Free Father Unknown by Lesley Pearse Page A

Violet found a job in a harbour pub with guest-rooms above. She did all the donkeywork from cleaning, laundry and cooking, to serving behind the bar, and while not exactly happy, she was resigned to it.
    In 1948, after being in Falmouth for over two years, she heard the shocking news of Clare Pengelly’s suicide. Violet had been interested in Albert Pengelly right from the first time she met him in the pub. He stood out with his long curly red hair and his lean, muscular body, and like many women she found him very attractive and sexy. Although they did no more than pass the time of day, she was curious about him, and eager to listen to the story of the scandal that had rocked Falmouth in 1944.
    Clare’s father was a leading London barrister by the name of Rupert Soames. He had five children, Clare being the only daughter. Although their permanent home was in London, they had a second palatial one in Swanpool, just outside Falmouth, which they used for holidays. At the outset of war the London house was closed, and Mrs Soames, with the children and the governess, moved down to Cornwall for safety.
    The locals said that the mother and governess were unable to control the three oldest children, of whom Clare, then aged fourteen, was one. They roamed around the countryside and Falmouth harbour getting into mischief, until eventually their father clamped down and sent the two boys to a boarding school. But Clare was never curbed, and from being a tomboy she became an equally wild young lady who was over-indulged and full of silly, romantic ideas about Cornwall, particularly the fishermen and farmers. Violet had heard that she wrote poetry and painted water-colours and would often be seen sitting on a stool in the harbour painting picturesque scenes.
    It was the Soameses’ gardener who brought the news of Clare announcing her love affair with Albert to her parents. A terrible row ensued. Mr Soames said he would disown Clare if she continued with this folly, and Mrs Soames had hysterics. But Clare wouldn’t back down and told them that if they didn’t agree to the marriage she would go and live in sin with Albert anyway.
    Everyone in Falmouth was agog. Albert was ten years older than Clare, his farmhouse was falling down, and it seemed unbelievable that a gently brought-up girl destined for a society marriage could possibly fall for such a brutish working-class man.
    When the wedding went ahead at Mawnan Smith church it was assumed Clare must be pregnant – certainly her family showed their disapproval by not being there. But if she was pregnant, she must have lost the child later, because Ellen wasn’t born until early 1947, some two and half years after the much talked about wedding. Violet could remember her birth well, for it was the first time Albert actually spoke to her. He enthused rapturously about his little daughter and said he was the happiest man in Cornwall.
    It was just a year later that the second child, a boy, was born, but that time Albert didn’t come into the bar to celebrate. There was gossip though; other neighbouring farmers said Clare was acting strangely, that they thought she regretted giving up her family and all the luxury she’d been used to, for Albert. Then came the appalling news that she’d jumped off the cliff with her baby son in her arms, leaving Ellen who was only about fourteen months old.
    Violet took the bus out to Mawnan Smith to see Albert. She told other people she was worried about how he was coping with a baby and the farm to look after, but it wasn’t really a compassionate urge. Albert intrigued her, he had a farm, which to her meant money, and she knew he was unlikely to turn her away when he was grief-stricken.
    He was grief-stricken too, confused, frightened and finding it impossible to cope with his loss, the farm and little Ellen too. So Violet offered to stay and help him, and within a week she was sharing his bed.
    When she looked back, Violet often wondered why she