A Dream to Share

  Frustrated, Bert decided there was nothing for it but to wait until the next copy of Votes For Women arrived. In the meantime, he would keep a watch out for the Griffiths girl, waiting for the moment when he could give her the fright of her life.

  * * *

  Emma’s step faltered and she stopped beneath the Victorian memorial clock on Foregate Street and whirled round. Her eyes scanned the late Christmas shoppers but it was difficult to tell if she was being followed or not. She had been to her parents’ house with pres­ents for the family and then she had called at the tailoring depart­ment of Brown’s and Co. in Eastgate Row to collect Mrs Black’s new tweed costume. It was not the first time she had experienced that prickling feeling at the back of her neck. Once she had turned and begun to walk back the way she had come, catching sight of a vague­ly familiar, handsome face, only for it to disappear before she could be certain of the owner’s identity. Why anyone should want to fol­low her was a question that had plagued her for weeks. She had even mentioned it to Mrs Black in a joking way, half expecting her employer to say it was all in her mind. Instead she had taken her seri­ously and suggested a couple of defensive measures, one of which had brought an embarrassed flush to Emma’s cheeks.

  Emma walked on past the brightly lit, tinsel decorated shop win­dows until she reached St John Street, where she turned and hurried down towards the Dee. It could be really scary at this time of year under the trees by the river, especially when thin ribbons of freezing fog hovered over the surface of the water. Alert to any sound of dan­ger, she slipped her right hand into her coat pocket. To her relief, she reached the other side of the bridge safely and relaxed. She began to climb the path towards the crescent, only to almost jump out of her skin when a dark clad figure, his face concealed by a balaclava, stepped out of the shadows.

  ‘Miss Griffiths, I presume,’ he said.

  Instantly Emma knew the identity of the man and was not only frightened but angry. For weeks she had been fearing an attack from behind but here he was in front of her. She wished David was here but, according to her father, he was in Crewe on union business so there was no chance of him suddenly coming to her rescue. Despite her heart beating fit to burst, she knew that she had to conceal her fear and try and ease out the pepper container in her pocket without Bert realising what she was about.

  ‘How d’you know my name?’ she asked conversationally.

  His teeth gleamed in the gloom. ‘Wouldn’t you like to know.’

  ‘That’s why I’m asking.’

  ‘That’s my secret.’ His chuckle was muffled. ‘I’ve been following you.’

  ‘I guessed that! Now will you get out of my way.’

  ‘No. You made me angry when you interfered.’ He took a step towards her.

  Her pulses jumped and she told herself to stay calm. She had to get out the pepper and aim for his eyes. It wasn’t going to be easy because there was only that slit where they gleamed like a cat’s when caught in a flash of light at night. He was so much taller than her, almost as tall as David. She managed to control her voice so that it did not shake. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

  He thrust his face into hers. ‘Don’t play games with me,’ he snarled. ‘It was you on the bridge.’

  Emma jerked back her head, her fingers still busily trying to free the pepper container. ‘That time you ran away, you mean?’

  ‘Shut up! You have too much to say for yourself.’ He made a grab for her but she backed away. Instead, he seized hold of her parcel and swung her round by it so that the string cut into her fingers.

  ‘Ouch, that hurt! How dare you!’ At last she managed to drag out the pepper pot and knowing she would only get one chance to use it, shook it vigorously upwards towards that gap in the balaclava.

  He shot backwards, rubbing frantically at his eyes. ‘You bitch!’

  She tried to get past him but he grabbed her with one hand. She dropped the pepper pot and the parcel and, seizing hold of his crotch, she squeezed hard. The whistle of his indrawn breath told her that Mrs Black had been right about that move. He staggered back, moaning and clutching himself. She snatched up her parcel and legged it the rest of the way to Victoria Crescent.

  Her breath was burning in her chest by the time she reached Mrs Black’s house and hammered on the door. It was opened by one of the music teachers and Emma almost fell into the hall.

  ‘What’s up with you?’ asked the woman, gazing down at her.

  Emma managed to gasp, ‘A man attacked me.’

  ‘Oh dear, what’s the world coming to?’ She looked frightened but bent down to help Emma to her feet. ‘You must tell the police.’

  ‘I must tell Mrs Black first,’ retorted Emma. And, as soon as she had her breath back, she climbed slowly upstairs.

  Ten minutes later Eudora handed Emma a glass of sherry. ‘I’m delighted that you kept your head and didn’t forget my advice in what must have been very trying circumstances, my dear.’

  ‘Will I have to tell the police what I did?’ asked Emma, sipping the sherry.

  ‘I see no need for you to go into details.’

  ‘You should have heard him squeal.’ Emma chuckled.

  ‘I can imagine,’ said Eudora dryly. ‘A man’s genitals are his weak spot in more ways than one.’

  ‘What about Alice? Should I warn her when she comes back from the country with the Waters? I mean the police aren’t going to catch him now. He’ll have scarpered… but he could return and they can’t keep a watch on the bridge all the time.’

  ‘That is indeed true.’ Eudora frowned. ‘But in the meantime you will, of course, avoid crossing the bridge on your own… at least until he is caught.’

  * * *

  ‘Have you heard?’

  ‘Heard what?’ asked Alice, sitting at the kitchen table and staring across at Gabrielle, who was stirring a pan of stew.

  ‘It’s all over the neighbourhood and also in the newspaper.’

  Victoria said, ‘It might have slipped your notice, Mrs Bennett, but we’ve been away.’

  ‘I know that! But now my son is home and your father wished to speak to him urgently. Me! I had no time to exchange two words with him.’ She slapped her chest. ‘Instead, he is closeted with your father in his study all this time.’ Gabrielle clenched her teeth.

  ‘Never mind that right now,’ said Victoria, sipping her drink. ‘What’s all over the neighbourhood and in the newspaper?’

  Alice thought Gabrielle was not going to tell them but then she relaxed her mouth. ‘A hooded man with staring eyes has been haunting the bridge. He attacked that woman’s maid and she reported it to the police.’

  Alice moistened her lips. ‘What woman?’ she asked.

  ‘That Mrs Black!’ Gabrielle spat into the fire.

  The colour drained from Alice’s face. ‘Was Emma hurt?’

  ‘A bruised and cut finger! He tried to take something from her but she struggled and managed to escape.’

  ‘Does she have any idea who it was?’ asked Victoria.

  ‘How could she? Only his eyes and mouth showed. I ask myself what is the world coming to when we can’t walk the streets of Chester in safety! That reminds me I must buy extra pepper.’

  ‘Pepper?’ asked Alice.

  ‘Apparently she had suspected she was being followed for weeks, so she had a pot with her and threw it in his eyes. I have to admire her. She showed great courage despite working for that woman.’

  Victoria turned to Alice. ‘You must speak to Emma when you get the chance.’

  Immediately she agreed.

  Alice was in luck because an hour later, just as she was leaving the house on a message for Victoria, Emma was coming along the crescent with a loaded shopping basket on her arm. Alice hurried towards her. ‘I need to talk to you.’

  Emma’s mouth twisted in a smile. ‘Heard about the attack and put two and two together, have you?’

  ‘Yes!’ Her green eyes were anxious. ‘Was it Bert?’


  Emma nodded. ‘He knew my name was Griffiths, don’t ask me how.’

  ‘Did he say anything about me?’

  ‘No.’

  Alice sighed. ‘He sent me a letter saying horrible things, but also, that he was keeping a look-out for a friend of mine. I never thought… ‘

  ‘That we were friends,’ said Emma wryly.

  ‘I’m sorry.’

  Emma shrugged. ‘That’s OK.’

  ‘How’s the finger?’

  ‘I’ll survive,’ she said cheerfully. ‘If you’ve finished asking me ques­tions perhaps I can ask you something. Hannah, your sister-in­ law… did she ever work for Bannister’s Bakery?’

  The question took Alice completely by surprise but she answered straightaway. ‘Yes, she did. Why?’

  Emma’s shoulders sagged with relief and she closed her eyes a moment before opening them and smiling at Alice. ‘I think she might have known my sister.’

  It was several seconds before Alice made the connection and realised who she was talking about. ‘Of course! Your sister was Agnes who threw herself into the canal because Bert got her into trouble.’

  Emma grabbed her arm. ‘Bert! You – you’re serious?’

  Alice’s face hardened. ‘He admitted to me that he had been with her and that she was having a baby. He did try to make out that he wasn’t the only one she went with but now I think he was lying.’

  Emma was stunned and for a moment could not speak but then anger mixed with jubilation gripped her. ‘I’ve found him at last. Glory be to God!’

  ‘You’ve been looking for him?’

  ‘Too bloody right I have! Pardon my language! Although, I haven’t done much about it lately. I had so little to go on. Aggie had spoken about an Annie who was her friend at the bakery, and I did ask there but they wouldn’t help me. Then a while back it struck me that Hanny without the H sounded like Annie but I thought it was a long shot but more recently I started thinking that maybe…’ She sighed. ‘But it seems I’m no nearer to seeing he gets what’s coming to him despite knowing who he is. You don’t know where to find him and if he reads the news­paper he’s bound to avoid the bridge because a bobby patrols it every hour now. It could be that he’ll stay away from Chester for a while.’

  ‘Could be… but you never know with Bert.’ Alice was silent a moment and then she said, ‘We both have a good reason to see he gets what’s coming to him, perhaps we should try and help each other find him?’

  ‘So what next? Have you had any more letters from him since the one you just mentioned?’ asked Emma eagerly.

  Alice shook her head. ‘Fortunately he still hasn’t managed to trace me to the Waters’ house.’ She gripped her hands together. ‘There’s something I haven’t told you that perhaps you should know… Bert’s Hanny’s brother.’

  Emma was so shocked by the news, she felt quite dizzy and had to lean against a garden wall. ‘You mean he’s sent his own sister threaten­ing letters?’

  Alice nodded, knowing she couldn’t possibly tell Emma what Bert had done to Hannah. ‘She did warn your sister about him, just like she warned me… but neither of us wanted to listen,’ she said bitterly. ‘Bert doesn’t look the least like the villain he is. He can be such a charmer when it suits him.’

  ‘He must be to have taken in our Aggie. Are you going to tell Sebastian about this?’ asked Emma.

  ‘If the opportunity arises.’ Her eyes were sombre and she placed a hand on Emma’s arm. ‘I have to go but next time I’m off duty I’ll take you to see Hanny if you can get the time off, too.’

  ‘I’ll look forward to it,’ said Emma, thrilled that she had made a breakthrough in finding the man she held responsible for her sister’s death.

  Alice was thoughtful as she made her way to the footbridge but her head wasn’t so much in the clouds that she did not notice a bobby talk­ing to a child at the far end. The sight of him eased her fear. Bert was bound to make himself scarce when he saw the report in the newspaper. She decided to tell Seb all about Bert, if he asked her again.

  After buying the latest edition of Votes For Women she hurried back to the house. She entered by the kitchen door to find Gabrielle sitting with her hands in her lap, staring into space. It was so unusual to find her inactive that Alice knew something was wrong. ‘Can I make you a mocha coffee, Mrs Bennett?’ she asked.

  Sebastian’s mother did not answer but got up as if in a trance and took milk from the cooler and poured some into a pan.

  ‘I’ll do that,’ said Alice, placing a hand over hers.

  Gabrielle shook it off. ‘I do not like other people using my kitchen.’ Alice pulled a face and sat down, watching her take coffee beans and grind them and then search a cupboard for chocolate. ‘Is something wrong?’ she asked.

  ‘I do not wish to speak of it right now.’

  ‘Is it something to do with Seb?’

  Gabrielle turned her large dark eyes on her. ‘My son is a wonderful son,’ she said, laying emphasis on the wonderful in her rich voice. ‘He is to go to India and Egypt and see the cotton growing.’

  Alice was stunned. There had been no talk of him going abroad at the farm. ‘What about Juliana?’

  ‘It is finished between them.’

  Alice’s heart lifted. ‘Where is he? When’s he going?’ she asked.

  ‘He has already left for Liverpool. Mr Waters thought it best. He will write to me, I’m sure. Such letters full of colour that I’ll feel as if I am there.’ Her eyes filled with tears and she sank into a chair and put her head in her hands.

  Alice tried to comfort her but she wouldn’t be comforted, ordering the younger woman to leave her alone as her heart was breaking. Alice had never seen such an extravagance of emotion and considered it strange. After all Gabrielle had not carried on like this when Seb had left for America, despite her being against his marrying Juliana. Alice was torn between staying with her and rushing to the railway station so as to reach Liverpool before Seb sailed away to those far distant lands. Her better self won and she made hot drinks and knowing where a bot­tle of rum was kept, poured a generous measure into each cup. She held one steady for Gabrielle, whose hands were shaking so much that she spilt the drink. Alice wondered if there was more to Sebastian’s depar­ture than his mother had said. She was working herself up to ask again what was wrong when the kitchen door opened and Victoria entered. She, too, looked upset.

  ‘Papa’s just told me,’ she said without preamble. ‘I don’t know what’s got in to him, sending Sebastian so far away. It’s likely he’ll be away for at least six months.’

  Alice’s voice sank to a whisper. ‘I was going to tell him about Bert. I’d made up my mind to trust him with the truth.’

  ‘Papa said something about trust… and was rambling on about Sebastian not having had a gentleman’s education but being capable of taking on even more responsibility in the business.’ Victoria’s voice rose angrily. ‘Why couldn’t he have taught me about the business before I caught rheumatic fever and damaged my heart? Instead he insisted on my wasting my time doing the social rounds.’ She hitched up her hob­ble skirt and paced the floor. ‘It could have been me going to India and Egypt. It’s not fair!’

  ‘What are we going to do?’ asked Alice, wishing Victoria would calm down.

  She appeared not to have heard the question because she reached for the bottle of rum, and taking a glass from a cupboard, poured a gener­ous measure. Alice watched in astonishment, knowing her mistress never touched spirits. Then she remembered the copy of Votes For Women and, hoping it would calm her down, pushed it across the table towards her. ‘There’s an article in it about the Pankhursts’ release from prison,’ she murmured. ‘It says they stood in an open landau filled with flowers pulled by four white horses. Christabel is being hailed as the maiden warrior. An Amazon, just as someone said in the past.’

  ‘My goodness!’ exclaimed Victoria, distracted. Sitting down she began to read the article.

  ‘It�
��s that bloody woman’s fault!’ cried Gabrielle. Victoria ignored her.

  ‘I say no more,’ said Gabrielle, and swept out of the kitchen with her head held high.

  ‘They’ve been through a terrible ordeal,’ murmured Victoria, glanc­ing at Alice. ‘But their suffering will surely win sympathy for the Cause.’

  Alice nodded, but now her employer had calmed down and Gabrielle had left the kitchen, she wanted an answer to a question. ‘Where is Sebastian?’

  For a moment Victoria stared at her as if she wasn’t seeing her, then she shook her head. ‘You want to tell him about Bert and say your goodbyes?’

  ‘You don’t mind? I thought you were angry with him?’

  ‘Not him! It’s Papa I’m angry with! Sebastian is staying at the Arcadia Hotel on Mount Pleasant in Liverpool until he leaves for the East.’

  Alice thanked her and hurried to the door, only to pause in the doorway. ‘You’ll be alright, Miss Victoria?’ Her voice was concerned.

  ‘Of course, I will! On your way.’ Victoria smiled and carried on reading the article about the Pankhursts.

  Alice thanked her again and left the kitchen. She hurried upstairs, planning what to take with her. She flung a nightgown and a change of clothes in a Gladstone bag and then left the house.

  Chapter Ten

  January, 1909

  The strong wind coming up from the Mersey estuary whipped Seb’s dark hair about his face. He stood on the Princes’ landing stage, gazing over the river at the shipping going about its business and wondered what he was going to do. His mind was in turmoil having run the gaunt­let of emotions from disbelief, through anger and denial and back to anger again as he tried to come to terms with the news that Mr Waters was his father. Was it only a few hours ago that his world had been turned upside down? He had not wanted to believe that his mother had deceived him all these years. She had made up such stories that Seb had genuinely believed his father was a different man altogether. The news that he was a bastard, when his mother was a devout Catholic who never missed Mass, had stunned him. A single indiscretion he might have found easier to accept, but Mr Waters had admitted that she had been his mistress for years and had hurried to assure him that he had made provision for her in his will, as well as for Sebastian. When he had spoken those words, it was as if he thought money made everything right, but it didn’t.