A Place Called Freedom (1995)

“Mother, stop worrying! I was out of the pit by the time it blew. So was Lizzie. I’m just a bit weak in the knees from carrying her all the way up the shaft.”

Mother calmed down. “What did Lizzie think of it?”

“She swore she would never allow mining on the Hallim estate.”

Alicia laughed. “And your father is greedy for her coal. Well, I look forward to witnessing the battle. When Robert is her husband he will have the power to go against her wishes … in theory. We shall see. But how do you think the courtship is progressing?”

“Flirting isn’t Robert’s strong point, to say the least,” Jay said scornfully.

“It’s yours, though, isn’t it?” she said indulgently. Jay shrugged.

“He’s doing his clumsy best.”

“Perhaps she won’t marry him after all.”

“I think she will have to.”

Mother looked shrewdly at him. “Do you know something I don’t?”

“Lady Hallim is having trouble renewing her mortgages—Father has made sure of it.”

“Has he! How sly he is.”

Jay sighed. “She’s a wonderful girl. She’ll be wasted on Robert.”

Mother put a hand on his knee. “Jay, my sweet boy, she’s not Robert’s yet.”

“I suppose she might marry someone else.”

“She might marry you.”

“Good God, Mother!” Although he had kissed Lizzie he had not got as far as thinking of marriage.

“You’re in love with her. I can tell.”

“Love? Is that what this is?”

“Of course—your eyes light up at the mention of her name, and when she’s in the room you can’t see anyone else.”

She had described Jay’s feelings exactly. He had no secrets from his mother. “But marry her?”

“If you’re in love with her, ask her! You’d be the laird of High Glen.”

“That would be one in the eye for Robert,” Jay said with a grin. His heart was racing at the thought of having Lizzie as his wife, but he tried to concentrate on the practicalities. “I’d be penniless.”

“You’re penniless now. But you’d manage the estate better than Lady Hallim—she’s no businesswoman. It’s a big place—High Glen must be ten miles long, and she owns Craigie and Crook Glen too. You’d clear land for grazing, sell more venison, build a watermill.… You could make it produce a decent income, even without mining for coal.”

“What about the mortgages?”

“You’re a much more attractive borrower than she is—you’re young and vigorous and you come from a wealthy family. You would find it easy enough to renew the loans. And then, in time …”

“What?”

“Well, Lizzie is an impulsive girl. Today she vows she will never allow mining on the Hallim estate. Tomorrow, God knows, she may decide that deer have feelings, and ban hunting. Next week she may have forgotten both edicts. If ever you do allow coal mining, you’ll be able to pay off all your debts.”

Jay grimaced. “I don’t relish the prospect of going against Lizzie’s wishes on something like that.” He was also thinking that he wanted to be a Barbadian sugar grower, not a Scottish coal owner. But he wanted Lizzie, too.

With disconcerting suddenness Mother changed the subject. “What happened yesterday, when you were hunting?”

Jay was taken by surprise, and he found himself unable to tell a smooth lie. He flushed and stammered, and finally said: “I had another set-to with Father.”

“I know that much,” she said. “I could tell by your faces when you returned. But it wasn’t just an argument. You did something that shook him. What was it?”

Jay had never been able to deceive her. “I tried to shoot Robert,” he confessed miserably.

“Oh, Jay, that’s dreadful,” she said.

He bowed his head. It was all the worse that he had failed. If he had killed his brother, the guilt would have been appalling, but there would have been a certain savage sense of triumph. This way he had the guilt on its own.

Mother stood beside his chair and pulled his head to her bosom. “My poor boy,” she said. “There was no need for that. We’ll find another way, don’t worry.” And she rocked back and forth, stroking his hair and saying: “There, there.”

“How could you do such a thing?” Lady Hallim wailed as she scrubbed Lizzie’s back.

“I had to see for myself,” Lizzie replied. “Not so hard!”

“I have to do it hard—the coal dust won’t shift.”

“Mack McAsh riled me when he said I didn’t know what I was talking about,” Lizzie went on.

“And why should you?” said her mother. “What business has a young lady to know about coal mining, may I ask?”

“I hate it when people dismiss me by saying that women don’t understand about politics, or farming, or mining, or trade—it lets them get away with all kinds of nonsense.”

Lady Hallim groaned. “I hope Robert doesn’t mind your being so masculine.”

“He’ll have to take me as I am, or not at all.”

Her mother gave an exasperated sigh. “My dear, this won’t do. You must give him more encouragement. Of course a girl doesn’t want to appear eager, but you go too far the other way. Now promise me you’ll be nice to Robert today.”

“Mother, what do you think of Jay?”

Mother smiled. “A charming boy, of course—” She stopped suddenly and stared hard at Lizzie. “Why do you ask?”

“He kissed me in the coal mine.”