The Somerton Man

The Price Of Betrayal

Isabella was in her bedroom resting when Martha knocked on the door before entering.

"I don't mean to disturb you ma'am, but I was sorting out the Master's laundry and came across one of your handkerchiefs. It must have gotten mixed up. I will have a word with Jenny the maid, sometimes that young girl doesn't know what she is doing" as she spoke she handed Isabella the Handkerchief.

Isabella took it almost absentmindedly, then glanced at it and frowned,

"But Martha this is not-" she broke of there, suddenly, looking a little flustered when she seen the initials embroidered on it

"It doesn't matter Martha," she then said a little shakily.

"Yes Ma'am," Martha replied with a small polite smile, and turned to leave, but then Isabella called out to her, "Martha, the handkerchief, where did you say you found it?"

"Amongst your husband's clothing ma'am, but like I said, that silly girl Jenny has most likely mixed them up," Martha replied dismissively

"I see," Isabella murmured. her chest tightening inside that she almost found it difficult to breath

"Are you alright ma'am?" Martha feigned concern

"Yes Martha," Isabella replied, managing to pull herself together, suddenly just wanting to be alone, "You can go now"

Martha just nodded her head in acknowledgment, then left. Isabella did not see the smug smile on her housekeepers lips as she went out the door

Her mind was racing on other matters. The smell of the perfume, the initials on the handkerchief, it all pointed to Gwen, but why was Gwen's belongings amongst that of her husbands?

Isabella felt her heart go cold, because she knew there was only one reason why.

Now as she thought about it she realised it had just confirmed that little inkling of suspicion she had, the one she had chosen to totally ignore. She didn't want to believe Daniel would do that to her, that Gwen would do that to her. How foolish and gullible she had been, she had been encouraging them to reconcile, foolishly trusting that her love for Daniel was secure

Had they been laughing at her behind her back all along?

But now she should not have been surprised really, She had always known Daniel had chosen her second to Gwen, But she had foolishly believed the love that she lavished on him would be enough to keep him. Realising now that it wasn't, made the ache and pain in her heart almost unbearable.

She realised Daniel had hardly been home lately, and he seemed to be avoiding her.

Had he been with Gwen? Was he with her now? It was all too much for her, letting out a small sob, she dropped the handkerchief in her hand as if it had burnt her fingers.

She got up from the bed, unable to just sit there with her mind in such turmoil, She had to go somewhere, do something... Anything to try and hide from the painful truth that had just hit her.

But where could she escape to? She didn't know. And right now she didn't care...

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

After his confrontation with Gwen, Daniel had found himself feeling so miserable and sick at heart, he could not go home and face his wife.

Instead he found an Inn where he decided to get blind drunk, and spent the night, wondering if he could ever face Isabella again and live with himself.

He had done Isabella an injustice claiming that the love they shared had not been as strong as the one he felt for Gwen.

Now he realised it was more real than anything he had shared with Gwen,

In his memories he had indeed put Gwen on a pedestal, believing her his only true love, who had been snatched from him. He had been holding onto his youthful fancy of the love that never was, just to discover that over time, things change and people change.

Things were never quite as they seemed.

Isabella had been the victim in all this, not himself or Gwen. All she had done was show him love and blindly trusted then both, and he had betrayed her

He knew he would have to confess, tell her and then try and beg for her forgiveness. Though right now he did not feel like he deserved it. But then he thought about his daughter, and the child that was on its way. He knew he could just not abandon them all, Isabella needed him.

He was still not sure what he was going to do, or how he was going to explain his absence to Isabella, as he set off home to Somerton Manor the next day.

He had no sooner dismounted from his horse, when he was met by his manservant Martin, who looked a mixture of relief and troubled at the sight of him

"Sir where have you been? We have been trying to find you everywhere!" he exclaimed

"Why, what has happened?" Daniel enquired, a new uneasiness growing inside him.

"It's the Mistress-" his manservant broke of there, looking clearly upset, unable to look Daniel in the eye, "You had better come inside sir"

"What is going on Martin?" Daniel demanded, "Is the mistress alright?

"I am sorry sir," Martin replied, looking uneasy "While you were away the Mistress had a nasty fall on the stairs. We send for the doctor immediately, but there was nothing anyone could do"

The regretful tone in Martin's voice sent an icy chill down Daniel's spine. He pushed by his manservant and hurried into the house.

"Isabella!" He called aloud, before charging up the stairs.

At the top, he was met by one of the maids and his daughter's Nanny, who were both crying.

He stared at them questioningly, at the same time not wanting to believe the significance of the sorrow and regret in their eyes

He went into the bedroom, and found his wife lying out on the bed quite still. Her eyes closed.

She could have been sleeping, but he knew she wasn't, her usual rosy cheeks were chalk white.

His legs felt like wood as he moved over to the bed beside her, looking down at her, then he shook his head, falling on his knees at the bedside

"No!" he howled, "No Bella, you can't be dead, not my sweet darling, not now!" he exclaimed in desperation, clasping her cold lifeless hand, wanting it to respond.

"I am so sorry sir," The nanny spoke up tearfully as she stood in the doorway, "It happened so suddenly, I don't know what the Mistress was thinking, but I came out when I heard a cry, and I just saw her tumbling down the stairs... The doctor said she did not stand a chance, her or the baby inside her.... It was a horrible tragic accident," the Nanny burst into fresh tears.

Daniel wondered if that was the case. Or was this his punishment for what had happened between him and Gwen?

He knew he had to pay for his mistake, but not like this, not with Isabella's life.

He let out a little moan, then glancing around him, he noticed the handkerchief belonging to Gwen on the floor where Isabella had dropped it when she had fled the bedroom.

He recognised it immediately, his heart grew colder. What was it doing in this room? Had Isabella somehow found it?

But he had hidden it so well; Or at least he thought he had.

He was puzzled, But it did not really matter... The evidence was there, the guilt, the reminder, and the cold realisation that the last thing on his wife's mind was probably his betrayal.

Whoever had decided on his punishment, had chosen it well.