The Somerton Man

Martha Makes her Move

 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.