The Hungry Tide

by Valerie Wood

  She was quite won over as Mrs Scryven showed her around the house, although no sign of pleasure appeared on her face. It didn’t do to let servants know one’s feelings, unless of course it was annoyance.

  She was delighted with the spaciousness of the house, with the living rooms and dining room situated quite separately from the servants’ quarters, which were at the rear of the house. She came down the central staircase from the bedrooms and across the wide hall into the drawing room, and saw out of the long windows lush green lawns, newly mown, and a long rosewalk which was covered in a profusion of climbing, scented roses which sent their perfume drifting towards the house.

  ‘Well, what do you think of it, my dear?’ asked Isaac when he returned from his tour of the grounds and had viewed the extent of the farmland and the cottages with it. The estate stretched to the cliff edge and although he didn’t walk so far, he was assured by the agent that there was a good path down to the sea and a safe anchorage if he should want to keep a small boat for fishing.

  ‘I like it very well, or will do after a few necessary alterations,’ she conceded. ‘There is a good dining room for entertaining, and a splendid withdrawing room, and ample provision for servants’ quarters, and on the second floor there is a small room which will be suitable for a nursery, with an adjoining one for a nurse.’ Isobel chattered on about the decoration required and the furniture and curtains that they would need, and quite forgot her earlier concern of being cut off from her friends.

  Isaac nodded. He knew he had won. His pocket would be dented, but he didn’t mind. His finances were healthy in spite of the losses on the Polar Star, and he had this morning heard the good news that the Greenland Star had been sighted off the coast of the Orkneys. He was well thought of in business circles and if the Dock Company opened up another dock, as he knew they were planning to do, with John to help him now he would buy another vessel and the future should be even brighter.

  He glanced around the spacious hall. The sun was breaking through the clouds, emitting a clear radiant light through the open door. There was a sharp salty smell of the sea in the air. He felt a glow of satisfaction, it seemed almost an omen. He smiled fondly at Isobel. If all went to plan he hoped that one day he would be able to leave, as well as a prosperous shipping company, a successful country estate to his son and heir.

  4

  ‘What shall we do, Will?’ Maria observed her husband keenly as she sat across from him in front of the small smoky fire. The children sat on the floor by their feet playing with a pile of sticks, building them up into a pyramid and shrieking and laughing as they knocked them down again.

  She was concerned about Will. He was well physically, his arms and shoulders getting more muscular as they took the weight of his body, and he moved swiftly and expertly on his crutches. But he was morose and dejected and often when she came home, tired from work, she would find him sitting in front of a dead fire with his head in his hands, or gazing into space and so preoccupied that he didn’t even hear her come in.

  ‘Do? About what?’ Will looked at Maria vacantly. He had been daydreaming, miles away, out on the ice, re-living the dangers of his life at sea. He came back to reality slowly, and as he did so felt again the weight of depression which had been with him for so many weeks settle on him again like a black shadow. His delight at coming home had very soon been dissipated as he came to realize that there was no work for him and therefore no money, apart from his dues from the Seamen’s Sixpence, which wasn’t anything like enough to feed them all and pay the rent. His bonus still hadn’t been paid because of the dispute and he was beginning to feel desperate.

  ‘I know it’s difficult for thee, love,’ said Maria, ‘but tha’ll find work soon, I’m sure. But we have to talk about it.’ She leaned across and took hold of his hand. ‘We have to think of what else tha can do.’

  Will groaned and took his hand away. ‘I’m a seaman, Maria, what else can I do? I’ve been down to ’dock and to ’blubber yards, but there’s nowt for me. There’s plenty of able men looking for work as well as folk coming in from ’country districts, so why should anybody tek me?’

  He got up from his chair. ‘I’m off down to ’George for a bit, see if there’s owt happening. I thought I might see Rob Hardwick and have a dram or two.’ He put on his old coat and picked up his crutches. ‘I might be late back so don’t worry.’

  ‘Will!’ Maria hesitated, ‘Please – be careful.’

  Will laughed harshly. ‘Tha needn’t think that ’press gang will come after me. Even they wouldn’t want me!’ He went out of the door banging it behind him, leaving Maria miserable and unhappy.

  She hadn’t given a thought to the press gangs who roamed the streets of the town, coercing and threatening and carrying off any man or boy that they might find. Drunk or sober, the unwary might easily find themselves on board a naval ship. Even those seamen with a protection ticket were sometimes captured, and to avoid confrontation and sometimes pitched battles with the press gangs, the whalers’ crews devised ruses to avoid them.

  Maria had one night some years ago opened the door to find a strange looking woman standing there, who had asked in a quavering voice to be given food. Maria had invited her in, and to her astonishment the woman started stripping off her clothes to reveal, not a woman at all, but Will, who roared with laughter at having tricked her! He’d picked her up and swung her round and round until she was breathless, saying, ‘Now let that be a lesson to thee, letting strangers into ’house.’

  Now she smiled wistfully as she thought of those times. Her lively, vigorous husband, with a wit and temper to match his red hair, had disappeared and left behind a saddened, disillusioned man.

  No, it wasn’t the notion of the press gangs which worried her, but the assembly of drunkards and ruffians who gathered around the public houses and dram shops, looking for trouble or potential criminal activity. She hated the thought of Will becoming involved with such people, and in his present state of misery she feared that he might well succumb to temptation.

  ‘Over here, Will!’ Rob Hardwick was beckoning from the other side of the crowded room. Will had deliberately chosen to come to the George Inn close by the river in the hope that he would find some of his old shipmates. He pushed his way across towards Rob, elbowing out of the way the foreign seamen and the flock of painted women who were hanging around them.

  Rob pushed a small glass of rum towards Will and waved away his offer of payment. ‘Have this on me. I’ve had some good news today. Masterson has taken me on stand-by till ’next trip.’ He looked down at his left hand with two fingers missing. ‘I seem to manage all right without these.’

  Will nodded, he was glad for Rob’s sake about the news. But for his own accident he too would have expected to have been put on stand-by. The ship owners paid a remittance to their regular, reliable men during the time the ship was in port in order to ensure that they didn’t take work with another company.

  ‘Have you tried for work down at ’Greenland Yards?’ asked Rob as he bought two more rums. Will tossed back the harsh liquid in one swallow and felt the satisfying warmth searing his throat. He was about to answer when he felt a sharp slap on his back and he turned to see Francis Morton standing behind him.

  ‘Three more rums,’ called out Francis above the hubbub of noise. ‘Only make them doubles.’

  Will started to protest but Francis would have none of it. ‘I’ve just concluded a nice piece of business,’ he said, winking slyly. ‘So I’m not short of a bit o’ brass.’

  Will sighed as he drank; everybody seemed to be in luck but him. But, as the rum took effect, he began to feel less depressed and hoped that perhaps the luck would rub off on him.

  ‘Hello, Will, how’s tha doing?’

  He stared down at the woman who stood in front of him smiling boldly. It was Annie, but an Annie so changed he barely recognized her. Her hair was a brassy yellow and her face was white with powder. Her large blue eyes stared out of deep sock
ets and her lips were two bright uneven slashes of scarlet.

  She giggled up at him playfully. ‘Didn’t tha know me, Will, Maria’s best friend?’

  Francis leaned forward and roughly drew her towards him. He ran his hand around the back of her neck and across her bare shoulders, his fingers probing the low neck of her shabby satin dress.

  ‘Course he knows thee, Annie, doesn’t everybody?’ He bent over her and buried his face into the curve of her neck. As he laughingly pulled away there was a reddening mark on her flesh that his teeth had made. He drew up a stool and sat down drawing her on to his knee, his arms wrapped tightly around her, pulling her body close to his.

  ‘I’ll be moving off now.’ Rob turned to go, and Will was about to do the same, but Francis protested loudly. ‘Stay and have another drink, Will, I have summat in mind for thee.’

  Will viewed this with suspicion but decided to hear him out. There was always the chance after all, small though it was, that Francis did have a legitimate proposition and he decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. He said good night to Rob and sat down reluctantly, avoiding Annie’s eye as she wriggled and squirmed on Francis’s knee.

  ‘All it is,’ said Francis, ‘I’ve borrowed a cart and a lively little hoss and I’ve a mind to go for a jaunt into ’country.’ He smiled benevolently. ‘I thought perhaps tha might like to come along for a ride?’

  Annie squealed with pleasure. ‘Oh, Frankie, can I come?’

  He pushed her off his knee and slapped her behind. ‘Fetch us another drink and then I’ll see.’

  Carelessly he put his feet up on a table and asked Will. ‘Well, what about it, does tha fancy a bit of fresh air?’

  ‘Aye, I reckon I do,’ said Will slowly. ‘I could do with a change of scenery.’

  The two men eyed each other narrowly, there was no love lost between them. Then, as Annie returned with his drink, Francis took his boots off the table. ‘Right then. Tomorrow. I’ll pick thee up mid morning. I reckon tha’ll enjoy it.’

  Will nodded and looked away; he felt he’d been dismissed and rose to leave. Francis Morton was the last person that he would have chosen for a confidant. He was a town tyke born and bred, who earned his living on the streets and alleyways of the town, and wouldn’t have known what Will was talking about had he attempted to explain the terrible feeling of confinement that he felt, like an animal or bird in captivity. To be restrained by his disability to the boundary of the town streets, when he was within sight and sound of the River Humber which led down towards the vast, powerful sea, the sea which had been his livelihood and destination since he was a mere boy, not much older than his own son, and from which he was now banished for ever.

  ‘What do you mean, you don’t want to come?’ Isobel bristled with anger as she stared at Ellie standing in front of her, her head bowed so that all she could see was the top of her white cap.

  Ellie fiddled with a corner of her apron. ‘I don’t want to come, that’s all, ma’am.’

  The girl was sullen, she shifted from one foot to the other. ‘There’s nowt – nothing to do in ’country and besides, the others don’t want to go either.’

  Isobel’s mouth dropped open and then she quickly shut it again. This was something she hadn’t foreseen. She had been quite sure that her staff would have been willing to accompany her to the new house.

  ‘What, none of them?’

  ‘Only Mrs Harris, but then she wouldn’t be able to get another position at her age.’ Ellie stopped as if wondering if she had gone too far.

  ‘If I don’t recommend you, then none of you will get another position.’

  Isobel was angry and she knew that the statement she had made wasn’t true, for with the increase in trade and the number of new houses being built on the periphery of the town, there was now a shortage of good servants. Everyone knew how well trained her staff were, they would obtain a position without her recommendation.

  She tried wheedling. ‘There will be more time off, of course, and perhaps more money.’

  Ellie shook her head. ‘There’s no entertainment in ’country, ma’am, and besides folks are a bit slow out there.’ She tossed her head and added, ‘And all the men are leaving and coming into town, it’s much more lively here, what with ’fair and theatre and that. I’m sorry ma’am.’

  Not as sorry as I am, thought Isobel as she curtly dismissed the girl from the room. She sat by the window of her first-floor sitting-room and looked down at the busy street below. They were a motley looking crowd, she mused, how would she ever find servants from among that seething mass of humanity?

  From her vantage point she saw the tall figure of John as he strode along the street on return from his work with the tallymen. He was making a point of finding out every facet of the business and had already established a good reputation with the staff and tradespeople.

  She moved aside the curtains and waved to him, indicating that she wanted to speak to him. He smiled up at her. How handsome he was becoming, she thought, I shall soon have to be looking out for a suitable wife. And how well he carried his clothes. He was not a dandy by any means, like some of the young men they knew, but always dressed with good taste, his coat of a fine cloth and his hussar boots of soft leather. Neither did he powder his thick fair hair but wore it brushed back from his forehead and tied loosely behind.

  She heard him run up the stairs and sat back with a sigh. She would get a sympathetic hearing from him, she knew, unlike Isaac who would expect her to deal with the servant problem herself without any help from him.

  ‘I can’t stay long, I’m afraid.’ John put his head around the door. ‘I’m wanted down at the dockside.’

  ‘Just have a cup of tea with me, John, I really need to talk to you.’ Isobel reached for the bell, but he forestalled her.

  ‘No, no tea, thank you, but tell me what is the trouble.’ He was anxious to be off and was sure that the concerned look on her face was probably over something quite frivolous that could soon be allayed. Nevertheless he listened patiently as she finished her worrying account of staffing the new house.

  ‘Well, you’ll have to use local labour, Aunt. I don’t see that there is a major problem.’

  ‘But don’t you see, John,’ she exclaimed, glad for once to be able to impart knowledge to him. ‘All the country girls are coming to town to look for work, the wages are better and so are their marriage prospects.’ She threw up her hands and wailed, ‘The only ones left will be the country bumpkins like Mrs Scryven, or the ones who are unemployable.’

  He got up to leave. ‘I’ll try to think of something,’ he said, ‘but finding servants isn’t something I’m familiar with, I’m afraid.’

  He laughed and with a contrived flourish drew back his arm as if to aim. ‘Now if it’s a harpooner that you require, ma’am, then I can supply you with several.’ He crouched down and brought out an imaginary knife from the top of his boot, ‘Or how about a flenser, skilled in his trade?’ He shook his head and piped humorously, dropping a mock curtsey, ‘But little maids I know none.’

  ‘Get off with you,’ Isobel laughed at him. At least she felt a little better for his cheerful company, and I dare say, she thought philosophically, somebody will find a solution.

  ‘You’re late, John, what kept you?’ Isaac looked up irritably from his desk as John knocked and entered his office.

  ‘I’m sorry, Uncle, but I was waylaid.’

  He didn’t want to blame Isobel, but Isaac replied sharply. ‘By whom? I trust it was on business matters?’

  ‘Well, not exactly, sir. But seemingly you have a problem. Aunt Isobel can’t persuade the servants to go out to Garston Hall. They don’t want to move to the idyllic charm of the country, but prefer to stay for the delights of this merry town, smells and all.’

  Isaac swore softly. ‘I had an idea that this might happen, and unfortunately the country people are moving to town. They are losing their common lands with this enclosure legislation and can’t make a liv
ing.’

  He brushed his hands over the pile of papers that littered his desk. ‘As you see, I’m extremely busy and I haven’t the time to attend to it. Perhaps you will see to it, John, I don’t want Isobel to be bothered about something like this, it’s not good for her to have any worries at this time.’

  He waved his arm towards the window. ‘There must be somebody out there who would like to exchange an existence in the town for a living in the country.’

  John felt the germ of an unformulated idea growing in the recesses of his mind. ‘You would need a housekeeper perhaps, if Aunt Isobel is set against Mrs Scryven? Perhaps if I find a suitable woman, then she could find the maidservants?’

  He paused to see the effect on his uncle and, finding it favourable, went on, ‘And it might be an idea for you to have a man about the place, for you will be here in Hull quite often. Someone who could keep an eye on the estate and do jobs about the house, bringing in wood, that sort of thing.’

  ‘If you can think of someone who will suit Isobel then arrange it, but don’t worry me about it until it’s decided,’ said Isaac briskly. ‘But it must be someone completely trustworthy. And in the meantime,’ he dismissed the matter, ‘you will be pleased to know that I’ve heard from the Customs Office. The Commissioner has ordered that the bounty can be paid after all. They are satisfied that we have followed all the legal requirements and that the ship was bound to return early because of the damage.’

  He sat back in his chair. ‘That’s the reason I wanted to see you. I’ve told the clerks to go ahead with the paper work and I would like you to see that it is paid out immediately.’

  John smiled as he left the office. He speculated that with a little diplomacy he might well be able to repay a debt, help a family in need and solve his aunt’s domestic problem at one and the same time.