As Nessie gazed into the mirror she hardly recognised herself. The day before she had picked up her new clothes from the dressmaker and her new shoes from the bootmaker and now she could hardly believe her eyes. The dress fitted snugly into her slim waist and the full skirt billowed around her over the petticoats she wore beneath it. She had twisted her hair onto the top of her head and she felt very grown up. She just hoped that Mr Chevalier would approve when she entered the shop.
‘Blimey!’ Reuben croaked when she entered the kitchen. ‘You look a fair treat, girl.’
Nessie flushed becomingly, loving the feel of the soft leather shoes on her feet.
‘Thank you.’ She smoothed her skirt self-consciously. ‘I just hope Andre thinks it was worth all the money he’s spent.’
Reuben chortled with laughter. ‘Oh, I think it’s safe to say he will. I’ve told you, I reckon he’s got a soft spot for you.’
‘Rubbish!’ Nessie said a little more harshly than she’d meant to. ‘I have an idea he might already have a young lady. That’s probably where he disappears to every Saturday evening.’
Reuben shrugged as he rose from the table. ‘We’ll see. Meantime I’ve got work to do. I’ve got that expensive coffin to make for the deceased that we picked up last night. This is going to be a very posh funeral, by all accounts, so I have to make sure that the casket is perfect. It’s even going to be lined; Chevalier is goin’ to show me how to line it once I’ve finished it. The family has money and they want the best. It’s the last of the mahogany he has an’ he said that he’s going to have to go to London to get some more once this has gone. It’s shipped in from abroad, so I’m told.’
‘Really, and will you be going with him?’ she asked curiously.
He shook his head. ‘I shouldn’t think so. Somebody has to be here to keep the shop open and collect the deceased if need be while he’s away.’
Nessie nodded and lifting little Joseph she carried him through to the shop where she placed him gently on a chair.
Andre was there looking at some paperwork and when he glanced up his mouth fell open. ‘My goodness.’ She could hear the approval in his voice as he eyed her up and down. ‘You look wonderful. I could take you for gentry in that outfit.’
‘Gentry or not there’s still cleaning to do,’ she told him with a grin, shaking out an apron she had brought through with her. ‘I shall go about my other duties and hastily take this off when anyone enters the shop.’
He smiled his approval before disappearing through into his living quarters. Nessie glanced around to see what needed to be done and smiled with satisfaction. The large vase of lilies on the end of the desk had filled the room with perfume and the place looked totally different compared to when she had first arrived. A large quantity of lavender and beeswax polish and an enormous amount of elbow grease had seen to that. The next part of her job would begin when a customer entered the parlour. Andre had schooled her on what to ask them regarding what kind of funeral they would like for their loved one and she knew the different prices of each one and what they entailed off by heart already.
At eleven o’clock she heard the bell above the door tinkle and for a moment she froze. This might well be her very first customer and suddenly she was nervous. Even so, she hastily removed her apron, smoothed her hair and after checking on Joseph who was dozing, she entered the parlour to find the handsome Dr Dorsey and a policeman standing there.
The doctor raised an eyebrow when he saw her. He had thought the girl he had seen before was attractive but now, in her smart new clothes, she looked utterly beautiful.
‘Ah, Miss Carson.’ He stared at her admiringly for a moment, then remembering himself he hastily removed his hat and smiled. ‘I believe we have need of the funeral parlour’s services. Unfortunately, another woman was killed last night. A miner on his way to work came across her body in the woods near Caldecote this morning. The woman was a cleaner up at Caldecote Hall and when she didn’t arrive home yesterday after her shift her husband reported her missing.’
‘How dreadful!’ The colour drained from Nessie’s face as terrible memories of her mother’s brutal murder came flooding back and she wondered if the same person was responsible.
Even so, she maintained her composure as Dr Dorsey went on, ‘The family is not rich but I recommended Mr Chevalier to the husband. Her body was taken back to their cottage in Abbey Green and now that the police doctor has finished his examination I wondered if Mr Chevalier might be able to collect the body and bring it here? She was the mother of three young children and the husband feels it’s too distressing for them to have the body of their dead mother there until the day of the funeral.’
‘Of course.’ Nessie efficiently reached for a pen and paper and after carefully taking down the deceased’s name and address she asked, ‘Will the woman’s husband be able to call in and speak to me about what sort of funeral he would like for his wife? I’m sure we can help.’
The policeman nodded. ‘Aye, he’ll come all right. Poor chap, he’s devastated. Such a nice family they were an’ all. She were a lovely girl, I’ve known her an’ her family since she were knee high to a grasshopper.’
‘It’s dreadful,’ Nessie agreed. ‘Will we have to delay the funeral because of the circumstances of her death?’
‘I shouldn’t think so.’ He shook his head. ‘The police doctor has all he needs. It appears she was bludgeoned to death, same as the other three women.’ Then remembering that Nessie’s mother had been one of them, he frowned. ‘Sorry, miss, I weren’t thinking. But I reckon it’s the same chap as did it.’
Nessie swallowed the lump in her throat before turning her attention back to Dr Dorsey and saying politely, ‘Thank you for thinking of us. I shall make sure that Mr Chevalier collects the deceased as soon as possible.’
He smiled as he replaced his hat and her heart did a little flip as she stared into his deep-blue eyes, they reminded her of the colour of bluebells. He really was very handsome. ‘My pleasure, Miss Carson. And now if you’ll excuse us?’
The two men made to depart but at the door Oliver stopped and said hesitantly, ‘May I say how lovely you look today, Miss Carson.’ He flushed and disappeared through the door before she had the chance to answer. Feeling ridiculously pleased Nessie went to find Andre.
He was in the workshop with Reuben and when she told him what had happened he asked Reuben, ‘Would you go and get the horse and cart ready, please? I shall collect the body immediately.’ He sighed. ‘But how terrible for this poor family.’
Reuben nodded bitterly. ‘Aye, it is.’ Like Nessie he was thinking of their mother and the night she had been murdered. ‘I can’t understand why they don’t draft in more police to catch the murderer! How many more women have got to die before they do?’ Grumbling beneath his breath, he went off to do as he was asked.
‘I was thinking in a situation like this that it might be nice to have the chapel of rest in order,’ she suggested tentatively. Andre raised his eyebrow. ‘What I mean is,’ she hurried on, ‘I couldn’t help but notice that it hasn’t been used for some time. This poor woman’s husband clearly can’t keep his wife’s body at home because of the impact it would have on the children, but if we could make the chapel inviting and peaceful he could come and spend some time here with her should he wish to and pay his last respects.’
‘It seems you are full of good ideas,’ Andre admitted eventually. ‘But as you quite rightly say the chapel is rather dirty and that’s being polite. In fact, I think it has stood empty ever since I took over the business so it will take some work to make it fit for what you are suggesting.’
‘Oh, don’t worry about that.’ Nessie smiled at him. ‘I could make a start on it this evening once Joseph is in bed, it only needs a good scrub out and some nice flowers like the ones we have in the shop. I came across a nice piece of purple velvet while I was cleaning the cupboards out in the parlour. We could drape that across the trestle and lay the coffin on it and just make the place look more appealing and bright.’
‘Very well, I suppose we could try it if you are quite sure you don’t mind the extra work. And of course, all these extra jobs you have taken on will mean an increase in your wages. I can’t expect you to do all this for nothing. I have to admit you have made a tremendous difference to the place already and I am most grateful. Perhaps more people will put their business my way now. I fear that because I was a man alone it put a lot of them off. My rivals are a family-run firm and people tend to feel safer with people like that.’
‘Perhaps you should get married and make it into a family business then,’ she teased with an impish grin. They had come to the stage now where she felt easy in his company and they were able to talk to each other. Andre merely flushed and made no reply so she told him, ‘Leave it with me.’
For the first time in a long while she felt safe and secure. It was nice to have a warm bed, a roof over her head and no financial concerns. If only they could catch her mother’s killer and cure poor Joseph all would be well.
Two days later, Nessie led Andre into the chapel of rest and his eyes widened with delighted surprise. The small room was spotlessly clean and on either side of the velvet-covered trestle which would hold the coffins she had filled two vases with large bunches of holly. There was a small table behind the trestle on which she had stood a large, freshly polished brass crucifix and light now flooded through the small window set high in the wall. She had even whitewashed the walls and now the room felt calm and peaceful. A fitting place for the families of the deceased to come and pay their last respects in private.
‘It’s quite amazing.’ Andre was clearly impressed as he smiled his approval. ‘I shall inform Mr Haynes that his wife is ready to be seen should he wish to come.’
Later that morning, the murdered woman was carried through and placed gently in the chapel and that very afternoon her husband arrived to see her. Nessie offered him tea and sympathy and after showing him into the chapel, she discreetly took her leave and left him to grieve and say his goodbyes. When he eventually emerged back into the funeral parlour she could see that he had been crying but he looked more at ease than when he had arrived.
‘She looks beautiful and at peace, thank you,’ he breathed. Nessie gave him a sympathetic smile, thankful for his sake that his wife’s face was unmarked. Andre had managed to cover the injuries on her body with a sheet.
‘Would you like us to bring your wife home to lie there for the night or would you rather we take her straight to the church tomorrow for the service?’ she probed gently. She had arranged the funeral for the following day at Chilvers Coton Church. This was yet another job she had offered to take on for, as she had told Andre, most relatives were too distressed to wish to bother with all the details and funeral arrangements.
‘I think it might be easier for the children if we all meet you at the church,’ he muttered. ‘And now I must pay you for all the trouble you’ve gone to.’
Nessie shook her head. ‘No really, there’s no need for you to worry about that right now. After the funeral we shall send you a bill. Everything we have done will be itemised and then you may call in and pay Mr Chevalier at your convenience.’
He seemed quite surprised. Most people wanted paying straight away for services rendered, and this young woman had been so kind. She had been like a little bright light at a very dark time in his life. He wouldn’t forget it.
A couple of days later the bell over the funeral parlour door tinkled yet again and Nessie was faced with a distraught young woman from the courts in Abbey Street.
‘Me babby’s died,’ she told Nessie as tears streamed down her pale cheeks. ‘And me man is on short time so … I was wonderin’ if Mr Chevalier would do me a penny funeral. He did one fer me last year when another o’ me little ’uns passed away.’
Nessie’s heart went out to her as she gently led her towards a chair and pressed her into it. ‘I think we can do much better than that. But first let me get you a nice hot cup of tea.’ The young woman was as skinny as a rake and there were dark circles beneath her eyes. Her clothes were threadbare and thin, not at all suitable for the bitterly cold weather outside and she looked as if she hadn’t had a decent meal in ages. Nessie decided she would bring through some of the scones she had baked that very morning too.
The woman drank the tea greedily and two of the buttered scones that Nessie offered on one of Andre’s fine bone china plates disappeared in the blink of an eye.
‘Sorry,’ the woman apologised, spraying crumbs everywhere as she gulped the food down. ‘I er … ain’t had no breakfast today.’
Nessie thought it would be truer to say that she hadn’t had a good square meal in days but discreetly didn’t comment, instead she asked gently, ‘How old was the child who has died?’
The woman’s eyes instantly flooded with tears again as she gripped her shabby shawl about her skinny shoulders and answered, ‘Seven months. His name is … was Stephen.’ She gulped and tried to compose herself before going on, ‘It were the influenza bug that everyone seems to be comin’ down wi’. He were never a strong little chap an’ he were just too weak to fight it. The same happened to one o’ me girls this time last year, but I’ve still got three livin’.’
Nessie was shocked. The poor soul couldn’t have been more than in her mid-twenties and yet years of hardship had etched lines on her face. The women in the courts tended to breed like rabbits and sadly many of their infants did not survive past their first birthdays.
‘Well, hopefully we will be able to help you and there will be no need for you to send your baby into an unknown, unmarked grave,’ Nessie assured her. As she explained about the scheme she had agreed with Andre the woman’s face lit up.
‘Eeh, yer don’t know what that would mean to me, miss.’ She clung to Nessie’s hand. ‘To see me little ’un put away proper an’ to be able to visit his grave. An’ you’ve no need to worry about the money. If you’re willin’ to do this fer me I’ll make sure I pay yer back every last penny, God bless yer!’
Within a week there were three more infant burials booked as news of Andre’s pay-later scheme spread.
‘I think you will be the making of this business,’ he told Nessie proudly one day early in December. ‘You have a way with people that puts them instantly at ease.’
She shrugged. ‘It’s just sad to see so many old people and infants dying.’
He nodded. ‘Yes, it is, but as an undertaker you must accept that death is a part of life. None of us can escape it; it is part of a natural cycle. All we can do is ensure that the loved ones left behind get the best service possible. And now I have something to tell you and I pray that when I have you will not think I have interfered in your life.’
‘Oh?’ Nessie was intrigued.
‘The thing is … what Dr Dorsey told you about little Joseph’s condition has been preying on my mind and so I took it upon myself to ask him to get his colleague in London to come and give a second opinion.’
‘But that will cost a fortune!’ Nessie stated in dismay. ‘And I haven’t—’
‘Stop, please!’ He held his hand up to stay her words. ‘I shall pay for the consultation. It will be my pleasure. You have worked so tirelessly for me, please allow me to do this one thing for you and Joseph in return.’
Put that way Nessie didn’t feel like she had much choice and deep down she was relieved, although she still didn’t feel quite right about Andre paying for it. She had no doubt that the consultant’s fee would be high and dreaded to think what Reuben would have to say about it. He was fiercely proud. Still, she decided she would cross that bridge when she came to it.
‘It’s very kind of you. When do you expect him?’
‘The end of next week,’ Andre told her. ‘The other alternative was to take you and Joseph to see him in London but I explained to Dr Dorsey that I thought such a long journey might not be good for him. I am right … yes?’
‘Yes, I think you are,’ Nessie agreed as a little ray of hope lodged in her heart. Perhaps there would be something that could be done for Joseph after all? Each time a grieving mother came to arrange her child’s funeral, Nessie would find herself thinking of Joseph. She adored him and couldn’t bear to think of life without him. Suddenly the end of the following week seemed a very long way away.