Friendship's Bond (16 page)

‘Be good of you wench.’ For a moment it seemed Leah would take advantage of the offer but with a characteristic lift of the head she went on. ‘But like I were sayin’ a minute since, you’ve been on the go as much as me and though y’be many years the younger y’ gets every bit as tired.’

‘I can rest later.’

‘We both can rest later!’

Leah’s dogmatic retort brought a quiet chuckle from Edward. ‘A word in your ear, Miss Spencer. Leah Marshall is a hard woman, she will argue the sun out of the sky simply to get her own way. Take my advice, and admit defeat while you have strength left to talk.’

‘There be one more bit of advice needs be given.’ Beside the fireplace Leah was rolling back her sleeves. ‘Comin’ the old buck gets a lad a leatherin’ and big as you be Edward Langley you ain’t too big to get your arse smacked!’

‘What did I tell you, Miss Spencer.’ Edward sighed in mock despair. ‘Not only is a man accused of impudence but he’s also threatened with a hiding.’ He reached for the tray Ann was holding. ‘Please let me take Alec his supper, help me get out of this room before my rear end becomes too sore to sit on.’

‘Cheeky young sod!’ Leah shook her head fondly. ‘I swears young ’uns today don’t ’ave no respect.’

Eyes that glinted with laughter locked momentarily on Ann’s, then Edward pleaded in a theatrical whisper. ‘Show a poor man a kindness miss, spare me any more of the woman’s chuntering.’

‘Chunterin’!’ Leah’s hands went to her hips. ‘Now it be me askin’ of you wench, let that rogue tek of that tray afore I gives ’im the true length of me tongue.’

Listening to the footsteps going upstairs Leah lowered herself wearily into a chair.

‘He be a good lad.’ She smiled over the plate Ann set before her. ‘Kindness be Edward Langley’s middle name.’

‘You love him don’t you?’

Leah nodded. ‘Like a son. He were always that for me, more so after his mother were teken, God rest ’er. Oh, John Langley were a good father but the heart died inside him when he lost Miriam, then with news of Edward bein’ missin’ in action the man just give up the ghost. He were dead afore we got word Edward were found wounded but livin’. Deborah and me took on the seein’ to Hill Rise ’til the lad were able to do it for hisself, I’d ever hoped him and Deborah . . .’

‘
I’d ever hoped him and Deborah . . .
’

Ann poured the jug full of water in which a small piece of dried and salted calf stomach had soaked overnight into the evening milk Edward had emptied into the vat, hearing again as she did so those quietly spoken words in her mind. Sympathy ran like a tide in Ann. Leah had hoped for her daughter and Edward to marry – and he? She stole a glance at the tall figure carrying empty churns across the yard to the scullery. Edward Langley also must have wanted that marriage. His feelings for Leah’s daughter, did they still run deep? Had love for her kept him from forming a relationship with another girl, might it prevent his ever doing so?

The last query stung so sharply it made her catch her breath. Ann stared at the swirl of milk. Such a question should not have her senses react in that way . . . it must not be allowed to affect her in
any
way. Thought of Edward Langley choosing to marry or not to marry could be of no concern to her.

No concern!

Ann met the smile of the man returning across the yard.

So why did it hurt so much?

‘I’ll be along in the morning to see to Leah’s girls.’

The emotion of the previous moments prevented Ann from replying.

The lady wanted no conversation! Lifting churns he had helped scour on to his cart Edward smiled grimly to himself. Leah Marshall had been and still was like a mother to him. He loved her dearly and had been happy with the prospect she had put to him. Joining her holding to Hill Rise, becoming joint business partners would have provided him with a way of taking care of her. But Ann Spencer’s presence in this house was already doing more for Leah than ever he could; she was a daytime companion Leah could talk with whereas he after completing his milk round was out in the fields until gone dark; and then in the evening and especially the long night hours the presence of that girl and the lad lent Leah the security of knowing she was not alone in the house. That was a security Edward Langley could not supply. He heard the words he knew Leah would say: ‘
A young lad unmarried! Livin’ in the ’ouse of an older woman who be no relative! Whatever would folk say? Well I tells y’ this Edward Langley, they won’t be sayin’ it of Leah Marshall
.’

Once the last of the churns was in place Edward felt the obvious truth of the situation. Ann Spencer could take the place of a daughter but with her aversion to him he must relinquish the idea of replacing a son. He bolted the tailboard of the cart into place, then took the horse’s bridle, saying over his shoulder, ‘Be sure to tell Leah I’ll see to the girls.’

No goodnight, no smile? But was that not understandable? Sympathy rippled through Ann. Seeing a perfect stranger where his beloved Deborah should be. That he came to the house at all must demonstrate great strength of mind but nothing had power enough to keep that sadness completely hidden from his face.

‘Leah’s girls, does . . . does she always refer to cows in that way?’

It had come quickly. Ann blushed, knowing she had spoken not for the want of an answer but to have him turn to her before he left.

‘Not all cows.’

He had turned to look her way but there was no smile.

Her question provided an opportunity for a few moments longer in her company. But though she had asked she had not looked at him, had not spoken with warmth. Edward told himself it would be less stressful for her and a whole lot less painful for himself to let that brief reply suffice, to leave without further word. But watching her now, the shadows of dusk kissing her cheeks, Edward Langley knew that was advice he could not follow.

‘Leah has seen every one of that herd born right here on her own patch, named each even before it stood on its feet for the first time. I reckon they have helped her face the pain of losing a family, that talking to them while milking eased the loneliness. She looks on them more as friends than animals, p’raps that is the reason of her calling them “the girls”; but now you and Alec are here with her Leah isn’t lonely though it’s my belief she’ll go on speaking of those cows as “girls”.’

But I won’t be here! The answer flashed silently in Ann’s mind. Alec is well enough to be told . . . tomorrow I have to do as I promised those women.

Taking her silence and failure to lift her head as further proof Ann wanted only his departure Edward clucked softly to the horse, then as it began to move off said, ‘Tomorrow, after the cows have been put into the field, I’ll load the butter and cheese, give you more of a break before you set about deliveries.’

‘I won’t be making any deliveries, I have to leave.’

Barely a dozen yards from her the cart stopped abruptly making the animal whine a protest.

‘You have to leave!’

Ann’s fingers closed painfully about the wooden ladles. She had not meant her thoughts to be said aloud; but they must have slipped out without her realising.

‘Why?’

No movement accompanied the word, the very stillness of the tall figure intensifying a silence already crushing Ann.

‘I asked why?’ It snapped like the crack of a whip. ‘Why are you leaving?’

It felt wrong to be telling him before speaking with Leah, it felt like she was deceiving a woman who had been so good to her. But wasn’t it better Leah heard a lie from her than hear from her customers they would no longer buy her dairy foods?

‘You don’t wish to give reason to me, that I can understand, after all it’s no business of mine, but out of consideration for Leah p’raps you will tell me when it is you intend to leave so that I can adjust my work to fit with hers. I take it you have told Leah?’

He had turned towards her, the purpling shades of the evening accentuating the strong line of his clean-shaven jaw, emphasising the sudden tautness of the mouth, eyes bronzed by red-gold shafts of sunset gleaming with overt accusation.

It was obvious what he thought of her, every line of his tightly held body shouted condemnation. But he didn’t know . . . he didn’t know! Ann’s glance dropped away.

‘I see. You have not spoken to Leah, you prefer instead to just walk away, to turn your back on the one person who offered help when nobody else would; so yes, Miss Spencer I agree you should go, for with a friend such as you Leah certainly has no need of an enemy.’

Strange how words said so quietly could make her smart so much. Ann swallowed against the rise of emotion in her throat. But whatever Edward Langley might think, his words of reproach could not be allowed to sway her judgement. Leah’s living must take precedence over all else.

Edward continued to stare. ‘And the lad? What of him? Is he to go with you or do you plan to play the same dirty trick on him?’

‘Alec, he . . .’ Ann’s cheeks flamed at this fresh accusation, ‘. . . he is not ready.’

‘Which all fits rather nicely.’ Edward’s scornful jeer was harsh as that other had been soft. ‘So he must stay here. In other words you can leave him to Leah. I wouldn’t have your conscience Miss Spencer, but there I go making another mistake in thinking you have a conscience.’

The sting of that remark choked her for several moments. Ann made no reply then at his snort of derision lifted her head, her glance meeting that brown-gold stare. Coldness was her only defence against the savagery of his comments, a barrier holding back the press of hot tears, so she forced her answer to come calmly.

‘Yes,’ she nodded, ‘you have made another mistake, the first being to assume I would go without explanation to Leah, the second that I would leave Alec behind, both quite without foundation. But allow me to point out yet one more of your mistakes. You presume insightful knowledge of the character of someone you have spoken with no more than a dozen times, an assessment, Mr Langley, I feel reflects clearly upon your own character.’

Shot with your own bullet, Edward Langley! Beneath the encroaching shadows of night Edward smiled admiringly. The girl was not without spirit, she was not afraid of hard work as hours in the dairy and then walking the streets of the town making deliveries had amply proved, yet she was ready to forgo the companionship of a trustworthy woman, give up the security of a roof over her head, the true reason for which she doubtless would not disclose to Leah.

He had provided the perfect opportunity for Ann Spencer to relate what instinct increasingly told him must have been said to her during her delivery round yet she had chosen to say nothing despite his deliberate provocation. There could be only one answer. Ann Spencer would not risk alienation between Leah and her customers, a situation which would harm not only Leah’s income but friendships. That had to be the reason Ann Spencer was keeping silence even though it would result in homelessness for herself and the lad. His regard for her deepened. He called after the figure walking towards the house.

‘Miss Spencer!’ As she halted he went on, ‘I should not have spoken as I did. What you choose to do or not to do is none of my affair but I take the liberty of believing Leah Marshall is. Her happiness and well-being are to me a prime consideration and though I may be judged guilty of more presumption I venture to say it is the same with you.’

Ann turned to look at him, smiling briefly as she replied, ‘In that you have made no mistake.’

‘Nor, I believe, will I be mistaken in what I say next.’ He almost felt her stiffen with apprehension. Edward continued, ‘A few moments ago I asked why you were leaving; you refused to give a reason so now I will give it for you. You would rather go from this town than have Leah’s livelihood put in jeopardy by you and Alec remaining here.’

‘How—’

‘How do I know?’ Edward’s interruption was sharp. ‘I might pretend to be a poor judge of character but I won’t pretend to be a fool! A man with naught but muck for brain would have worked out what was meant by the words of almost every woman coming to my cart today, remarks I feared then alluded to something being amiss with Leah’s health, an idea you and I both know to be wrong.’

Veiled in that strange half darkness of dusk, a shadow moved across the slightly open doorway to the scullery, unobserved by those it watched.

‘
. . . I sees Leah Marshall ’as teken notice . . .
’

‘
. . . what were said needed the sayin’ . . .
’

Sheltered behind a half-closed door the dark shadow listened, its form shifting, pulling upward at Edward’s words drifting across the yard.

‘You recognise the meaning behind those words and so do I. They were the result of threats those women had made, warnings they would take their custom away from Leah unless you and Alec leave Wednesbury altogether. Is that not so?’

Wooden ladles clicked against each other in her tightening fingers as Ann glanced across to the house where a yellowed gleam of lamplight filtered from an upper window. Leah would be there in Alec’s room; might she have heard what had just been said?

No sound issued from the building, no movement could be detected at the lighted window. Her suspicion was groundless.