At the Highwayman's Pleasure(14)

Charity stared at him, aghast.

‘You think there is a connection, that Phineas punished him for this? Why, that is preposterous.'

Hywel shrugged. ‘Preposterous or not, the day after that piece was  published the editor was charged with stealing a bundle of wood and  brought before the justice. The landowner, Sir James Fryton, just  happens to be a close acquaintance of your esteemed father. After last  night's performance I got talking with a group of men from Beringham,  respectable tradesmen. They told me that the editor is an honest man and  not a poor one, either. He has no need to steal wood.

‘They believe Fryton and the witnesses to the act were all in Weston's  pay. The Courant has been challenging Weston's iron grip on the town for  some time and attacking his extreme religious views-the penalties of  which always seem to favour Weston and his friends financially, I might  add. It would appear Phineas was eager to bring down the editor.  However, it is also a warning to prevent anyone else taking up the  story.'                       
       
           



       

‘But that is monstrous!'

‘The man is mighty powerful within his own area.' Hywel chuckled.  ‘However, in this case his little scheme has not worked, because word  has spread and Beringham is now rife with the rumour that the justice's  daughter is an actress and is performing here in Allingford. That is why  the theatre is so full, night after night-the people of Beringham are  coming in droves to see you.'

Charity's eyes twinkled. ‘Oh, dear, poor Papa will not like that at all!'

‘No, and there is nothing he can do about it,' declared Hywel. ‘His  jurisdiction ends at the county border and Sir Mark Beverley, our own  magistrate, is a great supporter of the theatre and will have no truck  with Weston's religious bigotry. But it is all good news for us. The  play still has a week to run and we are already showing a healthy  profit.' He grinned. ‘Perhaps we should send complimentary tickets to  Phineas and his wife to thank him for helping us to fill the theatre.'

‘I pray you won't. He is so grasping he would feel obliged to use  them.' Charity gave an artistic shudder, but it was not completely  false. ‘I would not have that man within a mile of me again if I can  help it!'

Charity tried to put Phineas Weston completely from her mind, but when  Mr Smudgeon pressed a note into her hand a few nights later, as she was  returning to her dressing room, she felt a chill of apprehension.

‘It was given me by a young woman, ma'am,' the doorman quickly  reassured her. ‘She's waitin' at the stage door now to know if you will  see her.'

Charity's initial fear changed to pleasure, and she said now, ‘Yes,  yes, of course. Give me time to change my gown and I will send Betty to  the door.'

Some ten minutes later she sent her maid out and waited, her mind full  of nervous excitement. She heard a soft knock upon her door and a plump  young woman peeped in, her eyes wide with apprehension.

‘Charity? Is it really you?'

‘Jenny!' Charity pulled her into a fierce hug. ‘Oh, my dear, it is so  good to see you again after all these years! Let me look at you.' She  held her friend away and studied her carefully. The thin  fourteen-year-old she remembered was gone, replaced by a plump matron,  dressed in a sensible gown of sober hue. However, Charity was reassured  to see the same kindly twinkle in those green eyes.

‘I didn't think you'd remember me,' Jenny confessed. ‘After all, it's been so long, and you never wrote-'

Charity pulled her into the room, saying contritely, ‘I know, Jenny,  and I do beg your pardon for that.' She scooped up a pile of abandoned  skirts from the velvet-covered daybed and tossed them aside. ‘Come and  sit here with me and tell me how you got on.'

‘Nay, I've nothing to tell,' said Jenny shyly. ‘You are the famous one  and must have seen and done so much since you left Saltby. I did envy  you, you know, walking away from everything like that. The shearers  talked of it for weeks after.'

‘I hope you did not suffer for it.'

‘Nay, not a bit. Your father was furious, of course, but Papa gave him a  generous donation to the church so he never bothered me more, save to  ask if I had any news of you.'

‘That is why I did not write to you,' said Charity. ‘I guessed he would  try to find me. I was very lucky when I left Saltby. I met Mr Jenkin,  who took me on with his travelling players, and I found the life suited  me very well. But what of you, Jenny? You are looking very well indeed.'

‘Well, I'm married now, you know, with three lads of my own. I married  Jedediah Rigg-do you remember him? His father was the clog and patten  maker and Jedediah has taken over his business. We are doing very well,  although you wouldn't recognise Beringham now, Charity. 'Tis not the  happy place it was when we were children. The inns are closed, and  there's no music or dancing allowed in the town.'

She looked uncomfortable and Charity said quickly, ‘You need not be afraid to tell me that this is all down to my father.'

Jenny nodded. ‘He closed all the places of entertainment and has  withheld licences from all but a couple inns-those that can pay him a  generous fee for his goodwill! We don't like it much, but what can you  do? He has the richer townsfolk in his pocket, and as long as they  support him...' She plucked at her gown. ‘Jed says it is forcing  everyone to find their amusements out of town, or outside the law, which  is not a good thing. I worry so for my boys...' She shook off her  melancholy and smiled at Charity. ‘But enough of this, tell me instead  all about you!'                       
       
           



       

They spent a comfortable hour together, chattering non-stop, until  Jenny jumped up, glancing at the little bracket clock that Charity kept  on her dressing table.

‘Heavens, I must go. I told Jed I would be no more than a half hour!  However, he was going to wait for me in the tavern opposite, so perhaps  he hasn't missed me all that much.' She pulled Charity into her arms and  hugged her. ‘Eeh, but it's good to see you, Charity. I'm right glad  you've been successful. I shall not come again-oh, it is not the ticket  money, Jedediah is very good and denies me nothing, but he is a strict  churchman, you see, and although Mr Weston is no longer parson Jed won't  want to incur his displeasure by too much frivolity. Besides, his  brother is the constable in Beringham, so there is another reason he  wouldn't want to cross your father.'

‘Yes, I see.' Charity kissed her cheek. ‘Then I shall not visit you if you think it will cause you harm.'

‘Aye, well, maybe one day, when Phineas Weston is no longer  magistrate,' said Jenny. She grinned. ‘After all, the old devil can't  live for ever.'

When she was alone, Charity sat for a long time at her dressing table,  thinking over the visit. It had been good to see her friend and Jenny's  description of her life, happily married and with a growing family, had  stirred something inside Charity and made her all too aware of her  single state. But it took only a moment for her to dismiss the vague  discontent. Jenny might have a loving husband and a family, but she was  living in Beringham under Phineas's tyranny, and when Charity compared  that with her own freedom and independence, she knew she had no desire  to change places with her friend.

‘Be honest with yourself,' she told her reflection, ‘You have no idea  what you are looking for, but if it is a man, he will have to be very  special to make you give up the freedom you currently enjoy.'

* * *

It was the last night of The Provok'd Husband and such was its success  that Hywel Jenkin had hired the Assembly Rooms for the reception once  the performance ended. Charity removed her paint and powder and allowed  Betty to help her into the midnight-blue silk she had chosen to wear. It  was important that she should look her best, for she knew Hywel would  be using the occasion to raise funds for the theatre and to secure more  patrons.

By the time she had helped her maid to pack away all her costumes, the  rest of the company had already left for the reception. It was but a  short walk from the theatre to the Assembly Rooms on the High Street and  in any other town she had played, Charity would have been happy to walk  the short distance alone through streets that were still busy. However,  since her meeting with Phineas she had taken to asking Betty to  accompany her whenever she walked out. They were just stepping out of  the stage door when Charity heard her name. She looked around.