Workhouse Angel

by Holly Green

  ‘Disappeared!’ James sat back in shock. ‘When did this happen?’

  ‘I’m not sure. Some days ago, at least.’

  ‘And she has not been found?’

  ‘Not as far as Laura’s cook knew.’

  ‘Is it possible she may have got hold of the wrong end of the stick somehow? It is only servants’ gossip, as you said.’

  ‘Laura thinks not. Nosy character that she is, she went to call on the McBrides on some pretext, but the parlourmaid told her that Mrs McBride was not receiving. When Laura asked why the girl said her mistress had had some very upsetting news.’

  ‘I suppose the police have been informed. There must be a search going on.’

  ‘I suppose so, but that’s all I know for now. I suspect if there are any developments Laura will be round here again to pass on the news.’

  ‘As long as she isn’t upsetting you. I don’t want you to over strain yourself.’

  His mother reached out and pressed his hand. ‘I appreciate your concern, my dear, but as I said the other day, I am really glad to have something to think about other than my own aches and pains.’

  ‘Well, as long as you are sure. I value any information you can get for me. Poor Richard is at his wits’ end and this news is going to upset him further. I am afraid he may go and do something desperate.’

  ‘Poor man,’ his mother murmured. ‘I wish we could help more. I was wondering, do you happen to have an address for … for May Lavender? I know you were … close. She may have some information that could be useful.’

  James looked down at the wasted face. It was his mother’s disapproval that had prevented him from marrying May and he had not told her that they were still in touch. He decided that it was time to be honest.

  ‘I have already written to her. We exchange letters regularly, as far as the great distance and the speed of a ship allows. I don’t know if she will be able to help, but I know she will do all she can.’

  His mother looked at him for a moment, seeming to search for some deeper meaning to his words, then she sighed and closed her eyes. James sat beside her for a while until she drifted into sleep, then he rose and stretched and wished, as he did every evening, that May was out there somewhere in the city, waiting for him.

  Richard’s reaction when he heard the news was predictable. ‘We must go and look for her! I don’t trust the police to search properly. Dear God! Anything could have happened to her.’

  ‘It’s all very well to say that,’ James responded, ‘but I cannot go racing off to Ireland. I have a job here, and so do you. Besides, where would we start? We don’t even know where she was at school.’

  ‘I’ve been cudgelling my brains to think of a way to find out,’ Richard said. ‘Is it any good asking this Mrs Pearson, do you think?’

  ‘She said she didn’t know, but it sounds as if her cook has a good source of information. She might be able to find out.’

  ‘Can we ask?’

  James pursed his lips dubiously. ‘She is bound to wonder what our interest is. Gossiping with my mother is one thing, but responding to a direct enquiry might seem a step too far. On the other hand, she clearly likes nosing out secrets. I’m wondering how we could approach her without giving away your position. I think we can guarantee that if we told her you think you are Angelina’s father the news would be all over Liverpool within a couple of days and that would put McBride on his guard.’ They were sitting as usual in the bar of the Adelphi Hotel. He got up and loosened his shoulders. ‘I should go home now. My mother is not at all well today, but if she seems stronger in the morning I’ll ask if she can think of any pretext for our enquiry.’ He laid a hand on Richard’s shoulder. ‘You won’t do anything foolish, will you? We need to keep our own counsel until we are on firmer ground.’

  Richard sighed deeply. ‘Very well. You need not fear for me. We’ll meet again tomorrow?’

  ‘Yes, of course. I’ll see you here, about the same time.’

  Next evening when they met he was able to present a more optimistic face.

  ‘My mother, it turns out, would make an excellent spy. She’s not well enough to go calling herself so she sent me to Mrs Pearson as her emissary, to deliver a pot of her home-made raspberry preserve. I went during the lunch hour, expressed my thanks for the fact that she has taken the trouble to visit my mother, and remarked casually that I was intrigued to hear about Angelina’s disappearance. She was very willing to chat, but still had no idea where the school was, except that it must be in Ireland. However, she volunteered the information that the one person who might know is a young woman called Elizabeth Findlay, who was employed by the McBrides as something between a nursemaid and a governess to Angelina.’

  ‘Where can we find her?’ Richard asked eagerly.

  ‘That’s not quite straightforward. She was dismissed by the McBrides as soon as Angelina was sent away. But her father is one of McBride’s employees. If we can track him down he might let us talk to Elizabeth.’

  ‘Where is McBride’s place of business?’

  ‘He has a warehouse down by the docks and an office above it. I suppose if we hung around outside when men are going home at the end of the day we might get someone to point Findlay out to us. It’s a bit of a long shot but it’s the best I can think of.’

  The plan was agreed and the next evening James and Richard made their way down to the docks and located the McBride warehouse without difficulty. They had timed their arrival well and within a few minutes the gates opened and men and women came out, calling goodbyes as they split up into twos and threes to head for home. One of the first to appear was a boy of around twelve or thirteen. Richard attracted his attention with a whistle and began tossing a shilling coin up in the air and catching it. The boy approached doubtfully.

  ‘It’s all right,’ Richard said. ‘You’re not going to get into any trouble. Do you happen to know a Mr Findlay who works here?’

  ‘Yeah, I know ’im,’ the boy replied. ‘What about it?’

  ‘Can you point him out to me? I need to talk to him.’

  The boy looked around at the crowd issuing from the warehouse. ‘Don’t see ’im at the moment. But that’s ’is daughter, Lizzie, over there.’

  ‘Where? Which one?’

  ‘Her over there, with the green bonnet, talking to the tall woman in brown.’

  The coin left Richard’s hand and found its way into the boy’s. ‘Well done, lad. Thank you.’

  ‘What do you want with her?’ the boy asked, but Richard, with James at his heels, was already threading his way through the crowd.

  ‘Let me, Richard,’ James said as they approached the two women. ‘Miss Findlay?’

  The girl turned with a start. ‘Yes? What do you want?’

  James held out his card, knowing that to most law abiding people the sight of the name of a well-respected firm of solicitors was reassuring. ‘My name is James Breckenridge. I’m making some enquiries about Miss Angelina McBride.’

  ‘Angelina?’ The girl caught her breath. ‘Have you found her?’

  ‘So you knew she was missing?’ James said.

  ‘Yes, I heard. Are you working for Mr McBride?’

  Instinct told James that to agree to this would not be helpful. ‘No, I am enquiring on behalf of a third party, someone who wishes Angelina nothing but well.’ He glanced at the other woman, who was watching him suspiciously. ‘I wonder, could we talk somewhere privately for a few minutes?’

  ‘Don’t trust him, Lizzie,’ her companion advised. ‘You don’t know anything about him.’

  ‘I work for a very respectable firm of solicitors,’ James said. ‘I can assure you that you will be quite safe.’

  Elizabeth looked from him to her friend for a moment in indecision. She glanced over her shoulder at the warehouse and seemed to make up her mind. ‘Very well, but only a few minutes. There’s a pub just down there, the Baltic Fleet. It’s a decent place. We could go there.’

  ‘I’m coming too,
’ the other woman said and in response to James’s frown she added, ‘all right; I’ll wait outside. But I’m not leaving her alone with strangers.’

  ‘You’re absolutely right,’ Richard said soothingly. ‘Come along if you like. It’s quite right your friend should have a chaperone.’

  In the pleasantly furnished saloon of the Baltic Fleet, James led Elizabeth to a seat and Richard installed her friend at another table, out of earshot but where she could watch them. He came back from the bar with two glasses of port and lemon and two tankards of beer and seated himself beside James.

  ‘Now then,’ Elizabeth said, ‘what’s it all about?’

  ‘Am I right in thinking that you worked for the McBrides for a short time?’ James asked.

  ‘I did.’

  ‘As a governess to their daughter Angelina?’

  ‘Not a governess exactly. I looked after her, poor mite, until her father decided to send her away. Then I was out on my ear with no character and no option but working in the packing shed.’

  ‘I get the impression that you do not much care for the McBrides.’

  ‘Too right I don’t. The way they treated that poor child was evil, if you ask me. No wonder she kicked over the traces.’

  Richard leaned forward. ‘What do you mean, the way they treated her?’

  ‘It was her mother mostly. One minute she was dressing her up, showing her off like some prize pet, getting her to sing for her guests, next minute she was treating her like dirt. I’ll never forget the way she beat her for damaging her best dress.’

  ‘She beat her?’

  ‘Caned her on her bare behind. I saw the marks. I don’t wonder she’s run off.’

  James saw that Richard was working himself up into a fury and put in quietly, ‘Miss Findlay … may I call you Elizabeth?’

  ‘Lizzie. I’m always called Lizzie.’

  ‘Well, Lizzie, we know that Mr McBride sent her away to school …’

  ‘Yes. I thought it would be better for her in the long run, get her out of Mrs McBride’s clutches, but the nuns must have been cruel to her. Otherwise she wouldn’t have run away.’

  ‘How did you know she had run away?’

  ‘I heard it from Jane, the parlourmaid. We got quite friendly while I was there and we’ve kept in touch.’

  ‘Miss Findlay … Lizzie,’ Richard said urgently, ‘I think you really cared for Angelina. I believe I can trust you with a secret. Did you know that Angelina is not the McBrides’ real daughter?’

  ‘Everyone knew that, except Angelina herself. It was when another girl told her she went for her and started a fight. Why do you ask?’

  ‘I am Angelina’s true father. That is why I am so anxious to find her.’

  ‘Her father? I thought he was Mr McBride’s brother.’

  ‘No,’ James put in, ‘that was not true. It was a story they made up. We think they took Angelina from the workhouse, but they did not want anyone to know that.’

  ‘Why was she in the workhouse?’

  Richard hung his head. ‘I left her there because I was desperate. My wife had died and I had no money. I could not look after her. It shames me to admit it, but I thought it was best at the time.’

  Lizzie looked at him for a moment. Then she said gently, ‘People fall on hard times. It’s often not their fault. You did what you thought was best for her. But now you want her back?’

  ‘And I can promise you she will never suffer at my hands in the way you have described.’

  ‘Well, she’d have to be better off than what she was, but she’s missing. Well, of course, you know that.’

  ‘That is why we need your help to find her,’ James said.

  ‘I don’t see how I can help.’

  ‘Do you, by any chance, know the name of the school she was sent to?’

  ‘Ah, now you’re asking.’ Lizzie frowned. ‘I saw a letter once, left on the hall table to be taken to the post. That would be just after the Christmas ball, where Angelina disgraced herself. I reckon that could have been to ask the nuns to take her.’

  ‘You think it was a convent, then?’

  ‘Oh yes. I overheard him say to Mrs McBride that the nuns would teach her discipline.’

  Richard shivered. ‘God help us!’

  ‘Can you remember the address? James asked.

  ‘I’m trying. Oh, I know. It was somewhere in Limerick. Is there a place called Limerick? I thought it was just a funny sort of poem.’

  ‘No, there is such a place,’ James assured her. ‘Do you remember anything else?’

  ‘It was a real mouthful. Something about Jesus, Faithful Friends of Jesus, something like that.’

  James sat back. ‘Thank you, Lizzie. I’m sure we can locate the place from what you’ve told us.’

  ‘But will that mean you can find her?’

  ‘It gives us a place to start. But isn’t Mr McBride looking for her?’

  ‘He’s back in his office. I asked Jane if she knew what was going on. She says he’s set the police on it, but he doesn’t trust them so he’s called on some of his contacts over there to help.’

  ‘Some of his contacts,’ Richard echoed. ‘Well, we can guess who that might be.’

  James got to his feet. ‘Lizzie, you’ve been a great help. We’re very grateful.’

  ‘Will you let me know if you find her? I’m that worried about her I can’t sleep at night. She could be a right little madam at times, but I got really fond of her. I’d like to see her happily settled with someone who’d take proper care of her.’

  ‘Where can I contact you? Will you give me your address?’

  ‘Do you have a bit of paper. I’ll write it for you.’

  James produced his notebook and Lizzie scribbled an address in it.

  ‘I must go now,’ she said. ‘Or my dad will be looking for me.’

  As they shook hands on the pavement, James said, ‘It would be best if you didn’t tell anyone why we are looking for Angelina. Can I rely on your discretion?’

  ‘I won’t tell a soul,’ Lizzie promised.

  As they parted from the two young women, Richard’s expression was grim. ‘God help me, I’ll never forgive myself for leaving her in the hands of those monsters!’

  ‘It’s hard to believe anyone can treat a child so harshly,’ James agreed. ‘I’ve heard the adage “spare the rod and spoil the child”, and I guess you and I have had a taste of the rod in our time at school, but to beat a small child like that … Do you think Lizzie might have been exaggerating?’

  ‘It didn’t look like that to me.’ Richard squared his shoulders. ‘But at least we know now where to start searching. It can’t be difficult to locate that convent.’

  ‘I assume the police search must have started there,’ James said. ‘I’m not sure I can see why anyone else should find clues that they have missed.’

  ‘Are you suggesting we should sit back and do nothing? That’s not an option as far as I am concerned.’

  ‘That’s all very well, but neither of us is free to go chasing off to Ireland on a search that might last weeks.’

  Richard glanced at him with an expression of contrition. ‘Of course. I’m sorry. You have obligations here, which you cannot abandon. But that doesn’t mean I cannot go.’

  ‘What about the work you are doing here?’

  ‘To hell with that. What is new machinery for a mine thousands of miles away, compared to the life of my daughter? I’ll make up the time after I’ve found her.’

  James was silent for a moment. It was hard to voice the thoughts that were uppermost in his mind. ‘Richard, I think we have to accept that you might never find her. She’s what, nine years old, and she has been missing now for days. Unless she has been taken in by somebody, it’s unlikely she can have survived.’

  ‘But that’s just it! Don’t you see?’ The anguish in Richard’s voice was hard to bear. ‘There’s a chance – a good chance – that someone has taken her in, but for what purpose? Anyone with good
intentions would surely have reported finding her to the authorities. That’s the thought that has been tormenting me since we heard the news. I know you can’t get away, James, and I have no right to ask you to anyway. You’ve already done more than your professional capacity requires. But I’m going to Ireland on the next boat. I shan’t rest till I know … till I find her and bring her home.’

  ‘Believe me,’ James said, ‘if I was at liberty I would come with you. I know we only met a few days ago, but I feel we have become friends. It isn’t anything to do with what you call “my professional capacity”.’

  ‘No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. Of course we are friends, and I value that greatly. Without your help and companionship these last few days would have been dreary indeed. But I have to go. You do see that, don’t you?’

  ‘I do,’ James said, ‘but it worries me. If McBride has applied to his Fenian friends for help, you don’t know what you might be getting into.’

  ‘I’ll take that chance,’ Richard said. ‘I cannot do otherwise.’

  Fourteen

  ‘So, my little colleen, you were at school with the nuns. Where was that, then?’

  Angelina was sitting on the steps of the caravan and the man who seemed to be the head of the family was seated opposite her on a battered chair. She had woken to find sunlight streaming through the window and the caravan rocking gently as people moved about. She knew at once where she was, and memories of the previous day came flooding back. Her first emotion had been one of relief. She had found safe shelter, and she pushed the thought of what might happen next to the back of her mind. She was about to climb out of bed when the woman who had taken off her shoes the night before came in and told her to bide where she was for the moment. She spread some sort of salve on Angelina’s blistered feet and bandaged them, and gave her some shoes that were too large but accommodated the bandages. She hobbled awkwardly down the steps and was given a bowl of porridge sweetened with a little honey. The man waited for her to finish eating before beginning his inquisition.