The Windsor Girl

by Sylvia Burton

  ‘Well, no Victoria of course not. And I have to admit that your demeanour is much better’, then added thoughtfully, and you believe this is due to Ellie?’

  ‘That’s the truth Mother. She is a miracle worker, and yes, she is going to be a great friend, whether you like it or not’.

  ‘In that case it is no use my trying to fight it. Just one thing Victoria Please don’t attach yourself to the girl, too much, for one day someone will come along and want to take her away for good. She is a beautiful girl and not likely to stay a spinster. I don’t want you to be hurt any more’.

  Victoria reached out for her mother’s hand, ‘I know Mother. And I know I can be an awful trouble to you, but for the time being, I am in good hands and if it has to end at some time in the future, then so be it. At the moment I am happy. Now go away and leave me to enjoy my bath’.

  With a squeeze of the hand Missus Courtney left, and on seeing Ellie, now laying towels in the invalid chair, smiled at her and said, ‘take care of her Ellie’.

  ‘Yes Ma-am’, was Ellie’s reply, breathing a sign of relief. She had got away with her gamble and Vicky could enjoy a bath on a regular basis. Ellie felt sure this would be therapeutic. She smiled as she worked, listening to Victoria, quietly, humming to herself.

  Throughout the winter months, that followed, there was a vast improvement in Victoria’s attitude and temper, which was noticed not only by her immediate family, but staff and friends alike. She began to see more of the children and, as spring once more approached, she actually arranged for picnics in the park for them, along with their nurse, Ada. Ellie, of course, was required to wheel her mistress, but she too enjoyed the outings and found she got along famously with the children.

  Beth, in particular, was attentive to Ellie and had said, ‘when I grow up I want to be like you Ellie. Will I be as pretty as you then?’

  ‘As pretty as me? gasped Ellie, ‘well Beth, I do believe you will be far prettier than me. It all depends on how you treat people, really. If you are nice to your mother and friends, and even poor people that you meet, then they will like you. And if others like you then you will like yourself. If you like yourself, you will always be smiling and smiling makes a person pretty’.

  Beth went over to her mother and planted a kiss on her cheek.

  ‘I love you Mama’, she said, and Victoria returned the kiss.

  Victoria glanced at Ellie and thought what a wise girl she was. She felt that Ellie deserved to be pretty more than anyone else she knew.

  Ever since that first week, Ellie had been massaging her legs, after every bath.

  Victoria really didn’t want to be too optimistic, but she could swear they were looking fuller in the calf.

  She and Ellie had not discussed the possibility of improvement, but she insisted that she continue the manipulation, saying it improved the skin tone. Yes, Ellie deserved to be pretty.

  Ellie still made her visits home, and for the last six months had taken Kate with her. Maggie took to Kate right away and the boys thought she was ‘a smashing lass’, with her jokes and funny expressions.

  Ellie had an idea that Thomas was sweet on her, for whenever she came into the house, he was so attentive that he failed to hear anyone else but Kate. Maggie had once teased him about her, but once he had got over his embarrassment, he laughed with her, saying, ‘awe Mam, I don’t fancy her. She’s going to be a nun and I can’t compete with him, now can I?’

  Kate loved them all and felt she was part of a family at long last.

  And Ellie? Ellie was as happy as she had ever been. Victoria was more than kind to her and she found her work, both rewarding and, enjoyable. All things considered Ellie’s life was good.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Ellie found she had more free time now, and James would seek her out to discuss the farm and country with her. He was here, in the town house, to study the running of the mill. He had taken to Ellie, as most people did, often chatting to her about the mill and what could be done to improve the grueling conditions of the workers employed there.

  He discovered that she was not only lovely, but had a way of thinking that was always logical, and sometimes, quite brilliant.

  ‘You know Ellie; I can’t believe that you spent all those years living in Canal Street. Don’t misunderstand me, there’s nothing wrong with that, but you seem to be very well educated and I wonder where you learned such things. Are the schools there, so good?’

  ‘Good heavens, Master James there’s a mountain of knowledge available if a child is interested. The trouble is the lack of opportunity. Where I was raised, families are very poor, and need their children to work, and usually at your father’s mill. So you see schooling takes second place. For some, there is no more school after the age of six’.

  ‘Then how is it that you took time to learn?’

  ‘Ah, that was my mother. She felt that education was more important than a cloth on the table or fancy linen on the bed. She had never owned fine things, so didn’t miss them. Therefore, she made sure that I was always at school so that, sometime in the future, I would be able to earn a living. I have three brothers who are younger than I, two of whom are still at school. Thomas who is fourteen now, works in your father’s mill. All three are always doing odd jobs to help out at home, but woe betide the younger ones if they should play truant from school. Mother would cause such a fuss; they would wish they had done otherwise’.

  She smiled, thinking of her mother’s ‘heavy’ hand. ‘She can be a bit of a tyrant, my Mother’.

  James laughed and thought he liked the sound of Ellie’s mother.

  His eyes searched Ellie’s face for a sign of bitterness, at the way she had been brought up. There were none. Ellie had the most wonderful way of looking at life and he discovered that she was philosophical and wise, understanding and very wonderful to be with.

  When in her company, James was aware of the feeling of contentment and wondered, wistfully, if he was falling in love with her.

  He had mentioned her to Richard one day. The brothers had been walking in the garden when they saw Ellie with the children, playing under the trees. The children were picking up the fallen apples and laughing as they competed to see who had the most pieces of fruit in their baskets.

  Ellie was engrossed in the game and unaware that she was being observed. James watched her with interest.

  ‘Have you spoken much to Ellie, Richard?’

  ‘Yes, on numerous occasions. I found her to be quite pleasant’

  He did not mention his being frustrated with the girl and his feelings of inadequacy whenever he was near her.

  James was still watching Ellie. ‘I think she is an absolute gem. See the change she has brought about in our sister? What I would give for a girl like that’. James almost whispered, ‘she has the most unusual looks, don’t you think?’

  ‘I thought you were almost engaged to Lucy?’

  ‘Lucy? Well Lucy is a lovely girl, in her own way and I’m very fond of her, but engaged? No Richard, I don’t think so’.

  Richard looked sharply at his brother, and saw the eyes of a man in love. Had he looked at himself, more closely, he would have seen the same evidence staring him in the face. However, Richard was as unseeing as a blind man.

  Although James and Richard were of different temperaments, they got on well with each other. Richard thought James was too easy going and James had the opinion that Richard thought too much of his ‘status’. Nevertheless, they were brothers and loved each other with a strong, loyal, affection.

  Richard wondered with sudden dread, ‘what price brotherly affection’ and what if James should take his feelings further?

  Richard’s thoughts were interrupted by his brother, who was waiting for a response to his question, ‘well brother, what do you think about Ellie?’

  ‘I have no thoughts about the girl and I don’t think you should either. I’ll see you at dinner’, and with a wave of his hand, he left James, wondering what he had
said to disturb Richard so.

  ‘Well, I’ll be damned!’ said James, realization suddenly appearing in his eyes, ‘Richard of all people’, and he too slipped away from the garden.

  One Thursday morning, Ellie was surprised to be awoken by Miss Maud.

  ‘Ellie, get up’.

  ‘What is it?’ said Ellie, trying to focus her eyes.

  ‘There’s been a message for you and you are to go home immediately’

  Ellie sat up in bed and desperately tried to clear the sleep from her mind.

  ‘I am wanted at home? What’s happened?’ she asked, throwing off the blankets and going to the washstand.

  She knew it was something urgent because, not only had Miss Maud herself come to relay the message, but she was, unusually, civil.

  ‘I’m sorry Ellie. I don’t know exactly what is wrong; I only know it is urgent. I will inform Missus Barnstable and arrange for someone to see to her needs. You get off as soon as you can’.

  ‘I will, thank you’, said Ellie, unable to imagine what had happened.

  As the housekeeper reached for the door, she turned and said, ‘and Ellie, I do hope things are all right’.

  Ellie nodded, quickly climbing into her clothes. By this time, Kate was at her side.

  ‘Oh, I hope it’s not too serious Ellie. I wish I could come with you. Can I do anything to help?’

  ‘Thank you Kate, but no. There’s probably nothing you can do. I just have to find out what the problem is. I will be back later today and let you know then. Don’t worry Kate’, she said, calmly, not feeling calm at all. Inside she was frantic with concern as to what might be wrong. It must be one of the boys. An accident? Oh God forbid’ she thought, I don't think my Mother could stand another.

  She ran all the way home, bursting into the house, to see Ma Bagnall sitting in the rocking chair, her big arms wrapped around Harry and Sam, both of them weeping like babies.

  ‘My God, what’s wrong? , gasped Ellie, ‘where’s Mother?’

  She looked towards Thomas, who was sitting on the rug, his head in his hands, fighting the tears, which threatened to burst out in a flood of anguish. She hurried to him and cradled him in her arms.

  ‘Thomas. Oh Thomas. Tell me please, before I go out of my mind. What’s happened to Mam? It is Mam, isn’t it?’

  She used the name ‘Mam’ and was instantly transformed into the little girl she had been before she left home.

  Thomas sobbed, ‘I can hardly believe it Ellie. She was all right yesterday, just a bit of a cold she thought’.

  ‘Then she was worse this morning?’ prompted Ellie.

  ‘No, it was through the night. She felt poorly and shouted for me’.

  ‘What was she like Thomas?’

  ‘She couldn’t keep her hands still, and she was hot and sweaty, shivering all the time’

  Tears now streamed down his face and Ellie asked, ‘did she have any pain Thomas?’

  ‘She said she did; in her chest and her head. She said her arms and legs hurt as well. I didn’t know what to do. I made her a drink but she couldn’t get it down and she was crying Ellie. Mam, crying. She’s never done that before and I got scared. Oh Ellie, I’m glad you’ve come. You’ll know what to do, won’t you?’

  ‘I’ll do my best Thomas. Where is Mam now?’

  It was Ma Bagnall who answered her, her face pale, ‘she’s at the hospital Ellie. I sent for the priest and he got here at six this morning. She could hardly speak before she went, but she managed to ask us to send for you. I’ve sent young George Stanton over to Beeston, to get you’re Aunt Dora. I didn’t know what else to do’.

  ‘You’ve done fine Missus Bagnall and I’m most grateful to you. Is she at the ‘poor peoples’ hospital’?’

  Ellie didn’t know why she had asked the question, for they didn’t have much money, so where else would they take her?

  ‘I’ll get over there straight away. Will you look after the boys Missus Bagnall?’

  ‘Aye lass, I’ll see to them, don’t you worry yourself. You go and look to you Mam. It’ll be all right’.

  Ellie, hurriedly, gave the boys a hug and left for the hospital.

  On the main road, she saw a cab and flagged it down. She had some money in her pocket and the quicker she could get to see her mother the better she would feel.

  Arriving at the ward, to which she had been directed, a nurse stopped her at the door. When she asked for her mother, the nurse told Ellie to follow her. She walked quietly behind, as the nurse led her down to the end of the long ward. As they walked the length of the room, Ellie’s eyes searched the beds on either side. Women of different ages occupied the beds, some sitting, some lying down, their skin the colour of corpses. Ellie refused to show the fear she felt, but her heart was pounding, dreading what she may be confronted with, when she saw her mother.

  The nurse stopped at a bed, which was curtained off from the rest of the ward, with a folding screen, and Ellie slipped behind it and almost fainted at the sight before her.

  The strong, self-opinionated Maggie was the same colour as the white sheets on the bed. Her eyes were dark rings, sunken into her thin face, and her mouth was small and drawn as if someone had pulled out all her teeth.

  Ellie touched her mother’s hair, feeling the dampness of it. The heat from her body was tremendous and gave off a sour smell, which made Ellie want to stand back from her.

  She took her mother’s limp hand in hers and whispered, ‘Mam? Can you hear me? Please Mam?’

  Maggie opened her eyes, momentarily and, with great effort, mouthed words, which failed to develop, then closed her eyes again as if it had all been too much for her.

  Ellie wept, holding her mother’s hand to her lips and kissing it, tears and perspiration intermingling.

  She was still sitting like this when a hand on her shoulder brought her back to reality.

  ‘Ellie dear, are you all right?’

  She turned to see Master James at her side.

  ‘Yes Sir. I’ll be all right soon. I just want to be with my mother’, she cried.

  ‘I understand Ellie. I’ll wait outside for you. Please take your time; I’m in no hurry to get back’.

  He walked back the way he came, noticing the poorness of the ward and its lack of facilities. ‘Oh God, how the poor have to suffer’, he thought, ‘even at a time of illness, when things could be made easier for them’. He sat himself down, on a rickety chair, in the dismal corridor and waited.

  Eventually, Ellie came out, looking pale and drawn. James stood up to assist her and told her he had a cab standing by outside to take her home.

  ‘But I can’t go home yet. I have to see to the boys’.

  ‘I mean to your mother’s home Ellie’, he told her gently, ‘no one will expect you back today, so there is no need to worry about anything but your family’.

  ‘Thank you Sir. I appreciate your concern. I expect I will be back at work soon’.

  As things turned out, Ellie did not go back to the Courtney Residence for five days.

  Maggie died the next day, before Ellie had time to get there, but she had Aunt Dora with her at the end, which was fitting.

  Although the sisters were very different, they had spent most of their lives together, always staying friends, no matter what happened in their personal lives.

  Before Maggie took her last breath, she seemed to perk up a little and smiled at her sister. Dora was pleased when Maggie said, in a quiet voice, ‘eh! Dora, I could do with a cuppa tea love’.

  ‘I’ll see if I can get you one Maggie’, answered Dora, blessed relief showing on her face. ‘Eh! it’s good to hear you talk lass’. Then her heart dropped at Maggie’s next words.

  ‘Hey Dora? What the heck am I doing, lying here in bed, when Tom will be home from the pit any time? He’ll have a fit if there’s nothing for his tea’, she said, trying to get out of bed.

  Then she did a strange thing. She relaxed onto the pillow and let out a sigh.

  ‘
Oh, it’s too late. He’s home, already. I’m in trouble now’.

  Maggie smiled, looking somewhere over Dora’s head, her face like a young girl’s. ‘Hello Tom. Sorry about your tea love’.

  Dora turned around, not knowing who to expect. The ward was quiet. There was no one to be seen, other than the patents, who were all in bed.

  ‘Maggie, Tom isn’t here love. It must have been somebody else’, said Dora. Maggie had her eyes closed.

  ‘Maggie? Maggie? Oh By God, Maggie? Don’t go love. Please don’t go’.

  Dora collapsed in a heap at the side of the bed, her plump body shuddering with the, heart rendering, sobs escaping from her trembling mouth. A kindly nurse came to comfort her and led her to a small room, leading off from the long ward.

  ‘There dear. Sit yourself down her and I’ll make you a cup of tea. Is there anyone here with you love?’

  ‘No, I’m on my own, but my niece will be along anytime’, she whimpered, ‘Ellie’s my sister’s girl. Oh, she’s going to be in a state when she knows her mother’s gone’.

  At that moment, Ellie walked onto the ward and heard her aunt’s cry, from the door of the room. She stood very still, staring at Dora.

  ‘No. Aunt Dora? Tell me it’s not true? Please’, she begged.

  ‘Eh! Ellie, if only I could love. She was very poorly lass. She had Rheumatic Fever and her heart couldn’t take it. It just gave out. There was nothing they could do Ellie’.

  She held out her arms to Ellie, ‘eh! lass, come here and let me hold you’.

  Ellie went to her like a child. Dora held her in her arms, and repeatedly patted her back, ‘there, there love. Cry it out Ellie’. The nurse left them to their grief.

  Ellie thought her heart would break. She wept until she felt she would die.

  ‘Oh Aunt Dora; my lovely Mam gone. I can’t believe it’.

  ‘It’s awful, I know, but your Mam wouldn’t want you to make yourself poorly. She loved you more than she ever said, you know. Aye, she told me often enough’.

  ‘I know Aunt Dora’.

  Dora had been a little afraid of Maggie but she loved her more than anyone in the world. Even Albert.