Sea Witch Read online

  I caught the reins in my hand. One thing was certain, I would have to go the rest of the way on foot.

  Two

  Langland Hall stood in a hollow of sheer rock that protected the pointing turrets and cast long shadows over the arching windows.

  I stood for a moment to regain my breath, trying desperately to tuck my flying hair back under the crown of my bonnet. It was important to make a good impression on my cousins at our first meeting.

  ‘Hello, can I help you? Perhaps you have lost your way.’

  I turned quickly, startled by the low masculine voice behind me. I was looking into eyes as dark as my own, and somehow I managed to smile in spite of the fact that my breath seemed to have left me.

  ‘I have just come up from Swantown,’ I managed to say. ‘Unluckily, I had a fall just down the road a little way.’

  He examined the mare, who stood docile under his attentions.

  ‘The girth has been cut through,’ he said, his eyes travelling over me, taking in every detail of my appearance. I nodded.

  ‘That was my own conclusion, but I am not hurt.’

  He gestured toward the Hall. ‘Please come inside and take a little refreshment; you must be somewhat shaken.’

  I realised with a lift of excitement that he must be one of my cousins. I tried to speak, but he was hurrying me toward the ornate doors.

  The room which he led me to was large and sombre. The furniture, redolent of lavender and beeswax, reminded me poignantly of the home I had shared with Grandmother, and foolish tears stung my eyes.

  ‘You had better sit down. You must have taken a worse tumble than you thought.’

  Thankfully I took the chair he indicated, wincing a little as my bruised shoulder came into contact with the cold leather.

  ‘You do not choose very suitable weather in which to ride, if you will pardon my bluntness.’

  He rang the bell and smiled down at me, his eyes holding a challenge that brought the colour to my cheeks. He ordered tea, and the fresh-faced maid stared at me with open curiosity as she bobbed a curtsey.

  ‘All right, Lucy; that will be all for now.’ The twinkle in his eyes belied the sternness of his voice, and, smiling, she left the room.

  I looked around me and up at the high ceiling.

  ‘This is a lovely house.’ I spoke impulsively and so warmly that his eyebrows rose in surprise. To hide my confusion, I crossed the room and looked out across the bay.

  ‘See how the ships stand out so gracefully against the grey of the sky.’ He stood beside me, and I was acutely aware of his tallness.

  ‘I love ships,’ I said quickly. ‘That schooner there is a real beauty.’

  ‘You choose well.’ He smiled slightly. ‘She is the newest of all my ships, and I have not named her yet. Perhaps I shall give her your name when you can bring yourself to tell me.’

  My mouth was dry, though I could not think why. I turned to face him, squaring my shoulders.

  ‘I am Catherine Llewellyn; your cousin I believe.’ It was silly the way my voice shook.

  His eyes narrowed, and suddenly I could feel his hostility as he moved away from me.

  ‘This is a surprise. But how did you get here? I can not imagine that you travelled all the way to Swantown on that poor old mare outside.’

  ‘Of course not!’ I was stung by his tone. ‘I believed I was to be met yesterday evening. I came by coach, as I said in my letter that I would.’

  ‘Letter? But I received no letter. I had no idea that I was going to be honoured by your presence.’

  Lucy came in with the tray of tea, and as if by common consent we both refrained from speaking, though we continued to regard each other with suspicion.

  ‘Please take your tea,’ he said as soon as Lucy left the room. Shakily I took up the heavy silver pot and filled both cups.

  ‘Am I to take it there is no welcome at all for me at Langland Hall?’ I tried to hide the fear that gripped me behind an air of indifference.

  ‘It is not for me to decide; my brother Jon owns the house.’ He pointed out toward the bay. ‘My money is tied up in those ships, so you see I am not a very good catch for anyone.’

  The innuendo in his voice made my hackles rise. ‘I agree,’ I said with all the sarcasm I could muster.

  The corners of his mouth twitched a little, and he rocked back on his heels, watching me for a moment.

  ‘Where did you spend last night?’ He fired the words at me so suddenly that I was taken unawares.

  ‘Why, at the home of Daniel Perkins.’ I sounded as flustered as I felt, and he smiled.

  ‘You must have made a good impression on the old sea dog. It is a very rare day when he does somebody a good turn.’

  ‘He was very kind to me,’ I snapped. ‘If it were not for his help, I should have been forced to walk up to the Hall in the dark.’

  Before he could say any more, an outer door banged, and a man younger by several years than Garth hurried into the room. His hair was the same bright colour as my own, but whereas my eyes were dark, his were a clear light blue. I identified him even before anyone spoke.

  ‘Ah, you must be Jonathon,’ I said, responding to the warmth of his smile.

  He bowed an acknowledgement and took my hand.

  ‘Why did you not tell me we were to have such charming company, Garth?’ he asked, staring reproachfully at his brother.

  Garth shrugged his shoulders. ‘I had no idea, I assure you, though the good lady speaks of a letter. Perhaps you received one?’

  Jonathon shook his head. ‘No, but it is of no importance. We are delighted to have your company at any time.’

  My heart sank. ‘But the letter explained that Grandmother was dead and that—’ I stopped, not knowing how to continue.

  ‘I think she is trying to say she needs a home.’ Garth spoke with some amusement, lounging easily against the door frame.

  ‘Then of course she must stay with us.’ Jonathon spoke without a trace of hesitation, and I could have kissed him for it.

  ‘I have not come empty-handed,’ I said quickly, wishing to make it clear that I was no charity case, but Jonathon held up his hand.

  ‘Please, this is your home for as long as you wish to stay; so not another word.’

  Garth whistled tunelessly through his teeth for a moment and then looked out across the bay.

  ‘Just as long as the place does not crumble around our ears,’ he said quietly.

  Jonathon threw him a strange look and ignored his words. Instead, he took a seat beside me.

  ‘Tell me all about yourself. I do not even know your name.’

  ‘Catherine,’ I said in a low voice. ‘Catherine Llewellyn. But Grandmother gave me the impression that she kept in touch with you.’

  Garth looked at us both. ‘Has Grandmother been in touch with you when I have been out with the ships? Is that where you found the money to keep the house going, Jonathon?’

  ‘No, it is not!’ Jonathon turned a white face to his brother. ‘Do you always have to sneer at everything I try to do? You made no attempt to provide the money I needed, so now you can mind your own damn business!’ He turned to me quickly. ‘I do apologise, Catherine; my brother has no civilised manners. He spends most of his time on his ships, where manners are not needed.’

  I fluttered my hands nervously. ‘I did not mean to cause friction between you; perhaps it would be better if I did not stay.’

  I rose to my feet, not having any idea where I could go, but determined not to stay at the Hall a moment longer.

  Jonathon caught my arm. ‘Take no notice of us; brothers often argue. It does not mean a thing. I will call Lucy, and she will have a room made ready for you.’ He turned to Garth. ‘Tell Catherine she must stay with us.’

  Garth looked down at me with an inscrutable expression on his face. ‘It would be sheer stupidity to go wandering all over Swantown on your own. Stay with us. We have plenty of rooms which are idle, in all conscience.’

 
It was not exactly a gracious invitation, but then I had the feeling that Garth Llewellyn had little time for the niceties of life. He was a man used to the hardships and hazards of life at sea and had learned to deal only with essentials.

  I sank down in my chair, a feeling of despair settling over me, and Garth, with a quick look in my direction, strode out of the room.

  ‘Is it really all right for me to stay, Jonathon?’ My mouth was dry as I waited for him to speak.

  He knelt before me, taking both my hands in a firm clasp, his eyes regarding me steadily. ‘I want you here, Catherine, believe me.’ He chuckled suddenly. ‘A woman’s touch is just what Langland Hall needs. Can you not see that for yourself?’

  I smiled. ‘You love the Hall very much, and that is something I can see.’ I gazed around the gracious room with critical eyes. ‘Everything is in perfect taste, Jonathon, but I think perhaps new curtains would be an improvement.’ I went to the window and examined the faded drapes more closely. They certainly were shabby. ‘I could buy some yards of velvet. It would not take me long to make them into curtains, and I really would like to do it.’

  Jonathon’s eyes brightened. ‘There, you see, you are beginning to like it here. I knew you would.’

  I laughed and returned to my chair. ‘That is all very well, but I do not wish to cause friction between you and your brother.’

  He shrugged his slim shoulders. ‘We never did get along very well. We are so different. It is sometimes hard for me to believe there is any kinship between us at all.’

  I watched him covertly for a few moments. He was handsome, much better-looking than Garth. His movements were well defined, as though he would be meticulous in everything he did. And yet there was no pull of attraction for me.

  Garth was a different kettle of fish. Immediately there had been a lightning response to his rugged masculinity. His features were autocratic, with almost a streak of cruelty in the set of his mouth and the slant of his dark eyes. I wondered what he would say when he knew that I held a fortune for him, if only he would submit to the indignity of having a woman administer it.

  ‘You need not worry unduly about Garth.’ I jumped as Jonathon spoke, believing for a moment that I had spoken aloud.

  ‘What?’ I asked sharply. ‘Forgive me; I did not hear you.’ I smiled to soften the abruptness of my words, and he looked down at me indulgently.

  ‘Still thinking about refurnishing the place,’ he said warmly. ‘Well, there will be plenty of time for that later. I was saying that Garth will be away at sea most of the time, so do not concern yourself about his opinions.’

  To my surprise, I felt a keen sense of disappointment; then I took myself sternly to task. It was none of my business what Garth Llewellyn did, and it was perfectly natural for a sailor to spend his time at sea.

  There was a knock on the door, and Lucy came shyly into the room. ‘I’ve made up the bed in the front guest room. Master Garth said you liked the sea and would enjoy sleeping facing the beach.’

  ‘Thank you, Lucy,’ I said calmly, though there was a warm feeling inside me at this mark of consideration from my cousin. ‘Would you mind showing me upstairs now?’ I turned to Jonathon. ‘Is that all right with you?’

  He nodded. ‘Yes, go along. I suppose you want to comb your hair or change your ribbons or some such feminine frippery.’ He smiled as he saw me to the door. ‘Make sure you have some rest before you come down again. Do just as you please, and remember this is your home now.’

  I kissed him quickly on the cheek and hurried up the stairs behind Lucy.

  The room was large and cheerful, with bright curtains at the windows and warm coverings on the furniture. The view was breathtaking. The sea dominated everything, stretching away to the horizon, edged with pale sands and rocks that pointed upward like blackened teeth. Over to the left, I could see the harbour with the ships’ masts pointing heavenward, almost motionless, as if waiting to be released from an enforced rest.

  ‘Happy?’ a voice said near my ear, and I spun round so suddenly that I teetered.

  Garth put out a hand to steady me, and I took a deep breath.

  ‘It is a beautiful room,’ I said quickly. ‘Thank you for your kindness.’

  His eyes were unreadable, but the smile that twitched the corners of his mouth was somehow infuriating.

  I jerked my arm away from him. ‘I know you think I have come here to live off your charity, but it is not true.’ The words spilled out hotly, but his expression did not change.

  ‘That is just as well, dear Catherine,’ he said dryly. ‘Jonathon and I have very little money between us.’

  I stared at him, my anger dispelled by surprise. ‘But you do have money!’ I was about to tell him of Grandmother’s bequest when he strode to the door.

  ‘You might as well believe me now as find out later to your cost,’ he said sharply. ‘I have risked all I own on my ships; as for my brother, he has barely enough to keep the Hall from falling into ruin.’ He stopped at the door. ‘Take my advice, Catherine. Go somewhere else to seek your fortune; you will find nothing for you here.’

  Before I could speak, the door was snapped shut. I sank onto the bed, staring blindly before me. It was quite obvious to me now that Garth thought of me as nothing more than a scheming adventuress.

  Three

  With wintry brilliance, the sun shone through the small-paned windows, bathing the room in a comfortable warmth. I pushed back the bedclothes and stepped onto the carpet, my gloom and anger of the previous night dispelled.

  There was a knock on the door, and Lucy came in, staggering under the weight of two enormous water jugs. Her round, smiling face was flushed from the rising steam.

  ‘Morning, miss.’ She set the jugs down, sighing with relief, and straightened, her hands rubbing her back in an absent gesture.

  ‘You had better dress warmly, miss,’ she cautioned. ‘Even though the sun is shining, there is plenty of frost on the ground.’

  I made a hasty toilet and, following Lucy’s advice, pulled on a good heavy dress that was enlivened by a colourful, embroidered collar.

  ‘Am I late for breakfast?’ My fingers were clumsy as I attempted to pin up my hair, and Lucy stepped behind me.

  ‘Let me do that for you, Miss Catherine. I’m quite good at pinning up curls.’

  I watched in admiration as Lucy deftly worked on my hair, craning my neck to see my reflection in the mirror.

  ‘That’s very good!’ I said when she had finished. ‘I’ve never looked so neat!’

  She giggled a little. ‘It does look nice, miss, even if I do say so myself.’

  She stood aside to allow me to pass. ‘There is no hurry, miss; breakfast is late today.’ She glanced out of the window. ‘In any case, you have missed Master Garth; he was away to the docks at first light.’

  There was a strange sense of disappointment in me as I made my way down the sweeping staircase and into the dining room.

  ‘Good morning, Catherine.’ Jonathon rose to greet me, his eyes looking very blue in the morning sunlight. ‘I hope you had a good night’s sleep.’

  I smiled. ‘I was most comfortable, thank you. It is a lovely room you’ve given me.’

  It may have been my imagination, but a fleeting shadow passed over his face, darkening his eyes. Then he was smiling once more.

  ‘Help yourself to tea, Catherine; please do not stand on ceremony.’

  I lifted the heavy silver pot and tried to think of something to say. It was disconcerting, to say the least, to have breakfast with a man who was little more than a stranger to me.

  ‘I used to ride in the morning at home,’ I said at last, ‘especially when the sun was shining so brightly.’

  Jonathon glanced at me sharply ‘It would be highly dangerous for you to go riding in this weather,’ he said. ‘There is a hard frost on the ground, and one wrong move would take you over the edge of the cliff.’

  I shivered. ‘I realise that; I almost went over on my ride
last night.’

  His eyes narrowed ‘Tell me about it, Catherine.’

  Surprised by the tension in his voice, I obeyed, playing down the fact that the girth had been deliberately cut.

  ‘I very nearly ended up on the rocks.’ I tried to smile, though the memory of my fright was fresh in my mind.

  Jonathon studied me thoughtfully for a moment, and I wondered what was going through his mind.

  ‘I cannot impress on you too forcefully the fact that riding alone here is dangerous.’ He spoke sternly. ‘Do not go out in future unless you are accompanied.’

  Apparently he did not require an answer. He rose from his chair and made a formal bow. ‘Excuse me, cousin; I have to go out for a while this morning.’ He managed a small smile. ‘Will you be all right on your own?’

  I nodded eagerly. ‘Perhaps I can explore the Hall, with your permission, of course.’

  He hesitated for a moment and then shrugged. ‘Why not? Please treat this as you would your own home.’

  On an impulse, I caught his hand. ‘Thank you for the welcome you have given me, Jonathon.’ I smiled warmly. ‘I can not tell you how much I dreaded the thought of coming here. If it had not been for Grandmother’s insistence, I would not have found the courage.’

  He seemed a little embarrassed by my outburst, and self-consciously I drew away from him.

  ‘I must not keep you,’ I said quickly. ‘I realise you must have a great deal to do.’

  He went out without another word, and I stood at the open door, watching, as he rode away down the cliff road. He looked well on a horse; his shoulders were straight and slim, and he held his head high. Obviously, the unfortunate circumstances of his birth did not worry him.

  The Hall was large and imposing, and I realised it would take me some time to explore it thoroughly. I pulled a rueful grimace; time was something I was going to have a great deal of in the days to come.

  I went upstairs and wandered along the passages; it seemed that the main rooms faced the sea. The darker, smaller rooms at the rear of the house were used mainly as storerooms. They were uncarpeted and stacked with an odd assortment of boxes. I tried to open one but found it to be securely sealed. I shrugged; it was none of my business anyway, I had no right to be prying into things that did not concern me.