Sinners and Shadows (33 page)

‘I'll drive you, and Sali if she wants to come, up to Tonypandy. I'll even go into Victor's house with you. But when you tell our father what you've done, you'll be on your own. I won't stand by you, and I doubt Victor will either.'

‘It's wonderful to see all of you, especially you.' Megan ran up to Joey as soon as he stepped out of the car. ‘We've all been so worried about you, and you look so fit, well and suntanned. Isn't it a gorgeous day? Betty and I have been picking the last of the French beans in the kitchen garden while the twins have been enjoying the air in the pram you bought for them, Sali. I had no idea you could get one that big.'

‘It was a special order but we didn't have too much trouble tracking it down. We'll come and help you pick beans.' Feeling like a coward, Sali turned to Harry. ‘Run ahead and take Bella to see the twins, but be careful not to wake them.'

‘They are awake, Harry, so you don't have to be quiet,' Megan called after him.

‘Where are Dad and Victor?' Lloyd asked.

‘In the milking shed.' Megan frowned at the expression on Lloyd's face. ‘Is something the matter?'

‘Joey and I'll go and see Victor and Dad.'

‘Sali?'

‘Sorry to descend on you without any warning,' Sali knew she was talking too quickly, but she didn't want to say anything about Joey in his, or Lloyd's, earshot. ‘I hoped you'd invite us for supper. I asked Mari for a hamper.' Sali handed Edyth to Megan and lifted the box Mari had packed from the back of the car.

‘You know you don't have to bring food when you come here, Sali. This is a farm, we have plenty.'

‘Mari wanted to give you some of her special preserves, two of her fruit cakes and one of her home-cured hams.' Sali dumped the basket on the garden table outside Megan's back door. She watched the men enter the milking shed. ‘Besides, this meal is going to be something in the nature of a last supper. Joey enlisted this morning. He's leaving tomorrow.'

‘Because of Rhian?' Megan asked.

‘I can't think of any other reason why he'd do something so stupid and drastic.' Lloyd wasn't the only one who was having a problem controlling his anger over what Joey had done.

‘If I put Edyth in the twin's indoor cradle, will you help me with the tea, please?'

‘Of course,' Sali agreed. Megan's approach to Joey's devastating news was sensible and eminently practical. She only hoped that they could continue to ignore the war, until the day he would come marching home – if he survived.

‘Aren't you going to say anything, Dad?' Joey had left the milking shed with his father after he had broken the news of his enlistment to him and Victor. They were standing at the entrance to the farmyard, looking over the mountain towards the town.

‘What do you want me to say?' Billy asked flatly.

Too old for a beating – not that his parents had given him many, and none undeserved when he'd been growing up – Joey had expected his father to curse, shout and swear when he told him he'd enlisted. But he hadn't been prepared for the awful resignation in his voice.

He wished Lloyd and Victor would finish in the milking shed and join them. But he sensed that his brothers would hide in there until he and his father joined the women in the house. And he couldn't blame them. If he were in their shoes he would do exactly the same thing.

‘Anything would be better than nothing, Dad.' Joey felt as though he were tempting the devil. Whatever his father said wasn't going to be good.

‘What is there to say, Joey? You've done it. Go back on your word now and they'll shoot you like a dog. Like they did the strikers in Llanelli.'

‘This isn't a strike, Dad. This is about peace. About building a better world, and a better future, for all of us.'

‘You joined up believing their lies.' Billy's eyes were cold, dead.

‘Yes … No, I joined up because I wanted to get away from Tonypandy – and Rhian.'

‘She's staying in the town?'

‘She has another man.'

‘That's a reason for joining up that I can at least understand. The thought of you succumbing to this ridiculous patriotism that's infected the country is more than I can stomach.'

‘I won't be gone long, Dad.'

‘You'll be gone for years, boy, and I dread to think of the state you'll be in if you are one of the lucky ones who comes back. That's my last word on the subject. I'll not say another. Now I suppose we'd better go in and eat this supper the girls have prepared for you.' He grasped Joey's neck and leaned close to him for a moment.

When he released him Joey's collar was wet with his father's tears.

Chapter Seventeen

‘Mrs Watkin Jones has arrived, Miss Sali.'

‘Will you show her out here, please, Mari?' Sali rose from the rug she'd spread out on the grass for Edyth, and dusted off the daisies Bella had strewn over her hair and skirt. When Julia appeared, she held out her hands and embraced her. ‘Julia. I hope I may call you Julia?'

‘Of course, and thank you for inviting me to dinner. I hope I'm not too early. You did say five o'clock in your letter.'

‘I thought you might like to meet your nieces and nephew before we ate.' Sali picked up the rattle Edyth had dropped on the rug and returned it to her. ‘Bella,' she called her eldest daughter who was still picking daisies, ‘Come and meet your new Auntie Julia.'

Bella obediently started running, her short, chubby legs pumping up and down like engine pistons.

‘Have you a kiss for your Auntie Julia?' Sali prompted.

Bella lifted her face expectantly and handed Julia the damp bunch of daisies she was holding.

‘For me? Thank you, Bella, and I have something for you.' Julia opened a carrier bag and lifted out two stuffed toy dogs, a dachshund and a Welsh terrier. ‘One for you and one for your sister. If you press the lever under their chins, they bark.' She demonstrated as she handed them to Bella.

Bella opened her arms, took the dogs and lisped, ‘Thank you, Auntie Julia.'

‘And because you're the oldest I think you should decide which is the most suitable for Edyth.'

Bella immediately carried the dogs over to Edyth.

‘I wasn't sure what to get Harry. Geraint told me he's seven, so I asked the assistant in the toyshop for suggestions. He thought this might be suitable.' She removed a metal moneybox in the shape of a Humpty Dumpty from the bag.

‘I'm sure he'll love it but you really shouldn't have bought so many presents,' Sali protested in embarrassment. ‘The children will think it's Christmas and Lloyd and I haven't even bought you and Geraint a wedding present yet.'

‘Well, it was hardly a normal wedding.' Julia took a box of Rowntree's chocolate almonds from her bag and laid it on the wrought-iron garden table. ‘These are for you and your husband.'

‘Thank you.' Sali smiled conspiratorially. ‘Shall we open them now?'

Mari emerged from the house with a tray. ‘I thought you two ladies might like a glass of my lemonade.'

‘Mari, this is my sister-in-law, Mrs Geraint Watkin Jones. Julia, this is our housekeeper and valued member of our family, Mrs Williams.' Mari had become increasingly outspoken of late, and Sali hoped that she would keep her opinions on Geraint and his failings to herself.

‘You are so like your sister, our Mrs Williams,' Julia said in surprise.

‘She's told me a lot about you over the years, Mrs Watkin Jones. Congratulations on your marriage,' Mari said formally.

‘Thank you.'

‘I have brought some lemonade for you, Miss Bella, but I can see that you have new toys.' Mari went over to admire the dogs.

Sali touched her glass to Julia's as they sat at the table. ‘It's funny when you think of all the times we've met at the suffrage meetings. I had no inkling that one day you would be my sister-in-law. I do hope that you and Geraint will be happy.'

‘Thank you.' Julia was finding it increasingly difficult to respond to people's congratulations on her marriage when it was so obviously one of convenience on both sides.

‘Have you seen your father yet?' Sali asked. ‘He came to see us the day after you eloped. He was very worried about you.'

‘I hope he didn't put you to any trouble.'

‘Not at all. He – we were all concerned by the suddenness of your decision. None of us had any idea that you and my brother even knew one another …' Realizing how this might be misconstrued, Sali fell silent. She had already heard ladies whispering in the corners of the suffrage meetings, discussing possible reasons for Julia and Geraint's elopement, and none of them had been charitable. Half the ladies thought poverty-stricken Geraint had turned ‘poor plain Julia's head' with his good looks. The other half had decided he'd seduced her and there was already a baby on the way.

‘I intend to visit my father tomorrow.' Julia opened her handbag and removed a handkerchief. ‘Given his reaction when I told him that I knew Geraint and was seeing him, it might be as well that Geraint's enlisted.'

‘Your father disapproves of your marrying my brother?'

‘He knows that Geraint married me for my money.'

Sali was so shocked she dropped her glass. It fell on to the grass, spilling the contents, but it didn't break.

‘After losing his inheritance, Geraint was determined to marry into money. I have money and I'm of age, in fact three years older than him, so there are no parental complications. From Geraint's point of view, it's a perfect arrangement.'

‘For Geraint perhaps, but what about you? What on earth will you get out of the arrangement?' Sali was finding it difficult to recover from the shock of Julia's frank appraisal of Geraint's motives.

‘Independence, for one thing. Things have been impossible at home lately. I dislike my stepmother's company almost as much as she dislikes mine. I would have preferred to have moved into my own house but it's difficult for a single woman to live alone, even when she can afford her own establishment. I knew that if I asked my father's permission, he would refuse because it would reflect badly on his ability to keep the women in his family in order.'

‘Does Geraint know that you're aware he only married you for your money?' Sali asked cautiously.

‘Of course. I told him that I wanted us to be always totally honest with one another when I proposed to him.'

‘You proposed to him!' Sali repeated in astonishment, wondering what other shocks Julia had in store.

‘He said that he intended to ask me to marry him very soon; I didn't want to wait.'

Sali smiled as Bella made both toy dogs bark for Edyth's benefit. ‘You bought them the perfect presents.'

‘I am so glad they like them. I have no experience of children, but I hope yours will accept and be tolerant of a trainee aunt.'

‘I rather think you're already accepted.' Sali fell serious. ‘Julia, you do know that relations between Geraint and I have been strained since Lloyd and I married?'

‘No, I didn't. Geraint's hardly told me anything at all about you. He's mentioned your brother Gareth a couple of times, but he's said very little about you and your younger sister.'

‘Llinos,' Sali murmured absently. ‘Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?'

‘Not at all.'

‘Do you love Geraint?'

‘I don't even know what love is,' Julia answered evasively. ‘No, that's unfair; I do know what it is because my parents were happy until my mother died. My father's second marriage is a disaster.'

‘I'm sorry.' The words sounded trite but Sali didn't know what else to say in the face of such unreserved honesty. And her compassion for Edward Larch didn't extend to forgiving him for seducing Rhian when she was at her most vulnerable.

‘That's your husband, isn't it?' Julia asked, when a horse and rider approached the house from the direction of the river.

‘Yes, and that's my son Harry, and Robert who works for us riding behind him. Harry's having riding lessons and, as Lloyd never learned, he decided to join him.'

‘You're lucky.' Julia looked from the girls sprawled on the rug, to the approaching riders. ‘You have three lovely children.'

‘And a wonderful husband.' Sali didn't know what kind of husband Geraint would make, but she suspected rather a selfish one.

‘It's strange, Geraint insisted that we make our home in Pontypridd, and yet no sooner do we arrive than he enlists, leaving me to buy a house and furnish it.'

‘Geraint told you that he wants to live in Pontypridd?'

‘You're surprised?'

‘Frankly, yes.'

‘He said something about being on hand to oversee your brother's investments because he is in the army.'

‘Gareth's just left Sandhurst and is stationed with his regiment in Kent, but he wrote to me last week. He's expecting to be sent to France very soon.'

‘And you don't want him to go?' Julia questioned intuitively.

Sali shook her head. ‘I can't bear the thought of either of my brothers fighting at the Front.'

‘And your sister?'

‘Is in a school in Switzerland. We haven't heard from her for a month, but that's hardly surprising given what's going on in France. We hope she'll stay there and not attempt to come home until the war is over.'

‘I'm not quite sure where I am going to find a house like the one Geraint wants me to buy without building one to his specifications.'

‘Geraint has given you details?'

‘As detailed as an architect's specifications can be without the drawings.' Julia opened her handbag and handed Sali a notebook. Sali flicked through the pages, in increasing amazement. Geraint had described the outside and inside of Danygraig House meticulously even down to the type of ashtrays in the study, the china patterns he wanted for the dining and breakfast rooms and the style of furniture; mahogany in the dining room, oak in the library, walnut in the two master bedrooms – and satinwood in the others. Feeling as though she was prying, Sali closed the book and handed it back to Julia.

‘You are right; it is going to be difficult to find a house like that. Perhaps you ought to look at the ones that are being built just outside town on the Common. One of the builders might be prepared to adapt an existing design.'

‘That's a good idea, thank you, I will.'

‘Would you like to meet Lloyd and Harry? They're riding into the stable yard.'

‘I'd love to,' Julia said enthusiastically.

‘Mari, would you keep an eye on the girls for me, please?' Sali asked the housekeeper.

‘Their dogs are guarding them,' Mari joked.

Sali led the way around the side of the house. Julia was so forthright and open, she felt as though she had known her for years. And, although her new sister-in-law was undoubtedly plain, what she lacked in looks she more than made up for in integrity and honesty. Whichever way she viewed Geraint's marriage, she couldn't help feeling that, given his recent behaviour, he had definitely married a woman a great deal better than he deserved.

*…….*……*

‘I hate having to leave you here, Rhian, but for the sake of my practice we'd better keep up the pretence of employer and employee.' Edward left his seat and retrieved his suitcase from the overhead luggage rack. ‘You have enough small change to tip the porter to carry your cases from the Cardiff to the Tonypandy train, and to pay a porter and a cab in Tonypandy?'

‘I do.' Rhian removed her glove and pulled off the wedding and engagement ring he had given her when he'd met her on Cardiff station at the outset of their holiday. ‘You'd better have these back.'

He folded her hand over them. ‘I promise you that you will need them again and soon, so keep them safe.' He lifted down the set of matching green leather luggage that he had bought for her and stacked it together with her two new hatboxes next to the door.

She opened her handbag, and tucked the rings into an inner pocket. ‘You should never have given me so many things. I feel guilty for accepting them.' She felt more than guilty, she felt as though Edward had ‘paid' her with his lavish and extravagant gifts. And that put her in the same bracket as the women who plied their trade at the back of the Empire Theatre.

She had spent a week doing things a woman of her class and station in life could only dream of on a maid's wage. Travelling first-class on a train, spending a week in the best hotel in Brighton and acquiring more clothes and jewellery than she could possibly wear in a year. Edward had also insisted on opening a bank account in her name and depositing a hundred pounds of ‘just in case' money. All of which compounded the feeling that she had accepted payment for ‘services rendered'.

‘I bought you no more than you deserve. That was one of the best and certainly the most relaxing weeks of my life.' It was true; he hadn't felt so well or rested since Amelia had died. He lifted a corner of the blind that he had drawn on the window and eyed the backs of the buildings coming into view. ‘Another few minutes and we'll be in Cardiff. I'll go out ahead of you and send a porter for your luggage. Don't bother to cook tonight, order in dinner from the White Hart. We'll have a quiet evening.'

‘You're not staying in Llan House?'

‘After this week,' he stooped down and kissed her, ‘I never intend to spend a night there again. And you should rest while you can. Don't forget that you're going to be busy next week getting the shop ready for the opening.'

‘I'm looking forward to working again.'

‘I'm not sure that I am. Another week like last week would have been perfect. Next year we'll go away for a fortnight.'

‘That would be greedy.' She smiled.

‘It would but it would also be rather wonderful. Have a bath when you go in and dress in the white silk gown and robe, and,' he lifted his eyebrows, ‘no underwear.'

Rhian suspected that Edward derived more pleasure from buying her clothes, and choosing what she would wear, than she did. Especially the outfits she wore in the evening when they were together in private. ‘Have you any preference for dinner?'

‘You know my tastes, the simpler the better.' The train began to slow down. ‘Don't open the blinds on the window or the corridor. Someone who knows me may see me walking out, look in and see you.' He jammed his trilby on his head, draped his coat over his arm, picked up his suitcase and left the carriage, sliding the door shut behind him.