by Rosie Clarke
‘Food for babies,’ Nanny grumbled. ‘But I’ve got to eat or I’ll be a trouble to everyone.’
‘You haven’t been eating properly for a while, have you, Nanny?’ Jessie gave her a gentle smile. ‘I expect you were too tired. You had too much to do.’
‘I should have retired years ago,’ Nanny said, surprising her. ‘Could have gone to live with my sister in Torquay. She’s a widow, lives in a cottage her husband left her. She begged me to go but Mrs Kendle asked me to stay and then there was her ladyship. I didn’t want to desert them.’ For a moment her eyes looked watery. ‘Now I’ve become a liability they won’t want me here. I’ll just be in the way.’
‘You really are going to get better,’ Jessie told her. ‘I know you feel a bit low now and that’s natural, but you will improve if you rest and eat. Besides, I need your help. I’m not sure I know how to manage the children. I’ve looked after sick children, of course, but I understand Jack is a bit of a handful.’
‘Master Jack is no better or worse than most lads of his age. Be firm with him, Jessie. Don’t threaten or bully. Just give him a straight look if he plays up, and if you have to, but only if he’s done something really naughty mind, give him a sharp tap on his leg. If you’re firm you shouldn’t need to slap often. Some Nannies use a cane or deprive children of their treats. I’ve never had to do that myself.’
‘Thanks, I’ll remember,’ Jessie said. She finished her breakfast and got up to make the bed. When she returned Nanny had drunk half a cup of tea and eaten two tiny soldiers. ‘Had enough? You’ve done well. I’ll bring you something light at lunch. Would you like to go back to bed now?’
‘Let me see if I can do it myself. I don’t want to wet the bed again.’
Nanny pushed herself up out of the chair. She stood for a moment and then walked very slowly back to the bed. It exhausted her but she managed it and smiled triumphantly as she hitched herself into position.
‘That’s better. I told you I’d be all right once I was up.’
‘Of course you did,’ Jessie said. ‘Is there anything you want before I go – something to read perhaps?’
‘I’ll just rest and think. Don’t worry. I’ll be all right.’
‘I’ll come in when I can.’
Jessie took the tray downstairs. She left it on the draining board for Maggie to see to and then asked Cook about the children’s breakfast. After being told that Maggie would bring it up to them at half-past seven as usual, Jessie went back upstairs to the nursery. The noise coming from inside told her that Jack was awake and already playing some kind of game. As she went in she saw that he was lying on the floor with a tin car and some lead soldiers. His sister was standing at the end of her cot watching him, but making no sound, her grey eyes wide and clear.
‘Hello,’ Jessie said. ‘Are you having fun?’
Jack raised his head and gazed at her solemnly. ‘The soldiers are dead,’ he announced. ‘I’ve killed them.’ He pointed a finger at her. ‘Bang! Bang! Bang! I’ve killed you too. You’ve got to fall over.’
‘I don’t think so,’ Jessie said. ‘Someone has to wash your face and help you to dress. Who’s going to do that if I’m killed?’
‘Nanny,’ he said. ‘Nanny gets us dressed. Alice put us to bed last night. I don’t like Alice much. She gets cross if I splash her when I’m in the bath.’
‘Perhaps she doesn’t like getting her clothes wet.’
Jack considered that for a moment then grinned. ‘I got wet when I fell in the fishpond. Ned had to come in and pull me out. I smelt terrible and was covered in weed. Everyone screamed and made a lot of fuss. They thought I was dead.’
‘You might have been,’ Jessie said. ‘Think how sad your mother and father would be then.’
‘Father would be sad,’ Jack agreed. ‘Mother wouldn’t mind. She says I’m a nuisance and will be glad when I go away to boarding school. What is it like at boarding school?’
‘I don’t know. I didn’t go,’ Jessie said. ‘‘Sides, I bet she’ll be sad when you go. She’ll probably cry.’
‘No, she won’t. I heard her tell Father she wanted me to go soon. He said she was a heartless bitch.’
Jessie was shocked, but tried not to let him see that he had succeeded in his aim. ‘You shouldn’t say things like that, Jack. It isn’t nice.’
‘Why not? It’s true. Father says one shouldn’t tell lies and I don’t – but I can’t see why I can’t tell the truth.’
‘Your father is quite right, but sometimes it is best not to repeat things you’ve heard – private things.’
Jack looked at her with interest. ‘Are you going to smack me? Alice smacks me when I say rude things to her.’
‘I might smack you if you are really naughty, but I don’t mind what you say to me.’ Jessie smiled as she saw the uncertainty in his eyes. ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones but names won’t hurt me.’
‘Nanny says that too. Where is she?’
‘Having a rest. If you help me to get you dressed I might take you to see her later for a few minutes. Would you like that?’
He considered, then said, ‘Nanny loves me. I think I love her. She won’t die, will she? She’s very old, you know. Even older than you.’
Jessie’s lips quivered. He was a little monster. Master Jack might only be five years of age, but he knew exactly what he was up to and she guessed that he was provoking her, testing her rather as Nanny had earlier.
‘Oh, I’m quite old,’ she said. ‘Not as old as Nanny but much older than you – and you’re older than Catherine.’
‘She’s only a baby.’ He gave her an old-fashioned look. ‘I’m glad you didn’t call her Miss Cathy. The servants do and it’s not her proper name. You’re different.’
‘Am I?’
‘Yes. Who are you and why are you here?’
‘I’m Jessie and I’ve come to look after you and your grandmother,’ Jessie said. ‘What would you like to wear today?’
‘Can I wear what I like?’
‘I don’t see why not,’ Jessie said. ‘Unless your parents want to take you out and then you would have to look very smart.
‘I’m not wearing that soppy sailor suit!’
‘Shall we see what you have in the cupboard?’
‘It’s a wardrobe, silly!’
Jack went skipping ahead of her. It took him several minutes to decide which of the many outfits he wanted to wear, most of the others deposited on the floor for someone to pick up again, but in the end he chose a pair of riding breeches and a brown Norfolk jacket. Since he was happy with his choice Jessie assisted where needed, which wasn’t often as he could manage most of his buttons himself, but needed a little help to get his boots on: riding boots, she thought, but made no comment. Once he was more or less ready she left him to play with his toys and went to fetch Catherine, who had been watching in silent wonder from her cot, making hardly a sound except the odd cooing noise now and then.
The little girl was wet and it took Jessie a while to discover how to fix her nappy properly. She was a bit surprised to find the child still in nappies for she was supposed to be almost three years old, but perhaps it was natural. She wasn’t sure about these things.
‘Oo is oo?’ Catherine asked in her baby talk after the nappy was changed, reaching up to pat her face. ‘Nice. Nanny come now?’
‘I’m Jessie,’ she said and kissed the little girl. ‘Nanny is resting. You shall see her soon.’
She put the dry, contented and fully dressed child on the floor and watched as she crawled towards Jack’s soldiers. She began to stand them up one by one, seeming intent on her task. Yet she didn’t scream or cry when Jack knocked them down again, simply started the process once more. Jessie frowned. Something seemed not quite right. Was the little girl backward for her age – or was it just that she didn’t have enough experience with children to know these things?
She heard the doorknob rattling and went to open it, letting Maggie in with her loaded tr
ay. She’d brought boiled eggs and soldiers of bread and butter for the children, also some toast, jam and two mugs of cold milk. She set the tray on the table, which was large and scarred with the use of generations of children, glanced at Catherine and then at Jessie.
‘Little love,’ she said. ‘Never any trouble. Not like Master Jack here. He’s a terrible rogue.’
Jack pulled a face at her but didn’t seem to mind. He picked up the car he’d been playing with and came to the table.
‘Can I have toast and jam? I don’t like egg.’
‘What would you like in the morning?’ Jessie asked.
‘Kippers like Mother – or just toast and jam.’
‘I’ll ask Cook for a kipper for you next time she has some if you eat some of your egg.’
‘Why can’t I have it now?’
‘Because the egg is cooked. Some little boys aren’t lucky enough to have an egg for their breakfast,’ Maggie said. ‘They only get bread and dripping or nothing at all. You do what Jessie tells you, Master Jack.’
‘Not if he doesn’t like egg,’ Jessie said and picked Catherine up, sitting her on her lap. ‘He can eat what he wants. Catherine wants her egg, don’t you, darling?’ Catherine’s cooing seemed to indicate that she did. She bit into her soldiers with every sign of enjoyment.
‘See you later,’ Maggie said and went out.
Jessie continued to feed Catherine, letting Jack get on with his own breakfast. When she glanced at him she saw that he had managed to get the top off his egg and was spooning it into his mouth and biting a finger of bread liberally covered with strawberry jam. Jessie was amused at the combination but didn’t object. She’d told him he could eat what he liked and he’d taken her at her word.
‘What do you want to do after breakfast?’ she asked. ‘Shall we go for a walk? You could show me the fishpond you fell in if you like.’
‘You might fall in and get killed.’
‘I shan’t if you show me where it is. We could play a game if you’ve got a ball of some kind.’
‘I’ve got all sorts of balls. I play cricket with Father sometimes. And we do sums. He teaches me when he comes to visit after tea. I can read some words, too. I can read a whole book.’
‘That’s clever of you. When will you go to school?’
‘Father says I should have a tutor until I’m seven. He says he’s going to get one whatever Mother thinks. What is a tutor, Jessie?’
‘A sort of teacher. One who comes to the house instead of you going to the school.’
‘Father says…’ Jack went silent of a sudden and glancing towards the door Jessie saw that Captain Kendle was standing on the threshold watching them, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
‘How are you doing, Miss Hale? I thought I would just look in in case there were any problems?’
‘None at the moment, sir. We are getting on just fine.’
‘So it would appear. I’m going to the farm this morning, Jack. Want to come?’
‘Yes please!’ Jack jumped down from the table. ‘Can we go now?’
‘You had better ask Jessie if you may be excused, young man.’
Jack turned to look at her, an expression of such longing in his face that she smiled. She had guessed that Captain Kendle was taking his son out of the way to make things easier for her that morning and she was touched by his consideration.
‘Yes, of course you may go, but wipe your mouth on the flannel first. You have strawberry jam all over it.’
Jack ran immediately to the sink and scrubbed at his face with the flannel he had used earlier. Jessie glanced at his father uncertainly as she asked, ‘Is he dressed correctly? We were just going to play in the garden and he chose his own clothes.’
‘He’s fine,’ Harry Kendle said. ‘I would like a little talk – perhaps this evening before dinner, Miss Hale?’ He looked down at the eager face of his son. ‘Have a pleasant day. Come along, Jack. I might put you up on my horse as you’re wearing your breeches.’
The nursery seemed very quiet after they had gone. Jessie found some warm clothing in Catherine’s cupboard and dressed her in a pretty velvet coat with a matching bonnet and a wool scarf about her neck. The sun was shining but it would be cool outside.
‘Shall we go and play, Catherine?’
‘Play!’ the child said and smiled, delighted with the suggestion.
She was such a happy child and as everyone said, no trouble. For nearly an hour she played ball with Jessie in the garden, toddling after it a little unsteadily and falling often on her bottom or her knees. However, she picked herself up and laughed, seeming to think it was all a part of the fun. There were no tears, only smiles, but Jessie was anxious.
She carried the child as she walked right round the house, wanting to get to know her surroundings better. It really was lovely in the gardens, and they were well kept despite the shortage of men to look after them. She thought how much her aunt would like to see them and wished for a camera so that she could send a photograph to her in London. How wonderful those rose beds must look in summer. It wouldn’t be long until Christmas now, of course, and there had been a slight frost overnight.
Mrs Pearson met her when she took the child back into the house.
‘Lady Kendle is ready for you now. Give me the child.’
‘I think I shall take her to see her grandmother. Jack has gone out with his father and Catherine will sit quietly while I do what’s needed. You get on with your work, Mrs Pearson. I know how busy you are today.’
‘Well, if you’re sure.’ The housekeeper was clearly relieved not to be looking after Catherine.
‘Yes, I’m sure.’
Lady Kendle was propped up against her pillows waiting. She looked surprised but pleased when Jessie took the little girl in and sat her down in an armchair by the window.
‘Sit there and then you can kiss Grandma in a minute.’ Jessie glanced at Lady Kendle. ‘I hope you don’t mind, ma’am? She won’t be any trouble.’
‘Catherine never is,’ Lady Kendle replied and there was sadness in her face. ‘Have you been told?’
‘No one said, but she’s a little backward, isn’t she?’
‘My son took her somewhere. They say it happened when she was born. She may never be quite as she should – but as you say, she’s no bother.’
‘It’s a shame,’ Jessie said, pity stirring, not just for the child but her parents too. ‘I know it happens sometimes if there are complications.’
‘She was a twin. The boy was born first and seemed perfect but he died a few hours later. We shall never understand why; the doctors couldn’t explain it.’
‘I had no idea. It must have been terrible for Captain and Mrs Kendle.’
‘Yes, it was. Mary has never accepted it. She…’ Lady Kendle shook her head. ‘Has Jack gone with his father? Harry thought it would help on your first morning, especially with Nanny ill. How is she by the way? My son thought she seemed to have made a remarkable recovery.’
‘It is quite often that way if the stroke is mild and she is doing very well. We must keep her quiet for a few days but it won’t be too long before she can sit with the children for a while, though I shan’t let her do anything tiring, of course. I have every hope that she will make a complete recovery, but we must take care of her.’
‘That is excellent news. If Carter has time I should like to be taken up to see her later – but only if he can spare a few minutes.’
‘I’ll tell him, ma’am.’
Jessie helped her patient from the bed, pushing her bathchair to the basin and leaving her to wash while she made the bed tidy. She then fetched the clothes Lady Kendle asked for and helped her to dress. She wheeled the chair to the window so that the elderly lady could look out at the garden, fetched books, a shawl and various other items, measuring out her medicine carefully into a little glass. She finished tidying the room, and when she turned to look saw that Catherine had managed to climb up onto her grandmother’s lap and was playin
g with the necklace she wore quite contentedly.
‘I hope she isn’t bothering you?’
‘Not at all. You can bring her whenever you wish,’ Lady Kendle said. ‘But Jack is so impatient, always running about and shouting. I can’t tolerate more than a few minutes of his company unless his father is there. He always behaves when Harry is around.’
‘I’ll remember that,’ Jessie said. ‘But you would like to see him for a few minutes if he is good?’
‘If you could perform a small miracle I should be delighted. Now run along and do whatever you have to do, Jessie. I shall be quite all right until lunch. My husband will bring the newspaper in soon and then we shall talk. I shall not be neglected so you need not worry about me.’
‘Yes, ma’am.’
Jessie took Catherine from her. The child chortled with pleasure, patting her face as she was carried from the room. She didn’t say any words, though she did make cooing noises. Jessie wondered if she was just lazy. She seemed perfectly capable of making herself understood, which meant she must understand most of what went on around her.
Taking Catherine with her, she went to see Nanny and discovered that she was awake. She was pleased to see them, and smiled with pleasure as Jessie let the child kiss her.
‘Poor little lamb,’ Nanny said. ‘They don’t love her, Jessie. Her father is kind to her but even he doesn’t really love her.’
‘Oh, surely they must,’ Jessie said. ‘Lady Kendle was pleased to see her just now.’
‘You never took her there?’
‘She sat quietly all the while, watching the way she does. Her ladyship said I could take her anytime, but not Jack unless I could make him be quiet.’
‘He’s only quiet for his father,’ Nanny said. ‘Well, miss, you’ve done more than I’ve dared. It’s good for Catherine that you’ve come. At least you’ll be kind to her.’
‘You can be sure of that,’ Jessie said. ‘I adore her already. Now, is there anything you want?’
‘I used the pot under the bed,’ Nanny said. ‘It needs emptying – but Maggie will do it later.’
‘I’ll take it to the bathroom along the hall,’ Jessie said. ‘You don’t want that left here all day. Can I leave Catherine with you for a moment?’