The Christmas Rose

by Dilly Court

  Eugene tapped his silver-headed cane on the roof and the carriage drew to a halt. ‘We have plenty of time, so let’s enjoy ourselves, Rose.’

  There had been so little time for light-heartedness recently that Rose was unable to refuse and she linked arms with him. ‘Why not?’

  They explored the various departments in Peter Robinson’s store, where Rose purchased a lace shawl for Maria and a blue plaid dress with a white lace collar for Sparrow. They went on to Debenham and Freebody in Wigmore Street where, encouraged by Eugene, Rose bought silk stockings for Cora and Flossie. It was a huge extravagance, but Rose knew that her friends would be thrilled to receive such gifts, and after such a generous gesture she could not neglect the Spriggs sisters. She chose a red woollen scarf and gloves for Izzie, and similar sets for Edna and Jessie, although in more subdued colours.

  Eugene loaded the packages into the carriage. ‘Where to now, Rose?’

  She hesitated, standing ankle deep in the snow that had been shovelled to the edge of the pavement, but she was oblivious to the cold. Spending money on others was exciting enough, but sharing the experience with Eugene was quite intoxicating. ‘I’d like to take something to the Norman family, but I don’t want to offend them, Gene.’

  ‘I know just the thing.’ Eugene handed her into the barouche. ‘Fortnum’s, please, Simms.’

  ‘What do they sell?’ Rose moved some of the beautifully wrapped gifts aside in order to make room for Eugene.

  ‘Something we all need, and I’m sure your protégé’s family even more so. A hamper of food will surely make their Christmas a great deal more festive.’

  ‘I hope you’re right,’ Rose said doubtfully.

  Rose had never seen anything like the interior of Fortnum and Mason’s shop. She wandered amongst the counters and stands, which were piled high with luxuries. The aroma of smoked ham, exotic cheeses and fresh bread made her mouth water. The scent of tea, coffee and spices mingled with the tangy zest of citrus fruit, and bunches of grapes were artistically arranged alongside colourful fruits, most of which were foreign to Rose.

  ‘It so happens that I ordered a hamper for you to share with Maria and the children,’ Eugene said casually. He beckoned to a smartly suited assistant, who rushed to his side.

  ‘Your order is ready, Mr Sheldon. It’s about to be sent to the address you gave us.’

  ‘Thank you, Burton, but if it’s not too much trouble I’d like Miss Munday to see the contents. I’m thinking of ordering another, if you can pack it for us to take away now?’

  ‘Of course, sir. Fortnum’s can always oblige.’ He scuttled off, returning moments later with a large wicker hamper, which he set down on the counter.

  Rose looked inside and was amazed. ‘This looks wonderful, Gene, but I don’t think the Normans would appreciate game in aspic, caviar and smoked salmon. I’m not sure I know what all these things are.’

  ‘But you would enjoy sampling those foods, wouldn’t you, Rose?’

  ‘I think so, but it’s too fancy for people who exist on so little.’ Rose smiled at the shop assistant, who was visibly anxious. ‘I can see that everything is of the finest quality, but would it be possible for me to select the items to go in a second hamper?’

  Burton’s creased face lightened with a smile. ‘Yes, miss. Of course you may. Would you like me to assist you?’

  ‘That would be very kind.’ Rose shot a sideways glance at Eugene. ‘You don’t mind, do you, Gene?’

  He shrugged. ‘Of course not. I’ll leave it entirely to you.’

  Rose knew exactly what she wanted, even if her choice of simple food frustrated the salesman in Burton, but he was too well trained to argue with a customer. A large baked ham crusted with sugar and spiked with cloves went in first, followed more mundanely by bread, butter, cheese and bacon, and these were joined by tea, coffee, milk and sugar. Rose added oranges, lemons and apples, an iced Christmas cake and a pound of walnuts. Eugene, who had been following their progress, insisted on adding a bottle of brandy and several bottles of ale. Rose had spotted something on the freshfood counter that intrigued her, and Burton introduced her to Fortnum’s speciality, which he called ‘scotch eggs’, cutting one in half to reveal sausage meat wrapped around a soft-boiled egg.

  ‘Very tasty, miss,’ he said, licking his lips. ‘And very popular with travellers who want something to eat on a long journey.’

  ‘Better add some to both hampers, Burton,’ Eugene said firmly.

  ‘Yes, sir. Is there anything else?’

  ‘I think that’s enough,’ Rose said, frowning. ‘Although I would like to buy some chocolate for Flossie. She loves Fry’s Chocolate Cream bars.’

  Burton moved closer, lowering his voice. ‘There’s a grocery shop not far from here where you can purchase them. I know because my lady wife has a sweet tooth.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Rose said, smiling. ‘That’s very kind of you.’

  ‘But please don’t mention it to my manager. I could lose my job for sending you to a competitor.’

  Eugene patted him on the back. ‘Our lips are sealed, but I’d be obliged if you’d have the hampers taken to my carriage.’

  ‘Yes, sir. Most certainly.’ Burton hurried off, calling for one of the minions to help him.

  ‘And now I suggest we have some lunch before taking the hamper to Bow.’ Eugene proffered his arm. ‘Do you fancy the Café Royal?’

  ‘Actually, I’d rather have one of those delicious scotch eggs to eat on the way. It’s getting late and I have yet to take Sparrow to purchase glass balls and tinsel for our tree.’

  ‘What a splendid idea.’ Eugene summoned another assistant. ‘We’ll picnic on scotch eggs and champagne, and then we’ll take the hamper to Bow, and I know exactly where to go for the decorations.’

  ‘Are you sure, Gene? You must have better things to do so near Christmas.’

  ‘Can’t think of any at the moment, Rose. But if something crops up, of course I’ll abandon you and go off to do something disreputable.’ He tucked her hand in the crook of his arm. ‘Food first, then chocolate bars, and then off to Bow, but we’ll have to hurry if we’re to get our friend to Moorfields for his appointment.’

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Winnie Norman was out when they arrived at the house in Bow, and the two younger boys were also at work, leaving Harry on his own with his two small sisters. Mary’s eyes opened wide when Giddings strode in carrying the large wicker hamper, and Harry sniffed appreciatively.

  ‘Something smells tasty,’ he said eagerly. ‘What is it, Miss Rose?’

  ‘Just a few extras for the Christmas table, Harry.’ Rose gave Mary a stern look. ‘You mustn’t open it until your ma comes home. Do you promise?’

  Mary clasped her hands behind her back. ‘What’s in it, miss?’

  ‘Some nice things for all of you,’ Rose said, smiling as she remembered the sugared almonds covered in gold foil that she had added at the last minute, and the buttery shortbread that Eugene had casually tossed into the hamper.

  Eugene put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a paper poke filled with boiled sweets and a box of chocolates. ‘These are to share, Mary. But you mustn’t allow little Daisy to have the big sweets because she might choke. Little pieces of chocolate will be fine.’

  Rose gazed at him in amazement. ‘Goodness, Gene. You sound quite fatherly.’

  ‘I have many facets to my nature, Rose. But that was simply common sense.’

  ‘Don’t I get a sweet?’ Harry asked plaintively.

  ‘You’ll have to wait until you’ve seen the eye specialist,’ Rose said, chuckling. ‘And if you’re very good, we might allow you to have a treat afterwards.’

  Harry threw back his head and laughed. ‘Miss Rose, you’re a tonic. I’m feeling better already, and Ma will be so pleased. She’s been fretting about what she can give us for our Christmas dinner, and now she won’t have to worry.’

  ‘That’s splendid, Harry, but we’d better be on ou
r way.’ Eugene signalled to Giddings, who was standing to attention by the door. ‘We’re ready to go now. Tell Simms we’re off to the Royal London Ophthalmic Hospital, Blomfield Street.’

  Rose sat with Harry while Eugene had a word with the ophthalmic surgeon who had examined Harry’s eyes. She reached out to grasp Harry’s hand. ‘You mustn’t worry. I’m sure they can do something to help you.’

  He squeezed her fingers. ‘It’s good of you to go to all this trouble, but I don’t hold out much hope.’

  ‘Can you see anything at all, Harry?’

  A wry grin twisted his lips. ‘That’s what the doctor just asked me. I was completely blind at first, but I can see light and shade now, and I can make out the shapes of people and things.’

  ‘That’s good, isn’t it? What did the specialist say?’

  ‘Not much – I think he wanted to talk to someone he thought was better equipped to handle bad news than me.’

  ‘I’m sure that’s not true.’ Rose released his hand and jumped to her feet as Eugene came to join them. ‘Well? Don’t keep us in suspense.’

  ‘He said there’s hope because there’s been some improvement, but time will tell. There’s nothing surgically to be done, but he’ll see you again in a month, Harry. You’re to take moderate exercise and he advised a spell in the countryside.’

  ‘That’s out of the question, sir. I’ve got to find work as soon as I can, even if it’s selling matches on street corners. My family need the money and I’m the head of the house.’

  ‘There might be a way,’ Eugene said thoughtfully. ‘There’s a cottage at Greenfields that hasn’t been occupied since my head gardener passed away.’

  Rose clutched his arm. ‘Would you allow the family to live there, Gene? Perhaps Mrs Norman could help in the house, and the boys could give the gardeners a hand?’

  ‘Do you think your mother would agree to leave London, Harry?’ Eugene took the seat next to him. ‘I’d like you to think about it and talk it over with her.’

  ‘We’ve always lived in Bow, sir. I dunno how she’d take the idea, and I ain’t no gardener. I wouldn’t know where to start.’

  ‘You wouldn’t be expected to work until you’re fit and well. I have a couple of under gardeners who are quite capable of keeping things tidy, but I’m thinking of expanding my dairy herd, and there’s plenty of work around the farm generally. My estate manager could do with some help, and I think you and he would get on well together, if you’re prepared to learn.’

  ‘Think about it, Harry,’ Rose said enthusiastically. ‘All that lovely clean air, and perhaps the children could attend the village school. I’m assuming there is one.’

  Eugene nodded, smiling. ‘Indeed there is. You’ll have to take everything into consideration, Harry. But I need someone I can trust, and I think you’re the man.’

  ‘I’d do it in a shot, sir, but Ma has her own opinion about things. She might not be so easy to convince.’

  Rose shot a sideways glance at Eugene. ‘Leave it to Mr Sheldon. He has a way with women.’

  ‘I’ll take that as a compliment, Rose.’ Eugene helped Harry to his feet. ‘Come on, old chap. Let’s get you home.’

  Winnie was there before them. She met them at the door and Rose could see by her tight-lipped expression that she was seething with anger.

  ‘Do you know anything about this, Harry?’ she demanded, waving her hand in the general direction of the hamper.

  ‘It’s a Christmas gift, Mrs Norman,’ Eugene said hastily. ‘I hope you will forgive the presumption on my part.’

  Winnie faced up to him, baring her teeth like an angry terrier. ‘I don’t accept charity. You can give it to those what do.’

  ‘Really, Ma! There’s no need for that.’ Harry held his hand out to her. ‘It was done out of kindness of heart, and should be accepted as such.’

  ‘I don’t doubt it was meant well,’ Winnie said huffily. ‘But we ain’t beggars. Me and the boys can provide food for the table until you’re fit enough to work, son.’

  Rose cleared her throat nervously. She could see that Winnie was close to tears and had to be handled carefully. ‘I’m at fault, Mrs Norman. I chose the contents and if it offends your sensibilities we’ll take it away.’

  ‘No, Ma,’ Mary cried, grabbing her mother by the hand. ‘We’re all hungry.’

  ‘It’s a shame to let good food go to waste,’ Harry added. ‘The doctor said I was to have proper meals as well as rest if me eyes was to get better.’

  Winnie turned to give him a searching look. ‘What else did he say? Will you get your sight back?’

  ‘Maybe. He don’t know for sure, but Mr Sheldon has come up with an idea, Ma. He’s offered us a cottage on his land where we can live and I’ll help around the farm, and the nippers can go back to school.’

  Winnie rounded on Eugene, her eyes narrowed. ‘I know your game, mister. I seen the newspaper at the house where I was working this morning. You think you can write stories about us to entertain your readers. Next thing you know we’ll have people coming here to gawp at us like we was animals in the zoo.’

  ‘That’s so unfair, Mrs Norman,’ Rose protested angrily. ‘I wrote that article to make people realise the sacrifice our soldiers make when they go to war. Harry is a hero and so are his comrades in arms.’

  ‘Fine words,’ Winnie said scornfully. ‘But I got the sack because of it. Her ladyship at the big house said she didn’t want newspapermen nosing around, making up stories about how bad she treats menials like me.’

  ‘That’s not what we intended.’ Eugene took a leather pouch from his pocket and laid it on the table. ‘That’s the first of the payments for your story, Harry. There will be more …’

  Winnie snatched up the purse and threw it at him. ‘No, there won’t, young man. We ain’t for sale – just leave us alone.’

  ‘We’d better go,’ Rose said in a low voice. ‘I’m sorry if we’ve caused trouble for you, Harry.’

  He held up his hands. ‘It’s not you, it’s Ma, being pig-headed as usual.’ He followed them to the door. ‘I’m grateful for what you’ve done, miss, and you, sir. I’ll try to talk Ma round, but it won’t be easy.’

  Rose reached up to plant a kiss on his cheek. ‘Merry Christmas, Harry. At least your ma has forgotten about the hamper. Don’t let her give it away.’

  ‘She’ll come round, especially when my brothers get home and fall on the food. There won’t be none left to give to the poor and destitute. Leave Ma to me.’

  Eugene shook his hand. ‘The offer of the cottage still stands. Talk it over with your mother, and, if she agrees, I’ll take you there next week so that she can see for herself.’

  ‘I’m much obliged for everything, sir.’ Harry closed the door, leaving Rose and Eugene out in the cold with soft, feathery flakes of snow falling from a blanket of clouds.

  ‘Oh dear,’ Rose said tearfully. ‘What have we done, Gene?’

  He brushed a snowflake from her cheek with the tip of his finger. ‘Winnie Norman is a stiff-necked woman, but she loves her family and when she’s had time to think it over I’ll bet you twenty guineas that she’ll change her mind.’

  ‘If I had that much money I’d accept the wager, but I haven’t.’

  Eugene handed her into the carriage and climbed in after her. ‘No matter. It’s a dead certainty anyway. I wouldn’t take your money.’

  ‘I’m truly sorry that Winnie has taken it so badly, but I have others to think of now. I promised to take Sparrow to purchase ornaments and tinsel for the tree.’

  ‘We’ll collect Sparrow and take her to the Soho Bazaar. You can buy almost anything there.’ Eugene leaned out of the window. ‘Wapping High Street, please, Simms, and then we’ll be going to the Soho Bazaar.’

  It was Christmas Eve and the tree stood in all its shimmering finery. Glass baubles danced from the branches and tinsel glittered in the firelight. The finishing touch was a silver star that Maria had made, and Eugene lifted Sparrow up
so that she could fasten it to the topmost branch.

  ‘Splendid,’ he said as he put her down. ‘You’ve done wonders, Sparrow.’

  ‘I had help,’ she said, blushing rosily. ‘Polly did the lower branches.’

  ‘And Teddy kept pulling the tinsel off,’ Polly added, glaring at her little brother, who was now sitting quietly on his mother’s knee, sucking his thumb.

  ‘It’s really beautiful,’ Rose said, clapping her hands. ‘It’s the best Christmas tree ever.’

  ‘It is lovely,’ Maria agreed.

  ‘It should be,’ Eugene said, chuckling. ‘I think Sparrow bought up the entire stock of one stall in the bazaar yesterday. If it hadn’t been for the offer of an ice cream at Gunter’s I might have been bankrupted.’

  ‘Don’t exaggerate, Gene.’ Rose glanced at the clock on the mantelshelf. ‘Heavens, look at the time.’

  Maria hitched Teddy over her shoulder. ‘This little man is almost asleep. I’ll put him to bed, and you, too, Polly.’

  ‘But, Mama, I want to stay and look at the tree.’

  ‘Santa Claus won’t visit unless you are tucked up in bed asleep,’ Maria said sternly.

  ‘I’ll go to bed now, Mama,’ Polly said sulkily. ‘But I want Sparrow to tell me a story.’

  Sparrow yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. ‘All right, but I think I might go to bed, too. Maybe Santa Claus will leave something for me this year.’

  ‘Do you mean to tell us that you’ve never hung up a stocking?’ Rose asked, frowning. ‘Surely you were given presents at Christmas?’

  ‘A clip round the head was all I was likely to get,’ Sparrow said grimly. ‘It were a different world – one you know nothing of.’

  ‘Things will be very different from now on.’ Rose gave her a hug. ‘I’ll come up and tuck you in later.’

  Polly took Sparrow by the hand. ‘If Santa doesn’t bring you anything you can have some of my presents.’