Someone Special by Katie Flynn

fell in love. Once that happened, he’d gone soft on her. He was so eager to please her that he let her ride roughshod over him, and though she did her best not to be selfish she knew sheoften despised him, even for his kindness and generosity.
    ‘Hester? I don’t want to throw my weight about, but you aren’t leavin’ me much choice.’
    She bristled up at once, turning sharply to scowl at him. She might tell herself she liked him to be masterful, but she wanted her own way more.
    ‘What does that mean? Do you intend to order me to go up to the castle?’
    He loved her and was by nature easy-going, but she could see his complacency cracking at the seams. He crossed the room in a couple of strides and caught hold of her shoulders and there was nothing lover-like in his touch. Uneasily, Hester wondered if she had gone too far; she realised suddenly that she didn’t really know Matthew at all – suppose he became violent, hit her? He had shown no signs of such behaviour over the past months of their marriage, but then she had never defied him before. They had rubbed along, she realised now, without so much as a harsh word.
    ‘Hester, are you goin’ to do as I say?’
    He actually shook her and Hester, unprepared, bit her tongue. It hurt and she gave a little whimper, then tried to struggle free. Matthew didn’t seem aware that she had so much as moved, he was still scowling down at her, his eyes narrowed, his big hands clamped on her shoulders as though he would continue to hold her there, if necessary, for all eternity.
    ‘Well?’
    ‘I don’t want to work up at the castle,’ Hester said sulkily. ‘But I suppose, if you’re so set on it …’
    He released her at once, the smile back in his eyes.
    ‘That’s good. I’ll tell the old man you’ll go up this evening, and whatever they want it’ll have to be arranged around the baby. He won’t mind, so long as the work gets done. You could do a bit this evening, come to think. I’ll give an eye to Helen.’
    ‘Who’ll tell me what to do?’ Hester said, still crossly, returning to the sink. It occurred to her, belatedly, that it would be quite fun to work up at the castle really. She would be a part of things instead of always on the outside. Why had she not thought of that before? To be accepted, a part of a community, had always been a dream. Orphans, even clever ones, are always outsiders. And besides, she was very curious about the castle and its occupants, had been curious ever since she had come back here with Matthew over five months ago. But having tried to get out of it she could scarcely just capitulate now, admit it wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
    ‘Who’ll give me my orders?’ she repeated, wiping round her mixing bowl and heaving it out on to the draining board. ‘A man won’t understand about cleaning and cooking.’
    ‘A man? No, you’re right there, the old feller wouldn’t know how to start, you probably won’t even see him. Mrs Cledwen will tell you.’
    Hester, humping the big black kettle over from the top of the range, tipped it laboriously up so that the contents splashed, boiling hot, all over her cooking things and then turned an enquiring face up to her husband’s.
    ‘Mrs Cledwen? Who’s she?’
    ‘She lives up at the castle, sees to things,’ Matthew said after a moment’s thought. ‘Been with him a year or two, now. She’ll tell you what needs doing.’
    ‘All right, I’ll go up this evening, then,’ Hester said, still sounding a little sulky but unable to keep the interest entirely out of her voice. ‘Why didn’t you mention Mrs Cledwen before?’
    ‘You never asked and I never thought,’ Matthew said equably. He picked up a tea-towel and began to dry up as Hester washed. ‘You must have knowed someone had to do the housework, didn’t you? We’ve talked about Willi and Dewi because you see ’em going past … Haven’tyou ever seen Mrs Cledwen? Mind, she probably does out t’other gates; nearer