The Royal Lacemaker (23 page)

‘Hold on a minute,' Lily
puffed, trying to keep up with him. ‘What was all that about?'

‘Nothing,' he muttered
tersely, not relaxing his stride. However, she was thinking back to her earlier
conversation in the workroom. Seaton Hole? Wasn't that where they'd said
the wrecking had taken place, and hadn't one of them mentioned jewels being
plundered?

‘Tom Westlake, stop this very
minute,' she ordered.

‘Sorry, gal, I wasn't
thinking,' he said, duly slowing down and smiling at her.

Lily stared him straight in the eye.
‘Tell me honestly, Tom, this ring you've given me, did you buy it from a
jewellery shop?'

‘Why do you ask?' he said,
looking down at the ground.

‘Well, it seems mighty funny
you've not been able to give me a betrothal ring before today.'

‘What do you mean, funny?'
he said, peering back down the beach.

‘Well, I don't mean funny ha
ha, Tom Westlake. I mean funny peculiar.' She was getting cross at his
evasiveness.

‘I'm not with
you.'

‘No, and you weren't last
night, were you?'

‘Stop talking in daft riddles, and
explain what you mean.'

‘I mean, Tom
Westlake, it's funny peculiar that, after all the months we've been
betrothed, you suddenly produce a ring the night after a vessel was wrecked. A
vessel that was plundered at Seaton Hole, and only a minute since someone called out
that they'd seen you there.' Her voice sounded shrill in the night air,
and when she came to a halt there was an ominous silence.

‘What are you insinuating,
Lily?' Tom asked, his voice dangerously low.

‘I'm saying, Tom Westlake,
that I have no wish to associate with someone who stoops as low as stealing. So you
can take your ring back, you wrecker, you,' she shouted, tearing it from her
finger and throwing it to the ground where it lay winking up at her like a drunken
eye. He stood looking at her for a long moment, and even in the darkness she could
see his lips were set in a tight line.

‘If that's what you think of
me, Lily Rose, then there's nothing more to be said,' he retorted as he
bent down and snatched up the ring. Before she could answer, he stormed off into the
darkness.

She stood watching his receding figure
and the tears coursed down her cheeks. How could he be involved with anything so
horrible? She'd always thought he was an honourable man. Angrily, she wiped
her cheeks with the back of her hand and made her way to Picky Pike's. How
could such an exciting evening have ended this way?

Letting herself indoors, she crept up
the stairs to her room, hoping Mrs Bodney had returned to her own cottage, for she
desperately needed to be alone with her thoughts. Throwing herself on her bed, she
stared at the stars twinkling through the skylight. To think just a short
time ago she was feeling on top of the world. She closed her
eyes, but the image of Tom's hurt expression haunted her.

Knowing she would never sleep, she
peered round the room, noticing her things strewn about the floor. She'd been
in such a hurry to meet Tom earlier she'd left her clothes where she'd
stepped out of them. Slowly, she got to her feet and began tidying them away in the
tin chest. As she smoothed out the material, her hand touched something hard. It was
her mum's Bible, and lying inside was the letter from Aunt Elizabeth.
She'd forgotten to ask Mary to read it to her. Tomorrow was the Sabbath so it
would have to wait until Monday now.

The church clock chimed one and she
realized that it was the Sabbath already. Remembering her vow to visit Beth, she
thought about setting out early, but the idea of walking along the track used by the
owlers before honest folk were about made her shudder. It wasn't as if Tom was
there to protect her. Her heart twisted as if she'd been stabbed with a knife,
but she could never marry a wrecker and a thief. It was morally wrong and she had
her pride.

Peasants may have pride, Lily, but
remember pride cometh before a fall, young lady
. As she heard her
father's voice, she jumped. He sounded so angry.

‘You were the one who taught me
right from wrong, Father, so I don't know why you are cross,' she
whispered, peering up at the stars.

I warned you about making impulsive judgements. Look before you leap, Lily.

As his voice petered out, she sat back
on her bed, mulling over what he'd said. She lost all track of time, so it
might have been minutes or hours later that she heard a rustling
noise outside her door. She shivered. Was someone lurking outside? Then a branch
dashed against the window and she chided herself. It was only the wind freshening.
Diving under the covers, she pulled them right up over her head.

‘Why did you do it, Tom? It
wasn't as if I needed a ring,' she cried, the salty tears dampening the
loose tresses of her hair.

She must have fallen into a restless
sleep, for streaks of grey and yellow were filtering through the skylight when she
opened her eyes. Feeling heavy-headed as well as heavy-hearted, she rose and tidied
herself as best she could.

Then, thinking to freshen her face at
the pump, she threw open her door, nearly tripping over a package on the landing.
Frowning, she pulled at the tie, gasping in amazement when she saw inside the most
exquisite pair of brown boots with cherry-red stitching.

‘Oh my,' she murmured,
picking them up and caressing the soft skin. She heard a chuckle and saw Mrs Bodney
smiling at her from the bottom of the stairs.

‘There, didn't I tell you
Rupert had a surprise for you?'

‘You mean these really are for
me?' she asked, hardly daring to believe her good fortune. They were fashioned
from the finest-quality leather and would have cost more than she'd ever be
able to afford.

‘Well, put them on and come and
show me,' Mrs Bodney said, laughing at the bemused expression on Lily's
face. Obeying, she gently eased her feet into them, marvelling at their softness.
Then, fingers fumbling with excitement, she
tied the laces and
took a few steps along the landing. They fitted like gloves and felt so comfortable
she almost floated down the stairs.

‘Well, Lily, there's no
denying you've landed on your feet, as it were, pardoning my pun, of course.
It will be good to see you properly attired in my workroom tomorrow.'

‘But I couldn't possibly
keep them. The ones Albert sized me for should be ready soon.'

‘I think you misunderstand, Lily.
These are as well as the hobnailed ones you ordered. When Rupert heard how enchanted
you were with the boots Albert had made for her ladyship, he gave instruction that a
similar pair be made for you. He has already settled his dues so there can be no
argument.'

‘Oh, but I couldn't possibly
accept—' Lily began.

‘Fiddlesticks,' said Mrs
Bodney, waving her hands in the air. ‘The dear man wants to treat you, and my
advice is that you act like a lady and accept his gift graciously. And, of course,
be extra nice to him when next you meet,' she added, winking at Lily

Remembering how he'd beamed when
she'd smiled at him, Lily thought this would be very easy to do.

‘Now,' Mrs Bodney said
briskly, ‘how are you spending this Sabbath? Off somewhere nice with Tom, no
doubt. It's probably best if you're discreet about those boots, if you
know what I mean,' she added, tapping the side of her nose with her
finger.

At the mention of Tom's name,
Lily's good mood vanished.

‘I'm going to visit Beth in
Coombe,' she said carefully,
but there must have been
something strange in her voice for Mrs Bodney studied her closely.

‘Ah, your little sister; you must
miss her.'

‘Yes, I do,' Lily agreed.
‘But as Aunt Elizabeth said, she's better off with Mrs Goode.
She's at home all day and then, of course, Beth has Harriet to play
with.'

Mrs Bodney was nodding her head but her
mind was already on other matters. ‘Well, don't let me keep you.
I'll see you bright and early tomorrow in the workroom then; complete with new
boots.' She looked meaningfully at Lily's feet.

‘Yes, Mrs Bodney,' Lily
answered, fleeing back upstairs to the safety of her room.

Now she was committed to keeping the
boots. Exquisite they may be, but it didn't sit well with her that Rupert had
paid for them. Heedless of the expensive leather, she kicked them off and stepped
into her old ones. Men – why did they make life so difficult?

As she made the arduous trek to Coombe,
she fretted and fumed so that by the time she reached Mrs Goode's cottage she
hardly knew how she'd got there.

‘Lily,' Beth shrieked, as
she was shown inside. ‘Come and see what I've made,' she hopped up
and down excitedly so that, despite her low mood, Lily couldn't help smiling.
She duly admired the lace her sister had made, which, for a four-year-old, was very
good indeed and of saleable quality.

‘Well done, Beth,' she said,
trying to inject some enthusiasm into her voice.

‘She'll be earning her keep
before much longer,' said Mrs Goode, smiling and ruffling the little
girl's hair.
‘Which is more than can be said for this
little rogue,' she added fondly as Harriet appeared carrying Tiger the tabby
cat.

‘I do wish you'd let me give
you something for looking after her, Mrs Goode. I feel mean when I'm earning
good money. I could afford to pay you something on a regular basis,' she said,
putting her hand in her pocket and drawing out her money pouch.

Mrs Goode shook her head. ‘Put it
away, Lily. You know right well that neighbours help each other out, not take money.
Besides, you gave me that lace job, which I got paid nicely for, thank you. No, you
keep your wages for when you're wed.'

Lily sighed and sat down on the hearth
beside Beth.

‘So what's up then,
Lily?' Mrs Goode asked, eyeing her shrewdly. ‘Do you want to tell me
what's weighing you down, apart from that heavy money pouch of course?'
she said, jokingly.

Lily shrugged. ‘Men, they're
just no good,' she burst out, then flushed guiltily as she remembered the
other woman had lost her husband the previous year. Yet, Mrs Goode just smiled
knowingly.

‘They're not all bad, ducks.
Whatever your Tom's done, happen it'll all come out in the wash,'
she said, patting Lily on the shoulder. ‘Now come through to the kitchen.
I've a nice bit of stew cooking. Time for nuncheon, girls,' she shouted
over her shoulder and, cat following, they came charging, almost knocking Lily over
in their haste.

Listening to their incessant chatter as
they wolfed down their food, Lily realized that Beth was truly happy here and was
amazed at how much she ate. Although she had
little appetite
herself, for the sake of good manners she forced down a few mouthfuls. However, Mrs
Goode wasn't fooled.

‘Whatever's ailing you,
Lily, you'd best get it sorted, and soon, for that frown on your forehead will
turn into a huge wrinkle if the wind changes.'

‘Sorry, Mrs Goode, I'm a
right wet rag, I know,' she said, sighing and getting to her feet.
‘I'd best be getting back. I need to get everything sorted for the
morrow.'

‘Remember, if you want to talk,
well, I'm a good listener and one that can keep her mouth shut,' Grace
Goode added, smiling gently.

‘You'll come and see me
again soon, won't you, Lily?' Beth asked, hopping up and down.

‘Of course I will,' she
said, tweaking the girl's silky hair. ‘Maybe I'll even bring you a
little present, if you're good.'

‘Now, don't you go worrying
about young Beth,' Mrs Goode said, showing Lily out. ‘She's
settled in now and, like I told your aunt, she does a fine job of keeping Harriet
out of my hair whilst I'm working.'

Lily smiled. ‘You're very
kind, Mrs Goode. It's a relief to know she's happy and being so well
looked after. Aunt Elizabeth said she would be better off living with you, and she
was right. I'll visit again as soon as I'm able, though,' she
added, throwing her shawl around her and beginning her journey back to
Bransbeer.

The next week passed in a blur as Mrs
Bodney, worried the commission wasn't going to be completed in time, had taken
to appearing suddenly in the workroom. The ladies, already working as diligently as
they could, became
restless and tempers were frayed. To make
matters worse, the weather had been humid and the workroom was stifling. Mrs Bodney
had said a storm was in the offing and as she wearily made her way to the workroom
on the Saturday morning Lily could hear raindrops pattering on the roof. Thank
goodness it was nearing the end of the week, she thought. At least they'd get
a break from each other.