Old Sins Long Shadows (51 page)

‘
Are you telling us that you witnessed the incident and it was an accident?’

‘
I am. Daniel did not kill ’im and if I’d known all these years his reputation was suffering because of idle gossip I would ’ave told my story long before now!’

The three men at the bench brought their heads together and whispered for some
moments before William Menhennit spoke again.

‘
Daniel Kellow,’ he said, ‘we have listened to the evidence for the prosecution and the defence and we are in no doubt you suffered a great injustice for the past eight years. There is no evidence whatsoever that a crime has been committed.’ He addressed the reporters, ‘Let it be related in print that the Magistrates court believe that Zachariah’s death was an accident and Daniel Kellow is not guilty of murder as no murder occurred. The defendant is discharged - and will someone please tell the singers outside that he is free and that they can go home. I’ve had enough hymns for today!’

The court was in uproar as everyone started to talk at once, reporters rushed out to their respective news
papers as Daniel was led out through another door. Janey, with Hope in her arms, David and Molly made their way through the bodies blocking their way to spill out into the hall outside. Edna, reverting to her Cornish tongue to shout her insults, roughly pushed her way through to reach them. Janey hugged her, as did the others.

‘
Thank you Edna. Thank you,’ cried Janey holding her tight, then she saw Daniel coming towards her and she was suddenly in his arms.

‘
It’s over,’ he whispered into her hair, ‘The nightmare is over.’  He held her close and their bodies moulded together as they took comfort in one another’s embrace in the crowded hall.

Brockenshaw was outraged. As the witnesses, reporters and general onlookers left the court room and witnesses and families for the remaining cases filed in, he confronted the senior magistrate.

‘
You have made a laughing stock of me, Menhennit!  What happened to solidarity between gentlemen?’

The magistrate set his papers beside and slowly stood up
. Despite his age, he was taller than the younger man and the balance of power was in his favour. He had also not forgotten the money the arrogant man had once owed him.

‘
I see no gentleman,’ he said quietly, ‘and as for making a laughing stock out of you – you managed that all on your own. You are in my court; I take offence how you have addressed me, Brockenshaw. I am to be addressed your worship or sir do I make myself clear?  Now I have more pressing issues to attend to.’  He spoke to the constable at the door. ‘Escort this man off the court premises. If he refuses to leave arrest him for riotous behaviour. I will take great pleasure to commit him to fourteen days hard labour in gaol.’  The constable came over but Brockenshaw was already leaving. The day had not gone according to his plan and tomorrow his humiliation would be in the papers as surely as Kellow’s proved innocence.

Daniel sat by the crackling fire and watched the amber flames dance and twist. It had been a busy two months since the trial. Not long after his return it was time to harvest the corn. As soon as it was cut, a big black steam engine and wooden threshing machine arrived and chugged away in the fields for two days until the straw had been harvested and the corn separated. As promised, on the last evening of the cutting he performed the
Crying of the Neck
ceremony and the workers, his family and friends celebrated the end of the harvest with pasties and cider.

  Taking advantage of the public’s gruesome interest in crime and punishment, the broadsheets reported the magistrate’s findings and ran the story for several days
. It did, however, proclaim his innocence, the news of which soon spread through the village like wild fire. Over the years Daniel had got used to people avoiding him in St.Wenna, now he had to get used to his sudden popularity. Now people greeted him as if he was an old friend. They asked his advice regarding their animals, orders for his cheese and butter had doubled overnight – and then there was Hope’s baptism. In contrary to their wedding, the church at Hope’s baptism was packed. The women cooed over the delightful baby girl and the men shook Daniel’s hand. Daniel could not remember feeling as proud as he did that day. His heart swelled in his chest as he watched his daughter smile at the vicar as he marked a cross on her forehead with a wet thumb. It did not cross his mind that she did not have his blood in her veins. Hope was his daughter and he was proud to be her father.

‘Come, sit on my lap,’ he said to Janey as she came into the room. He gently tugged on her hand to encourage her but instead of sitting primly on his lap she lifted her skirts and a leg so she straddled his lap and sat facing him. ‘Has anyone told you that you are a flirt, Mrs Kellow?’ he said smiling, enjoying the feeling of her close to him.

‘
I only flirt with you, Mr Kellow,’ she replied, giving him a kiss. ‘Molly and David have gone to the harvest dance tonight and we are alone, but for Hope.’

‘
Ah, the harvest dance,’ he smiled, ‘is that the dance where you called me a
heathen
?’

‘
I may have, but of course my definition of
heathen
is quite different to what you may think it means.’ she teased.

‘
You must educate me,’ he replied, sliding his hands up each of her thighs and feeling the cotton material of her drawers beneath her skirts.

‘
Perhaps I should show you,’ she murmured, kissing him again. A loud knocking brought their kissing to an abrupt halt. A man stood outside their door and he demanded their attention. The last time someone knocked on their door in such an abrupt manner their world had collapsed around them. After hesitating for some moments Janey answered the door.

Chapter 21

Phillip Fitzwilliam took off his top hat in greeting.

‘
Good morning Mrs Kellow. I am pleased to have found you at last. May I come in?’  The tall man entered their cosy little farmhouse and introduced himself to Daniel with a shake of his hand. ‘I am Phillip Fitzwilliam. Your wife was my sister’s maid, although I understand that perhaps
companion
would be a better term to use.’  He lifted his coat tails and sat down on the chair offered to him. Indicating for them to sit with a flap of his hand, Daniel and Janey also took a seat. His unexpected call had momentarily struck them dumb until Daniel found his tongue.

‘
What do we owe this unexpected visit?’ he asked. Mr Fitzwilliam looked about him and, making a decision, he placed his top hat on the floor by his chair and crossed his legs.

‘
Lady Brockenshaw passed away three weeks ago. She had been ill for some time and never really recovered from the stress caused by her son bankrupting the estate. In the end I think her death was a release to her as well as those that loved her and hated to see her suffer.’  Daniel took Janey’s hand to comfort her. She did not speak but he intuitively knew that the news had distressed her. ‘It has taken me these past three weeks to find you so I’m afraid you have missed her burial. It was a quiet affair, just as she would have wanted and she is buried in the Fitzwilliam family plot in Falmouth.’

‘
I should like to visit her grave,’ Janey said quietly.

Daniel squeezed her hand,
‘We could travel by train whenever you want.’ They sat for a moment in silence with their thoughts, and then Fitzwilliam spoke again,

‘
Giving you this news is not the only reason I have tracked you down. I think I should start at the beginning as I think a full explanation is in order.’  He sat back and made himself more comfortable. ‘The late Lord Brockenshaw, my sister’s husband, was a good man but he was not a business man. He was rather too generous with his money and he invested unwisely in several business ventures. He tried to protect my sister from his financial worries. It is a common mistake that when one is blind, people think they can communicate without the person knowing. All because a person cannot see it does not mean that they are unaware of what is going on. My sister was a clever woman and she picked up - from a tone of a voice, a pause in speech, an evasive reply to a question - that there were problems. Ten years ago my sister inherited a substantial sum from her aunt but as a married woman her fortune would pass to her husband. As her husband was incapable of holding on to his money my sister was concerned that there would be nothing left for James to inherit.’

‘
I’m not sure, sir, why you are telling me all this,’ interrupted Janey, ‘How does this affect me?’

‘
All will become clear, Mrs Kellow.’  He gave her a reassuring smile before continuing, ‘I was the executor of my aunt’s estate. My sister therefore requested that her inheritance was kept in my name. She trusted me to keep her money safe. She did not trust her husband despite loving him very much. As she predicted he continued to lose money and he had to sell several farms that were part of the estate. As each farm was sold, I, under my sister’s instruction, bought them on her behalf. Her husband never knew he was in fact selling the land to his wife and he died never learning the truth. Unfortunately James is even worse with money than his father. Where his father was over generous and with a poor business mind, his son gambled, drank and is reckless.’ Seeing Janey’s expression he added, ‘Forgive me if I sound harsh on the Brockenshaw family, Mrs Kellow, but our side of the family was never happy with the match and it seems we were proved right.’  He uncrossed and re-crossed his legs. ‘It is common knowledge that James squandered the estate’s fortune within months of inheriting it. He foolishly took out a loan and bought shares in gold. The market collapsed and he, as well a many others, lost everything overnight. It was late in September and became known as Black Friday.’  Daniel felt Janey squeeze his hand and it didn’t take long for him to realise it was around the time she had been raped. He placed his other hand on hers to comfort her. ‘When my sister became a widow she could own property and her inheritance in her own name for the first time in her life. I immediately transferred the land to her and she had planned to leave it to James in her will; however their relationship deteriorated drastically when he lost the remains of the estate. The bank has now sold Bosvenna Manor to a member of parliament who resides in Kent. What he plans to do with it I do not know. A clause in the late Lord Brockenshaw’s will stipulated that James was not allowed to sell the estate within ten years of inheriting it. He was forced to sell it by the bank but the clause did not differentiate between a willing sale and a forced one. Any money left over from the estate reverted to the only other next of kin the late Lord had, his wife. She finally owned a modest amount of money left from the sale in her own name and the land I had bought on her behalf. She planned to leave it all to James, hoping his past mistake would mature him. Shortly after receiving your letter and reading about James’s slanderous accusations and the stress you endured as a family at Bodmin Magistrates she insisted on seeing her solicitor. The result of which is that she changed her will. She told me she wanted to “right a wrong” before she died and this was the only way open to her.’  He handed Janey a sheet of paper. ‘This is my sister’s will. You will see that she has left you the sum of four thousand pounds and three farms totalling one hundred and fifty acres. One of the farms borders your land and the other two are further east towards St.Tude. You can do with them as you wish. You may decide to keep them and collect the rent or sell. The decision is yours.’  He reached into his coat and brought out another letter. ‘My sister dictated this letter to her solicitor. I do not know the content, I do not wish to know, but she instructed that it should be handed personally to you. As I am the executor of her will I am carrying out her wishes.’  He stood up. ‘You need not concern yourself regarding James. He does not know his mother had money or property and as he is no longer a beneficiary, he does not have access to read her will. She gave him a gift of a small sum before she died so he could buy himself a house. He is not destitute if he uses it wisely. I believe he is staying with friends in Somerset at the moment; however I suspect he will outstay his welcome very soon and move on elsewhere. I have no interest in the man. He may be my nephew but I want no part of him.’  He retrieved his hat and stood. ‘All in all, you are a very rich family. I do not know why she chose to bestow such gifts on her maid that she has known for only a few years but she said she had her reasons. As I said, my sister was a very clever woman so I trust her judgment.’  He shook Daniel’s hand and then Janey’s. ‘I will arrange a meeting with my sister’s solicitor so the deeds and money can be transferred to you. I have taken lodgings for the night in Bodmin and will return to Falmouth tomorrow. It has been a long day.’