‘How dare you be so rude in front of our guest!’ Gilbert Mason scolded at breakfast the next morning.
‘I’m sure she didn’t mean to be, she just had a headache and—’
‘Shut up!’ One glare from her father silenced Holly’s mother immediately but whereas Emma was shaking with nerves, Holly appeared calm.
‘I wasn’t aware that I was being rude,’ she answered, spreading marmalade on a slice of toast. ‘I merely felt unwell and wished to retire early.’
‘Hmm!’ Her grandfather forked a juicy sausage and bit into it before asking, ‘So what did you think of Walter? He’s a good man.’
‘I’m sure he is but I certainly have no intentions of marrying him,’ Holly stated firmly.
Her grandfather almost choked on the mouthful of food he was eating before shouting, ‘What do you mean? You haven’t even given the chap a chance.’
‘I don’t need to.’ Unlike her mother, Holly refused to be cowed. ‘He’s far too old for me for a start and I don’t want the responsibility of a ready-made family just yet.’
Controlling his temper with an obvious effort her grandfather laid down his knife and fork and rose from his chair, towering over her. ‘Well, perhaps it’s a bit soon for you to make the decision just yet. He’ll be coming to dinner again on Saturday and maybe this time you can make a little more of an effort.’
Holly pursed her lips and stared mutinously back at him before he turned and stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him.
‘Oh dear, what are we going to do?’ Her mother was crying now and dabbing at her eyes with a scrap of lace handkerchief. She knew how stubborn her daughter could be when she made up her mind about something and could see no easy solution to the situation they found themselves in.
Holly’s kind heart ached for her. Her mother had always been the centre of her world and she hated to see her distressed.
‘We could leave,’ she said calmly and Emma’s eyes stretched wide.
‘And where would we go?’
‘We could find a little house somewhere and I could get a job. That way we would be independent.’
Emma sighed. ‘That all sounds very well but I can’t just up and leave my father alone.’
‘Why not? He has Cook and Ivy to take care of him, he’d be perfectly all right,’ Holly pointed out. ‘To be honest, I’ve always had the feeling that he only had us here on sufferance anyway.’
Emma’s head wagged from side to side. ‘It isn’t as simple as that. I … I can’t just go.’
‘Then I warn you, if he persists in this stupid idea of marrying me off, I shall.’ Holly stood up and quietly left the room leaving her mother to her thoughts, and as she made her way back upstairs she wondered again what hold her grandfather had over her mother.
‘So I take it it didn’t go too well then?’ Ivy asked a short time later when she carried a coal bucket to Holly’s room to make the fire up.
‘No, it certainly did not!’ Holly tossed the embroidery she had been trying to concentrate on onto the chair at the side of the bed. ‘Did you see how old he was? Well, old to me anyway! He was nice enough, admittedly, but there are things I want to do before I settle down with anyone, let alone someone my grandfather has chosen for me.’
Ivy nodded understandingly as she raked out the fire and threw some more lumps of coal on, then sitting back on her heels she said, ‘I can’t say as I blame you. I don’t want to get married either. I don’t want to end up like me mam, God bless her, havin’ one baby after another and gettin’ old before me time. Half the time she can’t even feed ’em cos most of me dad’s wages goes over the bar of the Rose an’ Crown. But what will you do if the master insists on it?’
‘I shall leave,’ Holly informed her quietly. ‘I’m quite old enough to make my way in the world and I have a little nest egg that my grandmother left me to tide me over till I find a job.’
‘But what would you do? You ain’t trained to be anythin’ and I can hardly see you as a maid,’ Ivy pointed out.
Holly shrugged to hide her fears. ‘I haven’t really given it a lot of thought yet but there must be something I could do. I wish my mother would come with me if it does come to that, but she’s already told me that she won’t.’
‘Well, try not to worry too much just yet. The master might change his mind.’ After poking the fire to get it blazing, Ivy stood up and ran her hands down the old hessian apron she wore for her dirty jobs. ‘I’d best get on but I’ll see you later.’
After she’d gone, Holly pondered on her dilemma. She had never considered leaving home before and although she was putting a brave face on things she suddenly felt very confused and vulnerable as she wondered how she was going to manage on her own out in the big wide world.
Saturday evening came around all too quickly and once again Ivy admitted a bright-eyed Mr Dolby. His eyes were kindly as he smiled a greeting and he had clearly gone to great pains with his appearance, but again Holly found herself thinking that he was old enough to be her father as she stared glumly at the blooms he was carrying. ‘These are for you, Miss Farthing.’ He handed her a large bouquet of flowers which she knew must have cost a fortune as they were out of season. Blushing furiously she reluctantly accepted them knowing that it would be rude not to. There followed another painful meal for Holly who spoke only when spoken to. She was aware of Mr Dolby’s eyes on her throughout and also of her mother’s nervousness and her grandfather’s scrutiny.
‘So, do you have any hobbies, my dear?’ Mr Dolby probed.
‘Just a few,’ Holly answered miserably in a voice so low he had to lean towards her to hear it.
‘And do you enjoy the outdoors? Walking?’
This time she merely nodded and eventually Mr Dolby gave up trying to make conversation and instead concentrated on his food. Once the meal was over Holly had to stop herself from sighing with relief. It was customary for the gentlemen to retire to the study for a glass of port and a cigar at this stage, but that evening Gilbert Mason had other ideas.
‘Why don’t you join me for coffee in my study and then we can leave these two to get to know each other a little better?’ her grandfather suggested to her mother, much to Holly’s horror.
Emma gulped deep in her throat, knowing how much her daughter would hate that, but knowing also that she had no choice she nodded and, excusing herself, followed her father out of the room.
Ivy arrived seconds later with the coffee and seeing the arrangement she glanced worriedly at Holly. ‘Would you like me to pour, Miss Holly?’
‘No thank you, Ivy.’ Holly gave her a reassuring smile although her stomach felt as if it was in knots. ‘I can manage.’
Ivy bobbed her knee and with one last glance at Walter Dolby she quietly left the room.
‘It ain’t right what he’s doin’ to Miss Holly,’ she complained to the cook when she entered the kitchen. ‘He’s sellin’ her like the farmers sell the beasts at the cattle market.’
‘Aye well, he’s never had any time for her,’ the rosy-cheeked cook replied with a shake of her head. Now that dinner was over she was settled in a chair at the side of the fire with a steaming mug of tea in her hand and her swollen feet up on a stool.
Meanwhile in the dining room Holly was pouring the coffee and an awkward silence had settled between her and their guest.
‘Well, this is nice, isn’t it?’ Walter Dolby said eventually, running his finger around the collar of his shirt. He was clearly feeling almost as uncomfortable as Holly was. They both sipped at their coffee and the silence stretched between them. Normally Holly loved to chat to people but she didn’t want to give him false hope.
‘So …’ He smiled at her. ‘Are you looking forward to Christmas? It’s hard to believe that it’s only a few weeks away. Your grandfather has invited me and my children for Christmas dinner. We thought it would be nice for you to meet them and get to know them.’
Holly felt slightly faint but forced a smile. ‘I, er … I’m afraid I’m not very good with children,’ she stuttered. ‘I’ve never had much to do with any, you see?’
He didn’t seem put off by the statement whatsoever and grinned. ‘Oh, I’m sure you’ll get along fine. They’re all very well behaved. Marcus is the oldest at nineteen. He wants to help me run the businesses when he gets a little older – he’s the studious one of the bunch. Then there’s Florence who is thirteen and Katie who’s eight and rather spoiled, being the youngest.’
Holly gave another weak smile, feeling like a rabbit caught in a trap but worse was to come.
‘I should inform you that your grandfather has given me permission to ask you to marry me … but …’ he added hastily, seeing the fleeting look of panic that crossed her face, ‘I shan’t do that, of course, until you have got to know the children and myself a little better.’
‘As I said.’ Her voice came out as a croak. ‘I’m sure I would make a dreadful mother.’
‘Nonsense. They have a nanny and a tutor so there really wouldn’t be that much for you to do, my dear. I simply wanted to put your mind at rest and for you to know that my intentions are purely honourable. You are a very attractive young lady and who knows, sometime in the not too distant future we might even add to our brood. I’m sure that we’ll suit each other admirably.’ He then fumbled in his jacket pocket and produced a small velvet box which he opened to reveal a gleaming sapphire ring surrounded by a halo of diamonds.
‘This was my late wife’s engagement ring,’ he told her quietly. ‘And when you feel ready I hope you will do me the very great honour of accepting it as your engagement ring.’
‘Oh … no … no I couldn’t,’ Holly gasped, stifling the urge to run from the room.
Misunderstanding her he snapped the box shut and returned it to his pocket. ‘I quite understand. Perhaps you would prefer to choose one to your own taste. That won’t be a problem.’
‘No … you don’t understand, Mr Dolby,’ she gushed. She knew that she was going to be in terrible trouble with her grandfather but this awful situation couldn’t be endured a moment longer. ‘You see, the thing is … I don’t wish to get married, to you or anyone else. I’m sorry … you’re a very nice man and I sincerely hope you find a new mother for your children but I have to tell you quite categorically, it won’t be me.’
‘I see.’ He looked so embarrassed that she almost felt sorry for him but then he rose from his seat and gave her a polite little bow. ‘Then I must thank you for being so honest and wish you goodnight, Miss Farthing.’ With that he turned on his heel and strode out into the hallway, where he almost bumped into Ivy who was taking a tray of coffee to the master’s study.
‘Would you kindly inform Mr Mason that I am leaving,’ he said in a clipped tone and, sensing trouble, Ivy hurried on her way, almost tripping over her skirt in her haste.
‘Mr Dolby asked me to tell yer that he’s leavin’, sir,’ she said quickly when she swept breathlessly into the room, almost dropping the tray in the process.
‘Leaving! What do you mean, girl, it’s still early,’ the master roared as he slammed his glass of port onto a small table and charged from the room.
He found Walter just putting his hat and coat on and asked abruptly, ‘So what’s to do then, Walter? The night is still young.’
‘Ah, but I am not,’ Walter answered regretfully. ‘Which I think is one of the reasons your granddaughter has just told me quite plainly that she has no intentions of marrying me.’
‘She’s done what?’ Gilbert roared, and as his voice echoed along the long hallway and into his study, Emma began to tremble. There would be big trouble now, if she wasn’t very much mistaken.
Walter Dolby placed his hand on Gilbert’s arm and smiled. ‘It’s all right, old chap. I quite admire the girl, actually, for having the guts to speak her mind. I certainly wouldn’t want to force her, or anybody else for that matter, into a marriage they weren’t happy with so I’ll wish you goodnight and a very Merry Christmas. No doubt we shall meet again at the club.’
Gilbert’s hands clenched into fists of rage as he watched his guest step out into the snowy night and seconds later he was charging towards the dining room where he found Holly still sitting, waiting for the row that she sensed was to come.
‘You idiot girl!’ he growled. ‘Do you even begin to realise what you’ve just done? Walter Dolby is one of the richest men in Warwickshire. You could have been set for life.’
‘Probably, but set for what sort of life?’ Holly dared to ask. It was the first time she had ever openly stood up to her grandfather and for a moment he was struck dumb as his hands clenched into fists of rage once more.
‘You will sleep on what you have done and first thing tomorrow I expect you to write a letter of apology to Walter,’ he boomed.
Outwardly calm, Holly stared right back at him and shook her head. ‘I’m afraid I shan’t be doing that, Grandfather. I only told him the truth, hopefully in such a way as not to hurt his feelings, but I shall never marry Mr Dolby, whatever you say!’
Her mother had come to stand in the doorway now after hearing the commotion and she was as pale as a piece of lint as she nervously chewed on her fist.
‘And is that your final word on the matter?’
Holly nodded. ‘Yes, Grandfather, I’m rather afraid it is. I won’t be sold off like some beast in the market.’
‘Then you give me no alternative. First thing tomorrow I want you out of my house!’
‘Father, no!’ Emma ran forward and placed her hand on his arm as tears coursed down her cheeks, but he roughly shook her off, his eyes still fixed on Holly.
‘It’s all right, Mother. I’m quite old enough to look after myself now,’ Holly told her calmly, and without another word she walked from the room with her head held high, just in time to see Ivy and Cook peeping round the kitchen door. She had no doubt they had heard every word that had been said but she had no intention of backing down now. If her grandfather wished her to leave then she would. In fact, she decided, she would start packing immediately.
Meanwhile Gilbert Mason stormed into his study and banged the door shut behind him. Only then did he sag onto the nearest chair and bury his face in his hands. What have I done? he asked himself as he stared into the fire. Everything had got out of hand but his pride was such that he felt unable to go back on what he’d said. And now his only granddaughter would be leaving, possibly never to return. ‘May God forgive me,’ he muttered to the empty room as tears spilled down his cheeks.
Up in her room, Holly dragged a suitcase from the top of her wardrobe and lay it open on the bed. Suddenly what was about to happen hit her like a blow and the tears came. Where was she to go? She hardly knew anyone beyond these four walls. It was all very well putting a brave face on things to everyone, but inside she was terrified about what might lie ahead. Minutes later her mother joined her and taking her hand she shook it up and down.
‘Please go and apologise,’ she implored. ‘I can’t bear to see you leave like this.’
‘Then come with me.’
Emma’s blue eyes were swimming with tears but as Holly looked at her she knew what the answer would be.
‘You know I can’t.’ Emma was sobbing now.
‘But why can’t you? There is clearly something that holds you here so why don’t you tell me what it is?’
Emma stared back at her for a moment and then her shoulders sagged and she dropped heavily onto the side of the bed.
‘It … it’s because I didn’t always have just you to worry about,’ she confessed in a small voice. ‘You see … you once had a sister … a twin sister.’