It was Saturday 15 September in the year of Our Lord 1893. It was also Cicely Banks’s wedding day. Thanks to Luke’s insisting that the wedding should be delayed until the first phase of the foundry refitment was completed, Cicely’s big day had been put back by many weeks. She had pleaded with him not to let the work at the foundry interfere with their plans, and was peeved when he resisted her pleas. She wasn’t to know that the real reason was his great fear that his underhand and dangerous practices would be discovered. To his mind, once the platforms and gangways were completed, his crime would go undetected. And so, instead of being a June bride, Cicely was forced to be patient. The main work at the foundry was now complete, and the remainder could wait until Luke returned from honeymoon; he would have curtailed the length of that, but thought it wise to act the loving husband in front of Cicely’s father.
Now, at long last, she would have her dearest wish. The local newspapers were filled with news of the event, and it was reported that the happy couple would spend their honeymoon travelling Europe and return sometime towards the middle of October.
Ruby could think of nothing else. There were times when she was sorely tempted to go to Cicely and persuade her that what she was doing would be the ruin of her. But then she remembered how Cicely had shown her the door for saying much less than that. It was plain that Cicely was hell bent on becoming Luke Arnold’s wife. She had fallen under his spell, and nothing would make her change her mind. Ruby knew that any interference from her would only make Cicely dig her heels in even more.
Each day that week everyone who came into the milliner’s commented on the imminent occasion, relaying with great relish and in graphic detail what they had learned about Cicely’s gown and accessories. ‘They say she’ll be wearing satin shoes,’ remarked Mrs Lacey. ‘Oh, it’s said her head-dress will be encrusted with tiny gems,’ added the baker’s wife. In her usual cynical fashion, the lady from the draper’s next-door told Ruby, ‘What a pity you were dismissed, dear. Just think, it might have been you preparing Miss Banks for her wedding day.’ Widow Reece had been annoyed at the woman’s insensitivity, but Ruby had made light of it. After all, the draper’s assistant was only echoing what had been in her own mind for some time now.
‘Why don’t you go and watch?’ Widow Reece’s voice cut across Ruby’s thoughts. She was standing at the door, craning her neck to hear the church bells ring out. In her mind’s eye she could see Cicely, all done up like a dream, sedately walking down the aisle towards the man of her choice. Suddenly, in thinking of him, Ruby’s joy was cruelly dashed. She prayed that she might be wrong and that Luke Arnold would make Cicely a good husband. Somehow, though, she couldn’t bring herself to believe it.
‘Oh, I can’t do that,’ Ruby protested. ‘Lunchtime on Saturday is always busy, and besides it was me who persuaded you not to close each day for lunch. The least I can do is stay and do my share.’
‘Nonsense!’ Widow Reece bestowed a fond smile on her. ‘You were right in persuading me to stay open at lunchtimes. My goodness! I never would have imagined people would flock in the way they do, although I should have thought of it myself. As you rightly pointed out, there are more women working these days, and the only time they can get to the shops on a weekday is at lunchtime. My dear, you’ve made us a great deal of money, what with one thing and another.’
She looked round the freshly painted shop, admiring the clean fresh lines and the open shelves filled with bright and colourful displays. ‘You’ve given this old shop, and me, a new lease of life, Ruby Miller,’ she confessed. ‘I have to admit I was on the point of selling when you walked through that door over three months ago. You were a stranger, yet by the end of that first day when you came to work for me, it was as though I’d known you all my life.’
She took a moment to recall the occasion when Ruby had asked to buy a small share in the milliner’s. At first she had been horrified. After all, she had known her for only a week. The idea seemed preposterous. But then, by the end of the day, three things had swayed her into going along with the proposal. First, there was her own diminishing good health. Second, Ruby had already proved herself to be a born businesswoman; she had a keen open mind and a natural instinct for serving customers. And then there was the question of the money which Ruby had offered in exchange for a small interest in the business; to someone from her background, that money must have seemed like a fortune, and yet she was willing to risk it all without hesitation. That alone was enough to tell her employer how highly Ruby regarded the business, and also that she had great faith in her own abilities. She was not afraid of the future, and that made the widow ask herself why she should be afraid. Right from the start, Ruby was bursting with ideas – ideas for improvement, for increasing sales, and with regard to the needs of the more modern woman. For a full hour she and the widow had talked, and the more Ruby outlined her ideas, the more the widow was impressed. She had never been a woman for taking risks, but where Ruby was concerned she’d followed her instincts. And it had paid off handsomely.
She looked at Ruby now, and saw not only a business colleague but a kind young friend. ‘You know, Ruby,’ she continued, ‘the wisest thing I ever did was to take you on, and though I must admit I had reservations about selling you part of my precious business, I have never regretted it. You’ve raised our takings right through the week, you’ve streamlined the business with your direct approach, and you’ve made my disability seem lighter.’ Her expression softened as she looked into Ruby’s bright eyes. ‘If anyone had told me that I would sell part of my little business, I would have said they were out of their minds.’ She laughed. ‘With my hands the way they are, I suppose I would have been mad not to say yes to you.’
‘I’m glad you’re not sorry,’ Ruby told her, ‘because I’ve never been so happy.’
‘You miss being with Cicely though, don’t you?’
‘Sometimes,’ she admitted.
‘Then it’s only right you should see her married.’ The widow hurried away to the back room, returning with Ruby’s coat. After handing it to her, she opened the door. ‘Go on,’ she urged. ‘I know she was more than just an employer to you. Off you go, and you tell me all about it when you get back.’
‘If you’re sure?’
The other woman merely pushed her out of the door and closed it on her, smiling through the window pane as Ruby went at a run down the street.
By the time she reached the path that led up to the church, everyone was inside. The strains of organ music filtered through the air; a beautiful plaintive sound that touched her heart and made her want to weep. By rights Cicely’s wedding day should be heralding a new beginning, a time of joy and hope for the future. Tiptoeing into the vestibule of God’s own house, Ruby gave up a little prayer that Cicely would find the happiness she truly deserved. ‘We all make mistakes, Lord,’ she murmured. ‘So don’t punish her too harshly.’
Gently swinging open the great oak door, Ruby peeped inside. The church was packed. There were flowers everywhere and the intoxicating smell of blossom was all around. Cicely was at the altar, her face upturned to the tall handsome man by her side. He gazed down on her as though she was the most precious thing in the whole world. The music stopped and the ceremony began in earnest. Ruby watched for a while, but then, when one or two guests turned to glare at her, she softly closed the door and turned away.
Coming out into the bright sunlight of a September day, Ruby took up position by a big old oak tree that had stood the test of wind and weather for many long years. Leaning into its broad dark trunk, she waited.
A small crowd began to gather on the lawns. Chattering factory workers in their cotton turbans, plump smiling women with small children clinging to their skirts, a few inquisitive men, and a bevy of young giggling girls who dreamed of their own wedding day. None of them appeared to notice Ruby.
Suddenly there was an excited cry as music wafted through the air and the church doors were flung open. Almost immediately Cicely swept out, a vision of loveliness in a startling white gown; a straight-cut and stunning creation bedecked with pearls and trimmed with a scalloped hem sewn with the most exquisite tiny pink rosebuds. Her hair was swept up into a diamanté head-band, and dainty wispy curls had been arranged to tease her face. In the bright sunlight, her eyes seemed bluer than Ruby remembered.
To all who watched, Cicely was a young woman in love, so obviously captivated by the man at her side. And yet, as Ruby studied her face from the vantage point that hid her presence, she wondered at the faint shadowy circles beneath Cicely’s blue eyes, and somehow her smile, though bright and wide, gave Ruby the impression it was painted on. You’re looking too deep, Ruby Miller, she chided herself, before stepping forward with the intention of losing herself in the crowd.
In that moment, Cicely caught sight of her. Their eyes met. The smile slid from Cicely’s face, and just for one fleeting second Ruby thought she detected a certain regret. But then she held her head high, a look of defiance on her features, a look that warned Ruby: Leave me alone. I know what I’m doing.
Ruby held Cicely’s gaze long enough to mouth the words, ‘Be happy.’ Just a simple wish, but she meant it with all her heart.
Cicely gave the slightest nod, and then was lost in a shower of confetti and the crush of well-wishers. Ruby was delighted that Cicely had at least acknowledged her because, to her mind, it meant that her old friend had not forgotten the way things once were between them.
As Cicely climbed into the carriage, with Luke standing below, his hand dutifully cupped about his wife’s elbow, Ruby came down the narrow path, discreetly keeping to the side. It was when he leaned out of the carriage to secure the door that he saw her. At once his eyes lit up. He didn’t smile. Instead he stared for a moment, dark longing in his gaze. The merest nod of his head and a sly look of satisfaction. Then he was in the carriage and on his way, leaving Ruby in no doubt: Luke Arnold had not mended his ways. He never would.
It was more than a week after the wedding when Ted came home from work in a strange mood. He picked at his evening meal in silence, and afterwards went into the yard, where he paced up and down, furiously puffing on his pipe, his head bent deep in thought. ‘What’s to do with him, Mam?’ Ruby asked. ‘He hardly touched his dinner. Is he ill, do you think?’
The very same thought had been running through Lizzie’s head. ‘I don’t know, lass,’ she replied. ‘Happen it’s summat at work that bothers him. Yer know what yer dad’s like. Keeps things to hisself most o’ the time.’
Lizzie was more concerned than she wanted to admit. For some weeks now, Ted had been morose and secretive, and it was the first time in all the years she’d known him that he wouldn’t confide in her. Because of it, she was unduly irritable herself, snapping at the childer and blaming all and sundry for her husband’s strange moods.
‘Will you talk to him?’ Ruby pleaded. ‘Find out what’s wrong?’
Lizzie was indignant at that. She swung round. ‘Leave that to me!’ she snapped, ‘I don’t need you to tell me what to do where your father is concerned.’ The minute the words were out of her mouth she could have bitten off her tongue. But she couldn’t bring herself to apologise. She hadn’t altogether forgiven Ruby for keeping secrets from her.
She was shocked at her mam’s outburst. ‘What’s wrong with you?’ she wanted to know.
‘What d’yer mean?’
Ruby glanced out of the window to where her dad was still striding up and down, before returning her attention to Lizzie. ‘Well, it seems to me that Dad isn’t the only one to have things on his mind.’
‘There’s nothing on my mind,’ Lizzie said.
Ruby wouldn’t be put off. ‘Oh, yes there is. You’ve been like a bear with a sore head these past few weeks. Is it because I used that money to buy into the milliner’s?’ She hated being at odds with her mam.
‘It ain’t none o’ my business what yer choose to do with yer money. And besides, all that was talked through with yer father. If he says it’s all right, then it’s all right.’ But it would never be all right with her, whatever Ted said.
‘Well, something’s bothering you, Mam. Out with it. What have I done to upset you?’
This was Lizzie’s opportunity to vent her true feelings. ‘If yer must know, I don’t take kindly to yer burying yerself indoors. Yer a bonny lass, and it ain’t healthy to stay in night after night. Not when there’s a fine young man down the street who’s more than willing to take up courting with yer.’
‘You mean Johnny?’ Ruby had seen him on only two occasions since that wonderful night. It was curious how they could speak politely and coolly, as though they were strangers meeting for the first time. Ruby was torn between guilt and remorse, and somewhere in between there was a great ache in her heart. But she made herself accept the odd truce that had settled between them. It was simpler that way.
Lizzie went to the cradle and made sure that the child was slumbering. The other childer were outside playing. ‘Yes, I mean Johnny,’ she said sharply. ‘Unless there’s another fella that’s been making eyes at yer?’ She glanced at Ruby, waiting for some kind of response. When there was none, she grunted, ‘It ain’t right, I tell yer… working all hours and closeting yerself indoors like a hermit, sketching and cutting out patterns, and fetching home all manner of paperwork. I knew summat would go wrong when yer got that money. I told yer dad, and I were right.’ She shook her head so frantically that her whole body rippled from top to toe, ‘But he wouldn’t listen. Oh, no. The pair on yer can’t see no further than yer noses.’ To Ruby’s astonishment, Lizzie fell into the chair and began sobbing.
‘What’s gonna become of us, eh?’ she whispered hoarsely. ‘What in God’s name’s gonna become of us?’
Ruby went to her then. ‘Nothing’s going to become of us,’ she comforted, bending low to cradle Lizzie’s bowed head, ‘You’re not to worry about Dad,’ she urged. ‘If there’s a problem, he’ll sort it out in his own way. He always does, you know that.’ As though to ease her mam’s mind, she added softly, ‘You’re not to worry about me neither.’ She hugged Lizzie hard. ‘If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were trying to marry me off and get rid of me.’
That made Lizzie smile. ‘Hmh!’ she snorted, wiping her eye on the cuff of her sleeve. ‘I expect you’ll wed when yer ready and not afore. What’s more, I don’t expect you’ll ever make a grandma of me, more’s the pity.’
Without knowing it, she had touched on something that had haunted Ruby these past months. ‘Oh, I don’t know, Mam,’ she sighed. ‘Who knows? One of these days I might surprise you.’
‘Aye, and sparrers’ll wear clogs,’ Lizzie replied in a lighter voice. When she looked up sharply, she thought she saw a certain sadness in Ruby’s ocean blue eyes. ‘I’m sorry I yelled at yer, lass,’ she said. ‘But I’m not pleased at what’s going on. I’ve allus been made to speak my mind, and I have to say I’m not sorry yer were sent packing from the Bankses’ house, because you and that Cicely were becoming too fond of each other. But, oh, I do wish he hadn’t sent you that money, ’cause money of that kind brings its own trouble. I can feel it in me bones.’ Heaving a great big sigh she clambered out of the chair, saying wearily, ‘Fetch the childer in, lass, while I go and talk to yer dad. It’s getting dark, and I reckon I’m ready fer an early bed tonight.’ She yawned. ‘Age is creeping up on me,’ she said ruefully. And with that she went out of the parlour, through the scullery and into the yard, where she and Ted were soon engrossed in conversation.
As she came out into the street, Ruby caught sight of Lenny striding towards her. Since acquiring work with the blacksmith, he had seemed to grow overnight; no longer the boy who looked for trouble at every corner and teased the childer for the delight of it, he was a young man with a responsible job, and even the odd girlfriend calling now and then. He was also quieter and proving to be a deep thinker like his dad. Ruby waylaid him as he approached. ‘Tell Mam I’m going to see Maureen and I’ll collect the childer in a while.’
He merely nodded. These days he had little to say. Anything important he saved for his dad. After all, he was a man now and men must stick together. Ruby watched him go into the house. Somehow, she still couldn’t believe that the nasty side of him was altogether gone.
Maureen was enjoying the last of the evening sunshine. Seated in the high-backed chair that Johnny had bought her from the Saturday market, she was warmly wrapped in the soft brown chequered shawl that Ruby had given her as a present. She had a blanket over her legs and a mug of steaming tea in her hands. ‘I saw you talking to Lenny,’ she said. ‘How’s he getting on at his work?’
Ruby sat on the doorstep beside her friend with her knees tucked under her chin. ‘Oh, he’s all right, I suppose. At least it keeps him out of mischief.’ She went on to ask how Maureen herself had been. She said she was better every day, then quickly diverted the conversation from herself, asked Ruby all about the milliner’s, and whether she was rich yet, and what would she do when she was.
‘I’ll buy you a lovely new dress and coat to match, and a hat with big feathers that shiver in the wind,’ laughed Ruby.
‘I won’t let you,’ Maureen interrupted. ‘You’re always buying me presents.’ When Ruby pulled a face, she went on, ‘What else will you do? As if I don’t know.’ She knew all of Ruby’s dreams and never tired of hearing them. Her own life was dreary and predictable, while Ruby’s was growing more exciting by the day, and Maureen loved to hear her talk. A year ago, even a few months ago, Ruby’s dreams seemed impossible, like a fairy-tale. Now, though, Maureen could see them coming true, and she wanted to share in it all. ‘Go on, Ruby,’ she urged, leaning forward in her chair. ‘Tell me what you’ll do when you’re rich.’
Before Ruby could answer, another voice intervened and it turned her heart over. ‘We all know what Ruby wants, Maureen.’ Johnny came out of the house and stood behind them. ‘She wants the whole world,’ he said softly.
Ruby was caught off guard by the bitterness in his voice. ‘And what’s wrong with that?’ she wanted to know.
His dark eyes roved her face. ‘Who am I to say?’ he murmured. ‘But, remember, we can’t always have what we want.’ He resisted the urge to sweep her up in his arms, thinking no one could want anything as much as he wanted Ruby. But he was wise enough to know that often a man has to be patient. Turning to his sister, he told her, ‘It’s getting chilly, Maureen, we’d best get you inside.’ Stepping down to the pavement, he clasped her by the shoulders and eased her on to her feet.
‘Are you coming in, Ruby?’ Maureen asked as she was gently lifted into his arms. Johnny turned his head, waiting for her answer.
‘No. I promised Mam I’d collect the childer,’ she said, rising from the step. ‘But I’ll be round to see you tomorrow, then we’ll have a long talk. How about that?’
Maureen’s answer was a big warm smile. ‘Sounds all right to me.’
Shifting her gaze to Johnny, Ruby spoke in a quiet voice. ‘Goodnight.’
‘Goodnight, Ruby,’ he answered. He wanted to say so many things but knew this was not the time. Perhaps there would never be a time for him and Ruby. The thought was unbearable.
Later, when the house was asleep and darkness filtered into every corner of her room, Ruby lay in bed, listening to Dolly’s gentle slumbering and staring at the brown damp patches on the ceiling. The candlelight flickered and trembled across the room, making the patches creep along like awful monsters that would fall on her at any minute. She was bone tired but couldn’t sleep. There were so many troubled thoughts pushing at the walls of her mind. She wondered what it was that made her father so quiet and moody of late, and her mam so quickly out of temper. Was she so wrong in wanting more out of life? Was it a sin to think about riches and wonderful things? Ruby didn’t know.
The more she thought on it, and the more she pondered her mother’s warnings, the more confused she became. Had she lost her way? Was her mam right after all? Certainly, where there had always been laughter and a simple life in this familiar little house, there was now a shadow over it. Was it because of her? Dear God, she hoped not.
Not too far away Lizzie also lay awake, tossing this way then that. She was deeply worried because Ted would not discuss what was bothering him. She guessed that it was to do with his work at the foundry, but he would neither deny nor confirm it, and so she was left wondering. In all the years they’d been together, he had never kept anything from her until now. Then there was Ruby, who seemed hell bent on wasting her young life.
‘God above, what’s happening to us?’ she asked, heaving a deep sigh that swept through her and left her breathless.
Sad of heart, Lizzie reminded herself that a family was a living thing that grew and branched out, and she could never hold it together as she could when they were all bairns. Suddenly, for no reason that she could fathom, she was gripped with a rush of horror. In that moment the room felt so cold that she found herself shivering. It was as though the icy breath of the dark reaper had blown in through the very walls.