Daisy was spending the day with Molly and baby Tansy who she doted on, and Charlie was off with Bill Rowley somewhere or other, thoroughly enjoying his role as apprentice, which Bill had informed her was going extremely well.
Cara and Gracie sat in the parlour, toasting their toes before the blazing fire. Suddenly Cara asked, ‘Gracie, will you come with me to see Liza Townsend?’
‘Of course I will wench…’ she said, ‘can I ask why you want to see her?’
Nodding, Cara said, ‘Gracie, I believe Liza is our mother.’ Cara saw Gracie splutter tea everywhere then wipe her mouth on her apron.
‘God’s teeth! You sure? How do you know?’ Gracie asked.
Cara explained as she passed the letters to her friend, a nod giving permission for Gracie to read them.
‘Bloody hell!’ Gracie said as she finished.
Climbing into the cab at the end of the driveway, Cara gave George the cabbie the address they wished to visit. The chill that reached Cara’s bones was more to do with her final challenge than the autumn breeze.
During the journey no words were spoken and Cara shivered with a nervous anticipation.
Knocking lightly, on Bertha Jenkins’ front door, Cara and Gracie waited patiently. Cara’s nerves jangled as she considered what was to come. The door was opened by Bertha herself who had just returned from her work.
‘Cara! What a lovely surprise! Come in, come in. Gracie, nice to see you, wench.’ Bertha ushered them into her living room.
Liza Townsend sat in a chair pulled up to the fireside. She eyed the young woman being introduced to her. So this was Cara Flowers, the one she’d heard so much about. As she stared Liza could have sworn she’d seen those eyes before.
Cara couldn’t help staring with an open mouth at the woman she recognized from the wedding photograph. It was her mother! She felt an overwhelming desire to rush to Liza and throw her arms around her, for all she couldn’t remember having seen her before. She felt ashamed she had not found time to visit earlier, especially as she’d promised herself she would.
Bertha set about brewing tea and cutting cake for them all as the visitors sat on the sofa.
There was an uncomfortable silence as Liza stared openly at the young woman. She was trawling her mind for memories. None came.
Cara’s nerves jangled and her eyes darted from Liza to Gracie and back again.
Drawing in a breath, she said, ‘Forgive us just arriving with no warning.’
Bertha waved away the apology with, ‘You’re welcome here any time… you know that, both of you.’
Grasping her courage in both hands, Cara went on, ‘To be truthful Bertha, it’s Liza I’ve come to see.’ All eyes turned to the named woman before returning to Cara. ‘I have something I think you should see, Liza.’ Passing the letters and photographs over, she waited.
‘These letters are addressed to Henrietta Selby; why would you think I should see them?’ Liza asked, full of suspicion.
‘Liza, please read them, they pertain to you.’
Bertha directed a frown to Gracie who gave an imperceptible shake of her head. Just wait, you won’t believe what’s coming next, the head shake said.
In the quiet of the small living room, Liza read each letter then came to the photographs. ‘Oh my God!’ She gasped as she looked at Cara then back to the photograph. ‘That’s me, there in the picture, that’s me and… John!’ She caught her breath at the sudden memory and felt the tears begin to sting her eyes. Tracing a finger over the picture, she then went on to read the newspaper clippings.
Liza replaced the clippings in the envelope saying, ‘It would appear from this that after John’s death, I married again to an Arthur Townsend.’ Liza shook her head. ‘I don’t remember him, but that would explain my name being different to yours.’ She looked again at Cara who nodded.
‘It would seem, Mrs Townsend, that you and I are mother and daughter!’
Bertha’s gasp resounded as she looked at Gracie who nodded in confirmation. ‘Hellfire, damnation and buckets of blood!’ Bertha’s cursing broke the spell.
Then Liza drew in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she digested Cara’s words. Sitting silently for a while, Liza tried desperately to recall memories, but still they eluded her.
‘Cara Flowers,’ Liza said at last, ‘I know the name, from somewhere deep in here.’ She laid a hand on her heart.
‘What about Charlie and Daisy Flowers, do you know those too?’ Cara urged.
Liza screwed up her face as she thought hard. ‘I’m not sure, but I think so.’
‘They are your children too, Liza, yours and John’s,’ Cara said gently.
‘Oh God! I wish I could remember!’ Rubbing her tired eyes, she dragged her hands down her face then Liza began to cry.
‘Oh please don’t distress yourself! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you!’ Cara felt a rush of love for the woman sat by the fire sobbing quietly, her head now held in her hands.
Bertha muttered, ‘Gracie and I will be in the kitchen if you need anything. We’ll get a bit of dinner on the go.’ Gracie frowned as Bertha tilted her head and shoved her into the kitchen.
Liza looked into the eyes of the daughter she couldn’t remember. ‘We have the same eyes you and me,’ she whispered, ‘and hair, at least until mine started turning grey.’
‘Daisy and Charlie have the same eyes and hair too, Liza.’ Cara smiled.
‘Tell me about them… please?’ Liza asked.
‘Oh Liza, they are an absolute delight!’ Cara began. ‘Your son is a young man now and training to become an architect. He took care of himself and Daisy after you and your husband, John Flowers, disappeared.’ Cara saw the sadness creep across Liza’s face as her tears fell once more. ‘I’m just telling you as it is, Liza, I’m not saying these things to hurt you, please understand that.’ Liza wiped away her tears and nodded. Cara went on. ‘Charlie tried his best to take care of them both, but they were eventually sent to the workhouse.’
Liza gasped her distress at the thought, knowing that although very recently they had all probably been in the ‘Spike’ at the same time, it would have made no difference. After all, segregation was in effect; besides which she wouldn’t have known who they were anyway.
‘Henrietta Selby…’ Cara said then nodded as Liza held up the letters, ‘yes, she was your mother, my grandmother. She tasked me with a challenge to find and care for any blood relative. I found Charlie in the workhouse and got him out. Daisy had been sold on by Tulley.’
‘That swine!’ Liza rasped through gritted teeth.
Cara went on quickly, ‘Well, we found Daisy and brought her home. It appeared John died in a carting accident. I’ve been searching for you for a long time.’
At that moment Gracie bustled in with fresh tea. ‘How’s it going, ladies?’ She asked as she placed the tray on the table. Curiosity was written all over her.
‘We’re getting there,’ Cara said.
Gracie bustled back into the kitchen, wishing she could stay and listen.
Cara spoke again. ‘Charlie is a talented young man; caring, considerate and passionate about the things he loves.’
She saw Liza give the tiniest of smiles at her words.
‘Daisy… Oh my goodness! Daisy has a dry sense of humour, she’s full of energy and chatters constantly. She has the prettiest face. Blue eyes, blonde hair – a real picture. She still prefers to eat with her fingers…’
‘Fingers came before cutlery,’ Liza whispered almost to herself.
‘That’s exactly what Daisy says!’ Cara beamed excitedly.
Everything she was told made sense to Liza, but the frustration of being unable to remember was driving her mad. She had remembered John from the photograph so that was a start. The children’s names were strangely familiar to her too, but she could remember nothing else.
Holding her head once more she thought, they must be my children, the newspaper clippings and letters prove it.
‘Liza, how did you come to lose your memory? Do you have any idea?’ Cara asked tentatively.
Rubbing her temples as if to provide inspiration or provoke memories, Liza shook her head. ‘I only remember waking on the heath with Phoebe beside me, anything before that is lost to me.’
‘Phoebe Townsend?’ Cara whispered.
‘Yes. She died in the workhouse.’ Liza’s eyes closed but the tears squeezed between her lashes.
‘I’m so sorry. I heard about it,’ Cara said quietly. ‘Then Phoebe must have been the baby mentioned in the newspaper.’
Opening her eyes again, Liza said, ‘It would seem so.’ Holding up the letters, Liza added, ‘If these are correct, Phoebe was your step-sister.’ Watching Cara, she saw the realization dawn.
Cara’s eyes began to well with tears as she thought about the little girl who had died long before her time.
‘Where Mr Townsend is, I have no idea. All I know is we ended up in the “Spike” and my Phoebe died in there.’ The threatened tears began to roll down Liza’s face and Cara’s heart went out to her. ‘They threw me in the asylum when I attacked Ada Tulley. She made them use the bad meat and my little girl died because of it!’ Liza’s temper began to rise as she thought again of that woman. Her mind then formed a picture of Ada lying dead at the bottom of the stairs and her anger quelled. ‘It was Bertha and Dr Cooper who saved me from that awful place.’
‘Dr Cooper kept me abreast of it,’ Cara said, much to Liza’s surprise. ‘He told me about you and we worked together to get you released.’
Liza tried her best to smile. ‘I thank you for that.’
A silence descended which was broken by Gracie and Bertha trundling in with steaming bowls of thick broth and a large fresh loaf which Bertha hacked into chunks.
‘Time to eat,’ Gracie said. Everyone gathered around the table and began their meal.
As they ate, Cara thought the women had more than likely heard some of the discussion; probably with their ears pinned to the door. They ate in silence, each enjoying the food given. Bertha made more fresh tea and while they drank it, Cara spoke again.
‘Liza, are you up to a meeting… with Daisy and Charlie?’
‘Oh… I’m not sure it’s a good idea,’ she shook her head, ‘they most likely think I abandoned them – they’ll hate me!’ Liza felt fear grip her.
‘No they don’t!’ Cara said quickly. ‘I promise you, they don’t hate you – they miss you dreadfully!’
Bertha added, ‘Be brave, wench, take that first step.’
Cara said, ‘Look at what you’ve already faced, Liza, and you overcame all that. This is a walk in the Allotment Gardens in comparison.’
Liza’s eyes moved to each of the women in turn before returning to Cara. ‘Do you think it will be all right? Oh God, I’m so afraid!’
‘Yes!’ Cara answered enthusiastically. ‘I think it will be more than all right! You don’t have to be afraid, Daisy and Charlie will be thrilled to see you again!’ Turning to Bertha, she said, ‘Thank you for our meal and the use of your living room. Why don’t you come along with us? Would that help, Liza?’
‘Oh yes it would,’ Liza said, giving Bertha a nod of thanks.
‘You bet your life! I ain’t missing this!’ Bertha threw over her shoulder as she rushed off to grab a coat for Liza and herself.
The four women climbed into the cab and George clucked to the horse to walk on. Apprehension hung heavy in the air on their journey back to The Laburnums. Liza’s eyes constantly darted from one face to another; she looked like a frightened bird.
Cara was excited at the prospect of Daisy and Charlie seeing their mother again.
Liza on the other hand, was terrified. Maybe the children would not like her, what if they blamed her for leaving them? Yet again she dredged her mind for anything that could shed light on why she had been separated from them. Breathing heavily, Liza shook her head in sheer frustration. She felt the feeling that had been stirred however, and she longed to see the children she couldn’t remember.
Climbing from the cab, Liza looked up at the house and gasped. ‘I remember this house!’
Cara beamed as she took Liza’s arm. ‘Yes, you grew up here, Liza.’ Liza began to shake and Cara wrapped an arm around her. ‘It will be fine, you’ll see.’
Leading them all inside, Cara heard her brother and sister in the parlour laughing together. Turning to Liza, she said, ‘It might be best to forewarn them…’
‘I’ll wait here in the hall with Bertha and Gracie,’ Liza said quietly. Her throat was dry and sweat lined her brow. She wiped her damp hands down her skirt.
Leaving the door ajar so her words could be overheard, Cara said, ‘Hey you two, I have a surprise for you.’
‘Oooh what is it?’ Daisy asked.
‘We have visitors and I’d be pleased if you would make them feel welcome.’ Cara smiled.
‘Don’t we always?’ Daisy said full of mischief.
‘Ah, but one of them is a very special visitor. Shall I invite them in?’
Daisy plonked herself into a chair and nodded.
Cara pushed open the door and the three women entered the room.
‘Mum?’ Charlie said in disbelief. ‘Mum? Is that really you? Oh my God! Mum, mum!’ He jumped up and ran to Liza, throwing his arms around her. For all he was a young man now, he did nothing to stem the flow of tears.
Daisy fled to her mother’s side, floods of tears coursing down her face. ‘Our mum’s home! Oh Mum, we ain’t half missed you!’
Liza folded her arms around the two youngsters who were hugging her so tightly and looked up at Cara who could see by her eyes that Liza had finally remembered her children.
‘Oh my babies, my dear sweet babies! Oh thank God!’ Liza burst into tears. As she held her children tightly, she smothered them in kisses. ‘Oh, I can’t believe it! My God, oh my darlings, I love you so much!’
Bertha and Gracie wept openly as they saw Liza beckon Cara to her. ‘Cara my darling, come… oh sweetheart, I love you. I love you all so very much!’
Tears flowed freely as Cara joined the family hug. Liza whispered quietly, ‘Cara, I can’t recall everything, but now I’ve seen them, I do remember my beautiful children. Thank you so much, my beloved daughter.’
Once everyone had settled, Cara watched as Daisy and Charlie chattered incessantly, Liza listening attentively.
Bertha and Gracie, still sobbing, were wiping away tears on damp handkerchiefs.
Wiping her eyes, Cara leaned back in her chair. She realized she had, at last, completed her final challenge.
Over the following days, Liza had been a constant visitor to The Laburnums to see her three children. Then one evening Cara asked, ‘Why don’t you come and live with us here mother?’
Charlie and Daisy watched as Liza considered the idea. ‘It would be nice I have to admit but, please don’t get upset when I say this, but I’m not sure I’m ready yet. I need to get you all again. At the moment I’m settled in nicely with Bertha and we enjoy a good gossip. Besides, we’re company for each other. I love you all very much and it gives me something to look forward to each time I visit.’
Daisy wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck and gave her a peck on the cheek. Charlie said, ‘We love you as well mum, and I’m sure if you change your mind we’ll all be over the moon, won’t we Cara?’
‘We most certainly will,’ Cara answered. ‘Hey, tomorrow is Sunday so how about we all have a picnic in the allotment gardens?’ It was agreed and chatter surrounded what should be packed into a couple of picnic baskets. ‘You will ask Bertha to join us won’t you mother?’
Liza nodded as Daisy ran down to the kitchen to invite Gracie too.
Bertha and Liza arrived at twelve o’clock on the dot. Cara, Charlie and Daisy were ready and waiting. An excited Daisy shot off to the kitchen shouting, ‘Come on Gracie, we’re ready for the off!’
Charlie carried the two picnic baskets and they began their stroll down Proud’s Lane, deciding to walk the long way round rather than cut through the working allotment site.
It was as they reached the intersection with Dover Street that a loud clatter of hooves and the rumble of cart wheels could be heard. They all stood to the side and gasped as the horse and cart thundered towards them from Fletcher Street. It was travelling fast – too fast for this small road.
Suddenly the driver yanked on the horse’s reins in order to turn it around the sharp bend into Dover Street. It was travelling so fast the cart slid across the cobbles. As the driver glanced over his shoulder to see if the cart had overturned, he didn’t see the woman standing on the corner. Turning his eyes forward again he watched, as if in slow motion, the horse’s flank catch the standing woman as it tried to avoid trampling her down.
The woman was knocked off her feet and landed with a thud on the hard cobbles. The driver pulled with all his might on the reins and the horse skidded to a halt, its eyes wild and nostrils flaring. Jumping down he ran to the woman who was now trying to get to her feet and was rubbing her sore back.
Cara and the others watched as the woman eventually drew back her arm and swung her heavy bag hitting the man on the shoulder. The woman was tearing him off a strip about going far too fast on a narrow road. She yelled she should rightly tell the coppers and he’d be dragged off to jail.
The little group watching could see she wasn’t hurt thankfully, and as they turned to resume their walk, Cara saw Liza standing holding her head.
‘Mother, are you alright?’ Cara asked rushing to Liza whose face was ashen.
‘Oh my God!’ Liza gasped. ‘I remember!’ She glanced at each of them. ‘I remember it all now!’ Then Liza began to sob.
‘Come on, let’s get you home,’ Cara said then turning to Daisy added, ‘I’m sorry sweetheart, we’ll have to have a picnic another day.’
Daisy nodded as she wrapped her arms around her mother.
Charlie’s eyes brimmed with tears as memories also flooded back to him. Passing the baskets to Bertha and Gracie, he rushed forward and swept Liza into his arms. He carried her home as the others followed quietly behind.
Gracie and Bertha made tea and carried it to the parlour, then they returned to the kitchen to wonder just what it was Liza had remembered.
Liza sat on the sofa with Daisy on one side of her and Charlie on the other, she was shaking and the cup rattled on its saucer as Cara handed her the tea. Sipping the hot liquid Liza finally brought her emotions under control.
Finally Cara asked gently, ‘Are you able to tell us what you remember?’
Liza nodded. Drawing in a deep breath she said in a low voice, ‘It was the accident in the street that triggered it and then it all came flooding back.’
Daisy leaned against Liza and Charlie laid his arm across her shoulder protectively.
Liza looked at Cara. ‘I was so pig-headed when you were little. I wouldn’t listen to your grandmother. She hated John and when you were about two years old you were really poorly. She brought you back here to take care of you; she asked me to come too but John wouldn’t let me.’ Liza gave a sob then continued. ‘I was forbidden to see you or my own mother – John wouldn’t allow it, he was such a bully!’
‘We remember mum,’ Charlie said as his heart went out to her.
‘I’m so sorry,’ Liza nodded. Daisy moved to sit on her knee. ‘My but you’re getting big now,’ Liza added as she laced her arms around her young daughter who laid her head on her mother’s chest.
‘Well, I had to go with John on the cart until you were born Charlie, then I stayed at home. I took you with me when I went scavenging and coal picking… we never had any money – John was a drinker. That became a bit more difficult when our Daisy came long, but I managed.’
Daisy lifted her head and kissed her mother’s cheek before nestling down again. Liza gave a tiny smile at the gesture.
‘Why didn’t you come back here to Grandma?’ Cara asked quietly.
‘Oh I wanted to, believe me, but I knew John would find me. God knows what he might have done then.’ Liza shook her head. ‘I remember the last time I saw you two,’ she said giving Daisy a squeeze and looking at Charlie.
‘Don’t mum…’ Charlie began.
‘You need to know son,’ she said with sadness in her voice.
‘John came home drunk, he beat me badly. Then he sent you two scavenging. While you were out he forced me onto the cart and drove away.’ Liza’s tears flowed as she spoke.
Cara saw Daisy was quietly sobbing and tears filled her own eyes. Dragging a cushion from the chair she plopped it down on the floor in front of her mother and sat on it. Taking Liza’s hand she held it and stroked the back with her thumb.
‘John and I stayed in a derelict cottage in Birmingham while he was carting there. The roof leaked and it was draughty. I was so poorly all the time with coughs and colds. Well, one day a man came to tell me John had died in a carting accident. The loaded cart knocked him down and crushed his chest as it rolled over him. So, then I was on my own.’
‘Why d’aint you come back for us then mum?’ Daisy asked, her tears having subsided as she listened to Liza’s story.
‘I wrote to your Grandma and asked if I could come back but she never replied. She ignored my pleas.’
Cara remembered the words in her grandmother’s letter, Also if you find my daughter, tell her I rue the day I ignored her plea.
Cara told Liza what had been said in the letter.
‘Oh my God!’ Liza cried out. ‘If only I had tried harder, so much misery could have been avoided!’
‘I’m sure you did all you could,’ Cara tried to comfort her mother.
‘I thought so at the time…’ Liza began, then taking another deep breath went on. ‘I came back to Bilston and searched for you both. Our old cottage was always empty so I thought it was abandoned. I wanted to find you and bring you here to this house with me, so we could all be together again.’
‘We would have probably been in the workhouse by then mum,’ Charlie said quietly as he thought about Liza’s words.
Liza gasped, ‘Oh my poor children, I’m so very sorry!’
‘Mum, don’t get upset, we’re all together now and that’s what is important.’ Charlie comforted her with a hug.
Liza nodded sadly then resumed. ‘When I couldn’t find you, I came back here but there was never anyone at home. I wondered if your Grandma had sold up and moved on. Eventually I went into service for Mr. Townsend.’
‘Phoebe’s father?’ Cara asked softly.
‘Yes. As time went on we married and had Phoebe. I thought my son and daughter must have died… possibly of starvation, when I couldn’t find you. I was distraught and constantly asked Arthur – Mr Townsend – if we could keep looking for you.’
‘What did he say?’ Daisy asked
‘He said sweetheart, that you had most likely died and were lost to me forever. It broke my heart.’
‘So how did you come to be on the heath that day?’ Cara asked.
‘I found out Arthur had been having an affair with another woman, I found a letter in his pocket. He was going to leave me and move in with her, so Phoebe and I set off to confront him at the bank where he worked.’
‘Oh mum, you don’t have much luck with men do you?’ Charlie asked in an attempt to dispel a little of his mother’s gloom.
Shaking her head Liza went on. ‘There was a horse galloping over the heath – it must have broken loose from somewhere – and as it raced past it knocked me flying. I must have hit my head on a stone or something because the next thing I remembered was waking up with Phoebe crying her eyes out.’
‘What happened to the horse?’ Daisy asked.
‘I expect when it calmed down it went home,’ Liza answered.
‘That would account for no one looking for it and finding you injured on the heath,’ Cara added. Then she said, ‘Why didn’t Arthur search for you when he discovered you and Phoebe were missing?’
‘I’d left the letter on the table and he probably thought I’d left him taking Phoebe with me. I suppose that would have left him free to move in with his mistress.’ Liza snorted her disgust.
‘Bastard!’ Charlie rasped.
‘Language young man!’ Liza said as she tapped his knee.
‘Sorry mum,’ Charlie looked suitably berated.
‘What happened next?’ Daisy asked frowning her annoyance at Charlie’s interruption.
‘I tried to scavenge but I couldn’t feed Phoebe and myself and eventually we ended up in the workhouse. It was in there that Phoebe died of food poisoning.’ Liza’s tears flowed freely once more.
‘So, Phoebe Townsend was our half-sister?’ Charlie asked.
‘Yes son, she was.’ Liza sighed as silence descended. Everyone was wrapped up in their own thoughts about what Liza had told them.
Liza however, had no intention of divulging the events that had taken place in Wolverhampton Union Workhouse concerning the Tulleys. That was a secret that only she and Bertha shared and she knew they would both take it to their graves, so certain was she of the bond of friendship.
Cara broke the silence with, ‘I still wish you would come and live with us here.’
‘I’ll talk to Bertha about it,’ Liza said, ‘you never know, she might be glad to have her house to herself again. Then again, she might want me to stay. Either way, I promise I’m going to see a lot more of the Flowers family in the future now we have all found each other. I swear nothing will part us ever again.’ Then she kissed each of her children in turn. Gazing down at her daughter she whispered, ‘Thank you Cara for bringing my workhouse children safely back to me.’
We hope you enjoyed this book!
Lindsey Hutchinson’s next book is coming in summer 2017
More addictive fiction from Aria:
|
|
|
|
For more information, click the following links