‘Right, when you’re ready you can open the doors.’ Molly beamed from her place behind the counter and with a smile Oliver hurried across the room to do as he was asked. Already a straggly line of people was queuing outside and Nessie could have cried with relief. She had been so afraid that all their efforts might have been in vain, but it appeared that word had spread.
Cautiously the people in the queue began to pour into the room and in no time at all she and Molly were busily filling dishes with the tasty vegetable soup they had made and handing out thick slices of freshly baked bread. There were women with sallow faces dressed in little better than rags and hollow-cheeked children whose eyes popped at the sight of the food. Defeated-looking men pushed their families in front of them, grateful to see them getting a good nourishing meal for a change. In no time at all, the first large pot of soup was gone and Molly carried over the second one they had prepared. There was a continuous stream of people right up until seven thirty that evening when at last the queue began to get smaller.
‘Phew, I’ve got a rare old sweat on,’ Molly laughed as she wiped her forehead on the back of her sleeve. It was hardly surprising. She had been ladling out soup and standing over the hot pans for almost two hours. Her cheeks were flushed but her eyes were twinkling with pleasure.
‘Thanks, missus, that were the best meal I’ve had in many a long day,’ an old, stooped man told them as he returned his bowl to the counter.
Nessie was quick to note that the soles of his down-at-heel boots were flapping giving him no protection at all from the wet weather outside, so she quickly told him, ‘Come with me for a moment, would you?’
Looking slightly bemused he followed her across to the large walk-in cupboard on the far side of the room and once inside Nessie quickly began to sort through a pile of boots and shoes that she had neatly stacked in there, all kindly donated by the better-off members of the town.
‘Try these on, they look about your size,’ she urged, pushing a pair of black leather boots towards him.
Eagerly he kicked off his old ones and slid his feet into them. A huge smile spread across his old wrinkled face. ‘Why, I reckon I’ve died an’ gone to heaven,’ he declared as he did a little jig. ‘It’s like walkin’ on air. Thank yer most kindly, miss. Yer an’ angel, so you are.’
Nessie giggled at his obvious delight. ‘You’re very welcome,’ she assured him and watched happily as he walked away, almost bumping into everything so intent was he on admiring his new footwear.
‘Bless ’im, yer just made his day,’ Molly praised, and Nessie felt a warm glow inside. At that moment she caught Oliver’s eye. He was watching her intently with a tender look on his face but she swiftly looked away. It was bad enough that Marcie was at home nursing a broken heart, there was no way she was going to allow hers to be broken too.
Oliver noticed how Nessie avoided his eyes and sighed. She had still not mentioned Marcie’s condition to him but now he could only suppose that this was the reason she was suddenly keeping her distance from him. He couldn’t really blame her, given the circumstances, but he loathed what his brother had done, for he had no doubt whatsoever that it was George who had got Marcie with child, despite his denials. However, there wasn’t much he could do about it until Nessie chose to discuss it with him.
Two days later, as Molly was mopping the floor in Nessie’s kitchen, Marcie noticed her staring at her. Nessie was sitting at the table feeding Joseph and she too noticed that Molly looked perplexed. She knew in an instant that Molly had guessed that Marcie was having a baby and she swallowed. Molly was no fool, she should have known that they wouldn’t be able to hide it from her for long.
Flashing a warning glance at Marcie, she said quietly, ‘You’ve guessed, haven’t you, Molly?’
Molly didn’t argue but merely nodded. ‘If you mean about the baby, aye I have. I’ve seen enough pregnant women in me time to be able to spot one a mile off.’
Marcie scowled as she sat down near the fire. Thankfully the men were all out attending to a funeral so at least Reuben wasn’t there to hear her.
‘So, is the father prepared to stand by you, pet?’ Molly asked and when Marcie miserably shook her head, she sighed. ‘I see, so what are you goin’ to do?’
‘I … I don’t know,’ Marcie answered in a wobbly voice as Molly came to sit close to her. ‘Nessie is going to ask Andre if I can stay here but I know that’s not the ideal solution.’
‘No, it ain’t.’ There were enough rumours about Andre and Nessie flying about the town as it was. She dreaded to think what people would say if they were to learn that Nessie had her pregnant sister staying with her too. They’d say the place was a den of vice and that would be the end of Andre’s business for sure, and just when it was doing so well an’ all!
‘I don’t suppose you know of anyone who might be able to help me out of this situation, do you?’ Marcie asked in a small voice and Molly was horrified.
‘Aye, I know a few women who’d butcher you,’ she said angrily. ‘But you can forget that idea. I’ve seen women from the courtyards bleed to death after goin’ to them.’ She chewed on her lip thoughtfully. ‘I suppose you could always come an’ stay with me till the baby’s been born,’ she suggested. ‘I ain’t got a palace, mind you, though I have to say me an’ Charlie have got it comfortable since we’ve worked here, thanks to your sister.’ She gave Nessie a grateful smile.
‘But we couldn’t ask you to do that, Molly,’ Nessie objected. ‘I know you’ve got it nice now but you’ve said yourself there’s barely room in your place to swing a cat round, and besides, what would Charlie say?’
Molly shrugged. ‘He’ll understand if I talk to him. We could always get a little truckle bed knocked up for you in the kitchen. And yes, it’d be tight, admittedly, but we’d manage.’
‘But what would he say about …’ Marcie tapped her stomach.
‘He’d probably say you ain’t the first to land yourself in this position an’ you certainly won’t be the last,’ Molly said stoically. ‘To tell the truth, I were in the same predicament meself once, but Charlie stood by me an’ did the honourable thing. At least this way it’ll take the attention away from the funeral parlour.’
‘I could pay you,’ Marcie told her quickly. ‘I have more than enough money to tide me over till the baby’s born.’
‘And what then?’ Molly asked bluntly.
‘I haven’t thought that far ahead.’
‘No, but you do intend to keep the baby, don’t you?’ Nessie piped up and when her sister didn’t immediately answer Nessie looked horrified. ‘But of course, you’ll keep it,’ she said. ‘It will be a part of you, your own flesh and blood.’
Feeling an argument brewing, Molly quickly stepped in. ‘Look, let’s just take one day at a time for now, shall we?’ she said soothingly.
Marcie pouted and lowered her head. There was no way she could ever see herself wanting to keep this child. But she supposed Molly was right. The birth was still some months away yet so there was plenty of time to decide what she wanted to do.
‘I’ll speak to Charlie tonight an’ then you can move in as soon as you please,’ Molly told them kindly. ‘An’ hopefully Andre need never find out about it.’
Nessie sincerely hoped that this would be the case.
Shortly after lunchtime up at Haunchwood House, Eliza was instructed to clean the master’s office.
‘But make sure you don’t move anything on his desk, you know how fussy he is about that,’ Mrs Bainbridge warned her.
Armed with a mop and bucket and a number of cleaning rags, Eliza set off and once in the room she firmly closed the door and glanced about. This was her opportunity to do as Marcie had asked and find the Lewises’ London address, but where was the master’s address book likely to be? With her heart in her mouth in case she got caught, she hastily scanned the desk but all that it appeared to hold was a number of papers. She tentatively tried the drawers but to her frustration found them all locked. Then suddenly she spotted a large leather-bound book on a small table by the window and her heart leapt. That must be it! Hurrying over she quickly opened it and sure enough, inside she found lists of names and addresses. Now the biggest problem for Eliza was determining which one was the Lewises’; she had never been very good at reading and writing. She carefully turned the pages until she came to one that she thought might be the right one. L E W I S, she read out painfully slowly. Yes, this must be it! She glanced around for something to copy the address on. She was too afraid to use a sheet of the master’s paper from his desk but then she spotted a discarded envelope in the small wicker rubbish basket. That will do, she thought, pouncing on it, then very slowly she began to copy the address, her tongue poking into her cheek with concentration. She was almost done when she heard the door to the office opening and quick as a flash she rammed the envelope into the pocket of her apron and slammed the book shut.
‘Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?’ It was George and he was staring at her suspiciously.
‘I was er … just polishin’ this table an’ book, sir.’ Eliza grabbed up a duster and began to dust everything in sight as George narrowed his eyes. Why would she need to open a book to dust it? he wondered. But then with a shrug he told her, ‘Very well, just get it done as quickly as you can. I have some work to do for my father.’ With that he turned and strode from the room as Eliza gasped with relief.
Phew, that was a close call, she thought, then hurriedly did as he had asked.
It was another couple of days before Eliza had the chance to deliver the address to Marcie when Mrs Bainbridge sent her into town to get some embroidery silks, and she was shocked to find Marcie packing up her few belongings.
‘I’m going to move in with Molly until after … Well, you know …’ Marcie told her miserably. But when Eliza held the Lewises’ address out to her she perked up. The handwriting was atrocious but she could just about read it.
‘I nearly got caught red-handed pinchin’ that,’ Eliza complained. ‘An’ by Master George, an’ all. If he’d clocked on to what I were doin’ I’d have been out on me ear an’ all.’
‘I really appreciate it,’ Marcie assured her.
Eliza sniffed. ‘As it turns out, it might be too late for you to write to ’em anyway,’ she confided. ‘Mrs Bainbridge informed me that the Lewises are arrivin’ a week on Friday an’ the engagement party is to be a week on Saturday.’
Marcie’s lip curled. ‘Is it really?’ she said cunningly. In that case perhaps she could plan a present the young couple hadn’t been expecting. Far better to do it in person than by a letter. The way she saw it, she had nothing to lose now.
Just then, Molly entered the room to ask, ‘Are you all fit, pet?’ She had just finished her shift and as it was her turn to be in the soup kitchen that evening she was keen to get home and get her chores done and Marcie settled in.
‘Yes I am.’ Marcie gave Eliza a warm hug. ‘Thank you,’ she told her. ‘I’ll keep in touch.’
‘Aye, you do that, an’ I’d best be on me way now anyway, else the housekeeper will have me guts for garters.’ As she left she passed Nessie who was just entering the room.
‘Ah, you’re all ready for the off then?’ she asked Marcie gently.
‘Yes, I am but I just wanted to give you these before I go.’ Marcie had only just remembered the two porcelain figurines she had stolen from Haunchwood House and now she had come across them in the small bundle she had arrived with she handed them to her sister saying, ‘These are a little gift for you.’
‘Oh!’ Nessie looked astonished as she weighed them in her hands. They were absolutely stunning and far superior to anything she had ever seen before. ‘B-but they must have cost a fortune!’ she blustered.
Marcie shrugged nonchalantly. ‘I told you I was all right for money, didn’t I? So just accept them.’
‘Thank you, pet, I shall treasure them.’ She was tearful as she pulled her sister into a hug. ‘Now you be good for Molly,’ she warned, as if Marcie was still a little girl. ‘And don’t come around here for a few days, love. I need to tell Reuben about the baby and he’ll probably need a bit of time to cool down. But don’t worry, he will, and then we’ll decide what we’re going to do when the little one is here.’ She gently nudged Marcie towards the door and once she was gone she got out her handkerchief and wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks. It felt as if for the last couple of years, the family had lurched from one crisis to another and now she wondered what life had to throw at them next.