The fog was thick as Nessie fumbled her way along Abbey Street and when she turned into the alley that led to the courtyards where the Liggins family lived it seemed to get even denser. Nessie had the curious feeling that she might be the only person left in the world as she inched her way along, nervously glancing from side to side, even though she could barely see her hand in front of her. What if the murderer was lurking?
Finally she emerged into the courtyard and breathed a sigh of relief. She stood for a minute, trying to get her bearings and as she did so something ran across her foot and she shrieked as she kicked out at it. It was a rat and she shuddered as she stared down just in time to see its fat tail disappear into a hole in the wall. The pig in the sty began to snuffle and even in the bitterly cold air, the overpowering smell from the privy made her retch. This must be what hell is like, she thought, as she gingerly picked her way across the cobbles in the general direction of the Ligginses’ cottage. Once there she took a deep, steadying breath, then raising her hand she tapped gently. Within seconds the door was inched open and Molly Liggins’s pale face peered out at her.
‘Eeh, miss.’ The woman instantly flew into a panic. ‘If it’s yer stew pot yer after I was goin’ to bring it back today, honest I was!’
Nessie gave her a reassuring smile. ‘No, it’s not the pot I’m after and I’m sure you were, Mrs Liggins. As it happens I was hoping to have a word with you.’
‘Come on in,’ the young woman urged, holding the door wider. ‘I’m forgettin’ me manners.’
Nessie edged into the room and her eyes instantly settled on the children who were once more huddled together beneath a thin blanket trying to get warm. Once again, the fireplace was empty and the cold and damp seemed to creep into her bones. There was no comfort whatsoever in the room and yet she noticed that the floor was swept and what there was in there was as clean as Mrs Liggins could make it. Her husband was sitting in the only chair, his eyes dull and without hope and he barely acknowledged her, apart from a small nod of his head.
‘The thing is,’ Nessie said, turning her attention back to Molly Liggins, ‘I have a bit of a proposition to put to you. You see, since I began at the funeral parlour, business has become brisker and we’re all struggling to get everything done, so I wondered if you and your husband might be interested in coming to work there for Mr Chevalier?’ She then hurriedly relayed the wage that Andre had suggested and the hours they would be required to work as Mrs Liggins listened open-mouthed. When she was done, a silence settled on the room as the husband and wife stared at each other as if they could hardly believe their ears, then suddenly Molly sprang forward and hugged Nessie so hard that she almost knocked the breath out of her.
‘Oh, miss, yer an angel, so you are,’ she said gleefully. ‘This means that we’ll be able to give the childer the sort o’ Christmas they deserve this year. What do yer think, Charlie?’
Her husband smiled, transforming his whole face. He was quite attractive when he smiled, Nessie noticed.
‘I think yer right, pet. This young lady is an angel to give us an opportunity like this an’ I’m all for it. I’ll start as soon as yer want, miss. Today if yer like, I’m only sittin’ about here mopin’.’
Nessie was delighted as she placed a wicker basket that she had brought with her on the table, saying, ‘There’s a few bits in here that you might be able to use. Nothing much just some bread and cheese and a few scones that I made yesterday.’
Instantly the children stood and began to inch towards the table, their hungry eyes fixed on the basket. Poor little mites, Nessie thought, as a lump formed in her throat, but she kept her voice light as she turned for the door, saying, ‘Right, I’ll tell my brother you’ll be along shortly then, shall I, Mr Liggins? And you’ll start in the morning, will you, Mrs Liggins? Shall we say nine in the morning till one each weekday?’
Molly’s smile was her answer and Nessie stepped back out into the fog, closing the door softly behind her. The day had got off to a good start despite the harsh weather and could she have known it was about to get even better, for later that morning the door to the parlour opened and Mrs Hewitt appeared.
‘Mrs Hewitt!’ Nessie almost pounced on her she was so thrilled to see her. ‘Oh, it’s so lovely to see you. How are you and everyone back at home?’ Then suddenly remembering that Andre was there and she was supposed to be working she flushed guiltily. But she needn’t have worried.
He smiled and said, ‘Ah, this is your friend, yes? Then you must take her through to your rooms and make her a nice hot drink. I am perfectly capable of managing out here on my own for a while. Take as long as you like.’
And so after thanking him Nessie and Mrs Hewitt went into her cosy sitting room. ‘By, but you’ve got this comfy, pet,’ Mrs Hewitt said approvingly. ‘An’ how is our young man?’ She crossed to Joseph, who was dozing on the settee, and stroked his cheek gently.
While she put the kettle over the fire, Nessie told the kindly woman about the London doctor’s visit and his diagnosis.
Mrs Hewitt sighed. ‘Poor little lamb,’ she said quietly. ‘But yer have to think that when his time comes he’ll be goin’ to a better place. Happen he’ll share a little bit o’ heaven wi’ yer mam, God rest her soul.’
She hurriedly changed the subject then as she told Nessie of all the goings on back at home while the girl plied her with tea and scones. Then eventually she said, with a twinkle in her eye, ‘I must say, that Frenchman is a bit of all right! A bit older than you, admittedly, but if yer play yer cards right, yer could be made fer life wi’ him. He obviously thinks a lot of yer an’ I’ve been hearin’ of all the changes yer’ve made to the place.’
‘There’s nothing like that going on with me and Andre, we’re just friends …’
‘Hmm! Andre now, is it,’ Mrs Hewitt teased as she took a noisy slurp of her third cup of tea.
Nessie giggled and shook her head. Why was everyone trying to marry her off? The mood became sombre again, though, as Mrs Hewitt went on, ‘Did yer know there was another woman murdered last night? Everyone’s talkin’ about it on the market.’
Nessie shook her head. ‘No, I didn’t know. Whereabouts did this happen?’
‘Up close to Haunchwood House be all accounts,’ Mrs Hewitt informed her. ‘The poor woman were bludgeoned to death just like the others, they reckon, poor bugger. That’s five now.’ Seeing Nessie blanch, she hastily changed the subject to happier things, silently cursing herself for being so thoughtless. ‘An’ how’s young Marcie doin’ up at the house? I must say I’m surprised she’s stuck it this long. She must be turnin’ over a new leaf.’
Half an hour later, she reluctantly got to her feet and fastened her hat back on to her head with two vicious-looking hat pins. ‘Just in case the bugger who’s on the prowl ever tries to get me. They’ll get these jabbed up their arse,’ she informed Nessie straight-faced.
Nessie almost choked with laughter. It would be woe betide anyone who ever tried to get the better of Mrs Hewitt. They wandered out into the parlour together. ‘This bloody fog don’t seem to be shiftin’ at all,’ she grumbled. Then planting a sloppy kiss on Nessie’s cheek, she told her, ‘You look after yerself an’ that babby in there now, pet, an’ I’ll see yer again soon. Ta-ra fer now.’ And with that she was off, waddling away down the street until the fog swallowed her up.
Later that day, when Reuben came in for his lunch, Nessie asked him how Charlie Liggins was getting on.
‘He’s enthusiastic I’ll say that for him. I’ve got him sanding down, saves me time doin’ it,’ Reuben commented. Charlie had gone home to his family for a short break although Nessie doubted there would be much for him to eat apart from the bits she’d taken round to his home earlier that morning. But hopefully soon that would change.
She glanced over at Joseph, who was sleeping on the settee. He’d seemed more restless than usual that day and Nessie had resorted to putting a few drops of the laudanum that Oliver Dorsey had left for him in his milk. He was peaceful now but she kept a close eye on him all the same, constantly worrying that his condition might be deteriorating. It was heartbreaking to see him looking so small and vulnerable. She knew that it was inevitable but she dreaded losing him.
The following morning, Molly Liggins turned up for work spot on time. Her patched and darned clothes were as neat and clean as she could make them and she’d clearly gone to a lot of effort to look her best, but even so there was no disguising her down-at-heel boots and her threadbare shawl, which had been washed so many times the original colour was now indistinguishable. Nessie showed her where the cleaning things were kept and told her what needed doing and Molly set to with a will, leaving Nessie free to concentrate on the account books. She was as good as Andre himself at balancing them now, thanks to his tuition, but she had barely turned the first page when the bell above the door tinkled and a young boy appeared bearing an enormous box.
‘Delivery fer Miss Nessie Carson,’ he stated importantly.
‘For me … are you quite sure?’ Nessie frowned.
The boy nodded. ‘I am that, miss. Can yer sign ’ere fer me please?’
Nessie hastily scrawled her signature on the scrap of paper he held out to her and once the boy had gone whistling merrily on his way with a penny for his troubles burning a hole in his tattered trousers, Nessie tentatively opened the box, then gasped. Inside, neatly folded, was a lovely gown in a beautiful shade of pale lilac.
As she stared down at it completely bemused, Andre appeared and smiled. ‘Ah, so it has arrived then!’
‘I-I don’t understand.’
‘I took the liberty of ordering you another gown,’ he informed her. ‘I thought it would make it a little easier for you to have one to change into. It is so hard to get clothes dry in this weather. The seamstress who made your other one had your measurements and suggested the style and the colour.’ Looking a little embarrassed he waved his hand airily. ‘I am no good at women’s fashions so I hope it will be acceptable. If not, I am sure she would make alterations for you.’
‘But, Andre, it’s just beautiful,’ Nessie breathed as she took it from the box and shook it out. It was of a very similar style to her other one but the colour was so much prettier and it was trimmed about the neck and the cuffs with purple ribbon. ‘You really shouldn’t have. You’ve done so much for me … for all of us, already.’
‘It is my pleasure.’ He gave a gallant little bow. ‘After all, I must have my staff looking suitably attired.’
‘Then perhaps you will let me pay you back so much a week from my wages?’ she suggested but he shook his head.
‘I would be greatly offended if you did and so now let us say no more about it.’ He frowned before going on, ‘My friend, Jean-Paul, who stayed with us recently is not well again. I shall be staying in Coventry with him tonight, if you think that you can manage here? But of course, I shall be back first thing in the morning in plenty of time for the funeral we have.’
‘I can manage,’ she assured him.
With a nod he disappeared off into the courtyard and Nessie hurriedly carried her new gown through to her living quarters, checked on Joseph and went back to what she had been doing. So, his friend’s name is Jean-Paul, she thought. He must be French too and she wondered if he had come to England with Andre? He was somewhat of a mystery, for during his stay she hadn’t managed to get so much as a peek at him. Andre had ushered him in and up to the guest room then out again to the waiting cab on the day he left with the minimum of fuss, insisting on caring for him himself. They must be very good friends, Nessie thought, then, applying herself to the job in hand, she thought no more about it.
Within a few short days, Molly Liggins had proved her worth, as had her husband, and Nessie found herself better able to cope now that some of the chores had been delegated to Molly. One morning she presented Molly with a skirt and blouse that she would no longer need. They were far from being fashionable and were patched and darned in places but even so they were much better than the rags that Molly was wearing and she was touchingly grateful for them. Andre had advanced some of her first week’s wages to her and for the first time in months she had been able to feed her family good nourishing food.
‘I shall never be able to thank yer enough fer getting’ me this job,’ she told Nessie sincerely. ‘Me an’ Charlie were only sayin’ last night that once we’ve caught up wi’ what we owe on our rent we might even be able to send the little ’uns to school a couple of days a week. We ain’t been able to afford the penny a day each it costs before. An’ I ain’t worryin’ about Christmas now neither. I might even be able to buy us a goose!’
Nessie smiled, glad to have been able to help and then with a little shock she realised that Christmas would be upon them in just a couple of days. She had been so busy learning how to run the business that she hadn’t given it a thought. She viewed Christmas with mixed feelings now. When the family had been all together, it had always been such a joyous time. Her mother had ensured that each of them received a little gift and their cottage would be full of the enticing aromas of mince pies and Christmas puddings. But those days were gone now and once more Nessie felt the weight of responsibility on her shoulders. It was up to her now to make sure that the Christmas holidays were as good as she could make them and that’s exactly what she intended to do. One thing she had learned since losing her mother – she could step up to a challenge when necessary.
Later that afternoon, as Nessie was arranging a vase of holly in the funeral parlour, the bell above the door tinkled and glancing up her blood turned to water as she saw Seth Grimshaw standing there. She’d hoped never to have to set eyes on the repulsive little man again but here he was, twice as nasty, with a suggestive grin on his face and holding a bunch of rather bedraggled flowers.
As she stared at him questioningly he swept off his hat and gave a little bow before trying to give the flowers to her. Nessie stood with her hands folded primly at her waist, making no effort to take them and he gave her an oily smile.
‘Good day, m’dear. I thought I’d just call in an’ see how yer settlin’ in.’ His eyes swept up and down her and he licked his fat lips. Nessie Carson, for all she was young enough to be his daughter, had affected him as no other woman ever had. Seth had always been happy to take his pleasures where he could but there was something about this young lady that drew him like a bee to a honey pot. Now, in her smart dress and with her hair coiled high on top of her head, she looked every inch the lady and Seth Grimshaw was prepared to woo her if that’s what it took. He was sick of living in a dirty cottage and coming home to an empty grate each night. He needed a wife and Nessie would fit the bill admirably.
‘As you can see, I am settling in very well thank you, Mr Grimshaw. And now if that’s all you’ve come to say, I will bid you good day. I have work to do.’ Her voice and her eyes were as cold as the frost already forming outside but Seth wasn’t prepared to be put off that easily.
‘I was er … wondering if you might like to accompany me out to an eating house for a meal one evenin’?’ He waited expectantly for her reaction, but when it came it was not at all what he had hoped for.
‘A meal … with you?’ She stared at him as if he had lost his senses. ‘Why ever would I want to do that? If my memory serves me correctly it wasn’t so very long ago that you were hounding me and my family for the rent we owed even though you knew we were struggling.’ Her eyes were flashing dangerously now and colour had risen to her cheeks, which only made her all the more appealing to him. He liked a woman wi’ a bit of spirit!
‘As far as I’m concerned, we have paid what we owe to you so there is no need for us to see you ever again. Good day to you, Mr Grimshaw!’ And with that she turned her back on him and continued to arrange the holly in the vase. Seth laid the flowers on the desk before quietly leaving the shop.
Nessie waited until she heard the door close behind him then turned and flung the flowers into the bin. Suddenly the day was spoiled.