Daughters of Rebecca by Iris Gower

‘That’s what I was thinking.’ She felt his hand smooth her hair from her face and she caught her breath, loving him so much it hurt.
    After a while, she sat up and drew the sheets over her breasts. ‘I’m worried about work, though, Joe,’ she said. ‘There’s trouble in the pottery. The men are resentful about the ongoing effects of the Poor Law and the farmers are arranging public debates to argue about why the price of the toll-gates keeps rising all the time. These are troubled times.’
    Joe leaned on one elbow, his dark hair swingingforward. ‘I can see why the people are angry,’ he said. ‘With the farmers being charged such a lot of money to pass the gates, with the tolls increasing almost monthly, the result is that the price of flour and other necessities must rise. The people just can’t afford it.’
    â€˜But men dressing up as women because the Bible says, ‘‘The daughters of Rebecca will storm the gates’’, where is that going to get them? Why can’t they deal with their grievances in a civilized manner?’
    â€˜That’s been tried and it’s failed.’ Joe sat up and propped himself against the wooden headboard. ‘I suppose the workers feel the need to take matters into their own hands.’
    â€˜I can understand that, but I do worry about Lloyd growing up in a hostile world. He has ambitions to go into politics. Has he spoken to you about it?’
    â€˜I knew.’ Joe smiled. ‘But don’t worry, Lloyd has plenty of common sense. He realizes nothing can be achieved overnight and by the time he leaves college the matters with the farmers and the toll-gates will probably be settled. He might even have changed his mind about what he wants to do.’ He touched her cheek. ‘Now, stop worrying about things that might not happen. Live for the present. It’s all we really have.’
    He extinguished the lamp and Llinos felt him warm against her. ‘Come, I’ll hold you until you sleep and in the morning all your troubles will have vanished.’
    Llinos closed her eyes, knowing Joe’s reassurance was well-intentioned but nothingwould be settled easily: that much was becoming clearer every day. Still, he was right about one thing: that she could do nothing about the problem now, perhaps not ever. She curled against him and slept.

CHAPTER FOUR
    THE FAIR HAD come to town, and the streets of Swansea were thronged with revellers. Shanni felt excitement blossom as she pushed her way towards World’s End. She wished Lloyd were here to share the moment: she felt in need of company and Lloyd was very good company indeed.
    During Lloyd’s holidays from college he spent as much time with her as he could. They shared the same ridiculous sense of humour. He never put on airs and graces and never acted like a spoiled rich boy the way some offspring of the gentry did. He was handsome, very Welsh-looking with his strong features and his thick hair curling around his forehead.
    Had things been different, Shanni might have married a man like Lloyd Mainwaring. She knew he was far above her socially and that one day he would find a wife among the high-society ladies who lived on the west side of Swansea but, still, it was nice to dream.
    Shanni grimaced. Lloyd would probably marry someone like Jayne Morton-Edwards. Now, she
was
a spoilt brat. As for Shanni, she would never marry, never give herself into the keeping of any man: they simply weren’t to be trusted.
    Shanni had once believed that Llinos and Joe Mainwaring were a couple made for each other until one of the maids had told her differently. One night, in a talkative mood, Flora had claimed that Mr Mainwaring had foisted a bastard child on some Indian woman. Shanni had been shocked. If a wonderful lady like Mrs Mainwaring could not hold her man, what hope would she have?
    She was startled out of her thoughts by a hand touching her