The Christmas Rose

by Dilly Court

  ‘Wait here and I’ll get a closer look,’ Eugene said, pulling her into the shelter of the portico.

  Rose waited, hardly daring to breathe as he moved stealthily towards the window. He returned moments later. ‘That fellow fits Regan’s description and there’s a woman with him. Would that be Gilroy?’

  ‘It’s possible,’ Rose whispered. ‘Did you see Max or Jimmy?’

  He shook his head. ‘If they’re in the house they’ll be in trouble. Regan will face the noose if he’s caught, so he won’t take kindly to interlopers.’

  ‘You’re not going in on your own, Gene. I won’t let you.’

  A smile creased the corners of his eyes as he met her anxious gaze. ‘Are you worried for my safety, Munday? My gory murder would make wonderful headlines for the next edition.’

  She slapped the back of his gloved hand. ‘Don’t make a joke of it, Gene. Gilroy really is a murderess, and Regan would slit your throat at the first opportunity.’

  ‘I know it’s a lot to ask, but could you make it to the High Street? There’ll be drunkards falling out of the pubs, so there should be several policemen on the beat, ready for trouble.’

  ‘I’ll go, but only if you promise to stay outside. Don’t go into the house, no matter what.’

  ‘I’ll be careful.’ He drew her into his arms. ‘You do love me, or you wouldn’t care what happens to me.’

  She stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the lips. ‘I’ll get help, just stay where you are.’ She attempted to move away, but he held her close.

  ‘Say it just once, Rose. Tell me you love me as I love you.’

  She met his gaze with a tremulous smile. ‘I’m not saying anything that will encourage you to risk your life in any way. I’m going to get help, and you’d better be waiting out here when I return with the police.’

  ‘That sound like a threat, Munday.’

  She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. ‘That will have to be your answer until this is over, Guvnor. From now on I’m going to be purely professional, as you taught me.’

  ‘I should learn to mind my own business,’ Eugene said ruefully.

  Rose slipped away, ducking down out of sight of the windows as she left the shelter of the walled carriage sweep and encountered the driving snow. She clutched Maria’s cloak around her, grateful for the fur lining and the hood that shielded her face from the worst of the storm. There were not many people on the streets, which was hardly surprising in such terrible weather, but those who had braved the elements were staggering from one pub to another. Doors opened and clouds of tobacco smoke billowed out and were swept away by the wind and snow. Drunken men staggered about crabwise on the slippery pavements, clutching at lampposts or anything they could grab as their legs gave way beneath them. Rose dodged in between them, keeping her head down and ignoring their crude remarks. She had not seen a single policeman and was just beginning to lose heart when she spotted two constables, who were breaking up a fight outside one of the more notorious pubs. She broke into a run, risking her own safety in her desperate need to get help.

  They barely glanced at her at first but, having separated the two opponents and threatened the onlookers who were egging them on with prison, the older constable turned to Rose with an air of studied calm.

  ‘What can I do for you, miss?’

  ‘Never mind them,’ Rose said urgently. ‘Come with me if you want to catch a couple of real criminals.’

  ‘What have they done, miss?’ The younger man adjusted his helmet. ‘Shouldn’t a young lady like you be safe at home, reading the Bible and sipping sherry?’

  ‘That’s enough, Carter.’

  ‘I was supposed to have this evening off, Trimble. Now I’m stuck out here in a snowstorm, dealing with drunks who ought to know better.’

  Constable Trimble turned to Rose with a hint of a smile. ‘Who are these bad people, miss?’

  Ignoring his patronising tone, Rose tugged at his sleeve. ‘Come with me and you’ll see.’ She lowered her voice. ‘I don’t want to say it out loud. Those men might be his friends.’

  ‘On your way,’ Carter said, waving his truncheon at the bystanders. ‘I won’t tell you again.’

  The drunks staggered off, grumbling audibly.

  ‘Now then, miss. Can you give me any details of these criminals?’

  ‘Regan and Gilroy,’ Rose said tersely. ‘Is that good enough for you? They’re hiding away in Pier House and I think they’ve taken two men prisoner. Do you want to catch them or not?’

  ‘Are you sure it’s them, miss?’ Trimble asked urgently. ‘This is a serious matter.’

  ‘Of course I’m sure,’ Rose said angrily. ‘Follow me.’ She hurried off, running as fast she could in the adverse conditions, and she had the satisfaction of hearing their booted feet pounding the pavement behind her. Breathless, but determined, Rose came to a halt outside the gates of Pier House. ‘They were in one of the front rooms, but I can show you round to the back of the house.’

  Trimble shook his head. ‘No, miss. Stay where you are and leave this to us. If you’re right and those two criminals are still inside, it’s up to us to apprehend them.’ He beckoned to Carter. ‘Come with me.’ They loped off into the darkness, leaving Rose standing on the pavement.

  She glanced up at the sky, and, for the first time that evening she could see stars sparkling like diamonds. The snow had stopped falling, but the temperature had plummeted. Ice crystals were forming so that the pristine whiteness of the new-fallen snow reflected the lights from the docks. It was a picture of purity and loveliness, but inside the house anything could have happened. Rose picked up her skirts and followed the constables, keeping at a safe distance.

  Moonlight reflected off the snow-covered lawn, turning night into a theatrical imitation of day, and Rose could see that one of the tall windows had been forced open. She entered what had once been Mrs Colville’s sick room and a shiver ran down her spine. This was where Gilroy’s actions had led to Clarissa Colville’s untimely death. Rose stood very still, hardly daring to breathe. At first there was nothing but silence, and then she heard shouts and running footsteps, the door flew open and a female figure hurtled towards her. Acting on instinct, Rose put out her foot and the woman fell headlong onto the polished oak floorboards, where she sprawled on her belly, gasping for breath. Rose threw herself down on the struggling body, straddling Gilroy and pinning her to the floor.

  ‘Get off me,’ Gilroy growled. ‘You’ll pay for this.’

  ‘Not I,’ Rose said gleefully. ‘I think your days of freedom are well and truly over.’ She pinned the woman’s arms to her sides. ‘I might not be as strong as you, but I have the advantage.’

  ‘I know who you are,’ Gilroy muttered. ‘You’re that stuck-up bitch who stole Piggin’s nipper.’

  ‘I rescued that child from a life of crime.’ Rose was forced to put all her weight on Gilroy.

  ‘I can’t breathe.’

  ‘I’m not falling for that one. You’ll stay there until the police come for you.’ Rose looked up, uttering a cry of delight. ‘Gene, you’re all right.’ She leaped to her feet, forgetting everything other than the relief of seeing him in one piece, but Gilroy was also quick to rise and she headed for the open window.

  Eugene rushed past Rose and caught Gilroy before she had a chance to escape. At that moment Carter appeared, brandishing a pair of handcuffs, which he clipped around Gilroy’s wrist. ‘Your luck’s run out, luv. You’re under arrest.’ He led her protesting from the room.

  ‘Are you all right, Gene?’ Rose asked anxiously.

  He placed his arm around her shoulders. ‘I’m fine, and so are Max and Jimmy. They’re giving the constable their details.’

  ‘And Regan?’

  ‘Handcuffed and tied to a chair, waiting for the Black Maria to take him to the police station.’

  ‘Take me home, Gene. I don’t want to stay in this house a moment longer.’

  ‘What about Max? Don’t you want t
o see him first?’

  Rose shook her head. ‘No, not now – I need time to think.’

  ‘You’re trembling. Are you able to walk?’

  ‘I’m cold and wet and I’m shivering. All I want is to get home to the Captain’s House and have a nice hot cup of tea and then bed.’

  ‘Come on then, Rose. We’ll leave the police to sort everything out. I’m sure that Max and Jimmy can take care of themselves. Let’s go.’

  Next morning Rose was awakened early by Sparrow, who came bouncing into her room holding a candlestick in one hand and a woollen stocking in the other. Rose sat up and blinked as Sparrow placed the lighted candle on the table at her bedside. ‘What time is it?’ she demanded sleepily. ‘It’s still dark.’

  ‘Merry Christmas,’ Sparrow cried happily. She sat down on the edge of the bed, peering into the depths of the stocking. ‘Are you sure this is for me? It was on my bed, not Polly’s, so I guessed it was mine.’

  ‘Yes, it’s all yours. Have a look inside.’

  Sparrow plunged her hand into the stocking and pulled out a multi-coloured glass bead necklace, followed by a small hand mirror, a tortoiseshell comb, an embroidered handkerchief and a bag of sugared almonds. ‘This can’t all be for me,’ she said as she extricated an apple, an orange and a handful of walnuts. ‘I got enough presents here for everyone in the house.’

  ‘No, dear. It’s all yours and you’ll have more gifts to open later.’

  ‘More?’ Sparrow’s eyes opened wide and her jaw dropped. ‘You’re kidding.’

  ‘No, I’m not.’ Rose leaned over to give her a hug. ‘You’ve seen the parcels under the tree, haven’t you?’

  ‘Yes, but I never thought there was one for me.’

  ‘Why not? Why would you think that?’

  ‘I’m only here because you felt sorry for me.’ Sparrow looked away, dashing a tear from her eyes. ‘You’ll send me to the workhouse when you get tired of having me around.’

  Rose sat upright, staring at her in horror. ‘That’s just not true. Who’s been filling your head with such dreadful lies?’

  ‘Izzie said that’s what toffs do when they get fed up with helping poor people. Jessie told her so.’

  ‘Well, Jessie is wrong and she shouldn’t frighten her sisters with such stories. Maria wouldn’t do such a thing, and neither would I.’

  ‘I don’t talk proper, but I am trying to learn, and sometimes I forget me table manners. Izzie says I’m a pig.’

  Rose moved closer and gave her a hug. ‘Now, you listen to me, Sparrow. I’m not going to desert you, no matter what happens, and you mustn’t take any notice of what Izzie says.’

  ‘Why do you care, Rose? Why didn’t you leave me with Ma and Piggin?’

  ‘I was shocked to see how they treated you, and I saw something in you that reminded me of myself when I was your age.’

  Sparrow’s anxious expression melted into a grin. ‘Am I really like you was?’

  ‘In a way, because my ma died when I was very young and my pa had to look after me. He ran a boatyard in Chelsea and I loved the river, and still do. But we were poor and the boats he hired out were old and he couldn’t afford to replace them, so he went back to sea and I came to live here with Sadie and Laurence.’

  ‘This was your home?’

  ‘For a few months it was, and then Sadie and Laurence took me to Australia with them, and they treated me like one of their own, even when their babies came along. So you see, you don’t have to be related by blood to be part of a family.’

  ‘Am I like that?’

  ‘Of course you are, and don’t let Izzie tell you differently.’

  ‘She’s mean sometimes,’ Sparrow said thoughtfully. ‘Have you got her a present, Rose?’

  ‘Yes, of course. I wouldn’t want anyone to feel left out at Christmas.’

  Sparrow put her head on one side. ‘Have you bought something for Mr Eugene? He’s a lovely man.’

  Rose stared at her in horror. ‘Oh, heavens! I was so busy thinking of everyone else that I forgot Gene, and I’ve nothing for Max or Jimmy, either.’

  ‘Well, they’re grown-ups, so I suppose it don’t matter, but I made a picture for Mr Eugene. I borrowed Polly’s paint box and brushes. It took ages, but I done it all by myself.’

  ‘That is so thoughtful of you, Sparrow. You make me feel quite ashamed.’

  Sparrow studied her presents lined up on the coverlet, chewing the tip of her finger and frowning. ‘You don’t have to worry, Rose.’ She picked up the sugared almonds and handed them to her. ‘Give him these and tell them they’re from you. I won’t say nothing.’

  Rose swallowed hard. She knew that Sparrow had a sweet tooth and that giving up one of her most favourite things was a supreme sacrifice. She shook her head as she handed them back. ‘That’s a lovely thought, but they are for you. I’ll think of something, so don’t worry.’

  Sparrow leaped off the bed and ran to the door. ‘I can hear Polly and Teddy. They’ve found their stockings. Shall I go and help them?’

  ‘What a good idea, and I’ll go downstairs and see if Cora has started making breakfast.’ Rose smiled to herself as Sparrow raced from the room and her small feet pattered up the staircase, calling out to the younger children. Rose listened to their excited chatter – it would seem strange, and very quiet, when Maria and her little ones returned home. Rose shivered as her bare feet touched the floorboards, and she crossed the room to draw back the curtains. The world outside was blanketed in snow and smoke billowed from chimneys on the other side of the river. Rose went to the washstand and had what Sadie would have called a ‘cat’s lick’ of a wash in cold water.

  She dressed hastily and was seated at the dressing table, brushing the tangles out of her hair, when she remembered the events of the previous evening, which cast a pall over the excitement of Christmas morning. It was a relief to know that Regan and Gilroy were locked up and would face justice, but the row with Max had left its mark. Their future together hung in the balance and, not for the first time, Rose was beset by doubts. Maybe it was the adverse circumstances under which they had met in Cairo, or the fact that he had arrived to find Eugene in his house that had caused the rift between them to widen – or perhaps they had simply grown apart. There was another possibility that worried her even more and now a different person haunted her dreams. Her reaction to his kiss had both shocked and enthralled her, but Eugene Sheldon was a self-confessed rake. If only Cecilia were here to give her advice. Cissie loved her brother and made light of his failings, and his mother plainly adored him. Rose frowned at her reflection in the mirror. Whatever his faults, Eugene had treated her like an equal and had given her the opportunity to prove herself as a journalist. They worked well together and it would be better to keep their relationship on a professional level. It was Max who was being difficult, and if her feelings toward him had changed she must tell him so. He was a good man at heart – he would understand.

  Rose pinned her hair on top of her head so that it fell in loose curls around her neck, and fastened it with a paste barrette that Cecilia had discarded in a box of unwanted oddments. It was Christmas Day, after all, and a chance to dress up a little. The fact that Eugene would be coming to dinner had nothing to do with the extra care she had taken over her toilette.

  She left the dressing table in a comforting jumble of hair pins, ribbons and oddments of jewellery, and as she stepped outside her room she could hear the children’s excited shrieks. She made her way downstairs. It was going to be a busy day, and the sooner she put things straight between herself and Max, the better. Suddenly, the prospect of a happy day was cast into doubt. Knowing Max as she did, or had thought she did, would he accept her decision to break off their engagement? And Eugene had also promised to join them for Christmas dinner – it was going to be a difficult meal.

  Rose made her way to the kitchen, but there was no sign of Cora or Flossie and the fire in the range had died down to ash with only a hint of an ember. Rose si
ghed and shook her head. Normally she would have told them off for over-sleeping, but they had been out celebrating last evening, and after all, it was Christmas. But the goose was still lying on the marble slab in the larder, beside a bowl of sage and onion stuffing, and the pudding mixture remained in the bowl. Rose had scant knowledge of cooking, but she remembered Sadie telling her that the pudding took several hours to cook, and nothing could be done until the fire in the range had heated the oven and the cast-iron hob.

  The one thing Rose had learned in Bendigo was how to get a fire going, whether it was in the range in Sadie’s large kitchen, or in a bush camp, and after a couple of failed attempts she managed to get the flames licking greedily around the kindling. She was about to add lumps of coal when she heard a frantic knocking on the front door, and she hurried up the stairs to the hallway.

  ‘All right,’ she called out. ‘I’m coming.’ She opened the door, half expecting to see a police constable requesting yet another statement, or even Max who had come to apologise, but her visitors were the three Spriggs sisters.

  Jessie stepped into the hall without waiting for an invitation, followed by Edna and Izzie, who stamped the snow off their boots on the rush matting.

  ‘Blooming freezing out there,’ Jessie said angrily. ‘And there’s no coal in the cellar at home. The cat ate the chicken we was going to have for our dinner and the plum pudding exploded in the pan. It’s spread up the walls and hit the ceiling – you never saw such a mess.’

  ‘That’s awful, but what can I do about it?’ Rose asked warily.

  ‘You’re a good Christian lady, miss,’ Jessie said silkily. ‘You took two fallen women into your home, so I’m sure you can spare some Christmas fare to us poor starving souls.’

  ‘Yes,’ Izzie added, grinning. ‘We come to dinner, miss. And we ain’t had no breakfast neither.’

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Cora and Flossie joined them, apologising profusely, and Rose escaped to the front parlour leaving them to cope with the two elder Spriggs sisters, Izzie having rushed upstairs to reclaim her charges. Rose positioned herself on the window seat, preparing for the inevitable spate of complaints from all parties. Jessie, it seemed, could not resist the temptation to interfere in the kitchen, while Cora was visibly hungover and in no mood to be tolerant. Flossie openly disliked Jessie and Edna, and the feeling appeared to be mutual, despite the fact that they had seemed to be getting on well initially.