The Sea Shell Girl (34 page)

‘Please, Mrs Dyer,' Carey said holding up his hand. ‘It wasn't my intention to discuss such a delicate subject at the meal table. However, like Merryn, I believe in speaking the truth. I appreciate she is young in years but I love her and promise to care for her until death us do part, as they say.'

Merry's heart leaped and she held her breath, but her mother merely tightened her lips.

‘Perhaps you would agree to our becoming betrothed
with the idea of marrying in, say, two or three years' time?' he asked, looking hopefully at Karenza.

‘No, Lieutenant. As I said, it is quite out of the question. Now if you'll excuse me, I feel a headache coming on.' They watched in dismay as Karenza rushed up the stairs.

‘Grozen?' Merry asked, looking across at her grandmother.

‘You heard your mother. There is nothing more to say,' the old woman whispered sadly, hobbling over to her chair beside the fire.

‘What's wrong with the pair of you? It's like you've become different people,' Merry cried, jumping up and throwing her shawl around her shoulders. ‘Come along, Carey, it seems we are no longer welcome here.'

How dare they treat her like a child, Merry fumed, stamping her way up the hill. Carey followed, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. As soon as the door to the carriage closed behind them, he reached out and took her hand.

‘Don't take on so, Merryn. It was probably the shock. I shouldn't have blurted it out like that. I didn't mean it …'

‘So Mother was right, you don't want to marry me,' she whispered, tears welling as anger turned to hurt.

‘Oh, Merryn, don't cry, please,' he said, passing her a crisp white handkerchief. ‘Of course I want to marry you. You mean the world to me. I was just saying that I hadn't intended mentioning marriage on my first visit to your family.'

‘Oh,' Merry whispered, mollified by his assurance. ‘I've never known Mother be so rude. Normally she's mild and understanding, and she's always been a stickler for telling the truth. I guess she's upset because she wants me to marry Nicco and stay in the village.'

‘But do you want to marry him?' he asked, staring at her closely.

Merry shook her head. ‘It's you I love,' she whispered.

He grinned and gripped her hand tighter. ‘That's a relief, for you had me worried there for a moment. We'll come back and see your mother next weekend. By then, she'll have had a chance to think things over and we can discuss them properly.'

Merry smiled at him. ‘It might be better leaving it for two or three weeks. Mother doesn't often get riled but when she does it takes her for ever to calm down.'

‘My leave will be up by then, I'm afraid. I had planned to spend the time with you so we could really get to know each other before I whisked you off for a romantic candlelit dinner and proposed properly, but your mother pre-empted that,' he said. He stared out of the window, seemingly lost in thought. ‘You do want to marry me, I take it?' he asked, turning suddenly.

As he gazed at her intently his eyes bright with emotion, she felt the tightness in her chest begin to ease.

‘Of course I do,' she whispered, knowing with absolute certainty he was the man of her dreams. Then a thought struck her. ‘By the way, what was it you kept trying to tell Mother?'

‘That Meredith is my given name. I was adopted, you see. Obviously I had intended telling you first, but your mother looked so shocked when she heard my name. Then she began firing those questions at me and I wanted to be totally honest. However, she …'

‘Never gave you the chance. It doesn't make one jot of difference to anything, though, does it?' she smiled, for he could have been called Mr Mud for all she cared. ‘What about Saphira – is she adopted too?'

Carey shook his head. ‘Apparently Mother was a delicate child and thought she'd never be able to bear children of her own. Then a few years after they'd given me a home she found she was expecting Saphira. She always treated us equally, though.'

‘What about your father?'

‘He was away a lot,' he said quickly. ‘Ah, here we are at the ferry,' he added, seemingly grateful for the distraction.

As they made their way across the water he pointed towards the dockyard. ‘See the black ship with the two funnels and three masts?' When she nodded, he went on, ‘That's being victualled for our next trip.'

The thought of his going away again in the near future made Merry feel empty. She was so lost in thought that it seemed no time at all before they were back outside the store.

‘I don't suppose there's a chance you could request some time off between now and next Sunday?' he asked.

‘Not really. With it being nearly Mothering Sunday, Mr Fairbright is planning to keep the store open longer this Wednesday,' Merry replied. ‘He says it will give the servants the opportunity to choose materials and trimmings for themselves when they call to collect their employers' purchases.'

‘Will servants be able to afford that kind of thing?' he asked.

‘Well, maybe not the part-made garments or services of the dressmaker, but we do have some lovely materials and trimmings at reasonable prices. The girls will want to look their best when they go home, and are used to making their own clothes, after all.'

‘Well, you always look lovely and we can take your mother and Grozen some fresh blooms, if you like. Shall I get Fingers to make up another tussie-mussie?'

‘Mother really loves violets,' she said.

‘Then that is what she shall have. In the meantime, I
shall spend all next week thinking of you,' he whispered, leaning forward and kissing her cheek. ‘Don't worry, I'll talk your mother round.'

Hearing the sincerity in his voice, she smiled. ‘I'm sure you will,' she replied, her spirits lifting.

From the moment the doors were opened the next morning, clients descended on the store requesting to see fabrics and part-made garments of a lighter weight. There was also a demand for new bonnets and trimmings for older ones, so that by the afternoon Merry had lost track of the number of women she'd served. The prospect of spring was definitely in the air, she thought, holding up a swathe of frothy voile to show a woman of middle years.

‘Do you think this would be too young for me?' the customer asked.

Merry looked at the fair-haired woman and shook her head. ‘I think the butter colour would enhance madam's colouring beautifully,' she assured her. ‘And we have ribbon in a deeper yellow if you wish to trim your bonnet to match.'

‘Wonderful,' the woman clapped her hands. ‘My daughter is getting married this summer and I am holding a garden party in order for her betrothed's family to meet ours. He's a wonderful man.'

‘You must be very happy,' Merry replied, wishing her mother had showed the same enthusiasm. ‘Would you like me to have these wrapped and put these aside for carriage collection?'

‘Yes, please, my dear.'

As the woman made her way from the store, Merry
couldn't help wondering again about her mother's reaction. She had spent the night mulling over everything that had been said and come to the conclusion it had been because her mother wanted Merry to live in the village. They'd always been so close but she knew ultimately her mother only wanted her happiness.

‘I'd like to see some of your part-made garments. Blue is my preferred choice,' a thin-faced woman with a querulous voice demanded.

‘Certainly, madam,' Merry said. This woman was harder to please, though, and dithered between three choices.

‘I think I'd like to see the first one again.'

‘Certainly, madam.' Merry forced a smile as she retrieved the length of pre-cut material in sky blue from behind the counter and held it up. Whilst the woman hesitated, Merry thought back to Carey's surprise proposal. If her mother agreed, would he be happy to marry in her local church? They would have to ensure they had bread or cake for the kimbly. Village tradition decreed that the bride's father walked alone to the church giving a piece of this to the first person he met. Not that she had a father, of course, but perhaps Pucky Pint or another fisherman could be persuaded to do the honours. It would be such fun to bring her mother here so they could look at material together.

‘I think I'll leave it, thank you,' the woman's strident voice broke into her thoughts.

‘Of course, madam,' Merry said, suppressing a sigh. Some people were spoiled for choice. Given half a chance she'd happily take any of the lengths.

She began tidying away the materials and couldn't resist
running her fingers over the soft voiles. Smiling, she imagined herself dressed in the delicate material.

‘Blimey oh rimey, girl, you're looking mighty happy,' Freckles cried as she went past on her way to the dressing room. ‘Lover boy give you a good time yesterday, did he?'

Merry nodded, then turned back to her tidying, wanting to keep Carey's proposal to herself a while longer.

‘Mr Fairbright wants to see you in his office right away,' Mrs Smale said, appearing by her side.

Merry looked at the woman in surprise. Since she'd removed to the office upstairs she had never ventured back onto the shop floor.

‘Is anything wrong?' she asked.

‘Just hurry along, I'll explain to Mrs Winter,' Mrs Smale urged, looking at her with such sympathy, she felt a prickle of unease shiver up her spine as she hurried up the stairs.

Mr Fairbright was standing just inside the door, a constable by his side. They were both looking so grave that Merry's heart lurched.

‘Miss Dyer, please come and take a seat,' Mr Fairbright said. ‘I'm afraid I have some dreadful news. It would seem that somehow … that …' Unable to continue, he looked at the constable, who cleared his throat.

‘A woman's body was found on the beach just outside Porthsallos this morning. We have reason to believe she was your mother …'

Merry swayed in her seat, unable to take in what he said.

‘Drink this,' said Mr Fairbright, holding out a glass. Merry obeyed, then spluttered as the fiery liquid burned her throat. ‘Brandy for shock,' he added.

‘
Was
my mother?' she croaked, hoping she'd misunderstood.

‘I'm afraid your mother's injuries were fatal,' Mr Fairbright said gently.

‘But how … ? Why?'

‘All we know is,' the constable said, opening his notebook and reading, ‘a female body was found on the beach at first light by fishermen hauling their long lines. The injuries sustained suggest a fall from the cliff. Dislodged rocks, turf and soil were found scattered on the beach.' He snapped his book shut. ‘Until we have the result of the autopsy we won't know for sure what happened, miss, and even then …' He looked at Mr Fairbright and shrugged.

Merry put her head in her hands. Was it her fault? Had her mother been so upset she'd … ? No, her mother wouldn't have. Grozen would have … Grozen … She must go home straight away. She jumped to her feet then felt the room sway around her. Mr Fairbright gently helped her down onto the chair again.

‘Take it easy, Merry. You've had a terrible shock.'

‘I must go home …' she whispered.

‘As soon as I heard, I took the liberty of sending a dispatch to Lieutenant Meredith. Mrs Smale is at this moment packing some things for you.'

The door burst open.

‘Merryn, my dearest, I'm so very sorry,' Carey whispered, kneeling beside her and pulling her close for a moment. ‘I will take her to Porthsallos immediately, sir,' he said, getting to his feet and addressing Mr Fairbright.

Merry remembered nothing of the journey home. The only thing that penetrated her numb mind were the
heart-breaking sobs coming from Grozen as they entered the cottage. Delen and Marya were trying to comfort her but stood back when Merry flew across the room and threw her arms around her grandmother.

‘Kelys has gone for the doctor, sir,' Delen said to Carey. ‘Mrs Dyer's been like this ever since she heard and we think she needs something to calm her.'

‘Oh, Grozen,' Merry cried.

‘She's dead, Merry. My darling Karenza's gone.'

‘What happened?' Merry whispered.

‘I don't know for sure. She was that upset after you left. Said she should have listened to what the lieutenant had been trying to say, then explained herself. Insisted she'd go to Plymouth to tell you,' Grozen sobbed.

‘Tell me what?' Merry asked, but Grozen shook her head. ‘You mean she was on her way to see me when she fell?'

‘I don't know, Merry, I really don't know,' she sighed, peering at Merry through red swollen eyes. ‘Her bed was empty when I woke.'

‘But what did she have to tell me that was so important?' But her grandmother was too upset to speak as her bitter sobs racked the room once more.

Merry turned and stared at Carey in despair, hot tears falling unchecked down her cheeks. She felt consumed by grief but how could she help her grandmother when she knew nothing of the cause of this tragedy?