The mood on the journey home was much lighter than it had been on the way there and Amber felt as if she and Barnaby had reached some kind of a truce. She found that she could bring herself to at least be civil to him now and they chatted easily of this and that as the horse trotted along.
It was mid-afternoon when The Crow’s Nest came into view and the good mood immediately disappeared as they saw that the front door was swinging open.
‘Oh no, not again!’ Amber breathed as she stared in distress at the flowers she had lovingly planted in the front garden. It had been a blaze of hollyhocks, lupins, lavender, roses and peonies when they left, but now they had all been trampled and she dreaded to imagine what they would find inside.
Barnaby’s face set. ‘But I locked thedamneddoor!’ he cursed as he led the horse round to the stable. ‘Stay here while I go and check there’s no one still inside.’
Charlotte was fast asleep in Amber’s arms and she watched the door fearfully until he remerged some minutes later, his face grave. ‘Whoever was here has made a right mess, so you’d best prepare yourself.’
He helped her down and took Charlotte from her, and steeling herself, Amber stepped through the back door and into the kitchen. Once again, the crockery from the dresser was smashed about the floor and the curtains had been ripped from the poles. But worst of all was the dreaded scrawling on the wall. This time someone had writtenHARLOTin huge letters and she cringed at the sight of it. Even so her face remained calm as she rolled her sleeves up and said quietly, ‘Unfortunately it looks as if we’re goin’ to have to buy some new crockery.’
He was watching her intently and she could see how distressed he was. ‘Never mind the crockery, it’s your good name I’m worried about. Didn’t I warn you this might happen?’
She shrugged. ‘As me mam was fond o’ sayin’, while they’re callin’ me names, they’re leavin’ some other poor sod alone. Now, lay Charlotte on the sofa an’ go an’ get the horse settled, he’ll be tired after the long journey. Then we’ll put this place back to rights. I can’t have Charlotte crawlin’ through all this lot.’
‘You don’t think it could have been old Trampy Ned who did this do you?’ He couldn’t think of anyone else who came near the place.
Amber shook her head. ‘No, I don’t. Old Ned is a gentle soul, he’d never cause all this damage an’ he wouldn’t steal from us either.’ Then she went to the cupboard to get the broom and started the long job of clearing up.
Barnaby took the horse to the stables, and after giving him a good rub down and filling his manger with food, he shook his head. His first feelings of anger had gone and now he just felt desolate. What a terrible ending this homecoming had been to their lovely time in Scarborough, but as Amber had pointed out, they would just have to get on with it, although he had come up with an idea that might make things easier for Amber. It was something he had been toying with for a while and now he decided to put it to her at the first opportunity he got.
It came later that evening as he and Amber were sitting in the kitchen after Charlotte was safely tucked up in bed. The house was now sparkling clean and tidy again. He’d noticed that she was actually a very good housewife and certainly not afraid of hard work. She was darning some socks by the light of the oil lamp when he said tentatively, ‘Amber, I know things have been difficult for you so I thought?.?.?.’ He swallowed, setting his Adam’s apple bobbing. ‘I thought perhaps people might leave you alone if we were to get married.’
‘What?’ Her head snapped up as she stared at him in disbelief. ‘Usget married, you mean?’
‘Why not? Think about it. I know I certainly shan’t ever meet anyone I wish to get married to again and you’ve said that you’ve no wish to. It would be a marriage of convenience, obviously. We could still continue to have our own rooms and live as we are now. It would be a purely platonic arrangement, but it might stop tongues wagging. What do you think?’
‘I-I don’t knowwhatto think!’ He had taken her completely by surprise, but as she thought of his suggestion, she supposed it did make sense. At least if they were married Charlotte would have some security, and so would she if it came to that.
‘Well, I?.?. .’
Sensing her hesitation and seeing the worried look on her face he hastened to assure her, ‘As I said I would never lay a finger on you. I’m just trying to make things a little easier for both of us.’
She stared thoughtfully into space for a time before saying slowly, ‘Then yes, I suppose it does make sense, for Charlotte’s sake if nothing else. At least if we’re wed then she won’t be branded a bastard.’
‘Is that a yes then?’
When she nodded, still looking nervous and uncertain, he stood up. ‘Then I shall go and see the vicar of St Mary’s tomorrow and arrange it for as soon as possible. Goodnight, Amber.’
He crossed to the door that led to the stairs and as she watched him go, she chewed on her lip and hoped she had done the right thing.
*
The following day Barnaby rode into Whitby to purchase new crockery and when he returned and carried it into the kitchen, Amber smiled at the sight of it. She’d expected him to buy plain white but this was patterned with little hand-painted poppies.
‘This is so pretty but I’m afraid it must have been very expensive,’ she commented as she examined it before arranging it carefully on the dresser. ‘In actual fact, it’s almost too nice to use for every day, but luckily I managed to salvage a few of the plainer pieces so we can still use those.’
He was ridiculously pleased to see her smiling and felt that the fancy crockery was worth the extra he had paid for it.
‘I, er?.?.?. I’m truly sorry for all the trouble and pain I’ve caused you in the past,’ he said quietly, and she paused in what she was doing to stare across at him. ‘And I’ve been to see the vicar. We can be married in three weeks’ time once he has called the banns. I’ve also taken the time to ask Farmer Jennings and his wife if they will stand as our witnesses. Is that all right?’
During the time she had lived in The Crow’s Nest, Amber had grown to like the Jennings. In fact, they and Trampy Ned, who came to the door often for food, were sometimes the only people she saw for days apart from Barnaby.
When she nodded, he lowered his head and repeated, ‘Again, I’m so sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused you. I’m going to try and make it up to you, I promise.’
‘It’s all in the past now. What’s done is done an’ to keep sayin’ sorry ain’t goin’ to change things, so can we just get on with things now?’
‘Of course.’ He made for the door to see what he could salvage of the flowers that had been trampled in the front garden and half an hour later he returned with a large bunch.
