‘You must get away,’ Dafydd said. ‘Come on, I’ll lead you out of here. Just cling on to me.’
‘Dafydd, thank God you’re all right.’ She stared at him. ‘Get out of those ridiculous clothes.’ He looked ludicrous in women’s petticoats. ‘And for pity’s sake, Dafydd, think of yourself. Run before the dragoons take you.’
He ripped off the petticoats, throwing them into the crowd. ‘I’ll be all right. Go, Llinos, you have to get away from all this before you’re hurt. This is no place for a woman with child. Go quickly, while you can!’
Over Dafydd’s shoulder Llinos saw a dragoon riding towards her, his sabre held aloft. She was going to die here for a pointless cause, here in the workhouse yard, slaughtered like some dumb beast. Llinos pressed her hands to her stomach and felt the flutter of new life. A life that would be over before it began.
Dafydd shielded her with his own body and Llinos screamed as the sabre cut into his arm. ‘Dafydd, no!’ She looked up. The dragoon was lifting his arm to strike again. ‘Don’t you know this man is Dafydd Buchan, owner of the pottery? He’s here to stop the riot, you fool!’ She screamed the lie, and it stopped the dragoon in his tracks.
Dafydd staggered to his feet, clutching his wound, as the dragoon stared down at him doubtfully. ‘Don’t look like a pottery owner to me.’
‘I assure you I am Dafydd Buchan. I own the Llanelli pottery,’ Dafydd said. ‘Now, get out of here before I report you to a higher authority.’
The dragoon seemed uncertain what course to take, but after a moment he turned his horse away and headed for the heart of the fray.
Dafydd sagged against Llinos and she struggled to hold him. How would she get herself and Dafydd through the crowd? He swayed against her and Llinos began to despair. ‘You must help me, Dafydd, I can’t do it alone,’ she said. And then, miraculously, Joe was there. He came as silently as always, like a shadow against the sun, and took control.
‘Come on, Buchan,’ he said firmly. ‘Follow me through the back gate. Young Pedr Morgan is waiting there for you.’
He turned to Llinos and lifted her in his arms. Wearily, thankfully, she rested her head on his shoulder. He carried her around the workhouse to the streets beyond. Pedr was waiting with two horses and his face lit up when he saw Dafydd.
‘Mr Buchan, man, I thought they’d got you.’ He helped Dafydd on to the back of one of the horses. ‘I’ll take you to my mam’s,’ he said. ‘She’ll know how to patch you up.’
‘Go with your God, Buchan,’ Joe said, ‘and leave my wife alone in future. You owe me that much.’
Llinos clung to Joe, her face turned away from Dafydd. ‘Goodbye, Llinos, my love.’ Dafydd’s voice was hoarse. ‘I’ll never forget you.’
Pedr whipped the horses into action and Llinos heard the hoofs clattering along the hard, sun-baked earth.
‘I’ve got the carriage waiting,’ Joe said softly. ‘Come on, my firebird, no tears, not now.’ Joe lifted her into the seat and climbed in beside her. He touched her face tenderly. ‘Forget Buchan. You and I must think of ourselves and of our future. We are meant to be together, you know that, Llinos.’
Llinos looked at him, her husband, so wise, so forgiving. She put her head against his shoulder. ‘I know.’ She hesitated. ‘But I’m with child, Joe. What if it’s his?’
Llinos began to cry. Her whole body was racked with the pain of losing Dafydd but she knew, deep down inside her, that he never would have been as generous as Joe. Dafydd was not a big enough man to bring up a child that was not his.
‘I do love you, Joe,’ she said softly. She understood now how Joe had loved her even while he lay with another woman. It was a madness that had possessed him just as a madness for Dafydd had possessed her.
One day, perhaps, they could both forget the wrongs they had done each other. One day, if the Great Spirit willed it, they would be happy again.
THE END
About the Author
Iris Gower was born in Swansea, where she still lives. The mother of four grown-up children, she has written over twenty bestselling novels. She received an Honorary Fellowship from the University of Wales Swansea in 1999 and has been awarded an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Cardiff.
Also by Iris Gower
THE LOVES OF CATRIN
WHEN NIGHT CLOSES IN
The Sweyn’s Eye Series
COPPER KINGDOM
PROUD MARY
SPINNERS’ WHARF
MORGAN’S WOMAN
FIDDLER’S FERRY
BLACK GOLD
THE SHOEMAKER’S DAUGHTER
THE OYSTER CATCHERS
HONEY’S FARM
ARIAN
SEA MISTRESS
THE WILD SEED
The Firebird Sequence
FIREBIRD
DREAM CATCHER
SWEET ROSIE
DAUGHTERS OF REBECCA
KINGDOM’S DREAM
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A CORGI BOOK: 9780552160490
Version 1.0 Epub ISBN: 9781407083568
Originally published in Great Britain by Bantam Press 2000
Corgi edition published 2001
Copyright © Iris Gower 2000
The right of Iris Gower to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988.
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