning with George was there. Back then I didn’t understand why he could do
this to you, but I have to do as my clients instruct and this was the same with
Betty. When you told me you knew George wasn’t your father, it all made sense.
I’m glad Betty never knew the truth; she wanted to make up what she thought you
deserved. She told me you’d brought her so much happiness, especially of late.
She could have changed her mind when you had your brush with the law, but she
didn’t. No, David, even if she knew the truth about you, I’m convinced she
wouldn’t change her mind. Remember, Fred Keldas gave his life to protect you
and now Betty wants to give you his estate!’

‘Well, what can I do?’ The shock was still apparent.

‘Nothing lad, nothing. Just enjoy your life and the hope she’s given
you.’ With that he shook David’s hand and left.

Well done, young man - Well done. The man in the pinstriped suit had
said.

*       
*        *

Hannah mingled with the other guests around the farmhouse. Kathy had
put on a good spread of food, yet Hannah ate very little. People were talking,
drinking tea or a glass of sherry, but Hannah felt isolated. Most of these
people were strangers. Some were from Hawkshead, some were David’s relatives,
and some were Betty’s old friends. She wished David would come back; he’d been
too long with the solicitor.

Hannah cursed the man for coming today; David wasn’t outwardly
grieving, he was being strong and she wanted him to stay that way. But she
guessed he was in trouble again and his mood would soon change. She watched
Tony Milton flirting with Linzi and felt it inappropriate for a funeral. She
had no desire to join them. The boy, Tom, was sitting alone and he appeared to
be sulking. He ignored Hannah and she assumed he was jealous of her
relationship with David. She could have played with Sarah, but she was too
tired after the journey up from Cardiff that morning. She wished Barry was
here, but he had to leave early for a business meeting. So Hannah resorted to
washing some dishes and continued to look out of the window into the farmyard
for David. She saw the tall man leave the office. The door was wide open, but
David didn’t come out. If he was in any more trouble, Hannah doubted she could
cope. Despite the circumstances, she’d looked forward to seeing him today and
his composure had lifted her, but now her mood was low; the funeral had
reminded Hannah of her mother.

Deep in thought, she put down the tea towel and continued to watch the
office door. There was still no sign of David, so Hannah decided to find him
and confront him with her feelings. She slipped from the kitchen unnoticed and
marched across the farmyard and as she approached the office door David
emerged.

He spotted Hannah and, to tease her, took the grin he had off his face,
bowed his head low and looked solemn.

Hannah saw David’s countenance and muttered, ‘Oh, not the moods again,
please, please, not today. What is it now, DAVID!’

David continued his sham and looked woefully at her. ‘I’ve got
something to tell you.’

With that, the spirit within her rose and she snapped. ‘What more can
you tell me, David? What else have you done?’ Hannah’s face flushed with
emotion and she ran from him across the yard and towards the tower.

He followed and shouted, ‘Don’t go in there, PLEASE . . . !’ And he
grabbed her arm, but she resisted him and went into the tower.

Hannah stood in the gloom of the four stone walls and wondered why he
hadn’t followed her. It was a few moments before he came inside.

David looked at Hannah and she was standing where Joanne had stood
months earlier. Her face was blurred as he saw the image of Joanne. He heard
voices in his head saying: “M
eet me in Keswick, at the Moot Hall. Catch the
bus and I’ll bring you home.”
Then he heard: “Y
ou’re a bastard, Davey.
There, I’ve said it. You’re no son of mine. . . .
’ David felt a crushing
pain in his chest and his throat constricted.

She watched him sway and his hand rested on the wall, then Hannah
thought she saw him grasping the stone with his fingers. She noticed beads of
perspiration over his forehead. Then he spoke, but his voice was shrill, as if
it was constrained. ‘Hannah please listen to me. . . .’ he was desperate and
grabbed her arm.

‘I can’t, David. . . . You’ve hurt my arm. You’re always hurting me,
and I can’t take anymore. . . . I’ve tried hard, but I can’t help it.’ And she
pulled away from him.

Standing in the place he least wanted to be on this earth, David knew
if he left, she would leave too. Then he saw her clearly, and it was Hannah,
lovely Hannah and a single teardrop rolled down her cheek. He took a step
forward and caught her hand.

‘Are you going to walk out on me, Hannah? Are you going to leave me
before you know what’s in this letter? Are you going to judge me again?’ and he
waved the envelope before her. ‘This - This will affect my future - your
future, I hope!’

‘Do we have a future, David?’

‘Listen to me, but, first, let me take you out of this hell hole!’ He
led her by the hand, took her into the office and shutting the door behind him,
fell back on the timber as if to keep all the evil out.

‘Read it, please . . . read it,’ and he pushed the envelope into her
hand.

Through a haze of tears Hannah read the document and knew once again
she had wrongly judged him. ‘I’m sorry, Davey . . . I’m so sorry. . . . This is
amazing news!’ her face brightened as she brushed her wet cheeks with her hand.
She fell into his arms and wept at her own foolishness and his kindness. And in
the seclusion of the small room, he wrapped his arms around her. ‘Hey, hey, hey
. . . come on. Please don’t cry.’

‘I’m so sorry, Davey, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you and go in
the tower. . . . I didn’t know where I was!’

‘Forget the tower, Hannah, and listen to me?’ He took a clean and
folded handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed her eyes.

‘Don’t you see, Betty’s given me a chance? I lost so much: a father, a
home, a livelihood, but I’ve gained. I’ve now got a beautiful home in
Hawkshead. I’ve got a wonderful father and enough money that I needn’t worry
anymore. I’ve got my family back and, though I’ve lost Betty, she’s given me a
future. And I’ve got you, I hope. Do I Hannah?’

She bent her head onto his chest and couldn’t speak. Then looking up
she saw the cool gaze of his unfathomable eyes, which irresistibly held her
attention and forced her to look at him, as they always did.

He lifted her chin. ‘I want to ask you to marry me, Hannah, but I know
you can’t commit yourself - not yet anyway. But will you think about it next
year when you leave college?’

He hadn’t said he loved her, he just talked of marriage and Hannah knew
from his relationship with Joanne that the two were completely different in his
eyes. But she loved him intensely, yet daren’t say it. The words were bursting
on her lips but instead she said: ‘You have something, David, you know that? I
don’t know what it is. . . . People like you, and that makes me feel secure.
You have tenacity and strength; a kind of northern spirit.’

He stepped forward and his kiss was spontaneous, the passion, strong,
but the motive was uncertain.

Then Hannah smiled again, in fact she wanted to laugh; the man she’d
once hated had just said he wanted to marry her. She looked at his face; how
smart he looked today, how slim and elegant he was. Barry had told her not to
prejudge him and she hadn’t listened. Then she quietly replied, ‘I think I
would love that more than anything, Davey - to be here in the Lakes with you,
in Foxglove Cottage.’

*       
*        *

David mingled politely among the other guests, keeping one eye all the
time on Hannah. He’d decided to tell his mother later about his legacy, but
maybe not tell her about his half hearted proposal; he guessed she might not be
pleased.

Tony Milton came over. ‘Look I’m off now, mate.’ he slapped David on
the shoulders again. ‘I need to see a man about a dog!’

‘If you’ll just give me a minute, I’ll walk down the lane with you.’

David pleaded with Linzi to sit with Hannah, then he jogged down the
hill to catch Tony up.

He heard Tony singing out loud and laughing as he approached. ‘So,
Dave. . . . You’ve got yourself a regular bird then have you?’

‘Aye, something like that. And how’s things with you?’

‘Hunky dory, I think. . . .I’ve got enough work coming in to pay the
bills.’

‘You’re not living in some doss-house again are you?’

‘No, I’m not. . . . I’ll stay up north for awhile. I’ve got a decent
flat in Edinburgh. Oh, and yes, I’m still seeing Kelly, my little blonde nurse.
Do you remember her?’

‘Yes, the one that hated me!’

‘Yes, that’s the one. . . . She still hates you by the way!’ Tony
stopped in his tracks, thrust his hands in his trouser pockets, and then, with
the toe of his shoe, played with some gravel on the lane. ‘You were in big
trouble you know, mate. Kelly said the police were around the hospital asking
awkward questions. I told her some things about you and Joanne, and what she
was really like and I guess she must have defended you.’

David bit his lip. ‘I suppose you both got me out of trouble then?’

‘I guess I owed you one, didn’t I. So, what now, Dave? What are you
gonna do?’

‘Stay in Hawkshead, I hope. . . . I’ve seen a job for a National Park
Warden. I’ll go after that, earn a bit of brass and then see what Hannah’s
doing this time next year.’

‘So that’s it then mate, sorted?’

‘Well almost.’

They continued walking down the hill, two tidy young men dressed in
smart suits; both happy, both changed, building new lives and silently
reflecting on their past.

David put his hand in his pocket. ‘I’ve got something for you, but
you’ll have to catch it . . . !’

They stopped and David threw the glass snow scene globe up into the sky.
And as the snow swirled and swirled around the tower as it slowly spun, the two
men, in contest, raised their arms and jumped high in the air to catch it.

THE END

I wrote Northern Spirit after reading the Herries Chronicles of Hugh
Walpole. It inspired me sufficiently to write a modern day saga of a Lake
District family.

I have already written a sequel to Northern Spirit which continues with
the Keldas family six months into the future. There is also a prequel which
goes back to the early 1900’s and follows the course of Betty Keldas and her
husband Fred and brother in law, Robert, and how they acquired Keld Head Farm.

We hope you enjoyed reading Northern Spirit.

I would be happy for some feedback. If you want to do so please check
out our web site or write a review on Amazon:

www.keldaschronicles.yolasite.com

LAST BOAT TO NOWHERE

Linzi rubbed her eyes and prevented the tears from falling. ‘If our
Davey could sort himself out and settle down would you be happy for him?’

‘Of course I would.’ And Kathy wondered where this conversation was
going.

‘Do you think he’ll ever come back home!’

‘Linzi... I’ve never thought for one moment that Davey will ever come
back.... Not now, and especially since he inherited Betty’s cottage.’

‘Oh, Mum... Why did Dad leave you and him out of his will?’ Linzi
looked with eyes wide open, expectant and searching. ‘Why did Dad hate you both
so much?’

Truth was being wheedled out of Kathy like woodworm from a rotting
building, but she wouldn’t let go; Linzi mustn’t know; she couldn’t tell her,
not for David’s reputation, his real father’s and, foremost, for her own. So
she just said, and not for the first time: ‘no one knew what went through your
father’s head, Linzi. He was jealous of Davey and that’s all I can say. But David
has benefited more than you have with Betty’s inheritance. So don’t fret for
him. He once said he wanted no more to do with Keld Head, so he and your father
both got their wish. And as for me, well. I can live here. This farm should be
yours, Tom’s and Sarah’s, and rightly so.’

‘So when will it all be sorted, Mum?’

‘What do you mean, love?’

‘Dad’s will and everything.’

‘You know there’s some mix up over the land, Linzi, and until that’s
sorted you’ll not become a benefactor of Keld Head. No one will.’

‘But Davey already has his money from Aunt Betty. That didn’t take any
time to sort out.’

‘I know love. But the solicitor says things at Keld Head are more
complicated. Look, honey. Don’t fret. Things will soon settle.’

‘I know, I know... but could you try to help Davey get straight at
Foxglove cottage then?’

Lindsey J Carden ©

To see on Amazon please click on the link below

  
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009IXWHDI

Other books by Lindsey.

To Paint A White Horse

Available now on Kindle

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007NVHKA2