Promise Made (7 page)

‘That's rotten luck,' Daniel said, looking at her affectionately. ‘I'm sorry, Emily. I can't tell you it will be all right one day, because it wouldn't help even if I did. I suppose it helps having a child . . .'

‘Yes, it does . . .' Emily took a deep breath. ‘I haven't told anyone else the truth, Dan, not even Frances or Alice – but Robert is Terry's son. Vane thinks he is Simon's but that isn't possible.'

‘Emily . . .' Her brother stared at her in dismay. ‘That's a bit dangerous, isn't it? What if he finds out?'

‘You won't tell him and I shan't . . .' Emily said, but there was a niggling doubt at the back of her mind. Amelia had guessed the truth and she just might use it if she was angry enough.

‘But that means living a lie,' Daniel said, gazing at her uncertainly. ‘It's a bit of a mess, Emily. You shouldn't have lied to Vane about a thing like that . . . it isn't right or fair.'

‘I didn't lie to him. He assumed that the child was Simon's and I didn't tell him otherwise.'

‘It's the same thing,' Daniel said. ‘And it's not like you, Emily. I wouldn't have expected you to do something like that . . .'

‘Oh, don't look at me like that,' Emily said, stung by his words. She already felt guilty enough without his censure. ‘I know I ought to have told him, but he was just recovering from a heart attack – and Amelia begged me not to disappoint him. He had just lost his only son and I hadn't got the heart to hurt him like that.'

‘I see . . .' Daniel nodded but she could tell that he wasn't convinced. ‘Well, it doesn't seem like a good idea to me – but you know your own business best.'

‘I can't tell him now. He adores Robert,' Emily said. ‘Besides, what harm can it do?'

‘I don't know,' Daniel said. ‘As long as you can live with it I suppose it's your affair.'

Emily was uncomfortably aware that he was right, but she was upset that he seemed to think it was all her fault. He hadn't been there – he hadn't seen the pleading look in Amelia's eyes or the delight in Vane's. And she'd been particularly vulnerable at the time, unable to face telling Vane that she was carrying her lover's child.

‘Anyway, let's forget it,' Daniel said as she was silent. ‘I'm worried about Henry. He's ill but he won't admit it.'

‘Yes, I know,' Emily agreed. ‘Mary begged him to go to the doctor this morning, but he said he was too busy.'

‘I think it will finish him when the farm goes,' Daniel said. ‘You and Frances will lose out, Connor too.'

‘It doesn't matter about me, and Frances is all right,' Emily said. ‘Connor is still at school but when he leaves I'll do what I can for him.'

‘You can't help us all, Emily,' Daniel said with a wry grin. ‘Besides, all that lad wants is to work on the land. He could do better for himself if he stopped on at school, went to college and earned a degree, as Frances wants him to – but he hates school and I doubt if he will stay past the end of the summer term. He would have left at fourteen if Frances had allowed it.'

‘We'll see what happens when it comes to it,' Emily said. ‘Actually, I do have quite a bit of money going spare, Daniel. Not enough to save the farm – but I could help you out with the garage you want.'

‘No, thanks,' Daniel said swiftly. ‘I can manage for the time being. Cley owes me two thousand and I intend getting my money.'

‘Cley isn't like you or Henry,' Emily said with a frown. ‘I don't trust him these days – and he will wriggle out of paying you if he can.'

Daniel coughed and swore beneath his breath. ‘I would have thrashed it out of him once – but I don't think I could do it now.'

‘You will get better,' Emily said, looking at him anxiously. ‘Alice said the hospital told her there were no lasting effects of the rotten experiences you've had, Dan – or was that just for her sake?'

‘No, I shall be fine once I get over this,' Daniel said. ‘It's the remnants of a fever I had when I was in hospital, but nothing to worry about. In a few months I shall be back to normal – but I don't have that long to wait. I've told Cley I want my money now.'

Emily nodded, looking doubtful. ‘Well, I wish you good luck,' she said. ‘But my offer still stands. If you need money come to me. I will make it a loan if you would prefer, until you are as rich as Sam Danby.' She smiled to show that she was merely teasing. ‘Seriously, Dan. I'd like to help if I can.'

‘Thanks, love,' Daniel said. ‘I shall remember if I'm desperate, but I had some back pay owing when I was demobbed, and that will tide us through for the moment. Alice's father has given us some money towards the house – he promised that when we married. We're putting down a hundred pounds and I'll manage to pay the rest off a bit at a time. Jack Martin has offered me a gentleman's agreement. He's a friend of Dad's from way back, but you might not know him?' Emily shook her head. ‘Well, he offered and I accepted. We don't need to go to the bank for a mortgage, because he's the sort you can trust.'

Emily was about to say that she would lend him whatever he needed to settle his debt now, but the door opened and Mary, Henry's wife, came in, leading Robert by the hand. She was a plump woman with dark hair, never pretty but with a smile that made you feel warm right through.

‘This young man wanted his mummy,' she said and smiled at Emily. ‘I hope you've finished those books now, Emily. I've put the kettle on and we can all have a nice cup of tea.'

‘Yes, I've finished,' Emily said and bent down to scoop Robert up in her arms. ‘And after we've had our tea, I think I shall take Robbie to see the calves. You would like that, wouldn't you, my darling?'

‘Can we go now?' Robert asked and patted his mother's face with slightly grubby hands. ‘Want to see the bull too.'

‘Well, I'm not sure about that,' Emily said laughing. ‘But we'll see what Uncle Henry says later . . .'

‘I'm sorry, Fran darling,' Marcus said when he came in that morning. ‘I know what I said to you last night was inexcusable – but I hope you will forgive me? I was upset about something, but I shouldn't have taken it out on you.'

He moved towards her with the intention of kissing her. Frances turned her cheek, still angry with him.

‘That was a disgusting thing you said to me last night. I am not sure I can forgive you, Marcus.'

‘I can't remember exactly what I said.' Marcus ran his fingers through his thick dark hair. ‘I know it must have been pretty bad for you to lock me out like that – and I do apologize. I had things on my mind, Fran . . .'

‘Well, let's forget it,' Frances said, because she didn't want to carry on the quarrel. ‘But please don't drink so much, Marcus. It upsets me – and it frightens me too. You're not the same when you've had a lot to drink. You're more like your father . . .'

‘God forbid!' Marcus cried and there was an expression in his eyes that shocked her. ‘I'd rather be dead than turn out like him, Fran.' He saw her startled look of surprise and laughed harshly. ‘I never did like him much – but to tell the truth I can't stand to be near him these days. When I think of what he's done . . .'

‘What has he done, Marcus?'

Marcus shook his head, his expression one of distaste. ‘You don't want to know, Fran. Just be careful of him if he comes round when I'm not home.'

‘You don't need to warn me about that,' Frances said. ‘He is always giving me looks . . . touching me. I haven't wanted to tell you, because I didn't want to cause trouble between you.'

Marcus laughed again, but there was no humour in his eyes. ‘We've had an almighty row. I doubt if he will come round for a while – but if he upsets you again, tell me. I would rather he didn't come, but I suppose I can't cut him off altogether, because of Mother.'

‘Yes, all right,' she said. ‘Are we friends again?'

‘Yes, of course. Come here, darling.' Marcus drew her into his arms, and this time she offered her lips for his kiss. She sighed and nestled her head against his shoulder, feeling the relief flow over her. ‘I really am sorry about last night. I won't let it happen around you again, Fran – but I can't promise not to drink. I need it. It isn't just what I've learned about Father, it's the war . . . all your friends dying . . . the fear of waiting for the next call . . .'

Frances looked up at him, seeing the haunted look in his eyes. ‘It must have been awful for you.'

‘It was bloody,' Marcus said. ‘I know it is over and that I'm home again, but it isn't easy to forget. The drinking is a habit I picked up. We all did it whenever we got the chance, because it helped to deaden the fear – and the hell of going up, knowing that each day might be your last.'

‘But you
are
home,' Frances told him. ‘You're here with me and Charlie – and you don't have to worry about being shot down. We can be happy together if you let go, Marcus. You have to let go of all that . . .'

‘I'll try for your sake,' Marcus said. ‘Anyway, I shall have to pull myself together, because I need to look for a job.'

‘Look for a job?' Frances was shocked. ‘But I thought you were going to work for Sam?'

‘Yes, so did I,' Marcus said. ‘But I've changed my mind. I would rather go into a factory after . . .' He shook his head. ‘He thought he could buy me with his dirty money, but I told him to go to hell. Mother told me she thought something wasn't right about that property in London, but I thought she was imagining things. She will be sickened when I tell her what I've discovered.'

‘What have you discovered?'

Marcus shook his head. ‘No, I can't tell you, Fran. It is too disgusting. I'm not sure what to do about it at the moment, but I've told him what he can do with it. I don't want to be involved in any of that . . .'

Frances was puzzled. She had always sensed that there was a darker side to her father-in-law. He was so secretive about his business in London. She wished that Marcus would tell her, but he was obviously too angry and too distressed to discuss it for the moment.

‘Emily wants to take us all out to the Lamb Hotel in Ely for dinner while she is here,' Frances said, deciding to change the subject. ‘She said tomorrow evening – will that be all right for you?'

‘Yes, why not?' Marcus said and laughed, a genuine laugh this time. ‘Don't look so worried, my darling. I promise to be a good boy and behave.'

‘Oh Marcus . . .' Frances shook her head at him. ‘I'm so glad you're home. It was awful when you were away. I don't want to quarrel anymore. Please, don't let us quarrel. I love you so much.'

‘We shan't quarrel,' Marcus said and put his arms around her. ‘I wouldn't mind something to eat now. I have an appointment this afternoon. It's a job managing a small farm machinery depot . . . doesn't pay what I had expected to earn, but we shall be lucky if I get it.'

‘I hope you do,' Frances said fiercely. ‘I don't want you to work for Sam if it makes you unhappy.'

‘I've got a bit of money in the bank,' Marcus told her. ‘We're not on the bread line yet, old girl. Although, if he wanted, he could throw us out of the house.'

‘He wouldn't?' Frances felt a little tingle of alarm. ‘It was supposed to be a wedding present.'

‘Yes,' Marcus agreed. ‘If he'd put the deeds over to us at the start it would be settled – but I shan't beg him, Fran, and I'm not going to work for him. If he cuts up nasty, I shall find us somewhere else to live.'

Frances turned away to make some sandwiches for their lunch. She didn't mind that Marcus had quarrelled with his father, or that he wouldn't be earning as much as he had expected – but she would hate to lose the house. It was a question of pride. Frances couldn't bear to be pitied, and she knew how people would talk if they had to move out into a smaller place. But perhaps Marcus would make up with his father or find a job he really liked. It wasn't fair, because the house was supposed to be theirs.

‘Lose the farm?' Connor stared at his brother in dismay. ‘But Henry can't lose the farm. He was going to give me a job when I leave school . . .'

‘I'm afraid Henry doesn't have much choice,' Daniel said. ‘The bank is calling its money in and that means everything will have to be sold. He hasn't told Mary yet, but he only just heard this morning. He will be lucky if he can cover the debt and hang on to his house.'

‘I shall have to work for someone else then,' Connor said. ‘I might ask Alice if her father will take me on . . .' He looked gloomy, because he had been so sure that he would be working for Henry. ‘You'll be short of money too then?'

‘Yes, it will be tight for a while,' Daniel said. ‘I've scraped up enough to put a deposit on the house Alice wants, but I'm not sure how we shall manage. I've still got those fields along the Ely road, which I've signed over to Alice to make sure they don't get seized by the bank as well as the family land.'

‘Couldn't I work for you then?' Connor asked looking hopefully at him. ‘I wouldn't want more than a few bob and my keep.'

Daniel hesitated. He had intended giving his fields to Connor when he got sorted out, but with the bankruptcy hanging over them and Cley refusing to pay what he owed, he couldn't afford to do it yet.

‘I was thinking of renting them out on a short lease,' he said. ‘Henry put them down to grass and someone asked if he could have them for grazing this year. I've said yes, on the provision that I get them back next year. I might put them down to arable then, Connor, but for the moment I can't afford it.'

‘Oh . . .' Connor turned away, his disappointment obvious to his brother. ‘All right. I'll talk to Mr Robinson, ask him if he has any work – or if he knows of someone who will give me a job.'