by Dilly Court
‘You’re not just saying that, Guvnor?’
‘Of course not, Rose. I have a job to do, and you’re my assistant, so you’ll travel with me. Unless you’ve a better plan?’
It all happened so quickly that Rose was left breathless by the speed at which she found herself saying goodbye to Bradley, Hebony and Jabari. Mrs Sheldon was gracious, as ever, but Rose sensed a feeling of relief behind Elizabeth’s softly spoken words. Desmond was kind, but slightly distant, and Cecilia was almost tearful, which took Rose completely by surprise. Bradley was perhaps the most upset, and Rose was moved to give him a hug. She thanked him for everything he had done for her and gave him Maria’s address in Great Hermitage Street, making him promise that he would call on her when he returned to London.
There was no time to visit the barracks, and the possibility of seeing Max was so slim that it was hardly worth the time it would take. Rose wrote him a letter, explaining that she had taken his advice and accepted the offer of an escorted journey back to London. She did not add that she would be travelling with only Eugene for company – that would keep for later. She knew now that Max loved her, but her own feelings were far from clear – perhaps a sea voyage and the long train journey would serve to make decisions about her future clearer. Her sights were firmly set on returning to London, and the people who had come to rely on her for support.
After a hot and dusty railway journey to Alexandria, Rose insisted on visiting the hospital where Jimmy had been a patient. She told Eugene about the articles she had written involving the wounded servicemen, and he agreed to accompany her. Their passage booked, they had several hours before embarkation and they hired a rickety carriage to take them to the hospital. When she enquired about Private Harry Norman the nurse’s expression changed. She said that he was still on the ward, adding in a low voice that the poor young man was very depressed, and had twice attempted to take his own life. Rose was horrified and close to tears when she entered the side ward to find him lying in bed, staring sightlessly at the ceiling.
‘Harry. It’s me, Rose.’ She went to his bedside and laid her hand on his shoulder.
He snapped into a sitting position. ‘Rose? It really is you. You didn’t forget me.’
She perched on the edge of the narrow bed. ‘Of course not, Harry. I had to go to Cairo for a few days, but I’m on my way home to England now.’
‘I’d give anything to go with you, miss. They got me lying here day after day with no hope of me seeing again. I’m blind and that’s how it’s going to stay.’
Rose cast a helpless glance at Eugene, who was standing in the doorway. ‘I wish I could help you, Harry.’
Eugene shook his head. ‘I know what you’re thinking, Munday, but it’s simply not possible.’
‘Who’s that?’ Harry clasped Rose’s hand. ‘I don’t know his voice.’
‘It’s all right,’ Rose said gently. ‘This is Mr Eugene Sheldon. Do you remember me telling you about him, and how he gave me a job on the newspaper?’
‘Yes, but what does he want here?’ Harry demanded suspiciously.
Eugene moved to the bedside. ‘We’re on our way to London, but Rose insisted on coming to see you. Is there anything you need?’
‘No, sir. I’m done for. I’ll never see home again.’
Rose squeezed his fingers. ‘Don’t say things like that, Harry.’
‘Will you do something for me, miss?’
‘Of course. What is it?’
‘Take a message to Ma in Bow. Tell her I love her, and I’m sorry I let her down.’
‘You’ll go home when they say you’re fit and well,’ Rose insisted. ‘Are you able to stand and walk a little way?’
‘What’s the point? I can’t see where I’m going. If I return home I’ll be a burden to Ma and me brothers and sisters. I’ll end up a blind beggar, selling matches on the streets.’
Rose glanced at Eugene and saw that he was also touched by Harry’s plight. She grasped Harry’s hand even tighter. ‘You are going home. You can come with us.’
‘Hold on, Munday,’ Eugene said hastily. ‘This man is a soldier. He has to have permission to leave hospital.’
‘No, sir. I’ve been discharged as unfit for service.’ Harry slumped back against the pillows. ‘Ta for trying to help me, miss. But as you can see, it’s useless.’
‘I won’t allow that,’ Rose said angrily. ‘You deserve to have the best possible treatment and a hero’s welcome home.’ She jumped to her feet, facing Eugene with a determined toss of her head. ‘Think of the story, Guvnor. A soldier wounded in the line of duty, returning home to his loving family in time for Christmas.’
‘You’re not going to give up on this, are you, Munday?’ Eugene gazed at her with a mixture of admiration and amusement. ‘What do you want me to do?’
‘Book another ticket. I’ll look after Harry during the journey. By the time we get him home to his mother he’ll be a new man.’
Eugene leaned over the bed. ‘It’s up to you, soldier. Do you feel strong enough to face the journey?’
Tears rolled slowly down Harry’s gaunt cheeks. ‘I was ready to give up and die, sir. I can’t believe this is happening to me.’
‘That’s a yes,’ Rose said excitedly. ‘You’ll be home for Christmas, Harry.’
Chapter Twenty
The journey home proved more challenging than Rose could have imagined. Eugene had changed his plans at the last minute and booked them a sea passage from Alexandria to Portsmouth, instead of travelling to Brindisi and onward by rail. After a brief conversation Rose agreed that the train journey would be too much for Harry, who had been weakened by the length of time he had been bedridden, and the poor diet he had endured both in the field and in hospital. He had lost confidence in his ability to get around unaided and, for the first few days on board Rose had to lead him by the hand as if he were a small child. However, with good food and plenty of rest, as well as light exercise, he began to improve slowly.
Eugene had taken a liking to the young soldier and he insisted that Harry must join them in the saloon after dinner each evening. Although Harry contributed little to the general conversation, Rose could see that he was listening intently and when Eugene was at his most amusing he could make Harry laugh. To Rose’s ears it was the best sound of all, similar, she imagined, to hearing a baby’s first words or watching a toddler take his or her first steps. She took pride in helping Harry to conquer his fears and, even if he could not accept his blindness, he was beginning to adjust to the limitations enforced upon him by his disability. Rose insisted that he must rest every afternoon in order to speed his recovery, and she spent much of that time with Eugene, who was working on his article for the Leader. She was able to add some of the stories she had gleaned from the injured men, and she had the satisfaction of knowing that Eugene listened to her, and was prepared to include her observations in his work. This was something new to Rose, having lived for years with Sadie, who had strong opinions on everything.
It had been possible to forget that it was winter in the warmth of Egypt, but they encountered squally weather and violent storms in the Bay of Biscay, which laid Harry low with seasickness and confined him to his cabin. Rose and Eugene kept each other company in an almost deserted saloon. When they were not working Eugene told her stories of his rakish past, but he seemed unwilling to talk about his time in captivity and brushed her questions aside. She suspected that he had endured far more hardship and ill treatment than he was prepared to admit, but she did not press the subject.
On the last evening before they were due to arrive in Portsmouth, Rose and Eugene were in the saloon drinking coffee after dinner. Harry had joined them for the meal, but had retired to his cabin early, and the other passengers had drifted away.
‘What happened when you were taken by the enemy?’ Rose fixed Eugene with a speculative look. ‘You’ve written enough about it, but I feel you’re holding something back.’
He reached for his glass and to
ok a sip of brandy. ‘It’s not very interesting, Munday. We weren’t treated too badly because they wanted a ransom, and for the most part it was tedious. Hardly the stuff to sell more newspapers.’
‘But it must have been wonderful when the cavalry rode in to save you. Max was the hero of the day.’
‘Of course he was, Munday. Now perhaps you’ll tell me why you decided to run away when the fellow had asked you to marry him?’
There was a teasing note in his voice, but looking him in the eye she realised that he was deadly serious. ‘I didn’t run away, as you put it. Max was leaving for somewhere in the desert and there seemed little point in staying.’
‘You’ll have to get used to that as a soldier’s wife.’
‘I know that, Guvnor.’
‘So why didn’t you stay? Cissie would have liked you to keep her company, and my parents had obviously taken to you.’
‘I don’t like imposing on people.’
‘You weren’t imposing – you were a welcome guest.’
Rose pushed her coffee cup away and stood up. ‘I don’t know why you’re going on about it. As I told you before, I promised Sparrow that I would be home for Christmas, and I intend to keep my word. I’ll see you in the morning, Guvnor.’
She walked off, leaving him alone in the saloon. Her reasons for escaping from Cairo were her own, and she did not wish to discuss them with anyone, least of all Eugene. It was all due to Max and the sudden change in his attitude. Just as she had convinced herself that they were poorly suited, he had revealed the tender side of his nature and thrown her into utter confusion.
She hurried to her cabin to finish packing. The last items to go into the shabby carpet bag were small gifts she had purchased in Alexandria. There was a pair of filigree earrings for Maria, a glass bead necklace for Polly, a wooden horse for Teddy, and best of all, from the same roadside pedlar, she had bought a beautifully carved camel train for Sparrow. She wrapped them in one of her cotton blouses and laid them on top of the clothes. A sudden wave of homesickness washed over her and she lay down on the bunk, still fully dressed, wishing away the hours until they reached England. Despite the fact that she had left the man she was to marry in Egypt, she had an overwhelming desire to be back in London with the people who had come to matter so much to her.
They disembarked on a bleak December morning with cast-iron clouds threatening either rain or snow. It was certainly cold enough for the latter. Rose concentrated on helping Harry down the gangway, leaving Eugene to see to their luggage. The rain came down in earnest just as they were about to board the London-bound train, and the first-class carriage was crowded and stuffy. By the time they reached Waterloo Bridge Station the rain had turned to sleet and a porter rushed out to find them a cab. It was late afternoon as the hackney carriage trundled through the busy city streets, and the lamplighter was already on his rounds. With just a few days to go before Christmas the costermongers’ barrows were piled high with oranges and lemons, rosy-cheeked apples and heaps of walnuts and almonds. Mistletoe sellers vied for customers with those selling brightly berried holly, and the aroma of roasting chestnuts wafted into the cab through the ill-fitting windows. There were other smells, less pleasant, but Rose breathed them in as if they had been the finest French perfume. The cobbled streets were strewn with straw and horse dung, and the gutters blocked with rubbish – it was bitterly cold and the smoke hung in a pall over the city – but she was home, and glad to be back in the city she had come to love all over again.
‘Why are you smiling, Munday?’ Eugene demanded crossly. ‘It’s cold and miserable, and I almost wish I were back in Egypt.’
‘Was I?’ Rose came back to earth and shivered. Eugene was right, of course, but home was home, after all. ‘I just realised how much I missed London when I was away.’
‘It has its merits, but I still think you ought to have accepted my invitation to stay in Tavistock Square.’ Eugene glanced at Harry, who was leaning back against the squabs with his eyes closed. ‘There’s plenty of room for you and for Harry.’
‘He wants to go home,’ Rose said in a low voice. ‘He wants to be with his family.’
‘All right, I know when I’m beaten, but where will you go? You don’t even know if Maria is still at Pier House.’
‘There’s one sure way of finding out,’ Rose said, smiling. ‘Stop putting obstacles in the way, Guvnor. I know you mean well, but I can manage on my own. If Maria and Sparrow aren’t at Great Hermitage Street they’ll be at Pier House, which isn’t far away.’
Eugene sighed and shook his head. ‘Have it your own way, Munday. You’ll do what you want whatever I say. We’ll take Harry to Bow, but I insist on seeing you safe before I return home. Never mind the fact that I’ll be on my own in the big house, with no one to talk to.’
His comical expression of self-pity made Rose giggle. ‘You won’t get round me that way, Guvnor. You’ll have servants to take care of your every need, and if you’re lonely I’m sure you can find one of your old flames to keep you company.’
‘Munday, I’m shocked that you think so little of me.’
‘You told me about your past liaisons in great detail, as I recall.’ Rose turned her head to stare out of the window. ‘You said that you would find it virtually impossible to remain faithful to one woman.’
‘I should learn to keep my mouth shut,’ Eugene said with a rueful grin. ‘It’s not true, of course.’
But Rose was not paying attention. She pressed her nose against the window glass. ‘How lovely. I can see a Christmas tree covered in glass balls and tinsel.’ She subsided back in the seat. ‘We’ve passed the house now, but it was in the entrance hall. The door was open and I could see every detail in the gaslight. It looked so cosy and inviting.’
‘I’m sorry, Munday,’ Eugene said softly. ‘I’ve been so wrapped up in my own affairs that I hadn’t realised how much you miss having a home of your own.’
Rose smiled valiantly. ‘I know I’ll be welcome to stay with Maria and the children. That’s where I’ll go when we’ve seen Harry safely back with his family.’
‘What did Max say about the Captain’s House? You did discuss it, didn’t you?’
‘There’s nothing he can do until he returns to London. You know that as well as I do, Guvnor. If the criminals are caught and arrested I might be able to move in, but until that time I’m happy to stay with Maria.’ Rose eyed him warily. ‘I still have my job, don’t I? Mr Radley seemed quite pleased with my efforts.’
‘Of course you do – I’ll make very sure of that, Munday. I can’t do without you now.’
Rose subsided into silence as the cab rattled on, veering from side to side in the chaotic jumble of horse-drawn vehicles as it bumped over the cobblestones. Harry’s home was much further than Rose had anticipated, and they left the brightly lit streets, plunging into the darkness of the poorer part of town. The windows steamed up on the inside, and Rose wiped the glass with her mittened hand, creating a spyhole, but the rain had turned to driving sleet, which was making it difficult to recognise street names or other landmarks. Eugene’s face was in shadow beneath the brim of his top hat, and she could not tell if he was awake or asleep. Harry was snoring gently, but that saved her from making conversation. She knew he was nervous about how his family would react when they realised that his disability was likely to be permanent, and her efforts to boost his confidence seemed to have been in vain. She could only hope that a mother’s love would overcome the difficulties that would inevitably face the family.
‘That’s a heartfelt sigh, Munday.’
Eugene’s voice from the shadows made Rose sit up with a start. ‘I’m sorry, Guvnor. I was just thinking of Harry’s mother and wondering how she’ll cope. They’re a poor family.’
‘I’ve thought of that, so don’t worry. The story I intend to write about Harry Norman will bring tears to the eyes of the most cynical of our readers. I shouldn’t wonder if a fund isn’t set up in his name,’ Eugene said
calmly. ‘I’ll have a word with Mrs Norman and put her mind at rest.’
‘You will?’
‘Don’t sound so surprised, Munday. I may be all sorts of things, but I’m not heartless. He’s a good chap, and with the right medical care he might regain at least some of his sight. It’s not unheard of.’
‘Do you really think so?’
‘I’ll arrange for him to be seen at Moorfields Eye Hospital. Does that satisfy you?’
‘Thank you, Guvnor.’
‘Munday.’
‘Yes, Guvnor.’
‘Do you think you could refrain from calling me Guvnor all the time? I have a name, you know.’
‘And so do I.’ She eyed him speculatively. ‘I’ll call you Eugene, but only if you promise to call me Rose.’ She held out her hand and he took it in a firm clasp.
‘That suits me, Rose.’
She was about to respond when the carriage drew to a sudden halt. ‘I think we’ve arrived.’ She turned to Harry, giving him a gentle shake. ‘Harry, you’re home.’
The house was in the middle of a mean terrace of two-up, two-down properties, and judging by the dreadful smell hanging in a cloud over the rooftops, they shared a communal lavatory. The horrible odours emanating from the glue factory and the noxious fumes from the gasworks added to the general stench, but Harry seemed oblivious to such things as he climbed down from the cab.
Rose knocked on the front door and it was opened by a small, thin woman. She uttered a cry of disbelief as she flung her arms around her son. ‘Harry, my boy. You’ve come home.’ She dragged him into the front room where four ragged youngsters huddled around an apology for a fire. Two lumps of coal had burned to embers and Rose was quick to notice that the scuttle was empty. The older boy rose to fling his arms around Harry, and the younger children joined in, clinging to their brother.
‘Be careful, mind,’ Winnie Norman said nervously. ‘Harry’s got bad eyes. He can’t see.’
‘They’re all right, Ma,’ Harry’s voice broke on a sob. ‘I didn’t want to come home in this state.’