Ruby McBride

by Freda Lightfoot

  Ruby was stunned. She walked wonderingly through the dusty rooms, touching a broken chair, stroking the blackened surface of the stove, pulling away a tangle of cobwebs. The house was filthy, had the usual dank smell of neglect and vermin, but it was spacious with three bedrooms above, a kitchen and parlour below, and a private yard at the back complete with their own privy. Far grander than anything they’d lived in with Mam. She could make something of this house, given the chance.

  But what would agreeing to live here with him cost her? She’d come perilously close to breaking the law on a number of occasions and very much doubted the police would be prepared to consider her an unwilling accomplice if he ever got caught, not as an ex-reformatory girl with a history of absconding. If they ever swooped on the baron, she’d be done for. They’d throw her in t’clink and toss away the key. Wouldn’t it be better just to get as far away from him as possible? And yet there was her responsibility to Pearl to think about.

  ‘What about me sister?’

  ‘I’ve asked around. Nobody has heard of her.’

  ‘I don’t believe you. Why would you even bother?’

  ‘You know why.’ With his eyes narrowed, it was well-nigh impossible for her to read his thoughts behind those lowered lids, though she could guess them since he’d made no secret of his desire for her. His soft chuckle sounded harsh, edged with the stirrings of anger or passion, Ruby wasn’t sure which. ‘There is, admittedly, a part of me that wonders why I should bother. You are my wife after all, and I could simply claim my rights here and now. It would be perfectly legal.’

  Ruby swallowed the lump, which must be fear, that had lodged in her throat. She really mustn’t antagonise him too much. Intimacy with Barthram Stobbs was the last thing she wanted, wasn’t it? ‘If I were to find her, would you have any objection to her moving in?’

  ‘So long as she helps with the chores and keeps out of my way, no. Can’t say fairer than that, can I? Have I fulfilled all the criteria you require, Ruby? Here, at last, is your own home. Cleaned out and furnished, it’ll serve for weekends. During the week we will remain on the boat, naturally. And you can have your sister with you, if that’s what you wish. Now, don’t I deserve a little reward for such generosity?’

  He pushed her gently back against the wall as he stroked her face, the skin of his hands hard and rough against the satin softness of her cheeks, catching in the silky tangle of her hair. Ruby was breathing hard, desperately trying to quell a surge of panic. And yet, somewhere deep inside, she felt the stirrings of some other emotion, one she didn’t care to put a name to.

  ‘No! Not till I’ve found our Pearl. That was the agreement.’

  ‘Oh, Ruby! What an unfeeling wench you are. Won’t you even give me the slightest nibble, just a taste of what you have to offer?’ He put his lips against hers, brushing them lightly from side to side, a delicate overture to further plunder. The effect was startlingly sensuous and Ruby found herself instinctively lifting her mouth to his, her hands creeping up to grip the lapels of his jacket, her own body betraying her by its need. Hard on its heels came a kickback of guilt when she thought of Pearl, and she shoved hard at his chest, pushing him away.

  ‘I told you, no! I need to find our Pearl first.’

  ‘Don’t you care about my feelings at all?’

  Ruby tossed her head with defiance. ‘Why should I? Nobody ever cared about mine.’

  ‘Oh, Ruby. That’s not true. Have you found nothing in my treatment of you that would count in my favour?’

  ‘Not that I’ve noticed.’ There was such a heart-rending sadness in his tone that she felt compelled to turn away, unable to bear to look at him in case she weakened. He didn’t give a toss about her. Nobody ever had, so why should Barthram Stobbs be any different? She certainly had no intention of dropping her guard.

  Ruby put all her energies into cleaning the house. She was thrilled to be permitted to buy a few pieces of second-hand furniture, then set about scrubbing and black-leading the Lancashire range till it shone. She even stitched some lace curtains to make it look homely, something she’d never had in her life. This was the nearest she’d had to a home and Ruby was entranced by it. All she needed now was for Pearl and Billy to share this good fortune with her, so she could give them the love they’d lost when their mam had gone into the sanatorium.

  Her siblings had never known the privilege of a normal childhood, and even Ruby’s hopes for a new life, following the years in the reformatory, had been stifled by the reformers’ zeal. She’d been married off to a stranger, a thief and conman whom she hated. Yet she was confused. If she loathed him so much, how was it they could work so well together? Why did the touch of his hands turn her insides to water? Was she a wanton, a wicked woman with no morals? Ruby dreamed of taking a ship to Canada to find Billy, yet if she were honest, she could not quite bring herself to walk out the door. Not just yet.

  Late one night, instead of Sparky coming to talk to Bart as he so often did, it was his wife Aggie who turned up. Ruby recognised her as the woman who had stood at the back of the crowd on the day of the march and told Pickering that it was easy for him to talk, with money coming in regularly every week. Never rosy-cheeked, her pale face looked even more haggard tonight, her ragged dress and shawl hanging from her too-thin frame. Ruby hurried to her side, full of concern.

  ‘What is it Aggie? Has something happened?’

  ‘Aye, you could say so. Our Sparky has been sacked.’

  ‘Sacked? Why? Not for taking part in that demonstration surely?’

  Aggie gave her head a sharp jerk. ‘Is he in?’

  ‘I’m afraid not. He’s off on one of his jaunts some place. Can I help?’

  Aggie looked deflated, chewed on her lip for a moment before answering. ‘Tell him I can’t pay into the burial club this week, what with our Sparky being laid off. Once he gets taken up again, I’ll catch up somehow. I like to keep up.’

  Ruby gravely promised she would pass the message on. She knew well enough how important a burial club was to the people of Salford and Castlefield. A penny or two a week was a good deal of money to find at times, but it bought them peace of mind. Ruby’s own mother had feared, perhaps more than anything, one of her children succumbing to the many childhood illnesses and her not having the wherewithal for a decent burial. Yet, in the end, it had been Mam herself who’d died and been buried as a pauper. She’d be turning in her grave at the shame of it.

  But what Ruby had not known was that Bart operated such a club. She wondered who he acted as agent for. Insurance societies and trust funds didn’t seem quite in his line.

  Aggie was so upset, she was repeating her tale all over again. ‘Tell him I’ll catch up. I will, I will. I’m that sorry.’

  ‘Don’t worry, Aggie. You won’t be in need of it for years yet.’ The remark, meant to console and comfort, sounded false and fatuous and Ruby bit down on her lip, wishing she could find something genuinely useful to say, like she knew where Sparky could find another job, for instance, so that his family wouldn’t be in any danger of starving to death. ‘I’ll put the kettle on. You’ll have a cuppa with me?’

  But Aggie stood up, all bustle and energy now that she’d delivered her message. ‘No, no, I have to get back t’childer. See you tell him, that’s all.’ And seconds later she was gone in a flurry of skirts and anxiety.

  Ruby delivered the message the moment Bart got back, while he was barely halfway down the ladder. She carefully explained how upset Aggie had been, how anxious to keep up to date with her books, presumably one for each of her several children as well as herself and Sparky.

  ‘You say Sparky was sacked?’ Bart didn’t seem to be listening to Ruby’s message about the burial club so she repeated it. He silenced her with a peremptory, ‘I heard you the first time. Are you saying that Sparky has been sacked?’

  Wordlessly, she nodded.

  ‘Damnation, the man is a heartless boor!’ Bart swung about and began to ascend the ladder even mo
re swiftly than he’d come down it. ‘Don’t expect me home till late. I have business to attend to.’

  Ruby didn’t ask with whom. She rather thought she could guess. This response was typical of her husband, just as the women of the cut had told her. Nothing was too much trouble for the baron where they were concerned, and she felt a surge of admiration and pride that he should care so much. Yet a part of her felt neglected, resentful and jealous even that as kind and giving as he was to everyone else, he showed no such concern for her, save for wanting a bit of the other. What about her problems? She was his wife after all. Didn’t that count for anything? If only he would put as much effort into helping her to find Pearl, his own sister-in-law. She may still be locked up in the reformatory, or suffering at the hands of some mill owner or cruel employer. Awash with unaccustomed self-pity, Ruby sat on her bed, put her face in her hands and wept.

  The world was an unkind and cruel place. She had little hope that her sister would be happily enjoying life somewhere. Ruby was quite certain that Pearl would be in dire need of care and attention and it was her duty, as she’d promised Mam, to provide it.

  Pearl and Kit lay in bed, sated from their love making. He was an exciting and demanding lover and she had no regrets about moving into his rooms above a chip shop in Rochdale, for all the stink of hot fat and old batter was a bit overpowering at times. ‘It’s only temporary,’ he told her. ‘Just till I get meself sorted.’

  Neither of them could find employment: Kit because young men who’d spent years on a reformatory training ship were not welcomed with open arms by prospective employers, despite the claims of the reformers to the contrary. Pearl because she didn’t even bother to look. She was more than content with her life as it was, and meeting Kit had only made it better.

  ‘I must say, I appreciate the enthusiasm you put into your work,’ Kit told her, a teasing light in his blue eyes as he untied the ribbons of her grubby camisole, not having had time to remove it earlier in his urgency to get at her.

  ‘What a cheek! If you call this work, then you can pay me for it.’ Her breasts spilled out when the fabric parted but as he greedily reached for her, Pearl slapped his hands away and swung herself out of the bed, flouncing off and falling into a sulk, as was her wont. ‘Trouble with you, Kit Jarvis, is, you’re never satisfied. You always want more, and with not a word of gratitude or appreciation.’ She was already halfway into her blouse and pulling on her skirt while he was filled with regret for the loss of these delights.

  Kit had discovered early on that it was easy to offend Pearl. ‘Aw, I do appreciate you, really I do. There’s none better than my lovely Pearl at turning tricks. And don’t I deserve some reward for providing you with free accommodation, as well as so many well-paying clients?’

  ‘Aye, but you’re happy enough to help me spend whatever they pay me.’ Pearl paused in pulling on her stockings to glance provocatively back at him over her shoulder, pouting her soft full lips. Ooh, but he was that handsome she wanted to eat him all up.

  ‘That’s the deal, love. I believe in looking after my own, you know that.’ He drew her back on to the bed, peeled off the stocking she’d just put on, and stroked her thigh before cupping her with his hand. ‘We suit each other nicely, don’t you reckon?’

  Pearl fluttered her eyelashes with enticing allure. ‘Till summat better comes along, you mean.’

  He adopted a mockingly sad expression. ‘Pearl, that’s a sorry reflection on my loyalty. Are you saying that you don’t trust me?’

  ‘I’m saying this isn’t no flippin’ love affair. I’m not as green as all that. It’s in your interests to have me around, since I’m earning good money.’

  He’d already removed her blouse, now he slid off the skirt she’d only just put back on. ‘And it’s in yours to stick by me for the protection I can offer. There are some weird characters out there, love. Like I say, you need someone to keep an eye out for any likely trouble. We can look out for each other, right?’

  Now he was on top of her again, desire hot in her as only he knew how to stir her senses to fever pitch. Pearl quite liked it when they argued, and if she let him win occasionally, it was only in her own best interests. She was quite happy for him to act as her protector, so long as she was the one secretly in control. ‘I allus thought it was our Ruby you fancied,’ she gasped, arching her body so he could take one nipple into his mouth.

  Kit chuckled as he pushed back her arms, easily holding both her wrists with one hand while he eased himself into her with the other. ‘You were only a child when I last saw you. How was I to know you’d grow into such a stunner?’

  Pearl purred with pleasure, not only at his words but at the sensations he was creating within her. Besides, she knew well enough how much Ruby adored Kit Jarvis, which pleased her all the more. Serve her sister right if Pearl had got to him first.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Ruby’s worries over Pearl, her constant grieving for the loss of Billy, and her longing to meet up again with Kit, her childhood sweetheart, were not in any way diminished by her sense of contentment in working the boats. Rather, the placid routine of her life filled her with a sense of guilt. How could she be so content when her brother and sister were not?

  Nor was she consoled by the fact that she now accepted there was more to Barthram Stobbs than had at first been apparent. He might have his generous side, particularly when it came to seeking justice for his fellow workers, but he showed precious little towards her, preferring instead to keep her firmly in her place.

  It was a strange, almost hostile relationship they had. Even now that he’d provided her with a lovely little house to live in for a part of each week, he was rarely in it. Said he felt confined, suffocated by four walls. Ruby suspected he couldn’t bear the thought of sleeping alone, aware she was in the next room having rejected his advances. But how could she live in a marriage without love? And didn’t she deserve to make her own choices in life?

  One day in early spring, Ruby finally plucked up the courage to retrace her steps to Kit’s old home. So many times she had ached to look for him but had never done so, and she knew why. To her mind, he represented her one hope of happiness. Yet if he rejected her - and he had every reason to do so since it was because of her that he’d been caught and sent to the training ship - then her last hope of finding Pearl and of escaping Bart’s tyranny, would be gone.

  It took an age to find the tenement block among a dozen others, and when she was finally satisfied that she’d found the right one, enquiries proved that Marie and her children no longer lived there. No one had heard of her for years, or had any idea where she might be living now. Ruby hadn’t realised, until she experienced the keenness of disappointment, how very much she’d been counting on Kit’s being there, or at least on finding his mother who would surely have known where he was. She longed to turn back the clock and find him still fetching stale bread and broken biscuits for his brothers and sisters.

  It was as she was walking away, head down to hide the tears that washed over her cheeks, arms wrapped about herself in abject misery against a brisk north-east wind, that she heard the voice. She would have known it anywhere.

  ‘I just happened to come by it. Must be worth a bob or two. What d’you reckon?’

  Ruby jerked up her head, swung about to stare hard at a tall, gangly youth who was leaning against a lamp post, just a few yards away. He was holding something in his hand that he was proudly showing to a mate.

  ‘Jackdaw! I don’t believe it. Still up to your old tricks then?’

  He turned round to glare at her, a fierce expression in the dark eyes that peered out from beneath the jauntily placed slouch cap. But gradually they seemed to focus more keenly, narrowing as if in deep thought, and then opened wide with surprise. ‘Ruby? As I live and breathe, is it really you?’

  ‘Last time I looked it was.’

  ‘By heck, you’re a sight for sore eyes.’ Then he was lifting her off her feet to swing her round on
a whoop of joy. ‘Where have you been hiding all these years?’

  ‘Where d’you think?’ She was laughing too, holding him tight in a fierce hug of delight, so pleased was she to see him. It was like discovering an old friend, and she hadn’t many of those these days.

  He bought her a mug of tea from the stall under the railway arches and they stood about in the raw cold of a March day, stamping their feet to keep warm as they sipped the scalding brew, recalling old times and laughing like drains.

  ‘I remember getting all filthy scrounging for coal.’

  ‘And rummaging through dustbins for anything to sell, or even eat, if it hadn’t gone off.’

  ‘Where is Pongo?’

  ‘He’s still around. Got himself a wife now, and a couple of kids. Right proud of them, he is. Works down the docks. Nothing but the best is good enough for his childer. I remember your Pearl falling in the River Irwell when we went gurdling for fish.’

  Ruby laughed. ‘I never managed to catch any either. No wonder we near starved when we left you lot.’ Which inevitably turned their thoughts to Kit.

  The laughter swiftly died and Ruby gazed at Jackdaw with mute appeal in her eyes. ‘Where is he? Have you heard from him?’

  Jackdaw shook his head. ‘Not lately. I know he’s been released from the training ship. I heard they gave him a bad time. Got the birch once. Admitted as much to me once. It was for trying to escape, apparently.’

  A wave of sickness washed over her at the thought of Kit being whipped, and her knees went all funny so that she sank down on to a low stone wall to catch her breath.

  Jackdaw crouched down beside her. ‘I know how you feel, Ruby. Gives you the bleedin’ shivers, don’t it? And I remember you was allus fond of him. It made me mad when I heard. What had he ever done to deserve such treatment? Only try to feed his family, that’s all. Which was more than anybody else was prepared to do. There were rats on that ship, sweatshop labour, bitter cold and sickness, beatings and bullying. No wonder he tried to escape. Them places aren’t fit for human consumption.’