Chapters (50)
- Cover
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- The Pengarron Sagas
- The Harvey Family Sagas
Kerensa had been careful to give Clem very little attention. Now she looked his way, and it was too bad if Oliver objected. Clem was beside a window and appeared to be discussing the gardens with Catherine. He pointed something out to his children, a kindly, interested husband and parent. Clem had not made a wrong move, said a wrong word all day, while Oliver’s conduct was tiresome. And now he was doing it again, deliberately blocking her view. Exasperated, wishing the day was over, Kerensa pushed on his body, but he stood resolute.
William Beswetherick watched them, bemused. Rachael was thrilled, her glassy eyes flicking to and from the Pengarrons and Trenchards.
Of a sudden, Oliver grabbed Kerensa’s arm and then Rachael’s and bowled them along towards the clutch of Trenchards.
‘Come along, William,’ he mouthed in a dangerously jaunty manner. ‘Allow me to introduce you to someone you’ll find most interesting.’
Clem and Catherine rose at once, bowing and curtseying. Setting his jaw, squaring his feet, Clem placed a protective hand on Flora’s chair.
Uneasy for Clem and his wife, angry at Oliver, peeved with Rachael, for the silly woman’s ploy had worked and might well mean trouble, Kerensa smiled pleasantly at Catherine. She was going to get in the first word. ‘You are enjoying yourselves, I hope. Do say if there’s anything you need for the children, Mrs Trenchard.’
She studied John and Flora, unsurprised to find that like all Clem’s children they bore his fairness and handsome features. Jessica’s touch of wildness was not evident in the twins, nor Philip’s brawny toughness. They were temperate like David, Philip’s twin, currently upcountry in Yorkshire, preaching on the Methodist circuit. They also had Catherine’s sense of propriety, having stopped eating and eased themselves off their chairs to stand in respectful silence in front of their parents.
‘We are content, thank you, my lady,’ Catherine replied politely. Then she looked at Sir Oliver, and waited for him to belittle Clem in front of his friends, for surely this was the reason he had herded them and his wife here. She prayed Clem would not allow Sir Oliver his fun.
Oliver said in a commanding voice, ‘William, Rachael, this is Clem Trenchard, Harry’s other grandfather, and Mrs Trenchard, his step-grandmother. Trenchard, Mrs Trenchard, allow me to introduce Sir William and Lady Rachael Beswetherick.’
‘Pleased to make your acquaintance, Trenchard, Mrs Trenchard,’ William said, true to his sincere nature.