reprobate like me felt the power of the man. I think heâs going to take the whole of Wales by the throat and make them follow him and his God.â
Arian pulled on her gloves. âWell, itâs our place to report the news not to make any predictions,â she smiled. âNot that youâll worry about that, youâll write your piece as you see fit as you always do and I will doubtless agree that itâs a work of genius.â
That evening she talked about the interview with Calvin; he was seated in the large chair near the window that looked down onto the teeming life in the Strand below. Arian stood beside him and rested her hand on his shoulder and leaning forward saw a line of Chinese men, undoubtedly off one of the ships, walking one behind the other, large plaits hanging down their backs.
âItâs a strange world all right,â she said. âThe Chinese have their own sort of God, the Egyptians theirs, who can say who is in the right?â
Calvin turned her to face him and took her in his arms, drawing her into a chair to rest on his knee. âI love you, Arian Smale, especially when youâre so serious and grave, I love your little nose, your beautiful eyes and most of all I love your silver hair.â
He pulled at the pins and Arianâs hair fell in shining waves over her shoulders. Calvin moved the strands aside and kissed her neck.
âYou must agree, though, Calvin, itâs a strange thing, this religion. Do you know, I almost envied Evan Roberts, so sure of his faith, so filled with peace.â
âStop talking and pay a little attention to me,â Calvin whispered in her ear and Arian felt herself responding to him with a warmth and languor that never seemed to diminish.
She kissed his mouth, her tongue probing his, she ran her hands over the broadness of his shoulders and desire began its slow course through her blood. But even as he touched her breast, she knew that the desire was heightened because she loved Calvin deeply, loved him for his unconditional acceptance of the little she had to give him.
âCome to bed,â she said softly. Arm in arm, they left the sitting room, leaving the fire to spit and the coals to shift in the grate until the embers burned with only a faint glow.
âSorry I didnât seem to get very far with Paul Marchant.â Ellie took Jubileeâs gnarled hand in her own. âI was ill prepared, I should have known more about the quantity of goods he owed us for, I felt a real fool, believe me.â
âYou should never have gone alone,â Jubilee grumbled. He was seated at his desk in the study of the old house, his account books before him. It was a shabby room but warm with books lining the walls and the scent of pipe tobacco that was Jubileeâs hallmark.
âI worry when I think of you down at the docks with all those foreigners flocking around you.â Jubileeâs aversion to anyone from outside British shores was well known and Ellie hid a smile.
âIt might seem amusing to you, my girl,â Jubilee was not fooled by her attempt to conceal her laughter. âBut you could have been abducted, harmed in some way. Donât you ever do such a thing again, mind.â
âI wonât, I promise, but then youâre well enough to do the errands yourself now, especially if you take one of the men with you.â She forbore to tell him of her heated encounter with Marchantâs wife. It would be more ammunition for him to use against her for being so pigheaded as to go to the offices without Matthew for company.
âAye, thatâs as maybe.â Jubilee sounded noncommittal and Ellie looked at him thoughtfully.
âYou are all right, arenât you, love?â She pressed his hand with hers.
âIâm well enough but Iâm not getting any younger, youâve got to face facts, girl, I canât live for ever. I worry about you, youâve got no head for