To Have And To Hold by Valerie Holmes

Author:Valerie Holmes [Holmes, Valerie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781913028008
Publisher: Sapere Books
Published: 2019-06-17T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 7

Laura ran down to the old town as fast as she could, ignoring her desire to go and demand answers from her mother and find out if she knew about Mrs King. Surely she could not. Laura could not fathom how to broach the subject to her. They did not converse easily at the best of times and these were about the worst that Laura could imagine. Could any woman live contentedly, knowing that her husband was having a liaison with a neighbour? And especially one that was in his employ?

She ran down to the line of cobles but her father was nowhere to be seen so she broke another one of his orders and made her way to the inn. She dared not enter the tap room but skirted around the back. Old Amy occasionally sat on an upturned barrel mending nets there, but instead of Amy she saw her father talking to a tall, bearded man wearing knee-high cavalry boots that matched a wide leather belt. Realising that it was Arnold Glynn, the gamekeeper of Hamiltons’ estate, who must have returned early from Gorebeck, she stayed hidden. He cut a striking figure, not one many would like to come across if trespassing. It had never occurred to her that he might come back earlier than expected.

“I tell you, Obadiah, the men are a gathering and there will be a trap set for him.” The man’s voice was gruff but clear. Her father looked very concerned, anxious even. She had stopped at the edge of the inn and nestled behind a stack of three large hogsheads to listen.

“This cannot be. He is a good man. I’ve known young Daniel Tranton for years. I taught him to fish, how to track and how to be a real man, not a prissy fop as his mother would have had him be. Now, his cousin is a different kettle of fish — I could understand it if they were setting their sights on that cruel bastard. He pays them a pittance and only gives them time to get over illness if they cannot stand, but Daniel — no, you must be mistaken. Either you misheard, or they have the wrong man, or the wrong mill.”

Laura’s ears did not deceive her. There was a threat to Daniel Tranton and his mill. He did not deserve that. Neither did she deserve being offered up to his ‘cruel bastard’ of a cousin!

Arnold continued, “But that’s just it — they ain’t real machine wreckers. I worked over in the west for Hamilton. Believe me, he could make Mr Roderick Tranton look like a guardian angel the things he done. The man’s family made money from the slaves in the West Indies for generations first, so they know how to work folk like dogs. But these men don’t speak like they’re from West Yorkshire, they’re returners from the wars like Bullman and his cronies. There’s only about five of them, but you don’t need more than that to whip up a crowd.

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