The following morning Martin Lander found himself shocked to the core as Joseph Purcell finished speaking. ‘I can’t believe it!’ he said at last. ‘Do you have proof of what you’ve told me?’
‘Of course, Martin, I’m the Magistrate – I know the law!’ Purcell had anticipated the question. ‘I’m sorry I had to be the one to tell you, but I felt you should know. After all, this does affect you directly.’
Martin nodded before he raked his hands through his hair and sighed audibly. ‘Thank you, Joseph, I appreciate how difficult this must have been for you.’
‘What will you do now?’ Purcell asked, feigning concern.
Shaking his head, Martin answered, ‘I don’t know… I’m not sure as yet.’
Apologizing again for being the bearer of such bad news, Purcell left Martin Lander’s office. Riding back to the courthouse, he chuckled to himself. How long would it take for the town to learn what he had just divulged to Lander? Would the people believe it? How would they react? All Joseph had to do now was sit back and wait. It would be interesting to see how events unfolded.
Martin Lander sat in his office, his mind endeavouring to make sense of what he’d been told. Surely it was untrue? How had he not known? He’d heard no gossip. There was only one way to find out – he would ask Cara – now!
Dashing out of his office, he hailed a cab and told the cabbie to hurry.
The journey to The Laburnums seemed interminably slow but eventually the cab pulled into the driveway. Pushing coins into the cabbie’s hand, Martin launched himself up the steps and banged on the front door. Shoving past Molly in the doorway, Martin yelled, ‘Cara!’
‘She’s in the parlour with…’ Molly’s sentence faltered as Martin ran for the room she indicated.
‘Martin! How lovely…’ Cara’s words were cut off.
‘Is it true?’ Martin demanded.
‘Is what true?’ Cara asked, wrinkling her brow.
‘Is it true?’ Martin yelled. ‘Have you been having an affair?’
‘What?!’ Cara was astounded. ‘No! Most definitely not!’
‘I have been told you have had a relationship with another man!’ Martin was beside himself.
‘I have not, Martin! How could you believe it of me? Besides, when would I have the time?’ Cara looked from him to Gracie and Molly.
‘I… I…’ Martin stuttered.
‘Who told you this?’ Now it was Cara’s turn to demand.
‘Joseph Purcell has just been to see me and…’ Martin attempted, his glance moving from one shocked face to another.
‘And…?’ Cara urged.
‘He said you have been seeing another man behind my back.’ Martin was already beginning to feel like a fool.
‘Seeing who? Who, Martin? Who am I supposed to have been seeing?’ Cara was furious.
‘I don’t know,’ Martin said quietly. He hung his head in shame, suddenly realizing the stupidity of the whole thing.
‘I see!’ Cara’s voice rose an octave. ‘For God’s sake, Martin!’
Dropping into a chair, Martin Lander’s emotions spilled over and he looked close to tears. He pushed his hands through his hair and sighed loudly. Then he gave a sob.
Cara rushed to him, wrapping him in her arms. Gracie raised her eyebrows towards Molly and they made a swift exit to the kitchen. Gracie put the kettle to boil; Molly rushed to the pantry to fetch the cake. This would take some discussing and tea would smooth the way.
Eventually Martin gained control of his emotions.
‘I ask you again, Martin, how could you believe it of me?’ She was shaking with rage as he shook his head. ‘Do you really think so little of me to believe I would do such a thing?’ Not giving him time to answer, she raged on, ‘Honestly, Martin! You surprise me, you really do! This certainly has cast a shadow over our relationship, you do realize that, don’t you?’
‘Cara… I…’ Martin began.
‘Don’t, Martin! Don’t you dare apologize! You should have challenged him. You should have defended me; fought for my honour! I am to be your wife and if that wedding is to go ahead you will have to grow a backbone!’
‘I know, I’m…’ Martin’s words halted for fear of Cara yelling at him again.
Cara resumed, ‘Why would he say such a thing?’
Martin shook his head. ‘I have no idea,’ he said wearily. They both knew this was going to take a lot of thrashing out.
*
The gossip regarding Cara Flowers having had an affair with another man needed to be passed around the town and Purcell debated where it should begin. Sitting with tea in his living room, he eyed his cook who was informing him dinner was ready.
‘Have you heard the news about Cara Flowers?’ he asked.
The cook shook her head. ‘Well, it would seem she has been having an affair with a man behind Lander’s back!’
The cook was shocked and her hand flew to her mouth. ‘I don’t believe it!’ She muttered.
‘I thought the same at first,’ Joseph went on, ‘but I was reliably informed that it’s true.’
As the cook left the room, Joseph knew word would be passed the following day in the market. Gossip would be rife in no time and he knew that tittle-tattle such as this had ruined lives in the past.
Purcell would wait and watch. The people of the town would draw their own conclusions and once they did – Cara Flowers would be finished. Her reputation would be in tatters. He would enjoy watching the young woman’s downfall from her high and mighty status in the town. He would crow when she was shunned by everyone. All he had to do now was be patient. Sipping his tea he smiled his satisfaction. All was going to plan.
*
The discussion in the parlour raged on. Why had Purcell tried to blacken her character? Whatever could he gain from it?
‘The workhouse is dead and gone now!’ Cara snapped.
‘And so is Purcell’s job of Chairman of the Board of Guardians,’ Martin added, suddenly aware of the reason for the malicious intent.
A discussion in the kitchen was also going on about what had been overheard.
‘Bastard!’ Molly muttered under her breath as a knock came to the back door and Sam Yale, her sweetheart, walked in. Molly flushed at being overheard cursing by Sam.
It was then that Cara and Martin joined the little group in the kitchen.
Given tea, Sam was drawn into the conversation. ‘Nobody will believe it,’ he said.
Cara thanked her foreman for his support, ‘Gossip is a very strong weapon. It can ruin relationships and destroy lives. I will have to find a way to fight it!’ Cara was becoming upset and wrung her hands in her lap.
‘Well,’ Sam said, ‘why don’t you pre-empt it? We could let folk know before they hear this gossip that it’s not true.’ Seeing Cara’s puzzled face, he went on, ‘Molly and I could go to visit all your tenants and tell them, they would then tell others, and…before you know it, it will be all over the town.’
‘Also,’ Martin cut in now fully restored to solicitor mode, ‘this gossip is defamation of character. It’s up to whoever started the rumour to prove its authenticity, it’s not up to Cara to disprove it!’
‘Why didn’t you say that to Purcell at the time then?’ Cara asked pointedly.
‘I was upset, Cara.’ Martin answered.
‘You were upset! What about me? Did you stop to think how I might feel?’ Cara’s anger rose once more.
In an effort to diffuse the argument she felt was surely to come, Molly grabbed her coat and then, tugging on Sam’s arm, she said, ‘Right, let’s get to it! We’ll decide where to start when we get out there.’ She tilted her head towards the back door.
Cara watched them go. Although quietly confident their plan would work, she sent up a silent prayer anyway – it wouldn’t hurt to have God on her side.
*
After her shift in the kitchen, and staying true to her word, the cook in the Union Workhouse strode down the corridor and hammered on the Master’s office door. Hearing him yell for her to enter, she walked in and banged the door shut behind her.
Fred sighed inwardly. Judging by the look on the cook’s face, he was about to get an ear-bashing.
‘Mr Tulley!’ Hands crossed and resting on her stomach, the cook addressed the man slouching in his chair. ‘I would be grateful if you would tell the Matron to kindly keep her nose out of my kitchen!’
Sighing through his nose, Tulley asked, ‘What’s she done now?’
‘She waltzes into my kitchen, Mr Tulley, and proceeds to try and tell me how to prepare the food! I have been working here for many years and I will not be told how to do my job by one who is not qualified to do so! It wouldn’t be so bad but she’s only been here two minutes!’
Tulley held up his hands in an effort to quieten the cook’s temper. ‘I understand, I really do!’ he said. ‘Please be assured I will be having words.’
‘Good! I’m glad to hear it. That woman is an interfering menace!’ The cook nodded sharply.
You have no idea! Fred thought but said instead, ‘You are doing an excellent job and I’m grateful for your hard work. I will instruct Mrs Tulley to kindly keep her nose out of your kitchen.’
The cook nodded again before she turned and left the office.
Leaning back in his chair, Fred closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. ‘Bloody hell Ada!’ he muttered. ‘Don’t you even think to bugger things up for me in here!’
Fred Tulley had no notion of the upset taking place in Bilston as he closed up the workhouse later that night. It was nine p.m. and the whole building was in darkness, the only light coming from the moon. He found Ada sprawled on the floor of the living room, drunk out of her mind. Stepping over her, he retired to bed, leaving her where she lay to sleep off the beer. He knew this couldn’t go on and thought again about the money he had hidden away. Purcell had promised more and Ada was ignorant of the deal the two men had struck regarding Fred being Purcell’s witness to seeing Cara Flowers stepping out with another man.
Fred had hidden the money he’d received from Purcell. His worry now was Ada finding out about the deal, the payment made and wanting her share of it.
Ada had attacked him once before and who was to say she wouldn’t do it again? Fred fell asleep determined to keep a close eye on his wife.