Woman from Dover

by Annand, Betty

  Dolly was also a good listener, and Helmut told her how he had been left at an orphanage when he was a baby in Germany and that he never knew his parents. There was a doctor who the proprietor of the orphanage summoned whenever an orphan became seriously ill. Because he was a compassionate man, the doctor often took the sick children home where his benign wife helped nurse them to recovery.

  Helmut, a delicate child, was taken home with the doctor so often due to various ailments that finally the good man announced, “I don’t think there’s any sense taking you back to the orphanage, my little friend, since I will just be bringing you back again in a week or so. We may as well adopt you and be done with it.”

  He was then given the name of Helmut Goldberg—a name he was proud of for the rest of his life. He worshipped the doctor and his wife to such an extent that he made up his mind to study diligently and follow in his adoptive father’s footsteps.

  He studied in England, where his dedication to the profession soon earned him recognition among his peers. When he graduated with honours, he could have become a doctor to the rich and famous but chose instead to start a clinic in one of the slum districts of London.

  “You know, my little engel,” he told Dolly one day, “there are so many things we take for granted, things like our very names. I never had one until I was six years old and the Goldbergs adopted me. I remember how proud I was the first time someone asked me what my name was. I stood tall, stuck out my chest, and I said, ‘I am Helmut Goldberg!’ That was the happiest day of my life.”

  Dolly would remember his words for the rest of her life, and whenever someone asked for her name, she would stand a little taller as she answered, “My name is Dolly Pickwick.”

  Sadly, a few weeks before Christmas, Dolly’s visits came to an end when Helmut’s condition worsened and he was seldom conscious. Percy took time away from work and stayed at Four Oaks to be with his friend until the end. Although Percy insisted they continue with their holiday preparations, a poignant ambience hung over the manor.

  The Rudyards and Mary often came to show their support, and their presence was always appreciated.

  Now that the west wing of the mansion was opened, Gladys asked James if they could have a Christmas tree, and he said he would take care of it. His mother-in-law was Jewish, so after her Christian husband passed away, she reverted back to her original faith and refused to celebrate Christmas. Despite the old lady’s addiction to gin, James was very fond of her, and out of respect, he hadn’t celebrated the holiday either.

  Now he was almost as excited about Christmas and the decorations as Gladys and Dolly. He had Ruby hitch a wagon to one of his horses, and they set off to find a suitable tree to put in the great room.

  The tree they cut down was over eight feet tall, and James insisted that no one see it until it was in place and ready to decorate. When it was ready, he invited Jean, Gladys, Dolly, Jenkins, and Percy in to see if it suited them. As they came in, he watched their faces carefully to see if they approved. He knew they liked it when Percy shouted, “Hooray!” and they all clapped their hands.

  James had plenty of decorations, but Dolly asked him if they could use the ones they had brought with them from Dover as well. Gladys, afraid that Dolly was being too forward, suggested they put them on the tree in the servants’ hall since they would be having their Christmas with the rest of the staff there.

  “I think you should put them on this tree, Dolly, seeing as it was your mother who started all this,” James said as he motioned toward the tree with his hand. “I will expect you both to join us here on Christmas Eve.”

  “Oh, yes, pray do! It shall make our Christmas far more festive,” Jean exclaimed.

  Helmut rallied before Christmas but was too weak to come down to the tree on Christmas Eve, so Gladys and Dolly took his presents up to him. Gladys had knit him a pair of long woollen stockings to keep his legs and feet warm, and Dolly had painted him a picture of the decorated Christmas tree. He could only manage a weak smile, but they could tell he was pleased.

  Dolly had also painted a picture of daffodils for James because she had heard him say how much he liked them. She did a painting of one of Freda’s apple pies for Percy—his favourite—and a picture of Ruby’s cat for Jean. The pictures were all recognizable, if not perfect, and James, Percy, and Jean all declared it was the best work of art they had ever owned.

  Gladys made a dress for Dolly and bought her some boots that were both stylish and warm. She knit stockings for James and Percy and bought bloomers—the latest style in ladies’ undergarments—for Aunt Jean, who had come to spend Christmas with them. She even bought little gifts for all the girls and Freda.

  James had given all the staff bonuses, but wanting to have a special gift under the tree for Gladys and Dolly, he had asked Mary to buy them each a gold locket. Gladys and Dolly loved them, as well as the dainty little paintings in miniature frames that Percy gave them.

  After all the presents had been opened, James said, “Now that is done, I think we should have some hot drinks and enjoy a carol or two before we go to bed.”

  Dolly had noticed that there was one little, shiny, black-lacquered box tied with a pretty red ribbon left under the tree so she gave her mother a nudge and pointed to it.

  “Oh, look,” Gladys said, “there is still one left.”

  James reached down and picked it up. “Now who do you suppose this is for? Look here, there is a tag tied to the ribbon, but all it says is, ‘To Meines Engel.’ Now I wonder who that could be?” he said, looking puzzled.

  No one said anything until finally Dolly could keep quiet no longer and shyly spoke up, “Sir, I think it might be for me.”

  “For you? Now why on earth would you think that?”

  “Because Dr Helmut always calls me meines engel! It means, ‘my angel.’”

  “Yes, but does he call anyone else here by that name as well?” His expression was very serious as he looked around the room. Then, when no one replied, a big smile spread across his face and he added, “Well then, young lady, I guess it must be yours.” And he handed her the box.

  “It is the most beautiful box I have ever seen,” Dolly said with tears in her eyes, knowing it came from her dear friend.

  “Why don’t you have a look inside?” Percy suggested.

  Dolly carefully untied the bow and lifted the lid, but it only contained a single piece of paper. “It is a letter,” she said.

  “Well, I think you had better read it out loud so we can all hear what it has to say,” Gladys suggested. Dolly looked around the room to see if everyone agreed, and they all nodded. She began:

  “To Dolly,

  Your company and your recitations have eased my pain and given me much happiness. You are truly an Engel de Gnade! Now I want to give you something in return. You will find it out in the barn.

  Your grateful friend,

  Helmut

  P.S. His name is Aladdin.”

  They all followed Dolly out to the barn where Ruby, forewarned of their visit, led a handsome black gelding with a white star on his forehead and a red ribbon tied to his halter out to greet them. The horse and Dolly took to each other immediately, and that night she went to bed happier than she had been since leaving Dover. When she said her prayers, she thanked Gamby for the gift as well as Helmut, certain that he had something to do with it.

  Chapter Ten

  During the next two weeks, Helmut was semi-conscious only a few times, and when he was, he would mumble, almost entirely in German. Then on the fourth of January, 1854, he looked up at Percy, who was sitting at his bedside, and smiled before taking his last breath, leaving Percy with the certainty that his friend was at peace.

  Helmut left very little in the way of savings, since the biggest percent of his patients were paupers, but he had owned his home in London, and, according to his will, it was to be sold with t
he proceeds going to the clinic he had established in the slum district. His remains were laid to rest in London, and his funeral was attended by paupers, well-known philanthropists, clergymen, and physicians. His pallbearers were also an assortment of rich and poor. Helmut chose his friends not by the money in their pockets but the goodness in their hearts. Percy delivered the eulogy.

  After Helmut died, Percy spent more time visiting James, and their friendship grew stronger and stronger. Although they still enjoyed the company of Gladys and the rest of their friends, they seemed to take the most pleasure in discussing together different books they had read.

  Both men were impressed with Dolly’s vocabulary and her love of books, and they suggested some volumes in James’s library for her to read. Gladys had also developed a liking for literature, and they saw that she was supplied with books as well.

  Each time Gladys finished a book, they would invite her into the library to discuss what she had read. One of the books they gave her to read was a collection of seven chapters about a parish and the characters associated with it, titled, Sketches by Boz, written by Charles Dickens. When she had finished the book, and the three of them were in the library enjoying their drinks, James inquired, “Now, Gladys, what do you think about this fellow, Dickens?”

  “Well, I lived in Dover when he stayed there for a short time, and I even went to hear him recite. I shall never forget it! He was truly wonderful. So perhaps that is one of the reasons I enjoyed the book so much. I thought each of his character descriptions portrayed a clear enough picture to satisfy my imagination.”

  “Splendid. Now, which chapter did you like the most?” James asked.

  “I think I liked chapter four, ‘The Election for Beadle.’”

  Percy jumped in, “Ah, yes, that would be my favourite as well. ‘He is not one of those fortunate men who, if they were to dive under one side of a barge stark naked, would come up on the other side with a new set of clothes on.’”

  Gladys laughed and said, “You didn’t finish it. ‘A new set of clothes on—and a ticket for soup in the waistcoat pocket.’”

  James seemed very impressed and said, “You know, if you like Dickens so much, Percy has saved all his magazine stories from Oliver Twist to The Haunted Man.”

  “I shall bring them over the next time I come if you like,” Percy offered.

  “Please do; I think Dolly would enjoy them as well. You know, her grandfather taught her to read when she was only four.”

  “Having known the man, I can understand how he would appreciate her astuteness and want to spend time with her,” James said.

  Percy also shared James and Gladys’s love of the theatre, and since both he and James kept flats in London, they were able to take Gladys with them to see the odd performance. James and Percy stayed in one flat and Gladys in the other. Whenever she went with them, she gave Dolly the keys to the pantry and the linens and left her in charge. Although she was only nine, she was tall for her age and seemed much older. She also showed no sign of pomposity, and the rest of the staff never resented her authority.

  Not long after Helmut’s demise, another outbreak of cholera broke out in the slum districts of London. Percy had to spend quite a bit of his time working in London and was afraid he might carry the disease, so he didn’t visit Four Oaks for two months. They all missed his company, but no one as much as James.

  By spring, Helmut’s friend, Dr Snow, with the help of a Reverend Henry Whitehead, had persuaded the local counsel of a slum area of London that the water from the community pump might be the culprit, and the pump’s handle was removed. It was later reported that this ended the outbreak, but it may have already been in decline.

  Everyone welcomed Percy back to Sandwich, and life went back to normal.

  One day, Percy mentioned that he had read in the paper that there was a troupe of talented actors who were performing Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor from Venice, at one of the London theatres, so he had purchased three tickets for the performance. Gladys was thrilled when he said one of the tickets was for her. Then, when James said they might extend their stay in London for a few days, she looked forward to the trip even more. She wanted to buy more sewing material, and she had heard of a place in London where she could buy it for less than it cost in Sandwich.

  Unfortunately, a few days before they were to leave, both Percy and James came down with nasty colds and were unable to travel. Percy suggested that Gladys go alone, and, because it wasn’t considered proper for a lady to attend the theatre without an escort, he gave her the name of a couple he knew who would be happy to accompany her as a favour to him. James, on the other hand, was a bit apprehensive because he had given his caretakers a month’s leave to visit relatives in Scotland, and Gladys would be alone in the flat.

  Nevertheless, he gave in, knowing how much she would enjoy the play. Promising to contact Percy’s friends as soon as she arrived, Gladys left for London the day before the performance. The only time she had gone to London alone was to fetch girls from Old Nichol to work for the Watts, and it had left her with bad memories. This time, she knew she wouldn’t have to go anywhere near her old home.

  Dressed in her finest, Gladys kissed Dolly goodbye and left her standing on the station platform waving, along with Ruby and Blossom, as she boarded the train. Her face was flushed with excitement, and she felt an exhilarating sense of freedom. The glances she received from fellow passengers were unmistakably flattering and gave her a feeling of power. She knew she could be mistaken for the mistress of any mansion, a fact which she enjoyed but did not take advantage of.

  When the conductor inquired, “Are you comfortable, milady?” she gave him a weak smile and answered, “Yes, quite,” without offering as much as a thank you.

  Not long after she arrived at James’s flat, she left and took a cab to the address of Percy’s friends where she received the news that they were holidaying in Scotland. Although she knew Percy and James would not approve, she decided she would go to the theatre alone. She spent the next day walking about the streets looking in shop windows, but she only bought an assortment of chocolates to take home to Dolly as a reward to show her appreciation for looking after her duties while she was gone.

  That evening she dressed with the utmost care and was very pleased with the image she saw in her mirror.

  Before entering the theatre, she waited until she saw a well-dressed elderly gentleman who appeared to be alone. Even though she knew she was being irresponsible and foolish, she approached him and asked if he would be so kind as to escort her into the theatre because her friends had fallen ill and she didn’t want to waste the tickets. He was so impressed with her appearance that he smiled and said he would be flattered to have such a beautiful lady on his arm. When she handed him the tickets and he saw they were for the first row and far superior to the one he had, he also offered to sit beside her.

  Gladys was enjoying the play, but whenever the actor who was portraying Cassio came on stage, she couldn’t keep her eyes off him and was having trouble following the story. In the first scene of the fifth act Iago said to Roderigo, “He hath a daily beauty in his life that makes me ugly; and, besides, the Moor may unfold me to him; there stand I in much peril: No, he must die. But so: I hear him coming.” Cassio entered and Roderigo continued, “I know his gait, tis he. Villain, thou diest!”

  As he drew his sword to strike, Gladys had a sudden realization of who Cassio was. Without thinking, she jumped up and shouted, “Toughie!”

  Her outburst brought an abrupt halt to the performance, and before she could apologize, two men hurried to her, took hold of her arms, and hastily escorted her from the theatre and into the vestibule. The elderly man who had accompanied her into the theatre sat for a few seconds deciding whether to remain seated and enjoy the rest of the play or to do the honourable thing and follow her to see if he could be of assistance.

/>   His conscience won out and he hastened up the aisle and into the vestibule just in time to witness the men attempting to shove Gladys out the door while threatening to call a constable. Since he was carrying an umbrella, he made good use of it by poking one of the attendants and demanding, “Here, here, now, stop this harassment, do you hear? Surely you can allow the lady to explain.”

  “But, sir, we cannot allow such behaviour. This is an acclaimed show put on by renowned actors, and we cannot allow her to disrupt the enjoyment of the audience.”

  “Oh, I agree, my good man, but as you can see for yourself, this young lady doesn’t appear to be the sort who would come to the theatre to cause trouble, now does she?” The men looked at Gladys and had to agree. “Now, my dear, perhaps you will explain your injudicious behaviour?”

  “I am really very sorry,” she replied, “but it is just that I recognized one of the actors. I have not seen him for many years, and I thought I should never see him again. He was like a brother to me, and I did not know it was him until Roderigo was going to hit him with his sword! It was such a shock that I forgot where I was and called out to him.” She turned to the two men, “Please, I promise to be quiet if you will only let me go back in.”

  “We cannot allow that, madam, but if you leave now, we will say no more about it. However, you must leave immediately.”

  “But, don’t you see, I cannot leave without seeing my friend.”

  “I’m sorry, madam, but that’s impossible. Rules are rules, you understand.”

  “Perhaps I can be of assistance, my dear?” the elderly gentleman declared. “What if you were to leave now while I wait to see the young man as soon as the play is over? I can give him an address where he can get in touch with you. Would that do?”