The Shoemaker's Daughter (25 page)

‘Why are you telling me this now?’ Hari turned to face her, she was white and trembling and her voice was edged with anger. ‘It’s something to do with Will, isn’t it, he knew the truth?’

She shook back her hair. ‘Oh, my God!’ she covered her face with her hands. ‘I’ve been such a blind fool all this time. I’ve actually trusted you, Emily Grenfell, you and Will were all I had left in the world, don’t you know that?

‘I noticed Will’s hostility to you lately, how he looks at you so strangely but I never guessed at anything so underhand, so despicable! Oh, Emily, can you ever understand how used I feel?’ Her voice ended on a high note of anguish.

‘I wanted to tell you,’ Emily said desperately, ‘I’ve become so fond of you, Hari, I owe you so much, my very life.’

Hari turned on her bitterly. ‘How can I believe a word you say now? You’ve cheated and lied to me from the start and you’ve only told me the truth when your scheme was discovered. You Grenfells are all the same, take what you want at whatever cost, I hate you for what you’ve done, Emily.’

Hari moved to the door and flung it open. She didn’t pause to look back but ran swiftly down the stairs. Emily heard the sound of the outer door slamming and she put her head down on her hands and wept.

After a moment, she felt a soft touch on her shoulder. ‘Shall I make you a cup of tea, Emily?’

William was looking down at her, compassion in his young face. ‘You did what was right, Hari will get over it and then you can start afresh, a good honest start.’

‘I hope you are right, Will,’ Emily said softly, ‘I do hope you are right and I haven’t ruined things for ever.’

Hari moved through the darkened streets, her head in a whirl, how could Emily have been so deceitful? But then she had been foolish, expecting a woman of Emily’s kind to change, once a snob always a snob. She had cultivated Hari coldly and calculatedly, using her talent, using her trusting friendship. ‘Oh, Emily!’ There was a wealth of despair in Hari’s voice.

‘Hey! Where are you rushing to in the darkness?’ The voice was familiar, the hand on her arm gentle and Hari looked up gratefully into the smiling face of Edward Morris.

‘Edward, I need a friend, can I talk to you?’ Hari leaned against his shoulder and at once Edward was full of concern.

‘I’ll call a cab, I’ll take you back to Chapel Street, you can stay with me for as long as you like. And Hari, there will be no demands on you and that’s a promise.’

Thankfully, she let Edward take charge, he was kind and good, he would never use her and discard her once he’d had his way. Edward loved her, really loved her and now, at this moment, the thought was like a healing balm to her wounded spirits.

He hailed a cab and settled her on to the leather seat, his arm around her shoulders. The rhythmic clip clopping of the animal’s hooves was soothing and Hari leaned back sighing with weariness.

‘You’ve had a hard time, poor love,’ Edward said softly, ‘you have looked after two sick women as well as keeping the business going and you forget you are only human, you can’t do everything, Hari, however strong you think you are.’

Hari’s head sank on to his shoulder, she was so grateful to him for taking care of her, making decisions for her, cosseting her. She closed her eyes, she was so tired, so very tired.

She was barely conscious of the cab reaching Chapel Street. Edward guided her into the house and up the stairs and called his housekeeper to bring some hot lemon tea.

Blushing, he gave her a cotton night-shirt. ‘Wear this in bed,’ he said, ‘I don’t have any use for the things myself.’

She drank the lemon tea with her eyes refusing to stay open and when Edward would have crept from the room, she held out her hand to him.

‘Stay, Edward, wait with me until I’m asleep,’ she begged.

Her hand curled in his and she felt warm and loved. She turned on her side and fell into a sleep with tears on her cheeks.

She stayed with Edward for two weeks before she decided she would marry him. She was sitting in the room he’d given her, staring out into the fields at the back of the house, when Edward came to her with a bouquet of flowers held towards her, a sign of his devotion.

As she took them, Hari made her decision. ‘Edward,’ she said, ‘the answer is yes.’

‘What do you mean, Hari?’ A light of hope flared in Edward’s eyes and Hari smiled.

‘I mean I’m being a shameless woman, I want to marry you, Edward Morris.’

He knelt at her feet, his face alight as he took her hands. ‘Hari, I know you don’t love me as I love you but I’ll make you a fine husband, I will be faithful and loving and . . .’ He stopped speaking as Hari put her finger over his lips.

‘Eddie, my dear trustworthy Eddie, don’t you think I know all that?’ She paused. ‘And I will be honest with you, I have not been a perfect lady, always, I . . .’ It was Edward’s turn to stop her speaking.

‘I don’t want to know anything about your past, it’s the here and now I’m concerned with.’

Hari lifted her face to his and as Edward tentatively kissed her lips, she knew that there was little passion in her response, but there was loving and caring and there was trust, something that had been singularly missing from all her relationships in the past.

The next day, Edward presented Hari with a fine antique ring of rubies and diamonds. ‘It was my mother’s,’ he said softly, ‘I would be honoured if you would wear it as a token of our betrothal.’

‘A token of our love,’ Hari corrected and Edward took her in his arms.

‘I can’t believe it, Hari,’ he said, ‘I can’t believe that you are really mine.’

‘Believe it, Edward,’ she said simply, ‘when we make our marriage vows they are for ever and ever, amen.’

Three days later, Hari came face to face with Craig Grenfell. He entered Edward’s house as though he owned the place and crossing the room took Hari’s hand in his.

‘I hear congratulations are in order,’ he said, his eyes probing hers. Hari drew her hand away quickly.

‘You are quite right,’ she said, ‘I’m going to marry Edward as soon as he can make the arrangements.’

‘So you are finished with the emporium?’ Craig asked and Hari looked up at him uncomprehendingly, she had not thought that far.

‘That is my business,’ she said briskly, ‘it’s up to me and to my future husband.’

‘Well, I hope you stay out of the leather trade from now on,’ Craig said equitably, ‘you and my dear Emily have practically ruined me between you.’

Hari turned away as Edward entered the room. ‘Craig is so relieved to see me get married to you,’ she said, her voice brittle, ‘he is losing a business rival, something that seems to make him very happy.’

Edward tucked her arm in his. ‘Not half as happy as it makes me,’ he said smiling. ‘Now old friend, would you like a nice slug of brandy?’

The two men moved to the sideboard and the muted sound of their voices seemed to wash over Hari. Bitterness rose within her at Craig’s reaction to her marriage; they had after all been lovers, however briefly.

But then, Craig was a Grenfell, none of them could be trusted, she was better off without either Emily Grenfell or Craig.

She moved quickly to Edward’s side and took his hand. ‘Come along, my lovely,’ she said brightly, ‘we can’t waste time here, we have lots of arrangements to make.’ She smiled up at Craig, ‘I’m sure you’ll forgive us,’ she said, ‘but Edward is needed and though I do not wish to spoil your friendship, I do for the moment want to monopolize the man I love, I’m sure you understand.’

Craig inclined his head. ‘I understand perfectly,’ he said and Hari knew that he did. She was telling him in effect that he was no longer free to roam in and out of the house in Chapel Street as he pleased.

‘Finish your drink, lovely,’ Hari said, smiling at Edward, ‘and then come and look at the patterns I’ve made for the shoes I hope you’ll wear at our wedding.’ She moved to the door.

‘Goodbye, Craig, I expect we’ll be seeing you some time.’

She saw the look of displeasure cross Craig’s face at her abrupt dismissal of him and yet there was no sensation of satisfaction; instead, Hari suddenly had the overwhelming desire to fling herself on to her bed and cry as she had never cried before.

17

Hari’s marriage to Edward Morris was a quiet affair with only a few of Edward’s distant relatives as witness to the ceremony. At Hari’s side was the faithful William; Lewis and Ben her helpers and Cleg Jones and his wife with another baby on her arm.

Craig Grenfell was naturally enough Edward’s groomsman and when Hari looked at him, standing staring straight ahead, she felt a moment of panic, what was she doing, marrying one man when she loved another? But then, Craig was indifferent to her, he’d used her as a night’s pleasure, something Edward would never do.

The ceremony was very simple and as Hari stood at Edward’s side in the slant of spring sunshine she felt strangely removed from the occasion. It was almost as though she was an onlooker instead of a participant in the solemn marriage service.

She had bought a plain dress of cream satin with just a trace of blush pink to emphasize the folds of the crinoline skirt. The neckline was scooped and her dark hair, braided with blossom, swept up from her slender neck.

Edward smiled down at her, love shining in his eyes, and Hari felt humbly that she must do all in her power to make him happy.

But as he slipped the ring on to her finger, she suddenly felt trapped. She stared into the sunshine seeing not Edward but Craig standing beside her.

She had always known that she meant nothing to Craig and yet his indifference now hurt her beyond measure, but that was the rich folks for you, Craig and his Cousin Emily were two of a kind, they were the takers in life without the ability to give.

Edward was different. True he was quite wealthy by Hari’s standards, he owned his own fine house in Chapel Street and he had flourishing offices in the Strand and yet Edward was ordinary, he spoke with the Welsh intonations in his voice as she did and there were no airs and graces about him.

She was fond of him, there was no great passion on her part but Hari trusted Edward, he was good and kind and he would care for her and never deceive her.

They left the church to the rousing sound of organ music that brought tears to Hari’s eyes. The sun splashed over the couple as they stepped out of the arching doorway and blossoms fell from the trees scattering their path with petals.

‘A good omen, Hari,’ Edward whispered in her ear, ‘we shall be very happy, you’ll see.’

On an impulse Hari stood on tiptoe and kissed him and Edward’s face lit up with pleasure. Behind them, Hari glimpsed Craig, his face seemed set and grim and his eyes meeting hers were hostile. Hari looked away quickly.

Suddenly, Hari felt a presence beside her and she glanced around, feeling nervous.

‘Emily!’ she said stiffly. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘I had to come.’ Emily was still pale and thin and her hand holding a wrapped parcel trembled.

‘Whatever you might think of me I couldn’t allow your wedding day to pass without seeing you. Please, Hari, if we can’t work together again let us at least be civil to each other.’

‘Thank you.’ Hari did not have the heart to refuse the gift. ‘It’s kind of you to think about me.’

‘I think about you constantly, Hari,’ Emily said quickly, ‘I am so grateful to you and I feel so guilty at the way I tricked you, please try to forgive me.’

Hari knew what it cost Emily to apologize, to humble herself before others.

‘It’s past now,’ she said, ‘we must all look to the future.’

Edward’s hand was on her arm, guiding her towards the carriage. He would take her home to change into travelling clothes and then they were going to the coast of Cornwall for a few weeks before Edward resumed work once more.

‘Bye, Will,’ Hari said quickly, ‘look after things at Chapel Street while we’re away, won’t you?’

William nodded and then, after hesitating for a moment, he leaned forward and kissed her. Hari squeezed his arm, Will was another anchor in her life, he, like Edward, would never let her down.

After she had left the premises in the Strand, Hari had sent Edward to fetch William, he was her brother, not by blood but by choice and, until he was old enough to make his own decisions, she would take care of him.

In any case, he was still apprenticed to her and it was her bounden duty to give him employment. That was something she must think about later, when she returned from Cornwall. She needed to have work to do herself, but now that she was no longer in partnership with Emily, there were problems to be sorted out.

It was silent in the house on Chapel Street, the afternoon sun slanted into the hallway, dappling the carpet and highlighting the stairway. After a moment’s hesitation, Hari moved upward towards the master bedroom and blushed as she heard Edward’s quick footsteps behind her.

‘Help me with the buttons of my dress,’ she said softly and his fingers were warm on her bare neck. The gown slid into a pool of shimmering satin on the floor and Hari stood in her shift looking up shyly at her new husband.

With a soft groan, he took her in his arms and tenderly, almost reverently, he kissed her. She fell back against the pillows, her arms around Edward’s slim shoulders, holding him close. This was right and proper, it was no sordid affair, they were husband and wife and were bound by the words of the ceremony to become one flesh.

Edward was a tender lover, he teased her with surprising expertise, rousing her as she had never expected to be roused by him. She was a young healthy woman and she needed to be loved. In any case, Edward and she were now legally bound and in time she would grow to love him, she was sure of it.

When it was over, she sighed softly, at least now she had proved herself to be a proper wife and if there was an ache inside her for another man, then her husband would never know it.