A Village Scandal

‘I’m sure I wouldn’t want to be a wet blanket.’ Eleanora shot a wary glance in Mary’s direction.

Mary nodded and managed a tight little smile. ‘I didn’t mean to offend you, Mrs Marshall. It’s just that I’ve been the subject of unkind gossip for so many years that I sometimes speak out of turn.’

‘Quite so, and as we’re related by marriage I think it only proper that you call me Eleanora. We must support each other, Mary.’

Daisy leaned against Jay, inhaling the masculine scent that was his alone. She felt at this moment as though her heart would burst with happiness, and the sun was shining. It was a perfect spring day.

After greeting the guests Daisy and Jay led them into the dining hall, where more tables and chairs had been brought in to seat everyone, and a feast had been laid out in readiness. Wine, ale and cider flowed and, although subdued at first, the guests began to relax and enjoy themselves. Their voices rose in a crescendo, adding to the clatter of knives and forks on china plates and the clink of glasses.

When at last everyone was satiated with food and drink, there was the traditional cutting of the wedding cake, and then Sidney rose to his feet and raised a toast. Jay made a brief speech in response and announced that there would be dancing in the great hall to the tuneful accompaniment of Mr Keyes, the village shopkeeper, on the concertina and Constable Fowler on the pianoforte. The instrument had been found tucked away beneath a tarpaulin in the coach house, and Mary vaguely remembered the first Mrs Tattersall having the piano in the morning parlour where she spent many an hour playing soulful music. A piano tuner had been summoned from Maldon and now it was as good as new, or almost. Daisy was no expert, but when she had been governess to the Carringtons’ youngest child, she had sat beside Master Timothy in the drawing room of the London mansion while he did his five-finger exercises. The Steinway, which had been imported from Germany at enormous expense, had made the most wonderful sound, even though the young musician was there under sufferance, bribed by the promise of a poke of humbugs if he completed a half-hour practice. The manor house pianoforte could not compete with such a superb instrument, but if the notes were tinny no one seemed to notice, and George Keyes played his concertina with more enthusiasm than expertise.

Jay and Daisy took the floor and led the dancers in a waltz, followed by a lively polka and then a gavotte. Breathless and smiling, they stopped to take a rest while the guests formed a circle for the country dance, Gathering Peascods.

‘This really is a day to remember, Jay,’ Daisy said softly. ‘You were right, it’s good to share our happiness with everyone.’

He smiled and leaned over to kiss her on the lips. ‘Here’s to a lifetime together, Daisy mine. I’ll never leave you.’

It was her turn to smile. ‘Not even to refurbish the Lazy Jane – I know she’s the second love of your life.’

‘No, sweetheart. My days at sea are over. I’ll pay another master to take care of the old girl, but this time they’ll trade in legitimate goods. No more smuggling for me.’

‘I’m glad. It might have ended so badly.’ Daisy looked up at the sound of someone calling Jay’s name and a young man pushed his way through the dancers.

‘Captain, I need to have a word.’

Jay rose to his feet. ‘What is it, Lewis? I didn’t see you at the wedding breakfast.’

‘I was called down to the creek, sir. There’s been a spot of bother.’

‘What’s happened?’

The note of anxiety in her husband’s voice made Daisy reach out to clutch his hand. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘I don’t know, but the boy seems to be in a state.’ Jay turned back to Lewis, who was sweating profusely and panting as if he had run a considerable distance. ‘Calm down and tell me what’s happened.’

Lewis shook his head. ‘You need to come with me, Captain. You’re the only one who can save the Lazy Jane from them Dornings.’

Daisy leaped to her feet. ‘No, Jay. You can’t leave in the middle of the reception. Whatever it is can surely wait for a few hours.’

Jay shook his head. ‘It’s not like Lewis to panic. I’ll go and sort it out and be back before you know it. Save the next waltz for me, my darling.’ Jay blew her a kiss and hurried after Lewis, who was already halfway towards the door.

‘What’s going on, Daisy?’ Mary was at her side, staring anxiously after her son. ‘Why has Jay rushed off after that boy? I sense trouble.’

Daisy frowned. ‘I don’t know, Mary. But he promised to come back soon. Jay always keeps his word.’ She watched the man she adored leave the great hall and she felt the cold draught as the door closed behind him. She shivered suddenly as cold fingers of fear ran down her spine.

Chapter Two

Toby slipped his arm around Daisy’s shoulders. ‘I’m sure he’ll be back soon.’

‘Yes, of course,’ Daisy said without much conviction.

‘I’d stay, but I have to report for duty at the hospital tomorrow morning.’ Toby gave her a searching look. ‘And I need to get Minnie back to Mrs Wood’s lodging house before she is locked out. I’ve bribed the maid to let her in, but she might fall asleep.’

‘Will you be all right, Daisy?’ Minnie asked anxiously. ‘It seems wrong to leave you like this.’

Daisy managed a smile. ‘Jay would never miss his own party. But of course you must go now. Fuller will take you to the railway station.’

Toby gave her a hug. ‘He’d better treat you well, or he’ll have me to deal with.’

‘Jay is the best of husbands. He’ll be back soon. I know he will.’ Daisy watched her brother and his fiancée as they took their leave of their aunt and uncle, and she waved to them as they left the great hall. She forced herself to smile, but she had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something was wrong, but Jay would make it right, of that she was certain.

The dancing grew more energetic and the company more raucous with every glass of fruit punch, ale or cider that was drunk, ceasing briefly when the musicians demanded a break. Daisy tried hard to put her worries to the back of her mind. She told herself that the emergency had been exaggerated and that Jay would return soon. They would laugh about this later, when all the guests had gone home and the house was relatively quiet, but after two hours and no sign of her husband, she was beginning to be restive. She had to fend off questions from her aunt and Mary, both of whom had seen Jay leave with Lewis, and Daisy tried to sound confident when she said that Jay would return within the hour. It was becoming apparent that whatever had called him away must be far more serious than she had thought, and by the time the last guests had left for home Mary was frantic and Daisy had stopped pretending that all was well.

‘Should we stay with you tonight?’ Eleanora asked anxiously. ‘Your uncle and I will gladly keep you company until Jay returns home. He’s very thoughtless to leave you like this.’

Mary bristled visibly. ‘There must be a good reason for Jay’s continued absence. He was always a considerate child and he hasn’t changed.’

‘Well, it appears that something very urgent must have kept him away,’ Sidney said mildly. ‘The poor fellow has missed a good party.’

Eleanora turned on him angrily. ‘Trust you to say something silly like that, Sidney Marshall. Can’t you see that Daisy is distraught? Who knows what might have befallen him?’

‘Come, come, my love. I don’t think he’ll have been attacked by wild animals or savage natives in Little Creek.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous, Sidney. Of course neither of those things will have happened to him, but he might have had an accident of some sort, or fallen into the sea.’ Eleanora turned to Daisy. ‘Can he swim?’

Daisy glanced out of the window. It was dark outside and the grandfather clock in the great hall had just struck the hour. ‘I don’t know, Aunt,’ Daisy said vaguely. ‘The subject never came up.’

‘Then you should find out … And you ought to learn to swim, Sidney. You’re always wading into the river with that fishing rod of yours. What would happen if you slipped and fell? I’d be a widow and how would I manage then?’

Sidney slipped his arm around her shoulders. ‘Ellie, my love, you’re getting worked up about nothing. I think we ought to go home and leave Daisy in peace. Jay is a sensible fellow and I’ve no doubt he’ll return soon.’

‘But he might have drowned!’ Mary’s face paled to ashen. ‘You’re right, Eleanora. An accident must have occurred to keep Jay from his own wedding reception.’ She covered her face with her hands and her shoulders shook.

‘There, Aunt. See what you’ve done,’ Daisy said crossly. ‘Of course he hasn’t drowned. We don’t even know why Jay was called away, but there must be a good reason for his continued absence.’

Sidney gave Daisy a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. ‘I’ll take her home, if your man will send for the carriage.’

Daisy beckoned to Molesworth, who was standing at a respectful distance. ‘Please send for the carriage to take my aunt and uncle home.’

‘I’m not crossing the river in the dark,’ Eleonora protested.

‘The ferryman only works in daylight hours, Aunt,’ Daisy said patiently. ‘You’ll have to go the long way round, but it’s a fine evening. You should get home within the hour.’

Mary paced the floor, wringing her hands. ‘Anything could have happened. If he didn’t go to the ship, he might have gone to one of the farms. He might have been trampled by cows or gored by a bull.’

Daisy slipped away. She had had enough of such unhelpful speculation and she was growing more and more concerned with each passing minute. Ignoring the fact that she was still wearing her bridal gown and satin slippers, she hurried through the house to the servants’ quarters and snatched a rough woollen cloak from a peg near the rear entrance. A lantern was always left near the door and she unhooked it, struck a match and lit the wick. She left the house unnoticed by the servants, who, judging by the sounds of jollity coming from their quarters, were continuing the celebrations. Daisy smiled in spite of her anxiety. Tomorrow would be a very different story and those who were drinking too much wine and beer would suffer accordingly. But this was a special day, or rather it had been before Jay’s mysterious disappearance.

Holding the lantern high enough to illuminate the pathway, Daisy quickened her pace as she made her way to the summerhouse. It was the first time she had ventured alone into the underground passage that had not so long ago been used to bring smuggled goods ashore, but she was too worried to think about anything other than finding Jay. If he had stayed aboard Lazy Jane just to help plug a leak or mend a broken mast she would be very angry.

It was cold below ground level, and damp rose from the mud beneath her feet as she trod carefully on the slippery stones. The thin beam of light from the lantern bobbed with every step she took, and sinister shadows seemed to close in on her. There was no turning back now and she was determined to find Jay, whatever the cost. The sound of her footsteps echoed off the walls, and for a terrifying moment she thought she could hear someone panting so close to her that she could touch them, until she realised it was her own erratic breathing that she could hear.

After what seemed like an eternity she saw the entrance to the tunnel illuminated by a shaft of moonlight, and she broke into a run. Once outside she took deep breaths of the fresh sea air, and she could hear the sound of the waves breaking on the shingle. Emerging through the undergrowth, she scanned the horizon for any sign of the Lazy Jane, but there was just the reflection of moonlight on the water. Stunned and barely able to believe her eyes, Daisy realised that the ship had sailed, apparently taking Jay on some mysterious and unexpected voyage. Months ago he had promised her that he would never set sail again, and he had promoted his first mate, Clem Guppy, to handle the ship while trading on the right side of the law. She could not believe that he would have willingly broken that solemn promise.

She stood for some minutes, wrapping the coarse cloak around her as a chilly east wind rustled the branches of the trees that overhung the beach. She scanned the water again and again in the vain hope of catching a glimpse of the vessel, but apart from a few white-tipped waves, the creek was calm and glassy. Then the thought struck her that perhaps Aunt Eleanora had been right. Lewis had seemed agitated when he came for Jay: maybe there had been a crisis at his father’s farm. She had not seen Mr and Mrs Johnson, Lewis’s parents, at the church or at the reception, so maybe there was something seriously wrong. Daisy retreated into the tunnel and this time the horrors had gone – after all, it was just a short cut back to the summerhouse at the end of the rose garden.

She entered the house, once again without being seen, and the sounds of merriment were even louder than before. She smiled to think that at least some of the household were enjoying what should have been the happiest day of their mistress’s life, only now it was turning into a nightmare. Daisy had intended to walk to the Johnsons’ farm, but it was a mile away at least and her dancing slippers were already ruined. Besides which, if she turned up at the farm wearing her wedding gown and in an obvious state of distress it would make Jay appear foolish, if he was there – and if he was not, she could hardly bear to imagine what else might have befallen him. She decided to go to their room, although she knew that sleep would evade her until Jay returned. Flashes of lightning lit the room, followed by cracks of thunder that were so close together it sounded like a fusillade of bullets being fired at the house. Daisy jumped into bed, closed her eyes and pulled the covers over her head.

Next morning, after a restless night when she had barely slept, Daisy reached out as she had done every day since they were married, but Jay’s side of the bed was cold to the touch. She snapped into a sitting position, running her hand through her tousled hair. So it was not simply a bad dream. Jay was still missing, and the worries she had attempted to dismiss came flooding back with a physical force that made her gasp.

She leaped out of bed and stripped off her nightgown, allowing it to fall to the floor. The maid had not appeared to light the fire but Daisy was oblivious to the early morning chill. She threw on her riding habit and dragged a comb through her long, dark hair, securing it in a chignon at the nape of her neck. This was not the time to worry about her looks or the latest fashion; her greatest need was to discover Jay’s whereabouts and it was just possible that Lewis’s father, Farmer Johnson, might have the answer.

Daisy left the house, startling the bleary-eyed footman who rushed to open the door for her. ‘If Mrs Tattersall asks where I am, James, you may tell her that I’ve gone for a walk.’

He nodded mutely and stood to attention as she walked past him. She caught a whiff of stale alcohol on his breath, and it was obvious from his bloodshot eyes and hangdog demeanour that he had been celebrating into the early hours. However, that was the least of her worries. She set off towards the stables, but as she entered the cobbled yard she saw Faulkner, the head groom, with his head held under the pump. He straightened up abruptly at the sound of her voice and made a grab for a grimy towel, which he wrapped around his bare torso.

‘Mrs Tattersall, ma’am. I’m sorry, I wasn’t expecting to see you here.’

‘It’s all right, Faulkner. I apologise for disturbing your ablutions, but I need my horse saddled immediately.’

He glanced over her shoulder. ‘Will the squire be riding with you, ma’am?’

‘Not this morning.’

‘Shall I accompany you, ma’am?’

‘No, thank you. I’ll go alone.’

Faulkner opened his mouth as if to argue, but he closed it again, nodded and backed away. ‘I’ll have your mount ready in a few minutes, Mrs Tattersall.’

Daisy had had plenty of time to practise her equestrian skills since her marriage, and Jay had taken pleasure in showing her parts of the county that she had not previously seen, but now she was going out alone in the hope of discovering her husband’s whereabouts. Since last evening she had gone through a range of emotions from puzzlement to anger, and from anger to desperation. She waited impatiently and at last the stable boy brought her bay mare to the mounting block and held her head while Daisy settled herself in the saddle.

He eyed her warily. ‘Mr Faulkner said I could go with you, ma’am. If you so wished.’

Daisy was about to refuse, but she had second thoughts. ‘You grew up in Little Creek, didn’t you, Barney?’

‘Yes, Mrs Tattersall.’

‘Then you’ll know Lewis Johnson.’

‘Yes, ma’am. We was at school together.’

‘Saddle up then, Barney. I want you to find out anything you can about Lewis’s whereabouts yesterday. If he’s at home all the better, but if not then it’s vital that I know anything that would give me a clue as to why he came to the manor house in such a state last evening.’

‘I’ll be like one of them detectives then, ma’am.’ He gave her a wide grin and raced back into the stable, returning so quickly that Daisy was certain Faulkner had assumed that she would allow the boy to accompany her, and had the pony saddled and ready. She dug her heels into the mare’s sides and clicked her tongue against her teeth. ‘Walk on, Cinders.’ They rode sedately until they were out of sight of the main house and then Daisy encouraged Cinders to a trot, then a canter and finally a gallop over the fields to the Johnsons’ farm. She dismounted in the farmyard, tossing the reins to Barney.

‘I won’t be long.’ She strode across the yard, causing the hens pecking for food to scatter with loud squawks of protest and the sheep dog rushed at her, wagging his tail. She patted his head absently as she made her way to the back door and knocked.

It was opened by Mrs Johnson, who was red-eyed as if she had been crying. ‘Oh, Mrs Tattersall, ma’am. I weren’t expecting you.’ She wiped her hands on her apron and stood aside. ‘Won’t you come in?’

‘Thank you.’ Daisy stepped inside and was immediately assailed by the delicious aroma of baking bread. Two large hams were hung in the chimney breast, curing in the smoke from the blazing fire, and a kettle hummed merrily on the hob. A girl of about fourteen, whom Daisy recognised as being Lewis’s younger sister, Janet, was kneading dough at the vast pine table in the centre of the beamed kitchen. The flagstone floor was white with flour dust in a large circle around her.

‘You’ll have to excuse the mess, ma’am,’ Mrs Johnson said apologetically. ‘We wasn’t expecting visitors this early.’

‘I think you know why I’ve come.’ Daisy decided that the direct approach was best. ‘Your son Lewis came to our house last evening with a message for my husband.’

Mrs Johnson looked away, twisting the folds of her apron in her work-worn hands. ‘Yes, I believe he did.’

‘Might I see Lewis? I need to speak to him urgently.’

‘He didn’t come home, missis.’ Janet continued to pummel the dough as if it were her worst enemy.

‘Mind your tongue, Janet,’ Mrs Johnson said crossly. ‘Who asked you, anyway?’

‘Well, it’s true.’ Janet flipped the dough over and punched it with both fists.

‘Lewis is a good boy.’ Mrs Johnson met Daisy’s anxious glance with a sidelong look.

‘Yes, I know that,’ Daisy said earnestly. ‘I got to know him quite well when I was on board the Lazy Jane. But I’m here to ask for your help because my husband hasn’t returned home either. Do you know what it was that Lewis had to tell him?’

Mrs Johnson shook her head. ‘No, ma’am. Except that it was to do with the ship.’

‘Lewis wants to go to sea again,’ Janet volunteered. ‘He don’t want to work the farm like our brothers.’

‘Hush, Janet. No one asked you.’ Mrs Johnson’s eyes filled with tears and she blinked them away. ‘Lewis can’t settle to life on shore.’

‘Was the Lazy Jane anchored in the creek yesterday?’ Daisy asked anxiously.

‘If it was, our Lewis would know.’ Janet shot her mother a rebellious glance. ‘He watches out day and night for its return.’

‘I’m afraid he’ll get into bad company,’ Mrs Johnson said desperately. ‘Lewis is a good boy but he hangs around with some of those in Burnham that are out-and-out rogues.’

‘I’m sorry.’ Daisy looked from one to the other. ‘But that doesn’t explain why he came to fetch my husband or why neither of them has returned home.’

‘I can’t help you, ma’am. I wish to God that I could.’ Mrs Johnson covered her head with her apron and sank down on the nearest chair, sobbing.

Janet abandoned the bread dough and rushed to her mother’s side. ‘Look what you done now, missis. Go away and leave us be.’

Outside in the relatively cool air of a late April morning, Daisy beckoned to Barney, who was holding the reins of both animals while he chatted to one of the farm workers. He broke away and led the horses towards her.

‘Did you discover anything useful?’ Daisy asked when he drew near.

‘I dunno, missis. It might or it might not be what you want to hear.’

‘Just tell me, Barney. Let me be the judge.’

‘Well, I was chatting to Lewis’s older brother, Wilf, and he said that Lewis had been hanging around with the Dorning brothers.’

Daisy stared at him, frowning. ‘I don’t know them.’

‘You wouldn’t want to, missis. They’re not the sort of people you’d wish to know.’

‘So what are you saying, Barney?’

‘I’m saying nothing, missis. It’s just that the Dorning boys is, or I should say was, also Benny Sykes’s cousins.’

‘And you think that Benny’s death has something to do with Lewis’s disappearance?’

‘Like I said, missis, I dunno nothing. I’m just telling you what Wilf said.’

Daisy thought for a moment. ‘Where does Mrs Sykes live? I seem to remember it’s somewhere close by – it was the pig man’s cottage, but I’ve lost my bearings.’

‘It’s not far. Down the lane, about a quarter of a mile. Shall we go there next?’

‘Help me up onto the saddle. We’ll call on Mrs Sykes. I should pay my respects.’

Mrs Sykes was up to her ankles in dung as she cleaned the pigsty. Her hair was tied up in a ragged scarf and she was enveloped in a large none-too-clean apron, her feet encased in boots several sizes too large so that she was in danger of stepping out of them each time she moved. She leaned on the shovel, staring at Daisy with a suspicious frown.

‘Mrs Sykes, I’m sorry to interrupt when I can see how busy you are,’ Daisy said hastily.

Mrs Sykes stared at Daisy, the lines on her face deepened by a frown. ‘Can I help you?’

‘I don’t suppose you remember me, Mrs Sykes.’

‘Yes, I do. You and Captain Jay came to see me after my Benny’s terrible accident in the galley. He were always a clumsy boy, but he didn’t deserve to die in such a painful manner and without his ma to hold his hand.’

‘As I said then, I’m very sorry for your loss.’

‘But that ain’t why you’ve come all the way here today, is it?’

‘No, it isn’t. I do need your help, as it happens, Mrs Sykes. You must know that Lewis didn’t return home last evening.’

‘Yes, so I heard.’

‘Lewis came to the manor house with an urgent message for my husband. They left together and no one has seen them since.’

‘I don’t see how I can help.’

‘I’ve heard that Lewis is close to his cousins, the Dorning brothers. I was wondering if they might know something.’

‘I don’t have nothing to do with my brother’s boys. They turned out bad, and I told Lewis not to have anything to do with them.’

‘I understand,’ Daisy said gently. ‘But I’d like a word with them.’

‘I don’t advise it, ma’am.’

‘Where would I be likely to find them, Mrs Sykes?’

‘The Anchor Inn or the White Hart. Everyone in the area knows the Dorning brothers, to my shame. Thank the Lord my brother died of a fever some years back. He never lived to see the family name dragged through the estuary mud.’