“That, my friend, I can do.”
“There is one other thing you can do for me.”
“Anything.”
“You will oversee the factory business for the next couple of months, for I cannot return to London. I do not want to be reminded. I need respite from such a thing. I have left matters in the hands of our lawyer, but someone will need to go and check personally on the factory, is that has been our goal ever since the last factory burned, to go there and see things with our own eyes. I have been the one to go to see and check up, but I need you to take that responsibility from me until I can return to London again.”
“You have my word on it friend.”
In that moment a servant arrived with hot stew and bread, heated turkey legs, and bread pudding. He set it down upon the table and left. Huntley moved with his friend over to the table and they sat, ate, and drank.
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chapter
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September 1866
Two years Later
The seasons changed, the months passed, and Adeline Blakefield had settled into her new life. With her memories still absent from her mind, there was nothing to tell her that what she did day in and day out was not her true life.
In fact, in her mind, she thought this was the best life that anyone could ever have for someone of her station. London had grown increasingly populated by vagrants, homeless, and the general destitute poor, and when she walked the cobblestone streets she was reminded that she could be sleeping on those streets like those unfortunate souls.
Therefore she made every effort to not do anything at all that would result in her being fired or stand out from the crowd. All she wished for was a quiet peacefulness. Work, shelter, and food were the only goals of her concern.
She knew how fortunate she was too have all three, but beyond that the factory manager was not a vicious man, and she had become good friends with the woman she shared a room with – Patty.
Working twelve hour days made the months pass exceedingly fast. Sitting at a machine hunched over, sewing meters and meters of fabric, made for busy work. But this factory was quite more pleasant than the last she worked in, almost shockingly so. Adequate fresh air came in through the windows, as well as lots of natural light. One did not have to squint in the dark under candle light until the evening and even then it was lit spectacularly well.
The food provided at the Brick House workhouse and factory indeed was far better than the slop at the Church Street workhouse, but nothing lavish. Before Adeline knew it she had plenty of money saved to buy new clothing and a few items of pleasure like sweets or paper and a pen. However a nagging feeling plagued her, in that perhaps she had hoped to save money for another purpose and sometimes she felt it might come to her in her sleep, but when she awoke it was gone. She always felt as though she had forgotten something, or it was an uneasy feeling.
Still, she found herself feeling quite grateful, though the work and the living were very hard.
“This is a very fine cross stitch.” Mr Merner said to Adeline. He was the floor master of the textile factory, and he was quite nice.
“Thank you. I followed the pattern,” Adeline said looking at her work.
“It is perfect. See Patty, if Adeline can do it,” he said to Patty sitting next to Adeline. It made Adeline feel awful.
Adeline bit her lip, she wanted to say all manner of things to protect her friend. She knew that her work was perfect, but he was picking on Patty for her sloppy work and she knew that Patty hated the man because of it.
“Yes Mr Merner,” Patty said.
“Do not let him get to you, Patty. You do just fine.”
Adeline smiled at her friend, but Patty did not smile back. Sometimes it shocked Adeline to see Patty’s temper or jealousy. But being her only friend, she dismissed Patty’s outburst or strangeness. Patty was always tight-lipped about her past, but Adeline liked that for she did not know her own past and didn’t like anyone inquiring about it. Therefore it was something she shared with her friend.
Patty continued to undo her cross stitch work, and did it again, taking her time and making a big show that she was indeed very dedicated to getting it right, anytime Mr Merner looked her way.
Adeline knew that Merner could be so much worse to Patty. He called out her sloppy work and made her do it over again, and that was not a problem for Adeline after having seen so much worse. But Patty would pout like a spoiled child.
“Maybe you can do this one for me. Just this one to get him off my back,” she whispered to Adeline.
“But I have my own pile to do and since we are paid by the shirt...” Adeline began to say.
“Fine. If you do not want to help your friend be good. If you want your friend to lose her job. Fine, since you be perfect. I will lose my place at the factory, you will see than Mrs Wilcox will turn me out and you will have a new roommate and she not be as nice as me. She be a bully and be mean to you day and night. If that be what you want Adeline, then so be it. Do not help me,” Patty turned her face from Adeline.
Adeline sighed. “Alright. Fine. Hurry, quickly pass it to me.”
“Thank you Adeline. You be a true friend you are. You see I will buy ya a sweet at the shop on Sunday. You see,” she whispered to Adeline and handed her the shirt.
The day moved on, and Adeline ended with one less shirt done than her usual batch. When Sunday came and Patty was very excited to finally go on an outing, but she did not want to go to the sweet shop as promised. To which Adeline shook her head and rolled her eyes at her friend’s empty promise but let it pass.
Instead Patty had convinced Adeline that they should take it upon themselves to go to St. Paul’s cathedral that Sunday, which Adeline had agreed. She spent most of her time in East London and it felt time to venture. For the east end was the only area she knew since she had her accident and could not remember the lay out of London beyond the east.
So the two friends set out in the finest dresses and bonnet they had and walked west toward the church.
One hour later, the two women sat on a church pew in the common section of the church, far from the well to do gentry. Patty had been right. This was a place where all classes and manner of society mixed. Everyone on their best behaviour, even the lower classes, while sectioned off in sections.
She rather enjoyed looking at the women of proper means wearing the latest fashions, with their beautiful church hats. The clothing brought a familiar sensation to Adeline, though she did not know exactly why.
The sermon was quite passionate and the choir sang beautifully as it echoed off the walls of the grand cathedral. When the service had ended, Patty and Adeline kept to their seats to watch the gentry go by as if in a parade of people.
Then, Adeline saw something that almost made her heart stop. Her blue eyes opened wide as she focused on an elegantly dressed woman and man.
Patty turned to see what she was looking at. “Adeline?” Patty whispered. “What is it? Do you be knowing those fine folk?,” Patty said.
“No. I do not believe so. There is something familiar but I cannot place it,” Adeline said quietly as she looked at the woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. A flash of the woman’s face came to her; she was younger in that memory, and unruly. Adeline shook the image from her mind. The gentleman was quite fine and Adeline did not know what made her feel so uneasy.
“Perhaps they are rich and dangerous?” Patty whispered. “Owners of the horrid factory you worked at before the new one?”
“Yes, perhaps that is it. Come let us go back to our side of town please,” Adeline stood up and grabbed Patty by the arm to lead her in the other direction. Of course what Adeline could not remember was that she in fact was looking directly at her dearest friend Katrina Proctor who had married the man at her side, Captain Mason Byers.
Patty did not know what had happened, but she followed Adeline all the while seeming very suspicious indeed. “Adeline, Adeline wait for me,
” Patty hurried after.
Adeline walked, quickly, “We must get out of here straight away as I am feeling lightheaded.” Adeline said.
“Yes, of course.”
It wasn't until they walked along the bankes of Thames River and the breeze hit her face, that Adeline felt like she could breathe again.
“I just need to lie down some as soon as we return.” Adeline said.
“Yes, this way be shortest, I believe,” Patty said.
When they finally arrived back at the workhouse, Adeline was very relieved. She did not eat dinner, she had lost her appetite completely. She just wanted to get in her bed, face the wall, pull the cover over her, and sleep. It was exactly what she did until the very next morning but she had frightful nightmares. She pictured herself in grand costume with wicked make-up of white powder and red rouge standing on a stage. The woman from the church stood next to her in the same costume and laughed wickedly at her. It made Adeline wake up in a sweat. Oh I wished that I had my memories returned to me, for what evil has laid upon me?
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Adeline worked hard in the factory, sewing shirts or meters of fabric depending on what loads were brought in, and it often changed. She rather liked the change though, for it made for better months of work if she had change. This was something she rather enjoyed, to be taken off one task, and changed to another. It broke up the otherwise unvarying routines of factory life.
Today would be very different, however, when it came to having a day of varying degrees.
Mr Merner entered the aisles of the factory amongst the loud sewing machines and put his hands in the air.
“Listen everyone! Stop your work please.” Mr Merner shouted on the factory floor. Indeed he was very loud that it pulled Adeline out of her daze. The sewing machines came to a halt.
“What this be about?” Patty said to her. Adeline shrugged, not sure, but hoped it would not take long, for she wanted to get in her batch and meet her numbers.
“We are having a very important visitor in exactly one hour. You have seen various gentlemen over the course of the time you have worked here. They have been investors and factory owners. However this particular gentleman has not visited his own factory in two years as the work at his grand estate has kept him away. Let us not disappoint him.”
Suddenly there was a commotion overtaking the room as the women started to look at each other, concerned and confused about who this visitor may be. Smiles appeared on faces, as a wealthy gentleman was always a welcomed sight so that the women could judge every aspect of his appearance as well as his demeanor and have something to speak of for days to come.
“Quiet! Quiet!” Mr Merner once again said.
The factory grew very quiet once more and attention turned to him.
“He will be doing a walk-through, and your behaviour is reflective of mine. So I expect you to be on the best of it.”
“Lord, Adeline, does this not excite you? You have been in strange spirits since yesterday at church. Something happened and ye will not tell me what?” Patty leaned.
“No, it is nothing, a weak headache is all.” Adeline lied to her friend and smiled. “I am very excited.”
“There is that smile.”
“Now, get back to work and know that you shall be watched. Do your best, ladies ,as I know that you can! Back to it now! Back to it.” Mr Merner clapped his hands together and walked down the aisles watching.
The sewing machines started up again, making the factory quite loud and defeaning. Adeline was only concerned with getting her work done and not any visitor.
Half an hour later, Mr Merner escorted a man from the back of the factory. Women’s heads turned and smiles appeared on their faces. Many had the word “handsome” on their lips.
“Please take a look at this bolt of fabric, Mr Dawson,” Mr Merner said.
Adeline stopped sewing. There was something oddly familiar about the name Mr. Dawson but she did not know what. She turned over her shoulder to see a very dashing man standing next to Mr. Merner. He had dark hair and very agreeable blue eyes. He dressed with such elegance that he seemed incredibly perfect to her. Her heart sank to her stomach and that over all sick feeling that she had experienced the day before at church came upon her once again. Was this man from her past?
* * *
It had been almost two years since William Dawson could stomach heading into London again. He had let the grief of losing Adeline in that fire get the better of him indeed. For any of his relations would say that he seemed nothing of his former self, he was but a ghost.
It was on his friends urging, John Huntley, that William found himself attending the factory tours once more. John had been overseeing such things for his friend, but William felt he had used up all the good will given to him by his friend. Now it was once more up to William to see to his business affairs in London. Therefore he found himself on the factory floor making sure the factory was safe and up to regulations.
“Yes, it is quite good,” he said to Mr Merner.
“I agree sir.”
“And what of the workers? I want happy and healthy workers,” Mr Dawson said.
“Take a look around, the women look well. I believe they find the working conditions agreeable. Some have been with us for over three years now.” Mr Merner said.
“That is quite a long time and we are grateful for their service,” Mr Dawson said as he continued to walk down the line with Mr Merner.
William breathed a sigh of relief as they moved to the other side of the factory. All continued to be well in his absence, not that he should doubt the work of John Huntley, for he was a man of opinion and would make his known.
“And those are the back rooms, Mr Dawson, as you see,” Mr Merner’ voice shouted and echoed through the factory on top of the rapid and defeaning sounds of the sewing machines.
“Yes, it all looks very well indeed,” William Dawson said as he walked down the rows of machinery as Mr Merner trailed behind him.
“Of course sir, I am happy to give you a tour anytime,” Mr Merner replied. “Mr Huntley has been most attentive in all matters.”
“Yes he is, now the ledgers?” Dawson said.
“Aye, if you will come with me this way sir to the upstairs offices,” Mr Merner gestured his arm out for William to follow.
“Good, Mr Merner, lead the way,” William turned.
* * *
The women went back to their work, until the bell rang loud and clear, signaling the end of the day. Now it was time to go home and Adeline was very well relieved as she wished to lay down.
They stepped out into the dreary evening, drizzling rain was coming down and the women drew their coats over their bonnets in order to walk the few blocks home to their own work house.
Adeline noticed a very fine carriage parked in front of the factory and she could only assume it belonged to the fine gentleman Mr William Dawson. How that named echoed in her mind. She could not stop thinking of him. A flash of his face appeared before her, but he was younger and smiling at her. Adeline nearly slipped on the wet cobblestone. She found her footing and looked once more at the carriage just as it pulled away and rattled down the cobblestone street. Her head ached fiercly.
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chapter
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William had settled in during his return to London. It had been two years since he lost Adeline, and he had managed to avoid the city all together except for one visit in the winter that he made sure was very short. He did not go on any outings in the city, and was only visiting to please his sisters who wanted to have Christmas in London. Beyond that, he spent most of his time at Linwood and allowed his friend John Huntley to overtake the majority of overseeing the factory, but the time had come and it was now time for him to also deal with the circumstances of owning a factory. He had done his part in truth, but had made up for his lack of visiting the factory by overse
eing the ledgers and business agreements involved.
But Adeline was always on his mind, she was never far from his thoughts, no matter how hard he tried to forget. He was always feeling an extreme sense of regret for what could have been, for no one else had taken his fancy the way she had.
Therefore he often thought that he saw her face when he would walk along the streets of London, only to get closer to the person and see that it clearly was not her. His mind was playing tricks on him, and his friend Huntley said that was to be expected when one was grieving. But for how long could he deal with such trickery from his mind? It was quite cruel indeed.
He had just left his factory and was walking through the crowds of the East End, which were quite rowdy this evening, because it was bonfire night and as the sun set people took to the streets. He did not plan on staying this late for he knew what this night brought, chaos, drunken brawls, and danger. He had planned to be home by this hour, but his work at the factory ended up taking much longer than expected.
He walked along, bustling through the crowded street. Then he saw her, a woman turned toward him for a second, not looking directly at him. It looked as though she was standing over the crowd looking for someone. But she unmistakably looked like Adeline. Yes, she was quite thinner and dark circles were under her eyes, obviously a worker of the East End, possibly a factory worker. There was such smudge on her face and her hair was pulled back but seemed to be course. But it looked so much like her. Before he could get a better look she turned away and begin to walk in the opposite direction.
“Wait! Wait, you there!” he shouted at her.
But she could not hear over the crowd, not that she would think the words were meant for her ears. Why would she? William quickly pushed through the crowd. “Move. Get out of my way.” he said pushing and shoving trying to catch up to her.
For a moment he lost her, looked turning in a circle, trying to see the top of her head but with her petite frame it would be hard to do so. He quickened his pace, heading in the direction that she had been heading the last time he saw her, hoping to catch up.
A Poor Girl's Peril (#4, the Winds of Misery Victorian Romance) (A Family Saga Novel) Page 8