The Shoemaker's Daughter (28 page)

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Authors: Iris Gower

Tags: #Historical Saga

BOOK: The Shoemaker's Daughter
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‘I’m starving,’ he said, ‘how about something to eat?’
Hari smiled. ‘That’s very good news, what do you fancy? I can send Will out to the baker’s for some fresh crusty bread and there’s some soup in the pot. I made it myself so I know it’s full of goodness.’
‘That will do very nicely,
cariad
,’ he said, ‘but first come and give your husband a kiss.’
She hugged him to her, her cheek resting against his. His hand strayed to her breast and she drew away from him with mock anger.
‘That will be enough of that! An invalid needs rest not strenuous exercise, you wait until you are fit again, my lad.’
‘Tyrant,’ he said but he was smiling. Hari sat on the edge of his bed with a bowl on her knee and it pleased Hari to see Edward enjoy a little of the soup she’d made him.
‘Eat up,’ she said, ‘that’s the way to recover your strength.’ She moved away from him knowing that she had been glad of an excuse to avoid intimacy with her husband.
Matters had failed to improve in that sphere of her life, much as she was fond of Edward, she could not give herself completely, it was as though a small part of her was holding back, waiting for something but she knew not what. Edward was her husband till death did them part so what possible reason could there be for withholding anything from him?
Within a few days, Edward was almost back to normal, he was up and about, doing his work at home instead of in the office and yet Hari sensed that he was not feeling as well as he should be.
She hesitated to tell him about her meeting with Craig, waiting until he was quite well again and then it was too late, Craig called to see how Edward was progressing.
The two men were in the sitting-room and Hari was in the kitchen, supervising the supper. She entered the room to see Edward looking up at her with a strange expression in his eyes.
‘Edward feels that we should make a go of our venture,’ Craig said. ‘He is more than willing to act as accountant for our little business enterprise.’
Hari felt herself grow cold, she had not yet discussed the idea with her husband; the news coming from Craig must have been quite a shock. But if it was, Edward hid his feelings well.
‘That’s very kind of you, Edward,’ Hari said knowing instinctively that Edward wanted Craig to believe he had known about the matter all along. ‘It would be a great help to have someone like you keeping an eye on things.’
‘My pleasure.’ Edward sounded distant, his eyes refused to meet hers and Hari bit her lip. Edward was an easy-going man but it was quite clear that he was hurt by what he must see as her deceitful behaviour.
‘Would you like some supper?’ Hari asked Craig. ‘We’re having poached fish and then some saddle of lamb with a lovely sponge cake to follow, you’d be welcome to join us.’
Craig rose to his feet, sensing perhaps that all was not well. ‘No, I have to get on, there are things I must do but thank you all the same.’
He moved to the door. ‘I shall be seeing you soon, Edward, I have my other books ready for you and I’m sure you will be impressed with the improvements I’ve made in my leather business.’
Edward murmured something and sank back into his chair as Hari saw Craig to the door.
‘Is something wrong?’ Craig asked. ‘Edward does approve of the business idea, doesn’t he?’
‘Yes, of course.’ Hari could not let her husband down, if Edward’s pride demanded that she pretend he knew all about the venture then so be it.
‘We must get together soon, then,’ Craig took his hat and coat from the maid, ‘we have a great deal to talk about, if this affair is to flourish.’
Hari was well aware that the maid was listening avidly to the conversation. She knew that conclusions could be drawn from Craig’s statement.
‘I’m sure our business venture will succeed, don’t worry about that, and Edward will see that the books are sorted out properly.’
When Craig had left, Hari took a deep breath and returned to the sitting-room. ‘Supper smells wonderful,’ she said brightly. ‘I hope you are hungry, Edward.’
He looked at her searchingly. ‘I seem to have lost my appetite, Hari, and enough prevaricating, I think you owe me an explanation.’
Hari shrugged. ‘I have nothing to hide, Edward, I didn’t talk all this over with you because while you were ill it didn’t seem important.’
‘That’s all too easy,’ Edward said, ‘but what I want to know is when was this business venture discussed, when did you meet Craig, were you alone with him and how many times have you had discussions about this business you are so keen to set up with him?’
‘I saw him once in town,’ Hari said quickly, her temper rising. ‘We had tea in the public tea rooms and the idea just came to Craig quite suddenly. He thought I might be interested in starting work again and to be truthful, Edward, I am very interested.’
He looked at her, his mouth set into a line, he was so much like a whipped child that Hari went to him and took him in her arms.
‘You’ve always known that marriage and a home wasn’t enough for me, Eddie, I love working, designing shoes is in my blood, I thrive on it. I’ll become like a cabbage if I just sit at home like some doll doing nothing all day.’
‘But isn’t being my wife rewarding enough?’ Edward said. ‘I want you to be here waiting for me when I come in at night from the office. I don’t want a wife who is so involved in her own ideas that she doesn’t know what time of day it is.’
Hari moved away from him. ‘Then I’m sorry, Edward, you have married the wrong woman. I was a working girl when you met and fell in love with me, why try to change me now?’
He didn’t reply, he stared down at his hands, his face drawn and pale. ‘Edward,’ Hari said calmly, ‘we took each other for better or worse, we made our vows and I shall stick by mine. But let me tell you this, you are going the right way to lose my respect.’
He drew her close then and kissed her eyelids. ‘I’m sorry, my darling, I’m a jealous lout, I know you are not a woman to flout your vows, what am I thinking about?’
He took her hand and led her from the room, through the hallway and up the stairs. He pushed open the doors of their bedroom and led her inside, bolting the door after them.
‘Edward,’ she protested weakly, ‘what about your supper?’
‘To hell with supper!’ he said eagerly. ‘What I want now is you and it won’t wait.’
He drew her on to the bed and began to open the buttons on her dress, his hands then were freeing her breasts, caressing them, teasing the nipples with his tongue. Hari tried to respond, she wound her arms around her husband’s shoulders closing her eyes against the thinness of his chest.
He took his time undressing her, caressing every part of her until she could have screamed at him to get on with it, get it over and done with, for Edward’s lovemaking was the last thing she wanted.
But it seemed to go on interminably, he smoothed the flat planes of her stomach with his hand, looking down at her with a strange look in his eyes.
‘I want to fill you with my child,’ he said softly, ‘give you babies, Hari, then you will be satisfied to be at home with me instead of playing the fool with Craig and this shoemaking business.’
When he came to her at last, she knew she was cold and unresponsive, much as she tried to summon passion, her body refused to comply. But Edward did not realize that he was unwelcome and how could Hari explain that she felt as though he was smothering, suffocating her.
At last, it was over and she rose from the bed and spent a great deal of time in the dressing-room adjoining the master bedroom. She heard Edward leave the bedroom and then she dressed herself with trembling fingers.
She did not go down to supper but summoned the maid to light a fire in the bedroom, she knew the girl’s curiosity was aroused but she didn’t care.
When eventually Edward came upstairs, he was smiling and a little the worse for drink, Hari could smell the port on his breath quite strongly. He went into his dressing-room and she heard him make preparations for bed and she closed her eyes wearily.
How could she go on like this, dreading Edward’s touch, hating it when he caressed her? She would have to tell him the truth, perhaps move into the spare bedroom and yet hadn’t she agreed on her wedding day to be obedient to him in all things?
At last, she crawled into bed beside him and tried to sleep but the morning light was streaking the skies before she at last closed her eyes.
When she arose, feeling as though she’d had no rest at all, there was a note from Edward telling her he had gone to Bristol on business and he would return within the week. Hari sighed heavily with relief.
It was William who told her of the gossip that was circulating Swansea society via the servants’ quarters.
‘They’re saying that you are carrying on with Mr Craig Grenfell behind your husband’s back, Hari,’ Will said softly, ‘seen out to tea together and then him coming to the house a lot. Sorry to be the one to tell you.’
‘
I’m
glad you’ve come to me, Will,’ Hari said, ‘and I needn’t tell you that none of it is true, need I?’
‘No, you needn’t!’ William said fiercely. ‘You are a real lady, Hari, not like these rich fancy pieces who say one thing and do another.’
‘Will,’ Hari said softly, ‘are you grown too old for a hug?’
Will put his arms around her and hugged her and Hari became aware that he was growing up, he was almost a man now, the lines of his face were losing the childish softness and hardening into an expression of determination and strength.
‘My brother,’ Hari said in a choked voice, ‘I might have known you would believe in me.’
‘Of course I believe in you. Now what are you going to do, let the gossips spoil your life or will you go ahead with the business you were planning?’
Hari smiled suddenly, ‘What do you think?’
Will returned her smile. ‘In that case, you will want to keep the appointment Mr Grenfell asked me to make with you?’
‘When for?’ Hari asked in surprise.
‘In about five minutes’ time in the tea-rooms where everyone can see you.’ William smiled. ‘There’s a cab waiting outside.’
‘Will,’ Hari said, ‘has anyone ever told you, you’re a bossy boots? But I love you just the same.’ She took up her shawl. ‘I want you to come with me, Will, from now on you are going to take a more active part in the management of the business and this is as good a time as any for you to start learning.’
Together, they left the house and, as Hari climbed into the cab, she glanced back and, seeing the face of the maid framed in the window, stared back at her coldly. ‘She will have to go,’ she said to Will.
Craig was sitting waiting for her, he rose when she entered the tea-rooms and Hari felt that every eye was upon her. She held her head high, aware of Will’s reassuring presence at her side.
‘
Bore da
, Craig,’ she said taking a seat. He smiled at her warmly.
‘And good-day to you, Hari, I’m happy to see you.’
‘You are aware of the gossip I’m sure,’ Hari said and Craig nodded.
‘Of course, but then gossip never worried me unduly; after being in prison, having my name trailed through the mud, I am impervious to gossip.’
He leaned forward. ‘Let’s forget the rest of Swansea, let us talk of our future plans for the business, I’m sure we shall make an unqualified success of it.’
Hari suddenly felt warm, his tone inspired her and, for the first time in days, the future seemed to hold the promise of hope.
19
Emily surveyed the crowded shop with satisfaction. At first the customers had come to Emily’s Emporium out of curiosity, eager to see the boots and shoes brought up from Mr Clark’s factory in Somerset. Then they had come to buy, admiring the fine leatherwork and neat machine stitching that was a feature of the Clark’s footwear.
‘Good-day Emily, I see you are no longer making bespoke boots and shoes but these, these
manufactured
articles.’
‘Good-day Lady Caroline, and of course we are only selling the best these days, no longer do you have to wait several weeks for a special pair of shoes, your demands can be met immediately.’
Lady Caroline sniffed. ‘My daughter has such delicate feet you know, she can only wear
hand
-made leatherwork. I don’t see how any machine could gauge the exact measurements of my Lisa’s little feet.’
‘You must bring her in and let her try some shoes for herself,’ Emily said a trifle acidly. Her patience with the snobbish attitude of people like Lady Caroline was fast wearing thin.
The woman drew herself up to her full height. ‘I have always known what’s best for my daughter, thank you very much. I shall patronize that talented shoemaker Hari Morris in future.’
Emily looked at her sharply. ‘But I didn’t know Hari was making shoes these days.’ She could have bitten out her tongue as soon as she had spoken because a gloating smile came over Lady Caroline’s face.
‘Oh yes, she has set up a business backed by the Grenfell Leather Company, they have taken over some lovely new premises in the High Street.’
She looked round. ‘Not cluttered like this place, mind, oh no. In Hari Morris’s shop there are sensible chairs to sit on and footstools where you can be measured in comfort. There you are given personal attention, not expected to buy boots and shoes made on silly machines and from outside Wales at that.’
Lady Caroline, having gained the attention of many of the other shoppers, moved out of the door like a ship in full sail, her skirts billowing behind her.
Damn Hari, Emily thought, seeing with dismay that customers were leaving her shop, influenced by the arrogant attitude of Lady Caroline.
‘Anything wrong, Miss Emily?’ Sarah Miller had returned to Emily’s employ as soon as possible once the business got under way again. She was happier working for Emily than she had been for Hari, she knew a lady when she saw one.

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