Kingdom's Dream (30 page)

‘And your performance, in comparison with other women's, failed miserably.'

The carriage jerked to a halt and Jayne tried to calm the anger that filled her, but in that moment she hated Dafydd. ‘By the way,' she said, as she alighted, ‘I've managed to get hold of some more shares in the railway.' She smiled. ‘It seems I'm better at business than you are, my dear husband.'

Dafydd frowned as he followed her into her father's house. ‘Now,' she said, pausing, ‘we will behave as though nothing is wrong, shall we?' She was talking to Dafydd as if he was a child, but to her surprise he nodded.

‘If this evening is to be endured I'll play any part you like, even that of a devoted husband.'

Jayne looked at him and saw a handsome man, but a flawed one. She did not love him, probably had never loved him. Well, she had made her vow of chastity and would keep it.

Katie was in the hall ready to take the coats and she bobbed a curtsey, but Jayne scarcely noticed her. With her head held high, she made her way across the hall and into the drawing room, where her father was waiting. ‘Jayne, my dear child, you're looking remarkably well.' Eynon kissed her.

‘I am well indeed, Father.' She brushed aside the fringe of hair that fell over his forehead. ‘You need your hair cut. Why don't you get a good woman to look after you?'

Before her father could reply the door opened and Llinos Mainwaring entered the room on the arm of her husband. Jayne winced at the irony as she watched her father kiss Llinos's cheek and shake hands with Joe. The talk was general, though Jayne noticed that Dafydd spoke scarcely a word. She wondered if he was aware that his presence was unwelcome. Somehow, she doubted it.

Later, at supper, Jayne found herself beside Llinos. When the meal was over and the women withdrew she would have an opportunity to tell Llinos what a fool she had been ever to let Dafydd into her life. It was with false cheerfulness that she sat through the meal and talked and laughed. But her mind was racing and anger took away her appetite. Dafydd didn't notice: he was playing his part of happy husband to perfection. What a hypocrite he was. Looking at him now, she could see beneath his good looks and assured charm to the weak, foolish man she knew him to be.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Eynon was sitting in the sunlit window of the library with a book on his knee but he was not reading: he was thinking about Dafydd Buchan. The advice he'd given Jayne was sound: unless she turned a blind eye to her husband's moral lapses she would make a show of herself throughout Swansea. But he would not let the insult to his family pass without punishing Buchan.

He would have liked to damage the man financially but that seemed impossible: his business ventures were sound as a rock. Perhaps a good beating would make him regret hurting the daughter of Eynon Morton-Edwards.

The front-door bell rang. That would be Martin – he was due to arrive at any minute. Lucky man, all he required in life was to serve God, and put as much food into his belly as he could. Martin always had a soothing effect on him.

But it was not Martin. It was Jayne.

‘How lovely to see you, Jayne.' He hugged her. She was visiting him so often these days it was clear that she needed her father's support.

She disentangled herself from his arms. ‘It's bad news, Papa. Poor Ceri Buchan died at three o'clock this morning.'

‘I'm so sorry to hear that,' Eynon said. ‘He was always a gentleman and he will be sorely missed.'

‘Especially by his wife and children.' Jayne took a seat and fanned her hot cheeks with her hand. ‘I'm going to ask you a great favour. Will you come to the funeral?' She held up her hand. ‘I know how you feel about Dafydd, but this would be out of respect for Ceri and his family.'

‘Of course I'll come,' Eynon said, ‘so long as I don't have to play the fond father-in-law to his brother.' The bell rang again. ‘It will be Martin, this time,' he added. ‘He's fifteen minutes late.' He was relieved he wouldn't have to talk any more about Dafydd Buchan. ‘Martin, come and say hello to my beautiful daughter.'

‘You get more lovely each time I see you,' Father Martin said, and kissed Jayne's hand. He eased his great bulk into a chair and folded his hands across his belly. ‘I have to say, Jayne, how sorry I am about Ceri Buchan. I didn't know him well, but he was a fine man.'

‘A pity his brother wasn't cast from the same mould,' Eynon muttered. ‘Anyway, Martin, a glass of wine?'

A smile spread across the vicar's angelic face. ‘That sounds very good.'

‘I've just been asking Papa to come to the funeral with me.' Jayne looked to Father Martin for approval and he nodded.

‘And I expect he has agreed. No one has anything against poor Ceri Buchan.' Then Father Martin leaned forward. ‘And, Eynon, it looks like your Jayne has made a shrewd move in buying all those railway shares. They're going up at an amazing rate. Anyone who sells now will make a lot of money.'

‘But the shares will go on climbing for a long time yet,' Jayne put in. ‘I won't sell mine. Indeed, I might pick up some more when I talk to my friend at the bank.'

Eynon laughed. ‘Will you listen to my daughter, Martin? A woman with such a business sense, have you ever seen the like?'

‘Not since Llinos Mainwaring saved the pottery from ruin,' Father Martin said. ‘It seems you surround yourself with intelligent women, my friend.'

Eynon nodded, pleased. ‘Well, Jayne,' he said, ‘are you going to let your husband know that more shares are available? I understand he's desperate to lay his hands on some.'

‘No fear!'

Jayne had spoken so fiercely that Eynon laughed. ‘That's the spirit, girl! You're your father's daughter, all right, don't you agree, Martin?'

The clergyman held up his hand. ‘Don't drag me into this. I'm a man of the cloth and I'm supposed to forgive all sins.' His tone was stern but there was a twinkle in his eye. ‘And man might sin, but as long as he repents all must be forgiven him.'

‘Balderdash!' Eynon said. ‘Buchan has upset my daughter and I'll never forgive him.'

‘Well, then,' Father Martin said, ‘let's compromise and say you mean the man no harm. Be charitable, Eynon, for no man is without sin, not even me.'

‘Oh, Uncle Martin,' Jayne put her arms around his neck, ‘you haven't committed a sin in your life.'

‘But I have.' He patted his belly. ‘I commit the sin of gluttony every day of my life.'

‘Well,' Jayne got to her feet, ‘I'm not answering that! Anyway, I think I have urgent business at the bank.'

Eynon took Jayne in his arms. ‘Now, look after yourself, my dear, and let me know about the funeral when you have the details.'

When Jayne had gone he sank back into his chair. ‘I can't help it, Martin, but Buchan makes me so angry.'

‘Why?' the vicar asked gently. ‘Is it because of your daughter or our sweet Llinos?'

‘A bit of both, I suppose,' Eynon conceded. ‘Buchan has shamed my family publicly and he treats Jayne like a fool.'

‘And Llinos?'

‘You know what I feel about her. And how can I trust Buchan to look after Jayne when he brought Llinos nothing but shame?'

‘I know how you feel, old friend,' Father Martin nodded sagely, ‘but these things have a habit of resolving themselves. “As ye sow so shall ye reap”.'

‘Buchan has been getting away with things for far too long,' Eynon said. ‘I never liked the man and I never will.'

‘Leave it to Jayne. She will see that Buchan suffers for what he's done. Women have a way of meting out vengeance as a surgeon wields a knife.' When he smiled he looked more cherubic than ever. ‘That's why you see so many men patronising the local beer shops. And that reminds me, where is that drink you promised me?'

‘What do you say if we forget the wine and have something stronger?'

‘Excellent!'

Eynon poured him a generous quantity of brandy. ‘Now,' he said, ‘let's talk about anything but family matters, shall we?'

Jayne took the first opportunity to go to the bank for a meeting with Jason Prentice.

‘Good morning, my dear Mrs Buchan. Please take a seat.' He held the chair for her and Jayne smiled warmly up at him.

‘I appreciate all you've done for me, Mr Prentice.'

‘This time I could only manage to get a few shares. I wish it could have been more but other bankers have their sources too.' He leaned forward confidentially. ‘I heard on the grapevine that Mrs Llinos Mainwaring got there before us. However, I think these –' he took a sheaf of papers from his drawer ‘– will give you a strong voice in any negotiations into which the other shareholders might enter.'

‘I'm so grateful.' Jayne allowed her gloved hand to cover his.

‘I have to look after my best customers,' he mumbled. ‘And you, Mrs Buchan, are one of my dearest – I mean
very
best customers.'

‘Well,' Jayne removed her hand and stood up, ‘I'll not forget your kindness, Mr Prentice, and some time, I feel sure, I might be able to reward you for your astuteness and loyalty.'

She left the bank, feeling as though she was walking on air. The acquisition of the shares had been a good business move, another weapon in her armoury against her husband. Dafydd would learn that he couldn't play fast and loose with Jayne Morton-Edwards. One day he would discover that she was made of sterner stuff than he had ever imagined.

She wondered how in just a few months all her joy in marriage had vanished. It hadn't taken her long to learn that her husband was not the great man she thought him.

Dafydd stood beside his brother's grave and listened while Father Martin intoned the words that would send Ceri to his last resting place. He could hear women weeping and, indeed, tears blurred his own eyes. Ceri had fought a courageous battle against his sickness until it had overwhelmed him.

He was relieved when the service ended and the mourners began to leave the cemetery. Jayne was walking ahead of him, her arm around one of Ceri's children. His mouth tightened. They would never have children of their own, not while she kept him out of her bedroom, but short of forcing himself on her there was nothing he could do.

Father Martin fell into step beside him. ‘Once again may I offer my condolences, Mr Buchan?'

‘Thank you, Father,' Dafydd said.

They walked in silence for a moment. Then the clergyman stopped and looked at him. ‘Still, you have your lovely wife to comfort you. Jayne is a clever woman, and it's easy to underestimate her.'

Dafydd looked at him sharply.

Martin smiled beatifically. ‘I'm impressed with Jayne's business sense – it's unusual in a well-brought-up young lady. She's acquired even more shares in the Great Western Railway while I . . .' he shrugged ‘. . . would not be able to buy even one.'

Dafydd digested the fact that, once again, Jayne had outwitted him. She knew he wanted some of the shares and it was her wifely duty to tell him if there were some on offer. He endured the traditional after-funeral tea with scant patience – he couldn't wait to let Jayne know how angry he was. He glanced at her and saw that her cheeks were blooming. If he did not know better he would say she had a lover.

At last it was time to leave his brother's house. He patted his sister-in-law's shoulder and kissed her cheek. ‘Try to rest for a while,' he said. ‘You look all in.'

‘Thank you for your support, Dafydd,' she said gently. ‘You've been a pillar of strength.'

He climbed into the carriage and seated himself beside Jayne. ‘Thank heaven that's over,' he said feelingly. ‘I never could stand funerals.'

‘I'm sorry,' Jayne said. ‘I know you're going to miss Ceri badly.' She sounded truly sad. ‘He was a lovely man but, then, the Lord seems always to take the good ones first.'

He glanced at her to see if she was being sarcastic but there was real sympathy in her eyes. He touched her hand, but she snatched it away. ‘For heaven's sake, Jayne! I
am
your husband.'

‘I can't forget that I'm tied to you, can I, Dafydd? I despise you and all you stand for.'

‘I have noticed,' he said. ‘Is that why you grab all the shares in the Great Western Railway like a greedy child?'

She shook her head. ‘Do you know something, Dafydd? I actually feel sorry for you at this moment.'

‘Well, you needn't waste your pity on me. I can easily do without your wifely duties but trying to best me in business is insulting to say the least.'

Jayne relaxed against the upholstery and actually smiled. ‘That's what you can't forgive, isn't it? That I succeeded where you failed.'

‘It was not business acumen that brought you those shares but your ability to make sheep's eyes at that fellow at the bank. And your father's influence didn't go amiss either.'

Jayne's laugh grated on his nerves. ‘What's funny about that?' he demanded, feeling that the argument was slipping away from him.

‘I'm laughing because I used my feminine attributes
as well as
my brain to get what I wanted, and you don't like it.'

She looked so lovely with her pale hair lifted from her face and her large eyes bright with triumph that for the first time he felt a real desire to make love to her.

‘Look,' she said, more gently, ‘I might be able to get my hands on one or two of the shares for you if you like.'

He was silent, not wanting to be beholden to his wife.