Pengarron Pride

by Pengarron Pride (retail) (epub)

  ‘I am not,’ Alice replied in a sing-song voice. ‘I just love to hold a newborn babe, that’s all, and it’s been so good having you to stay for a couple of days. Rosie is very sweet and I love the maid dearly, but she’s so quiet these days. It’s been a real treat having another woman in the house again.’

  ‘I’m afraid I didn’t get much chance to speak to Rosie with my concern over the baby and Jack. How is she? How’s the romance going? Is there to be a wedding? Is that why you’re so bubbly?’

  ‘I’ve really no idea what’s going on between they two – she and Matthias. She don’t give nothing away, there’s too much of Clem in her for that, and he’s so shy about that sort of thing.’ Alice giggled. ‘I know I shouldn’t laugh but he looks so pained at times.’

  Alice wished she could tell Kerensa the true reason for her new-found radiance, but it was too close to her heart, too personal.

  It had been a shock when Morley had turned up at the home of the Perranbarvah bride to collect her, Rosie and the children with the astonishing news of the attack on Jack and Kerensa.

  On her arrival home Dr Crebo was getting ready to leave. The surgeon-physician had patched up Jack as best he could and he pounced on Alice as the obvious head female of the household, giving her precise instructions on how he was to be nursed. He had little hope of Jack recovering. His injuries were very serious and the main concern was the internal bleeding he had suffered. The doctor wasn’t concerned about his fees, he was content in the knowledge that at some point the Pengarron estate would forward the payment, and after warning sternly that on no account was Jack to be moved he’d made to go.

  ‘But Dr Crebo,’ Alice hailed him from the door.

  ‘Yes, what is it, Mrs Trenchard?’ he replied impatiently. ‘I thought I had given you clear instructions.’

  ‘Aren’t you going to stay and deliver Lady Pengarron’s baby?’

  ‘All safely over and done with,’ the doctor beamed. ‘Your husband delivered the infant a goodly time before I arrived here. I have examined Her Ladyship and her child and both are well, despite Her Ladyship’s terrible ordeal, I’m happy to say. Your husband can pride himself on a task well done.’

  Alice sat down. ‘Clem delivered the baby?’

  The doctor promptly left, leaving Alice in her amazement. Morley had hurried off to do the evening milking, Kenver was watching over Jack and Rosie was keeping the children out of the way outside. Clem, presumably, was upstairs with Kerensa and the baby he had delivered.

  What would this mean? With this special and intimate event between him and Kerensa, and with Oliver still away, would it open up a new longing in Clem for the beautiful, desirable, and now so vulnerable young woman lying in her bed? Alice knew Kerensa still held a deep affection for Clem. Would she feel an overwhelming need for him? Alice knew neither Clem nor Kerensa would lightly hurt her, but emotional needs could and often did outweigh the conscience.

  ‘You all right, love?’ Clem’s voice intruded on her thoughts.

  It startled Alice to her feet. ‘Dr Crebo’s just told me the news. I’ll go up to Kerensa. What did you wrap the baby in? I’ll turn out something of Jessica’s. I still have her baby clothes, I didn’t have the heart to give them away even though it’s unlikely I’ll have another.’

  Clem went to her and kissed her forehead. ‘I’m glad you’re back, I needed you.’

  This was so unexpected Alice gasped. He rarely kissed her unless as a prelude to lovemaking and he had never told her he needed her. ‘You did? What is it, a boy or a cheeil?’

  ‘A little girl, so tiny she looks like a drop in the ocean.’

  Alice looked deeply into her husband’s eyes, trying to read what this birth meant to him. Often when she spoke to him he gave her only half his attention but the steady gaze she received back seemed to suggest that this time he was fully with her.

  ‘Has Kerensa chosen a name yet?’

  ‘Aye, Kelynen.’

  ‘That’s nice.’

  Alice climbed the narrow turning staircase with a heavy heart. Clem had wanted Jessica to be called Kelynen but Alice had insisted on naming their daughter as he had chosen the names of the twins. Clem must have suggested Kelynen to Kerensa. Alice knew Kerensa had deliberately not chosen a name for her baby in the hope that Oliver would be home in time for the birth and they could choose together, and hopefully be brought closer together again. If that had been the case, the baby’s first name would not have been Cornish.

  That night Alice and Clem made up a bed for themselves in the kitchen where they could easily be called if Kerensa wanted anything and Morley could quickly fetch them if Jack needed extra nursing or took a turn for the worse. They pushed the heavy table aside and Clem laid sacks of clean, fresh-smelling straw in front of the hearth. Alice covered the sacks with a sheet and stood back and frowned.

  ‘How are we both going to fit on that? ’Tis no bigger than Jessica’s bed and I’ve put on a bit of weight in the last few years.’ She patted her generous hips and fully expected Clem to say he would sit up all night in a chair.

  But Clem laughed and coming up behind her put his arms round her waist and nibbled her ear.

  ‘What are you doing, Clem Trenchard?’ she giggled, yet elated inside at this unexpected attention from him.

  ‘We managed in the small bed in the lean-to when you were carrying the twins,’ he said, his voice low and sultry as he ran his hands over her hips and bottom, ‘and have I ever complained about an extra pound or two around here?’

  ‘But—’

  ‘But what?’ He started on the other ear, making her wriggle about.

  Alice had nearly said, ‘But Kerensa is so beautifully slim.’

  Clem turned her round, putting his hands firmly on her waist. Alice liked it when he was attentive, when there was desire in his handsome fair features. Sometimes she couldn’t get over the fact that he was her husband; many other women found him attractive and would remark, ‘You’re some lucky woman to be hitched to someone like he,’ and ‘What’s he like?’ – meaning, ‘What’s he like in bed?’ But he was her husband, and right now there was desire in his eyes and the desire was for her. Still, she could not get Kerensa and what she meant to Clem out of her mind.

  Clem would not have been surprised if he’d known what was going through her mind. He had not missed the new look of hurt in her eyes when he’d come down from Kerensa and the baby. But Alice need not have worried. No matter how badly Oliver Pengarron treated Kerensa, or how long he stayed away, she would always love him passionately. Clem could only ever claim a small part of her, and he was content with that. At one time he would have thought it impossible, but time and circumstances had changed, and here he had a woman who loved him, cherished him and who would always be faithful to him. Alice wasn’t a dream he would ever have to chase. And now, after nine years of marriage, he realised he needed her, and Alice deserved to be told that no one else could take her place as his wife. They were joined not only by sacred vows, but by their own special kind of love.

  So he said softly, ‘I love you.’

  She could not hide her shock. He had given her a few endearments down the years, but not once had he proclaimed he loved her.

  ‘Do… do you?’

  ‘I really do love you,’ and he said each word slowly and evenly.

  Alice could hardly take it in. He had spoken the words she never thought he’d say to her. Exhilaration filled her soul.

  In a voice that sounded as if it was coming from eternity, she said, ‘I love you, Clem. I always have.’

  ‘I know you have, my dear, wonderful Alice.’

  The depth and tone of his voice chased tantalising tingles down her neck and spine and sent them spinning outwards to tease her flesh. Alice had never spurned Clem’s advances and found them quite pleasant. They had never been numerous, never passionate. More of a not-unwelcome duty he sought to perform every few nights.

  At a point when Alice was worried Clem’s feeli
ng for Kerensa would grow out of control and take him further away from her, he was showing for the first time a real desire for her. He had even declared that he loved her. A burst of joy flowed out from her inner being and engulfed her mind. Whatever part of Clem remained Kerensa’s for ever, the rest of him was hers! He could have chosen to turn to drink, to entrench himself in the farm, even to turn to another woman, or women, to make up for losing Kerensa, but he was a strong man, and instead he wanted her, his wife.

  Clem moved closer, as if to emphasise he was giving himself to her at last. Nuzzling her neck he tugged open the fastenings down the back of her dress. Alice had wondered what it would be like to be made love to with real ardour. She pressed herself against his strong lean body. For a moment her natural shyness held back the deeper inner needs denied all her married life, then, in a moment of triumph, she swept all her inhibitions away for ever.

  They woke at dawn, long before it was time to rise to begin the next day’s work, to make love in the same full, lingering way. When all the others were settled the following night, they rushed laughing like newlyweds to lay out the sacks of straw before the hearth.

  Alice changed noticeably over those two days. She was livelier and looked years younger. Even Morley, who thought of little apart from his Maker, his work, the weather and his meals, looked up from the supper table to remark on her sudden rosy glow. Only the worry over Jack, whose condition remained stubbornly unchanged, marred her newfound happiness.

  ‘Poor little Jack,’ Alice said. ‘He hasn’t had a good time of it these last few months, what with that maid, Heather Bawden, messing him about and now this.’

  ‘Yes, poor Jack,’ sighed Kerensa. ‘Strange how we still think of him as a boy. It’s good of you to nurse him, Alice. If he does pull through, he’ll be a long time on the mend. I feel so responsible for him, I wish I could bring him back to the manor with me.’

  ‘Well, he’s too ill to travel, at least for a while, but there’s Clem, Rosie, Kenver and Father and me to take turns tending and sitting with him. Dr Crebo is going to call in regularly and I daresay Beatrice will make her way over somehow to pass on her opinion. Matthias Renfree is holding a meeting to pray for his recovery tonight, so he’ll have the best of care from all quarters.’ Alice looked Kerensa directly in the face. ‘You must come over often to see him, and bring all the children. ’Tis high time yours and mine met properly and played together, even if it means they fight like cats and dogs. What do you say, Kerensa? There’s no reason for you to stay away, is there? There’s no one to say you can’t come…’ Alice smiled to herself, ‘And I think I can get Clem to change his mind.’

  After witnessing the change in Alice and Clem’s relationship Kerensa was sure Alice could do that. She wasted no time in thought. ‘You’re right, Alice. We’re friends and our children should have the opportunity to become friends too. As soon as mine are used to having the baby in the house I’ll get Nathan to ride over with us,’ she promised, then grinned, ‘Be really interesting to see what will happen with so many strong-willed children playing together.’

  She looked soberly at the wild flowers in the fields and on the roadside and it seemed most of them had died in the last two days. There was no one to say she shouldn’t ride over to Trecath-en Farm or anywhere else. She was looking forward to seeing Kane, Olivia and Luke, wanting to spend lots of time with them and allay any fears they’d had of losing their mother in the aftermath of the attack. They would be there to greet her and their new little sister, but apart from that her home was an empty and lonely place to return to.

  A sudden burst of sounds and voices made Kerensa jump and cry out.

  ‘Tis all right, Kerensa,’ Alice said soothingly. ‘It’s only the children with Cherry and Polly coming to meet you.’

  Kerensa wiped her misty eyes as she watched Olivia, Kane and Luke running towards the cart, waving and shouting to her excitedly. Morley stopped the cart and they clambered on to it. Alice told them to watch out for the baby as they all tried to hug their mother at once.

  ‘We’ve missed you, Mama,’ Kane said seriously, then gave Kerensa a bright smile before gazing over Alice’s protective arm at his new sister.

  Olivia did much the same but Luke eyed Kerensa sulkily. ‘You shouldn’t have gone off and had the baby somewhere else,’ he said accusingly.

  ‘Mama couldn’t help it,’ Kane said at once, snuggling into Kerensa’s side and holding her hand.

  ‘I’m sorry, Luke,’ Kerensa said, looking at Alice hopelessly. ‘Mama was very silly.’

  ‘Looks like you’re going to need all your patience,’ Alice commented wryly to Kerensa.

  ‘Where’s Jack?’ Olivia asked, clutching at Kerensa’s other hand. ‘Why hasn’t he come with you?’

  ‘Jack is too poorly, my love,’ Kerensa said softly, running her hands through Olivia’s hair to tame the long red length that had fallen out of its ribbons, re-establishing herself as her mother. ‘He’ll come home when he’s better.’ Kerensa knew Olivia adored Jack and she would be distraught if he died.

  They alighted from the cart at the manor’s front door and Alice gave the baby to Cherry who rushed her away to the nursery, with Olivia close on her heels.

  As Morley drove away with Alice sitting up beside him and waving goodbye, Luke said disparagingly, ‘That was the most uncomfortable ride I’ve ever had. Look at the mess those beasts have made on the carriageway.’

  Kane looked anxiously at Kerensa, who was leaning on Polly’s arm. ‘Well, I enjoyed it. Mama is tired, she needs to rest. Let’s go and play and we can see her a little later.’

  Kane pulled on his brother’s arm and without a word Luke stalked off with him, scowling. Kerensa stood at the front of her home feeling quite numb.

  ‘He’ll get over it, m’lady,’ Polly said, helping Kerensa inside. ‘You know what Master Luke is like, he doesn’t really mean what he says, and what with you and Jack being attacked and now a new baby to preoccupy you, it’ll take him a while to settle down.’

  ‘I know,’ Kerensa sighed as she allowed the housekeeper to fuss over her, ‘and I can’t say I blame him for being upset.’

  She had only just settled, half-lying on a sofa and happy to be back in her own surroundings, when Polly appeared.

  ‘There’s someone to see you, m’lady,’ she said quietly, her face grave.

  Kerensa jumped up and started forward. Polly looked at her compassionately and stopped her rushing out of the room. ‘It’s not Sir Oliver, m’lady. It’s a Mr Ralph Harrt.’

  Disappointment so quickly on top of her hope left Kerensa feeling weaker than before and she sat down to receive her visitor. Ralph Harrt would not be paying her a social call. He was one of the local magistrates.

  Chapter 27

  Matthias Renfree sat at the solid oak desk in the agreeable the parlour of Ker-an-Mor Farm. He was trying to concentrate on the figures he was noting down from receipts covering the last month’s expenditure on the farmhouse and the items bought for the upkeep of the estate and tenants’ dwellings. He wrote the word ‘plait’ instead of ‘price’ and slapped his pen down in a rare fit of temper.

  ‘You need a drink, boy’ – that’s what Adam would have said if he had witnessed his son’s pique.

  ‘I can understand why people are tempted,’ Matthias muttered to himself. A short time ago he would have said confidently, ‘Problems are not solved at the bottom of a bottle.’

  He knew why he’d written ‘plait’ instead of ‘price’. Rosie Trenchard had that one long plait of silky golden hair running down the middle of her back. Every time he was alone with her he wanted to untie the ribbon at its end and pull apart the soft flowing mass and caress it and…

  Matthias shuddered. He had always thought himself protected by his faith from the natural urges of the flesh, but of late he was greatly bothered by a sensation about the body that led to a terror it would grow out of control. It was the reason he took pains not to be alone with Rosie for long.
The problem was this did not help with the courtship. Apart from his gift of flowers to her, he had done little to suggest to Rosie he was in fact courting her – trying to court her.

  Love was supposed to be in the air in spring. Daffodils and primroses had flourished in the gardens, ditches and hedgerows. Fledgling birds had chirped their way out of their eggshells and went on to sing with joyful abandon in the trees. Streams had sparkled in the warm sun and chuckled over their stony beds. Everywhere he had looked, Matthias saw Mother Nature painting her uncompromising colours and warming the earth for the awakening wildlife. But no new dawn of life had begun for him then, and now it was deep into the heart of summer.

  He picked up his pen to make the correction but he did no more than twist it aimlessly between his fingers. What was the matter with him? Other men had no trouble turning the woman they loved into their bride. Why was he so different? Men up to thirteen or fourteen years younger than he was were getting married all the time. Men who once had been boys in his Bible classes were marrying and producing families.

  He thought often that his father’s attitude counted towards his difficulty with forming a romantic attachment with a woman. Adam was scornful of his celibacy, at times taunting the strict moral code he lived by with brutal remarks: ‘What you could do with is a bloody good night in a brothel. Tedn’t natural for a man to be going without a woman, what’s the matter with ’ee?’

  Matthias asked himself that same question over and over again. He had hoped Adam would marry his constant companion, Jenna Tregurtha, but Adam wanted only food and bed without responsibility. Matthias longed to have someone else to come home to apart from his foul-mouthed father. But if he couldn’t overcome whatever it was that was blocking his courtship of Rosie, that would never happen, and if he didn’t do something about it soon he would probably lose her to another man anyway. There were plenty of young eligible men showing an interest in her and Matthias couldn’t bank on Clem’s attitude to ward them off indefinitely.