Gypsy Heart Part 8

'It is no matter,' I told him.

'Very well,' Kane agreed. 'I can see that you are in a wilful mood' and he laughed.

Kane put his arm around my shoulder as we walked once more through the woods and then into the meadow. I stopped still and looked around me at the poppies whose petals were decorated with tiny raindrops, as the sun had not yet reached them to dry them. It was indeed wet underfoot and the hem of my dress was getting wet, but I ignored it for I was with Kane in our field.

'Dance with me,' I said suddenly.

'But there are no b.u.t.terflies,' he observed.

'There will be,' I a.s.sured him. Taking me in his arms with his strong hand gently at my waist, we danced round and round and lo and behold, as we danced and I prayed for a b.u.t.terfly, one appeared as if from nowhere to light our way. The Red Admiral flew around us for several seconds and then vanished.

'You are a sorceress,' said Kane as we both stopped dancing.

'Kane, I cannot go back to Northcliffe,' I told him, 'I am happy there no longer.'

'But you must, dear heart, for both our sakes.'

'No, I cannot. It is my Aunt. She makes me feel uncomfortable and said there is something my dear Uncle needs to tell me.'

'Please try and put up with it for a little longer, for me,' Kane pleaded.

'I cannot,' I said, the tears starting to fall and as we walked back to the clearing, my tears turned to sobs, for I was happy here and this was where I wished to be.

'Whatever is the matter?' said Tessa coming over to me and placing an arm around me pulling me close to her, but I couldn't speak.

'She doesn't wish to go back to the cottage,' explained Kane.

'Why not, Kate, tell me,' urged Tessa kindly.

'Because,' I sobbed, 'my Aunt dislikes me and I feel uncomfortable in her presence and I can endure it no longer.'

'Also,' added Kane, 'her Aunt says there is something her Uncle needs to tell her.'

'Indeed there is,' agreed Tessa. 'I've had enough of secrets and lies. Just one moment while I step into the wagon,' and she appeared back in no time, with her beautiful shawl around her shoulders and something wrapped in her hands. 'Come,' she said. 'Come, Katherine and you Kane. We are to go to Northcliffe and sort this out once and for all.'

Chapter 10.

As I walked with Kane and Tessa across the cliff, Kane's Mother's words kept coming into my head 'secrets and lies'. What secrets and what lies and if any, what would Tessa know about them? I was curious as to what was in the package she carried under her arm. Kane stopped for a moment, but Tessa had determination in her steps, causing Kane to call after her.

'Mother. Please stop,' he urged her and she did. 'Are you sure you are doing the right thing?' Kane asked, anxiety in his voice. 'It doesn't matter for me, but what of Kate?' As he spoke the words, I was even more perplexed.

'It has to be done, Kane, for both your sakes and your happiness. I have stayed silent for long enough,' Tessa told him and then she walked on once more, Kane striding after her, his arm around my waist.

'What is going on?' I asked, more bemused than ever at the whole situation and then my Aunt's words sprang to mind, 'what would she think if you tell her the truth?'. What truth and how was Tessa involved in this truth? I was shortly to find out.

'It is the white cottage ahead, isn't it?' Tessa called out to me.

'It is,' I answered, very much afraid as to what was to happen if Aunt Phoebe saw the three of us walk up her path. It was Tessa who unlatched the gate. The sun was now high in the sky and I was very hot. My cheeks flushed as we walked up the path. Tessa raised her hand towards the bra.s.s knocker, Kane reaching for Tessa's hand to delay her.

'Are you sure, Mother?' he pleaded.

'I am, I a.s.sure you,' and as Kane released her arm, Tessa lifted the knocker, banging it three times on the door. It seemed no sooner had she knocked, when Aggie appeared, looking aghast when she saw the three of us standing on the doorstep.

'Is your Mistress home?' asked Tessa quite calmly.

'She is,' replied Aggie, her voice quivering, 'but she has a visitor.'

'Please tell her that Tessa O'Brien wishes to speak with her,' said Tessa gently, but it was too late for Aggie to relay the message, for Aunt Phoebe had stepped into the hallway.

'What is the commotion Aggie?' she demanded then peering around the door, she could see the three of us standing there. 'Katherine, come in,' said my Aunt calmly.

'I wish to speak with you,' said Tessa in a firm tone.

'Well I don't wish to speak with you,' retorted my Aunt as she caught hold of my arm.

'Leave her,' said Kane, stepping between us.

'How dare you come to my doorstep and tell me what to do,' said my Aunt indignantly, stepping back from the doorway.

'Are you going to ask us in, or shall we air our dirty linen on your doorstep?' asked Tessa, calmly.

'I have a visitor,' said my Aunt, quietly.

'No matter,' persisted Tessa. 'This won't take long if you will just let me in.'

'Call my Husband,' my Aunt instructed Aggie and as she scuttled off to do as she was bid, my Aunt stood in the doorway, arms folded across the purple gown she had worn to church that morning. I had just watched the whole scene with fear in my heart, but a fear of what? That Aunt Phoebe would slam the door in our faces? or a fear that I was about to learn something that until now had never been revealed to me? I think the latter thought was to blame.

'Let us go,' I urged Kane, just as my Uncle appeared behind Aunt Phoebe, with Constance Trevartha beside him.

'Whatever is amiss?' asked my dear uncle.

'I wish to talk with you and your wife,' Tessa told him, 'but not on your doorstep.' As she spoke, Constance's face paled.

'I will leave you now,' she told my Aunt.

'No,' Tessa said, raising her voice. 'I wish you to hear what I have to say also.' At these words, my Aunt put her hands to her face in despair.

'Ask them in Phoebe,' coaxed my Uncle, at which words my Aunt disappeared into the drawing room, Constance Trevartha following her.

'Please come in, the three of you,' invited my Uncle and without further ado, and carrying the mysterious parcel, Tessa stepped over the threshold of Northcliffe, followed by Kane and myself. As we stepped into the drawing room, Uncle Zac urged Tessa to sit down, which she did, Kane and I sitting alongside her on the settle, with my Aunt and Constance sat on the opposite one.

'Now you have lured your way into our home,' began my Aunt, 'maybe you will be so kind as to explain why you are here and then you may go.' At these words, Tessa unwrapped the parcel she was carrying and placed the contents on the table and I gasped with amazement.

'It is my keepsake box, but I thought...'

'No, Katherine, it is my keepsake box,' Tessa interrupted. 'Please go and fetch yours and we will wait for you.' I did as I was asked and on reaching my room, I could see that my beautiful box was indeed on the dressing table where I had left it. Hurrying back down the stairs and into the drawing room once more, I placed my keepsake box beside Tessa's.

'They are identical,' I said quietly as Uncle Zac leaned forward in the armchair to look more closely as I did, noting the boxes were exactly the same, from the exquisite pink roses and rosebuds on the lid to the tiny pink hearts intertwined with the gilding.

'Katherine has gypsy blood in her veins, hasn't she?' said Tessa addressing my Aunt. For a moment, there was a deathly silence before my Aunt spoke.

'How on earth can you come to this conclusion, from the ownership of a keepsake box?' she said, her eyes never leaving the contents of the table.

'I will show you,' Tessa replied, reaching across for her exquisite box. Lifting the lid she removed the contents then felt along the back of the base and I heard a click and as if my magic, Tessa lifted out the interior of the box and reaching inside, she drew out a small crocheted baby jacket decorated with pink ribbon.

'Now, if I am correct, the same thing will happen to Kate's box,' she explained and I was mesmerised as she put the contents of my box on the table before her, then reaching for the secret lever, she then lifted out the contents with a flourish and sure enough, she held a small crocheted baby's jacket in her hand. It was identical to the first one and edged with pink ribbon, the same ribbon which was lying on the top of my keepsake box.

'So who was my Mother?' I asked Tessa.

'She was my Sister, Katarina,' revealed Kane's Mother. The room was silent and Uncle Zac got up and walked over to the window.

'Tell her!' my Aunt almost screamed, breaking the silence, as all that had been told me whirled around in my brain. So I was of gypsy blood, I thought, amazed at this revelation. This would explain why I was so drawn to the gypsy way of life.

'Tell her,' my Aunt repeated and Uncle Zac came over to me, kneeling on the floor before me.

'This isn't easy to say and there is no easy way to say it, but I am your Father, Katherine,' he said quietly as a small tear ran down his cheek.

'My Father!' I exclaimed, as if in a dream and stumbling over my words.

'But how could this be?' I asked, holding Uncle Zac's hand tightly. But of course, I thought, he isn't my Uncle, he is my Father. Uncle Zac got to his feet and faced us all.

'When I was betrothed to your Aunt, the gypsies camped where they are now and every day I would walk to the clearing to catch a glimpse of Katarina,' my Father began. 'We fell deeply in love with each other and one day we did what you and Kane did, marrying in the clearing and jumping the broom. My family would have none of it and short of running away with her, I let Katarina go and married your Aunt, but a few months later, Katarina appeared on our doorstep, heavy with child. She begged of your Aunt to let her have her baby in the cottage and you were born in this house Katherine, but sadly, your Mother died from a great loss of blood. My wife, your Aunt Phoebe, agreed to bring you up here, making me promise that I would never tell you the circ.u.mstances of your birth, but now it has come out in the open, through no fault of my own.' Here, my newfound Father stopped.

'So this is why you gave consent for Kane and I to marry,' I said, the truth dawning on me, 'and why you were so shocked that day in the dining room.'

'You are right, Katherine. When I knew that you too had jumped the broom, I just wanted you to be happy and share your life with the person you loved. I am not ashamed to say I loved your Mother, but I have a loyalty to my wife.'

'Loyalty,' scoffed my Aunt.

'There isn't a day I haven't thought of Katarina,' admitted my Father. 'Please say you understand,' he pleaded, at which words, I got up and put my arms around him.

'I forgive you,' I whispered and turning to my Aunt, said, 'and I thank you for bringing me up as you did, Aunt.'

'This doesn't mean that I give you my blessing,' said Aunt Phoebe.

'Maybe you will when I tell you something else,' said Tessa, who had sat quietly throughout my Father's admission.

'There is nothing you can possibly tell me which would make me change my mind,' my Aunt replied resolutely.

'What if I were to tell you that Kane is a son of Treverrick.' Tessa revealed, looking at Constance Trevartha as she spoke.

'A son of Treverrick!' my Aunt exclaimed, looking at Constance.

'Neither I nor Jed are this young man's parents and he knows it,' said Tessa 'Then who does Kane belong to?' Aunt Phoebe said incredulously and there was a moment's pause until Constance spoke.

'It is Patience,' she revealed.

'I just cannot believe this,' said my bemused Aunt.

'It is true,' began Constance. 'My sister gave birth to a little boy, outside of wedlock and we asked Jed and Tessa if they would raise him as their own, so as to avoid scandal. Patience was sent to France, from where she hasn't long returned.'

'So you knew this, Kane?' I said, looking to him for an answer.

'Tessa told me when I was ten years old, but I was happy having been brought up in the gypsy way of life and I would never want to change that,' he admitted.

'So what say you now?' Tessa asked of my Aunt, who sat with an ashen face.

'Maybe I could fold under the circ.u.mstances,' she replied meekly.

'So you would judge a man on the circ.u.mstance of his birth and not the person himself?' queried Tessa.

'It would appear so,' my Aunt said meekly, 'and I could not bear Katherine to do what her Father did twenty years ago and ruin her life.'

'I will look after Kate and cherish her for the rest of our lives, but I will not give up my way of life,' Kane said emphatically.

'I do understand now, your dilemma, Aunt,' I told her.

'I take it, you two young people are to marry,' said Constance Trevartha.

'We have jumped the broom,' revealed Kane, 'but are now in the process of marrying in church, if it is to be allowed.'

'I guessed as much when the banns were called this morning and I must admit to being happy for Patience's son, for he couldn't be marrying a lovelier young woman,' she said kindly.

'Thank you, Mrs Trevartha,' I responded with a grateful heart.

'What problem have you marrying in the church?' my Aunt's friend asked.

'I am not of your religion, which could be a stumbling block,' Kane told her.

'I think I can help you there,' said Constance. 'Before we handed Kane over to Tessa and Jed, he was baptised in the church one morning. It must be on the church records.' At these words, I looked at Kane with sparkling eyes, for at last luck was with us.

'That is good fortune,' said Kane looking at me. 'It would seem at last, we can be together.'

'And will you give these two young people who are so in love, your blessing now?' asked my Father of his Wife, at which words, she looked down at her lap for a moment and then looking up said, 'I have no reason not to,' and at these words, I breathed a big sigh of relief.

Aggie brought us a tray of tea and cake as requested by my Aunt and while I sipped at my tea, I mulled over the recent revelations. It must have been hard for my Aunt to carry such a secret for twenty years and I could now understand why she was so against my union with Kane, also I could hardly believe that Kane was Patience's son but I was so glad Tessa had insisted on coming to Northcliffe today, for I had found a Father and was now free to marry Kane and be with him for the rest of my days.

I lifted up the baby coat and said to Tessa, 'So who gave you and your sister the keepsake boxes?' I asked.

'Our Mother, not long before she died,' Tessa told me. 'I knew as soon as I saw the one belonging to you, that it was my sister's.'