will take a long time.”
*
Esther Hancock let him in and, with a tentative smile, ushered him in the direction of William’s study. He noted with interest how her hand came down to rest on her belly, had his suspicions confirmed when she blushed at his questioning glance.
“Are you well?” He liked Esther, and to his eye she looked peaked, dark smudges under her eyes. She just smiled and opened the door for him.
The interview with William did not go well, at least not at first, but once Esther interrupted their loud quarrel by inviting them to supper, they settled down to attempting to find a solution rather than apportioning blame.
“How is Betty?” Esther asked once supper had been cleared away.
“Well enough. She’s an easy lass to like.”
Esther nodded, and, for an instant, her face fell apart into an expression of utter misery before she collected herself. The mother was pining for her daughter – far more than the daughter was pining for the mother. Mayhap to be expected; in particular given Esther’s pregnant state. Esther ducked her head, thereby avoiding Matthew’s eyes, and scraped at a non-existent stain on the tabletop.
“Is she…?” she asked.
Matthew shook his head. “Nay, she isn’t with child.”
“Thank the Lord for small mercies.” William stood and disappeared into his office, returning with a small flask of brandy.
“It will be relatively simple,” William explained, topping up two glasses. “The vows can be annulled, and if we ensure Betty is married at some distance from here, no one need ever know.”
“She doesn’t want to annul the marriage.” Matthew twirled his glass. He raised his eyes to meet William’s irritated glare. “And if she doesn’t want to then I won’t see it done. My lad will stand by her and, until he’s back, I’ll care for her as my own.”
“And how long do you propose she wait?” William sat back and regarded Matthew in silence. “When does she give Jacob up as lost?”
Matthew’s throat constricted at the thought. “He isn’t lost,” he said, setting the glass back untouched on the table. “It’s an unkindness to insinuate he might be.”
William made a small sound. “It’s not my intent to hurt you, Brother Matthew. I know the pain of losing a son…five we’ve lost.” His eyes flew to his wife for an instant before returning to Matthew. “My intention is rather to protect my daughter. Is she to live forever in hope? See the years go by, let her life slip through her fingers as she waits for one who may be dead – who may have found himself a new life far from here?”
“If he does, he’ll write. My lad wouldn’t want his mother to spend her remaining years wondering where he may have ended up.”
“If he can,” William said, “but sometimes life happens.”
“William!” Esther hissed. Matthew closed his eyes for instant, seconds in which his brain was taken over by graphic images of what fates might befall his son.
*
Well over an hour later, Matthew shouldered his way into Mrs Malone’s. As always, the inn was full of male patrons, some like him there for the beer, others for the lasses. From the kitchen came enticing smells of baked onions and sausages, the whores smelled abundantly of perfume, and the men reeked of lust and grime. Matthew made his way over the floor, ducking here and there to avoid the lanterns that suffused the room in a hazy golden light – most becoming to the whores, some of whom were getting on a bit. One of the wenches came dancing towards him, her cleavage so generous he could see most of her heavy breasts. She simpered at him, but Matthew waved her away and ordered a beer.
Matthew sat down in a dark corner to nurse his drink and his foul mood. These last few days hadn’t been good days, what with Alex holding back on him, wee Daniel setting sail, the damned Burleys, and then this long conversation with Hancock. In the end, they’d decided that, for now, nothing would be
*
Esther Hancock let him in and, with a tentative smile, ushered him in the direction of William’s study. He noted with interest how her hand came down to rest on her belly, had his suspicions confirmed when she blushed at his questioning glance.
“Are you well?” He liked Esther, and to his eye she looked peaked, dark smudges under her eyes. She just smiled and opened the door for him.
The interview with William did not go well, at least not at first, but once Esther interrupted their loud quarrel by inviting them to supper, they settled down to attempting to find a solution rather than apportioning blame.
“How is Betty?” Esther asked once supper had been cleared away.
“Well enough. She’s an easy lass to like.”
Esther nodded, and, for an instant, her face fell apart into an expression of utter misery before she collected herself. The mother was pining for her daughter – far more than the daughter was pining for the mother. Mayhap to be expected; in particular given Esther’s pregnant state. Esther ducked her head, thereby avoiding Matthew’s eyes, and scraped at a non-existent stain on the tabletop.
“Is she…?” she asked.
Matthew shook his head. “Nay, she isn’t with child.”
“Thank the Lord for small mercies.” William stood and disappeared into his office, returning with a small flask of brandy.
“It will be relatively simple,” William explained, topping up two glasses. “The vows can be annulled, and if we ensure Betty is married at some distance from here, no one need ever know.”
“She doesn’t want to annul the marriage.” Matthew twirled his glass. He raised his eyes to meet William’s irritated glare. “And if she doesn’t want to then I won’t see it done. My lad will stand by her and, until he’s back, I’ll care for her as my own.”
“And how long do you propose she wait?” William sat back and regarded Matthew in silence. “When does she give Jacob up as lost?”
Matthew’s throat constricted at the thought. “He isn’t lost,” he said, setting the glass back untouched on the table. “It’s an unkindness to insinuate he might be.”
William made a small sound. “It’s not my intent to hurt you, Brother Matthew. I know the pain of losing a son…five we’ve lost.” His eyes flew to his wife for an instant before returning to Matthew. “My intention is rather to protect my daughter. Is she to live forever in hope? See the years go by, let her life slip through her fingers as she waits for one who may be dead – who may have found himself a new life far from here?”
“If he does, he’ll write. My lad wouldn’t want his mother to spend her remaining years wondering where he may have ended up.”
“If he can,” William said, “but sometimes life happens.”
“William!” Esther hissed. Matthew closed his eyes for instant, seconds in which his brain was taken over by graphic images of what fates might befall his son.
*
Well over an hour later, Matthew shouldered his way into Mrs Malone’s. As always, the inn was full of male patrons, some like him there for the beer, others for the lasses. From the kitchen came enticing smells of baked onions and sausages, the whores smelled abundantly of perfume, and the men reeked of lust and grime. Matthew made his way over the floor, ducking here and there to avoid the lanterns that suffused the room in a hazy golden light – most becoming to the whores, some of whom were getting on a bit. One of the wenches came dancing towards him, her cleavage so generous he could see most of her heavy breasts. She simpered at him, but Matthew waved her away and ordered a beer.
Matthew sat down in a dark corner to nurse his drink and his foul mood. These last few days hadn’t been good days, what with Alex holding back on him, wee Daniel setting sail, the damned Burleys, and then this long conversation with Hancock. In the end, they’d decided that, for now, nothing would be
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