Nobody’s Darling

by Nobody’s Darling (retail) (epub)

  Before the day was over, there was a great deal more for Ruby to wonder about. She received an official letter that shocked her to the core, and a certain visitor who brought news of a deeply disturbing nature. The letter was from Widow Reece’s solicitor and read:

  Dear Miss Miller,

  While we are sympathetic to the fact that the business appears to be in decline, we must nevertheless act in the interest of our client. We are advised not to accept your offer of late payment.

  In accordance with the agreement, we issue notice that, unless the outstanding amount of the entire monies owed is paid forthwith, you will forfeit all claim to the lease, contents, and goodwill of the milliner’s establishment.

  To this effect, our representative will call on you shortly with formal papers and requisition order.

  Ruby was still reeling from that letter when her unexpected visitor arrived.

  ‘Are you all right, Miss?’ As Katie handed Ruby a freshly brewed cup of tea, she couldn’t help but notice her employer’s tired features and preoccupied manner.

  ‘I’m fine,’ Ruby assured her. Right now, the last thing she wanted was company.

  ‘It doesn’t look as though we’re going to be busy, does it?’ Katie observed dolefully.

  Ruby agreed, ‘Give it a while longer, then take yourself off home, Katie,’ she said. ‘There’s no point in both of us wasting our time.’

  ‘Well, if you’re sure?’

  Ruby nodded impatiently. ‘It’s all right,’ she assured the young woman. And Katie didn’t argue.

  Alone with her uneasy thoughts, Ruby mulled over these past weeks. Somehow, everything she had ever dreamed of had gone horribly wrong. She felt bone-tired and desperately unhappy. Had all of her ambitions been for nothing? Where did she go from here? So much had happened. Not just to the business either. There was her darling mam and Johnny.

  She didn’t know herself any more. And what of Luke? A bad enemy if ever there was one. And yet, hadn’t she brought it all on herself? Stop tormenting yourself, Ruby Miller! she chided. It’s time you stopped blaming yourself for everything that’s happened.

  Her mam was still on her mind. Oh, how she adored that little woman. But through all these years Ruby had never really understood her. Why was she so set against Ruby making good in the world? Why was it that every step forward she took, her mam fought to drag her back? Even her friendship with Cicely had been frowned on. Ruby could not forget the delight on her mam’s face when she knew that friendship was at an end. It was all a mystery to her. Every question she had ever asked was dismissed with the angry statement: ‘Folks like us don’t mix with gentry, and we don’t yearn for more than the Good Lord sees fit to give us, my girl!’

  It was a view which Ruby found increasingly difficult to share. She was puzzled and hurt because Lizzie found no pride in her daughter’s considerable achievements. Instead, she chose to turn her back on her. She was a hard little woman when she set her mind to it, and yet there was such a deep and special love between these two women that it broke both their hearts to be parted in that way. Ruby knew that. But, just as her mam felt that she was right, Ruby felt that she also was doing what she believed in. They were both proud and stubborn, and each was determined that the other would give in first. Lizzie had her reasons for being stubborn and afraid, and Ruby had her reasons for clinging to what she had worked so hard to achieve. Lately, though, just as Johnny had said, all she seemed to have achieved was unbearable loneliness. ‘Oh, Mam, whatever have we come to?’ she groaned, closing her eyes and picturing that dear familiar face.

  When the door opened and the little bell above tinkled through her thoughts, Ruby gave a little cry and sat bolt upright in the chair. She was shocked to see Cicely coming hesitantly into the shop. ‘Cicely!’ At once she was on her feet and hurrying towards the door. ‘Oh, Cicely, it’s so good to see you.’ It was then that she realised the woman was unwell. More than that, she had a dark red bruise just below her cheekbone. Ruby didn’t need to ask who had done that to her, because she instinctively knew. Luke was not averse to hitting any woman; it wouldn’t matter that this one was his wife and bearing his child.

  ‘Here, come and sit down,’ Ruby said. Taking her by the arm she guided her to the chair she had just vacated. Cicely was extremely large with child and obviously uncomfortable. She wedged herself into the chair and looked up at Ruby with large sad eyes. ‘I had to come and see you,’ she said in a low voice.

  Ruby was thrilled. She wanted so much to throw her arms round that poor soul and hug her tight. But there was something in the other woman’s manner that stopped her. ‘You shouldn’t be out,’ she chided gently. ‘How long is it to the birthing?’ she glanced at the great mound on Cicely’s lap. ‘Not long by the looks of things,’ she chuckled.

  ‘Three weeks… maybe four.’ Cicely’s eyes grew moist. ‘I don’t really care.’

  ‘No, no. You mustn’t say that, Cicely.’ Ruby was astonished. ‘I’ll tell you what, why don’t I make you a strong brew? We can go into the back room, you can have a rest and we’ll chat for as long as you like. Afterwards I’ll take you home. What about that, eh?’

  Cicely shook her head. ‘I haven’t come to socialise,’ she said in a sharper voice. ‘And I can find my own way home. I have a carriage waiting for me outside.’ Her blue eyes hardened. ‘I’ve come to ask you something, and I would appreciate the truth.’

  Ruby was puzzled. ‘Of course,’ she said, ‘I have no reason to lie to you, Cicely.’ In two strides she had gone to the door and turned the CLOSED sign over. Normally she stayed open at lunch-times, but judging by Cicely’s face, she realised it might be better if they were not interrupted. Coming back to her, she sat in the opposite chair. ‘What is it you want from me?’ she asked curiously.

  Cicely fidgeted. Instead of answering Ruby’s question straightaway, she observed, ‘You’ve come up in the world.’ She glanced around, admiring what she saw. ‘I always knew you would.’

  ‘Cicely, please. You said you came here to ask me something,’ Ruby entreated. Now, when those pale blue eyes looked at her, she saw such pain there she was visibly moved. ‘What is it you want to know?’

  In her wildest dreams Ruby could not have prepared herself for the question which Cicely put. ‘Are you having an affair with my husband?’

  At first, Ruby felt like laughing out loud. God above! What self-respecting woman would ever have an affair with Luke Arnold? But then she realised that here was the woman who had actually married him. Cicely was gentle and caring, she was vulnerable and kind, yet he had taken her for his own sinister purposes and used her as though she was a thing without feeling. ‘Oh, Cicely, do you really have to ask that question?’ Ruby whispered. ‘You must know it isn’t true.’ Her heart went out to this woman whose past friendship she still greatly valued. ‘You said I was to answer you truthfully,’ she reminded her, ‘and the truth is this… I detest your husband, and I always have. And even if, by some remote possibility, I wanted an affair with him, my affection for you and the friendship we once enjoyed would not allow it.’ She shook her head as though ridding herself of the idea. ‘Believe me, Cicely, I could no more have an affair with Luke Arnold than I could become Queen of England.’

  Cicely stared at her for a moment before fishing in her bag and holding aloft a folded note. ‘Then how do you explain this?’ she asked in a hostile voice, thrusting the note into Ruby’s hand.

  With trepidation, she unfolded the note. It was a small grubby piece of paper. At the top was her name, and beneath her full address: number four Derwent Street. She was instantly curious. ‘What does it mean?’ she wanted to know. ‘Where did you get it?’

  ‘I found it.’ Cicely’s burning gaze never left Ruby’s face. ‘I found it in Luke’s bedroom after he was put to bed on Saturday night. He arrived home in a terrible state. From the look of him, he’d either been drinking or fighting… or both.’ She pointed to the paper in Ruby’s hand. ‘I can only assume this
fell out of his pocket. Even if your name hadn’t been there, I would have known your address.’ She didn’t admit to the many times she had considered visiting, and then dismissed the idea. ‘There aren’t many people who don’t know the success story of Ruby Miller.’ She gave a small sound that could have been a laugh. ‘You’re the talk of Blackburn town. There isn’t one member of my own household who hasn’t followed your upward career with interest.’ She lowered her eyes, reluctantly admitting, ‘Myself included.’

  Ruby returned the paper. ‘I honestly can’t explain this.’ In fact, she had been wondering how Luke found out where she was living.

  ‘Are you telling me he would carry your address in his pocket for no reason?’ Before Ruby could answer, she insisted, ‘He’s been to your house, hasn’t he? Don’t lie to me, Ruby. I need to know. And I have no intention of leaving until you tell me the truth. If you are not having relations with Luke, why would he come to your house?’

  Ruby had wanted to spare Cicely the shocking truth, but she knew now that nothing else would satisfy her ‘I wish you hadn’t found that note,’ she murmured, ‘I don’t want to hurt you.’

  Cicely laughed then, and it was a hollow painful sound. ‘I’ve been hurt many times since Luke and I were married,’ she replied. ‘Only I never thought you and I would be sitting here, having this kind of conversation. I am hurt by that.’

  ‘First of all, Cicely, I was telling you the truth just now when I denied that your husband and I were having an affair. And I meant what I said when I told you that I have always detested him. Right from the start, I took against him. Unlike you, I saw through his charming ways. You remember I didn’t want you to wed him. That was why we went our different ways. I’ve always been sorry about that. I miss you, Cicely. I miss our friendship.’ She saw the other woman’s face soften and was encouraged. She took a deep breath before going on, ‘Yes. You’re right. He did come to my house on Saturday night.’ She looked into Cicely’s eyes with compassion. ‘What I’m going to tell you now will be painful for you.’

  Cicely squared her slim shoulders. ‘I want to know everything,’ she said.

  Ruby did as she was asked. She told Cicely exactly what had taken place that night… how Luke made her believe he was Lenny; how he forced himself on her. She left nothing out, including her own stupidity at being taken in so easily. And as she went on, Cicely didn’t even bat an eyelid. Instead, her face grew hard and stiff, and her fists were clenched so tightly that her bony white knuckles poked through her skin. ‘It was Johnny who dragged him off.’ As she finished, Ruby felt the shame burn through her. Lowering her gaze to the floor, she murmured, ‘I’m sorry you had to know.’

  Cicely reached out her hand and took Ruby’s slim fingers into her own. ‘I’m not sorry,’ she said softly, ‘I’m glad you told me. And I’m glad my suspicions were wrong, Ruby, for I’ve never stopped loving you. You were always my one and only friend.’

  Her smile was sweet always, only this time pleasure was tainted by pain. ‘You were right about him, Ruby. He’s everything you warned he would be. At first it was good, but that didn’t last long.’ Her voice broke. ‘Oh, Ruby, I’ve been so unhappy. Why didn’t I listen to you?’

  ‘Because you were lonely,’ Ruby told her kindly. It was good to feel Cicely’s hand in hers. The friendship was still there. Perhaps even stronger than ever. ‘We’re all lonely at times,’ she admitted. ‘We’ve both made mistakes, Cicely, and now we’re paying for them in different ways.’ Suddenly the thought of Luke loomed up between them. ‘What will you do?’ she asked. ‘Will you stay with him?’

  ‘No. My father is home. I shall have the child in his house.’ She shook her head as though imagining him there. ‘All of this will come as a shock to him. You see, I wasn’t the only one who failed to see the badness in Luke.’

  At the door, the two women embraced. ‘You will come and see me, won’t you, Ruby?’ Cicely asked.

  ‘Just try and keep me away!’ she told her. Suddenly, she sensed there was something else on Cicely’s mind. ‘What is it?’ she asked, when Cicely seemed reluctant to leave.

  Cicely was unsure as to whether she should speak her mind. It was a dangerous thing that she had found out. At length, she answered, ‘You were truthful with me, Ruby, and I must be the same with you. Some time ago, the manager of Arnold’s main foundry came to see Luke. He seemed very agitated and afraid. I know I shouldn’t have done it, but I listened, and what I heard has to do with trickery and fraud. It seems that Luke and this man have been cheating Luke’s father; embezzling funds and using inferior materials for the new construction inside the foundry. According to what the manager came to tell Luke, some of the men have been calling meetings, and it appears they’re about to organise a strike. He was terrified they’d be found out and imprisoned.’

  ‘Have you told Oliver Arnold?’ Somehow Ruby wasn’t surprised to hear that Luke was a thief.

  ‘Not yet. Luke found me outside the door and threatened all kinds of retribution if I didn’t keep my mouth shut.’ She shivered. ‘If he knew I’d told you, he would beat me within an inch of my life.’

  Ruby was furious. ‘He’ll never beat you again. Go to your father’s and stay there. Tell him what you’ve told me. Let him go to Oliver Arnold with the news. He’ll deal with it.’ She gently shook her. ‘Promise me, Cicely. You won’t go back to him?’ When Cicely agreed, Ruby hugged her warmly. ‘God bless,’ she whispered. She felt Cicely tremble in her arms. ‘You mustn’t be afraid. You’re doing the right thing, I know.’

  ‘Ruby?’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Luke is saying that he’ll break you… take your business from you.’

  Ruby smiled sadly. ‘My business may well be taken from me, but it won’t be because of anything Luke can do.’

  ‘You’re wrong.’ Before Ruby could reassure her, she went quickly on, ‘I’ve heard things, Ruby… listened when I shouldn’t. I know that Luke has bought your debt from Widow Reece. Since then, he’s started a whispering campaign against you… belittling your high standards and persuading your customers away. You know he can do that. He mixes with very influential people.’

  Ruby was horrified. ‘Why in God’s name would he do such a thing? Why would he use a substantial amount of money to buy my debt, then set out to ruin me? Surely he would suffer too?’

  ‘Not Luke. He’s cunning. You see, he plans to kill two birds with one stone. No doubt ruining you would give him a great deal of satisfaction. But he’s also playing another game. He’s already talking to Gabriel’s outfitters. Once he forecloses on you, he stands to make a healthy profit by selling the business to them.’ Ruby was stunned. It was one blow after another. Before she could respond, Cicely added softly, ‘There’s something else. Something terrible. And you of all people have a right to know.’

  There was fear in Cicely’s face, and it transmitted itself to Ruby. Suddenly, she didn’t want to know what was in her friend’s mind. For a long awkward moment the silence between them was crucifying, then, in soft hushed tones, Cicely told her the shocking truth. ‘Luke ordered your father to be murdered.’

  The colour drained from Ruby’s face. She couldn’t speak. The words wouldn’t register; they went round and round, bouncing off the walls of her mind. LUKE ORDERED YOUR FATHER TO BE MURDERED… MURDERED… MURDERED… YOUR FATHER. Of all the dreadful things she knew him to be guilty of, she had never suspected this. And yet it all came flooding back: the way her father had grown morose and troubled; the deep conversations he had with her mam when he would speak of his fears. Lizzie always said he would get himself into trouble if he didn’t watch whose path he crossed. ‘Be careful what you say, Ted. The gentry are a powerful lot!’ That’s what she had warned, and Ruby had heard it with her own ears. But neither she nor her mam had dreamed in their worst nightmare that his life was truly in danger. A great tide of rage washed through her now, red searing rage that lifted her very soul. ‘Where’s Luke now?’ she murmured, and her
eyes were bright with burning tears. Now, there was murder in her own heart.

  Cicely was mortified. ‘No, Ruby! It’s a matter for the authorities,’ she cried. ‘I shouldn’t have told you. Oh, I wish I hadn’t told you.’ She was becoming distressed.

  Forcing herself to stay calm, Ruby assured her, ‘There’s nothing for you to worry about.’ She gently propelled her out of the shop and into the carriage. ‘Go to your father’s house,’ she said. ‘I’ll come and see you soon, I promise.’

  As the carriage pulled away, Cicely leaned out of the window. ‘You won’t do anything foolish, will you?’

  Ruby shook her head. A moment later she had gone back into the shop. Katie was accompanying her client down the stairs. ‘I’m going out,’ Ruby told her, collecting her coat from the cupboard, ‘and I don’t know how long I’ll be.’

  Her emotions must have been written on her face, because Katie stared at her, ‘Is anything the matter?’ she asked with concern.

  Ruby cursed herself. ‘I’d better go,’ she answered. ‘There’s something urgent I have to attend to.’ Throwing her coat round her shoulders, she grabbed her bag and rushed out, leaving both women gaping after her. In the street, she hailed a cab. ‘Arnold’s Foundry,’ she told him breathlessly. ‘The big one the other side of Eanam.’

  Clambering into the cab, she leaned back into the seat where, with incredible calm, she began to plan how she would see Luke Arnold behind bars before the day was out. But first she wanted to meet him face to face. As the cab sped out of Blackburn centre, Ruby’s heart was black with loathing. Never before in her life had she felt like committing murder. But she felt like it now.