Ragged Rose

by Dilly Court

  Rose moved to Vere’s side. ‘I’ll have a word with Mrs Vennor,’ she said in a low voice. ‘She’s hard-pressed at the moment, and I think she’ll agree to give Jenifry a second chance.’

  ‘You know more about these things than I do. I’ll leave it to you, Rose.’

  ‘Come, Jenifry.’ Rose held out her hand. ‘We need you at Portmorna House.’

  Jenifry bobbed a curtsey. ‘Thank you, miss.’

  ‘God bless you.’ Mrs Tregony’s worried expression melted into a tremulous smile. ‘Mr Tressidick has chosen his lady well.’

  Rose opened her mouth to protest, but Vere tucked her hand in the crook of his arm. ‘We’ll say good day to you, Mrs Tregony. I’ll make sure that Jenifry is reinstated.’ He tipped his hat and escorted Rose out to the waiting carriage.

  ‘You should have put her right,’ Rose whispered. ‘I dare say it will be the talk of the village from now on.’

  Vere handed her into the vehicle. ‘Who knows? Maybe my luck will change and you’ll relent and make a lonely bachelor happy. I haven’t given up yet, Rose.’ He climbed in beside her, leaving Jenifry to settle herself on the driver’s seat beside Yelland.

  ‘You know my feelings on that score,’ Rose said carefully. ‘Nothing has changed.’

  ‘I live in hope, my dear.’ Vere leaned out of the window. ‘Drive on, Yelland.’

  Maisie was waiting in the entrance hall. The news of their imminent arrival had travelled from the coach house to the servants’ quarters in the blink of an eye, and normally stoical James could hardly contain his curiosity as he took their salt-stained outer garments and soggy headgear.

  ‘Will there be anything else, sir?’ he asked tentatively.

  ‘We’ll have breakfast as soon as it’s ready, James. It’s been a long night.’

  ‘And a successful one, I hope, sir.’

  ‘Moderately so.’ Vere turned to Rose. ‘I’m going to change before we eat. I’m afraid I reek of mackerel.’

  ‘Me, too,’ she said, wrinkling her nose. ‘But perhaps I’d better speak to Mrs Vennor before I do anything else.’

  ‘That would be kind, thank you, Rose.’ Vere walked towards the staircase and Rose waited until he was out of earshot before turning to Maisie, who was hopping from one foot to the other.

  ‘How is my sister?’ Rose asked eagerly.

  ‘Perking up nicely, miss. I didn’t tell her what you was up to in case it made her worse, but this morning she woke up and is almost back to normal. She said she wanted a cup of tea and some toast, and now she’s asking for you.’

  ‘That’s wonderful, and such a relief. I’ll go and see her as soon as I’ve sorted things out below stairs, and I need to change out of these clothes.’ Rose felt as though her feet barely touched the ground as she hurried after James. A great weight had been lifted from her shoulders now that Cora was on the mend. Billy might have taken flight, but he was still in Cornwall, and she was convinced that he would return to Portmorna, if only to see the girl he loved.

  Having washed and changed, Rose went to the kitchen to find Mrs Vennor, but as she entered the room she was surprised to see Bennett and Scully seated at the table, enjoying a breakfast of fried bacon and hog’s pudding.

  Bennett rose from his chair. ‘Have you come to join us, Rose?’

  ‘I didn’t know you were all here. It’s Mrs Vennor I need to speak to.’

  Flushed from the heat of the fire, Mrs Vennor lifted a pan off the flames and set it on the hob. ‘I’m a bit busy, miss. As you can see.’

  ‘And you need more help, Mrs Vennor,’ Rose said tactfully. ‘How would you feel about taking Jenifry back? Just for a trial period, of course.’

  Kensa stooped to pick up a slice of bread that had fallen off the toasting fork. ‘Jenifry should be doing this. I’m the parlour maid now.’

  Mrs Vennor flipped her round the head with a drying cloth. ‘You’ll do what you’re told, Kensa Penneck.’

  Scully swallowed a mouthful of food. ‘If that girl’s related to them other Pennecks, I wouldn’t trust her an inch.’

  ‘Innocent until proven guilty, Scully.’ Bennett resumed his seat. ‘I take it that my cousin is giving Billy’s ladylove a second chance.’

  ‘If Mrs Vennor agrees,’ Rose said tactfully. ‘It’s up to you, Mrs Vennor. Jenifry has done nothing wrong, other than try to help the man she loves. Mr Tressidick is happy for her to take up her old job, but you have the last word.’

  ‘It ain’t fair,’ Kensa muttered, and received another swipe with the cloth.

  ‘You’re lucky I don’t send you packing, girl,’ Mrs Vennor said angrily. ‘You’re idle and you’ve broken more plates than any other scullery maid we’ve had. Jenifry is welcome to come back, and I’ve already told her so, Miss Perkins. I sent her upstairs to change into her uniform. She’ll be down in time to serve breakfast in the dining room.’

  ‘Thank you for being so understanding, Mrs Vennor.’ Rose was about to leave the kitchen, but she hesitated in the doorway. ‘What will happen to the Pennecks now, Bennett?’

  ‘They’re in the hands of the local constable.’ He rose from his seat. ‘They’ll be taken to Bodmin Gaol later today, and I’m putting a case for a retrial to the magistrate.’

  ‘But we don’t know where Billy is.’

  ‘How far can a fellow get, barefoot and in his drawers? Scully is going to continue the search when he’s finished his breakfast.’ Bennett followed Rose out of the kitchen. ‘How is Cora?’

  ‘She’s much better, according to Maisie. I’m going to see her now.’ She was about to mount the stairs when he caught her by the wrist.

  ‘How does the land lie between you and my cousin?’

  She stiffened. ‘I don’t think that’s any of your business.’

  ‘Vere is a good man. I don’t want to see him hurt.’

  ‘I’ve told him how I feel. I’m truly grateful for everything he’s done for us, but Cora and I will leave as soon as matters are settled here.’ She met his intense gaze with a steady look. ‘Please let me go.’

  He released her immediately. ‘I’m sorry, but I had to know. What will you do when you return to London?’

  ‘If Cora is willing, we’ll begin again as the Sunshine Sisters. The Grecian isn’t the only theatre in town, and when we get work we’ll settle your fees. I won’t rest until the debt is paid.’

  ‘I’m weary of telling you that the debt is non-existent, Rose. This has become even more of a personal matter to me, and I wouldn’t touch a penny of your hard-earned money.’

  ‘It’s a matter of principle. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to see Cora.’ She negotiated the narrow staircase with as much dignity as she could muster. Exhaustion was enveloping her like a London particular, and it was hard to think. Every part of her body ached and she needed to sleep, but first she must see her sister and make sure that, as Maisie had said, Cora was on the mend.

  Cora lay in the four-poster, staring up at the embroidered tester. She was deathly pale and her golden hair spread about the pillow gave her an ethereal look.

  ‘How do you feel?’ Rose asked gently.

  Cora’s thin fingers plucked at the coverlet. ‘You should have let me die.’ She turned her head away, avoiding Rose’s anxious gaze.

  ‘It’s the illness talking, Corrie. You’ll feel quite different when you’ve regained your strength.’

  ‘No, I won’t. You know how it will be if I return to London. Everyone will know what a silly fool I was to believe a man like Gerard. My reputation is ruined.’

  Rose sat on the edge of the bed. ‘He’ll hardly boast about a conquest that ended with the person in question running away. It would be as good as admitting that he had taken advantage of you.’

  ‘There might be other complications.’ Cora turned on her side, face to the wall.

  Rose could see that this conversation was going nowhere. ‘If you’ll stop thinking about yourself for a minute, I’ll tell you where I went last night.’r />
  ‘Maisie said you were tired and had an early night.’

  ‘Far from it. In fact, I haven’t been to bed.’

  ‘Really?’ Cora raised herself on her elbow. ‘Why?’

  ‘Because we crossed the bay in a smelly old fishing boat and landed in a cove, miles from the nearest village. Scully had followed Gryffyn Penneck one night, suspecting that he was going to meet his sons. He spotted a light high up on the cliffs and that made it seem even likelier. As it happens he was right.’

  Suddenly alert, Cora sat up in bed, wrapping her arms around her knees. ‘Go on.’

  ‘We found the cottage and the Penneck brothers put up a fight, but they were no match for Bennett and Vere.’

  ‘Did you find Billy?’

  ‘He was there with Jenifry, but he escaped through an upstairs window and ran away. Bennett chased after him, but he couldn’t catch him, so we brought Jenifry back to Portmorna.’

  ‘Do you think that he’ll come looking for her?’

  ‘I’m sure of it. Besides which, Billy ran off barefoot and wearing only his drawers.’ Rose chuckled at the image it conjured up of their serious-minded brother, running round the Cornish countryside, half-naked. ‘Can you imagine what Papa would say if he knew?’

  A weary smile hovered around Cora’s pale lips. ‘I don’t know who would disgust him the most. We’ve all been a terrible disappointment to him.’

  ‘Perhaps he set his standards too high, Corrie. We’re all human and we make mistakes, but Papa expected us to be perfect.’

  Cora lay back against the pillows. ‘I’ve been so stupid, Rose.’

  ‘I won’t allow that. We were thrown into a situation that none of us could have imagined. We’ve coped as best we could, and if we’ve made mistakes, at least we’ve learned by them.’

  ‘And you, Rosie,’ Cora said tiredly. ‘What about you? You have two men falling at your feet. Which one will you choose?’

  ‘Vere asked me to marry him. Are you suggesting that Scully is going to propose next?’

  ‘You know very well who I mean. Bennett has been your devoted admirer from the moment you first met.’

  ‘Nonsense, Corrie. It must be the laudanum talking.’ Rose jumped to her feet and walked over to the window, throwing up the sash. ‘It’s a lovely morning. You need some fresh air, and this afternoon you ought to get up for a while. You’ll only get weak and wobbly if you remain in bed.’

  ‘You can change the subject as many times as you like,’ Cora said smugly, ‘but I know you, Rosie. You won’t admit it, even to yourself, but it’s Bennett who makes your heart beat faster.’

  But Rose was not listening. She had seen a movement in the bushes where the green sweep of the lawn ended. ‘There’s someone out there, Corrie, and he doesn’t want to be seen.’

  Chapter Twenty

  Tiredness forgotten, Rose left Cora’s bedroom and raced downstairs. She did not stop running until she reached the dense shrubbery at the edge of the lawn. ‘Billy, is it you?’ She waited, hardly daring to breathe. ‘Billy, I know you’re there. Come out and talk to me. It’s all right, we’re all on your side.’

  A sharp sound, the snap of a twig and the rustle of dry leaves underfoot, caught her attention, and she pushed her way through a thick patch of laurel bushes, coming face to face with her brother. ‘Billy.’

  ‘I saw you at the window, Rosie, and I thought I was dreaming. But it really is you.’

  ‘Of course it’s me, silly. You might have known that I’d do anything I could to bring you home, safe and sound.’

  ‘Jenifry told me that you’d been staying at Portmorna House, but I thought you might have given up.’

  ‘I’d never give up on you, Billy.’ She threw her arms around him, but drew back almost immediately, covering her nose with her hand. ‘What is that awful smell?’

  ‘That’s a nice welcome,’ he said with a reluctant smile.

  ‘You look like a scarecrow.’ She stared in distaste at his filthy old shirt, and even dirtier trousers. ‘No, you didn’t, did you?’

  ‘I’m afraid so. The scarecrow could go round next to naked, but I couldn’t.’ His smile faded. ‘Is Jenifry here? I called at her mother’s cottage, but there was no one at home.’

  ‘Yes, she’s here, but you need to wash and change before you see her … or anyone, come to that.’

  He ran his hand through his tumbled auburn hair, which had grown long, and was curling wildly around his head. His face was smeared with mud and there were dark shadows underlining his eyes. ‘I know what you’re going to say, Rosie.’

  She reached out to pluck a leaf from his hair. ‘You’re right, Billy. I’m going to tell you to give yourself up. It’s the only way you’ll ever be free from all this.’

  ‘But they’ll hang me for sure, Rosie.’

  ‘The Penneck brothers aren’t your friends,’ she said gently. ‘It was Pasco who killed Gawain. Your friend Edric witnessed the attack, but was too ill next morning to realise what was going on. By the time he recovered, the Pennecks had sworn that it was you. They’d set the whole thing up so that it looked as if you were the murderer.’

  ‘Then it’s their word against Edric’s,’ Billy said, frowning.

  ‘As Bennett said, your friends are scholars and gentlemen. A jury would believe them and not the Penneck brothers. Even if that weren’t the case, Bennett made Day confess to lying and Pasco virtually admitted his guilt in front of me, Vere and Scully. So you see, you have to go to trial, but you’ll be acquitted for certain.’

  ‘I’d like to hear it from Bennett himself. It’s not that I don’t believe you, Rosie, but I need to be certain that I won’t be putting my neck in a noose.’

  ‘Of course you do.’ Rose linked her hand through his arm. ‘Come into the house. We’ll go in by the servants’ entrance and I’ll get Maisie to fill a bath for you. Perhaps Vere could lend you some clean clothes. You can’t go round looking and smelling like a scarecrow.’

  ‘You’re a good sister.’ He hesitated at the edge of the shrubbery. ‘Does Pa know about this sorry business?’

  ‘I’m afraid he does,’ Rose admitted reluctantly. ‘It wasn’t possible to keep it from him.’

  ‘And how did he react?’

  ‘He left London and moved to Dorset. I believe he has the living of a small parish not far from Lyme Regis. I’m sorry, Billy.’

  He shook his head. ‘It’s what I expected, but how are you and Cora managing?’

  ‘Cora is here,’ Rose said, evading the question. ‘She hasn’t been well, but is recovering nicely. She’ll be overjoyed to see you, but not in this state.’ She hurried him across the lawn and was about to guide him round to the servants’ entrance when the front door opened, and Vere stepped outside.

  ‘Is that you beneath the dirt and rags, Billy?’ Vere took in Billy’s dishevelled appearance with raised eyebrows. ‘So you decided to give yourself up, after all.’

  ‘Yes, sir. But if my being here is an embarrassment I’ll move on.’

  ‘We know you’re innocent,’ Vere said firmly. ‘But the fewer people who see you, the better. Come inside.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Rose could have hugged him, but she managed to control herself. ‘I don’t know what we would have done if it weren’t for you, Vere.’

  He beckoned to James, who was hovering at the top of the steps. ‘Not a word of this, James. Have one of the maids fill the bath in my dressing room. We have a guest, but I don’t want this to become common knowledge.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’ James hurried off to do his master’s bidding.

  ‘You can trust him not to say anything.’ Vere hurried Billy into the house. ‘We’re much the same size. I think I can find clothes to fit you a little better than the ones you’re wearing.’

  Rose followed them indoors. ‘Thank you again, Vere.’

  His expression softened. ‘There’s no need for thanks, Rose. Why don’t you join Bennett in the dining room? Mrs Vennor sent him upstairs to finish
his breakfast. You can tell him that Billy has returned. He’ll know what steps to take next.’

  ‘I’d like to see Jenifry,’ Billy said anxiously. ‘I want her to know that I’m all right.’

  ‘There’s plenty of time for that, old chap.’ Vere patted him on the shoulder. ‘Best get you cleaned up first.’

  Rose nodded in agreement. ‘No matter how much she loves you, she might find your present state less than attractive. Go with Vere and I’ll speak to Bennett.’

  Bennett stood up as Rose entered the dining room. ‘I was sent out of the kitchen, but I’ll gladly keep you company while you eat.’

  She took a seat at the table. ‘I’ll have a cup of coffee, but I’ve no appetite.’

  ‘Are you unwell? Are you going down with Cora’s illness, or did you catch a chill on the water?’ Twin furrows creased his brow as he gave her a searching look.

  ‘No, nothing like that.’ She reached for the silver coffee pot and filled a cup. ‘It’s Billy. He’s here.’

  ‘That’s the best news I’ve had for some time.’ Bennett picked up the toast rack and passed it to her. ‘You really should eat something. You’ve been nursing Cora and now this. We can’t have you falling ill on us, Rose.’

  She took a slice. ‘I’m perfectly fine. It’s Billy who needs looking after, and thankfully Vere has taken him in hand.’

  ‘I see.’ Bennett sat back in his chair, eyeing her thoughtfully. ‘I must have a word with your brother. We can’t have him running off again.’

  ‘I don’t think he’d be so stupid. He knows he must face trial.’ Rose buttered the toast and took a bite.

  ‘I’ll go to Bodmin today and see what I can do. If his case could be heard at the summer assizes it isn’t long to wait. We have our witnesses, but there’s one person whose testimony could sway things in Billy’s favour.’

  ‘Who is that?’ Rose asked curiously.

  ‘Your father,’ Bennett said gently. ‘The jury must be made aware that Billy comes from a good family. Do you think you could persuade Mr Perkins to act as character witness?’