A Winter Baby for Gin Barrel Lane

by Lindsey Hutchinson

  ‘Quite right, Bess, but if you feel you need to leave, I understand,’ Dolly said.

  ‘But I need the wages.’

  ‘Then button your lip!’ Bess barked.

  ‘Do you think Lucas Freeman murdered his wife and walled her up?’ Jack asked.

  ‘I don’t know, maybe Inspector Conroy will discover more in the fullness of time,’ Dolly answered. ‘In the meantime, we need to get rid of that disgusting smell and get back to work.’

  ‘Leave that to me,’ Eli said, ‘we’ll clean it out and fix the wall so you’ll never know anything happened.’

  ‘Thank you. I expect it won’t be long before the news gets out,’ Dolly said.

  ‘It might draw the punters in,’ Jack said with a grim smile.

  ‘Indeed. People are fascinated by anything macabre,’ Dolly concurred.

  ‘I’ll get the doors open again then.’

  ‘Wilton and I will return to the Palace, they’ll want to know what the fuss was about.’

  With all the commotion, it had not registered with Jack that Wilton had accompanied Dolly, and now he shot the other man a sour look. Why was he here again? Was he trying to court Dolly? Did Dolly know what he was up to?

  Jack bid them farewell, but he was not happy Wilton Burton was visiting so often. Unable to do anything about it, he threw open the doors and was almost knocked off his feet in the crush as men rushed in to hear the gossip.

  18

  Nellie and Nancy were waiting in the kitchen of the Palace when Dolly and Wilton arrived back. They had heard about the coroner’s wagon being called to the Bricky and wanted to know all about it.

  It still amazed Dolly how quickly gossip travelled, but then again with people like Aggie around, it was no wonder.

  ‘Bloody hell, Dolly! Of all the pubs in the town, you have to go and buy that one!’ Nellie said.

  ‘Was it his wife? The landlord’s, I mean,’ Nancy asked.

  ‘It was a woman, but more than that we don’t know,’ Dolly answered.

  ‘I must get on now, Dolly, but if there’s anything I can help with, let me know,’ Wilton said.

  ‘Thank you,’ Dolly answered with a beaming smile.

  ‘He likes you,’ Nancy said, once the young man had left.

  ‘He’s nice.’ Dolly blushed to the roots of her hair.

  ‘Never mind all that, tell us about this body and what the coppers think,’ Nellie snapped.

  ‘First of all, Jack was incredibly efficient. He dealt with everything like he was born to it.’

  Nellie smiled proudly and listened intently as Dolly told her everything she knew. As quickly as Dolly had finished, the speculation started.

  Had Lucas Freeman killed his wife and hidden her in the wall? Had he got someone else to do it for him? Was Ezra Moreton involved? Had Lucas paid Ezra or one of his goons to dispose of his wife? But why then would they hide her in the wall of the pub? Why not drop her in the canal with concrete boots on? If Lucas had committed the murder, why had he done it? What had he gained from it? How come Mrs Freeman had not been missed? Why had no one investigated the source of the foul smell before this?

  The questions flew around the kitchen, but no answers were forthcoming.

  ‘Will the coppers let you know anything more, do you think?’ Nancy asked.

  ‘I doubt it. I don’t suppose there’s any way of discovering the identity of the poor woman,’ Dolly answered.

  ‘No wonder Freeman was in a hurry to get gone!’ Sadie said as she provided yet another pot of tea.

  ‘Well, he’s a free man now!’ Nancy said and only joined in the laughter when her pun was explained to her.

  ‘I doubt the police will ever get to the bottom of it all.’

  ‘Why, Dolly?’ Nellie asked.

  ‘Because we have their permission to continue our renovations. It’s a crime scene but Inspector Conroy just gave it a cursory glance over before asking his questions and sending for the coroner. It was like he couldn’t be bothered.’ After a moment’s thought she added, ‘If the crime was an old one, which it appears to be, and the perpetrator is thought to be no longer in the country, then maybe Conroy thought it not worth his time pursuing it.’

  ‘Well, now it’s all over you can get on with the changes and with luck you’ll be up and running in no time,’ Nellie said in her inimitable no-nonsense manner.

  ‘Hopefully, yes.’

  Nellie and Nancy bid them goodbye and returned to the Crown Saloon to pass on what they’d learned, and Dolly went to help in the bar.

  ‘I hear they’ve found poor old Mrs Freeman,’ Aggie shouted over the noise.

  ‘News travels fast. A woman was found, yes, but as yet they don’t know who she is – was,’ Dolly said.

  ‘It’ll be her. They was always fighting, according to my spies.’

  ‘You should work for the government, Aggie.’

  ‘Not unless they pay me in gin!’

  Dolly laughed before settling in for a hard day’s toil.

  As Dolly worked, over in his office in the brewery, Ezra Moreton was listening carefully to the news of the murder brought by one of his men.

  Sloppy work, we could have made a better job of it, Ezra thought as he dismissed the messenger.

  He knew the Bricky would draw in custom now. Folk would be curious and could boast of taking a drink in a place where a murder had been committed. He chastised himself for not being quicker off the mark in buying the pub, and cursed Dolly Perkins for outsmarting him.

  He had thought another gin palace would not take off with there being two already, but the wheel of fate had turned again in Dolly’s favour. Her new gin house would become infamous now and he feared people would travel for miles to visit.

  Was there anything he could do to thwart Dolly’s endeavours? He could burn it down, but he dismissed that idea, there were staff living there now so the building was always occupied. He could get his men to trash the place, smash the windows and wreck the yard. The damage would be repaired but it would cost, and it would only slow things down rather than prevent the grand opening.

  Face it, Moreton, you missed out on that one!

  Snipping the end of his cigar, he threw the cutter onto his desk. Bloody women! First Nellie Larkin and now her protégé! Women are the bane of my life!

  Ezra scowled as he puffed great plumes of grey smoke into the air, then swore as hot cigar ash fell onto his trousers. Brushing it off quickly, his mind blamed Dolly for that too, for if he hadn’t been thinking of her it wouldn’t have happened. Stabbing the cigar out in the ashtray, he left the office to tour the works. He was in a temper and needed to find someone to take it out on, even if it took the rest of the day!

  The following morning saw Jack arrive at the Palace, feeling full of excitement. ‘I’ve had an idea!’

  ‘Sit and have a sup,’ Sadie said.

  ‘Yes ta, I will.’

  ‘What’s this idea?’ Dolly asked.

  ‘Well, at the moment Bess only has to cook a meal for Frank, Joey, me, Gwen and herself, so I thought we could turn one of the downstairs rooms into an eating place!’

  ‘Jack, it will be a gin palace – eventually!’ Dolly said aghast.

  ‘I know, but news of the murder will bring in the hoi polloi! You know yourself how the toffs love anything like that. If we had a dining room they could eat in comfort and learn all about the gruesome find!’

  ‘It’s certainly a thought,’ Sadie put in.

  ‘It would be a lot of work for Bess and Gwen. You may have to hire a waitress or two and a cook’s assistant.’

  ‘Yes, maybe, but think of the money it will bring in.’

  ‘Have you spoken to your staff about it?’

  ‘Not yet. I thought to ask you first.’

  Jack waited while Dolly thought over the suggestion. It was a good one, provided Bess could manage. The cook could draw up a menu and they could advertise in the local paper. It would mean more expense she hadn’t planned on, but the
more she considered it, the better she liked the idea.

  ‘Sound it out with Bess, then, and see if she’s willing to take on the work, and Jack – be nice. Tell her she would be head chef and she could interview an assistant herself.’

  ‘Don’t you trust me?’

  ‘Yes, of course, but Bess will know what to look for in a good kitchen worker.’

  ‘Right, yes, I didn’t think of that. So, you agree then?’

  ‘We can try it out and see how it goes. Firstly, however, we need to get the bar finished and open.’

  Jack beamed his pleasure.

  ‘Oh and Jack, don’t forget you’ll need tables and chairs, cutlery and crockery, table cloths and napkins, maybe candles for the tables too.’

  ‘That’s gonna cost,’ he answered, and some of his initial excitement drained away.

  Dolly nodded. ‘That’s why the bar has to come first. Once we show a profit, we can then invest in a dining room.’

  ‘That makes sense.’

  ‘Good, then we’re agreed. How’s the work going?’

  ‘Well, the smell has gone and Eli’s boys have re-plastered the wall. The new lights and windows are on order and Eli is busy ripping out the bar as we speak.’

  ‘What about the customers?’

  ‘All the porter went yesterday so we shut the doors so work could start.’

  ‘Send a message to Ezra to collect his empty barrels.’

  ‘Already done. I’ll get back and make sure Eli doesn’t find anything else we should worry about.’

  Dolly smiled. ‘Well done, Jack, I’m proud of you.’

  With a grin from ear to ear, Jack skipped out of the back door.

  ‘That lad idolises you,’ Sadie said.

  ‘We’ve been friends a long time,’ Dolly replied.

  ‘There’s more than friendship on that boy’s mind, you mark my words.’

  Dolly frowned as she sipped her tea. Was her cook correct? Did Jack feel that way about her? If so, it could prove awkward for she knew her feelings lay in another direction, and explaining that to Jack would be a sensitive task.

  19

  Over the next weeks, Dolly visited the Bricky every day and was astonished at how quickly the work was progressing. The double doors had a fresh coat of paint and new gas lamps had been installed either side of them.

  Indoors, all the furniture had been stacked in what would eventually become a dining room, and wall lamps and chandeliers had been installed.

  The long counter had been left in situ, having been sanded and polished to a high shine, and behind it hung large mirrors. A robust shelf had been put in place to hold empty casks, displaying the names of the gins on offer.

  The windows had been replaced by sheet glass and sparkled in the autumnal sun. The cellar was empty and was being whitewashed, the gas lamps throwing out pools of yellow light.

  ‘We need a name plate for over the front doors now, Dolly,’ Jack said one morning as Dolly looked around.

  ‘Indeed, and I’ve been thinking about that.’ Telling Jack her thoughts, she was delighted when he agreed to it enthusiastically.

  ‘I’ll get off to the sign-writer, then,’ he said.

  Crowds of people gathered every day to watch the work being done, and they peered through the windows to learn what they could, ready to pass on the information to others.

  Neither Dolly nor Jack heard anything more from the police regarding the body found in the wall cavity, but they hadn’t really expected to. With no witnesses to the gruesome crime and the remains unable to be identified, the poor woman was committed to a pauper’s grave paid for under the Poor Law. The newspapers had regaled the whole town of the incident, but she was soon forgotten.

  Wilton Burton had been a regular visitor over the weeks, much to Jack’s annoyance. He watched dismayed as the relationship between Dolly and Wilton grew and he became more despondent as the days passed. He was happy enough overseeing the work at the Bricky but his mood swung dramatically on sight of Wilton. He couldn’t shake the feeling Dolly was being taken for a ride, although he had no evidence to support it. The couple weren’t exactly walking out together, but they appeared to be drawing closer each time he saw them together.

  Jack had been pondering this very thing when a banging sounded on the front doors early one morning. The new sign had arrived and Jack stood outside in the chill wind watching it being erected.

  The Bricky was no more. In its place stood the Emporium of Dreams. All that was needed now was the cellar to be stocked, and the gin barrels were due to be delivered that same day.

  Dolly arrived mid-morning and was thrilled to see the name plate over the door.

  ‘We will need to advertise the grand opening,’ she said as she settled in the kitchen.

  ‘I would think everybody in Birmingham knows about this place by now,’ Jack returned.

  ‘The murder will have ensured that,’ Bess put in.

  ‘It would be nice, though, if only to celebrate all the hard work it’s taken to get to this point.’

  ‘I suppose you’re right. So, when do we throw open the doors for business?’

  ‘It’s Thursday today so how about Saturday? That gives us time to bottle up and make sure we have everything ready.’

  ‘Saturday it is, then. I’ll get a notice in the newspaper announcing it.’

  ‘You’ve worked wonders with this place, Jack. You should be proud of all your work.’

  ‘It was the Hodges who did all the hard work, I just supervised,’ he replied. He felt gratified at the praise, nevertheless.

  ‘What’s happening with those empty rooms upstairs?’ Jack asked.

  ‘We could offer overnight accommodation,’ Dolly suggested.

  ‘That’s a thought but they’ll need tidying up a bit; new bedding and curtains and the like.’

  ‘Gwen and I could do that,’ Bess said.

  ‘I’m not a bloody chamber maid!’

  ‘Well, you’re paid well for your work, bear in mind!’ Bess snapped.

  ‘You would be doing us a great favour, and if the idea takes off then a rise in wages would be due,’ Dolly said with a warm smile.

  ‘In that case…’ Gwen began.

  ‘Kids today!’ Bess said with a sigh.

  ‘The gin is here!’ Joey called through from the bar before going to open the huge gates at the back of the building. The barrel-laden cart trundled into the yard and the unloading began. One after the other, large barrels were rolled carefully down the ramp into the cellar, where they were stacked neatly by Joey and Frank. Jack went to help and when he spotted Wilton, he gave only a nod of greeting as they passed each other in the doorway.

  Bess and Gwen had spent days scalding bottles, which were standing in rows on shelves erected especially for that purpose in the cellar. Now the gin had arrived they could be filled and brought to the bar.

  When Jack returned to the kitchen, Dolly and Wilton were laughing and Jack’s hackles rose.

  ‘Cellar’s full,’ he said churlishly. ‘We’re going to need more workers, Dolly. Floor-walkers, cellar-men and a couple on the door.’

  Dolly nodded. ‘You’re the manager, Jack, so that would be up to you.’

  ‘Fair enough.’ Jack felt he was being pushed aside. Up until now he and Dolly had made the decisions together, but today she seemed more interested in laughing and joking with Wilton bloody Burton! Turning on his heel, Jack stamped out of the back door. He needed a distraction so he was going to find the nearest breadline to employ some workers.

  ‘Jack seems upset about something,’ Wilton proffered when Jack had left.

  ‘I can’t imagine what that could be,’ Bess said sarcastically and received a sharp look from Dolly.

  ‘He’s just busy, there’s a lot on his mind right now,’ Dolly answered.

  ‘There most certainly is,’ Bess mumbled, ignoring another sour look sent her way. ‘I’d best get the dinner started,’ she added as she began to clear the table of the tea thin
gs.

  ‘I think that’s my cue to be leaving,’ Wilton said with a smile.

  Once he’d gone, Dolly rounded on Bess. ‘That was a little insensitive, don’t you think?’

  ‘No, I don’t think,’ Bess answered.

  ‘Pardon me?’

  ‘No. You dismissing Jack like you did was insensitive. The poor lad is head over heels for you and you can’t or won’t see it!’

  ‘Bess, it’s not your place to…’

  ‘You knew when I started here – I speak my mind. Now, if you can’t cope with that – sack me!’

  Dolly’s mouth dropped open in shock at being spoken to in such a manner. ‘I don’t wish to sack you,’ she managed after a moment.

  ‘Right, then,’ Bess cut across, ‘just bear in mind what I’ve said. All of us can see what you can’t. It’s tearing Jack apart every time he sees you with that Wilton.’

  ‘It’s not really your business, Bess!’ Dolly snapped, the anger rising in her.

  ‘No, it’s not; I’m merely trying to save you heartache, that’s all. I’m endeavouring to warn you that if you go on like this, you will lose Jack – both as a manager and a friend!’

  ‘Why would you say such a thing?’

  ‘Because you’re breaking the lad’s heart!’

  ‘I…’ Dolly began.

  Bess sat at the table and took Dolly’s hands in hers while Gwen looked on, her ears cocked. ‘Jack loves you to distraction, Dolly, and he can only watch you and Wilton for so long before he will have to move on. Can you imagine what it would do to him if you and Wilton were to wed?’

  ‘There’s been no mention…’

  ‘Not yet, but what if there was? I don’t think Jack would ever get over it.’

  ‘Oh, Bess! I had no idea!’ Dolly’s eyes filled with tears.

  ‘I know and that’s why we’re having this conversation now – before it’s too late.’

  ‘I must get back to the Palace,’ Dolly said and in a rush she grabbed her cane and fled as fast as her bad leg would allow.

  ‘What will happen now?’ Gwen asked.