by Diane Allen
‘Aye, she will. She loved her lad. He was everything to her, in the short time she was with him. I often see Rosie in Danny. She was such a kind soul, and she didn’t deserve me. I think she always knew I loved you.’ Archie looked at the love of his life, the woman who often drove him mad, but was the passion of his life. Rosie had been kind and caring, and would always have been the perfect mother and wife. Charlotte was that, and more – she kept him on his toes, kept him excited, with her lust for life.
‘We’ve both been true to her memory, and we’ve brought Danny up well. I shouldn’t have listened to my father back then. I should have listened to my heart and married you.’ Charlotte kissed Archie, her eyes nearly filling with tears.
‘We all make mistakes, but as long as we try to rectify them, we’ll be forgiven. Look at them two: the crowds have let them through the church gate and they are walking back home. Danny’s intent on showing off his new bride to the world.’ Archie grinned.
‘It’s been a perfect day, but it’s not over yet. Mazy will be getting in a tizzy with the wedding breakfast, and then we are all to have our photographs taken by the dashing Mr Fox.’ Charlotte walked down the path with Archie. ‘A “family portrait”, I think he called it. I hope he can get Betty Armstrong’s hat into the picture – have you ever seen such a creation? The feathers looked far better on the peacock.’ Charlotte giggled as she watched the huge blue-and-green feathers disappear out of sight, as Betty followed the newly-weds down the road.
‘Charlotte Atkinson, behave! If it was in your new shop, you’d be trying to sell it to the first customer that came in. Come on, let’s walk home. Time for dinner, and for us to be content with our lot. There’s a lot worse off than us.’
‘I know. I love you, Archie Atkinson, and always will, and we are indeed lucky. Time to go home and celebrate with friends and family at our good fortune. We all deserve this day.’
The wedding breakfast went without a hitch, with the hired servants following Mazy and Ruby’s instructions to the letter. And Thomson served, along with help, like a professional top waiter. Ruby had excelled herself and everyone appreciated the food, as they listened to Ted Armstrong, Robert Knowles and Danny give their speeches, sitting down afterwards to a good glass of port. Archie looked around at the empty dishes and happy faces, and knew it was his turn to say the few words he’d been practising in his head all day. He stood up and banged the spoon on the table for attention.
‘Now, that was a wedding breakfast! I think the staff of Windfell deserve a hand.’ Archie stood and clapped in appreciation of the hard work put in by one and all, and everyone else joined in, embarrassing the staff in the room and making Ruby cry with pride and exhaustion as she heard the ripple of applause. ‘Now, when Harriet first started seeing our Danny, we didn’t know if she’d fit into our family or not. You know how it is; you watch them together and think: Is he good for her, and is she good for him? But even if I was blind, I’d know that these two were made for one another. Not only is Harriet good for our Danny, but she’s good for the whole family, showing a lot of love and devotion, both to Isabelle here and to the shop they run in Settle. Charlotte and I will always love Harriet as the daughter she now is. You can be proud of yourselves, Ted and Betty, for having such a wonderful daughter, and you can be assured that she’s in good hands with our Danny. Now we’ve just to wait for some grandchildren, so that we can spoil them in our dotage – not that I’m rushing you two.’
Harriet blushed. She’d kept herself pure for her wedding night, as she was sure Danny had.
‘Can you raise your glasses to Danny and Harriet?’ Archie bellowed.
‘To Danny and Harriet!’ the guests cheered.
‘And to their future children!’ Archie shouted, as Charlotte glowered at him. Her father had done the same thing at her wedding, and that had been the downfall of her marriage. God willing, history would not repeat itself. No matter, he’d said it now.
High on the windswept fell between Clitheroe and Slaidburn, in a long, low farmhouse, the first cries of Amy Brown’s newborn were heard.
‘You’ve got a boy, Amy. He’s only small, with being born early, but he’s a bonny baby – a blond, blue-eyed boy. What are you going to call him?’ The old woman passed Amy her baby, wrapped in a warm blanket.
‘I’m calling him Daniel. Danny for short.’ Amy kissed her new bundle on his cheek as a tear fell down her cheek.
‘Daniel in the Lion’s Den,’ the midwife joked.
‘Aye, he’s that alright, but he’ll be loved – just as I love his father.’ Amy looked down at her newborn and held him tightly. A baby created from true innocent love, a love she would never forget.
RULES TO BE OBSERVED BY THE HANDS EMPLOYED IN THIS MILL
Rule
1. All the Overlookers shall be on the premises first and last.
2. Any Person coming too late shall be fined as follows: for 5 minutes 2d, 10 minutes 4d, and 15 minutes 6d, &c.
3. For any Bobbins found on the floor, 1d for each Bobbin.
4. For single Drawing, Slubbing or Roving, 2d for each single end.
5. For waste on the floor, 2d.
6. For any Oil wasted or spilled on the floor, 2d, each offence besides paying for the value of the Oil.
7. For any broken Bobbins, they shall be paid for according to their value, and if there is any difficulty in ascertaining the guilty party, the same shall be paid for by the whole using such Bobbins.
8. Any person neglecting to Oil at the proper times shall be fined 2d.
9. Any person leaving their Work and found Talking with any other workpeople shall be fined 2d for each offence.
10. For every Oath or insolent language, 3d for the first offence, and if repeated they shall be dismissed.
11. The Machinery shall be swept and cleaned every meal time.
12. All persons in our employ shall serve Four Weeks’ Notice before leaving their employ; but J. Sidgwick shall and will turn any person off without notice given.
13. If two persons are known to be in one Necessary together they shall be fined 3d each; and if any Man or Boy go into the Women’s Necessary he shall be instantly dismissed.
14. Any person wilfully or negligently breaking the Machinery, damaging the Brushes, making too much Waste, &c., they shall pay for the same to its full value.
15. Any person hanging anything on the Gas Pendants will be fined 2d.
16. The Masters would recommend that all their workpeople Wash themselves every morning, but they shall Wash themselves at least twice every week, Monday Morning and Thursday morning; and will be fined 3d for each offence.
17. The Grinders, Drawers, Slubbers and Rovers shall sweep at least eight times in the day as follows, in the Morning at 7, 9, 11 and 12; and in the Afternoon at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 o’clock; and to notice the board hung up, when the black side is turned that is the time to sweep, and only quarter of an hour will be allowed for sweeping. The Spinners shall sweep as follows, in the Morning at 7, 10 and 12; in the Afternoon at 3 and at 5 o’clock. Any neglecting to sweep at the time will be fined 2d for each offence.
18. Any persons found Smoking on the premises will be instantly dismissed.
19. Any person found away from their usual place of work, except for necessary purposes, or Talking with any one out of their Alley will be fined 2d for each offence.
20. Any person bringing dirty Bobbins will be fined 1d for each Bobbin.
21. Any person wilfully damaging this Notice will be dismissed.
The Overlookers are strictly enjoined to attend these Rules, and they will be responsible to the Masters for the Workplace observing them.
REPRODUCTION FROM AN ORIGINAL MILL NOTICE FROM WATER-FOOT MILL, NEAR HASLINGDEN, SEPTEMBER 1851.
Diane Allen was born in Leeds, but raised at her family’s farm deep in the Yorkshire Dales. After working as a glass engraver, raising a family and looking after an ill father, she found her true niche in life, joining a large-print publishing fi
rm in 1990. She now concentrates on her writing full time, and has recently been made Honorary Vice President of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.
Diane and her husband Ronnie live in Long Preston, in the Yorkshire Dales, and have two children and four beautiful grandchildren.
By Diane Allen
For the Sake of Her Family
For a Mother’s Sins
For a Father’s Pride
Like Father, Like Son
The Mistress of Windfell Manor
The Windfell Family Secrets
First published 2017 by Macmillan
This electronic edition published 2017 by Macmillan
an imprint of Pan Macmillan
20 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RR
Associated companies throughout the world
www.panmacmillan.com
ISBN 978-1-4472-9515-0
Copyright © Diane Allen 2017
Cover images: Girl © Gordon Crabb, background © Shutterstock.
Author photograph © Linda Nash
The right of Diane Allen to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
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