‘Beth? Why would Beth mind?’ He touched his nose as if remembering Eland’s punch. ‘And Ah dun’t care what he thinks! He’s leaving me out of the lifeboat crew now on purpose,’ he added in an aggrieved tone.

Esther cast her eyes to the scudding clouds above them. ‘Are ya so stupid? Can’t ya see?’ She leant towards him, trying to make him understand. ‘Everybody knows he’s your child, you’ve made sure of that! But you shamed her and she had to marry another to give her bastard a name . . .’

‘If that’s anybody’s fault, it’s yours, Esther. You knew before you got me to marry you . . .’

‘I didn’t get you to marry me, an’ well you know it. You asked me and I said yes, that’s all.’

‘Only because you held out on me, because you wouldn’t . . .’

‘Aye, but Beth would and did,’ Esther said quietly now. ‘And look where it left her. I was always honest with you, Matthew. I always telled you I wouldn’t bring a bastard into the world, and I meant it.’ She paused a moment and then added softly, ‘But I’m carrying your child now, Matthew. Your child conceived and born in holy wedlock!’

He stared at her, but his face was expressionless.

‘So,’ he said slowly. ‘Ah’ll have sired two calves in a year, eh?’ A smile twisted his mouth, but it was a sardonic cynical smile, with no pleasure at her news showing in his eyes. ‘Quite the young bull, ain’t I?’

Sixteen

IT was not the way Esther had imagined giving her husband the news, but it was done now and over the days and weeks that followed Matthew made no mention to Esther about their coming child. He made no enquiries after her health, nor any deference to her condition by trying to help ease her workload. Not that Esther expected anything different. She had seen her aunt work in the fields until a few hours before the birth of a child. She had been brought up to regard such a condition as perfectly natural and not an illness or an excuse for idleness.