She wasn’t aware that the door had opened and that Mary Chambers now stood on the landing, herself yelling, nor was she aware of Benedict and Alan Grant pulling the man from the bed and of Grant shouting, ‘Go get Billy and Roy!’ Nor was she aware of the struggle that went on on the floor, when Benedict was knocked onto his back and Alan Grant was almost being overpowered, until he took his fist and landed it on his master’s jaw.
Commotion followed commotion. At one time the room seemed to be full of people; then of a sudden everything went quiet…
It seemed that everything had been quiet for a long time. She was in bed now, lying on her side, and there were voices about her, murmuring. One said, ‘My God! When she comes to she’ll be in agony. I’ve never known him go on like this.’
Another voice said, ‘Oh, he went for a stable lad once, nearly did for him, all because the lad hadn’t strapped the saddle tight or something. He shouldn’t have come back last week. The mistress told him; but at times it’s no good talkin’ to him. Now she’ll be upset again because it won’t be just a week or two this time.’
‘How long has he ever gone without having to go to Harrogate?’
‘Oh, six months, nine months, if he keeps off the drugs.’
‘I thought he had to keep takin’ the stuff?’
‘Yes, the white powder, but it’s when he goes on to that brown stuff; that’s the stuff that sends him over the hill.’
‘Well, why does he take it?’
‘Don’t ask me…She’s groanin’, poor lass. Hand me that other bowl of fat.’
‘Anyway, the doctor’ll have to pump him full of the horse that bit him to get him away this time. It’s funny, isn’t it, other times he goes on his own when he knows he’s got a spasm comin’ on. I’m sorry for him in a way.’
‘My God! I’m not. I’m not sorry for any man who can do this to a bit lass, and them not married for five minutes. You know what?’ The voice dropped to a whisper: ‘I blame the mistress. She shouldn’t have allowed it to happen. She knows what happens when he gets excited or anyone thwarts him.’
‘Shut up, Mary, and keep your tongue quiet. You know what happened to the last one that opened her mouth here, she got short shrift. And it’s a good place: we do our work, we mind our own business, and let them get on with their lives, such as they are. Turn her over.’
‘How do you feel now, madam?’
She slowly opened her eyes and looked into Mary Chambers’s face, but she could give her no answer. How did she feel? What was it like to feel you were in hell and your body was being consumed by flames, that the devil himself had set light to you? She must get away. She must.
‘Mary.’
‘Yes, madam?’
‘Lend…lend me some money.’
Mary Chambers looked at Linda Everton and whispered, ‘She must be ravin’ a bit. She asked if I would lend her some money. Now, isn’t that laughable.
‘All right, madam; I’ll lend you some money the morrow. All I’ve got I’ll lend you. Go to sleep now.’ Mary turned her head away and whispered again to Linda, ‘Should we give her a dose of laudanum?’
‘Can’t see it would do any harm.’
So they gave Belle a dose of laudanum, and she went into a fitful sleep.
The next morning she woke again in hell. When she couldn’t open her eyelids fully and her face was so stiff and painful and her whole body burning as if she were in a white-hot furnace, she knew she must be in hell.
‘Will you try to drink this, madam? It’s just warm, it’s some tea.’
As Mary dribbled the tea between her lips Belle moved them painfully and whimpered, ‘My…my face?’
‘Yes, yes, madam; it’s a bit of a mess, but it’ll go down. Cook’s sending up some steaks.’
‘Mary.’ She caught hold of the maid’s hand. ‘Where is…?’
‘Don’t worry, madam, don’t worry, he’s gone. He went early this morning. You’ll be all right now. Don’t be frightened any more. It was a spasm he was in. He’ll be different when he comes back.’
‘Mary.’
‘Yes, madam?’
‘Will y…you loan me some m…money?’
The maid straightened up from the bed and stared down into the distorted features. Her mistress seemed to mean what she said; she was sounding sensible enough now. ‘What d’you mean, madam?’ she asked.
‘Mary, I…I have no money of my own. I…I want to engage a cab and to p…pay’—she had to swallow and wait before finishing—‘the ferry. I…I’m going home.’
‘Yes, madam, yes. But just lie still now.’
Eeh, she had thought she had come round but she hadn’t, couldn’t have! But she talked to her as though she had: ‘Me and Linda’s goin’ to see to your back again. There’s nothin’ like goose fat for healing—’ she wouldn’t say flagellating or flaying, so she said, ‘Sores like.’
A moment later when Linda came into the room, Mary said, ‘She’s still not right in the head; she asked me again to lend her some money.’
‘Well, the state she’s in it’s not surprisin’. She’ll likely be like this for days. The mistress is coming along to see her later, so Miss Cummings said.’
‘Now I wonder if she’ll be on her high horse, or will she be kindly? You never know with her either. You’d think in a way the master was from her side, wouldn’t you?’
‘Oh no! Her manner is the same as all the grand ladies. Mr Benedict says it’s because she’s an autocrat, the same as aristocrats you know. But there, I wouldn’t have Miss Cummings’s job for a pound a week.’
There was a slight ‘huh!’ before Mary said, ‘I wouldn’t like to tempt you, Linda. But there, that’s the last of that bowl of fat. Eeh! Just look at the sight of her legs. He could have done her in.’
‘D’you think the mistress will call the doctor?’
‘I doubt it. You know what she’s like for hushing things up. What is it, dear?’ She was now bending over Belle.
‘I…I must go home. Will…will you get my clothes, please?’
‘Oh, madam, you couldn’t get into your clothes, you’re not well enough yet. And…and you are home. Well—’ Mary turned and exchanged glances with Linda, and Linda, now looking down at Belle, said softly, ‘You’ll be all right now, madam. Things’ll be all right now.’
They didn’t understand. Belle closed her eyes. They thought she was rambling but her mind was clear, so very, very, painfully clear. This wasn’t her home and never would be and things would never be all right. Never again would things be all right; well, not until she got into the shelter of Maggie’s home and Freddie’s protection. Oh, Freddie, Freddie. If only she could be near Freddie. Why hadn’t she valued Freddie? But she had, oh yes, she had, but not in the way she should, not in the way he valued her. And it was clear to her now how he valued her. It was clear to her now, too, why he hadn’t married May Harper.
When the sheet was drawn up over her body she wanted to cry out against its contact with her seared flesh. What had he done to her body besides abusing it?
The answer came from a faint voice in the middle of the room. It was saying, ‘By! He must have laid into her.’
‘Well he did; when you think her screams could be heard in the hall and they caused the mistress to interfere by ringing the bell. But she, of course, would have guessed what had happened.’
The voices faded away, the door closed, and she was alone.
When she tried to raise herself from the pillows she let out a low agonised groan of pain, but she persevered and pulled herself up into a sitting position. If she could only walk.
She attempted to swing her legs from the bed, but the effort on her torn flesh was too much and she lay back gasping.
She’d have to wait. But how long?…
She did not know what time in the morning it was when she became aware of the tall, scented and perfumed figure standing by the side of the bed. But when she looked up into the face she saw no sympathy or pity there and there
was certainly none in the voice that remarked, ‘You brought this on yourself, you know that?’
She made no effort to answer.
‘When Marcel is handled properly there’s not a kinder or more gentle person. You must have exasperated him in some outrageous way. I’ve been sadly mistaken in you; you’re not a pliable person at all. But you will have to learn.’
It was an effort to move her lips, but move them she did, and her own voice sounded to her like a growl now as she said, ‘I have no intention of learning, madam. How can one learn anything from a man who acts like a maniac? I have no intention of remaining his wife either; and you will kindly think on that, madam, and, believe me…’
It gave her some satisfaction now as she watched the effect her words were having on the woman for she was clutching the front of her high-necked gown and her voice had a strangled sound as she said, ‘Cummings! Cummings!’
Her maid took her arm now and turned her from the bed. And when the door had closed on them Belle lay back on the pillows gasping for breath: as if she had been running a race, her heart was pumping against her ribs.
Once more she pulled herself up into a sitting position. She knew now that definitely she must get away from this place, and soon, because in a way that old lady was as dangerous as her husband and would find ways and means of keeping her here, even going as far as to lock her in her room. Of a sudden she thought of the padded room in which she had spent her early life and from which Freddie had rescued her, and with the thought she brought her legs over the side of the bed. When her feet touched the floor she felt no pain in them; they at least had escaped the strop.
Clinging now to the side of the bed, she made herself walk to the foot of it; then she guided herself across the bottom by stretching painfully over the chaise longue to its ornamental back to come within a few steps of the dressing table. With difficulty she managed to take these, but as she lowered herself onto the seat she let out a smothered groan, only for the groan to die away on a gasp as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. The skin around her right eye was almost as black as her hair, and part of the left, too, was deeply discoloured. Her cheeks were puffed out and her mouth was swollen.
After a moment, she drew herself up from the chair and, her face twisting in agony, she now eased off the lawn nightdress that was stuck to her greased body. Then, seemingly unconscious and unashamed of her nakedness, she shuffled into the dressing room. But here, she could not find the clothes that she had worn the previous day.
Of course, she now told herself, they would have been removed last night. So, opening one of the press drawers, she took out a clean chemise, two waist petticoats and a pair of grey silk stockings. She did not take out any corsets because she knew she would be unable to wear them.
Slowly and painfully she got into the garments, but when she pulled her garters on and they pressed against the weals behind her knees, she closed her eyes tightly, at the same time opening her mouth wide. But no sound was emitted.
In the bedroom again, she took down from the wardrobe a plain-fronted dress that was easy to get into. And she was sitting on the chaise longue when the door opened and Mary entered.
The maid stood gasping for a moment before hurrying towards her, saying, ‘Oh, madam, madam, you shouldn’t! How on earth have you got into your clothes? Oh, madam, you’re not well enough to be up! Come on.’ And she went to help Belle up from the seat, but Belle caught at her hand, saying, ‘Mary, close the door. I want to talk to you.’
Mary ran back to the door, closed it, then returned to her. And once again Belle took her hand, and when she said, ‘I want to ask you a great favour. You see I have no money of my own, not even any coppers, would you loan me something, four or five shillings?’ Mary’s mouth became agape, and she said, ‘Eeh, madam, I thought you were…well, delirious like. But what do you want the money for, may I ask, madam?’
‘I want to hire a cab to the landing stage in Shields, then take a sculler or the ferry across to the north side and home.’
‘Oh, madam, madam. Eeh! If madam knew, she would…’
‘Please, Mary, don’t say anything to madam, I beg of you. And…and I will return the money twofold. But in the meantime, I will—’ She now pointed: ‘Would you please hand me my dressing case?’
When Mary placed the dressing case on her knee she opened it and from the bottom she took a small gold fob watch and, pressing it into Mary’s hand, she said, ‘That is for your kindness to me, in any case, during the short time I have been in this house.’
‘Eeh, madam, I…I can’t! Eeh! where would I say I got it? Eeh, madam! No, madam.’
‘Take it, Mary. You may not always be in service. But whatever you lend me I promise you I will return it with interest. Have…have you got four or five shillings?’
‘Yes, madam, yes. But…but there’s no way to get a cab out here; you would have to send a servant for it. And we never use cabs. There’s the coach and the trap.’
‘Well, it is certain that I cannot use either of those without being seen and, as yet, I’m unable to walk as far as Harton from where I might hire a cab.’ She lay back slowly now against the frame of the couch, and she stared helplessly through her narrowed vision at Mary. Then Mary, casting her eyes quickly towards the door and back to her again, bent close to her, saying, ‘Billy Martin the groom’s had to go with Mr Grant to take the master to Harrogate, but there’s Roy Yarrow. He’s taking the store cart into Shields for fodder and stuff this morning; well, in half an hour or so I should say. But, madam…would you ride in a cart?’
Belle was sitting upright again and once more holding Mary’s hand as she said, ‘Oh, Mary, I’d ride in any vehicle, no matter what it was. But…but do you think he will agree? Will it cost him his post?’
‘He’ll agree, madam; he’ll do it for me ’cos we’re walking out.’
‘Oh, I am pleased for you.’
‘I’ll slip down now, madam, an’ see him. But you won’t be able to go from the yard; he’ll have to pick you up somewhere down the back drive. D’you think you could walk that far? ’Cos you’ll have to go on your own; you see, I can be on call any minute.’
‘I’ll walk that far, Mary. Oh, yes, I’ll walk that far.’
‘Well, I’ll be back in a minute. In the meantime, madam, if you took to walking up and down the room to get your legs flexed sort of ’cos…’cos they’re in a state all round the back and you might find it difficult.’
‘Don’t worry about that, Mary, only go, please, and try and make the arrangements.’…
She walked up and down the room gritting her teeth against the agony each step brought her, and by the time Mary returned she had also donned her coat, put on some comfortable shoes, and chosen a bonnet with a large brim in the hope that it would hide some of her disfigurement.
‘I’ve brought you six shillings, madam. If you wouldn’t mind giving Roy a shilling when you leave him, I’d be obliged. And…and he says he can take you as far as the market place ’cos the corn and hay chandlers’ warehouse is just beyond King Street.’
Clutching the six shillings in her hand, Belle looked at Mary and, her voice trembling on the verge of tears, she said, ‘I’ll…I’ll never forget you for this, Mary. And if you are ever in need, you and your…fiancé, then you must come to me. Will you remember that?’
‘I will madam, and thank you. And may I say it would be a pleasure working for someone like you, it would that. One of the conditions of employment here, you know, is to keep your tongue quiet or else you’re out without a reference. But now, madam, I’d be on your way. I’ll go first and try to stall anybody that might be wanting to come along the landing. I’ll keep them chatting until you’ve made your way down the side staircase, and it’s only a few yards from there to where the back drive starts. Goodbye, madam, and good luck.’
‘Goodbye, Mary. And oh, I do thank you so much.’
The maid, herself almost in tears now, hurried out; and Belle, picking up t
he small dressing case, followed her slowly, eased open the door, glanced along the corridor, then as quickly as her seared flesh would allow she did a shuffling walk to the staircase. But when she went to descend she felt she was going to topple down head first. It was one thing shuffling on the level, but another when she was forced to bend her knees. But she managed.
She paused by the door at the foot of the stairs and drew in a number of breaths. Then again she looked to right and left before stepping out onto the pathway that led to the drive.
She didn’t know how far she had walked down the drive, she only knew she couldn’t continue for much longer when she heard the sound of a trotting horse, and, turning, there came into view the high-backed cart.
When it drew up at her side Roy Yarrow jumped down and, taking her gently by the arm, led her to the back of the cart, saying, ‘I’ve put some horse blankets in it, madam; you’d be able to sort of…well, lie down, if you wanted to.’
‘Thank you. Thank you, Roy.’
He had to lift her up onto the back of the cart; and when she was settled on the blankets, he took another from the side and, putting it round her, said, ‘There now, madam. I’ll go as careful as I can, but the side road’s rough until we make the village.’
The Harrogate Secret (aka The Secret) Page 36