The Buffer Girls

by Margaret Dickinson

  ‘But for her,’ Grace had said, ‘it might have been very different.’

  But at last, in the early hours, Amy fell asleep with a smile on her mouth as she remembered the date. Today was St Valentine’s Day.

  ‘I’ve found Trip,’ were Josh’s first whispered words to Emily early on Tuesday morning.

  ‘Where? How is he? What happened?’

  ‘Hey, hang on a minute,’ Josh laughed, but then his expression sobered. ‘He’ll be all right, but he was in a bad way when I found him.’

  Emily gasped and her eyes widened with terror. Now, there was no doubt in Josh’s mind that the two people he loved dearly were meant to be together. Swiftly, he explained everything that had happened and reassured her that Trip was truly all right, ending, ‘And Emily, I have a son. A dear little boy called Joshua Henry after me, but known as Harry.’

  Emily stared open-mouthed at him for a moment before questions poured from her lips. ‘Oh Josh, how wonderful. How old is he? Is he like you? My goodness – I’m an aunty!’ She clasped her hands together in excitement and then, calming a little, asked seriously, ‘What are you going to do?’

  She could see that already there was a new-found determination in her brother. Gone was the indecision and the kowtowing to their mother and even his weakness over Lizzie. He was going to stand up to both of them.

  ‘I’m going to give a week’s notice and then I’m going back to Ashford. I shall start up the candle-making business again and – if I can get the tenancy – we’ll live in The Candle House. We’ll be married as soon as we can – when I’m of age, if Mam still withholds her consent before then.’

  Emily was thoughtful for a moment before saying quietly, ‘What if Mam decides to go back to Ashford? There’s nothing for her here if you leave.’

  ‘She’ll stay with you, won’t she? You’re making a real success of your business now.’

  Emily smiled ruefully and said quietly, ‘No, Josh, she won’t stay here for me and besides, I wouldn’t want her to. Dad would be better back in the countryside.’

  ‘Mm, well, they could come back home. Amy and me – and Harry –’ there was such pride in his tone as he said his son’s name – ‘could live with Mr Clark. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind that. In fact, I think he’d be pleased as punch. When we were talking about living next door, I saw his face. I don’t think he wants them to leave his house, even to live next door!’

  ‘That’s all right, then. If Mam does want to go back, I’m sure she’d get the tenancy back if the house has been empty all this time. And now, I’d better get myself ready to go to Ashford.’

  ‘What about your work?’

  ‘Hang work! This is Trip we’re talking about. Besides, the three of them can cope for a couple of days.’ She grinned as she added, ‘I’ll take a “Saint Tuesday” and Wednesday, if I have to.’

  At the reference to Lizzie, Josh’s face sobered. He’d been so wrapped up in his plans for returning to Ashford and marrying Amy and – he could still hardly believe it – becoming a proper father, that he’d almost forgotten that he had a very unpleasant task to do first, to say nothing of telling his mother.

  He was not sure which woman he dreaded facing the most.

  When he woke, Trip seemed much better, but after breakfast, Amy – already up and busy dressing Harry – insisted that Trip should go back to the sofa.

  ‘You need a lot of rest and some good food inside you. Then we’ll see about you getting out in the fresh air. And let me have any washing you want doing. Washday should have been yesterday, but with so much going on, I’ve put it off until tomorrow now. With all the excitement, I was late up this morning to get the copper going.’ She smiled, the happiness shining out of her. ‘But no matter. One day’s as good as the next, isn’t it? Now, Dad’s gone to his work and if you could keep an eye on Harry for me, I’ll go and see your mother. What do you want me to tell her?’

  ‘Whatever you like, Amy. I trust you.’

  ‘What about your father’s – er – mistress?’

  Trip was thoughtful. ‘I just don’t know if she has any inkling.’

  ‘I’ll be tactful, I promise.’

  Trip smiled weakly. ‘I know you will. Good luck – and thank you.’

  As she neared the big house at the end of the street, Amy’s stomach was churning with nerves. She went round to the back of the house, to the tradesmen’s entrance, and knocked. A housemaid in a black dress, with a pristine white apron and lace cap, opened the door.

  ‘Hello, Amy,’ Polly greeted her. ‘Whatever brings you here?’

  ‘I’ve come to see Mrs Trippet.’

  The maid frowned. ‘She doesn’t normally see anyone without an appointment being made first.’

  ‘This is important. It’s about Trip – I mean Thomas.’

  ‘He’s in the city. He lives and works there now. He doesn’t come home very often. Oh dear!’ The girl clapped her hand to her mouth as a thought struck her. ‘Is he all right? Has something happened to him?’

  ‘Yes and no,’ Amy said. ‘He’s all right, but something has happened. I really need to see your mistress, Polly.’

  ‘Come in, then, and I’ll see what I can do.’

  Amy waited in the kitchen, chatting to the cook, Mrs Froggatt, but her mind was hardly on the words the woman was saying, so anxious was she about seeing Mrs Trippet.

  It seemed an age before Polly returned. ‘The mistress will see you, but she’s puzzled as to why you wish to see her.’

  Amy’s stomach felt as if it turned over. This was going to be far more difficult than she’d imagined; and she’d imagined plenty through the long night!

  She was shown into the morning room where Mrs Trippet was seated on the window seat. She was holding a book, but she laid it aside as Amy entered the room and, smiling, patted the seat beside her.

  ‘Come, we can talk here and Polly will bring us some tea or coffee. Which do you prefer, Amy? You don’t mind if I call you “Amy”, do you?’

  ‘Of course not, ma’am. And tea would be lovely, thank you, and I must thank you for all the kind gifts you’ve sent me over the past year.’ She blushed. ‘It meant a great deal to me to have your understanding and support.’

  ‘No need for the “ma’am”, my dear. “Mrs Trippet” will do nicely. And it’s been my pleasure to help you. Now, what can I do for you this morning? Is there something you need for your little boy?’

  They were sitting on either end of the curved window seat so that they were facing each other.

  ‘It’s about Trip, ma’am – Mrs Trippet. I mean, Thomas.’

  ‘Call him Trip if it’s easier for you. I know that’s his nickname amongst his friends.’

  ‘He’s here in the village and he’s staying with us.’

  Constance frowned. ‘But – but why? Why doesn’t he come home?’

  This was harder than Amy had imagined. She’d believed the woman would know that her husband had dismissed Trip from his work and had disowned him. She had expected to see a distraught woman, anxious for any news of her son. Now Amy was obliged to tell her the whole sorry story. She took a deep breath and plunged in.

  ‘Your husband and Trip had a big row just after Christmas and Mr Trippet dismissed him from his work and – and –’ she ran her tongue around her lips that were suddenly dry – ‘he told him not – not to come home any more. He’s disowned him.’

  ‘Disowned him?’ Constance gave a disbelieving laugh. ‘He can’t do that.’ But as she stared at Amy’s solemn face, she realized that was exactly what her husband had done. Her amusement died instantly. ‘Why?’ she whispered.

  ‘Trip was keeping company with Emily Ryan in the city. They used to meet every Sunday afternoon in the park. Mr Trippet found out about this and ordered him to stop seeing her. When Trip refused—’

  ‘He threw him out,’ Constance murmured, ‘from home and his inheritance too.’

  Amy nodded and for a long pause neither of them spoke. Whilst
Constance was trying to take all this in and formulate some questions, Polly brought in the tray, set out cups and saucers and poured tea. When the maid had left the room, Constance asked, ‘Is he in love with Emily?’

  ‘Yes, he says so.’

  ‘And does she love him?’

  ‘Josh says so.’ She smiled now at the memory of Josh’s words. ‘He says she’s loved Trip since she was twelve.’

  ‘Josh Ryan? You’ve seen him?’

  ‘He came back on Saturday. He – we’re going to be married.’ Now the girl blushed a little as she added, ‘He’s the father of my baby, but he didn’t know anything about him. But now he does.’

  ‘And he’s going to do the honourable thing,’ Constance murmured again.

  ‘It was Josh who found Trip. He’d been living rough – squatting, I suppose you’d call it – in The Candle House. It’s been empty since the Ryans left. He’s in rather a bad state, Mrs Trippet.’

  Constance gasped and her hand fluttered to her mouth. ‘Oh, is he ill?’

  ‘Not exactly, but he soon might have been, if Josh hadn’t found him. He was half starved and his clothes – well, they need a good wash. But I’ll see to that.’

  Constance now reached out a trembling hand towards Amy and tears started in her eyes. ‘Oh please, tell him to come home. Today. Now!’

  ‘I’ll tell him, Mrs Trippet, but I don’t know if he will. I don’t think he would dare. He just wanted me to tell you what had happened and to let you know that he’s all right. He thought you would have heard and be worried about him.’

  ‘Oh, I most certainly would have been, had I known. But my dear husband,’ she went on with bitter resentment in her tone, ‘said not a word to me about any of this.’ She was thoughtful for a moment before saying, ‘How did he find out about Thomas and Emily?’

  ‘I . . . perhaps Trip had better tell you that himself.’

  Constance eyed the girl shrewdly. ‘But you know, don’t you?’

  Always a truthful girl, Amy was obliged to nod.

  ‘Then you tell me.’

  Amy bit her lip before saying, ‘He . . . he got someone he knows in the city to . . . to spy on them.’

  Constance’s eyes narrowed. ‘I can see you are finding this very difficult, my dear, so I’ll save you the embarrassment. Was it his mistress, by any chance, Belle Beauman?’

  Amy gasped and stared at the woman, who smiled wryly and sighed. ‘Oh yes, I know all about Belle Beauman. I’ve known for years.’ Constance considered the girl for a moment. The older woman had few real friends, other than perhaps Grace Partridge, and none she dared confide in. Oh, she was well known and well respected in the village, but that was not quite the same as having a confidante. But she felt instinctively that Amy, young though she was, could be trusted not to gossip. The girl had been the subject of speculation herself recently and knew what it felt like – though, in fairness, the tales had not been malicious. If anything, taking their lead from Constance herself and from Grace Partridge, the villagers had rallied round and been very protective of one of their own. She wondered, though, what sort of reception young Josh would get now that he was back. Constance almost laughed aloud as she visualized Josh being attacked by a few umbrellas when the women of the village saw him again.

  ‘I suppose it must sound strange to you that I have stayed with my husband, knowing that he was being unfaithful.’ She paused a moment, but Amy sat quietly waiting for her to continue.

  ‘Divorce is an ugly, messy business in any society and I stayed with him and turned a blind eye for several reasons, really. I suppose the main one was Thomas.’ She was silent for a moment, thinking how to phrase her explanation, which might sound mercenary to the young girl who was so in love with Josh.

  ‘My husband and I were not head over heels in love with each other when we married. We were good friends, we liked each other and we both wanted certain things out of a marriage. Being an only child and not particularly pretty, I wanted security and I wanted children. Arthur needed the money I could bring to the marriage from my father. A dowry, if you like. So, it was an arrangement that suited us both. And then there was Thomas.’ She paused again and her voice shook a little as she added, ‘I never wanted him to be an only child, but I had two miscarriages, after which the doctor told me I should have no more children. I was unlikely to survive if I tried again and I had no intention of leaving my Thomas motherless.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Amy whispered, and she was. She felt empathy with the woman. Even after all these years, Amy could still see the pain in Constance’s eyes. Harry’s birth had been surprisingly easy and Amy hoped to have more children now that Josh was coming back and they were to be married, whatever Martha Ryan said.

  ‘So you see, in a way, I can’t blame Arthur. Men have their needs and it wasn’t as if I was hopelessly in love with him. My heart, Amy, is still intact, I can assure you.’ She met Amy’s gaze steadily. ‘Are you disgusted at me?’

  ‘Heavens, no,’ Amy said swiftly. ‘Your world is very different to ours, Mrs Trippet.’ Knowing that the woman had paid her a huge compliment by confiding in her in this way, Amy felt bold enough to add, ‘But I feel sorry for you.’

  ‘Don’t be, my dear,’ Constance said briskly. ‘I am quite content. I have everything I need and I have my wonderful son. At least . . .’ She paused and now there was real fear in her eyes. ‘Amy, he is going to be all right, isn’t he? I mean, he’s not seriously ill? You would tell me?’

  Amy shook her head and smiled. ‘He’ll be fine. He just needs rest and good food.’

  ‘Then he must come home where I can look after him.’

  ‘But his father . . . ?’

  Constance stood up, determination in her action. ‘For once, his father will do as I say. Now, let us go down and see Cook. She will pack up a hamper and Kirkland –’ Constance referred to their chauffeur-cum-handyman – ‘can go back with you. I don’t want Thomas to be a burden on you. Later today, after Mr Trippet gets home and I’ve spoken to him –’ her tone hardened with determination – ‘Kirkland can fetch Thomas home in the car.’

  ‘That’s very kind of you, about the hamper, I mean, but please, let us do this for Trip. He’s our friend. Let him stay with us until he feels a little better and until you’ve spoken to his father. I’m sorry to have to say it, but Trip won’t come home if his father is here.’

  ‘Well, if you’re sure.’ Constance didn’t want to insult the girl, but she was aware that an extra – very hungry – mouth to feed might be a strain on the smithy’s resources.

  ‘I am,’ Amy said firmly. ‘And if there are any . . . problems, he can stay longer with us.’

  As they walked to the door of the morning room together, Constance patted her hand and said, ‘Thank you for coming to see me, my dear. It can’t have been easy for you.’

  Amy looked up into the older woman’s eyes and said candidly, ‘You’re a nice lady, Mrs Trippet. Everyone says so.’

  Constance laughed. ‘That’s good to know. I take part in a lot of the village activities, but I often feel I haven’t any real friends, except perhaps Grace Partridge. We get on very well, but –’ she squeezed Amy’s hand gently – ‘I feel as if I’ve made one today.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Amy said huskily, touched by the woman’s sincerity. ‘And I feel the same.’ She, too, felt as if she now had someone else she could turn to if she needed help or advice. Not for the first time in her life, she felt the lack of a mother’s presence in her life. However close she was to her wonderful father, just now and then a girl needed a mother figure. She had felt it most keenly when giving birth to Harry, even though Mrs Partridge – the closest woman she had to a mother – had been beside her holding her hand.

  When Amy arrived home, Harry was safely in his cot for a nap and Trip was still asleep, but later she told him, ‘Your mother wants you to go home. She said Kirkland would fetch you in the car this evening, but I’ve persuaded her to let you stay with us a little longer
. Just until you’re feeling stronger and until she’s had time to talk to Mr Trippet.’

  Trip shook his head. ‘I can’t go home. I don’t want to cause trouble for her. My father can be nasty when he’s in a temper and I’ve just witnessed the worst I’ve ever seen him.’

  ‘Your mother seemed very strong to me. Very determined.’

  Trip blinked. ‘Really? I’ve never thought of her like that.’

  ‘Oh, I think she is. She knew all about Belle Beauman. She said she’d known about her for years.’

  The news obviously came as a surprise to Trip, who was thoughtful for some moments. ‘You’re right,’ he said slowly. ‘She’s shown great courage. I presume she stayed because of me.’

  Amy nodded. ‘That was part of it, yes, a big part, I’d say, but also, just think, Trip, if she’d left your father, where would she have gone, how would she have lived? It wouldn’t have been easy and – if your father had been vindictive—’

  Trip laughed ironically. ‘And he would have been, believe me.’

  ‘Then he’d have seen her penniless and, no doubt, have prevented her from ever seeing you again.’

  Trip sighed. ‘She may have had some money of her own left to her by her father, but I’ve no idea about that and you’re right about one thing: Father would definitely have had custody of me. Poor Mother.’

  ‘She told me she was content enough. She has her interests and, above all else, she has you. I think the only real sadness in her life was the loss of her babies. She would have loved to have had more children.’