The Workhouse Children

by Lindsey Hutchinson

  Sitting on her bed, Cara picked up the letters she had found in the ottoman and began to read once more. Then laying them aside she closed her eyes and digested the information contained in them.

  Why had her grandmother not told her of these? Why had Henrietta Selby denied hearing anything more about her daughter, Cara’s mother? She had said that she’d heard John Flowers had died in a carting accident, which was true. What she hadn’t said was how she’d heard. Her daughter had informed her by letter. One of the letters now lying on Cara’s bed. John, apparently, had been knocked down by a fully laden cart which had then rolled over him, crushing his chest. He had not survived long. Now widowed, Elizabeth Flowers had written to her mother begging forgiveness and leave to return home to The Laburnums. Whether Henrietta had replied, Cara didn’t know.

  One letter after another all held similar requests. Could Elizabeth Flowers come home to her mother? Could she bring her other two children with her? Could she resume caring for her own daughter Cara? Begging Henrietta to forgive her, she promised to take care of them all and never again disobey her mother. Cara remembered from the diaries her grandmother had made no mention of Charlie and Daisy. Cara had assumed she hadn’t been aware of their existence. These letters proved that to be false. Why had her grandma not searched for the children?

  Whether by fault or design, Elizabeth Flowers had stayed away. Could this be what Henrietta alluded to in the personal letter left for Cara? ‘Also, if you find my daughter, please tell her I rue the day I ignored her plea.’

  Elizabeth had begged to come home, but her grandmother had ignored it. Why? Was she still upset and angry that Elizabeth had married John against her wishes?

  Cara packed away the letters, she could not bear to read any more. She knew what was contained in them and it was heart-breaking. This was something she would have to deal with at a later date, for now her forthcoming wedding was occupying her every thought. Cara shut the letters from her mind.

  Forty-One

  Time passed quickly and then before anyone realized, the summer had arrived. The units at the new building were up and running and the tradesmen were in their rent-free month. The newspaper article had helped enormously and work was pouring in. The new sign proclaimed it to be ‘Flowers Arcade’ and people were able to stroll from room to room watching tradesmen at their work, besides buying any products set out for sale.

  Mr. Harris, the estate agent, came up trumps finding a beautiful cottage at the other end of the allotment gardens in Mountford Lane for Molly and Sam. It was only a hop, skip and jump from The Laburnums and the couple moved in within the week. A gentle rain began to fall as their belongings were carted to their new residence but no one seemed to mind.

  Then day after day the sun scorched the earth and the heat became unbearable. Just as a few short months ago people thought they would freeze to death if they stood still, now the pall hanging over the town trapped the heat beneath it. These same people were tired and lethargic, irritable beyond belief.

  Molly sat in Cara’s kitchen fanning herself; even with all the doors and windows open there was no relief. With a sudden intake of breath, Molly muttered, ‘Oh God! My waters have just broken! Oh Cara, it’s too early!’

  Gracie took charge immediately. ‘Daisy wench, get yourself outside and tell the cabbie to fetch the doctor.’

  Daisy dashed off happy to be of use.

  ‘Right, Molly, let’s get you upstairs and out of that frock.’ Gracie slipped an arm round Molly and helped her to her feet.

  ‘Take her into my room,’ Cara said as she dashed upstairs to find a nightgown.

  Gracie undressed the panicking Molly and a voluminous white cotton nightgown was slipped over her head. A faint breeze wafted through the open window as Molly’s pains began.

  ‘Ooooh…’ Molly moaned as she held her stomach, ‘Oooh Gracie…’

  ‘I know, wench,’ her friend said, ‘but it will all be over soon and then you’ll have your little ’un in your arms and not your belly.’

  Molly smiled but as another pain racked her body she yelled out, ‘I can’t do this, Gracie, make the pain go away! Please make it go away!’

  ‘You stop that row this minute!’ Gracie snapped. ‘You ain’t the first and you won’t be the last. Now then, let’s have you on your feet and walking round the room until the doctor gets here!’

  With Gracie holding one arm and Cara the other, Molly was walked back and forth, sweat trickling down her face. Each time a pain gripped her, she stopped. Wide eyes looked at Gracie, who nodded, and a miserable whimper escaped Molly’s lips. Then on again they paced.

  Molly whispered, ‘I ain’t never doing this again!’

  Cara winced as another pain rolled over her friend.

  Just then Daisy banged on the bedroom door, ‘Dr Cooper’s here, Cara!’

  Laying Molly down on the bed, Cara gave the doctor admittance. Thanking Daisy, she asked if tea could be prepared. Molly would certainly be wanting a cup very soon. The young girl said she would get right to it and thundered down the stairs.

  Rolling up his shirtsleeves, Dr Cooper felt all around Molly’s abdomen. His eyebrows shot up when Gracie told him they had called for him immediately. ‘Well, Molly, my girl,’ he said smiling, ‘it looks like this is going to be a quick birth!’ The doctor, however, would be proved wrong.

  Cara held Molly’s hand as the young woman screeched and cried. No longer able to contain her emotions, Molly screamed her pain as contractions threatened to split her body. Pains rolled over her time after time, and Molly was becoming exhausted. She gasped for air, holding it tightly as the pains once again took hold of her. Sweat rolled down the sides of her face and Cara mopped it away with a cold damp cloth.

  ‘Ooooh dear God!’ Molly gasped. ‘I can’t do this! Why isn’t it coming?’

  ‘You have to do it, wench, now get a grip of yourself and do what the doctor tells you!’ Gracie snapped. She knew it was the best way to try to divert Molly’s attention away from the pain and focus on the doctor’s words.

  Molly yelled again as yet another pain came, she grabbed the iron bedstead and held on tight.

  The hours passed and Molly was so exhausted the doctor feared for her health as well as that of the baby. Seeing her tense at the rise of yet more agony, he shouted, ‘Right Molly! This time, this is it. Push, girl! Push!’

  With one ear-splitting scream from her mother, Tansy Yale came into the world yelling her tiny lungs out.

  Molly collapsed back onto the bed completely and utterly exhausted. The doctor cut the cord and handed the baby to Gracie to be swaddled. Gracie had found a single bed sheet which she had folded into a swaddling cloth. The doctor finished his ministrations with Molly before laying her daughter in her arms.

  ‘A little early… but healthy. Well done, Molly! What a beautiful daughter you have,’ he said with a smile.

  Cara heaved a great sigh of relief and only then realized both she and Gracie were crying their eyes out.

  The cabbie had taken it upon himself to fetch Sam from his work who now sat at his wife’s bedside, his baby daughter in his arms. Cara left to pay the cabbie for his forethought and only now realized she didn’t even know his name. She felt thoroughly ashamed; all the times he had been on hand to help her and she hadn’t even bothered to learn the man’s given name.

  Apologizing profusely for her oversight, the man laughed and said, ‘George, Miss Flowers, and don’t you worry about it. Just glad I could help is all.’

  Cara insisted Molly, Sam and baby Tansy stay where they were until the new mother felt well enough to return home. Cara would sleep in Molly’s old room in the interim.

  Within the fortnight, the family had moved back to their own house and Cara returned to her own bedroom, the one she thought she’d be sharing with Martin in a matter of weeks. Tired from being disturbed in the night by Tansy’s lusty cries, Cara lay on her bed and before long she was sound asleep.

  Gracie woke her with a
cup of tea as night fell and they sat together on the bed talking about the new baby. Unable to hold her tongue any longer, Gracie asked Cara what she would do about what they’d discussed the night Cara burst into tears.

  Drawing in a deep breath, Cara nodded. ‘I can’t forgive Martin, Gracie, no matter how hard I try. He betrayed me!’

  ‘I guessed as much, wench. I’ve seen the way you look at him now. I watched you while Molly was having young Tansy too. Not something you’d want to go through with him?’ Gracie patted Cara’s hand.

  ‘Oh Gracie! The very thought of… well you know… with Martin – I couldn’t!’ Cara screwed up her face in disgust.

  ‘So what’s your plan? I mean to say, everything is organized and you have your dress an’ all.’ A shake of Gracie’s head said she couldn’t fathom what was to be done about it.

  Cara whispered what she planned to do and then waited for Gracie’s reaction. It was not what she expected. The older woman nodded and said simply, ‘Good plan. No more than he deserves.’

  *

  The sun rose full and strong on that day in August, Cara’s wedding day. Gracie was exasperated with Daisy who was flouncing around the kitchen in her blue bridesmaid’s dress.

  ‘If you get that frock dirty you won’t be going to no wedding, my girl!’ she said sternly.

  Daisy sat down suddenly, aware Gracie was right. Sam, Molly and baby Tansy had arrived dressed in their finery and Gracie went up to Cara’s bedroom.

  ‘Come on, wench, you ready?’ Gracie urged.

  Cara looked up at the woman who she loved like a mother and said, ‘Oh Gracie, Charlie will be so disappointed, and Daisy will be heartbroken!’

  ‘Ar well, they’ll get over it,’ Bertha said in a typical West Midland response.

  ‘Am I doing the right thing? Should I rethink because of the children? They will hold me responsible for their disappointment, Gracie. Oh, now I’m not so sure this is a good idea!’ Cara was becoming agitated at the thought of her brother and sister’s reaction to what they would very soon find out.

  ‘Bloody hell, girl, make up yer mind!’ Gracie was exasperated as she paced the room.

  ‘Right, I’ll have to deal with the children’s disappointment later. I have to do this.’ Walking to the door, she yelled out for her brother Charlie. The boy was very concerned at the urgency in her voice but before he could speak, Cara said, ‘Charlie, would you go to the church and bring Martin back here please? Also, I’d like you to give this letter to the vicar. It’s very important, Charlie.’

  Nodding, Charlie ran from the house wondering what was going on.

  ‘Does he know you know?’ Gracie asked as they walked downstairs to the parlour.

  Cara shook her head, ‘I never found the right time to confront him with it,’ she said, ‘and I’ve been so busy…’

  ‘Ar well… so that time will be now then?’ Gracie was full of thunder that anyone would treat Cara so badly.

  ‘Yes. I will confront him now,’ Cara said simply. ‘Would you be kind enough to tell the others there will be no marriage taking place today between Martin and myself? They will want to know why, of course, and I will explain when I have dealt with Martin.’

  ‘Are you sure about all this?’ Gracie’s concern filtered through her words.

  ‘I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.’ Cara nodded.

  *

  Martin Lander stared open-mouthed at the girl he thought was to be his wife. Cara Flowers had just told him the wedding was off. She had said she didn’t love him in the way a woman should love her husband – she only loved him as a friend.

  Cara watched him as they sat in the parlour, the shock of her words written all over his face.

  ‘Cara, I beg you, please don’t do this to me! Please…!’ Martin was beside himself.

  Holding up her hand, Cara said, ‘Martin, I’m truly sorry but I cannot marry you, it would end in disaster. It wouldn’t be fair on either of us. Please try to understand.’

  ‘Understand!’ Martin shot back. ‘Understand what? That you allowed me to believe you loved me all this time? That not once did you give me any cause to think otherwise? We planned this Cara, for months we planned this together, and now you tell me just like that…’ he clicked his fingers, ‘that it’s all off? I don’t understand! I will never understand!’

  Cara’s next words stopped Martin in his tracks. ‘I saw you… that day in the churchyard… I saw you kissing and… with another woman!’

  Once more the sting of betrayal stung her and her anger rose.

  ‘What?’ Playing for time, Martin thought quickly. How could he get out of this one? How could he placate Cara and ensure they were married? Closing his eyes, he saw her money, which would become his on the occasion of their marriage, disappear. No wedding – no money. ‘You don’t understand…’ he began.

  ‘Martin!’ Cara yelled. ‘What is it you think I don’t understand? That I saw you kissing someone else? That I saw you on the ground beneath the trees? I saw you, Martin!’ She knew her voice would carry and thought at least her explanation to the others would be unnecessary now.

  ‘It was a friend, Cara…’ Lander was clearly in a panic.

  ‘Do you always kiss your friends so passionately?’ Cara boomed out the words. ‘Do you always make love with friends? Martin, don’t treat me like an idiot, I saw you! I watched you make love to her! Now, understand this, Martin Lander, the wedding is off and I’ll thank you to leave this house… right now!’ Cara pointed to the door. ‘Go! Get out, and don’t ever come back!’

  Knowing he was beaten, Martin jumped to his feet and rushed from the room, from the house, and from her life.

  Cara sighed heavily before walking to the kitchen where everyone was quietly gathered. They knew the wedding had been called off, Gracie had explained already, now after hearing Cara’s yelling, they knew why. It was Charlie who gathered Cara in his arms; Daisy joined them and the three hugged with no words spoken. None were needed, they were family.

  Daisy broke the hush with, ‘At least it don’t matter if I get my frock dirty now!’

  Unable to contain herself, Cara burst out laughing. A great weight had lifted from her shoulders and she felt free of the burden she had carried for so long.

  *

  The vicar had been given the letter by Charlie immediately after Martin Lander had rushed from the church. His eyes scanned the words as the congregation mutterings began. Something was up, they said. Asking questions of each other, heads shook. No one knew what was amiss.

  Clearing his throat the vicar said, ‘I have here a letter… from Cara Flowers.’ The people who sat in the pews leaned forward in their eagerness to hear what was coming next.

  Drawing in a breath through his nose, the vicar continued as he shook his head. ‘Miss Flowers has requested I read this letter to you, but…’

  More mutters rumbled in the pews and a man shouted out, ‘Well go on then, read it!’ He received a dig to the ribs from his wife for the untimely outburst.

  ‘I… ahem… I… This is most unusual, to say the least. Right, let’s get this over with!’ With a quick glance at the people sat in front of him, the vicar returned to the letter and began.

  ‘I have requested the vicar to kindly inform you that my wedding to Martin Lander will not take place today – or any other day.’ The vicar paused as the rumblings began again. ‘The man I thought to be my husband is a liar and a cheat!’ The vicar drew in another breath before continuing. ‘I have discovered he has been having a liaison with another woman!’

  The crowd in the pews drew in a collective breath and the vicar looked up with sad eyes. Holding up his hand for silence, he went on. ‘I am unaware of this woman’s name, but I know her to be a raven-haired beauty. I saw them together beneath the trees in the churchyard and… they were making passionate love on that consecrated ground!’

  Another pause from the vicar as he shook his head. His eyes travelled to the ceiling and he m
ade a silent apology to the Almighty on Martin’s behalf, for the indiscretion committed on Holy ground. The noise from the wedding guests became a cacophony as men laughed out loud and their wives berated them for being so indiscreet.

  The vicar called for order and lowered his eyes to the letter once more. Silence descended as he resumed reading.

  ‘So this is my reason for calling off the wedding. Some of you will be disgusted at my actions today and to those I say… put yourself in my shoes. Ladies, would you feel betrayed as I do? I’m sure you would. Gentlemen, it is one thing to be “Jack the lad”, but quite another to betray your betrothed. It is my contention Mr Lander only wanted to marry me for my money.

  ‘However, on a lighter note, the reception booked at the Red Lion is all paid for so please go and eat and drink your fill courtesy of the Flowers family. Kindest regards, Cara Flowers.’

  Rapturous applause and chatter erupted as the vicar finished speaking. The pews emptied rapidly as people fought to leave the church and get to the Red Lion as quickly as possible. There was free food and drink to be had.

  The vicar was standing with an open mouth when a man came up to him and grabbed the sleeve of his cassock. ‘Come on vicar,’ he said, ‘you look like you could do with a drink!’

  The man laughed as the clergyman merely nodded and walked out of the church in a daze.

  *

  Gossip in the town was rife, with some saying what Cara Flowers had done was a terrible thing; leaving Martin at the altar. Others said in no uncertain terms that she’d done the right thing calling off the wedding before she’d made the biggest mistake of her life. Everyone was wise now as to the real reason Cara elected to stay a single woman – Martin Lander was a lying, cheating philanderer.

  Cara ignored the gossip and went about her business much as she had before. She knew soon enough the folk of Bilston would find something else to gossip about. What had surprised her though was that Martin Lander was not quite as heartbroken as he’d led her to believe. In a very short time he was seen out and about with yet another woman, the daughter of a wealthy merchant. The dark-haired beauty he had had a tryst in the churchyard with had dropped Lander like a hot potato, the news of the letter read to the people in the church by the vicar having reached her ears swiftly. The newspaper she was reading reported Martin’s imminent wedding to the merchant’s daughter! So Lander had been playing both ends against the middle in an effort to ensure he would become a rich man.