intending and succeeding in shocking Mrs Richards even more. She leaned forward, speaking to the housekeeper in confidential tones. ‘I’d be careful, if I were you. You have already been demoted. If I’m warming his lordship’s bed, your next move might well be out the door.’
She left the room then, aware that Bella was suppressing a giggle with her plump fingers while Mrs Bob busied herself pouring more tea. Mrs Richards was as red as if she was suffering a fit.
Serve the spiteful old biddy right, Arian mused. What did she know about Arian’s background? How could she know what Arian had gone through? The pain and outrage and sheer loss of self-respect were more than anyone could understand, certainly not a dried-up spinster like Mrs Richards. Still, Arian had made an enemy and she was well aware of it.
She strode out from Stormhill at a brisk pace, determined to forget what the woman had said, determined to forget Price Davies and her sordid past. She must live now for the future and the future was looking brighter than it had done for a long time.
Her first stop would be the shoemakers in World’s End; Will Davies’s shop was becoming known as the place where fine individually designed shoes could be bought at a price a working man could afford.
Eline, it seemed, far from being brought down by her husband’s rejection of her, was beginning to flourish as she’d done in the days when Arian had worked for her. She was rebuilding her reputation as a designer, selling her more expensive footwear to the gentry of Swansea.
There might be some element of curiosity in the minds of her customers, the desire to see the woman who had cuckolded Lord Temple and then had the effrontery to set up an illicit relationship with a poor cobbler but her fame as a shoemaker was spreading, of that there was no doubt.
Eline was a talented woman and Arian envied her, she was in love with Will Davies and had found the necessary courage to live with him in spite of the gossips.
Arian’s spirits rose, it would be good to smell the leather again, good to talk with people who worked it. Eline always had a fund of ideas and Will – well, Will Davies was a cobbler who had trained with the famous Hari Grenfell.
Arian walked purposefully towards World’s End, her footsteps light. Suddenly life was opening up for her, she was filled with hope for the future and if there was an irony in the fact that it was Eline’s husband who was the source of that hope then Arian had little choice but to ignore the fact.
Eline heard the sound of the door opening with a dart of delight, her heart began to beat so fast she could almost hear it. She looked up from her drawing and saw Will framed against the pale sunlight. She rose to her feet uncertainly and then he was coming towards her, his arms open, ready to enfold her.
She closed her eyes and felt him draw her close, the scent of him, the familiar touch of him, it was all so dear that tears rose to her eyes.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said, ‘I’m the worst kind of fool to be jealous of you. I just couldn’t bear the thought of you being anywhere near Calvin Temple. I’m afraid I’ll lose you again, Eline, so afraid.’
‘Will, my love, would I be here with you if I wanted Calvin? Sit down, we’ve got to talk about this, there’s air to be cleared and it must be done now.’
She drew Will to the table and sat opposite him, her hands reaching out to hold his. ‘I know Calvin turned me away from his door, I didn’t have the courage to walk out on him of my own accord, he forced the issue. But did I come to look for you? Think Will, I found a job, I was willing to take care of myself and the baby without anyone’s help. It was you who came to find me .’
Will stared at her. ‘That’s part of what worries me, you didn’t come to me voluntarily, I took you into my home when you were vulnerable.’
‘And I came with you because it was what I wanted, I ignored the fact that my good
She left the room then, aware that Bella was suppressing a giggle with her plump fingers while Mrs Bob busied herself pouring more tea. Mrs Richards was as red as if she was suffering a fit.
Serve the spiteful old biddy right, Arian mused. What did she know about Arian’s background? How could she know what Arian had gone through? The pain and outrage and sheer loss of self-respect were more than anyone could understand, certainly not a dried-up spinster like Mrs Richards. Still, Arian had made an enemy and she was well aware of it.
She strode out from Stormhill at a brisk pace, determined to forget what the woman had said, determined to forget Price Davies and her sordid past. She must live now for the future and the future was looking brighter than it had done for a long time.
Her first stop would be the shoemakers in World’s End; Will Davies’s shop was becoming known as the place where fine individually designed shoes could be bought at a price a working man could afford.
Eline, it seemed, far from being brought down by her husband’s rejection of her, was beginning to flourish as she’d done in the days when Arian had worked for her. She was rebuilding her reputation as a designer, selling her more expensive footwear to the gentry of Swansea.
There might be some element of curiosity in the minds of her customers, the desire to see the woman who had cuckolded Lord Temple and then had the effrontery to set up an illicit relationship with a poor cobbler but her fame as a shoemaker was spreading, of that there was no doubt.
Eline was a talented woman and Arian envied her, she was in love with Will Davies and had found the necessary courage to live with him in spite of the gossips.
Arian’s spirits rose, it would be good to smell the leather again, good to talk with people who worked it. Eline always had a fund of ideas and Will – well, Will Davies was a cobbler who had trained with the famous Hari Grenfell.
Arian walked purposefully towards World’s End, her footsteps light. Suddenly life was opening up for her, she was filled with hope for the future and if there was an irony in the fact that it was Eline’s husband who was the source of that hope then Arian had little choice but to ignore the fact.
Eline heard the sound of the door opening with a dart of delight, her heart began to beat so fast she could almost hear it. She looked up from her drawing and saw Will framed against the pale sunlight. She rose to her feet uncertainly and then he was coming towards her, his arms open, ready to enfold her.
She closed her eyes and felt him draw her close, the scent of him, the familiar touch of him, it was all so dear that tears rose to her eyes.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said, ‘I’m the worst kind of fool to be jealous of you. I just couldn’t bear the thought of you being anywhere near Calvin Temple. I’m afraid I’ll lose you again, Eline, so afraid.’
‘Will, my love, would I be here with you if I wanted Calvin? Sit down, we’ve got to talk about this, there’s air to be cleared and it must be done now.’
She drew Will to the table and sat opposite him, her hands reaching out to hold his. ‘I know Calvin turned me away from his door, I didn’t have the courage to walk out on him of my own accord, he forced the issue. But did I come to look for you? Think Will, I found a job, I was willing to take care of myself and the baby without anyone’s help. It was you who came to find me .’
Will stared at her. ‘That’s part of what worries me, you didn’t come to me voluntarily, I took you into my home when you were vulnerable.’
‘And I came with you because it was what I wanted, I ignored the fact that my good
Similar Books
