‘Hello, Mam.’ Mabel looked towards a woman busily sewing beside the room’s one small window.
At the sight of Mabel, the woman’s face lit up and she clumsily rose from her chair. Madeline saw at a glance that, like herself, she was in an advanced state of pregnancy and wondered how they would possibly manage to fit another body into this tiny house. Her eyes were drawn to a man who was lying on a wooden settle at the side of the fireplace with a thin blanket wrapped about his legs. His face was drawn and wracked with pain and she guessed that this must be Mabel’s father.
Mabel’s mother looked at Madeline curiously and Mabel hastily introduced her. ‘Mam, Dad, this is Mrs Kettle, me new employer. She just bought me this lovely scarf, look. She came out wi’ me to get a breath o’ fresh air.’
‘Well, that was very kind o’ you. How do you do, ma’am.’ Mabel’s mother dipped her knee as her hand self-consciously rose to brush a stray wisp of hair behind her ear. Then looking back at Mabel, she scolded gently, ‘Yer should have warned us yer were bringin’ a visitor, our Mabel, the place is barely fit to be seen.’ She pulled a hard-backed chair out from the wall. ‘Won’t yer sit down, ma’am. I’ll just put the kettle on. I dare say as yer could do wi’ a hot drink to warm yer up.’
‘Oh, please don’t go to any trouble on my account,’ Madeline objected, but the woman was already bustling about preparing the kettle then the teapot as the children fell silent and stared at the visitor’s fine clothes in awe.
Madeline smiled at the man then and said, ‘Good day, sir. And how are you keeping? Mabel told me of your unfortunate accident.’
‘Oh, I shouldn’t complain, ma’am.’ He smiled politely as he tried to heave himself up on the settle. He was obviously very weak and Mabel rushed over to help him, propping him up on some flat, out-of-shape pillows. ‘At least I’m still here to tell the tale, which is more than can be said for some o’ me mates. It’s me lass I worry about.’ His eyes settled on his wife who was flitting about like a butterfly. ‘It’s her who has to do the lion’s share o’ the work now. Sewin’ till all hours every day by the light of a candle an’ when she ain’t doin’ that she’s takin’ in other folks washin’ an’ ironin’.’ He sighed heavily and Madeline’s heart went out to him. ‘Sometimes I think it might have been better if I hadn’t come up either, at least she’d have had a small widow’s pension then,’ he confided in a hushed voice.
His wife, however, had heard him and she wagged a stern finger at him. ‘Ain’t I told yer before not to say such things,’ she rapped. ‘We might not be rich but we’re managin’ well enough, ain’t we? It ain’t often we go to bed hungry, partly due to our Mabel, that is.’ She flashed a smile in the girl’s direction. ‘An’ I’m managin’ to pay the rent an’ all, well, most weeks anyroad, wi’ what our Mabel brings me. What else could we wish for if we still have each other?’
Mabel’s father hung his head sheepishly and, wishing to lighten the atmosphere, Mabel said brightly, ‘Right, let’s see what Mrs Batley has sent yer today then.’ The second she lifted the basket on to the rickety table, the children crowded around her like bees around a honeypot, their eyes wide with hunger and anticipation.
‘Hmm, now here’s half a loaf left over from yesterday. There should be enough fer yer to have a slice each. An’ here’s some leftover slices o’ steak an’ kidney pie. That’s one o’ yer favourites, Dad. Oh, an’ there’s some apple pie here an’ all, an’ a pot o’ drippin’ from the pork she cooked last night. Yer could have that on the bread, it’ll be right tasty wi’ a bit o’ salt on it.’
The children licked their lips at the thought of the feast ahead, but before they could touch anything, Mabel’s mother whipped the whole lot away into the pantry.
‘Yer can all keep yer eyes off, yer greedy little buggers.’ She glanced at Madeline. ‘Sorry, ma’am. Yer’ll all have yer fair share at the proper time.’
The children sloped away, and Mabel chuckled as she reached into her pocket. ‘Here, there should be one each fer yer to keep yer goin’ till dinner time. Mind yer don’t get chokin’ on ’em!’
She tossed a brown paper bag to the nearest boy and when he glanced inside he whooped with delight.
‘It’s gobstoppers,’ he declared and instantly the children all held their hands out.
‘Eeh, our Mabel, yer shouldn’t be doin’ that,’ her mother told her gently. ‘Yer hand over most o’ yer wages to me as it is wi’out you wastin’ the little yer keep on this lot.’
Mabel shrugged as she poured a drop of milk into three cups and soon they were all sipping the unsweetened tea.
Eventually, Mabel told Madeline regretfully, ‘We ought to be goin’ to get the shoppin’ done an’ gettin’ back to Mrs Batley now. She’ll haul me over the coals if I ain’t there in time to help wi’ the dinner.’
‘Of course.’ Madeline smiled at Mabel’s parents. ‘And thank you for your hospitality, it’s been a pleasure to meet you.’
‘You too, ma’am. Wi’out these bits you allow us to have I don’t know how we’d manage.’
Madeline felt humbled as she shook her head. In future, she intended to make sure the family had a lot more than just leftovers.
Chapter Six
Madeline was tired but happy when she and Mabel arrived back at the house. However, the smile faded from her face when the judge himself opened the door with a face like thunder and demanded, ‘Just where the hell do you think you’ve been, woman?’
Before she could open her mouth to answer, he grabbed her none too gently by the arm and hauled her off to his study as Mabel looked on in distress before scuttling away like a frightened rabbit towards the servants’ entrance at the back of the house.
Madeline frowned, her heart thudding painfully as she was dragged along the corridor. What was Jacob doing home at this time of day? And what could she have done to upset him so? Surely it wasn’t a crime to leave the house for a breath of fresh air?
Once the study door was shut behind them, he let her go. ‘Well?’ he growled, his face red with fury.
‘I decided to walk into town with Mabel to get a little exercise,’ she answered calmly, her hands joined tightly at her waist above the mound of her stomach, trying not to show how frightened she was.
‘Walk into town? In your condition! Whatever will people think? And with a common maid too!’
Hoping to change the subject she asked, ‘But why are you home so early, dear?’
‘Snow is forecast and I didn’t want to be trapped in Coventry if the trains stopped running, so I decided to bring some work home with me. But let’s get back to what we were talking about. I wouldn’t even have known you were leaving the house if I hadn’t seen you disappearing down some godforsaken alley in Abbey Street.’
He was speaking as if she had committed some unforgivable crime but ever the peacemaker, Madeline tried to remain calm as she answered in a small voice, ‘We called in to see Mabel’s parents, she had something she wanted to drop off to them. They live in the courts off Abbey Street.’
‘And you dared to expose my unborn child to the disease that is rife there?’ Jacob looked as if he was about to explode. ‘Are you aware that those courts are running with vermin? And whatever possessed you to venture out onto the slippery pavements in the first place anyway? You might have fallen and brought the birth of the baby on early!’
‘But I didn’t, I was most careful,’ Madeline replied levelly, although there were tears in her eyes. ‘And poor Mabel’s parents’ home was very clean and tidy considering how many of them live there.’
Jacob ran a hand distractedly through his hair as he fought to control his temper. ‘You are not … I repeat NOT to go there ever again; do you hear me? In fact, I think it would be best now if you were to confine yourself to the house until after the child has been safely delivered!’
Madeline gasped with dismay. ‘But what about attending church? You know how I love to go at least three times a week and what will people thin
k if I suddenly don’t put in an appearance?’
‘People will accept that you are putting the welfare of our child first, as you should.’
Madeline opened her mouth to protest but he put up his hand, totally unmoved by her obvious distress. ‘There will be no arguments. I have said all I am prepared to say on the subject so just make sure you abide by my wishes. One more thing … I noticed that the maid was carrying a rather heavy basket up the alley. What was in it?’
Madeline thought quickly. Jacob was so mean she was sure he would not agree to leftovers going to Mabel’s family anymore were he to find out.
‘It was shopping that Mrs Batley had asked her to get,’ she lied and didn’t even feel guilty.
He stared at her suspiciously. ‘Very well. As it happens, I have been meaning to speak to Mrs Batley about Mabel. Send her in to me immediately.’
‘What about Mabel?’ Madeline dared to ask.
His stare was colder than the frost outside. ‘It is nothing to concern yourself about. Now, please go and do as I ask.’ He turned his back on her and began to shuffle some papers on his desk, so with a sigh she left the room, so upset that she forgot to close the door behind her.
‘I know you’re busy, Mrs Batley,’ Madeline said apologetically in a wobbly voice when she entered the kitchen. ‘But my husband wishes to see you in his study.’
‘Does he now?’ Mrs Batley frowned. ‘I wonder what he wants me to cut back on now?’ And moaning beneath her breath she headed for the study.
‘You wanted to see me,’ she said bluntly as she approached the desk.
He turned to face her. ‘I’ve been giving the matter some thought and I believe that we could dispense with Mabel’s services. After all, there is only my wife and myself to look after.’
‘And young Harry an’ a new baby any time soon,’ Mrs Batley snapped as her eyes flashed fire. She shook her head, refusing to let him intimidate her. ‘No, Mabel stays. There’s no way I could see to everything.’
He stared her out for a moment, silently cursing his late uncle who had clearly been very fond of her. So fond, in fact, that he had had a codicil put in his will to the effect that Mrs Batley’s job should be safe for as long as she wanted it. He had also left her fifty pounds for when, or if, she retired, so he was stuck with the old besom!
‘Then what about if we reduce her hours?’
She wagged her head again. ‘No. As I’ve said, I need the help. I’m too old to be runnin’ about the place like a blue-arsed fly!’
He visibly flinched at her common outburst and pointed a shaking finger at the door. ‘Very well, we will leave things as they are for now. But should I find Mabel trying to lead my wife astray again I shall reassess the situation.’
‘Lead her astray? What, just by letting her walk into town wi’ her? Hmm, I didn’t realise the poor lass was a prisoner!’
Totally unaccustomed to anyone standing up to him, Jacob Kettle blustered, ‘I … I am only thinking of my unborn child’s welfare!’
‘Of course you are!’ Mrs Batley’s voice was heavy with sarcasm. ‘So why don’t you just lock her in her room an’ have done wi’ it?’ And on that note, she turned and left him staring after her.
Jacob’s hands clenched into fists. First his wife had dared to argue with him and now the housekeeper! He had just seen another side to Madeline that he did not at all care for. She had seemed so pliable when he had decided she would be the one to bear him children, and following their marriage the conception had come about far more quickly than he had dared to hope. He had never really enjoyed the physical side of marriage. He was hoping for a son, although it wouldn’t really matter if it was a girl. Once he was a father his colleagues would have a new respect for him. The majority of them had families and when he had been married to his first wife he had hated the sympathetic glances they bestowed on him each time she lost a child. And then there was that damned Mrs Batley. Why his late uncle had thought so much of her he would never understand.
Glancing towards the window he saw the first flakes of snow fluttering down and his mood worsened. He just prayed that it would not come down thick enough to leave him housebound with all these women!
In the day room, Madeline’s mood was not much better as she too stared at the snow from the window. Jacob had seemed like an answer to a prayer following the death of her father, but now he was becoming more and more controlling and she was beginning to feel like a prisoner. Just then the child inside her moved and her hand flew to her swollen stomach as a smile hovered at the corners of her mouth.
‘Not long now, my little one,’ she crooned. She could hardly wait to hold the child in her arms for she knew already that it would be the most important person in the world to her. And it wasn’t really so bad that Jacob had forbidden her to go to church for the time being. She had her Bible to read and she could still pray. Feeling happier she sank down onto the sofa. She hadn’t realised until now just how much the unaccustomed exercise had tired her. Within seconds she was fast asleep with her arms folded protectively across her unborn child.
Thankfully the snow stopped falling after a couple of hours and so the judge was able to go to work as normal the next morning.
Mrs Batley was baking cakes when the kitchen door leading from the hallway creaked open and Madeline asked, ‘May I come in?’
Mrs Batley chuckled. ‘Why shouldn’t you, lass. It is your house.’
Madeline glanced about before asking, ‘Where’s Mabel?’
‘Oh, she’s upstairs cleanin’ the bedrooms. Why, did yer want her?’
The young woman shook her head. ‘No, actually it was you I wanted to see. You see, I was wondering if from now on when you bake you could do a little extra for Mabel’s family.’
Mrs Batley raised an eyebrow and Madeline hurried on. ‘Perhaps just an extra loaf and an extra cake here and there if you could manage it. I’m sure they would be grateful for it. They’re such a lovely family and I so enjoyed meeting them.’
‘They are nice an’ I’m sure they would be grateful for a bit extra an’ all. But I ain’t so sure the master would be so keen on the idea.’
‘He doesn’t have to know, does he?’ There was a mischievous twinkle in her eye and Mrs Batley chuckled again.
‘Right you are then. I’ll start right now an’ Mabel can drop some bits round to ’em tonight when all the jobs are finished, if yer quite sure?’
Chapter Seven
As Christmas approached, a routine developed in the Kettle household. Monday to Friday each week the judge went off to the law courts in Coventry or visited his lawyer’s office in the town, then after dinner on Friday night he would disappear, sometimes for the whole weekend, which suited the women of the household just fine.
Harry always took him wherever it was he went in the carriage and returned with the master, but when questioned he never let on where they’d been.
‘I can’t see why he should be so secretive,’ Mrs Batley grumbled as the three women sat together by the fire in the kitchen one Saturday night early in December. ‘It ain’t as if the master is particularly kind to him. He speaks to him like he’s dirt half the time.’
Madeline was forced to agree and could say nothing in her husband’s defence. He spoke to her the same way most of the time now, although he had never as yet raised his hand to her. Her dreams of making him a good wife were fast fading and she was more convinced than ever that he viewed her as merely a vessel to carry his children. He certainly never went out of his way to spend any time with her and he never showed her any affection. She secretly hoped that one child would be enough for him, for the thought of having to share a bed with him again made her break out in a cold sweat. But still, he had helped her out of a terrible financial mess, and he had given her a fine house to live in, so she supposed she should be grateful for that at least.
The following week when Mrs Batley tendered the weekly accounts to the master, she ventured to ask, ‘I was wonderin’ if I might
be allowed to spend a little o’ the housekeepin’ on a small Christmas tree for the drawin’ room? The old master always used to come home with one round about now an’ I know the mistress would like one.’
He had seemed to be a little more relaxed for the last few days, possibly because the birth of his child was drawing nearer, but now he frowned. ‘Why ever would I want to waste hard-earned money on fripperies?’ he said with a sneer. ‘I consider such things to be quite unnecessary!’
Mrs Batley shrugged and gave a sly little grin. ‘I suppose it all depends how yer look at it. Yer did tell me last night that you’d be havin’ a dinner party fer some o’ yer colleagues the week afore Christmas an’ I just thought they might think it a bit strange if they arrived to find the house wasn’t decorated festively. Still, I dare say they’ve all got big posh places an’ they can afford to be a bit extravagant.’
The judge’s brain ticked over. He supposed, much as he hated to admit it, that she was right, and he didn’t want to appear mean to his colleagues. Appearances for a man in his position were all-important.
‘Very well,’ he agreed somewhat grudgingly. ‘I shall give you a little extra to make the house look festive. But there’s no need to go mad. I want it looking tasteful, is that clear?’
‘Crystal clear, judge!’ She contained her mirth as he counted out her housekeeping money and added an extra half a crown.
She nodded and dropped the money into her apron pocket then went back to the kitchen with a spring in her step.
‘You an’ Harry can go into the market tomorrow an’ pick a tree up,’ she informed Mabel gleefully. ‘I reckon I just shamed the tight-fisted old devil into lettin’ us have one. I ain’t under no illusions, though, it weren’t for his wife or us he agreed to it!’
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