by Dilly Court
‘Timmy will keep the population of rats and mice down. And the rest of the time he’ll spend with Aunt Maud, so Kit will hardly know he’s there.’
Rosa did not look convinced. ‘I suppose you’re right.’
Stella put the basket in with the rest of Maud’s possessions. She gave the cat a stern look. ‘If you know what’s good for you, Timmy, you’ll keep quiet and behave yourself. Otherwise you might find yourself joining your brothers and sisters prowling the streets day and night.’
‘Are we all present and correct?’ the driver demanded impatiently. ‘I got other jobs to do after this ’un.’
‘We’re ready.’ Stella climbed into the vehicle and sat down next to Maud, taking her hand and giving it an encouraging squeeze. ‘We’re off now, Aunt. We’re taking you home and I’ll look after you.’
The driver flicked his whip and the odd procession made its way along Artillery Street with Spike ambling on ahead like a chief mourner. He came to a halt outside his old place of work and stared in through the window. ‘Crikey. Look at that.’
The old nag shambled to a halt, causing Maud to slide into the well of the cart, and it took the combined efforts of Stella and Rosa to get her back on the seat. Stella peered over the driver’s shoulder. ‘What is it, Spike?’
He pointed at the open shop door as Perry emerged from the office, pausing to ram his hat back on his head and dust down his trousers, the knees of which were covered in sawdust. Ronald staggered onto the street, shaking his fist at the figure in black. ‘I’ll have you arrested for assault,’ he yelled, dragging a handkerchief from his pocket to staunch a bleeding nose. ‘You won’t get away with this.’
‘Just doing me duty, guv,’ Perry muttered as he hurried off. ‘I’m in with the johndarms so you’d be wasting their time.’ He quickened his pace and disappeared into the next street.
‘Drive on,’ Rosa said urgently. ‘Carry on to Fleur-de-Lis Street, please.’
Maud clutched Stella’s hand. ‘Was that Ronald, Jacinta dear? My eyesight isn’t what it was.’
‘It’s nothing to worry about, Aunt Maud.’ Stella placed her arm around her aunt’s shoulders, giving them an affectionate squeeze. ‘We’ll get you home and give you a nice hot cup of tea and some toast. How does that sound?’
‘Cake would be better, dear. I long for something sweet. I’m so tired of living on bread and butter or toasted muffins.’
‘I’ll see what I can do.’ Stella pulled the rug over Maud’s knees. The sun was shining but there was a fresh breeze and she did not want her aunt to catch a chill on her first outing in what must have been a very long time.
‘We’ll be there soon, Mrs Clifford,’ Rosa said with an encouraging smile. ‘I’ve made up a bed in the front parlour for you so that you won’t have to climb the stairs, and there’s a fire lit so you’ll be nice and cosy.’
Maud nodded her head but her eyes were closed and her head lolled against Stella’s shoulder.
‘I hope Perry has learned something that will help me discover the truth,’ Stella whispered. ‘No doubt it was he who gave Ronald the bloody nose.’
‘If I were a man I’d have done the same,’ Rosa said, fisting her small hands. ‘Men have the best of it all round. I’ve even thought of joining the National Society for Women’s Suffrage, but Kit wouldn’t approve.’
‘Are you afraid of him, Rosa?’
‘Heavens, no. Not afraid exactly, but what choice have I? I can’t earn enough money to keep myself, and unless I find someone to marry I’ll be dependent on my brother for the rest of my life.’
‘You’re a talented person,’ Stella said angrily. ‘Surely there’s something you could do that would give you independence.’
‘I could marry a rich man and get Archangel Perry to murder him,’ Rosa said, giggling. ‘Then I’d be a wealthy widow and I could do exactly as I pleased.’
Stella chuckled, almost dislodging Maud from her shoulder, but the conversation ended as the driver pulled up outside number six. Perry was leaning against the door, smoking a cheroot and making growling noises at the group of small ragged children who had surrounded him. They ran off when Spike approached them with his fists raised, and Rosa climbed down from the cart to unlock the door.
It took some time to unload Maud and her belongings but eventually the driver was paid and Maud was settled in her own chair in the parlour, toasting her toes in front of a blazing fire. They had to shut Timmy in the room with her as he seemed intent on escaping, but a saucer of milk and a fish head helped to calm him down. Stella could only hope that he would settle and not try to get back to his old hunting ground at the butcher’s shop.
She had more important things on her mind, and the result of Perry’s investigations on her behalf were uppermost. She closed the parlour door and hurried to the kitchen where she found him seated at the table, drinking a large glass of port. He looked up as she entered the room and grinned, revealing a missing front tooth. ‘Got something to report to you, miss. Something of note.’
Rosa clapped her hands. ‘I’ve been waiting for you to finish making Maud comfortable. I’m as excited as if it’s my own mother we’re talking about.’
Stella’s palms were damp and her heart was racing as she took a seat opposite Perry. ‘Well?’ she said, controlling her breathing with difficulty. ‘I’m listening.’
‘After a bit of persuading the gent in question, I mention no names, was compelled to admit that he knew the lady, and that he had introduced her to his friend Silas Norville who was in need of a housekeeper.’
‘I knew she’d been here,’ Stella said eagerly. ‘They were her initials carved in the wine rack.’
‘But what was she doing down there?’ Rosa subsided onto a chair. ‘And why would she do such a thing. Unless . . .’ She paused, gazing at Stella wide-eyed.
‘Unless she had been locked up for some reason,’ Stella said slowly. She fixed Perry with a hard stare. ‘What else did he say? Did they mistreat her? Was she kept prisoner in this house?’
Perry shook his head. ‘That I couldn’t say. Short of breaking every bone in the person’s body I couldn’t elicit any more information from him at this stage. However, he did mutter something about a man called Gervase who might be able to tell me more, and with what knowledge I have already I suspect this might be Mr Rivenhall of Heron Park.’
Rosa’s cheeks paled. ‘His dealings with Silas were purely business as far as I know.’
‘It seems there’s more to it than that, Miss Rosa.’ Perry scratched his bald pate. ‘I’ll make enquiries.’
‘Uncle Gervase is not a pleasant man, but it’s madness to think that he had anything to do with Mrs Barry’s disappearance.’
‘And what about my brother and sister?’ Stella said slowly. ‘Ma wouldn’t have left them to fend for themselves.’
Perry took a dog-eared notebook from his breast pocket and a stub of a pencil. ‘How old would these siblings be now, miss?’
‘Freddie must be nearly eighteen and Belinda is a year younger. I haven’t seen them for almost eleven years and I could probably pass them in the street without knowing.’ Stella’s voice broke on a sob. ‘Something dreadful must have happened for Ma to be separated from them.’
‘There’s something rum going on here.’ Perry made another note. ‘I’ll have a word with Kit before I go digging into your family secrets, but it seems to me that Mr Gervase might know a thing or two.’
‘What about Freddie and Belinda?’ Stella could hardly bring herself to ask the question. ‘Anything might have happened to them and I wouldn’t know.’
‘Have you any relations other than the old lady?’
‘My grandparents died in the Crimean War. My mother’s grandfather would have nothing to do with her.’
‘How many times have I heard something of that nature?’ Perry rolled his eyes. ‘Families are supposed to stick together, but all too often it don’t work out that way. Are there any other relatives who might know s
omething?’
‘Aunt Maud is my great-grandmother’s sister. She might know if either of them are still alive, but she’s very vague and gets muddled easily.’
Perry downed the last of the port and stood up. ‘Lead me to the lady. If anyone can un-muddle her then it is I, Archangel Perry.’
‘You won’t frighten her, will you?’ Stella was wary. ‘And you won’t scare her cat.’
‘Mad old ladies and fierce cats hold no terrors for the archangel. Take me to her and I’ll see what I can do. After all, if you’ve other relations still in the land of the living they might know something. It’s worth a try.’
Reluctantly, Stella led the way to the front parlour. She opened the door carefully lest Timmy should decide to make a break for freedom, but he was asleep on Maud’s lap and her head was nodding. Stella cleared her throat. ‘Aunt Maud, you’ve got a visitor.’
Maud jerked upright, almost dislodging Timmy. ‘What? Who is it? If it’s Ronald tell him to go away.’
Perry dodged past Stella. He seized Maud’s hand and raised it to his lips. ‘Good morning, dear lady. I trust you are well?’
Maud peered up at him. ‘Who the devil are you, sir?’ She snatched her hand away. ‘And I am not your dear lady. I am Mrs Maud Clifford, widow.’
‘May I take a seat, madam? I think you might know something that would be very important to a client of mine, naming no names, of course.’
‘Shall I send him away, Aunt Maud?’ Stella gazed at her anxiously. ‘If you don’t feel well enough to speak to Mr Perry I quite understand. You’ve had a very busy morning.’
Maud pushed her spectacles up to the bridge of her nose. ‘I’m perfectly sound in mind and body. Don’t treat me like a child, Jacinta. Go about your business. I can deal with this man.’
‘I’ll be very tactful,’ Perry said in a low voice. ‘You need have no fear, miss.’
Stella retreated, closing the door behind her. She went to the kitchen where Rosa welcomed her with a cup of tea. ‘You look as though you need this,’ she said sympathetically. ‘The old lady will be all right. I’m sure that the archangel is used to dealing with all sorts of people.’
‘I do hope so, but if I couldn’t get any sense out of her I very much doubt if he can.’ Stella sipped the tea. ‘She still thinks that I am my mother, so she’s not likely to tell him anything we don’t already know.’
‘Well, one thing is for certain. I intend to find out how my uncle fits into this. I always suspected that he was up to no good. Perhaps Perry can discover something that will put Gervase Rivenhall in his proper place, which in my opinion should be Newgate.’
Spike had been sitting at the table munching a hunk of bread and butter, but he looked up, scowling. ‘I could go with him, Miss Rosa. I’ll sort your uncle out for you. I might be small and have crooked legs but I got quick fists.’ He demonstrated, almost knocking over his glass of milk.
Stella patted him on the head. ‘You’re all right, Spike. You can champion Rosa when the time comes, but I think this is a job for a professional. Let’s wait and see if Perry manages to get anything out of Aunt Maud.’
‘Limehouse workhouse, Ropemaker’s Fields,’ Perry said tersely. ‘The old lady thinks that was where Freddie and Belinda ended up.’ He ran his finger round the inside of his collar, leaving a pink line in the greasy tidemark on his neck. ‘That was blooming hard work. I don’t suppose there’s any port left in the bottle?’
Rosa shook her head. ‘No, but I can offer you a cup of tea.’
‘Ta, but no ta. I can’t stand the stuff. Anyway, I’ll take me leave of you, ladies. I’m planning to pay a call on Mr Gervase Rivenhall. We’ll see if he can tell us anything.’
Spike jumped to his feet. ‘Take me with you, boss. I’m a good snooper.’
‘Are you now, little man?’ Perry gave him a playful cuff round the head. ‘I’ll make a note of that and maybe next time I might find a use for someone like you.’ He put his hat on at a jaunty angle and sauntered out of the room.
‘The workhouse,’ Stella said, sinking down on a chair. ‘I went to Limehouse workhouse when I was searching for Ma and the nippers, but the man wouldn’t let me in. I can’t believe that they were there all the time.’
Rosa moved swiftly to her side and laid a hand on her shoulder. ‘You were just a child then. You couldn’t have done anything about it even if you’d known that they were there.’
‘No, but I would have known where they were. I might have been able to save up enough money to rent a room close by. With somewhere to live they might have been able to leave that awful place.’
‘You don’t know for certain that they were there. It’s obvious that Maud’s mind is wandering. She might have told Perry anything in her confused state.’
‘But I must visit the workhouse, Rosa. I’m grown-up now and I’ll demand to see their records. I must know.’
‘I’ll come with you, miss.’ Spike curled his fingers around her hand. ‘I’ll see off the street arabs and dips what would finger your purse and you’d not feel a thing.’
‘That’s a good idea,’ Rosa said, nodding with approval. ‘I’d come with you, but someone has to stay and keep an eye on Mrs Clifford. You go with her, Spike.’
As she stood outside the tall iron gates, Stella felt that she had gone back in time. She was that twelve-year-old child, waiting in the cold for someone to come to her aid. There had been no one to help and comfort her then, but she was a woman now and no longer afraid of persons in authority. She would not be put off again.
‘Someone’s coming, miss,’ Spike whispered. ‘I’m not sure as how I wants to go through them gates. I ain’t been out of the workhouse long enough to forget what it’s like.’
Stella squeezed his small hand. ‘Wait here for me, Spike. I’ll be quite all right, but I’ll need you to guard me on my way home.’
‘Home.’ Spike’s snub-nosed face split in a wide grin. ‘Ain’t that a lovely word, miss? I ain’t never had no home to go to afore. I’ll wait for you. Never fear.’
She released his hand as the gatekeeper turned the key in the lock. ‘I won’t be long.’ She passed through the gates that cast terror into the hearts of the poor who entered knowing that all hope was lost, and her heart was heavy. She could sense the desperation and despair written on every brick of its forbidding walls. It took all her courage to explain her mission as she followed the gatekeeper into the grim-looking building. Newgate and the Fleet looked more inviting than Limehouse workhouse, but would it hold the secret of her family’s apparent disappearance? Her pulses were racing as she approached the weathered oak door, studded with iron. There was a metal grille placed at eye level, no doubt to enable those inside to assess the character of the person whose misfortunes had driven them beyond all reason, forcing them to beg for admittance.
The surly gatekeeper tugged at a chain and inside a bell pealed.
Chapter Ten
THE WORKHOUSE MASTER was busy and Stella was left waiting in his office for over an hour before the matron bustled in, bristling with starch and efficiency but with neither a hint of humour in her grey eyes nor a suggestion of kindness in her thin lips. She introduced herself as Matron Dibley and listened with a touch of impatience as Stella explained her mission. ‘It’s a pity you left it so long to enquire. I’ll have to go back through our records.’ She spoke as if it were the most onerous task in the world and sighed heavily as she opened a cupboard. She studied a row of leather-bound tomes and heaved one onto the desk. ‘These are the admissions for the year 1867. Surname Barry? Is that correct?’
‘Yes, ma’am.’
Matron Dibley leafed through the closely written pages. ‘I can find no mention of your mother being admitted, but there is a Frederick Barry, aged seven, and a Belinda Barry, aged six. Their former address is given as Broadway Wharf.’
Stella closed her eyes as the room seemed to spin round her in concentric circles. ‘Yes, ma’am. That’s my brother and sister.’
‘And did she?’ Stella murmured. ‘What happened to them?’
Matron Dibley closed the book with a snap and replaced it on the shelf, taking out another volume. She sat down and ran her finger down the columns of names and dates. Stella’s knees were trembling but she did not dare take a seat for fear of offending the stiff-necked woman. She clutched the edge of the desk, taking deep breaths in an attempt to control her erratic breathing.
After what felt like an eternity, Matron looked up. ‘It appears that the mother never returned to claim her children. Frederick was trained, as most of the boys here were, to go to sea. He joined the Navy when he was twelve.’
‘Freddie is a sailor?’ Stella could hardly believe that her little brother had been in a man’s world for the past five years. ‘And Belinda?’
Matron raised her hand. ‘Not so fast.’ She studied the entries for what seemed like an eternity. ‘Belinda Barry left here in the same year. She went into service with a family in Essex.’
This time Stella’s knees did give way beneath her and she sat down. She was past caring whether or not she offended Matron Dibley. ‘Where in Essex, ma’am?’
‘Twelve Trees Farm, Mountnessing.’ Matron closed the book and rose to her feet. ‘Is there anything else, Miss Barry? I’m a very busy woman.’
Stunned by the news that her little sister had been living within a few miles of Portgone Place, Stella dragged herself to a standing position. ‘No, thank you. It’s been a great help.’