‘The money you asked me for,’ Martha whispered. ‘I wish I had known.’
‘But then you would not have given it to me, would you? Anyway, Tom found out and accused me of murdering his child. It was Tom who repaid your money, by the way.’
‘How did he find out? Did you tell him?’
‘Don’t be daft. The old gypsy knew his dear Mama. I vowed that if he ever breathed a word I’d kill him. I told him one day he’d be married and have lots of children, if that’s what he wanted.’
Martha shook her head sadly. ‘Oh, Daisy, you had no way of knowing but Tom’s first wife died in childbirth, along with the child. His second wife drowned herself because she was barren. He never married again.’ Martha said.
‘A pity, really. Tom was a good man and would have been a good father. But that doesn’t give him the right to blame me for his troubles.’
‘Maybe he feels you are somehow responsible for his lonely, childless state. He feels he’s being punished for past sins. You are the only one left for him to seek revenge against. He’s become a very reclusive and bitter man,’ Martha informed her.
Daisy crushed out her cigarette and lit another. ‘Oh well, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Meanwhile, I have a problem that must be dealt with now.’
‘I’m not sure I want to hear this.’
‘You must, because I need your help. This child I’m carrying is not George’s. Close your mouth, my dear. You look like a fish out of water. Do you really think sailors’ wives spend all their nights alone with their husbands gone for months on end?’ Daisy laughed.
‘I would never have been unfaithful to Hedley,’ Martha stated, ‘no matter how long he was gone. I never will be.’
‘You intend to remain faithful to a dead man?’ Daisy’s disbelief showed in her voice. ‘Martha Rose, the perfect little homemaker. Well, not all women like being celibate for long periods. Besides, sailors have a girl in every port so it’s only fair that the wives have some fun too, discreetly, of course.”
‘Don’t you love your husband?’ Martha couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She could only say a silent prayer of thanks that her parents had never known about their elder daughter’s wayward side.
Daisy blew smoke rings in the air and chuckled. ‘I married George because he makes good money and I wanted to live in luxury.’
‘What about George?’
‘What about him? He wanted a home of his own, children to carry on his name, and someone to take care of it all and be a social asset. We both got what we wanted. He’s nice enough and we get along well but if I don’t take care of this little problem… well, that could upset the apple cart.’
‘So you don’t want George to know you were unfaithful?’
‘Don’t be silly. George isn’t stupid, my dear,’ Daisy scoffed. ‘I just don’t intend to present him with the proof.’ She shook her head. ‘No, that would never do.’
Martha stood up suddenly. ‘I cannot help you do this, Daisy. I simply can’t commit such a terrible sin. God would never forgive us.’
‘Oh, don’t be so pious, Martha!’ Daisy laughed. ‘I’m already an outcast in God’s eyes. Anyway, all you have to do is look after the children while I take care of the rest, just keep them out of the way when the time comes. I’ve made arrangements with someone to… take care of things.’
‘I wish you hadn’t told me all of this.’ Martha paced the floor.
‘There’s just one more thing. You…’
‘No! I don’t want to know,’ Martha interrupted. ‘Not until the time comes. I don’t want to know your devious plans. My nightmares will be bad enough as it is from what you’ve already told me. I don’t want to hear any more.’ And she marched upstairs to her room, where she cried herself to sleep. If only she had not left home. Fending off unwanted suitors was a picnic compared to what confronted her now. She had thought she was helping her sister in a time of need but had no idea that she would be damning her soul for all eternity.
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