“So, it’s home you’ve come, daughter? Expecting me to welcome ye with open arms, are ye?” Barney set his jar of ale on the table.
“Hallo, Da. It’s nice to be home,” she lied. Bella skirted the men sitting at the table and set the kettle on the hob. “Have you had supper, or shall I get something going?”
“Sit down, girl,” Barney roared. “Don’t think you can come waltzin’ in here like nothin’s happened. Ye’ve been gone a fortnight, where’ve ye bin and with who?” He slapped the table with his work hardened hand and Bella flinched. “Sit, I said!”
She slid into the empty chair on the far side of the table from Daniel. The man said nothing but smirked at her, glanced pointedly at opening of her shirt and licked his lips. Bella did her best to ignore him and clasped her shaking hands on the surface in front of her.
“Speak, girl! Explain yerself.” Barney rose and towered over her. “Now!”
“Yes, Arabella. Where have you been? I’ve waited patiently for my betrothed to return from wherever it is you flew off to.”
“I’m not your betrothed, or anything else.” She glared at Daniel.
“Mind yer tongue,” Barney growled. “I gave my word and ye’ll honour it.”
The chair clattered backward and fell over. Bella surged to her feet and planted her fists on the table. “I will not honour anything to do with this scrote.” She waved toward the visitor at the table. “I have no intention of being in the same room as him, let alone marry him.” Her voice rose sharply.
Da gripped her shoulder and righted the chair with the other hand. He shoved her into it and leaned so close his nose almost touched hers. “I am the man of this house, so I am. While ye live under my roof, ye live by my rules. Is that clear?” His hand tightened on her shoulder while the fingers of his free hand caught her chin in a vice-like grip. Tears sprang to her eyes and she swallowed hard. “Is that clear?” he repeated.
“Da, please. You can’t expect me to marry him, he’s mean to me, all the time. I can’t stand the thought of him touching me, please Da.” Tears spilled down her cheeks and blurred her vision.
“Don’t be blubbin’, now girl.” Barney let go of her and collapsed into his chair. “Yer mother tried that on me and it got her nowhere. Same as you. If yer gonna live under my roof, ye’ll do as I say. Includin’ honouring me word to this ‘un here.” He jerked his chin toward Daniel. “Now, ye haven’t answered me question. Where have ye been hidin’? And wi’ who.”
“Yes, Arabella. Who have ye been spreadin’ yer legs fer? Can’t say as I’m not disappointed like … but it’ll save me the trouble of breakin’ ye in.” Daniel stared at her as if she sat in her pelt before him.
Bella’s skin crawled at the expression of naked lust on his face. Dear God in heaven, she should have thrown herself off the cliffs at Lamorna and been done with it. Then Vear wouldn’t be in trouble and she wouldn’t be faced with Treliving forcing himself on her.
“I … I wasn’t with anyone. Anyone, except Sarie. I’ve been hiding out in a cave out by Land’s End. Sarie brought me food and water. There was no one else. No bloke—”
“Liar,” Daniel roared and spat on her. “Ye’ve the look of a bird what’s been pleasured. Ye should’ve hidden the love bites on yer titties iffen ye wanted us to believe that yarn.” He pointed at the exposed flesh where the material of her shirt had slid open.
Bella gasped and pulled the edges closed. The spot where the Council marked her burned and throbbed. How can he see it? Oh dear God, if he has any sort of magic, I’m doomed.
Barney pulled her hands away. “Show me the evidence of yer shame, girl,” he demanded. “There’s nothin’ there, ye eejit. What’re ye yammerin’ on about?” He turned his wrath on Daniel.
“I thought I saw a mark … but if ye say there’s nothin’….” Daniel shrugged. He winked at Bella.
“Now, the first of the banns will be read this Sunday and the weddin’ will be the fourth Saturday following. In the meantime, you will behave yerself and ye’ll see no one except yer betrothed, and if ye don’t anger me, ye can see the Waters girl.”
“No. I won’t agree to this. I’ll leave right now and stay with the Waters until I figure out where to go.” Bella got to her feet and started toward the door.
“Well now, I wouldn’t be so hasty if I was you,” Daniel drawled.
“Belt up, Daniel. You have no hold on me.” Bella kept walking.
“I think it’s time to call Harley and lay a formal complaint.” Daniel looked at Barney.
“What do the coppers have to do with anything?” Bella stopped and whirled around.
Barney cleared his throat. “There’s the little matter of that mare of yours. I’ve turned a blind eye up till now, but yer intended here, has pointed out she’s being held illegally up at the Waters place. Now that little matter could go on as it is, with none being the wiser … but, I could charge them with horse stealin’. Wouldn’t go so well fer the missus, would it?”
“Raven is mine, she can stay wherever I chose.” Bella planted her hands on her hips and stared the two of them down.
“That’s not entirely true, girl.” Daniel picked a paper off the counter behind him and shoved it across the table. “Ye might want to look at that.”
Bella snatched it up and looked it over. “She was a birthday present, Da. Raven is mine.” Her throat contracted in anger and fear. “Your name on this paper means nothing. Everyone knows that horse is mine.”
“But, legally the beast belongs to Bernard Angarrick. That’s how the law will see it,” Daniel tapped a finger on the table top.
“Da! How can you do this to me?”
“It’s sorry I am, daughter. But I see no other way to make you behave. That beast is the only thing you seem to care about. It’s time ye were married and raisin’ a family of yer own.”
“But, Da! How can you ask me to marry him?” She pointed at Daniel. “He’s … he’s … odious, that’s what he is.”
“Mind yer tongue, wench. My memory is long, and it’s not long before I’ll have the disciplining’ of ye,” Daniel warned. He smacked a large hand on his thigh.
“You’re saying if I don’t agree to marry Daniel Treliving, scut that he is, you’re planning to charge Mrs. Waters with horse theft?” Bella could hardly believe the turn of events. “What have they ever done to wrong you? They’ve been nothing but nice to you.”
“Aye, daughter. That’s what I’m tellin’ ye. I don’t want wish harm on the Waters, not at all. That matter is entirely in your hands. The decision is yours, go or stay, you know the consequences. It’s high time you took responsibility for your actions.”
“It’s not like I have much of a choice, do I?” She glared at the two men. “If you insist on carrying on with this charade, I’ll make your life a living hell,” she promised her betrothed.
His laughter followed her into the dark front hall and she climbed the narrow stairs two at a time. Once Da either went to the Arms to celebrate with Daniel, or retired for the night, Bella planned to sneak down stairs and ring Sarie. Maybe they could hide Raven somewhere … no … they’d just say the horse had been sold on somewhere. It wouldn’t help the situation at all. She could bring Raven home, she supposed. But that would put her within Daniel’s grasp. Somehow she had to get Da to sign the horse over to her, or better to Sarie. If she didn’t manage to avoid marrying the Treliving idiot, any property she held would be under his control. He’d hold Raven’s well-being over her head to force her to obey him. Her stomach curled at the thought.
Presently, the sound of voices and tramp of boots, followed by the slamming of the back door told her the men had left. She peered out the window to be sure Daniel was with Da. She let out her pent up breath at the sight two tall shadows passing under the arch of the back gate. Thank heavens! Wasting no time, Bella ran down the stairs and fumbled for the phone in the dark kitchen. She rang Sarie and waited impatiently for someone to pick up.
“Sarie, thank God.”
“Bella, is that you? What’s wrong?” Sarie sounded distracted.
“What’s going on there? Is Raven alright?”
“Why do you ask that?” Sarie said sharply.
“Da and Daniel are threatening to claim your mum stole her. That’s how they’re planning to make me behave and marry Daniel.”
“Did you agree?”
“Yes, I don’t want to make trouble for you or your mum,” Bella insisted.
“That’s interesting, so it is. Harley Pendeen was just here asking questions about the mare. Wanting to know had we any papers or bill of sale to prove she was ours.”
“Bother and damn! I’m so sorry, Sarie. I never meant for you to get dragged into it like this. What did you tell him?”
“I told him she was yours and we were only keeping her for you at the moment,” Sarie answered. “Mum is right upset over the whole thing.”
“I’m so sorry, Sarie. Please tell your mum not to worry. I’ll go along with them until I can figure something out. I’ll even marry the rat if I have to, but he’ll rue the day, let me tell you.”
“Should we hide the mare, do you think?” Sarie wondered.
“I think that would just fuel the fire. Get their suspicions up. I need them to think I’ve decided to go along with them,” Bella said.
“What happens next?”
“Da has arranged for the first reading of the banns to be delivered this Sunday, the wedding is set for the fourth Saturday after that. So I have a month to come up with an escape plan.”
“Can you contact your mum, up in London?’ Sarie suggested. “Surely she’ll take you in, if you explain how unreasonable Barney is being.”
“She wants nothing to do with me. I tried to get in touch with her when Da first came up with this harebrained idea of me and Daniel. Wrote her a letter and everything.”
“What did she say?”
“Nothing. The letter came back marked Return to Sender.”
“Maybe she moved?”
“No, I actually went to the address I had when I was in London at King’s College. She was still there. I saw her coming and going. She just doesn’t want to see me or have anything to do with me.” Bella breathed deep to stop the hitch in her voice.
“Well then, what about your grandparents? Won’t Lily’s folks help you? They have no use for Barney,” Sarie persisted.
“They think I’ve been too friendly with the Treliving bloke, just like the rest of the village, thanks to the bugger’s bragging. They’ve washed their hands of me, just like me mum.”
“I don’t know what to tell you, Bella. We’ll keep Raven safe, but I’m worried about you.”
“I guess I’ll figure something out. I’ve gotta go, just in case Da comes back early. I don’t think I can face him again tonight. Bye, Sarie and thanks.”
“Night, Bella. Don’t despair, something will come up.”
She replaced the receiver on the hook and made her way up to her room. Just inside the door, she paused and then went down the short hall to the loo. Once back in the safety of her bedroom, Bella locked the door and then jammed a straight back chair under the handle for good measure. No telling what might happen if Daniel came back with Da all bladdered up. She couldn’t face fighting him off tonight. The room was stuffy so Bella wrestled the sash up and let the night air sweep into the room.
The events of the day caught up with her. She rested her arms on the window sill and lowered her head to her forearms. So much had happened since the sun came up this morning. Vear’s face, twisted with pain and sorrow, crossed her inner vision. A sob caught in her throat. Oh, Vear. Will I never see you again? Their lovemaking had been so sweet, she yearned for the feel of his hard body against her. How can I regret any of it? I love you so, even though I know it’s not wise or safe. I can’t help what I feel.
“Vear Du, I love you. I will love you forever,” she whispered through her tears. She gave into her torment until the slamming of the kitchen door shocked her into silence. Bella held her breath and listened for the sound of voices below her. Nothing except the scrape of a chair and a muffled curse, then Da’s uneven steps as he mounted the stairs. He stopped by her door and she scrubbed the tears from her cheeks, preparing to face him. Instead, he continued along the passageway to his room at the front of the house.
Bella rested her chin back on the windowsill and looked out over the sleeping house tops to where the sea rose and fell as if it were breathing against the shore. If she were to wade out into the depths would his family come to her? She could sing the Selkie’s Song and try to call them to her. The thought of the mermen and their cruel features chased that thought from her almost as soon as it was born. “Bother and damn,” she muttered.