Finders and Keepers (22 page)

When he thought no one was watching him, Harry glanced down the pew. Mary Ellis sat bolt upright, her eyes fixed on the minister. Luke, who fell asleep soon after they sat down, stayed asleep. Matthew was playing with a home-made catapult he'd hidden beneath his hymnal. Martha could barely stand to sing the hymns, and whenever David opened his hymnal, Harry noticed that it was always on the wrong page, but it didn't matter because the boy was word perfect.

When the collection plate came around, he slipped in two shillings and sent it on, earning himself a thump in his side from David. It was only then that he saw the edge of a copper penny protruding from the boy's fist.

Wondering if he'd ever do anything right where the Ellises were concerned, Harry was glad when the minister declared the service over and the organist began playing a mournful instrumental that sounded like a requiem to accompany the congregation's exit.

He stepped back to allow the Ellis family to precede him. An elderly deacon stood beside the minister at the door. Just like the minister, he was a small, withered scrap of a man. He also looked as though he'd never had a bath in his life, but in contrast to his neighbours, his clothes were new and expensive and he was wearing a gold watch chain that Harry presumed was attached to a watch.

A young woman who might have been his granddaughter stood behind him, easily the best-dressed woman in the congregation. Harry recognized her black silk frock, silk-trimmed cloche hat and black patent crossbar shoes as the height of current fashion. An enormous bow with a garish centre of diamante, at odds with the elegant cut of her outfit, decorated the belt at her hips. But it was her jewellery that attracted his attention. A Victorian gold and blue enamelled fob watch was pinned to her chest and an unusual antique gold locket hung around her neck.

‘Mary Ellis!' the deacon exclaimed when Mary stepped into the porch. Mary stopped in her tracks and held Luke closer to her.

‘You bring a strange man into our chapel -'

‘Please, allow me to introduce myself.' Harry pushed through the crowd until he stood between Mary and the deacon. He held out his hand to the minister. ‘Harry Evans. Pleased to make your acquaintance, sir. My grandfather is a patient at Craig-y-Nos, and I am lodging with Mrs Edwards at the inn so I can remain close to him. I trust you have no objection to my worshipping here when I visit the Swansea Valley?'

A few murmurs and nods of acknowledgement greeted Harry's announcement, and he recognized a few faces from the bar. The minister had little choice but to respond to his courteous approach by shaking the hand he offered.

‘Mr Penry.'

‘Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr Penry, sir.'

Although Harry avoided looking directly at the deacon, he was conscious of the hostile glare he was sending his way. He offered him his hand. ‘Harry Evans.'

‘Mr Williams.' The man gave Harry a limp, damp handshake.

‘You are a Baptist, Mr Evans?' the minister asked.

‘My family is from Pontypridd but I have been studying at Oxford for the last three years,' Harry replied evasively. ‘My tutor was Doctor Esau Morgan.'

‘Doctor Morgan? You know Doctor Esau Morgan?' The minister beamed at the mention of the name. Esau Morgan had been Harry's English tutor, but he was also a leading Baptist and composer of many rousing hymns. A fact Harry had totally disregarded until that moment.

‘Extremely well, sir.' Harry returned the minister's smile. ‘An erudite, learned man and a leader in his field. And an inspiring teacher.'

‘Indeed.' The minister nodded enthusiastic agreement. ‘You are very fortunate to know him personally, Mr Evans. I know him only by repute.'

‘He helped me considerably with my studies.' Harry turned to David, wrapped his arm around his shoulders and pulled him forward. ‘Miss Adams at Craig-y-Nos introduced me to David Ellis, and he was kind enough to allow me to accompany his family here today.'

‘David.' The minister acknowledged the boy before turning back to Harry. ‘On behalf of myself, the deacons and the entire congregation, may I welcome you to our chapel, Mr Evans. I hope we will see you again.'

‘You most certainly will, Mr Penry. I found your sermon extremely interesting.' Harry kept hold of David.

‘It is kind of you to say so.'

‘Mr Williams,' Harry turned to the deacon, ‘it has been a pleasure to meet you.'

‘Has it?' Not so easily won over by Harry's charm as the minister, the deacon glared at Mary. ‘You know that Mr Pritchard won't be happy about this, girl.'

‘Who is Mr Pritchard, and why won't he be happy, sir?' Harry asked.

‘Mr Pritchard is the land agent for E&G Estates. He collects the rents.' The deacon paused so the full effect of his words could sink in. ‘When the tenants pay it.'

Harry would have loved to tell the man he was an ill-mannered boor, but he managed to restrain himself. ‘And what has Miss Ellis done to make him unhappy?'

‘She knows,' the deacon answered mysteriously before turning his back and stomping off. The expensively-dressed young woman nodded a goodbye to the minister and followed him.

‘Good evening, Mr Penry.' Harry recalled another helpful name. ‘I will write and tell Mr Armitage in Pontypridd how much I enjoyed your service.'

‘You know Mr Armitage, the Baptist minister in Pontypridd as well?'

‘Of course, everyone in Pontypridd does. He is a well-respected and charitable man.' Harry tipped his hat to the minister and the ladies. ‘David, it's time to drive your sisters and brothers home.'

‘Damn Ianto Williams -'

‘David, I told you I won't have you using language like that, especially in front of the little ones,' Mary shouted from the back seat, where she had sat with Matthew, Martha and Luke. Hoping to appease David, Harry had offered him the passenger seat in the front of the car.

David crossed his arms mutinously and muttered a perfunctory, ‘I'm sorry.'

Harry looked at him. ‘So who is Ianto Williams and why does he think that he has the right to tell your sister what to do?' he said, too low for Mary to hear.

‘He's Bob the Gob's right-hand man.'

‘Sorry, I don't understand – Bob the Gob?'

‘He's the agent,' David answered abruptly, as if Harry should have known. ‘Just because we owe him rent, he thinks he owns us, especially Mary. I told you not to come to chapel with us.'

‘David, you, your sister and your family have the right to do whatever you want and go anywhere you want to, with anyone you choose.'

‘Not in Bob the Gob's eyes. Or Ianto Williams'. I bet he'll tittle-tattle to the agent first chance he gets. Did you see the locket and watch the deacon's wife was wearing?'

‘That was his wife?' It was just as well that Harry was driving slowly, because he turned to David in disbelief.

‘They were my mother's.'

‘You had to sell them?'

‘Bloody Bob the Gob took my mother's jewellery box after she died without even asking. The next time we saw those pieces,
she
was wearing them. The bitch.'

If Mary heard her brother's outburst in the back of the car, she let it pass that time. They drove the rest of the way in silence. When Harry stopped outside the farmhouse, they filed out. Mary and Martha were the only ones to murmur, ‘Thank you.'

It wasn't until Harry was passing Craig-y-Nos on the return journey that he remembered where and when he had heard the name Ianto Williams. He had met his Aunty Megan's father and his second wife without even realizing it. Perhaps he should have revealed the connection.

Then he recalled what his stepfather and Uncle Victor had said about the man, and decided it was just as well he hadn't known who he was. It wouldn't have done him any good, and he might have done the Ellises even more harm than he already had by attending chapel with them.

‘I can just imagine you sitting between David and Mary Ellis in chapel,' Diana laughed. ‘Both of them scowling, and you cringing, terrified they'd attack you again, even in a pew.'

‘I knew they wouldn't dare hit me in chapel.' Harry sat next to her on the grassy river bank. He untied his shoelaces, slipped off his shoes and socks, hitched up his trousers and dangled his feet in the water.

‘That's a good idea.' She lifted her skirt, unclipped her suspenders, rolled off her stockings and followed suit. ‘Ow! It's icy.'

‘Now who's being a coward?' Harry leaned back, stretched out his hands to support himself and gazed up at the sun sinking slowly towards the mountains. ‘I'd give a great deal to be able to capture that on canvas.'

‘You'll have to come here again and try. But then, tomorrow night it will look entirely different,' she said philosophically. ‘I've walked along this river almost every dry evening since I joined my father in Craig-y-Nos, and no two sunsets are ever alike.'

‘You said my grandfather had a good day.'

‘Yes, but I also said that you are not to nag me about seeing him. My father will decide whether or not your grandfather can have visitors. And he won't give or withhold his permission until the morning when he knows what kind of night Mr Evans has had.'

‘I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pressurize you.' He leaned forward and watched the clear sparkling water flow over the brown pebbles on the riverbed. ‘I'm worried sick about him. I know it's illogical, but it seems disloyal to be sitting here enjoying this beautiful evening with you when he and Edyth … that's my sister,' he explained, realizing there was no point in trying to keep her illness from Diana any longer.

‘She's ill as well?' Diana asked in concern.

‘And in hospital. She fell downstairs the same day my grandfather haemorrhaged and hasn't regained consciousness since. I telephoned my father after I took the Ellises home this evening, but there's been no change in her condition.'

‘No change means no change for the worse, as well as for the better,' she reminded him sympathetically. ‘As for being disloyal, I'm sure that neither your grandfather nor your sister would want you to mope. It certainly wouldn't do them – or you – any good.'

He gave her a small smile. ‘Thank you for that. You'll make a good doctor.'

‘Soon, I hope.' She looked around. ‘It's beautiful here. In some ways I'll be sorry to return to London for my final year.'

‘When are you going?'

‘Just as soon as my father can engage a replacement.'

‘You'll come back here when you qualify?' He reached for her hand.

‘Perhaps one day but not for a few years.' She squeezed his fingers lightly. ‘I intend to specialize in lung disease and my father is universally acknowledged as one of the best practitioners in the field,' she said, ‘but I'd like to go to Switzerland and work in one of the clinics there. Some of them are making enormous strides forward in the treatment of tuberculosis.'

He would have liked to ask her where that left him. But although he found her easy to talk to, he felt their relationship was far too new and fragile to make any plans for the future. Instead he kissed her gently on the lips.

‘Mmm, that was nice,' she murmured, ‘but there's a more secluded and sheltered copse around that bend. You could paddle there.'

‘The water is freezing.'

‘That's why I said
you
could paddle there.' She wrapped her arms around his neck. ‘Carry me.'

He looked at her.

‘Please,' she smiled. ‘I'm not that heavy.'

‘And if I slip and drop you in the river?'

‘We'll have to find something to do until my clothes dry out.'

*……*……*

George Adams sat behind his desk, poised, and upright, his attention focused on Harry, who was outlining all the reasons why he thought he should be allowed to see his grandfather. Yet the doctor still managed to exude the impatience of a man with more claims on his time than he could possibly fulfil.

‘He will have been here for a full two days this afternoon, and I can't see how I could possibly harm him by putting my head around the door of his room and saying a quick hello,' Harry said forcefully. ‘And afterwards I'll be able to reassure my family, who weren't here long enough to see your facilities for themselves, that he is being well looked after. Besides,' he added quickly when the doctor looked as though he were about to say something, ‘it's not as if my grandfather isn't used to company. He's lived with my uncle, his wife and their four sons for the last twelve years. And we're close, always visiting one another. My father said that he and my uncles are worried about how he's settling in. He rang me at the inn last night and told me -'

‘Yes.'

‘Pardon?' Thrown by the doctor's interruption, Harry looked blankly at him.

‘I said yes, Mr Evans. You can see your grandfather for ten minutes, but on condition you leave immediately if he shows any signs of fatigue. And,' he added firmly, ‘you do not touch him.'

Unable to believe he'd heard correctly, Harry said, ‘You mean it?'

‘My daughter warned me after you called yesterday morning that you would be nothing if not persistent. So you may see Mr William Evans for ten minutes this morning,' the doctor reiterated formally. ‘Any future visit will depend entirely on the medical impact this one has on
my
patient.'

‘Thank you.' Harry was astounded at his success.

Dr Adams rang the bell on his desk. A nurse appeared in the office doorway. ‘Give Mr Evans a gown and mask before taking him up to Mr William Evans's room, Nurse.'

‘Yes, Doctor.' The nurse dropped a curtsy.

Harry followed her to the cupboard, slipped the gown she handed him over his clothes and tied the mask around his neck. He pulled it over his nose and mouth when they entered the lift.