Sea Mistress (19 page)

Matthew was less sure of himself now and Ellie made the fatal mistake of softening towards him. She held out her hand in a gesture of reconciliation. ‘Can't we just be friends, Matthew?' she said. ‘There's no need for us to fight, is there?'

He came towards her and took her hand and Ellie smiled up at him. Before she had time to think, he had pulled her roughly into his arms and was kissing her mouth, his tongue probing, his hands gripping her waist. She felt his teeth against hers, felt his hands move upwards towards her breasts. She felt only revulsion at his brash approach.

She pushed him away, her eyes hot with anger. ‘How could you insult me and the memory of Jubilee by doing such a vile thing?' She was shaking with distaste. ‘Must I spell it out for you, Matthew? I don't even like you, try to get that through your thick skull, will you?'

‘It's early days yet, you could grow to like me,' Matthew said quickly. ‘I think you are a wonderful woman and I apologize for being so hasty, I just couldn't help it, seeing you standing there so pretty and sweet and helpless, like.'

‘I am not helpless,' Ellie was exasperated. ‘Let me tell you this, if you come into my house again without an invitation I'll have you sacked, I'll have the constables up here if necessary and you'll be out of here so fast your feet won't touch the ground.'

‘Nice talk for a lady,' Matthew was growing angry again, asserting the manly authority he believed was his prerogative. In any event, he wasn't used to being rebuffed. ‘You are turning into a shrew, Ellie, do you know that? You are a woman alone, I was only trying to be kind.'

‘I'm too much of a lady to want your brand of kindness, I don't want you to touch me, I don't want you to even come near me again.'

Matthew's eyes narrowed to slits. ‘You might act the fine lady but we both know different don't we? You are far from being a lady. Oh, you think you're the high and mighty mistress of the Glyn Hir now but I remember you was the talk of Swansea before Jubilee made a respectable wife of you. Brought bastard children into the world, you did, so don't come all holy and good with me because it won't wash, some men wouldn't touch you with a bargepole, wouldn't want shop-soiled goods at any price.'

Ellie was stung. ‘I might be all you say I am but I still have some taste. I find you repellant, I would remain a widow all my life if you were the only alternative.'

‘You bitch!' his voice was low, Well don't you try to get rid of me, I'm warning you, you'd regret it.' He turned and left the room and Ellie sank into her chair, her hands trembling, she clasped them together in an effort to control them. She wished she could have avoided an out and out confrontation with Matthew, he would not make a good enemy. Still, it was too late to think of that now.

She sat for a long time, staring unseeingly into the cold fireplace. How she missed Jubilee, his sound common sense, his unconditional love. If he had foreseen the trouble Matthew would cause, he would have thrown the man out himself.

After a time, she composed herself and looked down at the books on the table beside her, the figures swam together making no sense, it was useless trying to concentrate. But profits were good, Caradoc Jones had assured her of that, she had no need to worry on that score.

She was glad she had asked Caradoc to recommend a manager for the mill; once someone suitable was found, she would be able to take a back seat in the day to day affairs of the tannery. She would be able to keep right away from Matthew and his venomous words. Words he would soon he spreading around Swansea, reviving old scandals, raking up the past. Perhaps she should go to see Calvin Temple, warn him of what might happen, perhaps he could find a way of keeping Matthew's mouth firmly shut. If it was money Matthew desired, Calvin certainly had enough of that, more than he would ever spend in a lifetime. If even Calvin failed to stop Matthew's tongue then she would just have to face the consequences, face the sneers, the cold-shouldering of the townspeople. Not even Daniel, kind and loyal as he was, not even he would wish to be seen out with her if he should learn the truth.

Unhappiness swept over her, she put her hands to her face and felt the tears' salt in her mouth. It seemed she was destined never to love again. But this was a foolishness, she must stop feeling sorry for herself, she should count her blessings, she had Martha's company and Rosie was a more than willing worker. Still, Ellie needed a change, to get right away from Glyn Hir at least for a time.

It might do her good to take a room down near the sea front for a few weeks, at least it would give her a breathing space. And she would be distanced from Matthew Hewson, allowing him to cool down, perhaps he would even come to see where his best interests lay. She remembered then the harshness in his face as he'd looked at her and quite suddenly she felt cold.

‘Come on, give me a roll in the hay,' Rosie smiled up into Matthew's glowering face, ‘might improve your temper, you look as if you've swallowed a whole cut-throat razor handle an' all.' They were walking along the lane at the back of Glyn Hir, a short way from the stink of the tannery. Rosie should have been down at the market buying fresh meat and cheese but she hadn't been able to resist spending some time with Matthew.

‘Leave me alone,' he said and then, as though changing his mind, he turned to her and took her in his arms. ‘I'll see you tonight, we'll have a good time, go down the public for a mug of ale and a singsong. Afterwards, we'll roll in the hay as much as you like.'

Happiness flared through Rosie, singing in her blood; she had succeeded in breaking the foul mood that had gripped him lately, made him aware of her again. All he seemed to think about these days was those damned shares that Jubilee had promised him.

‘Look love,' she said touching his lips with her fingertips, ‘I know you want to get some of old Jubilee's money, well there's more than one way of skinning a cat, mind.'

She had his interest then and she smiled, catching his arm, hugging it to herself.

‘How do you mean?' He was frowning, poor lad, he really wasn't very bright.

‘Watch and wait, my boy, what you can't have by coaxing, you might be able to get by other means.'

He stopped walking. ‘There's no way of fiddling the books, there's too many hands on them for that.'

‘Not talking about fiddling, Mat, I'm talking about getting what you want in exchange for keeping your mouth shut.'

‘My mouth shut about what? Everyone in town knows Ellie's past; she wouldn't want it raked up again, wouldn't want that poncy reporter to learn of it but on the other hand, I can't hold no threats of that over her can I?

‘But there might be other things you
can
use and I'm in the house aren't I, I'm the one to see all that goes on. She's nice enough telling me to call her Ellie and that but she's a bit uppity. And she takes too much of your time for my liking.' Rosie's tone was dry, ‘She's the type who likes to get a ring on her finger before she gives anything away, holding out for marriage she is, learnt her lesson well that it don't do to be a mistress. Well she can't have you, I'm not willing, see.'

It had crossed Matthew's mind that Ellie wanted marriage and even though she'd protested otherwise, Ellie
was
the sort to want a ring on her finger. What couldn't be got by coaxing might be managed by persuasion. It wouldn't do any harm to encourage Rosie to spy on Ellie, though he doubted she'd find out anything.

‘You won't catch her playing around,' he said. ‘Miss Iron Drawers, Miss Icicle, that's Ellie Hopkins. Hasn't she lived long enough without a man? Dried up she has, don't need a man between her legs, not like some.'

‘Ah, say you don't know, I've seen the way she looks at that young reporter chap, makes cow's eyes at him she does and him at her, too. They'll be in the sheets before long, mark my words.'

Matthew suddenly had a bad taste in his mouth, he didn't like another man to succeed where he had failed. ‘How do you make that out?' His tone was abrupt.

‘As you said, she's been without a long time and her only human, she's proved that.
Duw
, wasn't she put up the spout by that posh lover of hers, had two poor little by-blows that died, didn't she? Not exactly made for going without I'd say.'

Anger filled Matthew as he imagined Daniel Bennett stealing his prize; getting Ellie into bed and getting his hands on her money at the same time. Not that Matthew really wanted Ellie for a wife but marriage to her had its compensations. She would provide him with money and control of the tannery and he would teach her how to have a good time. Ellie Hopkins didn't seem the sort to give a man a good time in bed, too thin in the breast, nothing to get your hands around there. He glanced down at Rosie's straining blouse and he wanted her. Then.

He thrust her against the hedge and pushed up her skirts. She moaned and shifted herself to accommodate him and he took her without preliminary, thrusting into her, feeling the hotness of her nipple between his lips as he toiled against her.

The sun was hot on his back, explosions of sensation rocked through him and then it was over.

Rosie slipped to the ground as he released her, she caught his trousers which were around his ankles. ‘Come down here, boy, let me show you how to do it properly.'

Nothing loath, he slumped down beside her. Her experienced hands were rousing him to fresh delights. He stretched out his strong legs and then Rosie was astride him.

Her cries rent the air and he laughed out loud, he knew how to give a woman a good time if anybody did. She reached her climax as quickly as he did and together they lay, laughing up into the face of the sun with the fresh scent of the grass around them and the birdsong echoing sweetly between the trees.

‘We're meant to be together me and you.' Rosie turned and curled against him, her arms around his chest, her leg draped over his groin. She was a good roll in the hay, that much he would grant but not the one who would ever have his ring on her finger. His ideal future would be to have a lady to run his house, have his children, a lady with nice manners, one who would be virginal until he deflowered her. It mattered not if his wife should be reluctant in bed, that was only proper, it was whores like Rosie who pleasured a man, a wife only did her duty.

Ellie could only fulfil part of that dream but if he couldn't get it all, he'd settle for second best, take on a woman who was no virgin but who acted like one.

He kept his thoughts to himself, he needed Rosie on his side right now, he wanted to take his fill of her whenever he felt the need for release. In any case, she might just have something good up her sleeve if she was right and Ellie was smitten by this reporter chap then anything could happen and if it did, he would be around to cast the first stone.

‘Will you allow me to accompany you to church on Sunday evening?' Daniel's voice was soft, coaxing and Ellie couldn't help but feel flattered by his attention. She had come to town with Martha who had gone into one of the shops while Ellie had waited outside enjoying the fresh early autumn air.

‘You can bring Martha and you needn't fear for your reputation, who on earth could gossip about us when all we'd be doing is sitting in the house of God listening to the vicar preach?'

‘I'm still in mourning,' Ellie said doubtfully. ‘I know it seems a lifetime ago when I had Jubilee by my side but it really isn't that long. Perhaps we should be more discreet than to be seen in public together so soon.'

Daniel nodded. ‘You're right, as always.'

‘There's nothing stopping you arriving a little later and then coming to sit next to Martha and me,' Ellie suggested and she was touched to see how Daniel's face lit up.

‘Sunday it is then.' He tipped his hat and moved away towards the offices of
The Swansea Times
, his step light, his shoulders swinging with the ease of a healthy young animal. And how young he seemed to her, Ellie mused, an untried boy while she . . . well she was an experienced woman. What was it Matthew had called her? A shop-soiled woman, an unpleasant but in her case accurate description.

She felt she owed it to Daniel to tell him about her past, explain to him that she wasn't always a respectable wife but she felt it would be a shock to him. In any case, they were never alone so how could she talk so intimately to him? Or was that just an excuse to preserve the magic between them?

She saw Martha coming towards her waving her hand energetically. ‘I've been into Ben Evans and bought the most beautiful winter coat you've ever seen.' She scarcely paused for breath, ‘Why didn't you wait inside for me, I wondered where you'd gone?'

‘I wanted some fresh air and then I met Daniel and we were talking,' Ellie explained.

‘You're getting quite fond of that handsome young man,' there was no hint of censure in Martha's voice. ‘Good thing too, can't mourn for ever more.'

Ellie felt suddenly grateful to her, ‘You've got a very nice nature, Martha, there's many would call me fast, standing in the street talking openly to a handsome young man and me a widow.'

‘There's many ready to judge, I know that as well as you but you've got your head screwed on the right way, you'll not do anything to encourage gossip.'

Ellie wasn't so sure, she had felt a reawakening of her senses just lately, the blood cool for so long flowed hotly when she was near Daniel Bennett. Love, that was another matter, Ellie was afraid to think of love, she had loved once and it had been a disaster. Yet Daniel roused in her a tenderness as well as a desire; dangerous signs, perhaps she should keep away from him for both their sakes.