The Penmaker's Wife

by Steve Robinson

  One such time was when our friend Violet invited us all down to Brighton. She had taken a large suite at the Grand Hotel for the entire summer, with rooms to spare. The boys, now turned eleven, were home on their school holidays, and Stanley had apparently been overdoing things at the pen factory and was in need of respite. How could I not go with them? In truth, I wanted to see Violet again, so when the boys pleaded with Stanley to accept her invitation, the matter was decided, although it was soon plain to see that Angelica would rather not have gone.

  Brighton

  1886

  Angelica could not think of many worse places to be than in the lamentable company of the officious Violet Cosgrove. She could by now see the woman in no more favourable light. Their interactions since Georgina died had become more and more disagreeable, and never more so than since she had married Stanley. As close a friend of the family as Violet was, she hadn’t even attended their wedding, citing her ongoing health issues as the cause, but Angelica knew the real reason: Violet couldn’t bear to see Angelica in Georgina’s place, and her snub was her way of letting Angelica know it.

  They were partway through afternoon tea, all seated together in the suite parlour. It was a bright, spacious room between the various accommodations Violet had taken for herself and for her guests whenever she had company. It looked immediately out through a narrow iron balcony, over the promenade and below to the sea. Although warm and sunny outside, the parlour air was a little too cool for Angelica, on account of the sea breeze and the fact that Violet insisted on keeping all the windows open. It was, of course, for the benefit of her general health and well-being, so there was nothing to be done about it.

  ‘I hope you don’t mind taking tea up here,’ Violet said. She lifted a small dog from her lap and it immediately began to bark with excitement – a shrill yap that made Angelica wince. ‘The Captain can be somewhat expressive at times. Apparently some of the more sensitive hotel guests are upset by it, so we leave them to it.’ She brought the dog closer to her face and let it lick her lips. ‘Don’t we, Sammy?’ she added in a soft, playful tone that was unlike any Angelica had heard from her before.

  ‘The Captain?’ Alexander said, scrunching his brow. He was sitting beside Violet, his father to his right and then William, Angelica and Effie, all in a circle.

  Violet settled the dog back on her lap. ‘Yes, or Sammy,’ she said over the dog’s continued yapping. ‘He answers to both. I named him after Captain Samuel Brown. I thought it fitting, as I seem to be spending so much time here in Brighton. Captain Brown was the man who designed Brighton’s first pier.’

  ‘Can we go and see it?’ Alexander asked.

  ‘Of course,’ Stanley said. ‘We shall have lots to see before we leave.’

  ‘Can we go now?’ William said.

  ‘Tomorrow,’ Angelica cut in. ‘I’m sure we’re all tired after so much travelling.’

  ‘Yes, tomorrow,’ Stanley agreed. ‘That’s a promise. I see they have an aquarium, too. Would you like to see that?’

  Both boys began to nod with enthusiasm.

  ‘You really are the best of fathers,’ Violet said, ‘but then I always knew it. The way you were with young Alexander as he was growing up, when poor Georgina was still with us, was always a joy to see.’ She turned to Angelica. ‘You married very well, didn’t you, my dear?’

  The look Violet gave as she finished speaking, the raised eyebrows and the rearward tilt of her head as if looking down her nose at Angelica, was as much to say that while she had married well, Stanley had not. Were they alone, Angelica might have said something about the remark, but she bit her tongue, glancing instead at Effie, who came to her rescue.

  ‘What type of dog is The Captain?’ Effie asked, changing the subject.

  The interest put a smile on Violet’s face, prompting her to put her teacup down and lift the dog up again to another round of excited yapping. ‘He’s a Japanese spaniel,’ she said. ‘Did you know that they were first introduced to England when a pair was presented to the Queen in 1853?’

  ‘No, I didn’t,’ Effie said.

  Violet nodded and began to laugh to herself. ‘I thought if the breed was good enough for Queen Victoria then it was good enough for me.’ She set the dog down on the floor beside her chair and it immediately began to shiver. A moment later it had disappeared beneath the table. ‘How I would have liked to introduce him to Georgina,’ she added. ‘I’m sure she would have adored him just as much as I do.’

  Angelica found it difficult to understand how anyone could like such a thing, let alone adore it. She could feel it near her ankles. She gave a small kick, and although she never made contact with it, it began yapping again.

  ‘Do you like dogs, Angelica?’ Violet asked.

  Until meeting The Captain, Angelica had held no opinion either way. Now she could feel its tiny teeth on her shoe leather. ‘I prefer them when they do not try to bite my ankles,’ she said over the yapping, which had become constant, if thankfully muted beneath the tablecloth.

  ‘He’s overexcited from seeing all these new faces around him,’ Violet said. ‘That’s all it is. I expect he’ll grow tired soon.’ She turned sideways to Effie, and speaking in a low voice that Angelica was clearly meant to hear, added with a chuckle, ‘Between you and me, dear, I think The Captain is a good judge of character.’

  The afternoon wore on at a painfully slow pace for Angelica. The dog’s incessant yapping was giving her a headache, and the boys soon became restless, and no doubt as eager as she was to get up and go somewhere else – anywhere, in her case, that was not within earshot of Violet Cosgrove. She spoke of Georgina so much that it was as though she were there in the room with them. Angelica certainly felt her presence, but then how could she not when Violet so purposefully continued to remind them all that Angelica was sitting there in her place, with a ‘Georgina this’ and a ‘Georgina that’. It took a while, but it eventually prompted Stanley to say something.

  ‘Look, would you please stop talking about Georgina?’ he said, his voice slightly raised.

  ‘But of course,’ Violet said, as if she had only just realised that Stanley might be upset at constantly hearing his late wife’s name. ‘I’m so sorry. You’re still mourning, aren’t you? I can see it on your face.’

  Angelica could see it, too. Would he ever get over Georgina’s death? Stanley didn’t reply. Instead, he took a deep breath and buried his face in his teacup. A few long seconds passed in silence, then Violet brushed the matter off with a smile and turned her attention to the boys.

  ‘I hear your schooling is going very well, Alexander,’ she said. ‘I’m told you’re quite the sportsman, and top of your class in your academic studies.’

  ‘Not in all of my studies,’ Alexander said.

  ‘Well, I’m sure it’s just a matter of time. You’re your father’s son, after all.’ To William, she added, ‘You must be very glad of the opportunity to share such a fine education alongside Alexander, although I expect you’re having a hard time trying to keep up with him.’

  ‘I’m very glad,’ William said, smiling at Alexander, too young and innocent to see the remark for the slight it was.

  Angelica was about to speak out in William’s defence, but Alexander beat her to it. ‘William is very good at mathematics,’ he said. ‘He’s much better than I am.’

  ‘I like mathematics,’ William said.

  ‘Yes,’ Angelica said, indignantly, ‘and when it comes to numbers he’s at the top of his class.’

  ‘Is he indeed,’ Violet said, studying William with a look of surprise as she spoke, as though someone with his low-class background could never be top of anything.

  Angelica could feel her blood begin to boil. She could easily have turned the other cheek to all of Violet’s remarks towards her for the sake of their happy sojourn to the seaside, but she wasn’t going to sit there and let Violet shift her vitriol towards her son. Clearly, in Violet’s eyes, William would never be Alexander’
s equal, just as Angelica would never be equal to the company in which she now sat. No amount of learning, or her marriage to Stanley, could change that. For herself she didn’t much care, but in time it would be different for William. It had to be.

  She decided enough was enough for one day. ‘Would you boys like to see the hotel gardens?’ she said, standing up. ‘I hear they have some very interesting statuary.’

  Both boys immediately shot to their feet, and their sudden movement caused The Captain to start yapping again.

  ‘But we haven’t quite finished our tea,’ Violet protested, with enough innocence to suggest that she was at a loss to understand why Angelica wanted to leave.

  Angelica moved around the table, collecting William’s hand and then Alexander’s. She leant in close to Stanley’s ear. ‘Coming here was a mistake,’ she whispered, and then she and the boys left, but not before she heard Violet’s parting jibe.

  ‘You see, dear,’ she said to Effie. ‘No breeding, and evidently no manners either.’

  CHAPTER TEN

  The following afternoon, Angelica was out on the balcony, looking down at the people ambling along the promenade in their predominantly dark attire, despite the warm sunshine. From the suite’s enviable position on the Grand Hotel’s top floor, she was so high up that they put her in mind of a trail of ants. They had had an early lunch, which meant the afternoon still had plenty to offer, so she planned to take a stroll initially, then see where the remainder of the day led her. Stanley was in their room getting changed and the boys were running about the suite somewhere, playing hide and seek for all she knew, as tireless as eleven-year-old boys always seemed to be. She was about to go and round them up when Effie stepped out, wearing a light, white gown that was not dissimilar to her own.

  ‘It’s another lovely day,’ Effie said, throwing her head back with the summer breeze.

  ‘Yes, we’ve been very lucky,’ Angelica agreed, taking in the wider view of the shimmering sea that stretched away from the beach and the West Pier for as far as her eyes could see. ‘Need I ask how Violet is feeling?’

  Effie pulled a face. ‘Not good, I’m afraid. She’s tired and wants to lie down.’

  ‘You’ll still come for a walk with us, won’t you?’ Angelica asked. ‘I should enjoy your company.’

  ‘And I yours, if only it were just the two of us,’ Effie said. She looked back to be sure they were alone. ‘You know this is torture for me. I should have stayed at home.’

  ‘I wouldn’t have come here if you had.’

  Effie laughed to herself. ‘I don’t doubt it,’ she said. ‘I hadn’t realised quite how bad things had become between you and Violet. I’m sorry.’

  ‘Don’t you apologise, Effie. It’s not your fault she hates me.’

  ‘I’m sure she doesn’t hate you,’ Effie said. ‘She and Georgina were the very best of friends. She’s just having a difficult time accepting you, that’s all. But she will, eventually.’ She turned away, as if she were about to go back inside. ‘Anyway, I can’t come with you. I’ve already told Violet I’ll stay with her until she’s feeling better. There’s a shelf full of old books in my room. I’m sure I’ll find something to keep me amused.’

  They went back inside, just as Stanley came out from the walkway that led to their room. Angelica was surprised to see that he looked exactly the same as he had at lunch. She didn’t mind, but she imagined he’d soon be feeling too hot in his three-piece suit, and his shirt had such a tall, stiff collar.

  ‘Violet needs to lie down and Effie is going to keep her company,’ Angelica said as Stanley joined them. ‘So it’s just you, me and the boys for our stroll. I thought you were changing.’

  ‘I’ve changed something,’ Stanley said, smiling at Angelica as he raised his eyebrows. It was an odd yet endearing little smile that she usually only saw when it was time for bed and he was feeling amorous.

  Angelica looked him over again. ‘What have you changed? I can’t see anything different about you.’

  Still smiling, only more broadly now, Stanley said, ‘I’ve changed my mind.’ He leant close to Angelica and whispered in her ear. ‘I could use a lie-down myself, if you know what I mean.’

  Angelica had to smile. ‘Whatever’s got into you,’ she said, suddenly feeling awkward in front of Effie, who could hardly have mistaken Stanley’s meaning, whether she had heard him or not.

  ‘It must be all this sea air,’ he said as the two boys ran into the room, closely followed by The Captain, who was soon jumping up at them and yapping at their heels.

  Much to Angelica’s irritation, his bark quickly drew Violet from her room. ‘Where is he?’ she called as she entered the parlour. She sounded bright as a button, all trace of her former tiredness having evaporated at the sight of her dog. ‘Where’s my little Sammy?’ she continued as she approached. She clapped her hands together and stooped to catch him as he ran at her and leapt into her arms. ‘There he is,’ she added, rubbing noses with the animal and pulling a cutesy face that Angelica found quite grotesque.

  ‘Can we go outside now?’ William said. ‘I want to find some more washed-up glass for my collection.’

  ‘Ah,’ Stanley said, glancing at Angelica. ‘Slight change of plans. I thought we could all follow Violet’s lead and have a short rest before we go out. What do you say?’

  ‘I say that’s boring,’ Alexander said with a frown.

  William nodded. ‘Can’t we go out by ourselves?’ he said. ‘We must be old enough.’

  ‘We could take The Captain for a walk,’ Alexander said, looking at Violet for her answer even before they had been given permission to go.

  ‘Yes, could we, please?’ William added.

  Violet looked very uncomfortable with the idea, but before she could answer, Angelica said, ‘I’d much prefer it if you waited. You’re not yet familiar with the area, and the sea can be very dangerous.’

  The change in Violet’s expression was sudden. Now she appeared to be all for it. ‘I suppose The Captain will soon need his toilet,’ she said as she began to smile at the boys. ‘I’m far too weary to take him out myself at the moment.’

  Both boys were soon smiling back at her.

  ‘We’ll keep to the boulevard,’ William said to his mother, his eyes pleading for her agreement. ‘I can collect glass from the beach later.’

  ‘And we promise not to go far,’ Alexander added.

  Angelica turned to Stanley, but she already knew his answer.

  ‘You can’t always be with them,’ he said. ‘And they seem to manage perfectly well while they’re away at school.’

  ‘School is different,’ Angelica said. ‘There they have others to look after them.’

  ‘That may be so, but they can’t be little boys forever.’ Stanley laughed. ‘If little boys didn’t someday grow up, who then would captain our industry and dictate the course of our evolution?’

  Angelica knew he was right. She had to stop fussing over William and let him grow into the man he was bound to become, but she wasn’t ready. A part of her would never be ready.

  ‘I’ll fetch his lead,’ Violet said, giving Angelica a sideways smile as she spoke, evidently taking pleasure in her discomfort. It was as if she now wanted the boys to go out only because she knew Angelica did not.

  ‘Very well,’ Angelica said. ‘But you’re to stay on the boulevard and keep the hotel in sight.’

  ‘We promise,’ both boys said at once.

  ‘And Alexander,’ Violet said, making a point of addressing him specifically. ‘You must keep a tight hold of Sammy’s lead at all times. Just you. At all times,’ she reiterated, making it clear that she would only trust the dog’s care to him and not to William.

  Angelica swallowed her anger, even though it pained her deeply to see the look of disappointment that washed over William’s face as he came to understand Violet’s meaning.

  An hour and a half later, Angelica and Stanley were sitting in the lavishly furnished hotel lobby, wa
iting for the boys to return. Stanley was in high spirits, his smiling cheeks still flushed from his earlier exertions in the bedroom, although their romantic interlude was long past in Angelica’s mind. She was staring at the main entrance, squinting against the bright sunlight, worried about where the boys had got to.

  ‘I didn’t expect them to be more than half an hour,’ she said, fussing without awareness at the lace trim on her dress. ‘How long does it take to walk a dog anyway? It’s only a small thing.’

  Stanley stopped whistling to himself. ‘You really do fuss over them far too much,’ he said. ‘I’m sure they’ll be along shortly with a perfectly good explanation.’

  Another ten minutes passed before they came running in, and Angelica was delighted to see that it was William, not Alexander, who held the dog’s lead. She shot to her feet and went to meet them, kissing them both on the forehead as the dog began to yap and dance around her ankles.

  ‘William, please take that thing away from me,’ she said, and William pulled the dog away towards Stanley, who was sauntering over to them in no particular hurry. To Alexander she said, ‘I distinctly heard Mrs Cosgrove tell you that you alone were to hold The Captain’s lead.’

  ‘It didn’t seem fair, so we shared,’ Alexander said. ‘I’m sorry.’

  ‘Please don’t apologise to me,’ Angelica said. ‘It’s as it should be.’ She stroked the back of Alexander’s hair. ‘It was very kind of you to think of William like that.’

  ‘He would have done the same for me.’

  Stanley arrived beside them, bringing William and The Captain back with him. ‘So where have you boys been?’ he asked. ‘I’m sure Mother is keen to know.’

  ‘There was a Punch and Judy show on the promenade,’ William said.

  ‘Yes, and we lost track of time,’ Alexander added. ‘Shall we take Captain Sammy back up to Mrs Cosgrove?’

  ‘Had you returned twenty minutes ago,’ Angelica said, ‘then my answer would have been yes. As it now stands, she and Effie have already gone out for a stroll, no doubt to look for the pair of you.’