The next morning Ellie took Harry in to see Nanny. The elderly woman now needed constant nursing. The doctor had declared only a week ago that he couldn’t understand how she was still alive.
‘Nanny, look who arrived yesterday.’ She pulled her brother forward.
Nanny subjected him to a thorough scrutiny, then nodded, holding out a shaking hand. ‘Ah, you would be Harry. It’s about time you turned up, young man.’
‘Hello Nanny.’ Harry gently took hold of her hand, stooping down in front of her. ‘I hear you’ve taken good care of our Queenie. Thank you for that.’
‘She was no trouble at all.’ Nanny gave a rattling chuckle. ‘Took a time to stop her using bad language though.’
‘I’m not surprised,’ Harry said. ‘She heard that kind of swearing from the moment she was born, and she was a fast learner.’
Nanny still held on to Harry’s hand, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. ‘I’ve been waiting for you to show yourself. Our little girl called for you constantly and I knew she would never be completely happy unless she found you again. Now I can go in peace.’ She opened her eyes again, smiled at both of them, and promptly fell asleep.
Ellie’s father had been standing in the doorway and she turned to him in alarm. ‘Father?’
‘I’ll get someone to sit with her all the time now. We won’t leave her alone, Eleanor.’
‘Come, Eleanor.’ Her father touched her shoulder. ‘We have a lot to do today and Nanny would be upset if we didn’t carry on with what has to be done.’
Nodding in agreement, Ellie walked out of the room with her father one side of her and Harry the other.
After breakfast, Albert ordered a carriage to take them to the station, collecting Ted on the way. It was time to unite Harry with the rest of his family.
Once in London, Albert ordered them a cab for the day, and another for himself. ‘I’ll go straight to Augusta’s and warn her that you will be arriving sometime this afternoon. You can meet Maggie then, Harry. Visit Jack and Pearl first. After that you can go to Whitechapel.’
When they were on their way, Harry sat back and grimaced. ‘I’ve got some apologising to do to Mum and Dad.’
‘Don’t worry, Harry,’ Ted said, ‘they’ll be so relieved to see you’re still alive. And you’re too big for them to thrash now.’
‘That’s true.’ Harry wiped imaginary sweat from his brow. ‘I’ve never forgotten that last hiding I got from Dad. He damned near killed me. The discipline and tough conditions of the navy were easy after that.’
Ellie could only guess at the harshness of their childhood. She had led such a privileged life. ‘I think it’s Hilda and Fred who owe you an apology, Harry.’
He shrugged. ‘Perhaps it would be better if we forgot the whole episode and just be happy that everything has turned out well in the end?’
‘By far the best thing to do,’ Ellie agreed. ‘I think it’s time the past was put behind us.’
When they arrived at Whitechapel, Fred was walking towards the house on his way home for lunch. He stopped, and stared in amazement as two cabs disgorged their passengers. Harry’s meeting with Jack and Pearl had been ecstatic, and Dave had insisted on managing the shop on his own while they all went to see Hilda and Fred. They hadn’t all been able to squeeze into one cab so they had hired a second one. They were in high spirits at being reunited with Harry.
Ellie could see that Harry was apprehensive about meeting his parents, so she slipped her hand through his arm, and said, ‘You’re a coward, ’Arry.’
He roared with laughter as he remembered her saying exactly that to him when she’d been a tiny girl. It was enough to break the tension, and Ellie felt him relax.
Hilda had rushed out of the house and stopped dead, staring at Harry. Her lips began to tremble as she recognised her son. ‘Harry,’ she gulped. ‘Oh, thank God, you’re alive.’
‘Hello, Mum.’ Harry walked towards her and laid his hands on her shoulders.
‘Where’ve you been, Harry? I thought your dad had hurt you bad and you’d died out there somewhere all on your own.’ The tears were now running down her face, but she swiped at them hastily, not used to showing her feelings.
‘I managed fine, Mum.’
‘What the bloody hell—’ Fred had reached them. ‘Harry? Where have you been? You’ve caused us all a lot of worry.’
‘And whose fault was that?’ Harry didn’t move to greet his father. Then seeing that his dad was about to open his mouth and argue, Harry held up his hands. ‘I’m not going to have another fight with you. That’s in the past and all done with, so don’t start anything, Dad.’
Fred eyed his son up and down. ‘You’re right. If you’re ready to forget, then I’ll do the same. Them was bad times, but we’re through them now. You joined the navy then.’
‘And real posh he looks too.’ Hilda blew her nose and turned to her husband, who was still studying his strong-looking son with a wary look in his eyes. ‘I think you owe Harry an apology, Fred, no matter what he says about forgetting the past.’
‘There’s no need, Mum.’ Harry held up his hands. ‘I know the whole story now and I understand, but you should have told us why you sold Queenie.’
‘Wouldn’t have made any difference,’ Fred said. ‘You’d still have been mad. She was your favourite.’
‘Agreed.’ Harry’s smile was wry. ‘But if I hadn’t walked out I’d never have joined the navy. It’s a tough life, but it suits me.’
‘Come in, all of you.’ Hilda ushered her children into the house. ‘I’ll make a nice pot of tea and some sandwiches.’
They stayed for nearly two hours. Fred reluctantly returned to work after an hour, but left whistling happily as he walked away.
It was nearly four o’clock when they arrived at Augusta’s house, and Ellie smiled proudly as she introduced her brother.
‘James, send for Maggie at once,’ Augusta said. ‘Harry must be anxious to see his sister again.’
‘Thank you, madam,’ Harry said to their hostess.
Ellie was bursting with happiness. Harry was so polished in his manners and was obviously used to mixing with all classes. Already she could see why they had been so close. He only had to look at her and she could guess what he was thinking. There was a bond between them that the lost years had not diminished. How dreadful it would have been if she’d never found him again.
‘You wanted me, madam?’ Maggie came into the drawing room and smiled when she saw her brothers and sisters were also there. Then her gaze rested on Harry, puzzled for a brief moment. ‘Harry! It’s you, isn’t it?’
‘Hello, Maggie.’ He held out his arms and she rushed to him. ‘Where on earth have you been? We tried so hard to find you when you left home, but you just disappeared. Queenie’s been going frantic trying to trace you.’
‘I’m sorry I caused you all such a lot of worry. I’ve been at sea for most of the time.’
Albert watched the excited scene as the brothers and sisters all tried to speak at the same time, with Eleanor in the thick of things. It was clear that this brother had been greatly loved by all of them, and their joy at being reunited was there for all to see.
James also watched happily, unable to get a word in. Ellie winked at him, leaving her family and going to stand by him. James grabbed his chance during a lull in the chatter, and caught Harry’s attention. ‘Will you be returning to sea soon?’
‘Not for at least six months. I’m waiting for a new ship, but she isn’t ready yet.’
‘That’s wonderful,’ Maggie said. ‘Does that mean you’ll be able to come to our weddings?’
‘I’m sure I can arrange that. Queenie has already given me the dates.’
James placed an arm around Ellie. ‘As you know, Harry, I’m the happy man who’s going to marry your imp of a sister next year. I’d like you to be my best man, if that’s possible?’
‘Oh, James, that would be lovely.’ Ellie was touched by this kind gesture. James had realised just how important it would be to her to have this brother at their wedding.
Harry shook his head. ‘I don’t know where I’ll be once I return to sea.’
‘Sir?’ James turned to Albert. ‘Would you give us permission to bring our wedding forward to August? It would mean a lot to us to have Harry present.’
‘Please, Father!’ Ellie pleaded.
After only a slight hesitation, Albert nodded. ‘Very well.’
Pandemonium erupted as Ellie and James were congratulated. Harry gave Ellie a hug and whispered, ‘I’ll try not to cry at your wedding.’
Ellie tipped her head back and laughed with happiness. ‘You’re still daft, do you know that ’Arry?’