Cinderella Sister

by Dilly Court

  ‘Wait for me,’ Prissy cried, scurrying after them. ‘I got to open the front door. It’s the law here in London.’

  The room seemed suddenly quiet and Lily felt as if her last tie with home had been cruelly severed.

  Gabriel put his arm around her shoulders. ‘I don’t think she understands at all.’

  ‘No, how could she?’ Lily said with a reluctant smile. ‘No one has ever refused Molly anything, but she can’t help the way she is; none of us can.’

  ‘Wise words indeed.’ Gabriel released her as Prissy returned carrying a velvet mantle and a matching bonnet in a fetching shade of blue. ‘Good girl, Prissy,’ he said approvingly. ‘And I think Miss Lily will need some gloves or a fur muff. Perhaps you could find something suitable.’

  ‘Certainly, Mr Gabriel.’ Prissy grinned and winked at Lily. ‘He’s a good ’un, miss. He’ll look after you all right.’

  She was gone again before Lily had gathered her wits enough to demand an explanation. Gabriel held out the mantle with an encouraging smile. ‘Let’s see if this fits, Miss Larkin. You and I have an important appointment this morning.’

  Obediently, Lily slipped her arms into the luxurious garment. It was soft to the touch, light and yet deliciously warm. She could not resist stroking the velvet as if it were a living thing. ‘It’s beautiful,’ she breathed. ‘But it must belong to Ma. Won’t she mind?’

  ‘Of course not, little sister. Cara has more clothes than most ladies own in a lifetime. Fashion is her weakness – well, if I tell the truth just one of many – but meanness is not her besetting sin. Even if this were her one and only garment she would not begrudge her daughter wearing it on a cold and frosty day like today.’ He perched the bonnet on Lily’s loose hair. ‘Don’t ever put your hair up, my dear. You should always wear it framing your face, which is a perfect oval. Has no one ever told you that you are beautiful, Miss Lily Larkin?’

  ‘No, I’m the plain one in the family,’ Lily said earnestly. ‘Nell is the beauty and Molly is the pretty one.’

  ‘They both have their merits, but I see you with the eyes of an artist.’

  The warm look in his eyes sent a shiver down Lily’s spine and she felt the blood rush to her cheeks. Taking the ribbons from him, she turned away to fasten them in a bow beneath her chin, checking her appearance in one of the many gilt-framed mirrors that adorned the walls. ‘Where are we going, Gabriel? Are you taking me home?’

  ‘This is your home for now, Lily. I’m taking you to my lodgings and I am going to give you your very first lesson in art.’

  She spun round to face him, hardly able to believe her ears. ‘You’re going to teach me to draw and paint?’

  ‘Exactly so. We have the ideal opportunity, and I’m not going to let you miss it.’

  ‘But Ma will wonder where I’ve gone.’

  ‘We’ll leave a message with Prissy. You must stop worrying, Lily. I’m looking after you now.’ He ushered her out of the parlour as Prissy came running downstairs carrying a large fur muff.

  ‘Is this what you wanted, Mr Gabriel?’

  ‘Thank you, Prissy.’ He took it from her with an appreciative smile. ‘We must look after those little hands, Lily. They will make your fortune one day, of that I have no doubt at all.’

  Mrs Lovelace showed her disapproval of a young woman being entertained in a gentleman’s room with a sniff and a twitch of her thin shoulders.

  ‘It is an art lesson, Mrs Lovelace dear,’ Gabriel said, flashing a smile in her direction. ‘Miss Larkin is my pupil.’

  ‘I’ve heard it called a lot of things,’ Mrs Lovelace said stonily, ‘but art lessons are a new one on me.’

  ‘No, really,’ Lily protested. ‘Gabriel is my stepbrother, missis. It’s all perfectly above board. He is going to teach me.’

  ‘I don’t doubt it, but leave the door open. I don’t allow usually allow young ladies in my gents’ rooms, but if you’re related by marriage then I suppose it’s quite respectable.’

  Truthful to the last, Lily opened her mouth to put her right on that point but Gabriel seemed to know what she was going to say and he took her by the arm, propelling her gently towards the staircase. ‘The door will be left ajar, Mrs Lovelace. You may enter at any time you please.’

  ‘I’ll be checking on you,’ Mrs Lovelace called after them as they ascended the steep stairs. ‘Don’t think I won’t.’

  Gabriel led the way to his room on the third floor, situated at the back of the house. A single iron bedstead was pushed against the wall on one side of the room and the covers were in considerable disarray, as if he had only just got out of bed. He moved swiftly to pull the coverlet over the tumbled bedding. ‘I’m not a particularly tidy man,’ he said apologetically.

  Lily glanced round at the clothes scattered haphazardly on a wingback chair by the fireplace and odd shoes lurking beneath a table where the remnants of last night’s meal were congealing on a dinner plate. ‘I can see that,’ she said. ‘I’ve three brothers so it’s nothing new to me, but doesn’t your landlady clean the room?’

  Gabriel moved to the table and began piling empty cups and plates, a wine glass and bottle on a tray. ‘Mrs Lovelace doesn’t soil her hands with cleaning. She has a maid for that and my room is done twice weekly. For the rest of the time I manage on my own.’ He lifted the tray and set it down outside the door. ‘Now then, take a seat by the window in front of my easel. I want you to sketch the view of the rooftops and chimneypots. How do you feel about that, Lily?’

  Her fingers trembled as she took off her bonnet and mantle. ‘Nervous, Gabriel. I’ve only ever drawn and painted for my own pleasure.’

  ‘Then let’s see what you can do.’ He flicked through a pile of canvases, some already painted and others white as the virgin snow on the rooftops. He placed a small one on the easel and handed Lily a piece of charcoal. ‘Take your time, little sister. We have all day.’

  Lily studied the scene through the window and began to sketch, quickly and with growing confidence, while Gabriel raked the dying embers of the fire into life, adding several lumps of coal and working a pair of bellows until a blaze roared up the chimney. Absorbed in her task, she did not realise he was standing behind her until he leaned over her shoulder. She looked up with a start. ‘What’s wrong? Have I made a mistake?’

  ‘Not exactly, but your perspective is a little off.’ He took the charcoal from her and with a couple of deft strokes transformed the scene.

  ‘That’s amazing,’ Lily breathed. ‘Such a small thing and yet it looks as though I could walk into the picture and disappear into its depths.’

  ‘You would need wings on your feet, considering we are three storeys from street level, but you can see what I’m getting at, I think.’

  She glanced up into his smiling face and a warm feeling washed over her. ‘Thank you, Gabriel.’

  ‘For what? We’ve only just begun.’

  ‘For caring enough to teach me things I could never learn on my own.’

  He moved away, taking a seat in the chair by the fire and putting his feet up on the fender. ‘Let’s just say it amuses me, and I hate to see talent going to waste.’

  Lily was not fooled for a moment. She had known him for a short time only but she sensed that beneath the casual, carefree face he showed to the world Gabriel Faulkner was passionate about his art. ‘I’d like to see some of your work,’ she said shyly. ‘If you’d let me.’

  ‘Of course, but my ability pales in comparison to that of my father. He is the famous artist and I doubt if I’ll ever be fit for anything other than to pass on my scant knowledge to students.’

  Lily leaned forward to soften a shadow with the tip of her finger. ‘Is that how you support yourself? If so, then you should charge me for my lessons.’

  ‘Absolutely not, Lily. I wouldn’t hear of it.’

  ‘But you have to pay rent and feed yourself. How do you manage?’

  ‘My mother left me some money. It allows me to live modestly and I
keep telling myself that one day I will paint a masterpiece and make my fortune. Although I know it is unlikely to prove true.’

  Lily replaced the charcoal neatly in its box. ‘There, what do you think?’ She held the canvas up for him to see. ‘Have I passed my first test?’

  ‘My dear, you’ve only just begun, but it’s a good start. Tomorrow you will do some more sketches, and you will do them again and again until you can get the perspective absolutely right at the first attempt.’

  ‘But may I not paint this picture now?’

  ‘All in good time.’ He rose to his feet. ‘I think we will go out for a light luncheon and then call in at the National Gallery. I assume you’ve been there, Lily?’

  She shook her head.

  ‘That is easily remedied. We’ll eat first and then we’ll spend a most pleasant afternoon studying the old masters.’

  They lunched at Verrey’s in Regent Street, although Lily was overawed and frankly terrified by the starchy waiters in their black tailcoats and shiny shoes. She allowed Gabriel to order their food but she was uncertain which items of cutlery to use and had to watch him closely, following his every move, which seemed to amuse him greatly, although he refrained from making any comment on her ignorance of etiquette. Casting covert glances at the other diners, Lily was thankful that Ma had been a stickler for table manners, as had Aggie, who had begun her working life in service with a wealthy family up West. When they were smaller, Aggie had been deft with the use of a wooden spoon when it came to handing out punishment for eating with one’s mouth open, speaking when it was filled with food, or resting one’s elbows on the table.

  Lily managed to eat her meal, although she was so nervous that she barely tasted the delicious turbot in dill sauce or the jugged hare, but the sparkling champagne jelly slipped sweetly down her throat and she managed to toy with a little blancmange studded with crystallised violets and rose petals. She sipped a glass of white wine but she would have much preferred a cup of tea, although she did not dare say so in case she offended the august waiter, who looked so important she thought that she ought to be the one waiting on him. Gabriel tried to amuse her with witty anecdotes, but she mostly missed the point as she concentrated on minding her manners. She was relieved when he finally called for the bill, paid it with a flourish and, having left a generous tip, escorted her out into the street. The pavements had been swept clear of snow in the West End and Lily was both fascinated and impressed by the well-dressed people who passed them by. Elegant private carriages vied for road space with commercial vehicles and cabs, and crossing sweepers appeared as if from nowhere to clear the road of dung and detritus so that they might get to the other side without soiling their shoes.

  They walked the short distance to Trafalgar Square with Lily clutching Gabriel’s arm and exclaiming in delight at everything she saw. He chuckled at her enthusiasm for the fountains and the recently placed lions designed by Sir Edwin Landseer that stood guard over Nelson’s Column. Gabriel seemed to be enjoying himself as much as she was. When they entered the grand portals of the National Gallery Lily was immediately lost in the wonder of great art. An hour passed and then two and all too soon it was time to leave. She was in a daze as they stepped outside into the cold and darkness. She felt drunk with beauty and humbled by the great works she had just seen. Her own talent seemed minimal by comparison. Gabriel summoned a hansom and gave the driver instructions to go directly to Keppel Street. Lily sat back against the squabs, too overcome by her new experiences to speak, and he seemed to understand, making no demands on her and allowing her to dream.

  There were lights in all the windows of the house as the cab drew up outside the house in Keppel Street. Gabriel helped her down onto the pavement and while he settled with the cabby Lily stood transfixed, her mind far away in lands created by artists long dead. Her imagination took her far away from the city with its cold smoky air and the underlying odour of putrid drains. Dimly she felt a hand on her arm and she turned, expecting to see Gabriel, but she did not instantly recognise the dark figure with a hat pulled down over his eyes. She opened her mouth to cry out in alarm but he laid a finger on her lips. ‘Shh – it’s me.’

  Chapter Fifteen

  ‘Luke.’ Lily breathed a sigh of relief as he took off his hat and she saw her brother’s much-loved face. ‘You gave me a terrible fright.’

  He grinned sheepishly. The light of the street lamp glinted on his hair turning it into molten copper. ‘Sorry, Lil. I’ve been waiting for ages and I’m frozen stiff.’

  She rapped on the doorknocker. ‘You’d best come inside and get warm.’

  ‘No, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’ll be in enough trouble if Matt finds out I’ve come to see you.’

  ‘What’s this?’ Gabriel joined them as the cab pulled away from the kerb and drove off at a smart pace. ‘Luke? What brings you here?’

  ‘I was just asking the same,’ Lily said, giving the knocker another smart tap. ‘He’s been standing in the snow for hours and he’s chilled to the bone.’

  The door opened and Prissy’s face broke into a wide welcoming smile. ‘You’re home, miss. I was wondering where you’d got to.’

  ‘I’d best go,’ Luke said, backing into the shadows. He thrust a box into Lily’s hands. ‘Here, take this. It belongs to you and I thought you might want it above anything else.’

  Lily took the paintbox with trembling hands. ‘Oh, Luke. I thought I’d never see it again. You’re the best brother anyone ever had.’

  ‘Come inside, old chap,’ Gabriel said, patting him on the shoulder. ‘There’s no sense standing out here on the pavement.’

  ‘Yes, please come in even if it’s just for a few minutes,’ Lily pleaded.

  Prissy settled matters by stepping outside and taking Luke by the hand. ‘C’mon, mister. Come indoors before we all catches our deaths of cold.’ She dragged him over the threshold with surprising strength for one so small. ‘I’m used to dealing with stubborn creatures,’ she said, snatching Luke’s hat from his hands and tossing it onto the hallstand with a deadly aim. ‘I weren’t raised on a farm for nothing.’

  Lily followed them in, giggling at the sight of her big brother being manhandled by a tiny girl. He stood there looking bemused and blinking as his eyes became accustomed to the gaslight.

  Gabriel closed the front door, shrugging off his greatcoat and hanging up his hat. ‘Well done, Prissy. I’m proud of you.’

  Prissy blushed and shuffled her feet. ‘It weren’t nothing, Mr Gabriel. Shall I fetch you some beer or brandy? There’s a fire in the morning parlour. The missis told me to keep it going for Miss Lily when she got home.’

  ‘Where is she, Prissy?’ Lily asked, keeping a wary eye on Luke in case he decided to make a bolt for it. He was looking distinctly uncomfortable and she could only guess that he was thinking of what Matt would say if he found out that his younger brother had disobeyed his orders.

  ‘They’ve gone to the opera, but the missis said I was to lay up in the dining room for you and Mr Gabriel when you come home. Cook’s done lamb collops and braised partridges because she knows that they’re Mr Gabriel’s favourites, and there’s apple pie and some of the jelly left over from last night’s dinner. Oh, yes, now I come to think of it there’s that smelly old cheese that the master likes so much, although it ain’t half as nice as the cream cheese Ma used to make when the milk went sour.’

  ‘Yes, thank you, Prissy,’ Gabriel said, taking her by the shoulders and propelling her towards the back stairs. ‘Go and tell Cook that we’ll eat in half an hour, and Mr Larkin will be joining us for dinner.’

  ‘Oh no,’ Luke said hastily. ‘I dunno about that, Gabriel.’

  Lily gave him a stern look. ‘I won’t hear of you going home without eating something. I expect you walked all the way here and intend to do the same on the return journey, so you must have some food inside you.’ She began undoing the buttons on his pea jacket, which looked even shabbier compared to the elegant tw
eed overcoat with a fur collar that Gabriel had worn.

  ‘All right, you win.’ Luke took off his jacket and gave it to her. ‘I suppose I might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb.’

  ‘You might indeed.’ Gabriel led the way to the morning parlour. ‘At least you can tell that brother of yours that you didn’t consort with the enemy, and by that I mean my father.’ He threw the door open and ushered Luke and Lily into the room where, as Prissy had said, the fire burned brightly and the gasolier had been lit creating a warm glow.

  Lily pressed her brother into the chair by the fire. ‘I expect your feet are wet. Why don’t you take your boots off? No one will mind.’

  He shook his head. ‘I got me work boots on, Lily. They’re pretty stout and kept me feet dry. I’m just cold.’

  Gabriel moved swiftly to a side table laden with cut crystal decanters and he poured some amber liquid into a brandy glass. ‘Here you are, old chap,’ he said, passing it to Luke. ‘Drink this, and then you can tell Lily how things are at home. I know she’s been pining secretly even though she’s not said a word to me.’

  ‘I miss you all,’ Lily murmured, unable to prevent her voice from breaking with emotion. ‘Molly was here this morning, but she didn’t tell me much.’

  Luke sipped the brandy and almost immediately the colour flared in his pale cheeks. ‘This is good. Only the best for Ma, eh?’

  Lily glanced anxiously at Gabriel and he gave her a reassuring smile. ‘It’s good to see you, Luke,’ he said, steering the conversation to safer ground. ‘I suppose Molly told you where to find us?’

  ‘Yes. She was as mad as fire when she came home. She couldn’t get over the fact that Lily was living in luxury while she had to sleep in the same room as Nell and Aggie. Armand didn’t say much, but I get the impression he felt that he was in some way to blame for everything.’

  ‘He’s a decent fellow,’ Gabriel said, adding with a wry smile, ‘for a Frenchman.’ He poured a small tot of brandy for Lily and pressed the glass into her hand. ‘You’re pale as the proverbial lily, my pet. Sip this slowly.’