Pauper's Gold

by Margaret Dickinson

  Now Cedric raised his beady eyes and glared at Bessie. ‘And where is she going to work?’

  Bessie swallowed. Her throat was painfully dry. All this lying was hard work. ‘At the mill.’

  ‘What mill?’ Goodbody snapped.

  ‘One of the silk mills.’

  ‘Here? In Macclesfield?’

  When she nodded, he seemed to relax a little, though a deep frown still rutted his forehead. At last, after several moments of deep thought, which seemed an age to the waiting Bessie, he said, ‘Very well, then. I will release her into your care. But you’ll have to sign a paper that you take full responsibility for her.’

  Now it was Bessie’s turn to be anxious about what she was taking on. Then she shrugged her shoulders. Oh well, what did it matter. She’d been heading for the workhouse in her old age anyway before Hannah had appeared. If they all ended up in here, so what? It was no more, no less than she’d expected would happen one day. And in the meantime, well, she’d have a family of sorts to care for again.

  That, more than anything, was worth the risk.

  ‘Where do I sign?’ She beamed at him.

  But I don’t know who you are.’ Nell’s eyes were wide with fear. Much as she wanted to get out of the workhouse, this was like taking a blind leap off a mountain into the unknown. ‘You . . . you could be anybody.’

  Bessie chuckled, not in the least insulted by the girl’s misgivings. She’d feel exactly the same in Nell’s shoes. ‘You’ll just have to trust me, love, that’s all. There’s a home and a job waiting for you. Tek it or leave it,’ she added, hoping that the girl wouldn’t take her at her word and refuse to go with her. She couldn’t explain it all, for Goodbody was still in the room. And even if he hadn’t been, walls had ears as far as Bessie was concerned. She’d no intention of so much as mentioning Hannah’s name until they were well clear of this place.

  But Nell was still hesitating and Bessie began to grow a little impatient. She’d’ve thought the girl would have jumped at the chance to get out of the workhouse. She knew she would’ve done.

  Then suddenly, Nell said, ‘Wait a minute. I’ve seen you before. You came here the other day—’

  Bessie gave a little shake of her head, trying to warn the girl to say no more. Swiftly, she interrupted. ‘No, no, that wasn’t me. Never been here before in me life, and I’d rather not have to come again, if it’s all the same to you.’

  ‘Oh,’ Nell murmured, still staring at her. ‘I was sure . . .’ Then she shrugged. ‘I must have got it wrong.’ There was a pause before Nell went on, ‘But why me? You don’t know me. Why do you want to help me?’

  ‘Well – er – see, it’s like this. Me own family’s all gone. Left the nest. And I’m all on me own.’ It was the truth but not the whole truth.

  Nell was still suspicious. ‘Last time I left here, I thought I was going to be set up for life. Going to be well looked after in a good job. And look where that got me. Back here in a few years and ruined. Oh aye, ruined. I love me little baby, I won’t let anyone say I don’t, but I’d’ve sooner he’d never been born than end up in here.’ She thrust her face close to Bessie’s. ‘Has Edmund Critchlow sent you? Is there a gang of thugs waiting for me outside to make sure I’m put out of harm’s way for good? Me and little Tommy?’

  Bessie was appalled. ‘No, love. I promise you. Nothing like that.’ She bit her lip. This girl wasn’t about to go willingly with her unless Bessie confided a bit more. But how could she with Cedric Goodbody’s ears flapping? She touched the girl’s arm. ‘Look, you’ll just have to trust me, that’s all I can say.’

  Nell glanced at Goodbody. ‘Can I leave Tommy here whilst I go and see what this is all about? Can I come back for him?’

  Cedric hesitated. He wanted the girl gone. In fact he couldn’t understand what was holding her back. For a young ’un, she had a very suspicious mind. But he could see that for two pins she’d refuse this woman’s offer. Cedric couldn’t care less what was going to happen to her or her bastard. He just wanted them both out of here so that when he reported the fact to the guardians that there were two fewer mouths to feed he would receive their smiling approbation. And maybe that approbation would take the form of a monetary bonus. It had in the past.

  He smiled thinly, but there was no warmth in his eyes, only swift, self-interested calculation. ‘Of course, my dear. Very sensible of you. You go with this – er – lady and see what she’s offering. Then, if all is well, come back and fetch your little one.’ If she didn’t come back, he was thinking, even if she left the boy here, at least it was one gone. And the baby would probably soon pine away without his mother.

  ‘Right, I will.’ Nell turned to Bessie. There was still wariness in her eyes as she said, ‘Let’s be seeing what this is all about then.’

  They walked outside into the yard and then, with a cheery wave to the porter, they were outside the gate and walking down the path. Nell was nervous, glancing anxiously about her, and when Bessie took hold of her arm, the girl actually flinched with fear. ‘It’s all right, love. Honestly, it is. Just a few more yards away from this place and I’ll explain it all.’

  ‘Explain?’ Nell came to a halt, wrenching her arm out of Bessie’s grasp. ‘I knew it. There is more to this than you’ve said. I knew this sort of luck doesn’t happen to someone like me.’ There were tears in her eyes. She’d dared to hope. How foolish she’d been.

  Bessie leaned close, keeping her voice low. ‘D’you remember someone called Hannah at the mill?’

  ‘Hannah?’

  ‘Shh, keep your voice down,’ Bessie hissed, glancing nervously up at the high windows.

  Nell lowered her voice. ‘Of course I remember Hannah.’

  ‘Well, let’s just keep walking and I’ll tell you.’

  Still a little reluctantly, but now with increasing curiosity, Nell fell into step beside Bessie.

  ‘Hannah and her mother used to live next door to me,’ Bessie began. ‘Years ago, before they came into the workhouse.’ Her face fell into sad lines. ‘I only wished I could’ve prevented that, but I had all me own brood at home. I couldn’t.’

  Nell said nothing, so Bessie continued. ‘I didn’t know what’d happened to them. Hannah and her mother. I didn’t know Hannah’d been sent away to that mill in Derbyshire. I didn’t know Rebecca – her mother – had died in the workhouse. I knew nothing at all until Hannah turned up on my doorstep.’

  Again Nell stopped and turned to face Bessie. ‘Hannah? Hannah’s here? In Macclesfield?’

  Now Bessie stopped too and turned to face the girl. Smiling, she nodded, ‘Yes, and waiting like a cat on hot bricks at my house. It’s her you’ve got to thank, love. Soon as I said I’d seen a girl called Nell here – and yes, it was me that came the other day.’

  ‘I thought it was. I thought I wasn’t losing me marbles already. Mind you,’ she added tartly, ‘that place is enough to make you.’

  ‘I came to ask about poor Rebecca for Hannah. She wanted to know. And when I got back home, I said I’d seen you. Spoken to a girl called Nell, I told her. Well, you should’ve seen her face. A picture, it was. “Oh, I’ve got to get her out of there, Auntie Bessie,” she said at once. “I’ve just got to.”’ Bessie smiled gently at the girl. ‘She said you were so good to her at the mill. She’s not forgotten that.’

  ‘So is it Hannah who’s fetching me out?’

  ‘That’s it.’ Swiftly, Bessie went on to tell Nell all that had passed between her and Hannah, all the plans they had. ‘Hopefully, she’ll’ve got a job for you an’ all, but I had to lie through me teeth in front of old Goodbody there. I didn’t want him finding out about Hannah. We’re not sure what he’d do if he found out she’d run away from the Critchlows.’

  Tears were in Nell’s eyes. ‘Oh, how good, how kind of her. But,’ she shook her head and the tears flooded down her cheeks, ‘but I can’t. I can’t come. Tell her I’m grateful. Ever so grateful. I’ll never forget what she tried to do for me. And her
secret’s safe with me. Tell her that. Be sure to tell her that. I won’t give her away to Goodbody.’

  Bessie stared at the girl in disbelief. ‘But why? Why won’t you come?’

  Nell shook her head. ‘Tommy. My baby. I couldn’t leave him behind.’

  Bessie stared at her for a moment and then she threw back her head and laughed aloud. ‘Aw, love, we wouldn’t expect you to do that. We wouldn’t want you to do that. Of course, Tommy’s to come an’ all.’ She threw her arms wide and enfolded the girl whilst Nell sobbed against her shoulder. But now her tears were of happiness and relief.

  And there were yet more tears when they turned into the street and saw Hannah waiting outside Bessie’s front door.

  ‘Hannah, oh, Hannah,’ Nell cried, and began to run.

  ‘Nell!’ Hannah spread her arms wide and ran towards her friend. They met and hugged each other, dancing and swinging each other round in sheer joy, whilst Bessie waddled down the street towards them, beaming from ear to ear.

  Thirty

  Two hours later, Nell had fetched her son from the matron’s care and, together with their few belongings, they were installed in Bessie’s second best bedroom. Hannah was to have the tiny boxroom next to it.

  ‘It doesn’t seem fair, us taking this room and you crammed into there,’ Nell said.

  ‘It’s all I need,’ Hannah reassured her, hugging her swiftly. ‘It’s so lovely to have you both here. I don’t care where I sleep. Besides, you and Tommy are having to share.’

  ‘Do you think I mind that? I’ve been separated from him ever since he was born. I’m not going to let him out of my sight now.’

  ‘Oh er – well, I know how you feel, but we’ll both have to work.’

  Nell laughed. ‘Oh yes, but you know what I mean.’

  Hannah smiled with relief. For a moment she had thought that Nell had meant it literally.

  They waited impatiently for two days but no word came from James Gregory.

  ‘I’ll just have to go and see him again,’ Hannah said.

  ‘Give him time, love,’ Bessie said. She refused to worry. She was happier than she’d been for years. A lot of laundry work had come her way again in the last two days and now she had two strong lasses to help her, it was done in half the time.

  ‘It’s the fetching and taking back I can’t do. All the walking. Me legs are getting bad.’

  ‘Well, me an’ Tommy can do that,’ Nell offered. ‘The fresh air’ll do him the world of good.’ The smile that hardly left her face now broadened. ‘He’s never seen the outside world much. High time he did.’ She glanced from Hannah to Bessie and back again. Her face sobered. ‘I can’t tell you what this means to me, you know. I’ll never, ever be able to repay your kindness.’

  ‘No need, love,’ Bessie said. ‘You two have made my life worth living again. It’s me should be thanking you both.’ Her eyes softened as she glanced down at Tommy lying kicking on the hearthrug. ‘And that little man there.’

  ‘And it’s me who should be thanking both of you. Nell was like my guardian angel when we first arrived at the mill. Showed me the ropes. And now you, Auntie Bessie, taking in a waif and stray. How can I thank you?’

  The three of them clutched at each other, laughing together.

  ‘Now then,’ Bessie said at last, wiping the tears of laughter from her eyes. Oh, how good it was to laugh again and to have someone to laugh with her. She’d always loved the company of young people; preferred it to the likes of Flo Harris any day. And these two lasses were as bright as buttons and sharp as a packet of needles. ‘I’d best get started else Mrs Montgomery won’t get her washing delivered back by tonight and she’s a tartar an’ no mistake.’

  ‘Right, I’ll get the copper going,’ Hannah volunteered and Nell said, ‘I’ll clear away the breakfast things and then I’ll help.’

  About mid-morning the door from the passageway into Bessie’s back yard opened and a grubby urchin poked his head round it. ‘A’ you Hannah?’

  Nell, pegging washing onto the lines stretched across the yard and with her mouth full of pegs, flicked her head towards the wash house.

  The lad grinned and, weaving his way through the wet clothes, stood in the doorway and repeated his question.

  Hannah, elbow deep in soap suds, glanced up. ‘Yes.’

  ‘Message from the mister.’

  Hannah paled and her heart thudded. ‘The . . . the master?’ Her first thought was that Cedric Goodbody had found out that she was back here, but as the boy spoke again her heart slowed in relief and colour flooded back into her face. ‘Yeah, the master. Mr Gregory. He’s sent word you’re to go to see a Mr Boardman at the mill in Brown Street. There might be a job going there for you.’

  Hannah smiled. ‘Thanks.’

  ‘And there was summat else.’ The boy frowned, trying to recall the rest of the message. ‘Oh aye. Your friend is to go to the house. His house. Not you, he said, just your friend.’

  ‘Nell?’

  The boy shrugged. ‘’Ee didn’t say her name.’

  ‘No,’ Hannah said slowly and thoughtfully. ‘No, I don’t think I told him it.’ Then she roused herself from her wandering thoughts enough to say, ‘Thanks for coming.’ She paused, taking in the boy’s skinny legs and thin wrists, the grubby bare feet. She smiled. ‘Would you like a bowl of soup?’

  The child’s eyes widened. ‘Ooh ta, miss.’

  Hannah dried her hands on a rough piece of cloth and led him towards the back door of the house and into the kitchen. Nell followed them in as Hannah led the boy to the table, her hand resting on his shoulder. ‘This young man’s earned himself a bowl of soup, Auntie Bessie. He’s brought us some good news. I’m to go to the mill just round the corner and you, Nell, are to go to my – to Mr Gregory’s house.’

  ‘His house? Why to his house?’

  They all looked towards the boy, but he was now so intent upon slurping the soup into his mouth that he didn’t even notice them looking at him.

  ‘I don’t think he knows,’ Hannah murmured. ‘But Mr Gregory’s made it clear that I’m not to set foot near his house again.’

  There was no mistaking the edge of bitterness in Hannah’s tone.

  Mr Boardman, the supervisor, turned out to be a tubby, jovial man.

  ‘Worked in a cotton mill ’afore, I hear. Where was that, then?’

  Hannah bit her lip. She was sure the man was just asking out of interest, to find out what her previous experience was. So, she answered swiftly. ‘A mill in Derbyshire. I don’t expect you know it.’ She rushed on, telling him about all the jobs she had done, not giving him time to ask for the actual name of the place. ‘I was a scutcher, then a piecer and a bobbin winder for a short while. The last job I had there was as a throstle spinner.’ As she rattled on, he nodded, seeming pleased with her knowledge and the skills she’d learned. At last he said, ‘Well, Mr Gregory has vouched for you. Says he’d employ you himself, but he’s no vacancies at the minute and you need a job now.’

  Hannah nodded. ‘If you please, sir.’

  ‘Right then. I’ll take you on a month’s trial and see how you go, eh? You’ll be winding the skeins of silk onto bobbins.’ He told her the wage and all the rules and conditions. ‘And you can start tomorrow morning. How about that?’

  ‘Thank you, sir. Thank you very much.’

  For the first time in months, Hannah sang out loud as she hurried home to share her good news with the two most important people in her new life – three if you counted little Tommy.

  But there was still one person she would never forget. The memories of Luke were locked away deep in her heart: poignant, heart-wrenching memories of a tender, innocent love that had never been given the chance to blossom. Cruelly cut down by a tyrant. And she could never forget him either. One day, she promised, her vow burning as strongly as ever. One day, I’ll have my revenge on you, Edmund Critchlow.

  ‘So, what did he want? What did he say to you? Why did he want you up at the hou
se instead of at his mill?’

  Hannah’s questions tumbled over each other as Nell stepped in the back door.

  ‘Hey, give me a minute to catch me breath,’ Nell laughed, but her eyes were sparkling.

  Hannah grinned and pulled a wry face. ‘Sorry, but I can hardly wait to hear all about it.’

  ‘I gathered that,’ Nell teased.

  ‘Here’s a cup of tea, love. Special treat.’ Bessie was no less anxious to hear about it all than Hannah but her approach was more patient. ‘Tommy’s fine. He’s having his afternoon nap upstairs.’

  They sat around the table, waiting whilst Nell had taken a sip of her tea.

  ‘Do you know,’ she began, surprise in her voice as she glanced at Hannah, ‘he’s quite nice?’ Hannah smiled thinly but said nothing. ‘I’d expected someone like Mr Edmund, but he wasn’t a bit like that.’ She nodded at Hannah. ‘But no wonder he doesn’t want you up there – at the house. You can see in a minute that you’re his daughter. You’ve got his hair and his eyes, haven’t you?’

  Now Hannah nodded and said huskily, ‘And did you see his little girl?’

  Nell shook her head.

  ‘She’s about three or four and she looks just like me. I’m sure his wife saw it too. Anyway, what did he say? Is he giving you a job at his mill?’

  ‘No, he’s no jobs going there at the minute. But . . .’ Nell paused dramatically, ‘He’s offered me a job as nanny to the children.’

  Hannah’s mouth fell open and Bessie murmured, ‘Well, I never.’

  ‘But – but – I thought – I mean,’ Hannah spluttered, ‘I thought he didn’t want us anywhere near his house?’

  Nell touched her hand and said gently, ‘It’s you he doesn’t want there, not me.’

  ‘But surely, you’ll remind him – and her – of me.’

  ‘Ah, now,’ Nell glanced away, suddenly embarrassed. ‘Well . . .’ She paused, not knowing quite how to put the next bit.

  ‘Go on,’ Hannah prompted.

  ‘I’m sworn to secrecy. I’m not to let on that I’ve anything to do with you, that I even know you. And I’m sorry, Hannah, but you must never visit me there or try to contact him again in any way.’