A Village Scandal

by Dilly Court

  ‘That explains it.’ Jay kissed her hand. ‘But Jay should be horsewhipped for treating you so badly.’

  ‘I know he’s let you down.’

  ‘I don’t care about the finances, Daisy, but I do care about you. The way he’s behaved is appalling, and I can’t believe that he’s going to leave you with all the responsibilities that he should be shouldering.’

  ‘I can’t walk away from my friends, Marius. At least Jay has signed the papers I need to prove that our marriage was void, and he’s given me a contract to run the estate with a generous salary.’

  Marius drained the last drop of brandy from his glass. ‘That is an insult in itself, Daisy. You were supposed to be his wife, and he promised to love and take care of you. But somehow Jay has turned it around so that you have all the worries, and he has got away with everything.’

  ‘What you say is true,’ Daisy said, shrugging. ‘But there’s very little I can do about it, Marius. Anyway, you haven’t told me how you just happened to be here when I needed you.’

  ‘You might have been killed when you decided to board the Lazy Jane mid-channel, Daisy. I saw everything and there was nothing I could do to stop you. I knew where the ship was headed, and I also knew that Jay is on the run from the authorities and he wouldn’t put you ashore. I had a feeling that he was about to do something rash, and now I know I was right.’

  ‘I suppose you were worried about the cargo,’ Daisy said slowly.

  ‘I told you that I don’t care about the money. I was concerned for your welfare, which is why I travelled by train to Weymouth. If the Lazy Jane hadn’t arrived by morning I had a passage booked on a vessel heading for St Peter Port. It didn’t occur to me that Guppy and Ramsden would take it upon themselves to see you home. But they might have chosen a craft that didn’t stink of rotting fish.’

  The twinkle in his eyes brought a responsive chuckle from Daisy. ‘I can’t wait to change out of these clothes, but I suppose there’s always a bright side. Smelling like this, Guppy, Ramsden and I should be guaranteed a compartment to ourselves.’

  ‘They can look after themselves, Daisy. I’m taking you, first class.

  She looked away, the question that was burning on her lips unspoken. She had come to rely on Marius, knowing that his support would be there if she needed it, but without a shared interest in Jay’s ship there would be no call now for any contact between them. When Marius returned to London he would have no excuse to visit Creek Manor, and their friendship would die a natural death. Daisy rose to her feet.

  ‘I’m very tired, Marius. You’ll forgive me if I go to my room.’

  He stood up. ‘Of course. I hope you sleep well, Daisy.’

  She nodded, suddenly overcome by the events of the day. ‘Good night. I’ll see you at breakfast.’

  Daisy arrived home next day having parted with Marius on Bishopsgate Station. They had shared a first-class compartment from Weymouth to Waterloo Bridge Station, and, as he had business to transact in London, Daisy travelled on to Little Creek with Ramsden and Guppy. She had leaned out of the window, waving until a blast of steam from the engine obscured Marius in a thick mist. When it cleared, he was gone.

  ‘I don’t think I’ll ever see him again, Mary,’ Daisy said wearily. ‘After what Jay did to Marius I’m not sure I can face him again. He must have lost a considerable amount of money.’

  ‘What a to-do!’ Mary said, sipping her tea. ‘I don’t know what to say, my dear. I’m ashamed to call Jay my son.’

  ‘It’s not your fault.’ Daisy put her cup and saucer back on the tray. ‘At least we know where we stand now.’

  ‘I’m almost sorry for that woman in Dorset,’ Mary said, sighing. ‘I didn’t take to her, but those children are my grandchildren. I don’t suppose I’ll ever see them again.’

  ‘You don’t want to get involved with the likes of her.’ Hilda shook her head. ‘She’s trouble, Mary.’

  ‘Yes, I suppose you’re right.’ Mary reached out to pat Daisy’s hand. ‘But I am glad that you’ve come home.’

  ‘Me, too,’ Hilda added earnestly. ‘It’s not the same without you, Daisy.’

  ‘Jay isn’t all bad, Mary. In fact he asked me to look after you, and he wants me to run the estate in his absence.’

  ‘Does he indeed? I’m afraid that Jay is just like his father and if things go awry in Australia he’ll come home and take everything from us. I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to go your own way, Daisy.’ Mary wiped her eyes on the crumpled hanky she had been grasping so tightly that her knuckles were like white marbles beneath her skin.

  ‘This is my home now,’ Daisy said slowly. ‘When I was younger I imagined that I would become one of the first lady doctors in the country, but that wasn’t to be. I think now that I can do far more good by staying on here, and running the estate for you. Jay said I could take a salary, and I have it in writing.’

  Mary managed a smile. ‘It’s not fair for you to be tied to a man who isn’t legally your husband. We could say that you’re his widow.’

  ‘Oh, no! You mustn’t do that.’ Daisy shook her head. ‘That would be a lie.’

  ‘He’s dead to me, my dear. I don’t want to hear his name mentioned in my presence, and I’ll tell the girls that, and Jack, too. It’s hardest on him, the poor boy, because he hero-worshipped his brother.’

  ‘Let me tell him, Mary,’ Daisy said gently. ‘Jack deserves to hear the truth from me.’

  Mary nodded half-heartedly. ‘Make him understand that it’s not the way to treat women, Daisy. I know Jack is a good boy, but he’s young and impressionable.

  ‘You’d best be quick then.’ Mary glanced out of the window. ‘I can see Guppy and Ramsden heading for home across the park. You know how word spreads, Daisy.’

  ‘Indeed I do.’ Without bothering to stop to change out of her travel-stained and decidedly fishy-smelling garments, Daisy left the house and headed for the stables. She found Jack grooming her favourite horse, and he stopped, gazing at her in surprise.

  ‘So you’re back, Daisy. What’s the matter? Something must be wrong for you to come looking for me.’

  Daisy beckoned to one of the older grooms. ‘Would you finish Cinders for me, Hobson? I need a word with Jack.’

  Hobson nodded and took the currycomb from Jack’s hand. ‘Yes, ma’am.’

  Daisy led the way from the stable block with Jack following a couple of paces behind, but when she came to a halt on the far side of the coach house, he came to stand beside her.

  ‘It must be serious, Daisy.’

  ‘It’s about Jay.’

  ‘You’ve killed him?’ Jack said, grinning.

  Daisy laughed, although she was painfully aware that what she was about to say would hurt Jack. ‘No, although I would have liked to on a couple of occasions. I’ll come right out with it because there’s no easy way to say this, but Jay has a wife and a child in Guernsey, and that makes his marriage to Bessie null and void.’

  Jack whistled between his teeth. ‘I don’t know what to say.’

  ‘There’s more, Jack. He’s decided to emigrate to Australia and he’s probably set sail by now, providing he’s managed to replace Guppy and Ramsden.’

  ‘They didn’t go with him?’

  ‘No. They came home with me. They’re loyal to Jay but neither of them wanted to spend the rest of his days in Australia.’

  ‘You don’t think Jay will return?’

  ‘I don’t know, and that’s the truth. I am sorry, Jack. I know you love your brother.’

  Jack wiped a tear from his eyes on the back of his grubby hand, leaving a streak of dirt across his cheek. ‘Why didn’t he tell me? I could have gone with him and made my fortune in the goldfields.’

  ‘Perhaps he’ll send for you,’ Daisy suggested hopefully.

  Jack shook his head. ‘No, he won’t. I know my brother. He comes and goes as he thinks fit, and the devil take the rest of us. I’m glad you’re not married to him now, Daisy. He wasn’t goo
d enough for you.’

  Daisy could see how upset he was and she slipped her arm around his shoulders. ‘You don’t have to work in the stables. I need someone to help me run the estate, and I’m still learning. Besides which, if Jay doesn’t return you will inherit Creek Manor.’

  ‘Really?’ Jack’s face brightened. ‘You’d do that for me?’

  ‘You’re still very young and I think you ought to go back to school – and I don’t mean the one in the village. If you’re to be lord of the manor one day, or even if you aren’t, you’ll need a good education so that you can better yourself.’

  ‘But I don’t want to go back to school, Daisy.’

  ‘It will be a boys’ school, and you’ll do sport and all kinds of things you haven’t done before. In the holidays you can help me to run the estate. What do you say?’

  ‘But where will you get the money?’

  ‘Don’t worry about that. I’m sure there are scholarships for a bright boy like you. I’ll have a word with Elliot. He’ll know what to do.’

  ‘I’ll show Jay,’ Jack said, chuckling. ‘When he does come back he’ll find me a grown man with a degree at Cambridge and we’ll be rich.’

  ‘That’s right. Go back to the stables for now, and leave everything to me.’

  Jack hesitated. ‘What will Ma say?’

  ‘She’ll be so proud of you, Jack. She deserves to have a son who’s a credit to her.’

  ‘You’re right, and that will be me. Just wait until I tell Judy. She’ll wish she was a boy and could come with me.’ Jack sauntered off towards the stables, whistling happily, and Daisy returned to the house to give Mary the good news that Jack had agreed to go back to school. He would become an educated gentleman and Creek Manor would one day have a new lord.

  Daisy threw herself into the daily routine of running a large estate with renewed energy, finding it the only way to conquer the heartache caused by Jay’s callous behaviour. The harvest was gathered in, and each day she learned something new about farming and managing the land. She visited the bank, acting in her new official capacity, and she made certain that the money was always on hand to pay the farm workers and the servants. She had a weekly meeting with Mrs Ralston at which Daisy checked the housekeeping accounts and they discussed menus and any problems that arose in the servants’ hall, which by and large were few. There were always sharps spats caused by a clash of personalities, but these were generally over quickly and peace was restored. Judy had shown great promise and although she was very young, she had been taken under Mrs Ralston’s wing to train as a parlour maid.

  Jack moved into the house, and when Daisy rode out to visit the tenant farmers, he accompanied her on a pony of his own, which he would soon outgrow. He was tall for his age and working in the stables had developed his muscles, so that he was a strong, well-built youth. His natural good humour and the manners drummed into him by his mother stood him well with the farmers and the servants alike, and Daisy was proud of him. She invited Elliot and Linnet to dinner to discuss Jack’s future education and Elliot assured her that Jack would easily pass the entrance examination to any good school, and maybe even qualify for a bursary. He undertook to tutor Jack with that aim in mind and lessons were arranged for an hour every evening. Jack was not too keen at first, but Judy volunteered to keep him company, and Elliot was good at inspiring young people with a thirst for knowledge. He had a public school in mind, where he was certain that Jack would be accepted, but there was the question of money, and that was a serious consideration.

  It was a warm September day, three weeks after Daisy had returned from the Channel Islands. She had ridden to Maldon accompanied by Jack, and she had visited the bank, expecting the worst, but the manager had been surprisingly accommodating. Even though Jay had withdrawn a substantial amount of cash, the rents had been paid and the surplus from the home farm had fetched a good price at market. At least one of Daisy’s worries had proved groundless and she left the bank with a feeling of pure relief.

  They had a list of groceries that could not be obtained in the village shop, and Daisy had decided to treat Jack to lunch at the pub on Hythe Quay. Perhaps it was the tasty food that drew her to the water’s edge, or maybe it was the pleasant memories of eating there with Marius that influenced her decision. She had received a brief letter from him, a week after her return, although it did not reveal much of his future plans. However, he had mentioned a new project that might make it possible for him to visit Creek Manor every now and again. Daisy had written back to say that would be delightful, and she had watched for a response daily, but so far none had arrived.

  Jack was starving, of course. Daisy remembered how much he had loved Hattie’s cooking when he had lived with her aunt and uncle, and no one, not even Linnet, had quite come up to Hattie’s standards. Daisy walked briskly towards the quay, with Jack loping along at her side. He had grown suddenly and was all gangly arms and legs, reminding her of a young colt, but his enthusiasm for everything was contagious.

  ‘We’ll set off for home when we’ve had lunch,’ Daisy said as Jack held the door open for her. She entered the taproom, half expecting the landlord to throw them out with the excuse that he was not allowed to serve unaccompanied women, but apparently Jack was man enough to be considered as her escort, and she hid a smile as she ordered their meal.

  ‘I’ll have the beef stew,’ she said firmly. ‘It was really excellent last time I was here.’

  ‘And I’ll have the meat pie,’ Jack added, licking his lips. ‘I love a good pie. Is there gravy, Landlord?’

  ‘Aye, master. Plenty of good gravy. It’s my wife’s speciality. Folks come from miles around to have their dinners here, and it’s the gravy they appreciate the most.’

  ‘I can vouch for that.’ A familiar voice made Daisy’s heart lurch against her ribs and she spun round with a cry of delight. ‘Marius! What a coincidence, and what a lovely surprise.’ She rushed forward to greet him and for a long moment they held hands, but then Daisy realised that they were the object of curiosity amongst the other customers and she broke away, blushing.

  ‘I’m here on business,’ Marius said hastily. ‘I thought it was your horse I saw in the stable.’

  ‘I had to visit the bank and we needed some supplies,’ Daisy said, attempting to sound casual.

  ‘As a matter of fact I was planning to ride over to Creek Manor tomorrow, so that I could give you my good news.’

  ‘I can’t wait to hear it.’ Daisy glanced at Jack, who was standing by the bar, grinning broadly. ‘Jack is my right-hand man now. We’ve just ordered a meal. Will you join us?’

  ‘Nothing would give me more pleasure.’ Marius strolled over to greet Jack with a friendly slap on the back. ‘It’s good to see you again.’

  Jack nodded, apparently lost for words.

  ‘What’s your pleasure, guvnor?’ the landlord asked cheerily.

  ‘I’ll have a pint of your best ale. What about you, Daisy? Will you have a celebratory drink with me, and you, Jack, of course? You’re quite a man now, so I think you might have a glass of ale, if Daisy agrees.’

  ‘I’ll have a glass of cider,’ Daisy said, smiling. ‘And of course Jack may have what he likes today.’

  Jack puffed out his chest. ‘I’ll have a pint of your best ale, please, Landlord.’

  ‘Make that half a pint.’ Marius laid some coins on the counter. ‘And I’ll have a bowl of your wife’s excellent stew.’

  ‘Very well, sir. If you’d like to go into the parlour, I’ll send the drinks through.’

  ‘I would have come sooner, Daisy,’ Marius said as they took their seats at the table by the window, ‘but I’ve been negotiating a tricky business deal, and I didn’t want to tell you about it until it was settled.’

  The landlord hurried in with their order and set the glass and two pewter tankards down on the table. Marius waited until the door closed.

  ‘I’ve sold all my agencies except the one here in Maldon.’

&nb
sp; Daisy eyed him curiously. ‘That sounds like a huge risk, Marius.’

  ‘Not really,’ he said, smiling. ‘I’ve recently inherited the family business, including a house. My uncle died, leaving me a fleet of sailing barges and I intend to move here permanently.’

  Daisy’s breath caught in her throat, but with a death in Marius’s family it would have been tactless to sound too delighted. ‘He must have thought a lot of you.’

  ‘To be honest I hardly knew him. He was a miserable, miserly old man who never married, and he cut himself off from the rest of the family. Heaven knows why he left everything to me, but I’m very grateful that he did. It means that I no longer have to travel from port to port and I can settle down at last.’

  Daisy eyed him curiously. ‘You never talk about your family, Marius.’

  ‘There’s not much to tell. I was an only child, and my father died when I was just a boy. My uncle paid for my education, but he wouldn’t have anything to do with my mother or her family. He considered them beneath him because they were fishermen, and my mother, God rest her soul, was a simple woman, but beautiful and with a heart of gold.’

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ Daisy said softly. ‘I didn’t mean to pry and bring back sad memories.’

  ‘I think fondly of my mother. She was an inspiration to me, but she’s been gone for eight years or more, and I’ve lived a purely selfish existence since then, although that’s something I would very much like to alter.’

  Daisy was about to question him further, but Jack slapped his tankard down on the table, smacking his lips. ‘That was good,’ he said with a tipsy smile. ‘I’m still thirsty, Daisy.’

  ‘You’ve drunk almost all of it, Jack. You’re squiffy.’

  ‘He’ll be fine when he’s eaten,’ Marius said, smiling. ‘But how about you, Daisy? I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch sooner, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking about you. In fact, you’ve been constantly on my mind.’

  ‘I’ve been working hard, but everything is beginning to run smoothly.’ Daisy glanced at Jack, who was dozing quietly in the corner of the settle opposite them. ‘My main problem is finding the money to send Jack to a good school. He’s a bright boy and Elliot says he could do well, given half a chance.’