The Madness (16 page)

‘Just a little kiss, Marnie.’ Eldon was slurring his words. ‘A goodnight peck on the cheek is all I ask.’

‘I  …  I have to use the privy first,’ Marnie stuttered. She casually picked up her stick from where it was resting by the side of the fire. She would just have to go. Straight now. She would have to try and get to the beach before Eldon realised she’d gone. She limped to the door as Eldon kicked his boots off.

‘Don’t be long now,’ he called after her. ‘I’ll be waiting for me kiss.’

Marnie hurried as fast as she could out of the gate and along the lane. She slid down the grass embankment, not caring about the mud that striped her skirt and the backs of her legs. She reached the bottom too quickly and fell to her knees. As she stood up she felt a sting and the warm trickle of blood down her leg.
Move
, she told herself. Her ears strained for a sound of Eldon running along the lane to catch her. But all she could hear was the sea whispering to her.
Hurry, hurry, hurry
. She stumbled again and cried out in pain as her face struck the hard surface of the esplanade. Her stick skittered out of reach, so she crawled the few yards to get it and hauled herself back to standing. It wasn’t far now. She could see the beach steps just ahead. If she could get off the esplanade and out of sight, she could hide behind a rock and wait for Noah. As she staggered down the steps she heard her name being called in the distance. It was him. It was Eldon! She skidded the rest of the way down the steps, but then she was there, on the beach ,and she quickly squeezed herself against the nearest rock, her heart banging and her breath ragged. She heard him running along the esplanade above and he called her name again, but the wind caught the sound and carried it out to the horizon where it was lost in the darkness.

She held her breath and pressed herself further behind the rock. She listened closely, and to her horror she heard the sound of someone coming down the steps; even, deliberate footsteps and then the noise of boots on shingle. The sound moved closer. Marnie held her breath, not daring to move an inch. A shadow moved in front of her. Marnie stared.

She saw at once it was Noah and she groaned out loud in relief. He turned towards the sound. ‘Marnie?’ he whispered. ‘Is that you?’

Marnie stumbled out from behind the rock and fell into Noah’s arms. ‘Did you see him up there?’ she gasped. ‘Did you see him?’

Noah held her to him. ‘See who?’ he asked. ‘Whatever is the matter?’

‘Eldon Cross!’ said Marnie. ‘The man I told you about. He’s followed me. He came after me. He won’t leave me be.’ She clung to Noah’s arm.

‘I saw no one,’ said Noah. ‘The place is empty. There is no one about, Marnie, only you and I.’ He pulled her from him gently. ‘Look at your face,’ he said. ‘What have you done? Did
he
do this to you?

Marnie shook her head. ‘I fell,’ she said. ‘I took a tumble trying to get here to you.’

‘Hush,’ said Noah. ‘Look.’ He took a handkerchief from his pocket and carefully wiped at Marnie’s cheek. ‘It is only a graze,’ he said. ‘Does it hurt?’

‘No,’ said Marnie. ‘Me knee is worse.’ She leaned her back against the rock and lifted her skirt. ‘Can you see?’

Noah hesitated before bending down. ‘I cannot see very well,’ he said, ‘but I think you have cut it. There is a fair amount of blood on your leg. Wait here.’ He headed towards the sea and Marnie watched the shape of him and the purposefulness of his walk.

She was safe now, Marnie realised. Noah was here and he would take care of her. And he would know how to deal with Eldon too. Marnie smiled, imagining how foolish Eldon must be feeling to have been so outwitted.

Noah came back with a wet handkerchief. ‘It will sting,’ he warned. ‘But the saltwater will do it good.’ He wiped at the gash on her knee and Marnie sucked in her breath as the salt mixed with her blood. Then Noah tied the handkerchief around the wound. ‘That should do until you get home. Then you must get your mother to look at it. She will know better than I what to do, that is certain!’

‘Ta for looking after me,’ said Marnie.

‘It is my pleasure,’ said Noah. ‘But you must tell me what you mean to do about this Eldon Cross character. Surely your mother and Smoaker will help. They cannot wish you to be chased around the village by a mad man!’

‘They won’t care,’ said Marnie miserably. ‘They don’t know I sneak out at night and they’ll only think that Eldon is looking out for me. They’ll most likely thank him for his trouble. They think he’s me only chance of being wedded off, you see. Who else would want someone like me?’

‘Don’t say that, Marnie. There will be many men who will want to marry you. I promise. You are beautiful and brave and  …  and –’ He stopped.

Marnie’s heart tapped hard against her ribs. She could scarcely believe what she was hearing. If her knee wasn’t throbbing so, she would have sworn she was dreaming.

‘There must be something you can do,’ Noah was saying.

‘About what?’ said Marnie. She wished the moon was brighter and she could look first into his grey eye and then into his blue eye.

‘About Eldon Cross.’ Noah ran a hand through his hair and kicked at the shingle.

‘Oh,’ said Marnie. She touched Noah on his arm. ‘I was thinking you could speak to your father about him.’

Noah frowned. ‘Why? What could he do?’

‘He’s having the pier built, isn’t he? So he has a say who works on it?’

‘I have no idea. He has invested a good deal of money in it. But I cannot say he is in charge of the workers.’

‘Get him to put Eldon Cross off the pier. To put him out of work so he leaves here. Please, Noah! He’ll do that for you, won’t he?’ Marnie tightened her grip on his arm.

Noah took her wrist and lifted her hand away. ‘I don’t know how I would do that, Marnie. How would I explain my reasons?’

‘Tell him the truth. Tell him how he’s been bothering me and you want it stopping.’

‘But he doesn’t know about you, Marnie. No one does. You know that.’ Noah sighed. ‘And besides, he is in London and won’t be coming to Clevedon for some time.’ He took her hand. ‘Oh, Marnie,’ he said gently. ‘What am I going to do with you?’

Marnie didn’t know how to answer him. He was looking at her so solemnly. She held on to his hand. It was warm and soft and he let her lace her fingers through his. She stared at his face. It was so perfect. So clean and bright and honest. She was bursting inside with a feeling she couldn’t name. She’d never felt anything like it before, but somehow she knew it was the most important feeling in the world. It made everything else seem like nothing. Eldon Cross didn’t matter, nor did Ma or Smoaker or Pa. Even the sea, waiting calmly behind, seemed to have lost its magic for now.

Noah came closer and Marnie felt his breath on her cheek, like a warm whisper. ‘Oh, Marnie,’ he murmured. He pulled her hand and suddenly she was against him, her breast against his. ‘Do you mind if I hold you?’ he asked. His voice sounded strange, almost nervous.

Marnie shook her head. ‘I don’t mind,’ she whispered. He unwound his fingers from hers and slowly slid his hands around her waist. Marnie turned her head to one side and rested her cheek against his chest. The linen of his shirt was smooth and smelt of fresh sweat. A button from his jacket dug into her face, just below her eye. She didn’t care. It was all she could ever have hoped for. Being held safe like this in someone’s arms.

Noah pulled her closer. Marnie felt the firmness of his hands through the worn cotton of her frock and shift.

‘Are you warm enough?’ Noah whispered.

Marnie nodded against his chest. She didn’t know what to do with her hands. They were dangling by her side, one still holding her stick. She closed her eyes and let the stick fall from her hand. Then as carefully as she could, she brought her arms around Noah and rested her hands on his back. The fabric of his jacket was stiff and thick and she wanted to press harder and feel the shape of him.

They stayed still and silent for a moment. Marnie listened to the fizzle of waves on shingle and prayed that time would stop.

Noah shifted his feet. ‘Marnie?’

She took her head from his chest and looked up at him. He leaned down and his face became a blur as it came closer. Marnie tilted her head, not knowing quite what to do. Then Noah’s breath was hot in her ear and his hands moved from her waist and pressed the back of her neck. ‘Marnie,’ he said again. ‘I can’t stop thinking about how beautiful you looked the other night.’

Marnie’s throat tightened. She pressed her hands into Noah’s back and he groaned into her neck. Another moment passed. Then Noah moved his head and gently pushed her away. ‘Shall we go in the water?’ he said in a low voice.

‘You mean like  …  like before?’ said Marnie.

‘Yes. Like before.’

It was a dream, surely. The best dream she’d ever had. Marnie didn’t want to talk any more. She didn’t want to break the spell.

She bent down to loosen her laces and saw Noah was doing the same to his. She pushed off her boots and pulled her frock over her head. Noah had his jacket off and was unfastening his britches. Everything was happening so slowly. It was as though the world was holding its breath.

Marnie turned to face the sea then slid her drawers off and finally her shift. The night air tingled on her skin as it touched every part of her naked body. Then Noah was beside her and he took her hand and walked with her to the water’s edge. They didn’t speak or even look at each other. They simply inched their way into the waiting sea.

As the waves washed over them, Noah wrapped his arms around Marnie and brought her to him. She could feel the heat of him through the cold of the water and she let him steady her against the motion of the tide. There was an ache inside of her which she knew without doubt was for Noah. She knew she would gladly stay a cripple for ever if he would be with her like this for always.

Marnie pressed herself against Noah and felt her skin stick to his. Noah pushed his face into her hair and she felt his breath hot and hard against her neck. His hands slid down her back and over her behind. He squeezed at her flesh and she let her hands wander over his back and felt the satin of his white skin and the shape of his muscles.

Then Noah was carrying her back out of the water and he was panting like a dog. He lay her on the shingle and small sharp pebbles bit into her back and made her cry out. Then the weight of him was on her and the pain of the shingle numbed as another pain, much sharper and deeper, broke inside of her. ‘Marnie. Oh, Marnie.’ Noah was saying her name over and over again and the waves were lapping over their legs.

Don’t let me wake, thought Marnie. Don’t let me wake now and it all be a dream.

She stared up at the moon and it stared back at her for so long that she thought it couldn’t be a dream. And her knee was still stinging, and the graze on her face. Then, when Noah stood up and helped her to her feet and brushed the shingle from her back and said he was sorry if it had hurt her, he was still there, as solid as anything. He didn’t disappear and fade away into the night. She knew then, without doubt, that it was all real and true. The truest moment of her life.

Later, after they’d dressed and laced their boots back up, Noah said he was sorry again.

‘What are you sorry for?’ asked Marnie.

‘I just am,’ said Noah. ‘I hope you’ll forgive me.’

‘There’s nothing to forgive,’ said Marnie. She wanted him to hold her again, but he seemed in a hurry.

‘I must get back to the manor now,’ he said. ‘Will you go home now too?’

‘Soon,’ said Marnie. ‘Will you come here again next Sunday?’

Noah smiled quickly and touched her shoulder. ‘I will try,’ he said. He picked up her stick and handed it to her. ‘Get home safely,’ he said. Then he hurried up the beach steps and was gone.

Marnie sat on the shingle with her knees tucked under her chin. She stroked the handkerchief that Noah had tied around her leg and watched the sky until a pale pink streak appeared on the horizon and her hair had dried in stiff clumps. ‘He loves me, doesn’t he, Pa?’ she said. ‘What we just did. It means Noah loves me.’ She could still feel the ache of him between her legs. ‘Fancy that, Pa,’ she said. ‘A true gentlemen he is and all.’

It was going to be a long wait till next Sunday. Marnie wasn’t sure how she’d get through the days. Maybe she’d call on Noah at the manor if she got the chance. He’d be glad to see her and it would show him how much she cared. Marnie pinched her arm hard. She still couldn’t quite believe it.

39

A Lying Little Tart

The sky began to lighten and Marnie yawned. She knew she should make her way back to the cottage now. She heaved herself to standing, her knee stiff and sore now. Then suddenly she remembered Eldon Cross. A deep frown creased her face. As she walked slowly back across the beach and up the steps, she thought hard. There had to be a way of dealing with him. All the way back along the esplanade she thought and thought. By the time she got back to Ratcatcher’s Row, she knew exactly what to do.

Marnie opened the cottage door and let the latch clunk loudly back into place. Through the first gauzy light of morning, she saw Eldon Cross start awake in the chair where he was sitting, waiting for her. She walked over and stood in front of him, letting her stick fall to the floor with a clatter.