Bonds of Earth, The (18 page)

M
ORWENNA RETURNED TO
the mine cottage in a state of euphoria – but she soon discovered that not everyone in the family shared her elation. The first person she met was Nessa, carrying water from the butt which caught rainwater channelled from the roof and taking it to the copper in the wash-house built on to one end of the cottage. When filled, a fire would be lit beneath the copper to boil water for the family's washing.

‘Hello, do you want some help with that?'

The two sisters had hardly been talking for so long that Morwenna's cheerful and unexpected offer almost caused Nessa to drop the bucket she was carrying.

‘I gather Pa has told you that Alan has been to see him about coming to work at Wheal Hope.'

‘You know about it? Who told you – and when?'

Lowering the heavy bucket to the ground, Nessa said, ‘I was coming to speak to you about it last night, but you were asleep.'

‘For news like that I would have been happy to be woken up. Has Pa told you Alan's realized he made a mistake by not coming here to be with me in the first place? He'll marry me now, for certain.'

‘Don't be too cocksure about it. He'll want to know what you've been doing since you came here – with Goran, for instance.'

‘Oh, I'm not worried about that, I'll tell him all he needs to know.'

‘I think you'd better tell
me
all I need to know about it, first.'

Belatedly realizing her sister was seething with scarcely concealed anger, Morwenna shrugged dismissively. ‘What does it matter now? What's done is done.'

‘That isn't good enough. You've told everyone so many lies about you and Goran that I don't know what to believe – so I want you to tell me. Was there ever anything going on between the two of you?'

‘Why don't you ask him? Although he'll no doubt tell you only what he thinks you want to hear, men are like that, aren't they?'

As Morwenna turned to go inside the cottage, Nessa said, ‘I don't intend asking Goran and since you won't give me an answer I'll get Alan to ask you. While he's about it he can ask you about gamekeeper Grimble's nephew too – and your miscarriage. I did believe that Alan had probably fathered the baby but I suppose when he knows the facts he might feel it was Goran's, or even Grimble's nephew's. Who knows?'

With this, Nessa lifted the bucket of water and began walking towards the wash-house once more.

Running after her, Morwenna demanded, ‘Who told you about Tom Miller? What do you know about us?'

Responding in a similar manner to that adopted by her sister, Nessa replied, ‘I'll tell Alan what I know and you can ask him.'

‘You wouldn't, Nessa,' Morwenna pleaded, ‘Not after all I've been through. You wouldn't spoil my chance of marrying Alan now – it would break my heart, truly it would!'

‘Everything you've been through has been entirely your own fault, even though you behave as though you're the most hard done by person in the whole world and everyone is against you. They're not, but
I'm
going to be against you for the way you've behaved toward me and what you've deliberately done to upset
my
life.'

Entering the wash-house, Nessa raised the heavy wooden bucket with difficulty and the noise of the water pouring into the copper made further conversation impossible until the bucket was empty.

‘
Please
, Nessa, I beg you. Please don't say anything to Alan. I want to marry him more than I've ever wanted anything. I always have. There was never anything between me and Goran, I swear it. It was
you
he was sweet on, not me.'

‘But I thought he gave you a passionate kiss when you gave him the dictionary … that's what you told me.'

Desperately unhappy and close to tears, Morwenna pleaded, ‘It wasn't true, I swear it wasn't. I didn't know what I was doing, or saying. I just wanted him – or anyone – to marry me. You know why. He
did
kiss me, but only because I demanded it as payment for taking the book to him and it certainly wasn't passionate. It was hardly a kiss at all. He just pecked my cheek, then stepped back so quickly I never had a chance to do anything in return. That's the truth, Nessa, honestly!'

‘That's what I've been told, but I wanted to hear it from you. You're absolutely horrible, you know that? You must be the worst sister anyone has ever had. I really don't believe Alan deserves someone like you, he's not a bad person.'

‘
Please
, Nessa! I beg you!' Tears were streaming down Morwenna's cheeks now.

Pushing past her in order to fetch a final bucket of water, Nessa said, ‘You needn't worry, I wasn't going to tell anyone, anyway. All your nasty secrets are safe enough with me, but I don't think I'll ever be able to trust
you
again.'

Feeling almost sick with relief, Morwenna followed her sister to the water butt. ‘I'll never do anything like that again, Nessa, I promise. I won't ever need to. If Alan marries me, and I'm certain he will, I'll try never to do a nasty thing to anyone ever again – especially not to you.'

Nessa knew her sister meant every word – at this moment – but she made no reply. Now she knew the truth about Morwenna's supposed affair with Goran she had other things to think about. There were plans to be made. Pleasant plans…

A
FTER A LENGTHY
discussion that went on until far into the night in the privacy of their bedroom, Piran and Annie Pyne agreed they would not seek answers from Morwenna about what she had been doing during the time she claimed to have been at Elworthy Farm with Goran and the following morning when Piran went to the mine he sent Alan to the cottage to talk matters over with Morwenna.

Knowing the couple had a great deal to discuss, Annie agreed to allow them to walk together on the immediate moorland in order to settle their future relationship – if there was to be one.

The young couple were away from the cottage for two hours and when they returned Alan went to the mine and Morwenna joined her mother in the cottage. It was immediately apparent to Annie that there was a complacency about Morwenna that bordered on smugness.

She explained that Alan had apologized abjectly for not coming to Wheal Hope with her after the long and close relationship they had enjoyed together in West Cornwall. He had pleaded to be given another chance, declaring he had been thoroughly miserable during their time apart and had come to appreciate just how much she meant to him.

He further promised that if she forgave him he would ask her father for permission for them to be married as soon as was possible and would do everything within his power to make her happy.

Although Alan was offering her everything she had ever wanted, Morwenna allowed him to think she needed time to consider whether or not to take up with him again – but she did not keep up this pretence for
too
long.

When she appeared to relent and agree she
would
marry him, Morwenna stipulated that a physical relationship would not be resumed until they had been made man and wife in a church – and
that
depended entirely upon her father accepting Alan as his future son-in-law.

When Annie queried why Alan had not returned to the cottage with her, Morwenna explained that he had work to do at the mine and intended finding her father and asking for his permission to marry her.

There were no doubts in the minds of either mother or daughter that Alan's offer would be accepted, but as time passed with no sign of either Piran or her would-be fiancé, Morwenna became increasingly agitated, remembering that in the past her father had never approved of Alan.

She would have gone to the mine to learn what had gone on between the two men but Annie pointed out this would be seen as unseemly eagerness on Morwenna's part.

Morwenna accepted her mother's advice. She had been able to dictate terms for her relationship with Alan that morning and, wishing to continue to hold the advantage, was forced to curb her impatience and wait until her father returned to the cottage at midday. He brought Alan with him, explaining that he had invited the young miner to come and eat with them.

The head of the family's announcement that Alan had asked for Morwenna's hand in marriage and had been accepted was greeted with delight by Morwenna, but when Piran said the acceptance was conditional she became suddenly apprehensive. But Piran explained.

‘I've told Alan that in view of the fact he and Morwenna haven't seen each other for some time I feel they need to get to know each other again. I also want to satisfy myself that his foolish escapade with Jacob Barlow was no more than that – a foolish escapade. He now needs to prove to me that he's ready to settle down to what he does best – mining. I've agreed that Alan can marry Morwenna, but the wedding will not take place until spring next year. When that time comes and he's proved himself to my satisfaction I'll be pleased to welcome him into the family.'

Morwenna appeared dismayed, but Alan spoke directly to her. ‘Don't worry, Morwenna, I'll prove myself to both you and your pa. I'll work twice as hard as any other miner so that we'll have a bit of money put by to get started in a home together. You'll be proud of me by then, you just wait and see.'

Warming to the fervent young man, Annie said, ‘I am sure we'll all be proud of you, and it means Morwenna will have time to get some of the things together that you're both going to need in a home of your own.'

Morwenna had been hoping for an early wedding, but Alan had committed himself to marrying her and she was confident he would not go back on his word now. Besides, what he and her mother had said made a lot of sense. Setting up a home meant a lot of work, planning – and money. She would ensure Alan did more than his share to achieve at least two of the requisites. She had her own ideas of the sort of home she wanted. She smiled happily once more.

The only person in the room who did not share wholeheartedly in wishing the young couple well for their future together was Nessa. While she would do nothing to upset her sister's plans she had not entirely forgiven her duplicity in coming between Goran and herself.

Piran was aware of his middle daughter's lack of enthusiasm for Morwenna's betrothal and, after the meal, when the pots and plates had been cleared away and Morwenna and Alan were seated outside on a bench talking together, he suggested that Nessa walk with him to the mine, making the excuse he would like her to bring one of the mine's account books back to the cottage with her to check his figures.

As they walked side-by-side, he said, ‘Are you happy that Morwenna and Alan are to be married?'

‘It's what Morwenna's always wanted.' Nessa replied, ambiguously.

‘It's going to feel strange having a daughter marry and leave the home, but I suppose it's something your ma and me will need to get used to. You'll no doubt be next.'

‘I don't think you'll need to worry about me getting married for a while, if at all, but you know Uncle Cedric has asked if I'd like to travel to London to live with him and Aunt Joan? He's opened his own school and would like me to teach the girls there. He thinks I would be a good teacher with his tuition.'

‘Yes, your ma told me. If that's what you would really like to do we wouldn't stand in your way – but I think Goran would be very disappointed if you were to leave.'

‘I doubt it, we haven't seen each other for a long time.'

‘Would that be because Morwenna gave everyone the impression she was seeing him?'

‘Yes.'

Nessa could have said a great deal more on the subject but she chose to remain silent.

‘Goran wasn't aware of any of that, you know. I think he's very hurt that you have never gone to Elworthy to congratulate him on taking over the farm.'

When Nessa made no reply, Piran added, ‘Do you know that when he learned you had given your bracelet to Morwenna in exchange for an dictionary for him he bought you a bracelet to replace it?'

Startled, Nessa said, ‘Are you sure, he's never brought it up here for me?'

‘He told me himself but asked me to keep it a secret. He bought it when he and Jenken went to a fair in Liskeard to buy something that was needed for the farm. I think he's probably been waiting for the right moment to give it to you, but with all that's been going on and the hours he's been putting in on the farm I doubt whether he's had a moment to spare. I don't think that helping to rescue me and the other miners helped. I spoke to Albert a day or two ago and he says he's never known anyone work as hard as Goran; he's determined to make his farm a success.'

‘I didn't know, Pa. I'll get down to the farm and give him my belated congratulations as soon as I can now that Morwenna's settled with Alan and there's no question of her being involved with Goran.'

H
ORACE
R
UNDLE ARRIVED
at Elworthy Farm a few days after the excitement caused by Jacob Barlow and his disorderly miners had died down, those taken into custody having been remanded to appear at the next assizes.

The ploughman arrived with his two horses which were pulling a heavy wagon containing a plough, harrow and a number of other farming implements. It heralded a very busy time for Goran and Jenken when the general work around the farm would not cease, animals needed to be fed, their houses cleaned and general welfare attended to, but Horace would only be at Elworthy for a few days, lodging in the farmhouse.

During his stay Goran would need to learn at least the rudiments of preparing land to take crops – initially root vegetables. Horace had suggested potatoes, turnips and swedes in order to clean the ground before sowing wheat, the crop Goran had been urging Agnes to grow for almost as long as he had been working for her.

Ploughing was hard work for both man and horses, but it was Jenken who was particularly eager to try his hand at controlling the plough. He swiftly learned he did not yet possess sufficient strength needed for the task and for the time being would have to be content to watch and listen to what was being explained. However, he was allowed to lead the horses which were so experienced in their task that once the first furrow had been cut they needed little or no guiding.

On the second day of ploughing instruction, Horace received an unexpected visitor in the form of his great-niece, Victoria. A dark-haired girl who had just celebrated her sixteenth birthday, she walked to the farm from her home to find Horace and thank him for the silver bracelet he had bought for her at the fair, leaving it with her mother to be presented to her on her birthday.

She was taken to the field by Harriet Bolitho who brought along her two youngest boys to see their big brother working. After hugging and thanking her great-uncle, Victoria left Horace introducing Harriet and the two young boys to the large but patient and gentle horses and made her way to where Goran was cleaning off the ploughshare.

Waiting until he looked up she said, ‘Hello, I'm Victoria, Horace's great-niece. You must be Goran, he's talked a lot about you.'

‘He's spoken to me about you, too. I believe you've just had a birthday?' Victoria was a very pretty girl and Goran felt unusually tongue-tied in her presence.

‘That's right and Uncle Horace remembered it. That's why I came here today, to thank him for buying me this lovely bracelet and leaving it with my mother for me.' She held out her wrist to show him the bracelet, adding, ‘It's a very expensive present and must have cost him a lot of money.'

Goran was about to say that he was present when the bracelet was bought, but changed his mind hurriedly. He did not know whether Horace had exaggerated the value of the bracelet, or whether the girl had put her own value upon it. Instead, he said, ‘It's very nice, he must think a lot of you.'

Pleased to have impressed him, Victoria removed the present from her wrist and handed it to Goran, saying, ‘You look here inside, it says it's real silver – and that's worth a lot of money.'

‘It is indeed.'

Taking the bangle from her, Goran made much of examining it properly before slipping it back on her wrist as she extended her arm to him.

When it was in place she gripped his hand and, smiling up at him coquettishly, said, ‘Thank you.'

It was blatant flirting and Goran was amused – but it did not amuse everyone who witnessed it.

No one had noticed the arrival of Nessa Pyne on the scene. Hidden behind a tall, summer-luxuriant hedgerow until she arrived at the field gate, she had arrived in time to see Goran slip a bracelet on to the wrist of a very pretty young girl who appeared to be gazing up at him adoringly.

Suddenly, the volume of poetry she was carrying as a gift for Goran felt unbearably heavy. Turning away, she hurried back the way she had come, heading for the high moor but avoiding Elworthy Farm, from where Albert Bolitho had given her directions to the field where Goran was ploughing.

Arriving on open moorland, out of sight of the farm, she found she was trembling and knew she could not go home immediately. She first needed to gain control of herself and put her scrambled thoughts into some semblance of order.

When Piran returned home from the mine that evening he was greeted by his wife who said, ‘It seems it's not just one daughter we are about to lose, Piran, but
two
!'

Taken by surprise, Piran said ‘Two? Why, has Nessa come to her senses and made it up with Goran … he hasn't proposed to her? She's still too young to be thinking of marriage, but I'm very pleased….'

He stopped when Annie rested a hand on his arm, bringing his happy chatter to a halt.

‘I'm afraid it's nothing like that. In fact, it would appear that any chance of a romance between the two of them is over. Nessa has decided to take up Cedric's offer and go to London to teach in his school. It's something she's always said she wanted, you know that.'

‘It
was
what she wanted, but that was before she met Goran.'

‘I know, but things haven't been going well between the two of them lately. I think she went to the farm today with the intention of making it up with him, but she must have had second thoughts about what it was she really wanted. When she came home she sat straight down and wrote a letter to Cedric accepting his offer.'

‘Where is she now, I'll speak to her about it?'

Annie shook her head ruefully, ‘It would make no difference, Piran. You know what Nessa is like when she's made up her mind about something. Besides, as soon as she'd written the letter she went out to send it off in the mail. Before she left she said she'd like you to make arrangements for her to travel to Falmouth where she'll stay with my sister until a respectable family can be found going by sea to London with whom she can travel. She says she wants to do it right away, before Cedric finds someone else to teach in his school.'

‘What do you think about it, Annie?' Piran asked, unhappily.

‘I think I feel much the same as you do. I was hoping she might marry Goran one day, but if that's not going to happen, we must let her go to London. After all, she has always said it's what she wants and she's worked hard at her schooling in order to achieve it. I don't think we can stop her now.'

Piran thought about it for a long time before nodding his head. ‘No, you're quite right, Annie and, as you say, it's what she's always told us she wanted to do. The trouble is we're both going to miss her so much – and so too will Jennifer, but I suppose what will be, will be.'