Sea Mistress (20 page)

Yet when Sunday came, Ellie sat with Martha near the back of the small church nestling on the edges of Kilvey Hill and fidgeted impatiently, anxious that Daniel might forget the appointment or might be unable to keep it.

There was the muted sound of voices around her, some murmuring in prayer others simply gossiping as they all waited for the preacher to put in an appearance at the lectern.

There was a movement at her side and Ellie felt an arm rest against hers. The scent of cleanliness, of soap and hair cream, drifted towards her and she knew without needing to look that Daniel was there at her side.

She was surprised and alarmed at the joy that filled her, she was behaving like a young girl in love for the first time. The colour rose to her cheeks and she bowed her head, afraid that if she looked into Daniel's eyes he would read her thoughts.

The congregation was rising to its feet, the stirring music flowed majestically from the organ, soaring to the rafters and she was unaccountably happy. The evening sun streamed in through the windows, motes of dust danced in the incandescent shafts, her senses were heightened and it was because Daniel was there.

He stood tall beside her, his arm pressing deliberately against hers, he was willing her to look up and at last, she did, unable to resist seeing his face. He smiled and her heart caught as though in pain as she realized how young he was, not only in years but in the ways of the world. If he knew the truth about her his illusions would be shattered, surely she should pray for strength to end it all now before it had even begun.

She listened to the reading from the New Testament trying to concentrate on the beautiful words the preacher was uttering but aware all the time of a gladness that, for this moment at least, Daniel was with her.

Later, outside in the dying sunshine, he asked politely if he might walk the ladies home. Before Ellie could frame a refusal, Martha had slipped her arm through Daniel's and was nodding so vehemently that the feathers on her hat lifted and dipped with a life of their own.

Ellie fell into step beside Martha, separated from Daniel but still aware of his presence with every nerve in her body.

‘I propose, ladies, that we go for a picnic, say next Saturday if the weather permits.' He didn't wait for a refusal. ‘I have taken the liberty of borrowing a carriage and pair and I thought I'd drive us as far as Crawley Woods. We can picnic on the slopes and then walk down to the beach if we feel inclined. It will be very private,' he emphasized the word private and Ellie smiled knowing he had forestalled any argument.

‘That would be lovely, wouldn't that be lovely, Ellie?' Martha sounded pleased and Ellie caught her careful wink. Crawley Woods was a favourite spot with lovers, the woods led steeply down to a large curving beach that was populated only by the determined few who were fit enough to face the return climb up sandy pathways through the trees.

‘Yes, I suppose it will be all right.' Ellie knew she was being weak, she should refuse, she should be listening to the voice of common sense that at the back of her mind was disapproving of any such arrangement. She, alone on a beach with Daniel, it was such a temptation. She said nothing.

At the foot of the slope leading towards the tannery, Daniel lifted his hat and bid them good day. ‘See you Saturday.' His gaze was on Ellie, his eyes were warm, his mouth curving into a smile that was for her alone.

‘We'll be looking forward to it.' It was Martha who replied and then Daniel was striding away, his step buoyant.

Inside the house, Ellie took off her hat and handed it to Rosie who smelled of freshly baked bread.

‘What am I doing, Martha?' Ellie led the way into the drawing room, ‘I shouldn't be agreeing to such an outing, you know as well as I do that you won't make it down to the beach, Crawley Woods is far too steep.'

‘I can share the picnic with you and then I can wait at the top of the hill. I might seem a dried up old lady to you, Ellie, but I sometimes need a little hour to myself, have you thought of that?'

‘No,' Ellie admitted, ‘I suppose I've been a bit selfish.'

‘No, not selfish, just cautious, afraid you'll get hurt. That Daniel is a very nice young man.'

‘Yes, and I'm a widow.' Ellie could have added that she was more than that, she had a past that was still lurking in the shadows waiting to pounce. What would Daniel feel about her if he knew the truth?

‘
Duw
, it's only a trip out to the beach, a little picnic, nothing to stew over, mind,' Martha argued with unshakable common sense.

‘I suppose you're right, I am making a fuss about nothing.' Ellie felt herself relax, why not go with the flow, enjoy what little she might have of Daniel while she could?

‘They're going on a picnic,' Rosie's eyes were round with triumph, ‘Miss Ellie and that reporter chap, down to Crawley Woods and you know how deserted that place is.'

Matthew wasn't sure whether he was pleased or angry at Rosie's revelations. ‘How do you know?'

‘Cos I'm putting up the picnic basket of course, a bit of cold rabbit and some game pie as well as lovely fresh bread and a bit of cheese, eating well, they'll be.'

‘They are surely not going alone?'

‘No, silly,' Rosie smiled, ‘Martha's going too but can you see her with her bone ache getting up and down that steep hill? I can't.'

She was right, Martha would probably sleep a little under a tree, perhaps take a walk along the lanes that fringed the bay but it would be Ellie and Bennett who would walk alone down to the broad, sweeping beach. What they would do there was anyone's guess.

‘You've done well, my little flower,' Matthew said, ‘I'm glad you've got your wits about you.'

‘Someone's got to have,' Rosie said cheekily, looking up at him with promise ripe in her eyes.

‘You'll have your reward later,' he said abruptly. He wished just for once she would show a little restraint, she was like a bitch on heat with her constant demands. Well, as soon as she had served her purpose, he'd have done with her, give her marching orders, women like her were ten a penny.

‘What about now?' She leaned against him, her breasts prodding his chest. He held her away. ‘Not now, now I've got something far more important to do.'

As he swaggered away, he was marshalling his thoughts, he would need a horse, one of the young farm animals would do, Crawley Woods was too far away to make the journey on foot. He would get there before Ellie's little party and wait and watch and then, if he was lucky, he would have something he could use as a weapon in his fight for what was, after all, only his right. It looked as if Ellie Hopkins would have her comeuppance and sooner than any of them had believed possible.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Bridie rose from the table unable to face the rich assortment of foods cook had sent up from the kitchens. In her delicate condition, the very sight of devilled kidneys, or even her usual favourite breakfast of haddock poached with an egg was enough to bring back the feelings of nausea which had plagued her since the beginning of her pregnancy. She pushed away her cup of tea and dabbed her lips with the pristine white napkin from beside her plate. Perhaps a turn in the garden, a little fresh air might clear the clouds from her mind.

Was there something wrong, she wondered? She had never felt like this when she was carrying the boys. Of course she was a little older now but not too old she assured herself quickly.

The air in the garden was sweet with the fragrance of late roses and the feeling of nausea abated a little. Bridie dabbed her brow with her handkerchief, here she would interview Daniel Bennett, here in the softness of her garden.

A feeling of anger and renewed jealousy gripped her, she would tell him all about Ellie Hopkins and the games she played with men, men who had titles and riches or men who simply had rich wives. Ellie Hopkins wasn't choosey which, so long as she was able to further her own interests.

Ostensibly, he was interviewing her about the new steam packet she had bought to add to her fleet. The
Gloriana
was splendid, with rich brass fittings and polished wood and an engine that took most of the hardship out of sailing. All this she would talk of to the reporter but he would learn more than he'd bargained for, she would see to that.

Bridie had seen them together in church, seen the way they looked at each other, Daniel Bennett and Ellie Hopkins. Men were fools, susceptible to a little flattery and a pretty face. The certainty, in the face of all her denials, that Ellie Hopkins was involved with Paul at the same time as she was encouraging this other man was more than Bridie could bear.

When Daniel Bennett arrived a few moments later, Bridie felt almost sorry for him, she was after all about to destroy his illusions. He was a handsome young man, well-set and with a charming manner, he smiled down at her as he lifted his hat in greeting.

‘I am a great admirer, Mrs Marchant,' his opening words threw her temporarily off course. ‘I know that you have a gift for business which has made you one of the wealthiest women in Swansea, I'm honoured to be allowed to interview you.'

He was right, she did have a gift for business, she hadn't thought about it like that before. In some strange way, that made Paul's little games with other women all the more insulting. She smiled and sat back in her seat, prepared to bide her time, she would have to be careful how she broached the subject of Ellie Hopkins, she didn't want to be too obviously hostile.

‘Thank you for your pretty compliments,' she smiled, ‘and I think it might be advantageous if you take a closer look at the
Gloriana
, go on board, see her for yourself, you might find she is the smartest vessel in the entire docks.'

He uncapped his pen and as Bridie talked, he wrote swiftly in his notebook, a lock of dark hair fell across his forehead reminding her of Paul and she felt a momentary sense of loss. Why couldn't she be enough for her husband, wasn't she good to him?

She had provided him with sons, with a fine house and a secure future and to her knowledge she had never failed him in the marriage bed.

‘You look sad, Mrs Marchant,' Daniel's voice intruded into her thoughts, ‘is anything wrong?'

She shook her head, ‘No, not at all, it's just that this morning I'm a little under the weather.' She paused, perhaps it would be a good time to launch the news of her pregnancy, let the whole town know, especially that whore Ellie Hopkins that Bridie's husband still found her desirable.

‘Perhaps you would like a nice gossipy item for your paper,' she said almost coyly. Daniel looked up at once, his eyes full of interest.

‘I certainly would; Miss Smale prides herself on being first with any news about the prominent citizens of Swansea.'

She recognized the flattery but was, nonetheless, pleased by it. ‘I'm expecting another child,' she said. ‘My husband and I are both very thrilled about it, naturally.'

‘Might I offer my congratulations?' If Daniel was disappointed that her news was domestic rather than of moment to the business world, he wasn't tactless enough to let it show.

‘That's kind of you, indeed.' Bridie sought for a way to introduce Ellie Hopkins into the conversation. ‘I do realize how lucky I am, of course, some women are not so fortunate, take Ellie Hopkins for instance.'

The look in the young reporter's eyes changed, became guarded. ‘Mrs Hopkins?'

‘Poor girl, lost her twins, you know, stillborn, so sad.' She watched him closely, his shoulders were tense but otherwise, his expression revealed nothing. ‘It didn't help that she had no husband to protect her, being merely a mistress of a rich man she was alone against the world until Jubilee Hopkins took her in out of the goodness of his heart.'

Daniel closed his notebook, he was suddenly pale or was the brightness of the sun deceiving her eyes?

‘You did know that Ellie was carrying illegitimate twins when Jubilee married her didn't you?' She didn't wait for a reply. ‘I imagined that on
The Times
you reporters knew everything about we inhabitants of Swansea.' She couldn't resist the small barb.

He rose and bowed. ‘Thank you so much for your time. If you don't mind, I'll take your advice and walk down to the docks, have a look first hand at the
Gloriana
.'

‘I haven't upset you, have I?' She couldn't help but probe, somehow her revelation seemed to have had little effect on the reporter.

‘Upset, why should I be upset?' His smile was somewhat forced. ‘I've ceased to be surprised by human nature.'

He left her then and she watched him walk away through her large gardens. Was his step less jaunty, his shoulders a little hunched? It was a pity to hurt him but the sooner he learnt the truth about that hussy the better.

Quite suddenly, Bridie felt very sick, she rose to her feet and stood there swaying for a moment, her senses swirling around her like a fog. And then, blackness thick and dark closed in on her and she knew nothing.

When she opened her eyes, she was in her room, the doctor was standing over her and behind him was the shadowy figure of her husband.

‘Paul, you've come home,' her voice sounded weak and Paul with concern etched on his face came towards her quickly.

‘My darling,' he kissed her fingers, ‘you are going to have to be brave.'

‘What do you mean?' she heard her voice trembling. She stared from her husband to the doctor and waited for one of them to speak.

‘I'm sorry, Mrs Marchant, you are most certainly miscarrying of your child.' It was the voice of the doctor which penetrated the silence like a death knell.