‘Mum, we’re really low on stocks,’ Jack said as he came up from the cellar where he’d been chatting with Frederick.
‘Right. I’ll go around the town and see what’s on offer and compare the prices, then I’ll organise a delivery for tomorrow.’ Nellie said, before calling through the doorway, ‘Poppy! Keep that bar running and take no nonsense! Call on Fred if you need to.’
Grabbing her bag, she hitched up her skirts and set off. Whistling for a cab waiting at the end of Gin Barrel Lane, she tapped her foot impatiently as it rolled towards her.
All morning was spent visiting every distiller and brewer she knew and all gave her the same answer. They could not help her. She had asked the reason and as lips remained sealed and heads shook, she guessed just what was going on. Clearly, they had been threatened – warned off doing business with her, and she knew precisely who was behind it all – Ezra Morton!
By the time she returned home, Nellie was furious. She stomped into the kitchen and threw her bag onto the table.
‘Hey up, Nell, what’s going on?’ Nancy asked.
‘That bloody man!’ Nellie rasped.
‘Who?’
‘Ezra Morton! I can’t get a gin supply from anybody, Nance – he’s put a stop to it!’
‘Christ A’mighty! What will you do?’ Nancy asked as she dropped onto a chair, her hands on her cheeks.
Nellie paced the kitchen and shook her head. ‘I ain’t got a clue, Nance! Once we run out, I’m done for!’
‘Why don’t you ask Dolly?’ Nancy asked.
‘Dolly’s only a kid!’
‘Ar, but she’s a clever kid, and is always ready with an answer of some sort,’ Nancy said with a grin. ‘Anyway, you’ll have to tell the others what’s happening.’
Nellie nodded before yelling for the girl.
‘Did you want me, Nellie?’ Dolly said a moment later as she hobbled in from the bar.
Listening carefully as Nellie explained, Dolly then said, ‘There are distillers in other towns, why not order from them?’
‘Why didn’t I think of that?!’ Nellie said as she slapped a hand to her forehead.
‘I imagine you were too worried. You could visit first and once you’ve made your choice you could have it brought in by canal. You’ll need to bring it from the wharf though so maybe Frederick could help with that,’ Dolly said.
‘If it could come to Snow Hill Wharf, then you’ll just need to shift the barrels from there, up St Mary’s Row and down Loveday Street,’ Nancy said, trying to be helpful.
‘I’ll need to borrow a horse and cart then – or hire one,’ Nellie said, her spirits lifting once more.
Dolly frowned and Nellie caught the movement. ‘What?’
‘We would have to keep it a secret – where the gin is coming from, I mean, otherwise Ezra could threaten them too,’ Dolly warned.
‘Good idea,’ Nellie concurred.
‘Do you think they would use plain barrels?’ Dolly asked.
‘Why?’ Nancy asked, wondering what the girl was getting at.
‘If the distiller’s name or marks are on the casks, anyone could see them and Ezra would immediately be informed – for a price, I suspect. If not, then the barrels and casks should be covered at all times.’
‘Blimey, Dolly, you think of everything!’ Nellie said with a laugh.
‘I’m beginning to know how Mr Morton thinks and the trick is to try and have a plan ready so we can stay one step ahead,’ Dolly answered.
‘If we get this sorted out it will rile the hell out of him!’ Nancy said.
‘Yes, but what will he come up with next?’ Nellie’s face fell at the thought.
‘Nellie, until he leaves you alone, it might be an idea to hire a couple of night watchmen,’ Dolly suggested.
‘Oh, my God! He wouldn’t go that far, would he?’ Nancy asked, suddenly afraid.
‘We can’t rule anything out, Nancy. To my mind he’s out for revenge for Nellie besting him over that loan and losing his hold over supplying alcohol to The Crown. He’s preventing us buying gin locally by threatening the distillers. He means business, so who knows how far he will go to see Nellie ruined? I just think it would make sense to have someone on guard at night so we can all sleep safely,’ Dolly replied.
‘Thanks, sweetheart. I’m so glad you came to us, it was meant to be,’ Nellie whispered as she hugged the girl.
Dolly smiled warmly then went back to her work in the bar, leaving Nellie yelling Frederick’s name.
Explaining her predicament and Dolly’s suggestion, she asked for his help.
‘I knew Ezra could be mean, but this…? You can count on me, Nellie. I know two young blokes – brothers – who would be glad of the work, I’m sure. I’ll go and see them and ask ’em to come here where you can talk to them.’ Fred’s eyes moved to Nancy and he flushed as she gave him a big smile.
‘Ta Fred, I appreciate it, would you be kind enough to see to it now please?’ Nellie asked.
Fred nodded and Nellie watched the big man walk to the back door. She smiled as she thought, with legs that long he’ll be there and back in no time!
An hour later two young men sat in Nellie’s kitchen listening to her woes. Matthew and Noah Dempster were handsome boys with thick fair hair and twinkling blue eyes. Well-built with bulging muscles from manual labour, they were afraid of no one – not even Ezra Morton’s men.
When Nellie had finished speaking, they simply looked at each other and grinned. No words were needed between them, it was as if they were of one mind.
‘When do we start?’ Noah asked.
‘How does tonight sound?’ Nellie answered with her own question.
‘Grand,’ Matthew said.
Agreeing a wage, Nellie then said, ‘You’ll have a meal with us then settle yourselves either in here or the bar. I’m trusting you to keep us all safe, and that means you an’ all, as well as this place. Now, come with me and I’ll show you around.’
Following their new employer, the Dempsters were agog at the noise that greeted them in the bar. They stared at the people pushing and shoving their way to the counter to be served. Then their eyes landed on Poppy and their grins appeared again.
Bloody hell! Not these two as well, Nellie thought with a shake of her head.
Back in the kitchen, Nellie asked the boys where they lived.
‘We rent a doss-hole over in Slaney Street; a pigsty it is but it’s cheap,’ Matthew explained.
‘Our dad was a miner so when he died we were turned out by the pit boss,’ Noah added.
‘Where’s your mother?’
‘She died when we were kids,’ Matthew answered. ‘There’s just the two of us now.’
Nellie rubbed her forefinger beneath her nose as she considered her next words. ‘I’ve a spare room here if you don’t mind sharing, but I warn you now – I’ll kick yer arses myself if there’s any hanky-panky!’ Nellie’s voice was firm and they were under no illusions that she would not carry out her threat if they misbehaved.
‘You don’t even know us and you’re inviting us to live in your house,’ Noah said.
‘True, but I’m offering you a job. Would you repay my kindness by stealing from me?’ Nellie countered.
‘No, we wouldn’t,’ Matt returned.
‘Besides, it will save you the walk to work every day,’ Nellie added. ‘I took Fred in and he ain’t let me down. And another thing – he vouched for you.’
Nodding in unison, the Dempsters spat on their palms and reached out their hand to seal the deal and Nellie shook each of them in turn.
‘Fetch your stuff and you can get settled in right away.’
‘Thanks, Mrs Larkin,’ Noah said happily.
‘Nellie’s the name, use it – don’t abuse it.’
Slapping each other on the back they scrambled out through the door, eager to be ensconced in their new home.
‘It’s a good job I cleaned them spare rooms when I did, ain’t it? Nancy asked.
‘It is. You must have known,’ Nellie answered.
‘P’raps I’ve got that second sight thingy like the gypsies,’ Nancy went on.
‘What, you think you’m a gypsy now, do you?’ Nellie asked sarcastically.
‘You never know, I could be. It might be that my folks way back were and it’s come down through the family line.’ Nancy said, a little excited at the thought of being of Romany descent.
‘You ain’t!’ Nellie exploded.
‘How would you know?’ Nancy turned away grumbling under her breath as she saw to the mutton simmering on the range.
When the brothers returned, each held a bundle of clothes which was everything they owned. Nellie felt sad for them; all they had to show for a lifetime was a few old rags. She led them upstairs and left them to settle in, saying a cup of tea awaited them when they were ready.
Whilst they were collecting their belongings, Nancy had made up the two beds. Now she was serving up a meal of mutton stew with fresh bread.
A clattering of boots on the stairs had her smile turn to a laugh as the Dempsters jostled to be first through the doorway. Although in their twenties, they had a boyish charm which endeared them to everyone they met. There was no doubt Nancy would sleep better knowing these young men were on guard duty every night.
Nellie closed the saloon for two hours whilst everyone ate together and was introduced to each other. The customers complained loudly but Nellie laughed it off saying they would be open again shortly.
As they ate, Nellie glanced around at her expanding family, for that’s how she saw it.
First her friend, Nancy, had come to her after the loss of her husband and baby. Then she had taken in Jack as a baby. Poppy had turned up starving and alone and was drawn in. Dolly had found her way to them almost as though she’d been led by an invisible thread. Frederick Dell had come next and now the Dempsters. Nellie felt in her heart it was meant to be; that a higher force was looking out for them.
She enjoyed the chatter going on around her and the giggling as Noah Dempster teased Jack and Dolly with a ‘magic’ trick. Frederick’s deep belly laugh boomed across the kitchen as he joined in the joviality but his eyes never strayed from Nancy for long.
Nellie knew then, that each time she had brought someone into her home it had been the right decision. She just prayed she would not be proved wrong in the future.
After a couple of hours of light-hearted frivolity, Nellie opened the saloon doors and allowed folk to pour inside and rush to the counter like they were dying of thirst.
Tomorrow, she decided, she would visit Darlaston to find a distiller who would be in a position to supply The Crown Saloon with much needed cheap gin.