The Lost Years Read Free Page B

we are so late, there was an emergency . . .’
    He did not feel it necessary to add that the carriage had taken Annie as far as the lane leading to her farm en route to Heligan. On the way she had tried to remove some of the mud from Perys’s coat, but without any discernible success.
    ‘No one is asking you for an explanation,’ Edward retorted angrily. Looking Perys up and down with increasing distaste, he added, ‘Good God, man, look at you! Has Martin allowed you inside the carriage in that state? It will need to be thoroughly cleaned before anyone can ride in it. Dammit! That’s the final straw! Martin . . . you are dismissed. Don’t dare to show your face at Heligan again.’
    ‘Now just a minute!’ Perys stepped forward and again spoke heatedly in defence of the unfortunate coachman. ‘You can’t dismiss him out of hand like that. You haven’t even asked him to explain why he’s late.’
    Edward seemed to swell with indignant anger. ‘Don’t you tell me what I can or cannot do. I’ll not take orders from a bastard.’
    Perys paled. It was a term that had not been applied to him for so long he had forgotten how much it hurt. Recovering quickly, he said, ‘I’ll not stand by and see a man dismissed for stopping to save another man’s life - especially by someone throwing a tantrum simply because he’s late for a card game.’
    ‘How dare you speak to me in such a way!’ Edward’s face was contorted with rage now. ‘Great-Uncle Hugh will hear of this - not that he’ll be surprised to learn you’ve taken the part of a servant. It’s in the breeding. The family has always wondered whether your father was one of the servants rather than your mother’s cousin . . .’
    Perys had heard enough. Taking a couple of rapid paces forward he swung a punch that connected with Edward’s nose and sent him staggering backwards until he tripped and fell to the ground among some shrubbery, demolishing a fuchsia bush in the process.
    ‘What on earth is going on here?’
    The shocked question came from a tall, distinguished woman. She had emerged from the house too late to see Perys strike his cousin, but had witnessed Edward’s disappearance into the shrubbery.
    Clawing his way out of the bushes, Edward cried out plaintively, ‘He hit me. The b- Cousin Perys struck me.’ Dabbing at his nose, his hand came away bloody. ‘I’m bleeding, Aunt Maude. I think my nose is broken.’
    Turning to Perys, Maude Tremayne looked sternly at him, taking in his wet and muddy state. ‘If you are Perys, it would seem you are already living up to your reputation, young man. I think you have some explaining to do.’
    ‘I can tell you exactly what happened. Mother.’
    A younger and much prettier version of the older woman appeared in the doorway of the house, glaring at the bleeding Edward.
    ‘What do you know of this, Morwenna?’ her mother demanded.
    ‘I had my bedroom window open and heard everything. Edward was furious because Martin was late bringing the carriage back from Saint Austell. When Cousin Perys tried to explain that they were late because Martin had helped to save someone’s life, Edward called him a horrible name then told Martin he was dismissed. When Cousin Perys protested, Edward said some awful things about Perys’s mother. Things no genlteman could possibly accept - and no lady should overhear. Cousin Perys hit Edward, and if he has a broken nose as a result, it is no more than he deserves. Had he said such things about you I would have had no hesitation in taking a riding crop to him.’
    Edward had been taken aback by the unexpected intervention of Morwenna and he now stood his ground uncertainly.
    ‘I think you had better go inside and have someone staunch that bleeding, Edward.’ Maude Tremayne made it sound like a suggestion, but the look accompanying her words left him in no doubt it was a command.
    He obeyed without question.
    Ignoring Perys for the moment, Maude said to the coachman,