‘We’ve had news of our Matt, Morwen!’
Morwen gasped, seeing that Hal could hardly contain himself as he was shown into the drawing-room, and she knew at once that Bess’s own sadness over her lost lamb had been as deeply felt by Hal all these years. He had rarely spoken of it, but the pain had been there all the same. But there was nothing but excitement in his eyes now.
Morwen’s heart beat so fast she thought she would faint. She clutched at her father’s arm, since he looked more than ready to do the same.
‘Sit down, Daddy, and tell me what’s happened. You look so dazed. Will you take some brandy?’
Hal laughed recklessly. ‘Why not? Yes, I’ll take some brandy, my love. We should all be taking brandy! Where’s that husband of yours? I want him to hear this news too.’
‘He’s taken the boys for a ride because they were so cross today – oh, Daddy, please tell me. Don’t make me wait until Ben comes back—’
Hal drew out several pieces of paper from the inside of his coat. There was also a large packet that he set down on the sofa beside them both. The letter had already been well-thumbed, and Morwen guessed that Bess would have wept over it. Hal handed it to her, his voice jerky with emotion.
‘The postal man delivered it to the cottage at first, and the neighbours told un there was no-one living there. He were about to take it away again, when somebody asked who ’twere for, since clay folk don’t get many letters sent to ’em. The man said ’twere for Hal Tremayne, so they sent un to the works, and then to the little house. ’Tis a wonder it reached us at all!’
He lapsed with exhaustion as Morwen handed him a glass of brandy from the decanter and sat down with Matt’s letter, glad to see he hadn’t skimped on it now he had finally got in touch with his family. In fact Matt had enjoyed the spasmodic schooling given to the clayworkers’ children, and he had always been the more eloquent of the two older Tremayne boys.
As she began to read quickly it became clear, too, that in the years since he’d been gone, Matt had lost his old country style of speech, and wrote an articulate letter. She wouldn’t have cared if he’d said no more than a few sentences. It was as though Matt stood beside her, speaking the words in her ear…
‘Dearest Mammie and Daddy and all my family,’ Matt wrote.
‘This is a hard letter for me to write, yet it’s been on my conscience to write to you for a very long time. I know how bad you must have thought me when I ran off to sea with Jude Pascoe, and in the early days I regretted it a hundred times.’
Morwen bit her lip at reading Jude Pascoe’s name, but at least Matt appeared to have seen him for what he was.
‘When we reached America after the weary weeks at sea, we got work at the docks in New York. America is a land of opportunity for those prepared to work hard, and I soon discovered that Jude and I had different ideas about that.
‘Eventually we parted company. He stayed in New York, and I joined what’s called a waggon-train, and travelled across the country to California. America is a vast land, and it took several months to arrive here. Most of the waggons contained families, and I was attached to a family called Wainwright, the parents and a small boy, and a girl about our Morwen’s age, called Louisa.
‘Mr Wainwright was a teacher, and they were travelling to the gold diggings to start a school in the new towns that were springing up. To pass the time when the waggon-train halted each night, he taught small groups of interested people. I joined his classes, and so did Louisa, of course.’
Morwen glanced at her father. The brandy and the excitement had taken their toll, and he leaned his head back against the cushions and closed his eyes. Morwen read on, already with a faint premonition about her brother and Louisa Wainwright.
‘I won’t bore you with details of the journey, except to say that it was an exhausting time. Many folk gave up halfway across the country, and set up homesteads just where they were.
‘The rest of us reached California, and lived as best we could, though most were in little more than shacks at first. The conditions were terrible. Either it poured with rain and was cold and miserable, or it was blisteringly hot and we were bitten half to death by mosquitoes. I wonder any of us survived.
‘But we knew there was gold to be found, and Mammie – Daddy – I did find it! I had a big strike, where there was more gold than I ever dreamed existed.
‘I didn’t even know it was gold at first. I was grovelling in the mud with my shallow pan like everybody else, shaking the dirt and slime out of it in the hope of seeing the little gleaming golden specks. Sometimes somebody found a bigger piece, the size of a little finger or even bigger, and you knew he was going to be rich!
‘What I’m trying to tell you, my dearest family that I miss so much, is that I’m now one of those rich men. I have a fine house and men working for me at the gold diggings, and a lovely wife called Louisa, née Wainwright. And in the spring there will be a new Tremayne babby on the other side of the world.’
Morwen felt too choked to go on reading until she had wiped her eyes. Matt was rich and married, and his wife was expecting a baby at about the same time as she was. And for all his grand new status, Matt didn’t forget his roots. He, too, would hold a babby in his arms…
Hal was watching her now, and she smiled tremulously as she neared the end of the letter.
‘I can’t quite believe all this,’ she said shakily.
‘Read to the end, my love,’ he told her, his voice as thick as hers.
Dutifully, Morwen did so. ‘I never forgot any of you back in Cornwall. I love Louisa more than life, but I still miss my family. I miss the scent of the moors and the little cottage where we all lived. The thought of Mammie’s cooking still makes my mouth water, and I miss sparring with Sam and Jack. And I bet our Morwen’s the prettiest girl in the county by now, and Freddie’s still as troublesome.
‘Mammie and Daddy, I hope you can forgive me at last, and that you’ll accept what I’m sending you. Not as charity, but because I love you all, and I want to share what I have. It’s my dearest wish that one day I can bring my wife and child home to Cornwall to visit you. Until that day, if any of you care to write to us, it will be the happiest day of my life. I long for news of home.
‘Your loving son, Matt.’
Morwen swallowed back the tears. The last paragraph tore at her heart. Dear, sweet Matt, clearly still homesick for the place of his birth. For the cottage that was no longer theirs; for his family, his sister and brothers… not even knowing that Sam was dead. Nor that she had married Ben Killigrew or that all his family’s lives had changed so dramatically since that day he had taken his chance to start a new life across the ocean.
She blew her nose hard, and Hal patted her back. He and Bess would already have shed their tears of happiness that Matt had come back into their lives again.
‘I can’t express what I feel, Daddy—’
‘No more can I, my love.’
She managed to smile through her tears. ‘What did Matt send you? Was it a nice gift?’
Hal picked up the packet at his side and handed it to her without saying a word. Mystified, Morwen opened it. There was a letter from a lawyer in California, explaining that the sealed packet enclosed was to be taken immediately to a reputable lawyer of Mr Hal Tremayne’s choosing, to be opened and read in the presence of witnesses. Morwen frowned.
‘I don’t understand—’
‘Nor I, but Ben will know what to do. I’ve had no dealings with lawyers, but I’m mazed with curiosity. Should he be back soon?’
‘He’s here now,’ Morwen said with relief as she heard the noisy chattering of the two little boys. When they came in, she instructed them to run at once to the kitchen for some lemonade, and to ask Fanny to take them to the nursery to play with them.
She ignored all their howls of protest, and after one look at her and Hal, Ben insisted that they did as their mother said. As soon as the three adults were alone, he asked what had happened. Morwen ran to his side, hugging his arms.
‘Oh, Ben, ’tis a letter from our Matt. He’s married and his wife’s having a baby, and he’s rich from the gold diggings! Can you believe it all!’
She couldn’t stop laughing and crying at the same time, and at his incredulous face, Hal affirmed that what Morwen said was true. He thrust the letter under Ben’s nose, who scanned it quickly.
‘This is wonderful news,’ he said. ‘I know how badly you’ve all ached for news of Matt. I’m so happy for you all, Hal, and Bess must be overjoyed.’
‘That she is,’ Hal said softly. ‘But there’s still this other business. Perhaps you’d put me right on it all.’
Ben read the official letter. ‘You must get this attended to straight away, Hal—’
‘I don’t understand lawyers, but I’d prefer it if that Mr Carrick were to see to it for me. At least I don’t feel too uneasy in his company.’
‘As a matter of fact he’s coming here tomorrow,’ Ben said, wishing he didn’t have to think of his reasons for asking Richard to Killigrew House. The likely closure of three of his pits was not going to be a happy day. But he didn’t want to dispel the joy of these two with his own troubles.
‘Look, you and Bess come here in the afternoon,’ Ben said. ‘I know she’ll be bursting with curiosity to know what the packet contains, and she can see her grandchildren at the same time. We’ll get your business settled before Richard and I get down to mine. Does that suit you, Hal?’
Bess and Hal were there promptly the following afternoon. The children were kept strictly out of the way, and the Tremaynes waited anxiously with Morwen and Ben for Richard Carrick to arrive. When he did, he looked surprised to see so many people awaiting him, but readily agreed to deal with the Tremayne business first.
It was like reading a Will, Morwen thought. Not that she had ever attended a formal Will reading, but she’d heard that this was how it happened for grand folk. The lawyer on one side of the desk, the hopeful recipients on the other.
In this case Richard sat in one of their easy arm-chairs; Ben lounged against the piano, while the others sat like a row of peas on the sofa. She heard Richard Carrick give a sudden exclamation and look up sharply at Hal.
‘My dear Mr Tremayne, had you any idea of what this packet contained?’
Hal shrugged. ‘A gift from my son in America.’ Morwen noted how he said the words now with unconscious pride.
Richard smiled slightly. ‘Some of my clients would sell their soul to the devil for such a gift! This is an authorisation to pay into a bank the sum of ten thousand dollars for your use, Sir. May I offer you my sincere best wishes and congratulations, Mr Tremayne, and ask that you’ll allow me to act as your lawyer and adviser?’
None of the three people on the sofa said a word. They were pleased and stunned. Besides that, the amount of money meant less to them than to those who had dealings with such sums. Neither did they understand the value of dollars.
Ben Killigrew did. He gave a smothered gasp, his mouth dropping open, and Morwen knew by his reaction that this was riches indeed.
‘Can you explain what this American money means to my family, Mr Carrick? Is it of use here in Cornwall?’ Morwen said hurriedly, as her parents seemed devoid of speech.
She blushed at seeming so stupid before this educated man. Truly, she had no more idea of the value of dollars than Hal and Bess, but it was mainly for their benefit that she asked, since they both looked totally bemused.
‘Yes, my dear Morwen, it most certainly is of use. Ten thousand dollars can be converted by any bank into our own currency, and the amount your brother sent would buy you half of Cornwall if you wished!’
Richard spoke jocularly to break the tension this news evoked. The Tremaynes seemed more baffled by their sudden wealth than anyone he had ever seen, and seemingly unaware of what it would mean to them. He spoke more kindly to Hal.
‘You’ll need time to get used to the idea, Mr Tremayne. If you would like me to come and see you at your home when you’ve had a few days to think things over, I can advise you on the best ways of investing your money.’
Morwen saw her mother put her hand on Hal’s. She whispered quickly in his ear. They looked at one another, and each gave a small nod. Hal’s voice was more resolute.
‘We don’t need time, Mr Carrick. Both Bess and me know where we want the money to go to be put to best use—’
‘No!’ Ben said angrily. ‘I know what you’re thinking, Hal, and I won’t take a cent of it. This is your money. Matt sent it to you with love, and it was never intended to get me out of my difficulties!’
Swiftly Morwen moved across to him, linking her hand through his arm, as though to stand by whatever he said. Richard sat back, while they sorted out the matter among themselves. He couldn’t deny that the thought had immediately occurred to him too. He also knew that Ben had far too much pride to accept this money out of hand.
Hal spoke roughly. ‘What do we want with all these dollars or cents, whatever they are? Bess and me have everything we want. Your family have been more than generous to ours, so why shouldn’t we invest in the clay works instead of any other business that we don’t care a damn about?’
‘Mr Tremayne has a point, Ben—’ Richard said quietly.
‘Ben, please don’t turn us down without considering it,’ Bess put in, her voice shaky. ‘You’ll be used to handling such big sums, but I tell ’ee it will be more of a worry to Hal and me than a blessing. Take it with our love, and build your new railway and set the town to rights.’
Ben shook his head decisively. ‘No. My answer is still the same. Matt sent this for you, not for me.’
‘What about our Morwen, then? She’d benefit by the money, and if you don’t take it, what’s to happen to the clay works?’ Hal was on safer ground now. ‘You’ll be putting a lot o’ families to hardship if the clayworkers have no jobs.’
‘Don’t bring me into it, Daddy,’ Morwen said quickly. ‘I’m touched that you and Mammie want to help, but it must be Ben’s decision, and whatever he says is right by me.’
‘You weren’t so backward in coming forward when you stood up for un in court!’
That was different. This was Ben’s pride at stake. She could see it as clearly as Richard Carrick, if her generous and loving family could not.
Richard cleared his throat. ‘May I make a suggestion to you all? Mr Tremayne, you mentioned investing your money in Killigrew Clay. I know that this has been your life for many years, and indeed for all your family, so I think this is by far the best idea, rather than give it as an outright gift to Ben. I could make all the necessary arrangements so that Ben would have access to the money immediately, and you would also reap dividends, of course.’
Hal was ready to agree to anything. The lawyer made it all sound feasible, but the thought of such a large sum of money began to feel like a millstone around his neck, and he was already wondering how rich folk coped with the responsibility of it all.
And if Matt could send them a sum to make Ben and Richard Carrick treat the matter so seriously, then how much was Matt really worth? It was something beyond Hal’s imagination.
‘I have a better proposition.’ Ben spoke before Hal could do more than nod his head. His voice was clear-cut, forcing them all to listen. ‘No family has been closer to me over the years than the Tremaynes. You’ve been my best pit captain, and now my trusted Works Manager. But it’s more than that. We’re bound together by love and respect. Because of that, there’s only one way I would accept your investment in Killigrew Clay, Hal, and that is for you to become my partner.’
Morwen gasped with delight, hugging Ben’s arm. The solution was so simple, and so beautifully obvious. Ben’s pride would be saved, and Hal would have security for his lifetime. He sank back against the sofa while he digested this undreamed-of idea.
‘As your legal adviser, I must say it’s a fine offer, Mr Tremayne. Whether Ben would want the name of the Works changed or not is another matter—’ Richard put in helpfully.
‘No!’
Hal and Ben spoke simultaneously, but it was Hal who got the words out first.
‘I’ve worked for Killigrew Clay all my life, and God willing, ’twill still be Killigrew Clay when I die! Mr Charles wouldn’t have it any other way, and no more would I. As to this partner business – I thank’ee, Ben, but I’m more than happy the way I am—’
The Tremayne women decided spontaneously that it was time to stop these dithering men from walking on tip-toe all around one another, when the way was so clear to them.
‘Daddy, if you turn this offer down, you’re a fool!’ Morwen said explosively, her eyes blazing down at him.
Bess turned to him at the same moment. ‘For pity’s sake, dar, is the fact that you’m a partner in Killigrew Clay going to stop ’ee being Works Manager? Who’s to know of it if we don’t tell ’em?’
‘That’s right!’ Morwen stormed on. ‘Mr Carrick himself was a silent partner in Killigrew Clay for years, and since this is so important to us all, I hope he’ll forgive me for telling ’ee so. Is there any reason why Daddy can’t be the same, Ben, and carry on with his Works Managing job, if ’tis what he wants?’
Ben shook his head. ‘No reason at all, if that’s what you’d prefer, Hal. We haven’t heard from you on this yet.’
Hal got to his feet. He was nothing if not his own man, and not his son-in-law nor the educated lawyer, nor his own two womenfolk were going to decide it for him.
‘What I say is that we all sleep on it. You may regret this offer tomorrow, Ben, and me and Bess have got to talk it over by ourselves without our Morwen trying to twist me around her finger. I’m happy enough to give ’ee the money and be done with it—’
‘And I flatly refuse to take it unless you become my legal partner, and take on whatever job you like to our mutual agreement,’ Ben retorted.
Richard cleared his throat again. These clay folk were among the most cantankerous and strong-willed of people, and he most definitely included Ben Killigrew in that description. But he couldn’t deny that he had a deep and abiding respect for every one of them in that elegant drawing-room.
‘Then may I suggest that we all give it serious thought and meet here again tomorrow, if that suits you, Ben? Does your own business need discussion today, or can that wait as well? This has taken rather longer than I imagined.’
‘My business can wait,’ Ben said shortly, realising as he said it that his interview with the lawyer now depended on the outcome of Hal Tremayne’s decision.
Hal and Bess were very quiet on the way home to the little house. As if by mutual agreement, they said nothing about their new status until they were safely indoors and alone.
‘Well, dar.’ Hal felt suddenly awkward, because they had never had such things to consider before now.
In the early days, they had been as poor as any other large family, when Hal had been the only breadwinner while Bess had the children. Then she, too, had worked for Killigrew Clay as a bal maiden, taking along each child in turn to work for the bosses in St Austell.
If anyone had said then how their fortunes would have changed, they would have laughed in total disbelief. But it was something that had to be faced. Money had come their way, and with it, the offer for Hal to be Ben Killigrew’s partner.
Bess’s mouth began to twitch. It was all so ridiculous, so impossible, so unbelievable…
Before she could stop herself, her shoulders had begun to shake, and the laughter was churning inside her, as much of a release as the tears of joy she had shed earlier, when she had first seen her beloved Matt’s letter.
‘Well, dar!’ she gasped. ‘How do ’ee fancy being a partner, then? Will ’ee swank about the town on Sundays and ride in a fancy carriage, and expect me to call ’ee Sir?’
He looked startled for a moment, then he caught her reckless mood, and swung her into his arms.
‘And will ’ee be my lady and dress in fine silk gowns instead of sewing ’em for others, and enjoy hearing other folks call ’ee Madam?’
They laughed in sudden glee like a pair of children, and just as suddenly the laughter died as they faced one another, arms still holding each other tight, chests heaving.
‘Is it right for me to do this, Bess? You’m the wise un between us. Tell me what ’ee think truthfully. I’d gladly give Ben the money and be done with all the fuss, but would our Matt want it that way?’
She looked at him with love softening her eyes; he was as dear to her as he had ever been.
‘I think our Matt ’ould be mighty proud of ’ee, dar.’
‘So you think I should accept this idea?’ He still wanted to hear her say it, to boost his own uncertainty.
Bess drew him down beside her on their own modest sofa. At that moment the comfortable piece of furniture seemed to epitomise their position. It was grander than the old wooden settle they had left behind at the cottage; nothing like as grand as that at Killigrew House. They were somewhere between the two, and it was where they belonged.
‘Hal, I’m thinking ’tis for the best. ’Twill be of help to Ben, whatever name you give yourself at the Works. But perhaps my reasons are a mite more selfish than that.’
‘You never had a selfish bone in your body, dar,’ Hal said gruffly.
Bess smiled. ‘I never had the means to give my children something that only rich folk can give them, either. Think what it will mean to be Ben’s partner, Hal. We’ll have an inheritance to leave to our sons, and that’s summat we never dreamed possible. That means more to me than being called a lady!’
Hal’s arms went around her and held her close. ‘You’ve always been a lady to me, dar.’ His voice slowed as he considered her words. ‘’Tis right what you say. Our Matt has done summat more special for us than he believed. And he being one of our sons, he’ll benefit in the end as well!’
‘That he will,’ Bess said softly. ‘The money will go full circle. Some of it, anyway.’
Hal released her, frowning in thought. ‘This needs some thinking out, Bess. Yes, I’ll agree to Ben’s idea of being his partner, though it still makes my stomach lurch to think on it! But we’ll see the lawyer privately once all this is settled, and see to making a proper Will for when the time comes.’
He caught sight of her expression and gave her a squeeze. ‘There’s no sense in shirking it. All rich folks have to make their Wills, dar, to provide for their children!’
She smiled again at that, although she didn’t like the thought of making a Will. But it needed sorting out between them, before they put their wishes to the lawyer. And long before they went to bed that night, they had made their decision.
Bess insisted that she wanted no share of the clay inheritance, declining such responsibility, and that all she would want was a decent allowance of money for her to live on comfortably in their adored little house.
How she would even exist without Hal was something she refused to think about, but this had to be a sensible discussion, and she tried to stay as unemotional about it as possible.
They reasoned that since Morwen would naturally inherit Ben’s half-share of the Works, they needn’t apportion any of it to her either, but would leave a special legacy for her to spend as she wished.
Apart from those sums, the entire half-share of Hal Tremayne’s interest in Killigrew Clay was to be divided equally between his three sons.
He had almost said four, and felt a swift sharp grief that Sam could not have lived to see this incredible day.
By the time the Tremaynes went to bed in their snug little house that night, they were quite determined in their minds what had to be done. And they both decided that the contents of Hal’s Will should be kept private between the two of them and Richard Carrick.
So much had happened so fast, and Bess was still dazed by it all. It was humbling to know that she and Hal could do what they had never thought possible – provide for their sons after their death.
In due time, Matthew, Jack and Freddie Tremayne would be equal partners in half-ownership of Killigrew Clay.
Even more dear to Bess’s heart as she finally drifted off to sleep, snuggled up against Hal’s broad back, was the knowledge that Matt had finally stretched out his hand to them from halfway across the world, and in doing so, had opened the gates to a new beginning for them all.