For The Sake of Her Family

by Diane Allen

  ‘Jack Alderson, you can just stop that!’ Alice cried. ‘What do you take me for? This is our first date!’ Then she blushed and turned away, but she was blushing with pride and happiness.

  Jack grinned at her. He wouldn’t have had her say anything else, but he hadn’t noticed her struggling when he’d kissed her. By, she was a grand lass.

  ‘Look here, our Ali, I’m doing it for both of us. Would you have turned down the chance to potentially become foreman if you’d been offered it?’ Will was finding it hard to persuade Alice that the job at Stone House was going to be good for them both. ‘There’ll be a house, once it’s been repaired, and I’ll get decent brass if I’m officially put in charge. I’ve even got my own horse. I’ve decided I want to make something of myself. It’s like you’ve always said: put your mind to it and you can do better.’ He strutted back and forth underneath the little attic window of Alice’s bedroom. ‘I thought you’d be pleased that Nancy and me are walking out together. What’s wrong with that?’

  ‘What’s wrong with that? We’re farmers, Will – she’s gentry, she has different ways to us, and you’ll be the talk of the dale. It was you who kept me away from the manor when I wanted to work there. Now you’re going out with Lord Frankland’s sister and being bought by him. Wasn’t it you who told me he wasn’t to be trusted? I thought I knew you better, Will. You’ve changed this last week or two.’

  ‘You’re only jealous. You always wanted money and posh things. Well, I’ve found out so do I. From the moment I soaked in that bath and put on clean clothes I realized what we had been missing. And by God, even if I have to marry a scarred banshee, I’m going to get it.’ Will’s temper was getting the better of him.

  ‘You mean you’ve no feelings for her at all? You’re just after her money?’ Alice gasped. ‘But she’s been hurt enough – don’t you go hurting her more. If Gerald Frankland finds out, he’ll kill you.’

  ‘You bloody little hypocrite! Do you think I’ve not been hearing about you? The men up at Stone House don’t have the manners of us locals; when I heard them talking of the young lass doing favours for Old Todd, I soon put two and two together.’ Will’s face was thunderous. ‘There, I’ve bloody well said it! I vowed I wouldn’t even think it, let alone tell you I knew, but I won’t have you lecturing me, our Ali. Not when you carry on like that. Just be thankful that Jack doesn’t mix with anybody but farm lads and me, else he’d have heard about it too. Then you would be in bother.’

  Alice started to cry. She lowered her head, unable to look her furious brother in the eye. ‘Do you think I’m proud of what I’ve done? Well, I can tell you I’m not. I didn’t do it for the money; I did it because he made me. Can you remember that bacon I gave you, right after I first started at the Moon? He saw me putting it in my pocket. He threatened to tell the Woodheads and said I’d lose my job when they found out. You think I wanted that filthy old man letting his hands wander over me? It’s true the old lech gave me money afterwards, and I wish I’d flung it back at him, but I thought I might as well get something out of it. I dread him showing up at the Moon. I was going to tell Annie about the bacon myself – even if she threw me out it’d be better than putting up with that old lech. Please don’t tell Jack. How could he love me if he found out what I’m like?’

  ‘Oh, Ali, you stupid girl, what have you done? Now stop crying. With me going up in society, things are bound to get better. Just keep your legs together in future and ignore the randy old bugger. If he tells Annie about the bacon, she’ll only laugh. She knows you’re no thief.’ His anger subsided as he put his arm around Ali’s shoulders. ‘What I’m doing, I’m doing for us both. Let me get that cottage up at Stone House and make sure that my job as foreman is secure, and then I’ll let down Nancy gently. I must admit, it doesn’t sit easy with me, using someone like that, but I’ve found out you’ve got to look after yourself in this world.’

  ‘That’s all I was trying to do, Will. But I couldn’t have gone on being Old Todd’s floozy. I’d got to the point where I wanted to hit him where it hurts, never mind anything else.’ Alice wiped her nose on her sleeve end and grinned at Will in between the sobs.

  ‘What are we like, me and you! Two orphans out in the world and taking it head-on. You stick with Jack and your jobs, and I’ll try to make the money and home for us, all right, our Ali?’

  Alice nodded, relieved that Will had learned her secret, shocking though it was. She felt as though a burden had been lifted now it was out in the open.

  8

  It had been a busy morning in the Moon. The drovers who’d taken lodgings for the night wanted an early breakfast before herding their cows and sheep to Hawes for the weekly cattle market. With bacon in high demand, Uriah was kept busy cutting thin strips from the newly cured flitch. It was a job he insisted on doing himself because he reckoned Annie and Alice cut it too thick. When Annie told him to hurry up, he swore under his breath and muttered that he had to make a profit and that meant cutting it wafer-thin. You should be able to feed at least six on half a pound of bacon – and damn them all for rushing him.

  ‘Uriah Woodhead!’ Annie yelled at her husband across the kitchen floor. ‘If I hear you swear once more, I’ll send Alice over with carbolic soap and a scrubbing brush to clean your mouth out. Good decent folk don’t want to hear language like that first thing of a morning.’ Wiping the sweat from her brow with a tea towel, she went back to frying the bacon over the Yorkshire range that she was so proud of.

  ‘It’s enough to make any good man swear – I’m rushed off my feet. Tuesday mornings in this place it’s like feeding the four thousand. I’ve done a full day’s job by the time the rest of Dent start to think about getting up.’

  ‘And what do you think us two get up to every day of the week, eh, mister? Don’t you think I’d like an hour longer in bed sometimes? Fires always lit and doors open for business before you’ve even put a toe out of your side of the bed. So just you watch what you’re saying. Bugger it!’ Annie swore as the bacon sizzling in the pan spat at her, the fat leaving a scald mark on one of her ample arms. ‘Now look what you’ve made me do!’

  ‘Language, dear, language! Else I’ll have to send Alice across with the carbolic.’

  Alice, catching Uriah’s wink out of the side of her eye, gave no acknowledgement beyond a smile as she got on with scrubbing the huge pine table of the Moon’s kitchen. She’d found that when her employers fell out, it was best to keep her head down and get on with her work.

  ‘I tell you what’s odd this morning: we haven’t got Old Todd stopping with us. It’s not like him to miss market day at Hawes.’ Uriah stopped carving for a moment to think about his absent guest.

  ‘He’ll turn up, like a bad penny.’ Annie plated up the fried bacon. ‘The creeping old devil wouldn’t miss going to Hawes on a Tuesday if it were the last thing he did – more’s the pity. I can’t stand his grubby ways, myself. Have you seen the way he drools when Alice here serves him?’ She handed Alice the plates so she could take them to the customers. ‘You’ll not miss him this morning, will you, Alice? Dirty old man.’

  Once again, Alice’s only reply was a smile as she lifted the plates loaded with greasy bacon, fried bread and eggs, and hurried into the bar with them. Too true she wouldn’t miss Old Todd. After her conversation with Will, she’d made up her mind there’d be no more ‘little understandings’. The thought of what the old lech would do when he found out filled her with dread.

  The Moon was packed with drovers and farmers who believed in starting the day off with a full stomach and a pint. Many didn’t even wait to get to market, preferring to come to agreement over breakfast. Two weathered-faced farmers sitting in the corner concluded their business as Alice arrived with the plates; she saw one of them spit into his palm, then reach out to shake the other farmer’s hand, signalling that it was a done deal and that his word was good. He sent Alice to fetch them drinks to seal the deal. She quickly poured two pints of bitter and hurried back
to their table. As she bent down to place the two pints in front of them, she caught a snatch of their conversation.

  ‘. . . I knew he was a bugger for the lasses, but this ’un was seventeen! You’d think the old sod would know better.’ Oblivious to Alice’s presence, the old farmer rubbed his head and took his first sup of the pint.

  Alice, eager to hear more, began slowly clearing plates from the recently vacated table next to them so that she could listen in to the conversation.

  ‘It’s his wife and family I feel sorry for,’ said the younger of the two farmers. ‘Fancy being told that your husband’s dropped dead in a young lass’s bed – on the job, as it were!’

  ‘It’s a right rum do, all right. But who can blame him for going with a young ’un, as long as he could stand the pace?’

  ‘Aye, but it looks as though Old Todd couldn’t stand the pace, and look where it got ’im!’

  The older farmer spluttered into his beer at this, and then both men burst out laughing.

  Alice felt a shiver run down her spine. So that was why Old Todd wasn’t here: he’d died bedding a seventeen-year-old girl. How many young girls had he been getting serviced by? Alice felt dirty and sick at the thought of him dribbling and licking his lips as she served him, leering at her cleavage . . .

  Suddenly realizing that it could have been her at the centre of the gossip, for ever more the subject of pointing fingers and known throughout the Dales as the seventeen-year-old floozy who finished off Old Todd with her wanton ways, Alice weaved her way through the crowded bar and out into the open air. Faint and flushed, she hurried to the fountain and splashed some of the clear, cold water on her face. Then she sat on the edge of the trough, trying to compose herself.

  A blackbird came creeping along the street, head bobbing up and down when it heard a noise. So intent was her gaze that anyone seeing Alice would have assumed she was fascinated by the bird, with its sharp beady eyes and the orange bill that stood out in stark contrast to its glossy black plumage. In reality, she wasn’t even aware of the creature; her mind was completely focused on the news she’d just heard.

  ‘Alice, Alice! Where the hell are you, girl!’ She heard Uriah shouting her name. ‘Bloody hell, lass, I’m run off me feet.’

  ‘Coming, Mr Woodhead, I’m coming.’ She clutched her apron and leapt to her feet, running across the cobbles in the rush to slip unnoticed into the pub. As she entered the bar, she gave a sigh of relief: Old Todd wouldn’t be staying in the Moon any more; her worries were over. Her terrible secret would be buried with him.

  ‘There you are!’ Uriah glared at Alice. ‘What you been up to? I’ve been shouting my head off.’

  ‘I felt a bit faint and needed some fresh air, Mr Woodhead.’

  ‘Well, you looks all right now. Get them tables cleared. I’m run off my bloody feet in here.’ Wiping his forehead, he turned to head back to the kitchen, pausing on the way to thank a departing farmer for his custom.

  By eight o’clock the bar was empty. There was still washing-up to be done and floors to be swept ahead of the midday rush, but first they were all in need of a break.

  ‘Time for us to grab something to eat.’ Annie placed three plates of breakfast on the table. ‘It’s been a morning and a half. I’m fair jiggered.’ She heaved a sigh and peered at the plate of bacon and egg in front of her. ‘I don’t know if I can eat this after cooking the stuff all morning. Besides, I heard something earlier that made me feel sick.’ She leaned back in her chair and folded her hands on her lap.

  ‘Oh? What was that?’ Uriah looked at his wife, curious.

  ‘You mean you haven’t heard about Old Todd being found dead in bed with the young barmaid at the Crown? I always knew he was a dirty old devil. Alice, cover your ears – someone your age shouldn’t listen to this.’

  ‘Never!’ exclaimed Uriah. ‘Why, the old devil. Who’d’ve thought it? Daft old sod, and him with a respectable wife and family. Good job he didn’t take a fancy to our Alice here.’ He winked at Alice as he tucked into his bacon and egg.

  ‘Uriah Woodhead, how could you even think that? Our Alice is a respectable young lady. Besides, she’s walking out with Jack Alderson. She wouldn’t be the least bit interested in that old pervert, would you, Alice?’

  Alice blushed crimson, wishing the conversation would change. ‘No, Mrs Woodhead. He was a nasty old man.’

  Uriah quickly caught the escaping mouthful of fried egg. ‘’Course, Mother. How could I think otherwise?’ Smirking, he wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve and gave Alice a long, knowing gaze.

  It was the smirk that told Alice: he knew. Uriah had known all along about the ‘little understanding’. Her head began to spin and she felt sick deep down in the pit of her stomach. Just when she thought that her secret was safe . . .

  ‘Don’t forget, the bread’s to be in the oven and the steps scrubbed by six thirty. Uriah, don’t go to bed till you’ve made sure there’s coal in and that fire’s been banked up for the morning.’ Annie Woodhead was giving Uriah and Alice their orders before setting off to see her ailing mother in Kendal.

  She lifted her skirts and heaved herself up into the trap next to the small body of the driver, still checking and checking again that she had left everything in place for the smooth running of the Moon.

  ‘We’ve all in hand, Mother. You’re back in two days – what can go wrong in that time? Now, bugger off and make sure that the old lass is all right.’ Uriah stretched up to kiss her goodbye, then gave the horse a smack on its withers to stir it into action.

  ‘And don’t forget to feed the cat,’ Annie shouted as the trap set off on its journey.

  Uriah turned and went into the Moon. ‘Good God, I thought she’d never go. You wouldn’t think that I’d run this place on my own, would you? Now, Alice, how about a cup of tea before the lunchtime rush? I could do with a look at today’s paper, and then I’ll have forty winks.’ Picking up his paper from the bar, he went and sat in his favourite seat by the fire while Alice went to make him his tea.

  When she returned, the paper was lying scattered on the floor and Uriah was snoring his head off, arms lolling by his side. So this was how it was going to be. She remembered that expression he was so fond of: ‘While the cat’s away, the mice will play.’ Alice had a feeling that this little mouse would not have time for anything – she’d be too busy doing three people’s work.

  By the end of the day, Alice was shattered. She sat on the edge of the bed in front of the mirror brushing her hair, her cami straps hanging loose from her shoulders. Wearily she poured cold water into the basin, pinned her hair out of the way and stripped down to her bloomers. The cool water felt refreshing as she washed her face and then her body. It was a warm September’s night, so instead of scrambling into her nightdress she paused to study herself in the mirror, turning sideways and caressing her firm breasts, wondering at the young woman she had become. As the moonlight from the attic window highlighted the blonde in her hair, she couldn’t help but smile at the reflection that she saw in the mirror. What had happened to the ugly duckling? Even if she said so herself, she wasn’t too bad to look at.

  Hearing a creak of floorboards, which she swore came from outside her bedroom door, she turned sharply. ‘Who’s there?’ she shouted, grabbing her nightdress to cover her nude body. ‘Is anyone there?’

  There was no reply, just a flutter of bat wings from way up in the eaves of the Moon. Perhaps she had been dreaming. She was that exhausted, it was hardly any surprise she was hearing things. As she pulled the bed sheets back, she glanced at the carriage clock that had once been her mother’s ticking methodically on the bedside table. One o’clock: another four hours and she’d have to be up and about, ready for the next day. She rubbed her eyes, blew the candle out and slid into bed. Sleep came quickly, giving her peace for a few hours.

  The following day was wet. Rain battered at the Moon’s thick glass windows, making the whole place feel damp and cold. Not many customers c
ame in for breakfast or lunch, which was just as well because Uriah had not banked the fire up the night before and Alice had to light it from scratch. He’d spent the morning walking around the pub like a groaning spectre, suffering the effects of a hangover after one too many ‘nightcaps’ from the whisky bottle at bedtime. It wasn’t hard to see who was really in charge of the Moon when Annie was away.

  ‘You can get yourself to bed early tonight, if you want.’ Uriah peered at Alice over the top of his glasses. ‘Either that or find yourself something to do. I’ve a few friends coming round tonight for a card game and they’ll not want a young lass hanging about, distracting them from their betting, so you’d better make yourself scarce. Think on you don’t say anything to the missus when she comes home – she doesn’t like some of my mates.’ Uriah fixed his gaze on Alice, seeking assurance that she wouldn’t tell of his exploits.

  Alice gave Uriah a nod. She’d had enough of being on her own with him, so was thankful for the break. ‘I’ll be off now, then. All’s done for the morning. You know where I am if you want anything.’

  Sighing a weary sigh, she climbed the stairs, untying her apron as she approached her bedroom door. Too exhausted for anything else, she lay on her bed watching the raindrops race one another on the skylight. The roof was taking a pounding in the storm and a small trickle of water was gradually forming a pool in the corner of her bedroom. She was not looking forward to spending winter in this cold and lonely little bedroom.

  The next thing she knew it was dark and she could hear voices. She must have fallen asleep and been woken by Uriah’s friends as they left the Moon by the back door, laughing and calling their goodbyes. She reached out to light her bedside lamp, the golden glow allowing her to read the time on the clock as she sat gathering her senses on the edge of the bed. It was then she heard the creaking of floorboards outside her bedroom door.