CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

IT WAS JUST over a week later that the rest of their belongings, which Joe had collected from the Woodman, were carried down the alleyway of the Maritime. Bella stood outside keeping a watch on the waggon and looked up at the front of the building, wondering why it was that only a side entrance was in use, which was most inconvenient. She narrowed her eyes. There were windows right at the very top, just under the eaves in the front bedrooms and also in the roof space, in a long room similar to the one they had had in the Woodman where the farm labourers had lodged. As her eyes swept down the walls she saw the outlines of the bricked-up windows, just as Carter had said. And a bricked-up door, and to the right of that on the footpath were the trap doors leading to a coal cellar and a beer cellar, the inside entrance to which they had yet to find.

‘Joe,’ she called down the alleyway. ‘Joe, come here a minute. I want to show you something.’

He came back, dusting his hands on his trousers. ‘What?’

‘Look at ’windows.’ She pointed. ‘Do you think ’brewery would let us open them up? And see, ’front door’s been bricked up as well. Why do you think that was done? Doesn’t make sense.’

‘Because.’ A voice came from behind them and they turned to see Reuben Jacobs smiling at them. He put his finger to his top hat in greeting. ‘I told you, I think, that it was not a gut place!’

‘Hello! How nice to see you again,’ Bella said enthusiastically. ‘So, do you know why, Mr Jacobs? It seems a very odd thing to do.’

He nodded. ‘Well, it is a very old building and one would think that the obvious reason would be because of the window tax.’

‘Oh, of course,’ Bella said. ‘I’d forgotten about that.’

‘It was put on buildings with more than ten windows. Nobody liked paying it; they said they were being robbed of light and air.’

‘Daylight robbery!’ Joe said. ‘That’s what they called it.’

‘Ja.’ Reuben Jacobs smiled. ‘That’s why people bricked up some of their windows, to avoid paying the tax. But these windows were bricked up only ten or so years ago, so perhaps that was not the reason. More likely I think because of the cock fighting.’

‘Carter told us about that,’ Joe said. ‘Dog fighting too.’

‘By bricking up the windows and door,’ Jacobs went on, ‘these illicit goings-on were, how do you say, out of sight and out of mind, and I am inclined to think that the authorities did not look too closely. The inn continued to sell alcohol during the day, but at night time they would have made money out of the fights, and I mean knuckle fighting also, more than they would from alcohol.’

‘Oh dear,’ Bella said bleakly. ‘It gets worse and worse. It’ll take a long time to be rid of such a reputation and make this an honest business with a good name.’

‘I think not too long,’ Mr Jacobs said. ‘For a start you could open up the windows again – you know, do you not, that the tax on windows has been abolished only this year?’

‘No.’ Bella shook her head. ‘I didn’t know that.’

‘Well, it has, and perhaps you could ask the brewery to help you with the cost?’

‘Oh, Mr Jacobs, you are so good to us,’ Bella said. ‘Would you like to come inside and meet our mother?’

‘I would,’ he said courteously. ‘It would be a great pleasure.’

Sarah was unpacking a crate of glasses. ‘I don’t know where to put all this lot,’ she began as they went into the room which would eventually be the kitchen. ‘Joe, you’ll have to put up more shelves and cupboards.’

‘Ma,’ Bella said. ‘This is Mr Jacobs. Do you remember I told you about him?’

Sarah turned in surprise. Mr Jacobs took off his hat and putting his hand to his chest gave her a gallant bow.

‘Delighted to make your acquaintance, madam,’ he said. ‘It has been my pleasure to encounter your son and daughter and it is most agreeable to meet their mother.’

Sarah dipped her knee. ‘Pleased to meet you too, sir. Bella told me of ’help you gave them on their first visit. You must think me very foolish to tek on such a place without coming to see it first.’ She furrowed her forehead anxiously as she spoke. ‘I don’t know what ever got into me.’

‘I fear you were misled, madam,’ Reuben replied gravely. ‘But you are wiser today than you were yesterday, and so all is not lost. This dwelling could once more become a place of good repute.’

‘I’m glad to hear you say so,’ Sarah said. ‘But I’m sure I don’t know where to start.’

‘Perhaps you would allow me to help you?’ he said. ‘I am retired now from business and I have free time on my hands.’

‘Well,’ Sarah began, uncertainty clouding her voice, but Bella interrupted.

‘That’d be very kind of you, Mr Jacobs. We would appreciate it, if it’s not too much trouble to you. Do you think we should ask ’brewery about ’windows and door as you suggested?’

‘Indeed, ja. It is very remiss of them to charge you rent for a building without a front door or windows. How would you get out if there should be a fire?’

Bella gasped and stared at him. ‘I don’t know!’

‘Perhaps you would permit me to come with you when you visit the brewers?’

‘Oh, please!’ Bella said before her mother or Joe could intervene. ‘I’ll write straight away and ask for an appointment.’

Newby and Allen, brewers and maltsters of Hull, owned several beer, ale, and public houses as well as the Maritime. Their premises were situated in a growing industrial area of Wincolmlee, close by the River Hull. Mr Jacobs had hired a cab to take them, saying he couldn’t possibly walk so far.

The building was in the middle of a complex which smelled sweetly and strongly of warm malt and roasted barley. Bella, her mother and Reuben Jacobs climbed the stairs to the upstairs office to meet one of the directors, Mr Herbert Newby.

Bella had insisted that her mother should come with them, even though she didn’t want to. ‘They’ll see I’m not old enough to be in charge, Ma. You’re the innkeeper, it’s you that’s been granted ’licence. You don’t have to say anything; I’ll say you’ve lost your voice if you like.’

Reuben Jacobs smiled. ‘Dear lady,’ he said to Sarah, ‘please don’t trouble yourself too much. They will be happy that you are willing to take on this disused property and make them some money.’

Sarah no longer dressed in her mourning clothes, but as a mature widowed woman she preferred to wear dark grey, and this she wore today with a large wool shawl which came almost to the top of her boots, and a grey and black bonnet. Bella, after much deliberation, and as she expected to be the spokesperson, was also dressed soberly in a light grey skirt and bodice, except that she wore several stiffened underskirts, and a warm paisley shawl. On her head she wore the only good bonnet she possessed, in light grey and white pleated poplin, which fastened beneath her chin with blue ribbon.

Joe had said that he didn’t want to come with them but whilst they were out would buy some wood to make shelves for the kitchen. Alice said she and Nell would continue with the cleaning while keeping an eye on Henry.

‘We’d best not do anything yet with ’front taproom,’ Bella said to them both before she left for the meeting. ‘If ’brewers say we can put ’windows back there’s going to be a lot of dust and debris.’ She was delighted that Joe was knuckling down to get the place tidy without any haranguing from her or her mother, and because they hadn’t yet had delivery of beer or spirits he hadn’t had a drink either.

Mr Newby rose from his desk when they were shown into his office and Bella and her mother both dipped a knee. He greeted them and asked them to take a seat, and then expressed surprise at seeing Reuben Jacobs.

He held out his hand. ‘Jacobs! I didn’t expect to see you. Do you have an interest in the venture of …’ he looked down at the notepaper on his desk, ‘of Mrs Thorp?’

Jacobs inclined his head. ‘In a manner of speaking, yes, I do. I shall be pleased to give Mrs Thorp the benefit of legal advice should she wish to take it.’

Legal advice, Bella thought, and although her face remained impassive a tremor of anxiety ran through her. He didn’t say he was a lawyer. What fee will he charge and will we be able to afford it?

Mr Newby also looked concerned. ‘Legal advice? With regard to—’

Mr Jacobs indicated to Sarah and Bella that they should explain the reasoning behind their visit and sat down in a chair slightly behind Sarah.

‘Fact is, Mr Newby,’ Bella spoke up, ‘it’s come to our attention that dog fights and cock fights have taken place at ’Maritime, and it’s our concern that ’place has probably gained a shady reputation.’ She took a breath as she saw Newby open his mouth to reply and quickly resumed. ‘My mother is very uneasy about this, as our family have always kept a respectable house.’

Newby glanced at Sarah, who nodded vehemently. Bella went on to mention the bricked-up windows and door and added that although the brewery had said they would pay something towards the cleaning up of the Maritime, they would like to open up the windows and front door and thus invite a different kind of customer from the previous clientele.

Jacobs leaned forward and said confidentially, ‘I think you have an opportunity here, Newby, to make this into a profitable concern, given the enthusiasm of the family, especially Miss Thorp and her brother.’

Newby began to bluster that the dog fights were done with long ago, until Sarah found her voice to interrupt him and say, ‘I think you’ll find, sir, that some folk have long memories and decent people won’t come into a hostelry with an unsavoury past unless they can see that it’s changed.’

‘So what is it that you suggest?’ Newby sat back in his chair and folded his hands across his ample stomach.

Bella spoke up. ‘We’ll see to knocking out ’bricked-up windows and ’front door if ’brewery will pay for replacing them. Might I ask, sir, how long it is since you visited ’Maritime?’

‘Oh, erm, not for some time,’ he mumbled, and they knew then that he probably hadn’t seen it in several years.

‘Well, Mr Newby,’ Bella continued, ‘if you’ll come again we’ll show you what we plan to do, but,’ she said firmly, ‘we can’t do it alone. We’ll need some help wi’ finances. Otherwise, we’ll have to look at another better-maintained property.’

It was a risk, she realized, and it wasn’t something she had discussed with her mother or Joe, but she guessed, rightly as it turned out, that the brewery wanted rid of the ugly and unprofitable Maritime and that no one else so far had offered to take it on. Maybe, she mused as they went back down the stairs, they thought we were a bunch of country bumpkins with no idea how to go about things, and would just accept it. Well, now they know that we’re not and we won’t.

When they arrived back, both Bella and her mother thanked Mr Jacobs most sincerely. Bella was sure that it was his professional manner and demeanour that had convinced Mr Newby that the Thorps were not to be trifled with.

Sarah called upstairs where they could hear the sound of knocking, presumably from sweeping brushes banging against skirting boards and window frames. ‘Nell,’ she shouted. ‘Come and mek us a pot o’ tea. I’m fair gasping.’

Alice appeared at the top of the stairs; she looked hot and dishevelled and wiped her dirty face with her apron. ‘Nell’s gone out, Mrs Thorp. She went just after Joe did. She said she wouldn’t be long.’

‘Did she say where she was going?’ Bella asked. ‘There wasn’t anything we needed. And where’s Joe gone?’

‘Erm, don’t know. He went out wi’ Carter.’ Alice flushed and pressed her lips together. ‘Mebbe for some nails or summat.’

Bella heaved a breath. And maybe not, she thought. Two men needing a drink and one vexatious young girl bent on doing just what she wants. She felt suddenly deflated, defeated as if she had been in a skirmish and all their problems were resting on her shoulders. She followed her mother into the kitchen. Someone, presumably Alice, had put the kettle on the range and it was gently steaming.

Her mother looked at her. ‘You did well today, Bella,’ she said quietly. ‘We’d not have done so well without you. I know that Mr Jacobs’s presence helped a good deal, but without your ideas and ’way you talked to that gent from ’brewery, well, we’d not have got anywhere. I know this wasn’t ’life that you planned, that you’d other ideas in your head.’ She gave her daughter a little smile. ‘But I reckon that you’ll do better by far than any school teachering. You’ll mek summat of yourself, mark my words. You’ll see that I’m right.’

Bella swallowed hard. She had been tense with anxiety and doubt about her ability before going to see Mr Newby and was now full of emotion and felt like weeping on hearing her mother’s reassuring words; but she also experienced an odd sensation of strength and confidence, as though if she wanted to she could pursue almost any challenge. Just as her young sister was bent on living her own life in the way she desired, so could she make a success of a life that she hadn’t chosen but as an obedient daughter had been expected to follow.

I will make something of myself, she thought. I’ll make ’Maritime thrive and be successful, even if I have to do it alone. Why shouldn’t I?

The outside door banged open and Joe walked into the kitchen carrying a sack of what were unmistakably tools, and behind him came Carter with a pair of wooden steps.

‘Hey up, Bella,’ Joe said, as sober as a judge. ‘How did you get on at ’brewery? Are we up for renovation?’ He frowned. ‘What’s up? What ’you crying for? Is it summat I said?’