When Nessie arrived at the soup kitchen that evening she found Oliver already there and at the sight of him warm colour flooded her cheeks.
‘Good evening,’ she said, feeling the distance between them.
He inclined his head. He too was feeling ill at ease in her presence now. God alone knew what she must think of him and his family after what George had done to Marcie.
‘H-how are things?’ he asked cautiously. It was rarely that they got a moment alone together anymore.
Nessie shrugged. ‘They’re all right,’ she answered quietly.
Their eyes locked and held until he said softly, ‘I’m so sorry about all that’s happened, Nessie … I just wish—’ But what he wished for remained unsaid for Molly suddenly bustled in and the moment was lost. There was no chance to say any more.
‘Phew, that lot soon went,’ Molly commented later as she carried yet another empty stew pan to the sink to be washed. ‘I reckon the lot that came tonight had hollow legs.’
Nessie smiled and nodded as she flicked a stray lock of damp hair from her forehead. Once again, she had been on her feet since early that morning and now she was longing for bed, but first there was the kitchen to tidy. She and Molly were hard at work when Oliver appeared from his makeshift surgery. He had spent the evening dishing out salves and ointments for minor ailments and lancing boils.
Molly gave him a cheery grin although Nessie kept her head down.
‘All done then?’
He nodded.
‘I’d best be gettin’ off now,’ Molly said. ‘My little Phoebe didn’t seem too well before I left tonight an’ though I know my Charlie’ll take good care of her I’m keen to be off an’ check on her. Can you manage the rest on yer own, pet?’
‘Of course,’ Nessie assured her and minutes later Nessie and Oliver found themselves alone.
‘Is there anything I can do to help?’ Oliver asked eventually.
She shook her head. ‘No, thanks for offering but I’m just about finished now.’
‘Then perhaps I could give you a lift home?’
Another shake of the head. ‘It’s all right, really. You get off; you must be tired.’
He hovered uncertainly, then with a shrug he bid her goodnight and left. It was then that the silence seemed to close in on her and she lowered her chin to her chest and sniffed back salty tears.
Life is so unfair, she thought bitterly. Her heart ached with the pain of it all.
She left soon after and upon entering the marketplace, she groaned inwardly as she saw the last person in the world she wanted to see coming towards her.
‘Why, if it ain’t the delightful Miss Carson,’ Seth Grimshaw crowed sarcastically as he neared her. ‘I hear that brother o’ yours will be gettin’ wed soon. That should suit you an’ yer French fancy man down to the ground. You’ll have the place all to yerselves then, won’t yer?’
Nessie automatically opened her mouth to tell him that Andre wasn’t her fancy man, as he so crudely put it, but then she clamped it shut again and strode purposely on, keeping her eyes averted from him. She would not lower herself to his level and give him the satisfaction of an answer.
‘An’ by the way, I discovered t’other day why you’re so fond o’ that brainless little brother o’ yours,’ he shouted maliciously. ‘I happened to bump into one o’ yer old neighbours from Bed’orth while I were in the Engine Inn over there an’ he informed me that the brat is actually your kid. I wonder what yer fancy Frenchman’ll think o’ that when he finds out, eh? No wonder the kid’s a simpleton! Little Miss Carson isn’t quite so innocent as she makes out, is she?’ Nessie kept on going with her head held high, even though she was shaking from head to toe. His lewd comments followed her along the road until she finally turned into Stratford Street where her shoulders sagged and her steps slowed. When she finally let herself into the kitchen she was surprised to find Andre sitting at the table reading a newspaper.
‘Ah, here you are,’ he greeted her warmly. ‘Please do not look so alarmed. Reuben’s young lady was feeling unwell so he took her home early and I offered to wait in here and keep an ear open for Joseph until you returned.’
‘Oh … thank you.’ Relief washed over her. She’d had quite enough for one day and all she wanted now was to sink into bed and sleep. She hung her cloak and bonnet neatly on the nail on the back of the door and when she turned it was to find Andre was now standing.
‘I will wish you goodnight then, if you have no further need of me?’
‘No … no I don’t, but thank you again, Andre. Goodnight.’
He gave one of the stiff little bows she had grown fond of and went back to his own rooms, leaving her alone with her thoughts. Suddenly, she felt as if the safe, comfortable little world she had built since coming to live here was slipping away from her, for Seth Grimshaw was right. Once Reuben and Maria were wed her name would be mud. She could live with that but dare she risk the rumours affecting Andre’s business? They had worked so hard to build it up since she had lived there. Perhaps it was worth considering marrying him? There was clearly no future for her with Oliver and if she couldn’t have him she didn’t want anyone. With a heavy sigh she sank down at the table. She was so tired that she could have just put her head down and gone to sleep but she knew that she mustn’t. There were still jobs to do before she went to bed. She had just made some tea and put the cosy on it when Marcie appeared, barging into the room.
‘He’s been again!’ she declared, pacing up and down in her agitation. ‘Dad … he wanted more money!’
‘I hope you sent him away with a flea in his ear.’ Nessie took the girl’s elbow and led her to a kitchen chair where she sank down and started to cry.
‘I don’t know how much longer I can stand it,’ she sobbed. ‘He seems to be everywhere I go. That’s why I’ve stopped going out but now he’s badgering me at Molly’s and it isn’t fair on her. Charlie’s heard that Snowy White has finally been arrested for burglary. He reckons he’ll go to prison for sure this time, which is probably why Dad has no money. Everyone knows he was involved with Snowy. In fact, I reckon he was doing some of the burglaries for him so what will he do now? He’ll continue to hound me, won’t he?’
Nessie chewed on her lip as she stared into space, trying to think of a solution. ‘You’ll have to come back here to live,’ she said eventually and Marcie gawped at her.
‘But what about all the gossip? You said it could affect Andre’s business if I stayed here.’
Nessie shrugged. ‘I don’t see what choice we have anymore. It isn’t fair on Molly and Charlie if he keeps harassing you there. I was intending to start looking around for somewhere for me and Joseph to live anyway before Reuben gets married. You’ll just have to come with us.’
Marcie looked doubtful but seeing no other way out of her dilemma she nodded. Nessie had always been able to stand up to their father so much better than she had.
‘All right,’ she sniffed. ‘I’ll fetch me things back round here tomorrow if that’s all right.’
‘It is, but in the meantime, you can stay here tonight. Dad might be on the prowl so go and get in with Joseph. I’ll sleep on the settee then we’ll sort the spare bed out for you in the morning.’
Once she had left the room, Nessie sagged down into the fireside chair and sobbed as she recalled the awful things that Seth Grimshaw had shouted at her. No doubt it would be all around the town again the next day, which would mean yet more gossip to contend with. Why oh why is my life so difficult, she wondered, as she gazed miserably into the banked-down fire.