‘But . . . I thought you liked me working for you? I’ve always been hard-working and turned up on time, until today. Why are you doing this to me when I really need to work now? I’m the only breadwinner in the house! I have nothing because of Eddie. I can’t even afford to bury my mother. Please, Marge, don’t do this to me!’
Marge looked at Ruby as she begged for her job, and just for a moment she seemed to falter before making her mind up. ‘No. I can’t risk you doing the same as your old man and fleecing me. I’ll not chase you for the money that he pinched, as I know you don’t have it. However, I’ll spread the word, so you’ll find it hard to work in this town ever again. I know many shop owners in the high street, and most are friends. They won’t give you the time of day, so you might think about moving away. We don’t want your husband or his kind in this town.’ Waving her finger at Ruby, she turned and marched out of number thirteen, slamming the door behind her.
Ruby took a shuddering breath. What’s done is done, she thought, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.
‘What an old cow,’ Stella said as she hurried into the room, ready to comfort Ruby. She was surprised to see her up and straightening the chairs, looking around the room and checking for dust.
‘It’s all said now, and I know where I stand,’ Ruby said with a newfound confidence. ‘God knows how I’ll get by, but I swear I will, and I won’t let go of this house until my dying breath.’
‘That’s more like it,’ Stella said, although she did wonder how Ruby intended to live when there wasn’t even enough money for next week’s rent.
‘Mummy,’ George said as he came running into the room, followed by a red-faced Frank. ‘Can we go and get the medals now?’
‘He’s run me ragged round that garden,’ Frank puffed. ‘You’ve got to listen to this. Tell your mum what you told me, George.’
‘The medals. Nanny told me where she hid them for safekeeping. Come on and I’ll show you,’ he said as he rushed out into the hall and headed upstairs.
Ruby frowned at Stella and Frank. ‘I have no idea what he’s thinking, but let’s go and see.’
They hurried up the steep staircase and found George in Milly’s bedroom. He was rummaging through the few clothes hanging in a wardrobe that had been left by the previous tenant.
‘He’ll be out of luck. Eddie went through that wardrobe last night. I remember straightening her clothes and closing the door while we were all up here,’ Stella said.
Ruby stopped dead. ‘George is right. Mum did hide the medals. She told me to look in the lining of her Sunday coat. With all that happened, it slipped my mind. I only remembered the box under the bed.’ Joining George in his search, she found a black woollen coat in the wardrobe, pulled it out and laid it on the bed. Running her fingers over a basket-shaped brooch, picked out with red and green beads, she smiled. ‘I gave this to Mum one Christmas. I couldn’t have been much older than George,’ she said.
Slipping her hands into the pockets, she pulled out a clean white handkerchief. ‘She never went anywhere without one.’
George hopped up and down in excitement. ‘Undo the buttons so we can see inside,’ he begged her.
Ruby did just that, and ran her hands down the lining until her fingers touched a couple of bumps close to a side seam. ‘I need some scissors,’ she said.
‘Here, use this.’ Frank handed over a small penknife.
Flicking up the blade, she picked carefully at a hand-stitched part of the seam. She let George put his small hand inside, and with glee he pulled out two fabric bags. Whoops of joy came from his lips as three medals pinned to ribbons were shaken loose from one of the bags. The other, Ruby tentatively picked up and emptied onto the bed.
Milly had been true to her word: there was money enough here to give her a good send-off, and some over for Ruby to use as she wished. No doubt she had left a little money in her box to fool anyone who was after taking her possessions. Amongst the notes was a neatly folded piece of paper with Ruby’s name on the outside.
‘I’ll read this later,’ she said, tucking it into the pocket of her skirt. She wanted to be alone when she read her mum’s final words. Pulling her son close, she said, ‘God bless Nanny, eh, George?’
8
New Year’s Eve 1905
Eddie Caselton stood in the shadows of the alleyway running between the terraced houses of Alexandra Road. From his vantage point across the road, he could see number thirteen. The curtains had yet to be drawn and as he stared at the bay window he caught a glimpse of his wife, Ruby. There was a smile on her face as she swayed from side to side. He could see she was singing, and kept looking down to where his son stood holding her hand. It wasn’t the first time he’d come back to check all was well, although he never knocked on the door or spoke to his family. He didn’t wish to be seen or to bring danger to their doorstep.
He hated what he’d done to them. If only they could understand his hand had been forced. If he hadn’t fled that night as his mother-in-law lay dying, Ruby might well have had two funerals to organize. Eddie had watched from afar as Milly was laid to rest shortly afterwards, and had been puzzled to see Ruby and George visit a nearby grave to place a posy of flowers before rejoining her sisters in the waiting carriage.
Once he was alone in the cemetery, he’d paid his own respects to his mother-in-law. Bowing his head, he begged her forgiveness and did his best to explain. It did him good to get things off his chest, even though she couldn’t hear or reply. Curiosity got the best of him, and he went over to read the headstone of the grave that Ruby and George had visited before they left. He scratched his head in puzzlement – the name of the woman meant nothing to him. He could see she had died around the time they’d moved to Erith, but still had no idea who she was.
As his eyes were drawn to the posy, he noticed a small engraving. Bending to move the flowers to one side, he saw the word ‘Sarah’. A fleeting memory came to him of his wife saying that the child she had lost would be called Sarah. Was this his daughter’s resting place? But why in this grave? Pondering, he stood up and looked out towards the River Thames. This town had prospects, and he hoped his wife and child would prosper. They were better off without him.
Deep in thought in the alleyway, Eddie was startled as doors suddenly began to open along Alexandra Road. Excited residents flowed into the street, some banging saucepans with wooden spoons while boats on the nearby river tooted their horns. Eddie pulled back further into the shadows, fearful of being spotted as the door to number thirteen opened. Amongst people flowing out of the door, he saw Ruby. She looked so pretty in the lamplight. Her dark hair was pulled high on her head, and she wore a dark purple dress befitting a woman in mourning. Despite her situation, she was smiling and laughing as residents clasped hands, forming a circle and starting to sing ‘Auld Lang Syne’. Eddie’s stomach clenched as he spotted a man swing Ruby in his arms and plant a kiss on her lips. Anger surged through him; what man dared to kiss his wife? Why, he’d not been gone four months and she was allowing another man to kiss her. He watched for a while as people started to return to their homes and the vessels on the river fell silent. By then Ruby had been kissed by several men, young and old, and he’d calmed down, knowing it was the season rather than romance – although he could see that Frank Green didn’t move far from his wife’s side.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out a crumpled envelope. ‘Here, lad,’ he called to a child still racing up and down the road. ‘Do us a favour and post this through the door of number thirteen, will you? Here’s thruppence for you to keep your mouth shut about it.’ He tossed a coin to the child and watched long enough to see the deed carried out, before picking up his backpack and heading away towards the town.
Since leaving Erith he’d headed to the hop fields of Kent and worked his back off in the fields until the season was done, then moved on to the coast, finding work where he could on fishing boats around Whitstable and down the coastline. It was a hankerin
g to know how his family was that had brought him back here now. Saving every penny he could, he’d decided to leave it for Ruby without her knowing who it came from. He’d not left a note inside the envelope, as he couldn’t risk being found. Neither could he make himself known to Ruby or George, in case they came into danger. He vowed there and then to make the trip to Erith and leave money for his family whenever he was able. It was a plan that would give him hope and keep him going in his new life. What had happened to him was his own fault and he only had himself to blame. Whether or not Ruby ever spoke to him again, he would do his best for her and the boy.
Even so, as he walked into the darkness, Eddie felt his heart break.
‘Here, Ruby, this has just come through the letter box,’ Frank called out as he passed the envelope to Ruby.
‘How strange,’ she said as she opened the envelope and pulled out the money, then gasped. ‘Four pounds! But there’s no note of who it is from.’ She hurried to the door and looked out, but the street was empty.
‘Who do you think could have left it?’ Frank asked.
‘I have no idea. There’s only my name on the envelope.’
‘Don’t knock it, love,’ Stella said as she peered over Ruby’s shoulder. ‘You can do with every penny right now.’
Ruby clutched the envelope to her breast and smiled to herself. When, back in September, she’d lost Milly and Eddie had done his vanishing act leaving them nigh on destitute, she’d thought her life couldn’t get any worse. If it hadn’t been for her mother leaving money for the funeral and wake, plus a little more on top, they would not have survived. Ruby had found herself out of work after Marge bad-mouthed her to every shop-owner in town, and her future had looked bleak. It was just four days before the funeral that her fortunes began to look brighter. Her two sisters had arrived out of the blue to speak with her, asking about their mother’s will. Ruby had laughed and told them there was no will, and she was doing her best to give their mum a decent send-off.
Knowing Ruby would be receiving visitors in the lead-up to Milly’s funeral, Stella had lent her a tea set while her husband and sons had carried armchairs, a rug, a dark-green chenille tablecloth and two matching occasional tables to furnish the front room. When Ruby protested, Stella had dismissed her words, telling her they hardly used the front room; like many in the road, it was used for high days, holidays and laying out the deceased. Ruby had shuddered at her last word. With a child in the house, she’d decided not to bring Milly home the night before the funeral.
Leaving her sisters sipping tea from the matching cups and saucers, Ruby had gone to the kitchen to refresh the teapot and place dainty cakes onto a serving plate. She took her time, knowing Fanny and Janie would be discussing her remark about there not being a will. Returning to the front room carrying a laden tray, she was pleased to see George sitting between the women chatting politely.
‘George has told us that Eddie no longer lives here,’ Fanny said.
‘That is correct,’ Ruby said as she set down the tray and sat next to Janie. The look she gave urged them not to discuss the problem in front of George.
‘All I’ll say is, we didn’t appreciate your circumstances,’ Fanny said.
‘Given what has happened, you have done very well for yourself. We considered purchasing one of these houses when they were built three years ago,’ Janie said, nodding approvingly.
‘At the moment I’m renting the house,’ Ruby replied. Her dream of one day owning number thirteen had come to seem impossible with Eddie’s disappearance. It was all she could do just to keep a roof over their heads – and if not for the landlord of the Prince of Wales Hotel offering her Milly’s job and a few hours extra, she couldn’t even have managed that. She had been honest and told the man what had happened at the cafe, but he shrugged off her explanation, saying he didn’t listen to gossip – and that if she worked half as hard as Milly had done, then he’d be satisfied.
‘We’ve decided we will contribute to mother’s funeral,’ Janie told her, brushing aside Ruby’s explanation that there was money enough put aside by their mother. ‘I know I can speak for both of us when I say that we are grateful you’ve looked after Mother these past years. Your life cannot have been easy. Just remember, we are here for you and George, so please don’t be a stranger.’
Thinking back to that conversation now, Ruby felt tears prick her eyes.
‘Ruby, are you all right?’ Stella asked, bringing her back to the present with a start.
‘I’m fine. I’m more than fine,’ she smiled. ‘Let’s just think of this money as coming from a benefactor. It will be put to good use.’
9
May 1910
Ruby had never seen so many people gathered together in one place. When Stella had first mentioned going to London to pay their respects to the late king, she’d been unsure. She wasn’t one for crowded trains and the like. But once Stella had explained that she doubted they’d ever experience such an occasion again – after all, look how long the king’s mother had lived – she’d relented. It would be good for George to see the grandeur of London and the soldiers on guard around the coffin. It would be something to tell his children, she’d thought to herself. ‘Mum went up to London to see the late queen’s funeral procession. She talked of nothing else for weeks. She always loved a good send-off.’
Stella and Wilf had burst out laughing. ‘My old mum was the same. She’d compare her neighbours’ funerals against each other, then weeks later she checked the graves to see who had the best headstone,’ Stella said.
‘Don’t forget to tell Ruby about the list she made so you’d give her a better send-off than her friends had. I can see them all now, up there comparing notes,’ Wilf guffawed.
‘Oh, my goodness!’ Ruby said. ‘I hope we don’t get as bad as that when we grow old.’
‘You have a way to go to catch us up,’ Stella laughed. ‘Seriously, I could pack up some food and once we’ve been to pay our respects, we could take the children to look at Buckingham Palace or sit by the river and relax.’
Ruby had relented and along with the Green family they’d set off to London.
Waiting at Erith station, they were jostled this way and that as it seemed most of the townspeople had decided to make the trip on the same day. ‘George – don’t get too close to the edge of the platform,’ she called out nervously.
‘It’s all right, Ruby, I have hold of George as well as our Donald,’ Derek called out to her as he held up George’s hand and nodded to where he had hold of Donald’s collar to reassure her.
‘And I’ll watch you,’ Frank said as he stood alongside her.
Ruby smiled up at Frank. He’d been a good friend to her over the years. They shared the same love of reading, and would often meet just to chat about books. As a rule, it would be Frank recommending a book to Ruby, and usually she went along with his suggestions. Occasionally she would accompany him to a lending library, where they shared the thrill of poring over books they’d yet to read.
‘I’ve not seen much of you lately, Frank. Have you been busy at work?’ He was now in charge of a section of the accounting department of the coal merchant’s office, but he didn’t talk much about his work as he said it would not interest her.
‘No, not really – but there is something I wish to talk to you about, Ruby. I have plans for the future and if you’re interested . . . well, they could include you.’
Ruby took a deep breath. She’d feared that this might happen before much longer. Was it possible that what Frank was about to say had something to do with them becoming a couple? It was getting on for five years since Eddie had gone, and although she missed him sorely, Ruby did wonder whether it was unnatural not to consider finding another man with whom to share her life. Although she was close to Frank, she wasn’t sure if she had the same depth of feeling for him that she’d had with Eddie. When she’d first met her husband she would tingle at his slightest touch and could happily stay in his arms forever.
With Frank, it was different: they shared the same thoughts and interests, and at times it was as if they could read each other’s minds. However, on the few occasions he’d kissed her it had felt more like the kiss a brother might bestow on his sister’s cheek, with no hint of passion or romance. Ruby knew that Stella would like nothing more than for her to become the wife of her eldest son – but of course, until she knew what had happened to Eddie, she could not draw a line under their marriage and move forward with her life. As much as she would dearly love a brother or sister for George, it could not be.
Ruby was at a loss to know what to say to Frank. The last thing she wanted to do was encourage him, but to knock him back could cause a rift between the two families. ‘I look forward to hearing all about it,’ she murmured as the train pulled into the station, shrouding the family in steam. They pushed through the crowd so that they could all be seated in the same carriage. Ruby sat down with a sigh of relief, as for the moment the subject was dropped.
Arriving in London, they paused outside Charing Cross station as Frank consulted his map. ‘We jump on a tram at the Embankment and get off at Westminster. It’s only a short walk from there.’
‘Sounds good to me,’ Wilf Green said.
‘I’m not too sure about jumping onto a tram at my age, but I’d prefer that to walking,’ Stella agreed, while George hopped up and down in excitement. Donald, now fifteen years of age, looked suitably keen.
‘I’m just glad to be out of the station,’ Ruby shivered, recalling a story in the newspaper about the roof of the station collapsing only a few years ago. There had been fatalities. Although repairs were evident and none of the travellers seemed worried, she just wanted to be away from the building and in the open air.
‘Follow me,’ Frank said as he set off at a brisk pace.
On the tram, Ruby sat on the lower deck with Wilf and Stella while the others rushed upstairs to the open deck. ‘I’ll pay,’ Wilf called out to the boys.
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