The Two Confessions John Whitbourn (best books for students to read txt) 📖

and petty, but not to be denied, that tokens of hispredecessor seen from that bedroom were a turn-on. Sight of that fading crosssomehow made him feel Sultan-like.

Itwasn’t actually quite so bald or bad as that. Samuel and Susan had come to acomfortable arrangement some while ago, and were more solicitous of each otherthan many a long-wedded pair. He secured commissions for her sewing andembroidery, and also ensured that she got premium prices. Numerous Lewesproperties of the more aspirant sort had Susie's cushions in them (though GalenHouse was not amongst them). Likewise, she catered for his needs. Theirdifferent hungers were thus satisfied.

Thatday Susan saw the infants to her mother-in-law's and then lifted her linen asTrevan required, without demur. Later on they'd have cocoa (if he'd broughtsome, broth if not), and conversation. Then, when he'd left, she'd find aguinea somewhere. This last part was never ever discussed, for fear ofundermining what they'd built.

Thattime - those times - though, for all that he was in her there was no pleasurein her - or for her, because she could tell. Samuel looked down upon herhonest Sussex face and saw other, less obliging, views.

Healso suffered from grave distractions, such as the 'blurring's returnand its crazed cavorting on the rim of sight. Plus the persistent sense thatsomething was standing behind him, studying the up and down of the Trevanbackside.

U[U[U[U[U[U[U

cHAPTER 3

 'THELEWES TIMES & PIOUS INTELLIGENCER'.

 

The 22nd of January2021 AD.

P. Brazier. Secular andEcclesiastic Court Reporter.

CHASTE SELF-DESTRUCTION

 

‘Such was the melancholy conclusion of Coroner Champion, sitting at theCrown Inn yesterday, concerning the strange demise of two young persons on the14th inst. The sad particulars according to Mr P. LAWS (witness) were that atmidday in Mr HIGHAM's establishment, High Street, Lewes….

... enquiries conducted by the coroner's staff revealed that both wereof good, Bristolian, family (whose name is here withheld in deference to theirinconsolable state) of the rank of Gentry (Saxon), from whom they might expectevery blessing and preferment in life, either together in matrimony or no.Testimony was also received from their parish priest and neighbours of qualityattesting to each one's sovereign virtues and piety. Furthermore, a surgeongave evidence of the young female's intacta state, thus disarming the malignantof any sordid speculation.

… Mr S. TREVAN (witness) of Galen House, Lewes, was formally reprimandedby the coroner for his taciturnity and 'sullen disposition'. Threatened withproceedings for contempt of court, TREVAN saw fit to quip that such a verdictwould be 'uncanny reading of his inmost thoughts'. The witness was thendischarged amidst most inappropriate merriment from the public gallery.

A suicide verdict was unavoidably reached, mitigated by references to adestablement of mind caused by falsely perceived barriers to their earthlylove.

The cadavers are to be conducted west to their grieving families forburial, alas at a crossroads. The Bishop of Lewes, inspired by Christiancharity, nevertheless granted an indulgence that they might receive a blessingand rest beside one another, awaiting the judgement of their infinitelymerciful Creator.'

 

Samuelset the paper down. Of late he’d taken to keeping a pistol close by. ‘ChasteSelf-Destruction’ inspired him to check it still sat in his office desk. Itdid: ready and waiting. He had nothing to worry about. Samuel read on

Hefound only reassuring stuff: cattle-feed prices and banns of marriage: Leweslife going on, running smoothly along its Sussex rut. Which lasted until the ‘Personal’column on the back page. Normally it only amused him: endless pleas to St Judefor lost objects or self-defined ‘gentlemen’ seeking love. Therefore nothingwhatsoever to do with Samuel Trevan.

Todaythough, he was involved. He was even impudently addressed. To his face!In front of everyone!

Trevantried to but could not resist it. Another pointless but soothing revisit to hisdesk draw. Had his gun dematerialised in the last few minutes? No.

Heread again, though he knew that nothing would have changed there either.

 

'To Mr S. T, citizen of Lewes.

Greetings from old friends who desire to renew a WELCOMBE acquaintance.

We are here.

Reply c/o Box 23. 'The Intelligencer' Offices.'

Thepaper went into the privy and Samuel (pistol in frockcoat pocket) went to 'Sharp'sIronmongers (Estab. 1685)' in the High Street. There he spent like alottery winner on new house and window locks of their sturdiest kind.

Healso no longer deluded himself on another score. It ceased to be safe to denyit. Something on the periphery of vision was taking form and following him.

************

‘Youtook your bloody time, Fynn. What's your game? The knocker went ages back!’

‘Samuel!’Melissa chided him - though cautiously. He'd been like a bear with toothachelately; even marginally so with her. ‘Pas profanum devant les domesticus!’

Withonly a weak grasp of any of them, Melissa Trevan tended to mix and mangle her‘polite languages’. She took refuge in confidence that the lower orderswouldn’t realise.

‘Itis the sheer multiplicity of locks, sir,’ said the butler, in his owndefence. He felt no call to shoulder blame that didn’t belong. His brother rana doing-nicely-thank-you print shop in the town: he'd see him alright if needbe. ‘Opening the front door after nightfall is now a complex task.’

Trevanglowered.

‘Youwatch your lip, Mr Fynn, or you'll be going through that door yourself,open or otherwise. And who is it anyway?’

‘Theyhad no card, sir, but claim acquaintance. It may be merely business of course,but one cannot quite place their status. Accordingly, I thought it best toconfer with you.’

‘They'rewaiting?’

‘Onthe doorstep, sir. And none too patiently, if I may say so.’

Melissaput down her book. Miss Austen’s ‘Pride & Piety’ had been causingher eyes to droop in any case, and now duty called. Galen House was herbusiness and under Samuel's new interventionist regime it was all going to pot.

‘Fynn!You may not leave visitors in such rude limbo. Either show them into thehallway or to the side door, but don't-....’

‘Master'sorders, madam,’ the servant dared to interrupt. ‘And there’s been so manycallers sent away of late I'm no longer clear who’s to be admitted and who’snot.’

‘What?’That was news to Mrs Trevan and she wanted to hear more.

‘I'lldeal with them,’ said Samuel, detecting a good time to be away. Meanwhile,Melissa detained Fynn to tell all.

‘Traitor!’ Trevan whispered to the butler as their paths crossed.

‘Truth,’came the hissed riposte. Yet again, his employer wished the Sussex servitorclasses weren't so Leveller-minded.

Standingbefore the front