by Glynis Smy
Kitty moved to her father and put her arms around his waist. She laid her head on his chest, his heart beat against her cheeks. Love for her father was at its peak. She could not love him more; to hurt him would destroy her.
‘I know my love. I know. Your old Papa wants what is best for you. You are good with money, so I do not worry about that side of your life. I am just concerned about you living alone.’
‘Between you and Sarah, Arthur and Patrick, I will never be alone. You know the people around the shop - they are good people. It will be all right. Please Papa. Your blessing?’
Eventually William relented. ‘How can I say no to those eyes and that tone of voice? One hint of trouble and you are to come straight back home. You understand?’
She hugged him and kissed his cheek.
‘Thank you, Papa. Oh thank you. I will be careful and I will make you proud, you wait and see.’
Over the week, she chatted with Sarah and arranged for her future. It was agreed that Patrick would move in with William to keep company. Sarah would cook and clean for them.
Arrangements were made and handcart borrowed from the ragman. Sarah and Kitty worked hard and scrubbed the shop. Patrick joked that every room had been given the 'Sarah' treatment. Curtains and rugs no longer housed dust. The carpet beater and William's strong arms had seen to that. Wooden floors, cupboards, and shelving had been nourished with beeswax and the windows gleamed. The little shop was ready for its new mistress.
Moving day was bright and cheery. Kitty was thrilled to see a clear sky. The cart was loaded with her personal things and gifts from well-wishers. A small army of friends and family strode behind, laden with anything that would not fit on the transport provided. Neighbours wished her well, and as each one called out to her she fought back a few tears. It felt strange to say goodbye to her childhood home. Life changed and people moved on with their lives. Kitty never imagined she would be one of them, but she knew it was for the better. A little self-doubt and fear had crept into her mind that morning. Would she be able to make it work? Was she capable enough?
Patrick had put paid to her doubts, when Kitty voiced them out aloud.
‘Nonsense, you are more than capable. You are the brightest girl I know. I am very proud of you.’
Kitty was touched by his speech. She was also taken aback when he kissed her hand.
‘That is for good luck and happiness.’
Arthur waited for them at the shop; he had offered to help lift a few pieces of furniture William had given to her. Kitty decided she could not leave him out of this special day.
The day went without a hitch, all her furniture was in place, and it was the consensus that she had chosen well. She had many items from a trunk that been her mother's and Grandmother's, they gave the rooms a homely feel.
At the end of emotional goodbyes to her friends and father, Kitty body told her it was exhausted, her limbs ached from all the fetching and carrying. Her emotions were sapped and she was now alone. For the first time in her life she would be responsible for paying rent and a business. Her dream had come true.
She longed for sleep and decided that she would get more done in the morning if she had a few hours of rest. She finished the last of her chores and prepared her bed.
Nerves and excitement made her insides flutter. She blew out the candle on her bedside table, and settled under the covers. New noises startled her for a while; she could hear muffled sounds from the distant streets. The clip of horses hooves as they pulled the carriages past her new home sounded louder than ever and Kitty wondered if the rumble of carriage wheels on the cobblestones would keep her awake all night. She need not have worried, because when the man put out the gasoliers in the street below, her body embraced the dark of night. Kitty Harper proprietress, fell into a deep and refreshing sleep.
***
While Kitty slept in the city, James had disposed of a carcass in the fields that bordered the farm. It had been a traumatic evening. During supper with family friends, his father had belittled him. Verbally pressurising him into marrying a local girl. He offered threats of disinheriting James, beating sense into him and many other violent forms of force to get his son to submit to his demands.
The flashback to childhood days, and the argument about marrying whomever he wanted, had unsettled James. At the end of the evening he had slipped out to the barn. There he relieved his pent up frustrations on an unsuspecting stray bitch. Despite his love of the farm and the surrounding countryside, he could not wait to return to London. He wanted to see Kitty again, and the new project he and Arthur had planned.
Chapter 18
A Proposal
William stared in disbelief, at the man before him. It took him a few moments to collect his thoughts. He had just heard Arthur ask for permission to approach Kitty for her hand in marriage.
The man regurgitated words of how he had attempted to better himself and of how more work within the world of journalism had come his way. He relayed his plans to a quiet father who sucked on his pipe in order to stop a grin that dared to erupt upon his face.
‘Marrying my daughter is in your future plan then Arthur?’ this time he allowed the grin to form.
Arthur nodded and William gestured for Arthur to sit down.
‘You can try Arthur, you can ask her. I will not stand in your way. I warn you she is busy with Buttons and Bows. Marriage is most likely the last thing on her mind.’
He did not like to add that he also felt Kitty’s heart was elsewhere.
‘Oh, I am sure when I approach her she will accept. She will realise a decent proposal is offered her,’ Arthur continued.’ I will allow her to continue her business until a family came along.’ He picked imaginary flecks of fluff from the front of his jacket and rose from the chair.
‘Thank you for your time, William. Now I have spoken to you, I will call upon Kitty this afternoon.’
***
William watched him leave the street and paid a visit to Sarah. He needed advice. He relayed the conversation and she agreed that Arthur was not the man for Kitty. Sarah offered to speak on his behalf to his daughter.
‘Oh lord, we cannot have him sniffing around Kitty. He is decent enough, but I agree with you, William, he is not for her. In fact I cannot imagine him to be a husband to any woman.’
William was grateful.
‘Sarah, I am so pleased you feel the same as me. I was concerned you would encourage me to push for the marriage. Many girls her age are married and have families.’
‘In truth no-one will persuade our Kitty into marriage just yet. She loves that shop too much. Besides, I would encourage our Patrick before Arthur.’
William nodded. ‘Yes. Your lad would be good for her, but we are not blind through age, are we? James Lockwood is the strongest contender. I am certain of it.’
‘You are not far from the path with that information, William. I will go and see Kitty straight away. Let her know she has a visitor for the afternoon’
***
Kitty finished writing out her inventory of threads and was about to start on the cloth stacked behind the counter. When the bell above the door gave out its usual ring, she was surprised to see Sarah.
‘Sarah. This is a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you? Come sit.’
‘I am not stopping, my lovely. I am here on an errand for your father. It appears, Arthur has asked for your hand in marriage. It is his intention to call upon you this afternoon. We felt you should be forewarned.’
‘Please tell me this is a joke, Sarah. What on earth did my father say?’
‘It is not a joke, Kitty. Your father was as surprised as you are now. Just be careful, let him down gently. Men are more sensitive than we give them credit for -assuming you are going to refuse him, of course.’ Assuming you are going to refuse him, of course.’
Kitty giggled. ‘Sarah, please. I cannot marry Arthur. He is my tutor - a family friend.’
Sarah assured her he was fine and told her
of the conversation that had taken place.
Kitty was a little bemused by the news and they giggled at the very thought of her future as Mrs Twigg.
‘What on earth did my poor father do when he asked? I hope he managed to keep a straight face, ‘cos I am not sure I would have been able to.’ She shook her head.
‘Poor Arthur, I could never marry him, he is more like a cousin or brother to me, it would not seem right to be his wife.’
‘Well, you had better get yourself prepared miss; he is coming around after the shop has shut to ask you.’ Sarah said.
‘Oh Sarah, why is he bringing complications to my life, I have no interest in him.’
‘You have to say so. Tell him how you feel. There must be given the slightest hint of hope, if your intentions are a definite no to marriage with him. Now I must get back home. I will speak to you tomorrow. Stay calm.’
The hours dragged by, and the floor had been swept more than once and the counter tidied repeatedly. Kitty was nervous about the visit from Arthur; she had to behave as if he was not expected. At four she closed the shop. She was about to turn the sign when Arthur arrived. She noticed he wore his good, dark suit and the shirt she had turned the collar on the week previous. She suppressed a smile at the posy he carried; it looked out of place in his hands.
‘Arthur!’ Kitty hoped her exclamation of surprise sounded natural. ‘How are you? What brings you here?’ She was convinced her voice sounded a pitch higher than normal. ‘You just caught me, I was about to shut up shop for the day. What can I do for you? Come in so I can close the door.’
She turned her back on him and changed the sign, closed.
Closed for marriage, Arthur. Please just get it over with and leave. It is too embarrassing.
‘I, um. These are for you,’ Arthur thrust the posy at her. Kitty put her face into the floral gift and inhaled the perfume. She used the time to think. She lifted her head and smiled at him.
‘They are so pretty, thank you.’
Go away, Arthur. Please just go away.
Arthur moved forward, he held out his hand but she stepped backwards. She inhaled the posy again and looked up over the top of the pretty flowers. Arthur was smiling at her.
‘We have been friends for many years now Kitty,’ he held his hand up to prevent her from interrupting. ‘We have a friendship that will last many years, a lifetime. I am not a rich man, but I have...’ he stopped talking. He noticed Kitty smile; it then dawned on him she was giggling behind the posy.
‘Something about me amuses you, Kitty?’
‘Oh Arthur, I am so sorry you look so serious. I have to confess I know why you are here. It would be cruel of me to let you continue. My father told Sarah you had called on him and sent her to let me know you might call to propose marriage.’
Kitty noticed the colour in his face change to a scarlet red. She watched him swallow hard; he tugged on the repaired collar as if it was choking him. She was nervous; her words had made him angry. She laid the posy down on the counter and moved towards him. He flinched when she touched the sleeve of his suit.
‘I am sorry Arthur, is that what you were here for? Were you going to ask me to marry you?’
He spat words back at her, ‘It appears you already know that is the reason why I am here. Oh what a good laugh you must have had. Poor old Arthur, the fool of Whitechapel.’
‘No Arthur. Of course we did not laugh at you. We never would. Please do not be angry. The fault is not yours. You honour me with your offer. I simply cannot consider marrying anyone at this present time. Buttons and Bows is a dream come true. To give it up now is not something I can contemplate. When I marry, I want to give my husband my full attention. If I married now I would be selfish.’
Kitty bent her head - she now felt shame. She had laughed at him. If he felt for her as she did James, he must be hurt by her actions.
‘Please do not let my refusal change what we have, our friendship means too much for anger to ruin it. Please Arthur...’ She was relieved when he spoke; his voice had lost its harsh tone.
‘There is no choice for me. I have to accept your answer, but please think about it, Kitty. You would have a loyal and loving husband in me. A man who would allow you to continue with your business. Just consider what I offer, that is all I ask.’
A silence fell between them and it signalled the end of their conversation. They moved to the door and Kitty let him out.
‘I have given you my answer, Arthur. Goodbye.’ She closed the door and locked it. She watched as he walked away. His shoulders slumped in defeat. Pity was all she felt for him.
Chapter 19
A Step Up in Society
The search for Brady's murderer had not been called off, but the frantic passion behind it had settled down. There had been a few unexplained deaths by injury reported, and Brady's name had been added to the list. The police told the family to consider he may have slipped and fallen; it could have been a tragic accident.
Not content with their explanation, Patrick had searched day and night for weeks. This led to nightmares and exhaustion. After one particularly tiring day, he sat at home. William had gone to bed, and Patrick was alone. In the privacy of the room he shed tears for his father. Frustrated by the lack of results, he had come to terms with the fact that the murderer had moved on. When the word was out the victim had been a policeman, the chances are they had run away from London.
A noise startled him. He looked up and saw Kitty standing by the back door. She looked embarrassed.
‘I am so sorry, Patrick. I should have knocked. I never expected to find you home.’
She unpacked her basket as she spoke. ‘I have baked for you both.’
Patrick said nothing. He excused himself and went out into the yard. On his return, Kitty handed him a mug of coffee. He ran his finger around the rim. The squeaking, tinny sound appeared to comfort him.
‘Patrick. Stop. The noise is hurting my ears. Sit and drink.’
‘I have finished searching.’ Patrick moved across the room as he spoke.
'Pardon me?' Kitty said, laying down the cloth she had been using. ‘You have finished searching for what, pray?’
He turned to her. ‘For the murderer. Of my father. It is upsetting ma too much. Do you think I am wrong, Kitty? To give up?’
***
Kitty put down her own drink and knelt in front of him. Formal etiquette had no place in the room. Her friend was distressed.
‘You are doing the right thing. To continue will only make you bitter. I am so pleased you have reached this decision. Your mother is extremely concerned about your well-being. Your brothers too, Patrick. It is time. Brady would not want you to be like this. He was a man who loved life. Your father would advise you to stop now. You know he would.’
Patrick no longer controlled his tears. He sobbed in her arms. Eventually the sobs subsided, and he pulled away. He ran his fingers through his hair. Kitty kept his gaze.
‘My apologies, Kitty.’ He offered a weak smile. ‘You must think me soft. Soft in the head.’
Kitty got to her feet and returned to her chair.
‘Tsk. How little you know me if you think that, Patrick McKinley. I know you to be a strong man with a pure heart. A broken heart. You simply searched for the truth. One day I hope you find it, but in the meantime, find your strength again.’
Patrick rocked back and forth in the chair.
‘You say the right words at the right time, Kitty. Our night at the theatre did me good. You do me good. You have no idea.’
‘We are good for each other, Patrick. Now promise me you will let your father lie in peace and your mother sleep at night. I have watched you suffer, it hurts to see your pain.’
Patrick raised his mug to her. ‘I promise. A fresh start. With you as a friend at my side, what more could I want?’
Kitty reciprocated and grinned. ‘I am pleased to hear it. And I will always be there. Your mother will be pleased. Talking of Sarah, I must go n
ow. We have a large order to deliver. She is meeting me at the shop in an hour.’
Patrick went to her. ‘Thank you, Kitty. For listening. For saying the right words. Thank you.’ He took her hand and kissed the back of it. She was caught unaware. For a few seconds they stared into each other’s eyes. The room was silent.
Kitty broke the moment. Her voice quiet. ‘You are welcome. Stay safe and happy. That is all I ask.’
Outside she took a gulp of air.
What happened in there? When he looked at me, there was-oh stop being so fanciful. Get to Sarah.
***
‘Excuse me for making you wait, Sarah. Patrick was home when I took the pies, and we got chatting.’ Kitty walked into her kitchen to find Sarah seated at the table.
‘Never you worry. I found plenty of ribbons in the sewing room for me to wind and tidy. How is my son today? Is he happy or in one of his low moods.’
‘He was well enough. He did say he was giving up his searches. At last you will be able to sleep at night. When he explained how he felt, I told him how it was affecting you. He agreed the search is torturing him. He felt bound to find the killer.’
‘Bless you, Kitty. I knew it would be you he turned to for support. And how are you? Do you feel less guilty now about refusing Arthur?’
‘We have had this discussion, Sarah. Yes. I feel less guilty. Now shall we get to work?’ Kitty walked towards the shop. Arthur's proposal still managed to place a dismal air whenever it was mentioned. She changed the subject.
‘Have you been into the shop yet? I have rearranged everything for my new centre piece.’
Sarah followed. ‘No, I slipped up to the sewing room for the ribbon box, but not into the shop. Show me. I cannot wait to see your idea.’
Kitty stood to one side and proudly waited for a response from Sarah. She was not disappointed. Sarah clapped her hands with delight.
‘How wonderful! You clever, clever girl. It looks extremely inviting. What beautiful colours. You have matched everything so well.’