by Dilly Court
‘Stella.’ A voice from behind made Stella turn to see Bob standing in the doorway. He came towards her, followed more slowly by Maud. Stella realised then that she had not given him a thought since the last time they met, and a feeling of guilt assailed her. He was a good man and he deserved better.
He seized her hand, raising it to his lips. ‘You look well, my dear girl. We’ve missed you.’
‘We certainly have.’ Breathless and panting, but with a delighted smile on her face, Maud caught up with him. ‘Thaddeus told us that you were coming today but we kept it secret from Belinda, just in case.’ She enveloped Stella in a floury hug. ‘I’ve been making bread,’ she said, shaking the white dust off her hands. ‘I’ve almost mastered it, haven’t I, Bob?’
‘You have indeed, Maud.’ He winked at Stella. ‘We could have built a barn with Maud’s previous attempts but at least you won’t break a tooth on her latest effort.’
Maud slapped him on the wrist. ‘You are a terrible tease, Bob Hendy. I know I’m not the best cook in the world but I haven’t poisoned anyone yet.’
Bob slipped his arm around Stella’s shoulders. ‘Come into the house. You can introduce me to your ma when she’s more herself.’ He glanced at Jacinta, who was hugging Belinda as if she would never let her go.
‘Yes, come inside.’ Maud hurried on ahead. ‘I’ve left a loaf in the oven. I don’t want it to burn.’
Bob linked Stella’s hand through the crook of his arm. ‘You’ll see a change in Maud. She’s a different person now.’
‘I can see that, Bob. She used to be confused and frightened by the least thing.’
‘Not now. She seems to thrive on having something to do and people to look after. I have to admit that she is the world’s worst cook, but I wouldn’t tell her that for all the tea in China.’
Stella patted his hand. ‘You and your father have been so kind. I don’t know what we would have done without you.’
He hesitated on the threshold, drawing her aside to allow the others to enter the house. ‘I was hoping that you might have changed your mind about us, Stella,’ he said in a low voice.
‘Not now, Bob. This isn’t the time or place.’
‘Before you leave here today you must tell me if I have a chance at all. My feelings for you haven’t changed, but I can’t go on like this.’
‘Please don’t say any more.’
He glared at the carriage and the coachman who was sitting on the driver’s seat smoking a pipe. ‘Are you too good for us now that you’re living with the gentry?’ He held the door open for her.
‘I’m just a servant. That’s all I am to the Rivenhalls and the Langhornes. It’s all I ever will be.’
He followed her into the kitchen. ‘Then maybe you’ll think hard about what I have to offer you.’
She knew she should have been more frank with him in the past, but she was certain now that she did not love him and never could. Her heart belonged to a man who barely knew she existed, and was almost the complete opposite of reliable, hard-working and trustworthy Robert Hendy. Although she realised that the gulf between herself and Kit Rivenhall stretched into infinity, she knew now that she loved him with all her heart and soul. It was a sad fact that marriage between them was improbable to say the least. Gentlemen of his birth and breeding did not marry common girls from Limehouse. If they consorted with servants it invariably ended in disgrace and disaster for the girl in question. The River Thames had taken the lives of many a young woman who had been dismissed from her position when she admitted that she was with child. Mother and baby perished together in the murky waters or else starved to death in the gutter. There was no happy ending in sight for her.
Bob’s anxious expression was wiped away by a cheerful smile as he walked into the kitchen. ‘This is a time for celebration,’ he said, moving to the table where a bowl of fruit cup was surrounded by small glasses. He filled one and handed it to Stella. ‘Belinda picked the strawberries.’
‘And I selected the best apples from the store,’ Belinda added proudly. ‘I pared them and sliced them. Bob said he had a surprise for me, but he didn’t tell me it was you, Ma.’
‘I’m so proud of you,’ Jacinta said with a tearful smile. ‘And you too, Stella. My lovely girls are grown into fine young women. If only Freddie were here it would be perfect.’
Mr Hendy exchanged worried glances with Bob. ‘I’ve been attempting to trace him, ma’am. Since Belinda and Maud arrived we’ve had many discussions as to how we could find young Fred. I’ve written to the Admiralty in London and asked them to put him in touch with us, but have not had a reply as yet. We will find him if it’s at all possible.’
Maud brought a freshly baked loaf from the oven and laid it on the table. ‘Look, it’s risen perfectly. It might just be edible.’
‘Well done, Maud.’ Mr Hendy clapped his hands. ‘There’s nothing like trying, that’s what I say. We’ll eat well today, everyone, thanks to Mrs Clifford, who has saved us from starvation these past few weeks. Now why don’t you all take a seat and we’ll tuck into this magnificent repast. Maud has excelled herself and she spent all day yesterday slaving over the range. So we’ll raise our glasses to her before we say grace.’
Despite her pleasure on seeing her mother and sister reunited Stella could not settle down to enjoy the meal as she would have done in the past. Every time she looked up she found Bob staring at her with a hurt look in his eyes. She knew she must tell him exactly what was in her heart, but she dreaded the moment when they would be alone together. It came sooner than she had hoped when he invited her to accompany him to the five-acre field with some food for Bertie, who was supervising the haymaking.
‘I’ve packed a basket,’ Maud said, handing it to Stella. ‘Bread, cheese and some apple pie, although the crust is a bit burnt. But I’ll get the measure of that range one day or perish in the attempt.’
Bob took a flagon of cider from the table and tucked it under his arm. ‘Don’t do that, Maud. We’d miss you too much.’
She giggled like a schoolgirl and gave him a playful slap. ‘You’re a bad boy. Always teasing me.’
Bob brushed her wrinkled cheek with a kiss. ‘I meant it, Maud. You’re part of the family now.’ He held his hand out to Stella. ‘Are you ready? Let’s go and find that brother of mine, although he’s probably asleep under a hedge, leaving the girls to get on with the job in hand.’
The excuses that Stella had been concocting throughout the meal were little use to her now and she managed a tight little smile. ‘I didn’t think Bertie was interested in hard work,’ she said as she followed him out into the sunshine. ‘He never seemed to have his heart in farming.’
‘You know Bertie, but he has to buckle down occasionally. What else would he do? Anyway, there’s the added attraction of the village girls who help in the fields. Bertie is never one to miss a chance with the ladies.’
‘Of course. I don’t suppose he’ll ever change.’ She lengthened her strides to keep up with his as they left the farmyard and started down a narrow lane between high hedgerows.
Bob shot her a sideways glance. ‘Unless he meets a special person who fills his heart and his dreams, as I have.’
She came to a sudden halt. ‘Bob, I have to be honest with you.’
‘Say what’s on your mind, Stella.’
‘I tried to tell you before and I’ve never promised you anything, but if I gave you the wrong impression then I’m very sorry . . .’
He held up his hand. ‘You don’t have to go on. I’m not stupid and I thought as much, but I couldn’t quite give up hope.’
‘I’m truly sorry. You’re a good man and you’ll make someone a wonderful husband.’
‘It’s all right, Stella. I know when I’m beaten, but I must know if there’s someone else.’ He walked on and she had to run in order to keep up with him.
‘I’m not likely to marry anyone. All I want now is to see my family together again and find somewhere for us to live. I have
to find out if Belinda is still intent on entering the nunnery.’
His grim expression melted into a smile. ‘I think she’s made up her mind that the life isn’t for her. Your aunt has been telling her about the things she’ll miss if she embarks on a life of chastity and poverty.’
‘I’m glad. The poor girl has suffered the workhouse and the rigours of being in service. There’s more to life than that.’
‘And you discovered this in London, no doubt.’
‘A great many things have happened since I left here, but I need to make my own way in the world, Bob. I don’t want to suffer the same fate as Ma.’
He stopped at the five-barred gate which led into the field where the haymaking was in progress. ‘I’ve no idea what happened in London, but if you ever change your mind I’ll still be here.’
She shook her head. ‘You mustn’t think like that, Bob. Look at all those pretty girls working hard to bring in your hay harvest. There must be many of them who would make you a far better wife than me.’
‘I think that’s for me to judge, Stella.’ He waved to attract his brother’s attention and Bertie responded with a cheery grin, abandoning the task in hand and striding towards them across the cropped grass.
‘You’ll forget me,’ Stella said softly. ‘But I’ll never forget what you and your father have done for us. Never.’
‘Stella, my love. It’s good to see you again.’ Bertie vaulted the gate and lifted her off her feet, embracing her in a great bear hug. ‘You’re prettier than ever. Have you come back to stay this time?’
Bob thumped the flagon down on the stile. ‘No. She’s taken with London ways. Stella is too good for us now.’ He walked off in the direction of the farm.
‘So he’s popped the question and you’ve said no.’ Bertie released her with sigh. ‘I’m sorry, Stella. I’d have liked to have you for a sister-in-law.’
‘I never meant to hurt him.’
He hooked his arm around her shoulders. ‘I know that, but you can’t expect him to think sensibly at the moment.’
‘You’ve all been so kind to me and my family, and all I’ve done is make Bob miserable.’
‘It’s not your fault, Stella. You can’t force yourself to love someone, and you can’t stop yourself loving someone who doesn’t feel the same way.’
She blinked away tears. ‘When did you get to be so wise, Bertie?’
‘I’ve been in and out of love so many times that I’m an old hand. I know that the hurt will pass in time and then my brother might realise that you were right.’
‘I do hope so. I’m very fond of him, but that’s not enough.’
‘I think you were meant for greater things than being a farmer’s wife. Don’t worry about Bob; he’s a strong-minded chap. He’ll get over it in time.’
When Stella arrived back at the farmhouse she was relieved to find that Bob had gone about his duties on the farm and she did not have to face him again. Everyone else was in the parlour. Maud was dozing in a wingback chair by the fireplace with Timmy sound asleep on her lap. Jacinta and Belinda were deep in conversation, sitting side by side on the window seat, and Mr Hendy was in his usual chair reading a farming journal. He put it down and rose to his feet. ‘I’m going outside to smoke my pipe, Stella. Would you like to take a walk with me?’
She glanced at the clock on the mantelshelf. ‘Collins will be here in an hour.’
‘Then we must waste no time,’ he said, following her into the corridor. ‘Your mother and Belle have a lot to talk about, so we won’t disturb them. Let’s go into the garden.’ He led the way through the house to the little-used front door, which opened into a walled garden with roses clambering over the ancient brickwork. Hollyhocks and tall delphiniums made bright splashes of colour in the neatly kept flower beds and marguerite daisies swayed in the gentle breeze. The scent of roses and lavender filled the air and birds carolled from the branches of apple trees in an orchard on the far side of the wall. ‘This was my wife’s favourite place,’ Mr Hendy said, smiling. ‘She loved this garden.’
‘It’s the first time I’ve seen it in bloom,’ Stella said, sniffing the scented air. ‘It’s so peaceful.’
‘I come here to think of her and remember, but they’re happy thoughts. I’m no longer sad.’
‘You know, don’t you?’
He took a pipe and a tobacco pouch from his pocket. ‘Yes, I knew that Bob had feelings for you, but I also know you, Stella. It wasn’t to be.’
‘I am so sorry. I love you all, but . . .’
‘You don’t have to explain. Bob will recover, given time.’
‘You’ve been so kind to Aunt Maud and Belinda. It seems a poor way to repay you.’
‘Your mother told me a little of her story while you were out, Stella. The poor lady has suffered greatly.’
‘Yes, but she’s on the mend now, and I mean to look after her.’
‘I have a suggestion to make. It came to me while we were all sitting in the parlour and I thought it how pleasant it was to have female company.’
‘I’ll find a place for us to live as soon as I can, sir. At the moment it’s difficult.’
‘You don’t have to explain, my dear. Jacinta told me about Gervase Rivenhall and how she was coerced into marrying the villain. I’d like to get my hands on him, I can tell you.’
‘I need to go back to London, but there’s a problem.’
He nodded his head. ‘I thought as much.’
‘I’m not in any danger from Mr Rivenhall, but Ma knows too much and she wouldn’t be safe. Lady Langhorne has been very kind, but we can’t stay there indefinitely. I don’t know what to do.’
Mr Hendy struck a match against the brick wall and lit his pipe, puffing smoke up into the cerulean sky. ‘It would please me greatly if your mother were to stay here for as long as it takes you to sort matters out in London. She’s a delightful woman, and fond as I am of Maud she sleeps a great deal, and young Belinda needs her mother. It would be cruel to separate them so soon, even if it was only a temporary measure. What do you say, Stella?’
Chapter Eighteen
STELLA RETURNED TO Portgone Place. She had been reluctant to part from her mother, but Jacinta said she was happy to stay at the farm and spend time with Belinda. Stella had promised that it was only temporary and they would be together again as soon as she could find work and somewhere for them to live, but as the carriage sped along the country lanes she was assailed by doubts. She was becoming increasingly worried about Kit. For all she knew he might be languishing in jail, taking the blame for his uncle’s evil practices. She was desperate to return to London, and if she could not contact Kit then she would seek out Perry. He of all people would know what was going on.
She alighted from the carriage outside the servants’ entrance and made her way to the kitchen, pausing to hang up her bonnet and shawl before entering the room where preparations for dinner were in progress. ‘So you’ve come back from your jaunt,’ Mrs Hawthorne said crossly. ‘It’s all right for some.’
‘I need to see Miss Rivenhall. Does anyone know where I might find her?’
Annie gave her an old-fashioned look. ‘What do you want with her?’
‘It’s private.’
‘You know what happens when servants get above themselves.’ Mrs Hawthorne looked up from stuffing a guinea fowl, pointing a spoon at Stella. ‘You’d best wait until you’re sent for or you’ll find yourself back in the kitchen helping me.’
Annie nodded in agreement. ‘That’s right. You don’t want Miss Bradbury to hear you talking like that. She’s already got it in for you, Stella.’
‘I have a message for Miss Rosa. Surely that’s not against the rules.’
‘I think she’s in the drawing room with her ladyship,’ Annie whispered. ‘But keep out of Bradbury’s way. She’s got one of her extra mean faces on her today.’
‘Thanks for the warning.’ Stella headed for the stairs. ‘I’ll be careful.’
Lady La
nghorne looked up from her embroidery, resting the hoop on her lap. ‘What is it, Barry?’
‘I have a message from Mrs Rivenhall for Miss Rosa, my lady.’
Rosa jumped up from her chair by the window. ‘Is she all right? She hasn’t been taken ill again, has she?’
‘No, miss. I’m to tell you that Mrs Rivenhall has decided to stay with her friends for a few days. She would be grateful if her things could be sent to Chalkhill Farm.’
‘A farm?’ Lady Langhorne stared at her in amazement. ‘Mrs Rivenhall is staying on a farm?’
Stella bobbed a curtsey. ‘That was the message, my lady.’
‘Oh, very well. But it seems a little odd of her to forgo the hospitality offered at Portgone Place for a sojourn on a farm. Not a choice I would make myself.’
‘I’d like a few words with Barry, ma’am,’ Rosa said, taking Stella by the arm and propelling her towards the door. ‘What’s going on?’ she demanded when they were outside in the hallway.
‘Mr Hendy invited Ma to stay so that she can get close to Belinda.’
‘I have to agree with Lady Langhorne that it does look a bit strange.’
‘There’s something else,’ Stella said urgently. ‘I want to return to London. I’m worried about Kit and I need to find work. Ma and Belle can’t stay with the Hendys forever, and then there’s Aunt Maud. She seems settled at the farm, but I can’t expect them to look after her permanently. I have to find somewhere for us all to live.’
‘But it’s lovely here,’ Rosa said, pouting. ‘So much nicer than Fleur-de-Lis Street, and it seems unlikely that we’ll ever be able to return home to Heron Park. Besides which,’ she cast her eyes down, blushing, ‘there’s Tommy. We’re growing very fond of each other. In fact I’m expecting him to propose any day now.’
‘And will you accept him?’
‘Are you mad? Of course I will. I love him, Stella, and this would be my home forever.’