Oliver next fancied he saw Kerensa alone in the picture, standing on the rocks lost and distressed. He wanted desperately to be with Kerensa at that moment. If only he could go and take her in his arms, sweep away the sorrow in those hauntingly deep grey-green eyes. He knew he was responsible for that sorrow and felt guilty at her wretchedness yet at that moment he also envied her. Kerensa was content with herself deep down, never having known the inner turmoils he had suffered throughout his life. Despite his years, experiences, position and wealth he had been torn apart at the innermost part of his being. He was wracked with pain at Kerensa withholding the secret of Samuel Drannock’s true identity from him but what tortured him even more was his reaction to it.

He needed time to think. Time for a deep search inside himself. Time to be alone and make what would be a painful journey. Suddenly, Oliver knew what he had to do. In the not too distant future, when he had made suitable arrangements, he would go away. Far away from Cornwall, the estate and his wife.

Chapter 17

Ted Trembath and Lou Hunken were married on New Year’s Eve. After a quiet ceremony, attended by half a dozen people in St Piran’s, Perranbarvah’s parish church, the wedding party gathered with a greater number for a celebration held in a barn on Ker-an-Mor Farm. Many turned up out of affection for the amiable ex-miner and his widow bride, quite a few more tagged along in hope of devouring foodstuffs, ale and rum laid on generously by Oliver.

Adam Renfree made sure the liquor flowed freely and despite Matthias’s attempts to hide away the jugs of ale under bales of hay at the back of the barn, the party was in a merry mood by late afternoon.

‘Bring ’em back out, boy!’ Adam yelled at his son. ‘’Twas a bloody damned miserable Christmas and we’ve a right to make up for it now.’

‘Marriage is a holy sacrament,’ Matthias argued, to no effect, ‘not an excuse to get shamelessly drunk. And please stop that swearing, Father, there’s ladies present.’

‘Where? What ladies? I can’t see no one here who hasn’t heard it all before. Look around ’ee, son. Some of these women here are drunker than the men.’ Adam swept his bloodshot eyes round the barn until they alighted on a group set apart from the others. They were smiling pleasantly and tapping their feet to the music. ‘’Cept for your ruddy Methodies over there, of course,’ he added disparagingly.

‘They’re enjoying themselves without drinking and doing anything to spoil other people’s enjoyment. Lou’s not drinking, nor’s Ted, and they’re not miserable.’