CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

BELLA TOOK A walk round Hull early the following morning and concluded that Mr Allen was probably right. There were many hostelries and inns and public houses in the centre of the town, and from the outside she concluded that most of them probably had only one room available for overnight visitors. She had walked down the narrow High Street and looked at the ancient King’s Head and the George, both considered at one time to be the principal inns of the town, and from there went along Market Place and looked at the sizeable Cross Keys Hotel, which was in a prominent position opposite the golden equestrian statue of King Billy, William III, which stood in the middle of the road.

Market Place was thronging with people: women with shopping baskets over their arms, well-dressed gentlewomen in furs lifting their hems so as not to muddy them on the wet and slushy pavement, and their maids behind them carrying their parcels; businessmen in tall hats, youths pushing hand carts or with sacks hoisted over their shoulders; and broughams and traps and delivery waggons trundling along the busy road and adding to the general melee of a working day. Outside the Cross Keys a carriage and four horses drew up and a porter in an apron down to his ankles rushed out to help the passengers down and usher them into the hotel entrance.

Bella watched for a while, pondering and analysing and coming to the conclusion that this street was probably the best and most convenient place to have an hotel. There was easy access for traffic where carriages could park, whereas the Maritime was on a much narrower side street. But on the other hand, she reasoned, we are much nearer to ’railway station and people could walk to us from there, for not everybody can afford to stay at ’Station Hotel.

She walked slowly back, cutting down the side of Holy Trinity Church, through Trinity House Lane and along the shopping street of Whitefriargate and there discovering yet another inn, the White Hart, tucked between other buildings.

So many, she mused. It seemed that the people of Hull liked their ale, which confirmed what she had heard from the customers who had come into the Maritime, that the Hull ale was amongst the best beverages in the country. That reminded her that she must get back as it would soon be opening time.

‘Come on,’ Joe said when she came in. ‘Where’ve you been?’

‘Looking at ’opposition,’ she said, slipping off her coat and putting on her apron. ‘We’re ready, aren’t we?’

‘Yeh, but we need some brandy bringing up so I’ve waited for you.’

‘Oh, Joe!’ she protested. ‘I trust you. You can surely go into ’cellar alone. You haven’t had a single drink.’

Joe shook his head. ‘I don’t trust meself, that’s ’top and ’bottom of it.’

Bella considered for a moment and then said, ‘What if – well, if I’m not here and you need a couple of bottles of gin or brandy or something, you could ask Alice to go down with you.’

‘Yeh!’ he said scornfully, ‘And she’d think I was scared o’ mice or ’dark or summat. I’m not going to tell her I’m a drunk, am I, not after what she said about her da?’

‘She’d understand.’

‘Mebbe she would, but I’m still not going to tell her!’

Mm, she considered. Is that because you’re becoming fond of her and want to create a good impression? She gave a little sigh. He thinks she won’t look at him if she knows he can’t keep off ’drink, whereas I think that Alice is ’right sort of person to influence him.

Although she had discussed her outing with Mr Allen with her mother and Joe and Alice, telling them about the music which had so delighted her and of the splendour of the interior, she hadn’t mentioned the suggestion he had made that the Maritime might become an hotel. She had wanted to think over the possibilities first, even though she considered that it was far too soon to start further alterations when they had only just opened. But, she conceded, I’ve been wondering about what use we could make of that very large upstairs room which at the moment is being used for storage.

They were beginning to get regular customers: shopkeepers, office clerks and businessmen from the area. Many of them came in their dinner hour and Sarah once more supplied beef or chicken and meat pies, or bread and cheese and pickle, and fruit pies, for she had brought bottled fruit with her, picked from the trees in the Woodman garden.

‘I hope ’new owner is looking after them fruit trees,’ Sarah had said on several occasions as she cooked the apples or plums.

‘We seem to be making more profit with your food, Ma,’ Bella said one day as she went over the accounts, ‘than we’re doing with ’drink.’

‘That’s because we’re still using our own produce,’ her mother said sagely, ‘but we’ve to buy ale and spirits.’

‘There’s a good market,’ Bella said. ‘When you run out of fruit we’ll be able to buy it from there.’

Eventually she broached the subject with Joe. ‘What would you think about turning ’Maritime into a small hotel?’ she asked. ‘We’ve loads of room on ’top floor.’

‘I’d think you were off your chump,’ he said, in no uncertain terms. ‘Don’t you think we’ve enough to do? Anyway, we’re onny just getting on our feet.’

‘I know,’ she agreed. ‘I wasn’t thinking of just yet. But mebbe in a year or two?’

‘No,’ he answered. ‘Don’t think so. I’m not cut out to run an hotel. I like being a pub landlord. I wish …’ He paused, and then sighed. ‘I wish in a way that we were back at ’Woodman.’

‘Really?’ She was astonished to hear this; she’d thought that Joe had settled well in Hull. He had a good camaraderie with the customers, always plenty of banter and jokes, and he’d seemed to enjoy setting everything up to make the Maritime welcoming. ‘Why?’

He wrinkled his nose. ‘I miss being out in Holderness,’ he admitted. ‘I miss seeing ’lads I was at school wi’. An’ when ’farm workers came in at harvest time; all of that.’ He gave a whimsical grimace. ‘Nivver thought of it afore, just took it all for granted. But it’s done now, and Ma needs both of us here.’

Bella was astounded by his remarks. Joe of all people, who had been so controversial when they had lived at the Woodman, had seemed to thrive on the responsibility of opening up another business. But maybe it’s just because he’s grown up since we came. We both have, even in such a short time, she considered, and now he realizes just what we’ve left behind; and although she too missed their old home, she felt a sense of achievement being here at the Maritime. Having been denied the chance of studying to be a teacher, which had once been her burning desire and her bitterest disappointment, she had wholeheartedly thrown herself into making a success of a different kind.

Cold January turned into even colder February with heavy snow; March and April were very wet over the whole country, but at the beginning of May the sun came out briefly and dried the roads, and Joe asked Alice if she would like to visit her mother.

Alice was ecstatic with joy and wrote a postcard to tell her mother she was coming and would be there about dinner time on the ninth of May. She’d also said not to prepare any extra food as they would bring some provisions with them. Sarah had told her she would pack up a box of groceries for her mother, and as a sweetener for Alice’s father they would fill up some bottles with their best bitter.

Joe had hired a cart with a tired-looking old mare who nevertheless picked up her feet once they had left the confines of the town and headed for the Holderness road early on the Sunday morning. They passed low-roofed terraced cottages, grocers’ and butchers’ shops in Drypool, two mills, and a small hotel which Joe pointed out with his whip and remarked was one Bella had missed.

‘By, isn’t this grand, Alice? It’s really good to get out of town; not that I’ve owt against Hull. I reckon it’s as nice a town as any, but I didn’t realize how much I’d miss ’country. I’m still a country lad at heart.’

Alice agreed. ‘Not so many temptations in ’country either, are there?’

‘How d’ya mean?’

‘Well, I know I can’t afford it, but if I had any money I think I’d soon spend it in ’shops or theatres, and there’s loads o’ coffee shops; not that I’d go in them on my own.’

Joe turned to look at her. ‘But would you like to? An’ what’s wrong wi’ having a cup o’ coffee at home?’

‘Nowt! I’m onny saying. But I went on an errand for your ma one day and there were some ladies in Market Place wi’ fancy hats on an’ they were going into a coffee shop, so when I came back I looked in ’window and saw them at a table an’ a maid was bringing ’em cakes an’ a pot o’ coffee.’

‘So would you like to do that?’ he repeated. ‘I’ll tek you if you would.’

‘Oh!’ She seemed flabbergasted, whether because he was offering to take her or because the idea of it seemed preposterous he wasn’t quite sure, until she said, ‘Well, those places are not for ’likes o’ me, are they?’

‘Why not?’ he asked. ‘You’re as good as anybody, Alice, don’t think that you’re not. Better’n a lot o’ folks I’d say.’ He turned to look at her again and added, ‘An’ right pretty as well.’

Alice blushed. ‘You’re kiddin’ me, Joe Thorp.’

‘I’m not.’ He put his hand briefly on hers. ‘I think you’re a right bonny lass an’ – an’ if I was better’n – well, if I was—’ He broke off as if he didn’t know how to continue and moved his hand back to clasp the reins.

‘Better’n what, Joe?’ she asked. ‘If I’m as good as anybody then you must be as well.’

‘Ah well.’ He flicked the whip above the mare’s head. ‘You don’t know me, Alice. If you did you’d run a mile.’

‘As a matter of fact I do know you, Joe,’ she said softly. ‘And I wouldn’t run anyway.’

He didn’t answer and kept his eyes in front and Alice remained silent and soon they were on the Holderness road with green fields on either side and the occasional farmhouse and country mansion.

They arrived earlier than expected and Joe said, ‘I’d like to tek a gander at ’old place, Alice, before we go to see your ma. You don’t mind, do you?’

She said that she didn’t and so they drove through the village and up the hill to the Woodman. Joe stopped outside the wooden gate, which had always been left open when they were there and was now closed.

‘There’s nobody there,’ he said in a hushed voice. ‘What’s happened? It’s all shut up. Look, ’shutters are closed at ’windows.’

Alice sat and gazed at the sheds and stables, which also had their doors closed. ‘They’ve left,’ she said. ‘They didn’t stop long.’

Joe handed her the reins. ‘Stop her a minute,’ he said. ‘I’m going to have a look round ’back.’

‘But ’gate’s padlocked.’

‘Aye, well, that won’t stop me.’ Joe leapt down from the cart, took a running jump at the gate and vaulted over it.

‘What if somebody comes?’ she called.

‘What if they do?’ he shouted, and ran off round the back of the inn.

The side and back doors were firmly locked and padlocked just as the front was, and the shuttered windows were barred. On the top floor the curtains were closed across the glass. Joe gazed at the deserted paddock where their chickens had pecked, and where the donkey and goat had grazed. The grass was long and the hedges overgrown, and he felt an unbearable sadness.

‘I didn’t know how lucky I was, living here,’ he muttered. ‘What I wouldn’t give to come back.’

He walked slowly back and climbed over the gate and on to the cart. He shook his head and took the reins without speaking, backed up the horse and cart and headed away down into the village. Alice didn’t speak. She seemed to know that he was upset, and when they reached her parents’ cottage she said softly, ‘We’ll ask my ma. She’ll know what’s happened and why they left.’

Joe nodded. Ideas were flitting in and out of his mind, some of them ridiculous he knew, but first he must find out why the inn was empty and why no one else had taken over the tenancy of the Woodman.