Daughters of Courage

by Margaret Dickinson

  ‘Owt, missus. I’d do owt to be working again.’ Now his tone was fervent and Emily realized that here was a proud, working man who had taken a series of hard knocks and disappointments recently.

  ‘If we hear of anything, we’ll be sure to tell Jane. That’s if . . .’ She paused. It still hadn’t finally been decided whether or not the girl was going to be allowed home.

  Percy and Gladys exchanged a glance and when he gave a brief nod, the woman turned to her daughter and said, ‘You can come back, lass, but no more shenanigans, else out you go. You hear me.’

  ‘Yes, Mam,’ Jane said meekly and then fell, weeping, into her mother’s arms.

  Emily patted her shoulder as she turned to leave. ‘If you want any help with fetching your things from where you were living, Jane, let me know. I don’t want you to face trouble.’

  ‘I’ll go with her,’ Percy said. ‘If she’s given her word that there’ll be no more of – of that, then we’ll say no more about it. We’re a good family, missus, and we’ll stand by her now. All of us, though I may have a bit of bother with her two brothers.’

  As he showed Emily to the door, he held out his hand. ‘I don’t know how to thank you, missus.’ He lowered his voice. ‘Only thing now is, is she – you know – all right?’

  Emily lowered her voice. ‘I took her to my doctor this morning. Everything’s fine.’

  A look of relief and gratitude flooded the big man’s face and he clasped Emily’s hand in his huge paw as he added huskily, ‘Thank you, missus. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to repay you.’

  ‘No repayment necessary. Just forgive her, Mr Arnold, that’s all I ask.’

  When Jane presented herself at the newly formed training workshop in Trippets’ factory the following morning, there was a bit of whispering and nudging amongst the other five girls, but Nell, who knew all about Jane, soon took charge.

  ‘You six are all here because the missus knows you’ve all been through a tough time one way or another, but she believes you will be good workers.’ Her steely glance raked them all in turn. ‘Don’t let her – or me – down, because there’re plenty of lasses out there –’ she waved her arm as if to encompass the whole city – ‘would give their eye-teeth for a place here and a chance to learn a skill, so think on. Don’t be late in a mornin’, work hard and we promise you that you’ll be the best little buffer girls in the city. Orreight?’

  ‘Yes, missus.’

  ‘I’m not the missus here in this workshop; Mrs Trippet is. You just call me “Nell”. Now, let’s get you started.’

  Seeing that Nell had everything under control, Emily called in at her other workshops. Lizzie was now in charge in Rockingham Street over the other two women, while the Broad Lane premises remained untouched by the changes. Ruth still worked between the two, collecting and delivering around the city.

  ‘So, how’s it working out?’ Trip asked Emily that evening.

  ‘Early days yet,’ Emily said cautiously, ‘but I think they’ll be all right.’

  ‘And Jane’s parents have taken her back?’

  ‘Yes. It was touch and go at first. I really thought her father was going to refuse. But he deferred to his wife and she, of course, welcomed her back with open arms.’

  ‘Why “of course”?’

  ‘She’s her mother, isn’t she?’ was all Emily needed to say.

  Thirty-Five

  ‘I really should go and see Mr Hawke. Mrs Dugdale told me she’d seen him recently and he’s not looking too well. And it’s ages since I saw him,’ Emily told Trip.

  ‘Why don’t you take Lewis to see him one afternoon? I’m sure he’d love to see the little chap.’

  So, on the next Saturday afternoon, Emily took the lively four-year-old in his red pushchair along the streets to the small terraced house where Nathan Hawke lived. He was a long time answering her knock and Emily was startled by the change in him. His shoulders were rounded in a stoop and he shuffled his feet. He had lost weight and his clothes hung loosely on him, but his smile was as welcoming as ever.

  ‘My dear young lady, how lovely to see you and you’ve brought young Master Trippet to see me too. Come in, come in. Now, let’s see what I can find for you to play with, young man. My, how he’s grown. Is he ready to start school yet, Emily?’

  ‘Well ready,’ Emily said, with feeling. ‘Poor Mrs Dugdale has quite a task to keep him occupied all day long. He’s as bright as a button and active with it.’

  He led the way to the kitchen and whilst the surfaces were a little cluttered, Emily was relieved to see that everywhere was clean and there was evidence of meals having been cooked recently.

  ‘How are you, Mr Hawke?’

  ‘Quite well, thank you,’ he said, as he bent to place a box of assorted buttons on the hearth. At once, Lewis tipped them out onto the rug and began to sort them into neat piles. ‘And you?’ Nathan went on. ‘Tell me all about yourself and your family. How’s business? I expect things are difficult.’

  Emily wasn’t sure that his answer about his own health had been entirely truthful, but he seemed cheerful enough and his interest was as keen as ever. Whilst Lewis played happily, Emily told him about her latest venture.

  ‘The buffing business is holding its own – just, though Trip has had to lay off some of his workers or turn part of the factory into individual workshops for rental.’

  Nathan nodded. ‘That’s always been done.’ He smiled. ‘Long live the little mesters, eh?’ Having been one himself for all of his working life, Nathan had an empathy with the self-employed craftsmen.

  ‘And Nell’s to have another child, you say?’

  ‘Yes, it’s due some time in February.’

  ‘And you?’ he asked gently.

  Emily couldn’t stop the smile fading from her face. ‘We’d like another one, but it doesn’t seem to be happening.’

  ‘Maybe you’re working too hard.’ He laughed wryly. ‘But I don’t suppose it’s any good me asking you to slow down, is it?’

  ‘Not a scrap.’

  When he’d waved his visitors goodbye and closed the door behind them, Nathan returned to his chair beside the range. He sank into it with a sigh and sat for a long time deep in thought. Emily’s visit had reminded him what an enterprising, yet kindly, young woman she was. She was tough and determined and yet that strength was tempered by an innate kindness for others. He’d always known she would be successful and go far and she was certainly on her way. And perhaps, now, there was something he could do to help.

  When he’d been diagnosed with the malignant growth that was likely to take his life within months, he had not known how to dispose of his assets and time was running out for him to make a will. He was a widower with no children, indeed no close relatives at all, but today had given him an idea. He’d always thought that Emily was just the sort of daughter he would have liked to have had, had he been so blessed and now, hearing of her altruistic ventures, he knew what he could do. He would make an appointment to see his solicitor that very day.

  ‘What is it, Nell? What’s the matter?’

  Nell had stepped back from the machine where she was showing one of the trainees how to do the roughing and was clutching at her stomach and bending over.

  ‘Pains, Emily. I reckon I’m starting.’

  ‘Oh, my goodness. Here, sit down.’ Emily grabbed a nearby chair and pushed it behind Nell. ‘Jane, send for an ambulance . . .’

  ‘No, no need for that. Just get Steve, if you can.’

  ‘Yes, fetch Steve. You know where his workshop is, don’t you?’

  Jane ran and within minutes Steve was hurrying into the workshop.

  ‘Take my car – it’s in the yard,’ Emily said. ‘Get her to the hospital.’

  Steve grinned. ‘Aye, we don’t want another back-of-the car job.’

  Nell was gripping Emily’s hand. ‘Come with me, Emily. I’m not good at this sort of thing.’

  Despite the urgency of the situation, Emily smil
ed. To hear strong, feisty Nell admitting to a weakness surprised her. ‘Of course I’ll come. You’ll be fine. Now, can you stand up?’

  With Steve and Emily on either side of her, Nell struggled to her feet and the three of them lurched out of the building to Emily’s car. As Steve drove through the streets, Emily said, ‘It’s a lot quieter than last time, Steve.’

  ‘Thank goodness. I still don’t know how you coped with all that, Em.’

  She laughed. ‘It was a case of having to. Lewis wasn’t going to wait.’

  Nell let out a deep groan. ‘I don’t reckon this one is either. How much further – ow!’

  ‘We’re here,’ Steve said, as he drove up to the door of the hospital and jerked to a halt. He switched off the engine and leapt out of the car. ‘I’ll find a nurse. Hang on, Nell luv.’

  Two nurses and a porter hurried out and whisked Nell away, leaving Steve and Emily to catch their breath.

  ‘My, that was a close shave,’ he murmured, running his hand through his hair. ‘Now, the awful waiting begins.’

  But the wait wasn’t very long. Within twenty minutes a nurse came to tell Steve that he had a healthy baby boy. ‘You can see them for a few minutes. I’ll come back and fetch you when we’re ready. Just the husband, mind,’ she added, casting an apologetic glance at Emily. ‘You can come back in visiting hours.’

  Emily hugged the bemused new father as he murmured, ‘A boy, oh Em, it’s a boy. Now, I really must mend my ways.’

  ‘You already have, Steve. We’re all so proud of you.’

  ‘Perhaps Nell will marry me now. What d’you think, Em?’

  ‘I’m sure she will. If you ask her.’

  ‘I will. I’ll do it today. Now. When I see my son, I’ll ask her.’

  Emily waited patiently for him to return and when he did he was grinning. ‘He’s a grand little chap, Em. And big. I don’t know how she did it.’

  ‘And did she say “yes”?’

  ‘Eh?’ For a moment, Steve looked blank and then his grin widened even more.

  ‘She did, but she told me to tell you we don’t want no fancy wedding. She knows what you’re like. We’ll just slip away and do it quietly when she’s well enough.’

  Emily was disappointed at not being able to organize another village wedding at Ashford but she understood when Steve added softly, ‘In the circumstances, Em, it’d be for the best. We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves. ’Specially me, and with two illegitimate children, Nell doesn’t either.’

  ‘Ah, now in a way that’s where you’re wrong, because if I’m not mistaken,’ Emily said, tucking her arm through his as they walked out of the hospital, ‘when the parents marry, it legitimizes their children.’

  ‘Does it really? I’d not heard that.’

  ‘There was an Act passed four or five years ago and I read up about it because of Harry.’

  ‘I hope you’re right. That’ll please Nell no end. But she still won’t want a big wedding, Em. You do understand, don’t you?’

  Emily sighed. ‘I suppose so.’

  Only a month later, there were just a few guests at the marriage of Nell and Steve, held in a small church near to their home; Dora Geddis, Nell’s mother, who gave her away, Trip, who acted as Steve’s Best Man and Lucy, who was bridesmaid. Emily held the baby boy, now named Simon, in her arms. He slept through the ceremony, unaware of the proceedings. ‘But I want him there,’ Nell had insisted. ‘I want to be able to tell him when he’s older that he was there.’

  The only other two present were Lizzie and her mother, Bess. Lewis spent the day with Constance and George.

  ‘I know you didn’t want a fuss, Nell,’ Emily said after the ceremony, ‘but I’ve laid on a wedding breakfast in the pub at the top of our road. It’s in the back room, and Tom has said we can go in the back way, if you don’t want to be seen going through the bar.’

  Nell was smiling. ‘It’s all right, Emily. I don’t mind that. I just didn’t want a huge white wedding like you gave Lizzie. That’s all. The pub’ll suit us fine.’

  Emily breathed a sigh of relief. She’d been worried that Nell, who could be very prickly if something didn’t suit her, would have refused to come. But it was a happy little party that set off for the pub and Nell and Steve walked proudly through the bar, to be cheered by the lunchtime regulars there.

  It was a happy ending to what had been a long and difficult time for Nell, and Emily wished with all her heart that her friend would now have the happiness she deserved.

  As they walked the short distance to their home afterwards, Emily said, ‘It gives you a good feeling, doesn’t it, Trip, to see something turn out right for once? I hope this is a sign of better things to come.’

  ‘On a personal level, Emily, I hope so too, but things are getting even more serious on the economic front since the Wall Street crash.’

  Emily hugged his arm to her side. ‘Let’s not worry about that just now. We’ve had a lovely day.’

  But when they arrived at their front door, Constance opened it. Her face was solemn.

  ‘My dears, I’m so sorry to be the bearer of bad news on a day of rejoicing.’

  ‘What is it, Mother?’

  Before she could answer, Emily looked around wildly. ‘Lewis? Where’s Lewis?’

  Constance touched her arm and said swiftly, ‘He’s fine. He’s in bed. No, we’ve just heard that Nathan Hawke has died.’

  The news of Nathan’s death came as a shock. Emily wept against Trip’s shoulder.

  ‘I should have realized the last time I went to see him. He looked so much thinner and slower in his movements. I feel so guilty that I didn’t visit him more often, that I didn’t do anything to care for him.’

  ‘I’m sure he neither expected it nor thought any less of you,’ he comforted her.

  When the letter from Nathan’s solicitors arrived two days later, Trip said, ‘There you are, I was right. He wouldn’t have done this if he’d felt the slightest resentment.’

  Emily took the letter from Trip’s hands and read it with growing disbelief. Then she looked up at her husband with tears in her eyes. ‘He’s left me everything. His house, his workshops and his two retail shops in the city centre. And just over a thousand pounds in the bank. Trip, it’s a fortune. I can’t believe it. I don’t deserve it.’

  ‘Yes, you do. Have you read the last paragraph?’

  When she seemed overcome with emotion, Trip gently eased the letter from her fingers and read it aloud:

  ‘“Mr Hawke has made you his sole heir because he was very fond of you as a person and because he admired your work ethic and your philanthropic nature to help those less fortunate than yourself. He firmly believed that his considerable wealth will be in safe hands and wisely used not only to build your own business but, along the way, to help the people of the city he loved so much and which had given him his livelihood.” And then it lists the details of his estate. His two workshops – the one in Broad Lane, which he had rebuilt after the fire and you now rent from him; the Rockingham Street workshop, which you also currently rent – two small retail shops in the city centre; his house and one thousand, four hundred and fifty pounds, ten shillings and sixpence. Isn’t that wonderful, Emily?’

  ‘I can’t believe it,’ she whispered again. After a few moments, she wiped her eyes and said more strongly, ‘But what do you think he wants me to do?’

  ‘Nothing – other than what you’re already doing.’

  ‘But – but everything I’ve done has been for my own benefit – for our benefit – not for the whole city.’

  ‘I think you’re wrong about that. Maybe you think it’s only in a small way, but you’ve supported your friends, forgiven Lizzie for the past, helped Nell in so many ways and, in this latest venture, you’ve even rescued a young lass from a life on the streets. And the soup kitchens you helped to set up during the miners’ strike – don’t forget those. I presume you told him all about it?’

  ‘Only as a topic
of conversation. He always wanted to know what I was doing.’ She lifted her shoulders. ‘So I told him, but I didn’t mean it to sound as if I was – conceited.’

  ‘He wouldn’t have thought that, not for a moment. He liked you and he liked what you were doing. If it’d make you feel better, go and see his solicitor and find out if Mr Hawke mentioned anything particular that he’d like you to do. Other than that, just accept it and be very grateful.’

  ‘Oh, I am, I am, and I will put it all to good use. Every penny of it.’

  ‘I don’t think he meant you to give it away, though, if that’s what you’re thinking. I think he meant you to use it to enhance your business and in so doing provide work for others. Just giving money to the poor doesn’t actually help them in the long term. It just makes them more dependent, but to provide them with the opportunity to earn their own living gives them back their pride and makes them useful members of the community. And now, you can do that.’

  ‘Yes, yes, you’re right, Trip. I see that. You’re very wise.’

  He laughed aloud. ‘Maybe, but the wisest thing I ever did was to marry you, Emily Trippet. And now, my love,’ his mirth subsided as he added seriously, ‘sadly, you have a funeral to arrange.’

  Thirty-Six

  It wasn’t until the funeral service in the church nearest to Nathan’s home that Emily and Trip realized just how well known – and how well liked – he had been. Scores of people attended; men and women from all walks of life.

  ‘He was good to me.’

  ‘Mr Hawke helped me when I was at the lowest point in my life.’

  ‘He helped my family when me dad didn’t come back from the war.’

  ‘He gave me a job when I came out of prison. I promised him then that I’d go straight – and I have.’

  On and on the comments and tributes went. Rumours were circulating about the terms of his will and many looked at Emily with fresh eyes. They’d heard about what she – in her small way – was trying to do. She, in turn, was full of ideas to extend her own business and at the same time create employment for others.