A Dream to Share

by A Dream to Share (retail) (epub)

  ‘It’s good of you to come and pick us up,’ said Kenny, opening the rear door for Hannah and Tilly to climb into the back of the car.

  ‘No skin off my nose,’ said Seb, leaning over and opening the front­ door for him. ‘I thought we could have a look at the yard on the way.’

  ‘What yard?’ asked Kenny, as he sat in the front passenger seat.

  Seb glanced over his shoulder at Hannah, who reddened and shrugged. ‘I didn’t expect you to work so fast.’

  Kenny glanced at his wife and said lightly, ‘Have you been keeping secrets from me?’

  Hannah replied with a calmness she was far from feeling, ‘You’d written the letter to your cousin and posted it, that’s why I didn’t say anything. Obviously you’d made up your mind to go to Scotland, so I thought it best not to mention Seb would most likely offer you a job when he starts his new business.’

  With a mixture of hope and embarrassment in his eyes, Kenny gazed at Seb’s profile as the motorcar started. Without taking his eyes off the road, Seb said, ‘I’m getting out of cotton and I’m going into the motor­car business. It’ll probably be slow getting off the ground but I’m going to need someone to look after the paperwork and I thought you might be interested… but if you‘re going to Scotland, I’ll have to find some­ one else.’

  ‘I’m not going to Scotland. I’d like the job,’ said Kenny calmly.

  Hannah gasped, staring at the smooth brown hair shaped like a V in the nape of her husband’s neck, and she poked him in the back. ‘But you gave Freddie the letter to post.’

  Kenny glanced over his shoulder. ‘I gave him a letter to post to my cousin and grandmother but I didn’t say anything about going up there to stay.’

  ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ she cried.

  ‘Perhaps we can talk about my reasons later. Right now I want to hear what Seb’s got to say about his new business.’

  So Seb sketched in the bones of his plans for the business and just what he expected from Kenny. ‘I thought you could look into different companies for me, write letters, as well as do the books. The automo­bile business is growing and I don’t see how we can lose. We’re in at the birth of a new industry so there’s few skilled men around who know all there is to know about the automobile combustion engine.’

  ‘What about Emma’s David?’ said Hannah. ‘He knows something about engines.’

  ‘The wrong kind of engines,’ said Seb. ‘I need a man who knows what he’s doing. I plan on running the showroom, buying and selling.’

  ‘Surely you’ll need more than one man,’ said Hannah, determined to try and do something for Emma. ‘Emma saved Alice from Bert and it looks like David could lose his job for going after him. He’s still sus­pended from work.’

  ‘OK!’ said Seb, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. ‘I’ll think about it.’

  ‘Good,’ said Hannah, leaning back against the leather squabs, know­ing she could now enjoy the ride.

  ‘I’m sure when you’re buying cars, Mr Ford and the makers of the Rover and the Riley could provide you with plans of the workings of the different motors.’ Kenny’s face was shining with enthusiasm.

  ‘The fact that you know those names shows that you’re already interested in the motorcar,’ said Seb.

  ‘I read the newspapers in the library and, as I said to Hanny earlier this week, I can dream.’

  ‘That’s it, Kenny. Don’t you give up on your dreams, mate,’ said Seb, his face alight. ‘I never believed I’d be in the position I’m in now.’

  ‘Where is this yard?’ asked Kenny.

  ‘It backs on to the canal and used to be a stables. The owner died recently and, having no son to take over the business, his widow sold the horses and put the lease for the buildings and the yard on the mar­ket. We’re almost there now.’

  A few minutes later he stopped the car in front of a pair of large double doors and climbed out. He took a bundle of keys from his pock­et, opened a Judas gate in one of the doors and indicated that Kenny should accompany him. The two men stood in the cobbled yard, enclosed on two sides by stabling, which Seb said could easily be con­verted into a workshop. On the third side was a house. ‘I thought you and Hanny might like to move in there,’ said Seb. ‘It would be good to have someone living on the premises as a sort of caretaker.’

  Kenny’s eyes were suspiciously bright as he stared at his brother-in­-law, and it was several moments before he had enough control over his voice to say, ‘I’ll work hard for you, Seb. I’m sure you know what this means to me. When I married Hanny and we took on Tilly, my aim was to look after them and see no harm came to them. When I broke this bloody foot I felt I’d let them both down.’ He swallowed and his voice was husky when he added, ’Not only because I wasn’t earning enough money to support the three of us in a modicum of comfort but I also kept asking myself if Bert were to turn up again, would I be able to pro­tect them?’

  ‘I can imagine how you feel,’ said Seb, feeling quite emotional him­self. ‘But you don’t have to worry about Bert now… and if you want to carry on having Tilly living with you and Hanny, Alice and I will under­stand. The other option is that we share her, so the four of us benefit from her company.’

  ‘That sounds a good idea to me,’ said Kenny, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

  ‘What made you change your mind about going to Scotland before you even knew about this place and the job?’

  Kenny smiled faintly and shoved his hands in his pockets. ‘I realised worry had stopped me from thinking straight. With Tilly living with you and me up in Scotland, I thought Hanny might go and live with her parents. I didn’t like that idea. Mrs Kirk doesn’t like me. I could imag­ine her going on and on at Hanny and saying that I was selfish and took after my dad. There was also the possibility of Hanny going back to work for Bannister’s Bakery and he’d tried it on with her in the past. I knew then I had to stay put, no running away. I ran once before when I should have stayed.’

  ‘And lastly?’ asked Seb softly.

  ‘Lastly?’ Kenny dropped his gaze. ‘Lastly I have to carry on loving her and trying to make her forget what Bert did to her. I’m so sick of the thought of him, I want to bury her memory of him forever. I can only do that by being with her.’

  Chapter Eighteen

  August, 1909

  Hannah stood in the kitchen, gazing through the window that over­looked a tiny garden and, beyond the wooden fence at the bottom, the canal. She found it hard to believe that she and Kenny were beginning a new life in this house. Her husband had explained why he had changed his mind about going to Scotland, and even though it was a fortnight ago, she still found herself struggling with emotions that threatened to choke her. She felt that she didn’t deserve to be loved in such a patient way. She guessed that most married women just put up with their husband’s sexual demands. If only she could talk to Alice about it but she knew that she was too ashamed to admit that she and Kenny hadn’t had a child because she wouldn’t allow it.

  ‘So which room will we start first?’ asked Emma, interrupting Hannah’s reverie. ‘This one or the master bedroom? You need both thoroughly cleaned before moving in. The mess they’re in I think the woman must have been a bit of a slattern.’

  ‘Perhaps she lost heart after her husband died,’ murmured Hannah. ‘It won’t take us long once we get going and Joy said she might join us later. Although, now Mother’s taking in lodgers, she expects Joy to do even more in the house. I really appreciate you giving up your after­noon off to help me, Emma.’

  ‘Mr Bennett is paying me… but I would have done it anyhow; espe­cially after him telling me that you’d suggested he offer David a job in his new business. Although, it’s not necessary now he’s been reinstat­ed because they decided he acted properly after all. We can’t have peo­ple performing violent acts on railway property.’ Emma smiled as she fastened a sack apron round her waist. ‘So where do I start? Black-lead­ing the range, sweeping the fl
oor, cleaning the sink or washing the shelves?’

  ‘Black-leading, I think. Might as well get that job done and then we’ll be able to light a fire and heat up some water. Kenny’s seen to sweeping the chimney, so we shouldn’t have any trouble with soot coming down and making a mess,’ she said happily.

  Emma took a tin of Zebo and strips of torn up old sheeting out of the shopping bag and got down on her knees in front of the range.

  ‘At least Kenny’ll have his own office here and won’t be under my feet when he’s doing Seb’s and Mr Bushell’s books,’ said Hannah, climbing on to a stool to remove curling lining paper from the shelves where she would place the crockery. ‘He was a great friend of Alice’s mother, you know, and knew Granny Popo when she was a girl.’

  ‘I heard her granddaughter was expecting and the soldier husband’s starting to look at Granny askance. He’s stationed at the castle.’

  ‘She told Mother that she thinks he wants her out.’

  ‘Wouldn’t it be nice if she and Mr Bushell could make a match of it? She’d have somewhere else to live and he’d have company.’ Emma chuckled. ‘They say there’s no love like first love but I bet last love is just as good if you’re lonely. At least Granny’s still got her marbles, not like old Mrs Waters. She doesn’t half stink… poor woman. We have to put nappies on her now.’ She applied more blackening.

  ‘Do you think she’ll live much longer?’ asked Hannah, lifting more paper from shelves.

  ‘Hard to say. She’s not eating enough to keep a sparrow alive but the doctor said she’s got a heart as strong as a horse. I can’t see her lasting into nineteen ten.’

  ‘Alice’s baby is due then,’ murmured Hannah. ‘Seems strange does­n’t it, when you think of Mr Water and his daughter dying so young and she’s still going.’

  ‘Mrs Black…’ began Emma, only to stop.

  ‘Mrs Black what?’ asked Hannah, glancing at her where she was applying blacking.

  Emma hesitated and decided not to say what she had almost blurt­ed out. Instead she changed tack. ‘Mrs Bennett never has a good word to say about her but Mrs Black was fond of you and Kenny. If she’d been here when you were going through your bad patch, she’d have found a way to help you.’

  Hannah’s heart seemed to jerk in her breast. ‘What bad patch?’ Surely it wasn’t that obvious that everything wasn’t as satisfactory as it should be between her and Kenny?

  ‘The trouble with his foot, of course, and his not being able to get full time work. It shows how good you’re feeling that you’ve forgotten it already.’

  Hannah felt the colour rush to her cheeks. How could she forget how bad things had been only a few weeks ago? Perhaps if Mrs Black had been here then she could have helped her to put her fears behind her. If she came home, Hannah determined she would go and see her.

  November 1909

  Eudora Black gazed up at her house and experienced a rush of happi­ness. She had seen some beautiful places on her travels but there was nowhere quite like home, and, now that the lodgers to whom she had rented her apartment had departed, she could move back and resume her work. It had been so hot out East and she was enjoying the feel of a cool wind on her face. Even though summer was over, everywhere looked so colourful compared to the arid landscape of the Holy Land, Egypt and the Far East. She was looking forward to sitting in front of a roaring fire and partaking of Emma’s baking.

  She had popped in to the Servants’ Registry Office just to see if Emma was on Mr Jones’ books but unfortunately she wasn’t. Even so she had her first client: Mrs Jones had made an appointment for heal­ing. She must get Emma back. In a few weeks’ time it would be Christmas and Emma made such delicious mince pies, as well as being helpful in so many other ways. But first she needed a bath and some­thing to eat before catching up on the gossip from her lodgers down­stairs; hopefully they would be able to tell her where Emma was because she had every intention of persuading her to come back and work for her.

  A few hours later, Eudora was being regaled with all the goings on in the neighbourhood. The music teachers were extremely informative about the exciting, and occasionally disturbing, events that had taken place during her absence. But Eudora was really longing to hear Emma’s version of events but knew that she would have to wait until the next day.

  The following morning Eudora set out to do some shopping. On her return, she walked slowly past Mrs Waters’ house, looking up at the windows, hoping to see Emma, but there was no sign of her. Eudora knew that it was most unlikely she would be made welcome if she called at the house, so decided that she needed an alternative strategy if she was going to make contact with her former housemaid.

  A couple of hours later Eudora was out on the pavement, snipping off sprigs of privet. Earlier she had spotted Emma through the upstairs window but there had not been enough time to get downstairs and out into the Crescent to catch her. Goodness knows what her part-time gar­dener would make of her doing his job, but she did not plan on doing much in the way of work.

  There she is! Eudora watched Emma approaching and knew the exact moment when the young woman recognised her. It did her heart good when Emma smiled and waved. ‘Good morning, Emma!’ she called.

  Emma hurried towards her. ‘You’re home!’

  ‘You’re smart.’

  Emma chuckled. ‘I know I was stating the obvious. Did you have a wonderful time? You look well.’

  ‘I’m very well.’ Eudora’s dark eyes gleamed and she dropped the cutters and clapped her hands together and held them against her breast. ‘The sights I’ve seen! I really should have taken you with me. You’d have had a wonderful time, too. But then you wouldn’t have been here witnessing all the happenings that my lodgers have been telling me about.’

  Emma’s expression sobered. ‘They probably don’t know the half of it. Victoria Waters wouldn’t have died if I’d have been there. It was him.’

  Eudora stared at her. ‘Him?’

  ‘Hannah’s brother, Bert,’ said Emma in a low voice. ‘But I’ve no concrete proof of it.’

  Eudora was enthralled. ‘Have you any time off today? We must dis­cuss this and I’m asking you right now to come back and work for me. I’ll give you an extra shilling on what I paid you before.’

  Emma hesitated. She did not want to let Seb and Alice down, espe­cially when the baby was due in February, and there was also that nig­gling worry that Mrs Black could have dosed Mr Waters with some­thing unpleasant. On the other hand, she was fed up to the back teeth with having to care for old Mrs Waters. Sometimes she felt no better than a skivvy. She could also do with the extra money if she was to save up and still give her mother something. Her brother Alf had told David that money was really tight at home and Dad was hardly ever there. ‘I’ll come back but I’ll have to stay until they find someone else,’ she said firmly.

  Eudora smiled. ‘Just as you say, Emma dear,’ she said mildly.

  * * *

  Alice stared at Emma as if she could not believe what she was hearing but when Seb spoke, it was obvious to both of them that he accepted what she had said and did not blame her for giving in her notice. ‘I appreciate your sticking it out so long, Emma. It really isn’t fair on you or Mary doing a job that really belongs to someone used to caring for the elderly.’

  ‘I suppose, as she’s your grandmother, I should look after Mrs Waters,’ said Alice with a sigh.

  Seb looked at her swollen figure and shook his head. ‘Don’t be daft, love. You can’t be lifting her.’

  ‘Perhaps you should put her in a nursing home like Mr Martin Waters suggested,’ said Emma.

  Immediately Alice’s face brightened. ‘I never knew he’d suggested that.’

  Seb frowned. ‘Mr Crane did mention it to me… but we’ve got to remember that if she wasn’t here, my uncle might insist on us moving out and selling the house. He lost out by that fire at Delemere and is short of money.’

  ‘But surely he wouldn’t be able to get his hands
on it until she’s dead, anyway,’ said Alice.

  Emma thought this was a discussion that could go on for some time and so intervened. ‘I’d like to leave as soon as possible. Mrs Black has a client coming and she needs me there, Mr Bennett.’

  Alice frowned. ‘I know she must be going to pay you more than we can but honestly, Emma, I hope you don’t rue the day you go back to work for her.’

  Emma tilted her chin. ‘I’m sure I shan’t and I bet if you advertised in the newspapers, you’d soon get someone to take my place. Although… have you thought of trying to find your mother, Mr Bennett?’ Alice and Seb stiffened but Emma forced herself to continue. ‘She was very fond of the old lady and might be prepared to nurse her if you asked her to come back.’ Neither spoke, so Emma changed the subject and said, ‘You’ll be wanting your supper. Will I go now? And will you let me know as soon as you get someone?’

  ‘Just work out your week’s notice, Emma. That’ll do,’ said Seb. Emma thanked him and left the room.