The Christmas Wedding

by Dilly Court

  After a brief conversation, Jay strolled back to join her. ‘What do you think of my Jane?’

  ‘She’s very beautiful,’ Daisy said truthfully. ‘I’d love to see her under full sail.’

  ‘Would you?’ Jay studied her expression and smiled. ‘I believe you mean it, Daisy.’

  ‘Of course I do. I know nothing about boats, but it’s obvious you care about her, almost as if she were a woman.’

  ‘Boats and ships have personalities, just like people. Jane is a capricious little minx, and she’s hard to handle, but with the wind in her sails she sets a fine course at a top speed. She’s got us out of many a scrape in the past.’

  ‘What sort of contraband do you bring ashore?’

  He laughed, causing his mates to look up and grin. ‘You’ve been reading too many penny dreadfuls, Daisy. It’s not as exciting as it sounds.’

  ‘But if you’re caught you’ll go to prison again.’

  ‘Like everything it’s a matter of being well prepared, plus a large amount of luck.’

  Daisy glanced over his shoulder at the men who had resumed their work. ‘Are you satisfied with what they’ve done so far?’

  ‘Yes, they’re good lads, and they haven’t had any bother.’

  ‘Do you really enjoy living like this?’ Daisy looked him in the eye. ‘Don’t you sometimes wish that you had a more peaceful existence?’

  ‘No. I love every minute of it.’

  ‘Even after the beating you took?’

  ‘If I hadn’t ended up face down in the mud I might never have met you, Daisy.’

  She turned away, aware that she was blushing. ‘You might have died in that icy water.’

  ‘I’m still here and that’s all that matters.’ Jay patted Hero’s neck. ‘I’m done here. Shall we go to the fair?’

  It took over an hour to drive to the fairground and Jay handed Hero’s reins to a small ragged boy, who promised to watch over the horse and trap, although Daisy suspected that the child would pocket the money Jay had given him and disappear the moment their backs were turned. Jay, on the other hand, appeared to be supremely confident and carefree as he guided her through the crowds of people, who were there to enjoy themselves. All around them there was the sound of chatter, laughter and throaty music from a Dutch organ. Stall holders shouted their wares and children raced around shrieking with excitement. Daisy wondered why they were not in school, but it was none of her business – today she was determined to forget her problems and delight in her new-found freedom, even if it was only temporary.

  Jay was an amusing companion and they wandered round the fairground, visiting each stall in turn. They tossed wooden hoops in an attempt to win the rather ugly ornaments, and shied balls at coconuts. They ate mutton pies as they strolled, something that Aunt Eleanora would have condemned as dreadfully bad form, had she seen Daisy munching food in public. It felt like a small rebellion against the rules of polite society and added piquancy to the ginger beer that Daisy sipped from a bottle that she shared with Jay. It was gloriously common and totally delightful. She even allowed Jay to hold her hand as they sat on hard wooden seats, watching acrobats and jugglers perform in a makeshift circus ring. When it was over they were just leaving when they were confronted by none other than Squire Tattersall. There was no escape.

  ‘Miss Marshall. This is a pleasant surprise.’ Tattersall’s eyes narrowed to slits as he looked Jay up and down. ‘What are you doing here, Fox? I told you never to show your face round here again.’

  ‘I do what I please, Squire. I’m a free man.’

  ‘Put one foot wrong and I’ll send you down again.’

  ‘Everyone deserves a second chance, Squire.’ Daisy met Tattersall’s cynical gaze with a defiant stare. ‘Fox is simply here to protect me.’

  ‘And who’ll protect you from him? What would your diplomat fiancé think if you knew you were gallivanting round the countryside with a felon?’

  Daisy could feel Jay’s muscles tense as he stood close by her side. ‘You’re right, Squire,’ she said, smiling. ‘He would be very annoyed, but I was so looking forward to visiting a fair. Having lived all my life in London I’m just getting to know the pleasures of residing in the countryside. How fortunate you are to have all this on your doorstep. Although I’ve heard that you own most of the land in this part of Essex. You are lord of all you survey.’

  The flattery worked and Tattersall puffed out his chest. Turning his back on Jay he proffered his arm to Daisy. ‘I had you down as a minx, Miss Marshall, and now I can see my first impression was correct. You will allow me to see you safely home.’

  Daisy thought quickly. The last thing she needed was for the squire to discover that she was living in a small cottage with her aunt and uncle. It would destroy the image she had taken such pains to create. ‘Thank you, Squire, but I have an appointment at Creek Hall. I contacted the housekeeper and asked if I might view the property. I wouldn’t want to take you out of your way. Fox will drive me there.’

  ‘Then I’ll walk you to your carriage.’ Tattersall grasped her hand and was about to tuck it in the crook of his arm when a commotion broke out close to them and a fight ensued. ‘What the devil? Where are the police when you need them?’ He released Daisy and strode towards the mêlée.

  ‘Quick,’ Daisy gasped. ‘Let’s go.’

  Jay took her hand and plunged into the crowd that had gathered to watch the scrap. They raced across the grass, like a couple of children running away from an irate schoolmaster, and when they reached the trap the boy was still holding Hero’s reins.

  ‘Good fellow,’ Jay said, pressing a silver sixpence into the astonished child’s hand. ‘That’s for being trustworthy.’ Jay lifted Daisy onto the driver’s seat and sprung up beside her. ‘Walk on, Hero. We’re going home.’

  ‘Do you think the squire believed me?’ Daisy asked anxiously.

  ‘Not a chance. He’s no fool, and he’ll be on the lookout for me now. I should have kept my mouth shut.’

  ‘Does he know that about the Lazy Jane?’

  ‘If the authorities knew where we’d beached they would have impounded her by now,’ Jay said evasively. He shot her a sideways glance. ‘I’ll need to disappear for a while, Daisy.’

  ‘Where will you go?’

  ‘Jane is almost seaworthy. It’s time I rejoined my crew. Life ashore isn’t for the likes of me.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Daisy said with genuine regret. ‘It seems wrong that your past mistakes don’t allow you to have a normal life. Your parents will be sad and so will Jack.’

  ‘You’re right about Jack, but he’s young and he’ll get over it. As to my dad, he’ll be glad to see the back of me, and Mum just goes along with whatever he says.’

  ‘I’m sure your parents love you.’

  He chuckled. ‘You’d never know it. Anyway, I’m a man now, Daisy. I don’t need to be tied to my mother’s apron strings. But I will miss you.’

  ‘Isn’t there another way? I mean, you could find work and prove that you can live a normal life.’

  His derisive laughter echoed off the bare branches of the trees as they drove through a small spinney. ‘What is normal, Daisy? Farmworkers striving to bring up families on starvation wages? Fishermen unable to make a living in winter due to bad weather? Able-bodied men unable to find work of any kind? The workhouses are full of people like these, and I don’t want to end up like that. I’m not clever like Nick – I haven’t got the brains to be a doctor or a lawyer, so I do what I can in order to survive.’

  ‘You’ll never get anywhere if you think like that,’ Daisy said angrily. ‘What sort of example are you setting for Jack? He thinks the world of you.’

  ‘And what do you think of me, Daisy? What is your honest opinion?’

  ‘I think you could do whatever you set your mind on, Jay. You just need to decide what it is you want.’ She had expected him to argue, but he looked away and they travelled on in silence. Daisy was tempted to apologise for being
too outspoken, but she was convinced that she was in the right. One day his luck would run out and the law would catch up with Jay and the Lazy Jane. If Nick were here he would almost certainly agree with her, and maybe Jay would listen to his childhood friend, but Nick was in London attempting to save Creek Hall. Why was life so complicated?

  They parted outside Creek Cottage. The sun had plummeted below the horizon, it was bitterly cold and it would soon be dark. Jay leaped to the ground, but Daisy climbed down before he had a chance to help her. She needed to distance herself from this complicated and dangerously exciting man.

  ‘Thank you for taking me to see the boat, and the fair.’ She was suddenly conscious of his nearness, and she dropped her gaze.

  ‘I won’t see you for a long time and I don’t want to part on bad terms.’

  She raised her eyes slowly, but his face was in deep shadow and she could not read his expression. He was standing very close and the scent of him filled her nostrils as he leaned forward to kiss her long and hard on the lips.

  ‘That was goodbye. I would stay if I could, but my presence would bring trouble to you and my family. Tattersall is not a man to be ignored. I have to go right away.’ He brushed her lips again with a gentle kiss. ‘Be good to Nick. He’s a sound chap and I think he loves you, Daisy.’

  He climbed up onto the driver’s seat and urged Hero into a trot, leaving Daisy staring after him, too stunned to speak and shocked by her reaction to his brief embrace. He was gone, swallowed up by the gathering gloom, leaving her alone and enveloped in silence apart from the gurgling sound of water tumbling over the stones in the creek, and the mournful cry of a barn owl.

  Daisy was helping Hattie to prepare breakfast next morning when Linnet walked into the kitchen, having slept at home on her day off.

  ‘He’s gone,’ she said brusquely. ‘Jay packed his bag and left last night. Not a word to Mum and Dad, just a hug for me and he said he had no choice.’ She glared at Daisy. ‘I know you were with him yesterday. Why did he leave so suddenly?’

  Hattie stopped carving a ham and waved the knife at her. ‘You don’t speak to Miss Marshall in that tone, Linnet. You forget yourself.’

  ‘I’m sorry, miss, but he’s my brother and I want to know why he left without saying goodbye.’

  ‘Not another word from you, young lady, or you’ll be on your way, too,’ Hattie said angrily.

  ‘No, it’s all right, Hattie.’ Daisy met Linnet’s angry gaze with an attempt at a smile. ‘You’re right in a way, but it wasn’t because of me that Jay left. We were enjoying ourselves at the fair when we bumped into Squire Tattersall and he recognised Jay.’

  ‘What does that mean?’ Hattie demanded. ‘Am I missing something here?’

  ‘Jay was in trouble with the law when he was younger,’ Daisy said in a low voice.

  ‘He went to prison,’ Linnet added, shaking her head. ‘Jay was the wild one, but he’s a good man. It was all a mistake.’

  ‘A likely story.’ Hattie shrugged. ‘They all say that.’

  ‘I believe him.’ Daisy turned to Linnet. ‘It was unfortunate that the squire recognised Jay and he remembered sentencing him. Jay thought it best for all of us, including you and Jack, if he made himself scarce for a while. I’m sorry, Linnet.’

  ‘I don’t know why you’re apologising to her,’ Hattie said crossly. ‘She’s better off without him, if you ask me.’

  Linnet opened her mouth as if to reply but at that moment the door opened and Eleanora burst into the kitchen. ‘Why are you all standing round gossiping? Where’s my breakfast?’ She fixed Daisy with an uncompromising look. ‘I want a word with you, young lady.’

  Daisy followed her aunt to the parlour. ‘What have I done now, Aunt?’

  ‘Hattie and Linnet are paid to do the work, Daisy. It isn’t proper for a young lady to spend so much time with the servants, and I’m not happy about you consorting with that Fox fellow. Grace Peabody told me that he’s been in prison. Were you aware of that?’

  ‘Yes, Aunt. I know, and I haven’t been consorting with him. He took me to the fair yesterday, that’s all.’

  ‘That is quite enough to set tongues wagging. I haven’t been here long, but Grace has told me how things are done in Little Creek, and mixing with riff-raff is definitely out of the question – unless you want to be the subject of gossip.’

  ‘Yes, Aunt.’

  ‘Don’t look so smug, Daisy. I know that expression and it means that you intend to do whatever you want. Am I correct?’

  ‘I won’t be seeing any more of Jay Fox. He’s gone away.’

  Eleanora sank down in her usual place at the breakfast table. ‘Thank heaven for small mercies. I don’t mind you being on friendly terms with the young doctor. Nick is your brother’s friend and we know he comes from a good family, but I still think you could do better. I believe Squire Tattersall is a widower. You could do worse, Daisy.’

  Daisy went to the sideboard and took out clean napkins. ‘The squire is very unpopular, Aunt.’ She laid the linen on each place setting.

  ‘He’s a very wealthy man and owns half the county, so I believe. He is just the sort of person you ought to be encouraging, and certainly not one of the Fox family or that mealy-mouthed schoolmaster. I can’t abide the man.’ She looked round, frowning. ‘Where is Jack? He should be up and about like a normal child. It’s high time he returned to school anyway.’

  ‘I’ve had a word with Mr Massey, although he suggested that Jack ought to remain off school for another couple of weeks.’

  ‘Poppycock. The man’s a fool and I’ll tell him so when I next see him. You’d better wake the boy, Daisy. Tell him to come downstairs immediately or there’ll be no breakfast for him.’

  ‘Yes, Aunt.’ Daisy went upstairs to her brother’s room, where Jack was snuggled beneath the covers, fast asleep. She gave him a gentle shake. ‘Jack, wake up. It’s time for breakfast.’

  He groaned and opened one eye. ‘Go away.’

  His rosy cheeks and the curve of his thick golden eyelashes reminded her of young Timothy Carrington, and she sighed. That part of her life was over and done with, and she might never see Jay Fox again, but the memory of his kiss lingered. Even more shocking was the realisation that Jay’s brief embrace had left her shaken and wanting more. She tickled Jack and he began to giggle.

  ‘Get up, Master Fox, or I’ll call Linnet. She won’t be so gentle with you.’

  Jack sat up, rubbing his eyes. ‘All right. I’m coming.’

  ‘Wash first, then get dressed. Do I have to treat you like a baby and do it for you?’

  Jack’s blue eyes widened in horror. ‘No. I’ll do it myself. I promise.’

  Daisy went to the door and opened it. ‘If you’re not downstairs in five minutes you’ll have your sister to deal with.’

  Jack rushed over to the washstand and tipped water into the basin. He ducked his whole head in the bowl, coming up and shaking his head like a wet dog as he felt for the towel. ‘See,’ he said breathlessly. ‘I’ll be quick.’

  Daisy was still laughing when she reached the morning parlour. ‘That boy will end up as prime minister one day, Aunt.’

  Eleanora reached for a slice of toast and buttered it. ‘More likely he’ll end up in prison like his brother. I’ve been in their hovel, Daisy. I’ve met Jack’s parents and the father is a shiftless creature, too lazy to work and support his family. The mother is a pathetic soul, brow-beaten, I dare say, and sickly. Grace and I have tried to show them how to improve their living conditions, but they don’t seem able to better themselves.’

  ‘Mr Fox used to be gamekeeper at Creek Hall until the late Doctor Neville could no longer afford to keep on the outdoor servants. From what I saw of the cottage it’s beyond patching up. It needs a lot of work to make it habitable and that’s the squire’s responsibility. He owns most of the village now.’

  ‘Oh, well. I expect he has his reasons.’

  ‘I think he has an ulterior motive, Aunt. I don�
�t know why he would want to evict the villagers from their homes, but that seems to be his aim. He wants to purchase Creek Hall, and he’s making it almost impossible for Nick to hold on to his home.’

  ‘From what I’ve heard, the squire is an astute businessman. He must know what he’s doing. It’s none of our business, Daisy. You’d do best to keep out of matters that don’t concern you.’

  ‘I care what happens to the people here.’ Daisy sliced the top off her boiled egg. ‘That sounds like Jack coming downstairs. He’ll fall and break his other arm if he’s not careful.’

  Jack rushed into the room, smoothing his wet hair into place. ‘I did it in four minutes, Daisy.’

  She smiled. ‘Yes, you did. Well done.’

  ‘You’re still late for breakfast, young man,’ Eleanora said severely. ‘Sit down and eat your porridge before it gets cold. We mustn’t waste good food.’

  Jack took a seat next to Daisy and began to eat, spooning the porridge into his mouth, oblivious to the frowning looks from Eleanora.

  ‘Manners, Jack. Don’t gobble,’ she said sternly.

  Daisy finished her egg and wiped her lips on her napkin. ‘I might visit the school this morning, Aunt. Jack can come with me, and if Mr Massey is agreeable, he could join his classmates.’

  ‘I’d like that,’ Jack mumbled.

  ‘Don’t speak with your mouth full,’ Eleanora said automatically. ‘Yes, an excellent idea, Daisy.’ She was about to rise from the table when a noise outside made her turn to stare out of the window. ‘Good gracious, there’s a very elegant carriage outside. Go and see who it is, Daisy.’

  ‘Yes, Aunt.’ Daisy stood up and went out into the hall just as someone hammered on the door. There was no sign of Linnet and the person outside seemed impatient. ‘All right,’ she said loudly. ‘I’m coming.’ She opened the door and his large presence blotted out the early spring sunshine.

  Chapter Ten

  ‘So it’s true.’ Squire Tattersall looked Daisy up and down. ‘The wealthy Miss Marshall lives in a farm worker’s cottage. My informant was correct.’