‘Day to you, Mrs Boucher, I hope you’ve had a pleasant time of it in town.’
Polly touched his arm. ‘I thank you, Dave.’ She allowed him to help her into the carriage and his hand lingered a little too long on her waist. Polly was still up to her old tricks by the look of it.
‘Bye then, Lily, see you soon, mind.’
The carriage jolted into motion, the horses, grandly bedecked, setting off at a spanking pace along the road. Lily watched for a moment and then, her head bent in despair, she began to walk towards home.
Llinos looked down at Lloyd asleep in his bed. Her son was a handsome boy, especially now when he was rosy with sleep. Standing beside his bed, Llinos suddenly felt that she had grown old overnight. It was as if her body had become barren since losing the baby.
She saw again the small form of her daughter, saw Joe lifting the baby up in his arms, a look of grief on his face. Since that day Joe had changed, but so had she. Llinos crossed the room and looked into the mirror, surprised to see the familiar unlined face, the same tangle of dark hair. It was the eyes that were different, they were heavy lidded, lacking lustre.
‘Oh, Joe!’ she whispered. He had come home to find her in the arms of her old friend Binnie Dundee. He had looked at the two of them, a long hard look, and then turned and left the room. He had spent a few hours with his son and his sister the next day, never even looking at Llinos. Did Joe really believe she was being unfaithful, and with Binnie, her dear old friend?
The old Joe, the loving, intuitive Joe, would have read the event for what it was. He would have seen Binnie’s pain and Llinos’s compassion and would have understood everything at a glance. Instead, he had chosen to use it against her, to blame her for some unknown sin. Joe was a man with a guilty conscience. Llinos was becoming more angry with every passing slight; every stab of pain was driving a wedge between her and the love she had once held for her husband.
Rosie knocked on the door and Llinos composed herself, tucking a stray curl behind her ear.
‘Scuse me, Mrs Mainwaring, but Watt is downstairs, he’s asking to see you, if you have a minute.’
‘I’ll come down straight away,’ Llinos said. Watt was waiting in the small sitting room. He smiled warmly when he saw her and she wanted to hug him, at least Watt had not changed, he was a good man, still grieving over the loss of his love Maura.
‘Sit down, Watt, is anything wrong?’ She tried to speak lightly. Watt knew her from childhood and he could usually read her moods. Now, however, he seemed more intent on his own troubles.
‘In a way.’ He looked up at Llinos. ‘It’s Pearl, she’s very sick.’ He shook his head. ‘It’s her lungs the nurse said and I’m afraid she’s right. Anyway, I’ve told Pearl to take time off.’ He bowed his head. ‘I don’t think she’ll ever be able to work again. I said I’d pay her at least for now. Did I do the right thing?’
Llinos looked at him in surprise. Pearl so sick that she was giving up work? It was difficult to believe. Pearl was a big, strong woman; she had always seemed so robust. But by now she must be almost forty, she was getting old.
She frowned. ‘Poor Pearl, I’m so sorry and of course you did the right thing. Anything else I can do to help?’
Watt’s expression softened. ‘I’m taking care of things. I know you’ve enough on your plate as it is, without worrying about Pearl. I just wanted to talk to you about it, to prepare you, but I’ve got everything in hand, don’t worry.’
He did not wait for her to reply. ‘Binnie’s back now, he can cover for Pearl. I’ll see everything runs smoothly, don’t you worry your head about that.’
‘I know,’ Llinos said. She sighed heavily. ‘Anyway, it’s about time I shook myself out of my apathy and took an interest in the pottery again. What’s the point of being here in the house all the time when Joe doesn’t appreciate it anyway?’
He looked down at his hands as though he had not heard her. ‘I told Rosie to stay at home, do you mind?’ He smiled. ‘I’m sorry for interfering in your household arrangements, Llinos.’
‘Don’t keep apologizing!’ Llinos said. ‘I told you to take charge and you have. I’m grateful to you, Watt.’ She moved out into the hall and Watt followed her. ‘I’ll fetch my coat and then I’ll take a walk down to Pearl’s cottage and have a word with her.’
‘I’ve promised to keep her job open for when she recovers.’ He looked away and stared through the window, swallowing hard. ‘I know you’ll be discreet.’
‘Of course and, Watt, I would have made exactly the same decisions as you.’ Llinos looked up at him expectantly as he walked across the room and opened the door for her. She sensed there was more he wanted to say. ‘What is it?’
‘It’s Rosie, I’ve asked her to marry me.’
‘You’ve done what?’ She took his arm and almost marched him through the front door towards the gates of the pottery until they were well out of earshot of any of the servants. ‘Are you out of your mind? You know you’re still grieving for Maura, how could you bring yourself to marry someone else?’
‘It’s difficult,’ Watt said. ‘I’m very fond of Rosie and . . . well, she needs me to take care of her, to take care of the whole family come to that. With Pearl out of work it will be a struggle for them just to survive.’
‘But marriage, Watt, aren’t you sacrificing your own happiness for the sake of doing a good deed?’ She buttoned up her coat. ‘We’re all fond of Pearl and I can pay her a small retainer; they would still have more than most families live on.’
‘I’ve given my word and I won’t go back on it. In any case, Llinos, what have I got in my life to look forward to now Maura’s gone? At least with Rosie I’ll have a wife who loves me and a family to call my own. Can’t you see how important that is to me?’
Llinos could see his need to belong. Watt had been orphaned at an early age, the people of the pottery had been the only family he had ever known.
‘Well, if you’re sure Rosie is what you want then you have my blessing. I won’t ask if you love her, that’s your business.’ She paused. ‘Do you love her?’
‘I think love can grow,’ Watt said. ‘I care for Rosie, she’s pretty and funny and . . . well, I care for her.’
‘I see.’ Llinos did see. ‘Right then, go back to work and I’ll walk down to the village.’ She smiled. ‘Don’t worry, I won’t say a word out of turn. If Pearl wants to talk to me I’ll listen, otherwise, I’ll just pretend to think she’s just a bit off colour.’
Watt hugged her arm to his side. ‘I knew I could depend on you, Llinos. I couldn’t love you more if you were my own sister. I would do anything for you.’
‘Go on with you, don’t get all mushy now or I’ll think you’re after something.’ She paused near the painting sheds. The smell was familiar, the oxide, the tallow, the pungent scent of the glaze; it was her life. And it was all changing, everything was changing and Llinos did not much like it.
‘I won’t be long and, when I come back, I’ll talk to one of the better painters to see if between us we can come up with some fresh designs.’
‘Change the firebird emblem on the china, is that what you mean?’
‘That’s exactly what I mean. Joe is no longer interested in the pottery or in me and it’s about time I accepted that and acted accordingly.’
She knew she sounded bright and confident but, as she walked away from the pottery, her vision was blurred. Angrily she wiped away the tears that misted her eyes. Crying had never solved her problems in the past and it would not solve them now. She had to wake up and face the facts, Joe and she were finished, their marriage was over.
‘I have some news for you, Edward, my love.’ Alice was reclining in her favourite chair after eating a hearty dinner of beef and kidney pie laced with oysters. She was holding a glass of port in her hand, watching the light from the fire reflecting in the ruby wine.
‘My news first, my dear.’ He sat down the same way as he did everything, with small precise movements. ‘I have been working hard at the bank and my endeavours have been recognized.’ He smiled with self-satisfaction. ‘I have been made senior manager of the Swansea branch, now what do you think of that then?’
‘How wonderful, haven’t I a clever husband?’ she enthused. ‘I knew you could do it, my darling.’ She looked at him from under her lashes. ‘And there is something else you have done successfully.’ She smiled at him. ‘Can you guess what it is?’
He frowned. ‘I’m not given to such childish games, Alice, you know that. If you have something to tell me then say it.’
She swallowed the angry retort that sprang to her lips. He could be such a conceited buffoon at times. ‘You have done wonderfully well, the midwife thinks we are to have twins.’
His eyebrows shot up into his hairline. ‘Good heavens!’ he said. ‘Two more mouths to feed.’
Alice hid her anger. ‘Ah well, you must be particularly virile, my darling,’ she said. ‘And we did try exceptionally hard to get a baby.’ She glanced at him from under her lashes. ‘I shall have to be extra careful, twins tend to be born prematurely.’ It was a good ploy, with luck Edward would never realize that the babies would arrive too early for him to be the father.
‘So it’s twins then?’ Edward looked suddenly pleased with himself. He clearly saw himself as a man of great physical prowess. ‘Well, that is good news.’ He did not sound sure. ‘Not quite necessary now that I’ve been given a senior position anyway.’
‘Well it can’t be undone!’ Alice said and then softened her tone. ‘Excuse me, dear, women are sometimes a little out of sorts at such times.’ She forced herself to smile at him though she felt more like slapping him across his smug face.
‘Look at it this way, a man of experience like you, and a solid family man to boot, can look higher than Swansea. You could be promoted to Cardiff or even to London or Bristol, wouldn’t that be wonderful?’
After a few moments’ consideration he nodded sagely. ‘I must confess, dear, that I had not thought that far. You are quite right as usual. You are an asset to me, Alice.’
This was praise indeed coming from Edward. She pressed home her advantage. ‘Edward, I understand you have visits from area bank officials occasionally, is that so?’
‘It is. Why?’
‘Well then we must entertain them in style when they come to visit, impress them with our hospitality and our breeding.’
This was sometimes a sore point with Edward that Alice came from a better class of family than he did. Now, however, he saw the advantages and decided to play them for all he was worth. Edward Sparks was a very ambitious man.
‘What, invite them here, you mean?’ Edward sounded doubtful. He looked around the small rooms, seeing the place with fresh eyes. Alice smiled to herself.
‘It would be nice if we had a larger house, of course,’ Alice said. ‘Something in a better area.’ She waited for Edward to digest this latest idea. He stroked his chin and looked down at his highly polished boots.
‘But could we afford it, Alice? Would your father help us, do you think?’
Alice doubted it; her father had been glad to get rid of her. However, Eynon Morton-Edwards could be induced to put some money her way, especially when she convinced him that the twins she was carrying were his.
‘You go ahead and arrange it, Edward, darling,’ she said. ‘Leave the financial side of it to me.’
He appeared doubtful. Alice knew he liked to be in control of anything to do with money. Methodical he might be but an entrepreneur he was not. ‘Once Daddy knows there are grandchildren on the way, he’ll give in and increase my allowance. He might even be generous enough to buy us a better house. If he does, I’ll leave it all to you to handle, I promise.’ He seemed satisfied. He poured himself a full measure of port, a sure sign that he was congratulating himself on his cleverness.
All that remained was for her to see Eynon and to convince him it was in his best interests to help her. She already had a small store of money handed over to her by Lily. The girl was a fool; she would never get it back. As soon as was possible, Alice would find a way of dismissing Lily. And thinking further ahead, perhaps she would really go to see her father. There might be something in this grandchildren business.
She smiled to herself, she was really doing quite well, the small store of money Lily had given her would be enough for a down payment on a property, a gesture of goodwill until the real money came in. And come in it would, Alice intended to rise again to the station from which she was born. She was tired of mediocrity, tired of making do with out-of-fashion garments. If her husband was incapable of making their fortune then it was up to her to see to it and see to it she would.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
‘I can’t believe he’s gone, left me like this without a word.’ Hortense was walking in the garden with her mother, arms linked, closer than they had been in some years. In the background, she could hear the raised voices of her children as they climbed through the trees, shouting to each other as they played, unaware that anything was wrong. All Hortense had told them was that Binnie needed to go away for a while on a trip.
This morning, unable to keep silent any longer, she had dragged her mother away from her household duties and had told her everything. She explained about Binnie’s marriage, about his lies and deceit and about her own belated wedding to him. Now, she was waiting for the tirade of abuse against Binnie that must surely come. Her mother surprised her.
‘Why all the fuss, hon? A man’s a man, you never expected him to be pure like the driven snow, did you? You’re not that much of a fool. At least he never strayed when he was with you and that’s more than can be said about your father!’
‘But, Mammy, he lied to me! The boys were born out of wedlock, they’re bastards, can’t you see that?’
‘But who’s to know, Hortense? You and Binnie are legally married now and the boys will grow up thinking everything is fine and dandy. Look how many Americans living as respectable folks was born on the wrong side of the blanket, more than a few, I’ll bet.’