After six months, Daniel discovered the hardest part of his return to Somerton Manor and his duties at the Mill were the fact he was surrounded by the memories of the past he had been doing his best to try and forget. But it was difficult with reminders everywhere he went. And all it did was enforce the last memory he had of his wife, having to live with the fact she had died knowing he had betrayed her, which still haunted his soul
Even travelling from Somerton Manor to the Mill he had to pass the Hawthorne's estate where he would have secretly met up with Gwen.
The only thing that brought him a measure of relief was knowing that they were not in residence there anymore. Daniel had learned that they were still living somewhere in London.
They had decided to move shortly after the fiasco when Lord Hawthorne's son James had shown his face. With all the scandal and gossip, it seemed the Hawthorne's had decided to flee rather than face local public humiliation.
He found himself recalling how he had received a rather formal card from Lord Hawthorne and Gwen, sending their deepest regrets about the death of his wife Isabella. At the time Daniel had thrown the card along with the handkerchief belonging to Gwen that he had found, into the fire and had watched them burn with a growing bitterness at his own folly for ever getting mixed up with them in the beginning
After Isabella's death, he had no desire to ever speak or see either of them again. But even with their absence, being back just enforced the last memory he had of his wife, and the fact she had died knowing he had betrayed her, which still haunted his soul despite his attempts to try and put it behind him all these years
Which was why he spent as little time as possible at Somerton Manor, usually preferring to spend time in the thriving town of Hayfield , five miles away.
There he could indulge in his gaming and drinking habits.
It was here that he became acquainted with Gareth Beale. Although he was ten years Daniel's elder, they both shared a common enjoyment of the gaming tables, as well as business dealings in flax and Linen. So the two men became firm friends. Daniel found himself spending time in Gareth Beal's home, sometimes staying overnight.
Unlike Daniel, Gareth was a married man, with a wife and five children aged from fifteen years old to eight years old. As well as caring for his wife's niece Eleanor, who had been orphaned at the age of fourteen when her parents were killed in a carriage accident.
Now at the tender age of nineteen, she seemed to have become an unpaid nanny-come-'ladies companion,' for the family.
Gareth often complained to Daniel about the responsibilities of his family, which was why he preferred spending his time at the gaming tables to get away from them. Daniel was a sympathetic ear, he had become an advocate for single life.
Women were fine, and could satisfy a man's needs. But getting tied down to them only led to complications and destroyed your life. He had found that out for himself. Despite the sacking of George Reardon, much to their relief, the remaining household staff at Somerton Manor found that Daniel's return did not mean much change to their usual ways after all.
The fact was that he barely stayed at the place, and when he did, he was always usually drunk and had put them at ease again. Daniel had even become great friends with his Cook, sitting around the kitchen table sharing a drink with her. Lettie had become quite fond of Master Daniel. He made their life easy, and cared less about the upkeep of Somerton Manor than they did.
Martha Rawlings liked to think of herself still as the mistress of the house. But still, she decided she would like some insurance that she stayed that way. Especially after the dismissal of the Steward.
She felt she needed to cement her position with Daniel further. At the start, it was just making sure to keep him plied with what alcohol he needed to get through the nights when he was at home, so that he knew he could depend on her in that way. Now, having him in this power, she became bolder, as she watched him become more reckless as the months went by.
She understood Daniel's weakness, recognised it as the same of her late husband, a so-called gentleman she had married in an attempt to higher her station in life from being just a respectable doctor's daughter to becoming a lady of the gentry.
She thought that she would live well for the rest of her life. Only to have the misfortune to find out her husband was a terrible gambler who wasted all his wealth so that when he died she was a penniless widow, and had to listen to those around her talk sneakily and whisper behind her back thinking she deserved everything she got for trying to better herself and marry above her station, the same sort class of people Daniel belonged to. So she vowed no man would bring her to ruin again, she would be the one doing the ruining.
She decided to bide her time and waited for the right moment to arise, when Daniel, as usual, was too drunk out of his mind and didn't know where he was, or what he was doing. Despite the fact she was almost 15 years older than him. Martha had always made sure to take advantage of her looks that she was blessed with a more youthful countenance and so had kept herself looking well so considered herself still able to attract a man if she so wished.
Luckily she didn't have to wait too long, when Daniel found himself forced to spend a night at home Martha dressed herself in her best gown before entering the study that evening, supposedly to inform him of some matter about the housekeeping she needed to discuss with him
Daniel showed little interest in what she was telling him, "Do what you like, just bring me another bottle of Port up from the cellar" he told her gruffly
Martha stared at him, gauging exactly how drunk he already was. His speech was slurred, and he had that vacant look about his eyes he was hardly able to look at her as he sat slouched in the chair.
Knowing this could work out right for her, or go very wrong, and she could end up getting kicked out. Martha nevertheless, decided to make her move
"I really think you have had enough for tonight sir," she informed him in a respectful tone
It got his attention, he frowned at her, "I will decide when I have had enough!"
Martha clucked her tongue softly, "All this drinking sir, it is not good for you. What you need is someone to look after you,"
"I can look after myself!" Daniel snapped defensively, "Who the hell do you think you are, telling me in my own home what I can and cannot do?" he glared at her.
She remained standing in front of him, unwavering. I do not mean to be disrespectful sir. But I can see you are troubling your mind" she said. her voice softening
His eyes narrowed as he looked up at her, "Oh you do, Do you?" his tone became mocking.
She took a step closer to him, "If you let me sir, I can help. You seem lonely. You need a good woman to take care of you," she then suggested huskily.
The suggestive tone of her voice was not lost on Daniel, and he stared at Martha in dull realisation, at least as much as the drunken haze of his mind would let him.
"You reckon so, eh? Maybe you are right," he drawled, his voice less mocking,
"So, this good woman... do you know who she might be?" he queried, his eyes now locked on hers almost challengingly
"Well sir," Martha took another step closer to him, happy to meet the challenge. Her hand resting on his arm and squeezing it gently, "She is not so far away from you right now, and she knows how to take care of all your needs. In your bed, and out of it"
Daniel let out a small laugh at her blatant audacity which amused him, But there was admiration in his blue eyes as he stared up at her.
"I must admit Martha you never cease to amaze me," he mused
Martha smiled provocatively, "That is my intention sir," she knelt down beside him, her hand now reaching up to his face, "Why don't you let me show you how much?"
Daniel found himself remaining quite still as she continued to lightly explore his face with her fingertips, moving from his cheek towards his mouth.
Much to her delight she could see the spark of desire in his blue eyes as she stared into them. Her fingers slid down his chin under his neck and the exposed part of his chest where his shirt was undone.
Letting out a ragged breath, Daniel suddenly grabbed Martha's hand; at first his eyes just burned into hers, then with a swift sudden movement, he pulled her closer to him and started to kiss her hungrily.
Martha only too eagerly responded, feeling pleased that she had lost none of her seduction techniques, even if it had been a little while since she had used them
************************************
Waking up the following morning, feeling like hell with his hangover, Daniel found it didn't help matters as his eyes fell on his half naked Housekeeper who stood at the bottom of his bed putting on her dress. Memories flashed in his head from the night before making him let out a curse of realisation over what he had done in his inebriated state
"Ahh, so you are awake" was Martha's only response, seeming totally unfazed, showing no sign embarrassment at her immodest indecency over what had occurred between them, "I felt sure I had tired you out, that you were sure to sleep till noon" she added with an insinuating smile
"Damn it Martha! What kind of woman are you? " Daniel then demanded, he wasn't sure if he was disgusted or filled with some strange admiration at his housekeepers audacity, His mind still too groggy from the previous nights binge of alcohol to process fully what had occurred between them the night before
"And what kind of man are you, Sir?" she returned almost mockingly "In some ways, I believe we have a lot in common, we are both bitter with our lot in life, so why shouldn't we console each other in our time of need" she then continued in defence to justify her actions
"Consoling each other? Is that what you are calling it?" Daniels' laugh was brittle with the irony of it all. "I could just as easily dismiss you for your wanton behaviour and hire myself a respectable housekeeper" he then pointed out in a half hearted threat
"Ha!" it was Martha's turn to sound sarcastic "And what respectable housekeeper would want to come and work for you? With your drunken moods and this rundown House and your wild ways. Don't you know that even none of your respectable neighbours in the local area want to acknowledge or call on you?. Your reputation since you have returned is certainly not one of respectability, you are lucky that I even stay around and If you think you can just get rid of me, you can think again. No one would have no problem believing you dismissed me, because you took terrible advantage of me, and I would make sure that is what people around will hear" she then declared triumphantly
"Just get dressed and go away Martha, my head hurts too much to deal with you now, so just get out of my sight" Daniel growled, finding himself in no mood to be lectured and then blackmailed by his jaded housekeeper, whilst irate with himself that he in his drunken state he had even let anything happen between them
"As you wish sir," she replied almost primly, then smiling to herself that his threat to dismiss her had been weak as she expected and she felt had cemented her position, realising her employer was too weak willed in his alcoholic state of misery to do or care any further about it