Rosa's Island (33 page)

The two men drew back, breathing heavily, and eyed each other. ‘He'd no right to bring her here,' Jim said bitterly. ‘This isn't woman's work.'

John Byrne smirked. ‘I didn't bring her here. She was here already. I found her up on the embankment watching what was going on.'

Jim turned to Rosa. ‘Is this true, Rosa?'

Her mouth trembled. ‘I came to see the ship.' She pointed out to the river. ‘I wanted to see if it was still here.'

‘Why?' Seamus Byrne asked, his haste to be away seemingly forgotten. His eyes focused steadily on her.

‘I don't know why,' she confessed. ‘There's something about it that intrigues me.'

‘The little woman is fey!' Seamus said cynically. ‘A visionary perhaps? Do you see spirits within the shadows? Do you see your father on the ship, his dark hair blowing in the breeze and a gold ring in his ear?'

She shook her head and glanced towards Jim, who was clenching his fists together.

‘No.' She was frightened. ‘I don't know what you mean.'

‘I mean,' he drew nearer to her, ‘that we are all intrigued by that ship. That ship that was once your father's.'

‘Can we get on?' James Drew spoke for the first time. ‘Let's get 'waggon away. You can talk later.'

John Byrne strode across to him. ‘You don't like to discuss our friend Carlos, do you, Mr Drew? Is that because he's still around? Because you are still doing business together? Is it unfortunate that his ship should sail in just when we happen to be here?'

‘You're talking rubbish!' Drew spluttered. ‘It's nearly twenty years since Carlos was here. That
ship has probably been sold half a dozen times since 'Customs requisitioned her. Besides, that's not Carlos's flag. It's a house flag.'

‘We know it isn't his flag!' John Byrne's voice cracked in a sudden explosion of virulence. ‘But I'm going to tell you and your precious son something, Mr Drew! I don't trust you! I didn't trust you before and with good reason, and I don't trust you now. I wouldn't put it past you to have informed the authorities about my brother and me!'

James Drew started to protest and Jim moved forward towards John Byrne. But he, with a swift movement, leaned towards Rosa and pulled her to his side. ‘So, what I aim to do, if we can't have Carlos, then we'll have his daughter.'

With one hand he smoothed Rosa's head, with the other he held her fast. ‘She's our hostage in a sense, until the goods are safely on their way.'

‘You can't.' Jim defied him. ‘She'd be missed. 'Constables would be all over 'island if word got out that she was missing.'

‘She won't be missing,' he replied softly. ‘She can stay at home and I'll come every day to make sure that all is going as we planned. The waggons will come from Hull in a week's time to collect the goods.' There was a threat in his smile as he turned to Rosa. ‘And I'll come a-courting my lovely. If there's a whisper gets out to the law,' his eyes glittered and fell on Jim, ‘she comes with us when we flee and you'll not see her again.'

Rosa was sent on her way home alone and each time she turned her head, John Byrne was watching her. She slipped and stumbled as she
ran along the embankment and floundered and splashed through the marsh in her desire to put a great distance between herself and him. He had put an icy fear into her, for she was in no doubt that he would have no pity on her if, as he suggested, the constables had been warned.

Would Mr Drew do that? Would he pretend that he was helping the Byrnes when all the time he was tricking them so that they would fall into the hands of the law? And he has been involved with them before! A previous conversation with John Byrne and Jim came jumbling into her mind and she shook her head to clear it. Mr Drew is not what he seems. Yet he is such an upright, uncompromising man! He surely would not tolerate unlawfulness. But yet he is there now, unloading smuggled goods!

The answer came clear as the strike of a bell as she stumbled through the gate and into the farmyard. The Byrnes have something against him, or something against Jim, and they are forcing them to help them. I know it. She felt a great heaviness come over her as she lifted the sneck on the door. It's something to do with my father.

ROSA CREPT INTO
the back kitchen and hung her cloak and damp shawl behind the door, then sat on a chair to unfasten her bootlaces. Her feet and stockings were soaked and her hands trembled as she pulled her boots off.

‘They'll take some drying.' A quiet voice came from the inner door and she jumped as she saw Matthew leaning against it.

‘Matthew!' she gasped. ‘You startled me.'

‘And you startled me when I saw you walking along 'dyke side an hour or more ago.' He spoke in a low, terse manner, and his expression was rigid. ‘Where've you been?'

‘I – I couldn't sleep,' she mumbled awkwardly. ‘I – I was upset over Delia.'

His face was tense. ‘Don't be,' he pleaded. ‘We'll resolve it one way or another. She won't want to stay anyway, she's just being awkward. I know her only too well. Once she's feeling well again, she'll be wanting to be off.'

He came towards her and put out his hand to pull her up from the chair. ‘Come on,' he said. ‘Go to bed. You look frozen stiff. You're crazy to
go out there in this weather.' He ran his hand over her wet hair and against her cheek. ‘You'll catch your death,' he said softly, ‘and then what would I do?'

She looked up at him and felt a lump in her throat. I wish I could tell him. But I can't. I should be betraying Jim and his father. But what will he say when John Byrne comes calling?

He wasn't there when the Irishman knocked on the door, but Delia answered it and stared open-mouthed when he asked for Rosa. He glanced up and down at Delia and said quietly, ‘I see you've got over your trouble! So you're a mammy now?'

‘No. I'm not,' she said sharply. ‘My bairn died.'

‘Ah!' He expressed his sympathy, then nodded his head thoughtfully. ‘And here I was thinking you'd be so busy with maternal matters that you'd have no time for anybody else.' He gave a great sigh. ‘And I asked your sister to come walking with me.'

‘She's not my sister,' she snapped and Mrs Jennings, who had come through from dusting the parlour, lifted her head at her words.

‘No, of course she's not. Anybody can see that,' he said softly. ‘She's dark-haired and young and innocent, whilst you're—' he hesitated. ‘Well, you have a grown beauty about you, a maturity, like a full ripe peach.' His eyes appraised her. ‘I think perhaps I made a mistake,' he whispered. ‘I prefer a fully fledged woman. One who knows what a man likes.'

He reached out and slid his hand onto her neck, stretching his thumb and fingers around
her throat. She swallowed and felt the pressure of his hand, then he dropped it as Rosa appeared.

‘You will excuse us, Delia,' he said. ‘Rosa and I have a little business to discuss. We won't be long. Just a walk along the dykes,' and he took hold of Rosa firmly by the elbow and led her away.

‘What's all that about?' Mrs Jennings came to the door and looked over Delia's shoulder. ‘Where's he going wi' Rosa?'

‘Don't know,' Delia said abruptly. She had been disturbed by his appraisal of her, and the sensation of his fingers on her throat had both frightened and excited her. Yet she was annoyed at the way he had walked away with Rosa. Where were they going and when had they arranged this assignation?

‘I don't like it,' Mrs Jennings said thoughtfully.

‘Mebbe you don't.' Delia was rude and cutting. ‘But some do.' Then she added, ‘I doubt if he'd make an honest woman of her, though, he has his sights set on somebody else.'

‘Who?' Mrs Jennings stared at her, nonplussed. ‘Not you?' She laughed. ‘I've told you, girl. Be careful. You've fallen once. It'll be easy to fall again.'

‘Not me,' Delia replied, but knew that she lied.

Matthew saw Rosa with John Byrne as he was cleaning out ditches with Jim. He straightened up with his foot on the narrow blade of the sludge spade and saw them in a direct line in front of him. He stopped what he was saying to Jim and stood looking towards them.

‘What?' Jim asked and looked up. His lips tightened as he saw the couple.

‘What's he doing with Rosa?' Matthew threw down his spade and climbed out of the ditch. ‘Where does he think he's going?'

‘Leave it,' Jim muttered. ‘It's nowt.'

Matthew glanced at him. ‘Nowt! What do you mean, nowt?'

‘I mean – he asked Da if he could walk out wi' Rosa.' Jim's face flushed as he spoke.

Matthew stared at him, speechless, then he shook his head. ‘I don't believe you. She wouldn't. Not Rosa!'

‘I've told you. Leave it. It means nowt.'

‘It must mean summat or she wouldn't be there,' he fumed. ‘And why isn't he at work? Is he still on our pay sheet?'

‘No.' Jim leaned on his spade. ‘He was onny casual anyway.'

‘Then he's no right on our land.' Matthew picked up his spade again. ‘I'm going to see him off.'

‘He's not on our land!' Jim attempted to placate him. ‘If you use your eyes you'll see he's on 'road. You can't stop him from being there.'

‘I'm going anyway.' Matthew slung his spade into the nearby cart. ‘I want to know what this is about.'

He was consumed with jealousy, not least because Byrne had his hand tucked beneath Rosa's arm. As he walked towards them, Rosa faltered and her eyes blinked rapidly as she saw him.

‘Good afternoon,' Byrne said pleasantly. ‘A cold damp day for ditching, is it not?'

Matthew ignored him. ‘Rosa! Is this fellow bothering you?'

She hesitated. ‘I – er, no. No, he's not, Matthew. You need have no fear of that. I – I'm just showing Mr Byrne the extent of your father's land.'

‘Why?' he asked bluntly. ‘Why should he want to know about our land?'

‘Why – Matthew! It is Matthew, isn't it? Yes?' Byrne gazed at him languorously. ‘I'm from farming stock myself. I've not always been a ditcher, you know. No, I've worked the land. I know of ploughing and sowing and reaping the harvest. And I know of the potato harvest – or rather I don't know of the potato harvest, for there wasn't one in Ireland when I was a boy. It failed! You might have heard?'

There was a sneer in his voice and Matthew knew instinctively that this man had many axes to grind. ‘And soon,' Byrne seemed to be speaking almost to himself, ‘and soon there was no land either, for my mammy and daddy were turned off theirs. The English, you know – they did that.'

‘I do know,' Matthew said decisively. ‘I do know that the Irish countryman had a difficult time, just as the English and 'Welsh, and 'Scots did too – as they are still having.'

‘And that is why,' Byrne continued in the same soft voice, ‘that is why I am looking over your father's land and thinking how very lucky you are.' He gazed at Rosa and said meaningfully, ‘I think I shall have to find me a farmer's daughter to marry and settle down in this fine country.'

He then turned to Matthew. ‘Well, if you will
excuse us, we must be on our way. I want to get Rosa home before dark. Though sometimes,' he playfully pinched her cheek and she turned her face away, ‘the naughty girl stays out late. Come now, Rosa,' he added with a smile, as she drew in a quick breath. ‘You know that you do!'

Matthew turned his back and marched away. So that was where she had been that night! Meeting him! He didn't speak to Jim, who stared as he passed him, but rushed along the road towards Home Farm.

‘Cup o' tea, Matthew?' Mrs Jennings called as he stormed in through the kitchen. ‘I've just made it.'

‘No thanks.' He charged upstairs two steps at a time and slammed his bedroom door behind him.

‘What's up wi' him?' Mrs Jennings stood with the teapot in her hand.

‘Can't imagine.' Delia had a satisfied smile on her face. ‘Somebody's upset him. I wonder who?'

He didn't come down to supper and after everyone else had eaten, Rosa climbed the stairs and knocked on his bedroom door.

‘I said I didn't want any supper.' His voice was harsh and Rosa opened the door a crack and said quietly, ‘I haven't brought you any. I just wanted to talk to you.'

He was lying on his bed, his hands behind his head. He sat up as she stood in the doorway. ‘There's nothing to talk about,' he said bitterly. ‘Jim said that you were walking out with Byrne and Delia confirmed it.'

‘I'm
not
walking out with Byrne.' She was angry. ‘Don't even think it. They're quite mistaken.'

He swung his legs off the bed and faced her. ‘Then what were you doing with him? Jim said that Byrne asked Da if he could walk out with you.'

Her face flushed. How could she possibly explain? And Byrne would be coming back again tomorrow. ‘I can't tell you why,' she said simply. ‘I can only ask that you trust me. Something has happened and I became involved. But I'm not walking out with Byrne,' she repeated.

He frowned and got up off the bed and came towards her. ‘Summat happened? What? Does Da know? Does Jim?'

‘I can't tell you.' She gazed at him pleadingly, but his eyes pierced hers as if trying to discern what lay behind them.

‘Then if you can't tell me I'll find out for myself.'

‘Don't, please.' She put her hand out to him and he took it and drew her into the room and towards him.

‘Rosa,' he said, his breath warm on her face. ‘I have to know.' He suddenly bent and kissed her urgently on her mouth. ‘If anyone should harm you or put you in danger,' he whispered vehemently, ‘they'll have me to reckon with – be it brother, father or Irishman.'