Sweet Rosie by Iris Gower Read Free Book Online

try it on and then we shall see. Take the candle, Lily, there’s a good girl.’
    He stripped off his waistcoat and then his shirt and Lily saw he wore no undergarments. She turned her head away, strangely touched by the thinness of his chest. She felt that all this was leading up to a suggestion of intimacy and she dreaded the thought of him pouncing on her and throwing her on the bed. He did no such thing.
    ‘There, Lily, see how big the shirt is, it hangs around me like the sails of a ship.’ He smiled. ‘If I went out in a strong breeze I’d fly up into the sky and you would never see me again. Would you like that, Lily?’
    She was right; this was all leading up to coercing her into bed. He had enough shirts without fussing about this particular one. ‘I’ll need some pins, I’ll fetch them from my sewing box.’
    He stood still while she pinned the shirt at the seams and then looked down at her handiwork. ‘Ah, that seems to be the answer, well done, Lily. Will it take you long?’ He rested his hands on her shoulders and she felt the warmth of his fingers and braced herself. He bent towards her and kissed her lightly on both cheeks. ‘There, you see, I’m not such an ogre am I?’
    To her surprise, he turned away and lifted the shirt over his head. He dressed quickly and efficiently and moved to the door. ‘I’m going to have a last small drink of porter and then I’ll retire to bed. See you in the morning, Lily.’
    She followed him onto the landing, even now suspecting his motives. ‘As for you,’ he said without turning, ‘leave the shirt, you look all in.’
    He left her alone, taking the candle with him, and she stood in the darkness, telling herself she would never understand the ways of men. In her own bedroom, she drew the curtains and pushed more coal onto the fire before lighting the candle.
    Lily stood for a moment, looking down at her hands covered in coal dust, and wondered why, when she hated the advances of men, was she disappointed that James showed no interest in her?
    Later, lying in bed, she began to plan her future. She would make herself indispensable to James; he would grow so used to having her around that he would never want her to leave. It was not an ideal way to live her life but it was a great deal better than being forced to find a home and employment somewhere else.
    As she began to drowse towards sleep, Lily felt a warm glow remembering that James had noticed her. Had even spoken a few kind words to her. It was little enough but it was a beginning.
    Llinos looked at the sleeping figure of Eynon’s daughter. She was curled up in the big armchair like a sleeping cat, her legs tucked under her. Jayne was a pretty child, growing taller now with thin legs and a cloud of thick hair hanging loose from the ribbons.
    ‘She feels the lack of a mother greatly,’ Eynon said following Llinos’s gaze.
    ‘Well, she has more than enough love from you, Eynon, so don’t fret, you are a wonderful father.’
    ‘Thank you, kind lady.’ He leaned forward. ‘It’s nice to see you come over to my house for a change, I’m always having to take the carriage to your place. You’re a selfish hussy. That’s what you are.’
    ‘Me a hussy!’ Llinos made a face at him. ‘What’s this scandal I hear about you then, Eynon? Walking out openly with a married woman? I thought you had more sense than to make your affair public.’
    Llinos lifted her glass of cordial; it was pleasant to be in the airy drawing room and a change from the hustle and bustle of Pottery House. She loved teasing Eynon and he was always aware that behind her humour lay real affection.
    Eynon played up to her. ‘Ah, I’m to be scolded! Well, my excuse is that Mrs Sparks is a needy lady and her husband is not the affectionate kind.’
    ‘I can vouch for that!’ Llinos said dryly. ‘Indeed, I found him a pompous, ill-mannered pig!’
    ‘There we are then, imagine having to live with a man like that. I think I’m