The Country Bride

by Dilly Court

  Judy turned to Rob, staring at him as if seeing a stranger. ‘I don’t understand. Why do you call yourself Dorning? If it was such a love match, why didn’t Squire Tattersall bring you up?’

  ‘Tattersall abandoned my mother in favour of a wealthy heiress. He married her bigamously and it broke my mother’s heart. She died when I was two, and, as I told you before, I was brought up by my aunt Adeline. She knew what Tattersall had done, and she impressed upon me that I was a Dorning. In fact I knew virtually nothing about my father until I was sixteen, when my aunt told me the whole story.’

  Hilda sank down on the settle by the fire. ‘Did you try to contact your father?’

  ‘I did, just the once, and I was not impressed. I decided that I was a Dorning and not a Tattersall. I’m nothing like him and I certainly wouldn’t behave as he did.’

  ‘Then why do you want the estate?’ Judy struggled to come to terms with what she had just heard. ‘It doesn’t make sense.’

  ‘My father took what he wanted without a thought for anyone else. I don’t want to end up like him, Judy. I didn’t earn the fortune that was bestowed on me, but for my dead mother’s sake I feel I need to make amends for what my father did. My mother was a good person and she didn’t deserve to be cast aside because Tattersall had his sights set on marrying money, even if it was bigamously. It seems that Jay inherited that particular trait.’

  ‘So you want to run the estate in a way she would have wanted,’ Judy said slowly. ‘Is that it?’

  ‘I knew you’d understand. As far as I can see, Jay is just like our father. We might be half-brothers, but we couldn’t be more different. If Jay owned Creek Manor he would be just like the old squire, and the so-called curse of Creek Manor would continue for ever.’

  ‘Surely you don’t believe in that story?’ Judy studied his expression. ‘Do you?’

  ‘Not as such. I don’t think the house was cursed. It was my father’s lack of conscience that created such unhappiness. From what I’ve learned about Jay I can see the same thing happening again and again. If he has a heart he keeps it well hidden.’

  ‘You’re right,’ Hilda said firmly. ‘Judy was too young to realise just how much Jay hurt Daisy, and he cared nothing for the other young woman whom he also married bigamously, nor for the two children she bore him. He didn’t appreciate Creek Manor, and he saw his tenants merely as a way to make money.’

  ‘My family paid for their crimes, but I want to make the name Dorning stand for something other than greed and violence. I want my children to be proud of their father.’

  ‘That’s all very well,’ Judy said, frowning. ‘But what happens now? As Jay said, you’ll have a legal battle on your hands, Rob. So where does that leave us?’

  ‘I think the first thing to be done is to fix the front door, and then we can talk about what to do next.’

  Hilda raised herself from the settle. ‘You’re right, Rob. It’s freezing in here. Nate will help you. I’ll ask him to find the tool box and some wood.’ She hurried from the taproom.

  ‘Ma is fine when she has something to do,’ Judy said, smiling. ‘That goes for me, too.’

  ‘I’m sorry you had to go through all that. I was going to tackle Jay in private, but he forced my hand.’

  ‘I’m glad I know the truth. It makes life easier for me.’

  ‘You don’t have to remain here, Judy. I’ve given it a lot of thought and there’s the gatekeeper’s cottage on the estate. The old fellow apparently went to live with his sisters and so the cottage is vacant. You could all live there rent free for as long as you like.’

  ‘We’re not your responsibility, Rob. Besides which, we have to earn our living. I’m happy to stay here and run the inn. We’re breaking even at the moment, and if trade improves then we’ll make enough to pay rent, like real tenants.’

  ‘You’re a stubborn woman, Judy Begg.’

  ‘Have you just realised that?’ she said, laughing. ‘Do you agree, and will you stay on as a paying guest? We can’t make exceptions, I’m afraid.’

  Chapter Nineteen

  It was all over the village. Soon everyone knew what had occurred on Christmas Day at the Crooked Billet Inn. Judy could not go anywhere without someone stopping her to congratulate her and her mother for standing up to the bullying tactics of yet another Tattersall. Jay was, if possible, even more unpopular than his late father, but that did not seem to deter him and he continued to lodge with his sister and brother-in-law in the school house. Judy gauged local opinion when she went to the village shop where George Keyes was always happy to update her on the latest gossip, and if anything, trade at the Crooked Billet had improved. People seemed eager to show their support for Rob, despite his family’s notoriety, although Judy suspected that most of the inhabitants of Little Creek had sympathy, and a certain nostalgia, for the old days when smuggling was rife. It was said that previous incumbents of the vicarage had condoned the trade, and that contraband had at one time been stored in the church crypt. Of course John Peabody denied this, as did his wife, but Judy suspected that there was an element of truth in the story, and the Dornings’ reputation did nothing to prevent the farm workers and fishermen from patronising the inn.

  Rob occupied his room each night, going off early every morning to Creek Manor where the erection of the new house had already begun. There did not seem to be anything that Jay could do, although Judy doubted if he would give up easily. Despite rumours, there had been no further mention of law suits, and Rob did not seem unduly concerned, but Jay’s continued silence was a source of worry to Judy. She had had a long talk with Daisy, and had come away convinced that Jay was up to something that did not bode well for any of them.

  The weeks went by and trade picked up considerably with the arrival of the itinerant workmen, most of whom lived in a camp set up in the grounds of Creek Manor. Far from home and working long hours, they came to the Crooked Billet for a brief respite, and in particular for bowls of Hilda’s mutton stew followed by treacle pudding. Judy was kept busy from morning until late at night, working in the bar and helping her mother in the kitchen. Nate was both ostler and potman, and his cheeky good humour made him a favourite with all the customers. It was a hard-working life and not what Judy had envisaged for herself and her family, but they were not in debt, and they had a roof over their heads and food in their bellies. They had won the respect of their friends and neighbours, and that was something neither Jay nor Wilfred had managed to take away from them.

  On the odd occasion, when she had a few moments of quiet time, Judy found herself thinking about Jack. He had not contacted her again since their last meeting and that hurt. They might never be lovers, but there was no reason why they could not be friends, and knowing him as she did, she was amazed that he had given up so easily. It came as surprise when she heard that he was planning to return to Australia with Jay. Pip had passed on the news to Nate, having heard it from one of the Walters’ kitchen maids, who was stepping out with Billy, the head groom at Creek Hall. It never ceased to astonish Judy how quickly gossip was passed from mouth to mouth in the village. However, the fact that Jack would leave the country for a second time without saying goodbye was both disappointing and hurtful. She would have liked to see him again before he left, even though it would serve no useful purpose. Their lives had taken different paths, and perhaps it was better that way.

  It was early morning on a fine day. The snowy weather was just a chilly memory and there was a definite hint of spring in the air. Judy was in the back yard pegging the washing on the line when she heard the sound of a horse’s hoofs in the lane behind the inn. She did not take too much notice. It was probably the postman or maybe an early customer and her mother would answer the door, but the horse came to a halt outside the stable. She was about to take the empty clothes basket into the kitchen when Rob strolled into the yard.

  ‘Did you forget something?’

  He shook his head. ‘No. I’ve come to take you out. It’s high ti
me you had a day off.’

  ‘I can’t leave Ma to do all the work.’

  ‘Yes, you can. I’ve arranged for an old friend of yours to come and help out.’

  ‘You’ve done what?’ Judy gave him a searching look. ‘Is this some kind of a joke?’

  ‘Not at all. Your mother and Nate both agree with me that you’ve been working too hard. Mrs Pearce is on her way here as we speak, and she’s going to help in the kitchen. Pip is coming over from Colneyhurst to work in the stable, and Nate is going to man the bar with Molly’s help.’

  ‘My sister is coming here to work in the bar?’ Judy stared at him in disbelief. ‘Molly is too much of a lady to stoop to such a thing.’

  ‘She overheard me talking to Pip and she offered to come and help. I think maybe she’s tired of being with small children all the time.’

  ‘You arranged all this?’

  ‘With your mother’s help. I didn’t do it all on my own.’

  ‘But where are we going? This is silly, Rob. You didn’t need to go to all this trouble.’

  ‘Don’t argue. I’ll give you fifteen minutes to get ready. Pip should be here with Mrs Pearce and your sister, and he’ll drive us to the station.’ He took the basket from her and shooed her into the kitchen where Hilda was preparing vegetables.

  ‘Were you in on this, Ma?’ Judy demanded.

  ‘Yes, I was. Rob thought of it and he’s right. You’ve been looking peaky for days, and you’ve been working from early morning until late at night. I know you’ve been poring over the accounts long after I go to bed, so it’s time you had a break.’ Hilda waved the paring knife at her daughter. ‘Go upstairs and change into your Sunday best. I don’t know what Rob has planned, but I’m sure it will be something entertaining.’

  ‘Wear that bonnet with the blue ribbons that suits you so well,’ Rob said, smiling.

  ‘I can’t,’ Judy admitted reluctantly. ‘It got ruined when I was caught out in the rain.’

  ‘Then I’ll buy you another one even better, but the same colour.’ Rob threw back his head and laughed. ‘Don’t look at me like that, Judy Begg. This is my way of saying thank you for everything you’ve done for me.’

  ‘Less of the chitchat,’ Hilda said impatiently. ‘You’ll miss the train if you don’t hurry.’

  They travelled in the luxury of a first-class compartment, and when they alighted at Bishopsgate Station they took a hansom cab to Regent Street, where they lunched in style at the Café Royal. Rob entertained Judy with amusing anecdotes about his notorious family, and tales of the exploits that had landed them in so much trouble. The wrongdoers themselves had richly deserved the punishments they received, but Rob had a way of telling a story that made their nefarious activities sound hilarious. Judy laughed until the tears ran down her cheeks, and she patted them dry on a hanky that her mother had pressed on her before she left the inn.

  ‘I don’t know how you manage to make it all sound so funny,’ she said breathlessly. ‘Your family sound like monsters.’

  ‘They were, and some of them are still creating havoc, wherever they happen to be. I’m the only sane one in the whole bunch, and that’s why I’m so determined to make my life better than theirs. I plan to build a beautiful home on the Creek Manor estate, and I’ll try to make up for my family’s shortcomings by being a worthy lord of the manor. I’ve been footloose for so long, Judy. I need to make a success of this project.’

  She met his intense gaze with a smile. ‘I understand how you feel. I suppose my life has been similar, in that I’ve never had a real home, at least not one what belonged to me or my family. You can’t imagine what Green Dragon Yard was like, and it was Daisy who rescued us from that place after Pa died. I was in service from the age of ten, although they were all very kind to me, so I can’t complain.’

  ‘No,’ he said seriously. ‘You never do, and that’s one of the things I admire about you. Jack Fox was a fool to let you go. He should have begged you to take him back.’

  She recoiled with a start. ‘How did you know about that?’

  ‘It was quite obvious to someone who knows you well, and I think I do know you quite well by now.’

  ‘He’s returning to Australia with Jay. I haven’t seen Jack since Christmas, and I doubt if we’ll ever meet again.’

  Rob toyed with the stem of his wineglass. ‘How do you feel about that?’

  ‘I realised that we were never meant to be together in the first place. It was a childish dream, and we were very young, but things are different when you grow up.’ She managed a watery smile. ‘Except that I don’t think Jack has ever matured, not really. He’s still a little boy who thinks he can have anything he wants, if he persists hard enough.’

  ‘Perhaps you ought to see him before he goes away.’

  ‘Why do you say that? What good would it do to open old wounds?’

  ‘Maybe you need to be certain that they are healed.’

  ‘Let’s not talk about it any more, Rob. I was enjoying myself until you mentioned Jack.’

  ‘I’m sorry. We’ll forget about him for now.’ Rob signalled to the waiter. ‘I’ll have the bill, please.’ He turned back to Judy with a teasing smile. ‘There are some really good shops near here. I haven’t forgotten about the new bonnet. I’m afraid I don’t like the one you’re wearing.’

  Judy chuckled in spite of her raw emotions. ‘As a matter of fact I hate it, too. But Ma insists that it’s suitable for a girl of my age.’

  ‘You’re a beautiful woman, Judy. You should wear only the best. Allow me to indulge myself.’

  ‘Maybe I will. Just this once, of course, only don’t tell Ma.’

  Arm in arm they left the elegant restaurant and made their way up Regent Street, stopping to look in shop windows. The well-dressed men and women they saw made Judy very conscious of her old-fashioned clothes, and she did not argue when Rob insisted that she must try on a number of bonnets, ending with a pretty little confection of net, feathers and silk flowers. The hat she had fallen in love with was the height of fashion in London, but she could not imagine wearing it in Little Creek. Rob, however, saw no such problem and he insisted on buying it for her.

  She hesitated, gazing at her reflection in the shop mirror. ‘I can’t accept it, Rob. Look at me. I look like a servant who’s parading around in her mistress’s bonnet.’

  ‘It’s not you, Judy, it’s those drab garments you’re wearing.’ Rob glanced at the prim sales assistant. ‘Perhaps you have a more fashionable mantle that might suit the young lady?’

  ‘I’ll fetch my colleague, sir.’ The woman marched off to where a group of shop girls were waiting for prospective customers. She returned minutes later with another, much younger woman.

  ‘I think I have exactly the right thing for you, miss. Will you come with me, please?’

  ‘Go on, Judy. I’ll wait here, but I want to see you in it before you commit yourself.’ Rob settled back on a spindly gilt chair, leaving Judy little option but to follow the eager saleswoman.

  ‘I believe you’re enjoying this,’ Judy said over her shoulder.

  He smiled and tapped the side of his nose. ‘I’d be lying if I denied it. Go on, choose something you really like.’

  ‘I’m not letting him spend a fortune on me,’ Judy said in a low voice as she followed the assistant into the next department.

  ‘I wish I had a gentleman friend who was generous and good-looking.’ The young woman winked saucily, and then her smile faded. ‘Pretend you didn’t hear that, miss. I’ll lose my position here if Miss Banks finds out I’ve been familiar with a customer.’

  Judy followed her gaze and saw the prim woman, who was standing with her hands clasped tightly in front of her, and a sour expression on her face. ‘I won’t say a word. Let me try on something and then we’ll go on our way.’

  Judy waited while the girl went through a rack of elegant outer garments and her breath caught with a gasp of admiration when she was shown a velvet mantle in a glorious
shade of deep blue. ‘It’s like the midnight sky,’ Judy breathed. ‘And the silver buttons look like stars, but it must be every expensive.’

  ‘It’s the latest Paris fashion, miss.’ The girl shot a wary glance at her superior. ‘I haven’t sold anything today and I’ll lose my job if you walk away empty-handed.’

  Judy fingered the material and sighed. ‘It’s far too good for me. I would love to have it, but I don’t know when I would have occasion to wear such a fine garment.’

  ‘I can’t afford to be out of work. Miss Banks has it in for me because I get on well with the customers, but I try to be more like her.’

  Judy met the girl’s anxious gaze with a smile. ‘Of course I’ll try it on, and if it looks well on me I’ll buy it myself even if I have to pay Rob back at a shilling a week for the rest of my life.’ She allowed the assistant to help her off with her serviceable merino jacket, which was at least five years old, and she shivered with pleasure at the feel of the velvet as it caressed her body through the thin cotton of her blouse.

  The expression on Rob’s face when she walked towards him was enough to convince her that the mantle was worth every penny of the price, which she considered exorbitant.

  ‘That looks wonderful on you, Judy. You look like a queen.’

  ‘It’s very expensive,’ she said in a low voice. ‘But I’ll pay you back a little every week.’

  He stood up, his smile fading into a frown. ‘No such thing. I won’t hear of it. This will be a thank-you present. You’ve done more for me than you can ever know.’ He turned to Miss Banks, who was standing beside the anxious shop assistant. ‘We’ll take the hat and the mantle. Miss Begg will wear both, so perhaps you’d wrap her things and send them to the address I’ll give you.’ He flashed a disarming smile at Miss Banks. ‘You run a very efficient department, madam. I’ll be delighted to commend you to your employer.’