The Street Orphans Read online

  Lord Bellinger bowed slightly in acknowledgement to her. Katrina might have managed the situation very well, but a feeling niggled inside Eleonore that there was more to come in the Katrina–Bellinger story, and this worried her. But for the time being she needed to support Katrina.

  ‘Well, come along, Marcia. Let us take our carriage quickly. We will send the groom straight back. It only takes twenty minutes into town. Then, if you can make sure you are back from the horse fair by four o’clock, Lord Bellinger, the groom can come and collect us. Goodbye, and happy horse-buying! Goodbye, Lady Katrina.’

  As soon as they had gone out of the door, Katrina rang the bell.

  ‘No, not yet, Katrina, we need to talk.’

  ‘I have nothing to say. How dare you come here on the pretence of receiving a telegram, and put me in such a compromising position!’

  ‘But I did receive . . . Here, look, I have it with me.’

  ‘But this is impossible! I didn’t . . . Oh God, Marcia must have—’

  ‘You rang, M’Lady?’

  ‘Oh, Crowther, yes, I did. Please see to Lord Bellinger’s comfort. We have bedrooms ready in the south wing, I believe? You must excuse us, Lord Bellinger. We are in the middle of a refurbishment, but I have tried to plan so that we always have some comfortable rooms available for unexpected guests. And, of course, Crowther will put a man at your disposal.’

  ‘There is no need. I brought my man with me, and he has no doubt prepared for me already.’

  ‘Of course. Is that so, Crowther?’

  ‘Yes, M’Lady. I beg your pardon, but Lord Bellinger’s man was very insistent, so I took the liberty of showing him to the south-wing suite.’

  ‘That’s fine, thank you, Crowther. Please inform Lord Bellinger’s man that his master is ready to be taken to his rooms and—’

  ‘But he is not. Thank you, Crowther. If you will be so good as to leave us for a moment, her ladyship will issue further instructions after I have had a few moments with her. I beg that of you, Lady Katrina?’

  Furious that for the second time her orders to her own butler had been countermanded, Katrina could only give a polite nod. Crowther scrambled for the door. Poor man. She almost giggled. He had suffered the same fate as her. Well, maybe she could turn that into making him an ally for the future. She could do with someone on her side in this household.

  ‘Katrina, what is all this about? I thought you wanted me here. Darling, I—’

  ‘No, Simon, don’t. Please. I had nothing to do with getting you here, so please don’t play into the hands of whoever did – though I believe it must have been Marcia, although I don’t have proof. But she knows.’

  ‘Good God – knows about us? How? And what is she playing at? What is it to her? Oh Lord, what if she says anything to Henrietta?’

  ‘We have to stop Marcia. She cannot be allowed to ruin all of our lives just because she wants Frederick. It is ridiculous. He doesn’t want her. We—’

  ‘Huh! Good Lord, no. He only wants his little trollop. You know he has visited her in prison, don’t you?’

  ‘No! He wouldn’t, not without telling me. I – I mean . . . look, Frederick’s dealings with that girl are done purely out of kindness. If he decided he needed to visit her, then that is his business.’

  ‘It becomes yours when there is talk, my dear, and that is what is beginning to happen.’

  ‘Talk? Simon, you cad! How could you start a rumour of that nature, because if there is talk, you must have started it!’

  ‘A word may have slipped out. You know how it is. Well, he deserves it. Anyway, it is expected, with an arranged marriage, that he will take a mistress, but he has chosen badly. This will be a scandal if he doesn’t stop.’

  ‘No, only you can make it a scandal, not Frederick. He is open with me about his dealings with the girl.’

  ‘Oh? So you knew about the visit to the prison?’

  ‘No, but . . . well—’

  ‘Katrina, there is only one way you can stop me from discrediting that husband of yours, and that is by agreeing to be my mistress.’ This shocking statement came as Simon stepped nearer her. When he was close to her, his voice lowered. The tone of his words shivered down her spine. ‘You know we are meant to be together, Katrina. You know my love for you is strong enough to protect you from gossip. I have to have you.’

  How she got into his arms, she did not know. All she knew was that it felt right. It was the place she was meant to be. And she couldn’t resist the force that held her there, even though common sense told her she should.

  When his lips met hers, all concerns left her. Her senses yielded to his. Her heart drowned in the sensations that washed over her. He was the other half of her. She could not deny him.

  The door opening, and a gasp of shock and horror, broke the spell that had captivated Katrina. Coming out of Simon’s arms, she looked into the aghast face of Lady Eleonore. Next to her stood Marcia, her face a picture of satisfaction.

  ‘Sorry, both of you. I – I left my purse, so sorry.’

  The door banged shut.

  Oh God! What now? What have I done?

  23

  Amy & Lettie

  A New Life

  The chatter around the kitchen table went from this to that, before the upstairs maid chirped in with, ‘Eeh, there’s fun and games with them lot upstairs! I were doing me banisters, when the dowager and that Miss Marcia returned not ten minutes after leaving. They went straight to the withdrawing room, as the new mistress has had done up, and opened the door. Well, you’ll never guess in a month of Sundays what I saw!’

  ‘Whatever it was, keep it to yourself or you might find you haven’t a job. We don’t have gossips here.’ This from the new housekeeper as she left the room, carrying the thick notebook she took everywhere with her, stopped all conversation for a moment, and Amy was glad of it. She had a test to face this afternoon on her arithmetic, and she wanted to practise a few additions in her mind while she ate.

  Counting the number of cups hanging on the rack that contained the upstairs crockery, and adding that to the number of plates on the lower shelf, occupied her for the next few minutes, until Mildred started again, only this time in a lower voice. ‘I’m telling you, it was scandalous. The new mistress in the arms of that bloke what’s visiting.’

  ‘No!’

  This, from the old cook, had the effect of running a thread of worry through Amy. Are things going to change? She couldn’t bear it if they did. Her life had taken a turn for the better, to the point where some happiness now nudged the sad, heavy part of her and, with her future looking good, she didn’t want anything to spoil it. The only change she wanted was for their Ruth to get to the end of her sentence and to come here, to be with her. Her world would be complete then.

  ‘Eeh, lass, are you sure?’ Cook had closed her mouth into a clamp and had her eyes fixed on Mildred as Lettie asked this, then went on to say, ‘The poor Earl – and them not wed more than a couple of months. What happened? Were there a to-do?’

  ‘Naw, the young miss just closed the door with a bang and said something like, “Oh dear, I didn’t expect that.” Then the dowager said, “What? We didn’t see anything, did we?” And I never heard owt else from them; they just left again.’

  ‘But what of the new mistress? Did owt happen? Did she come out of the room? Did he?’

  ‘Aye, Lady Katrina came running out. She were crying, and she pushed past me and ran to her room. I reckon as she’s still there, as I never saw her again.’

  ‘Well, it ain’t reet as you told what you saw, anyroad,’ Cook said. ‘First lesson in service is to be invisible, and to keep all you see to yourself. You’d do well to learn that one, Mildred. Now, tea break over – get yourselves back to work. We have a dinner guest and he’s a lord, so everything must be reet. Have you all the silver in the dining room cleaned, young Tommy?’

  ‘Aye, Crowther checked and said I’d done a good job. I’ve to help him set it up, as he w
ants me to learn the footman’s job for the future, as he reckons he’ll need a team of them, once all decorating is done and the family starts to entertain on a grand scale.’

  ‘Well, that’s good. Run along to Crowther and see if he has any other duties for you. And, Florrie, you see as all the fires are stoked. I’ll get young Arthur to fill the coal buckets. Now, the rest of you, get out of me kitchen and back to your duties. Me and Lettie here have a good bit to be getting on with. Are them pigeons all plucked, Arthur?’

  With the bustle of bodies scurrying away to their posts and Cook directing all and sundry, Amy had a moment to talk to Lettie. ‘What d’you think, Lettie? I don’t like the sound of it. Will the Earl leave her? And what of our jobs?’

  ‘Naw, lass. Me ma used to be in service when she were a lass, and she used to tell me a tale or two about the goings-on. She reckoned as the gentry jumped in and out of each other’s beds like rabbits going from one buck to another. Allus at it, she said. It ain’t as if they marry for love. Don’t worry; it’ll be handled discreetly. That’s if it happened how Mildred said it did. She strikes me as a bit of a gossip, that one. And one as would add on a bit here and a bit there to make her tale more interesting.’

  Lettie patted Amy’s shoulder and gave her one of her lovely smiles. Her teeth, even and white, always had a clean fresh look, which was surprising, as some folk only had one or two in their head by the time they were her age. Nineteen, Lettie was, and she had what you’d call a motherly face: rounded, well scrubbed and shining. It had a niceness rather than a beauty, and her cheeks dimpled when she smiled. Her eyes were kind – a soft grey colour, they twinkled with each different expression. Even if she was cross, which wasn’t often, her eyes had a glint; only then they showed her temper. At other times they showed her amusement, but mostly her kindness. She was not very tall, and her figure tended to the roundness that spoke of her fondness for that extra bun, if she could get it, or finishing up what others didn’t want.

  Amy had asked her how she kept her teeth like she did, and Lettie said her ma had told her to eat an apple a day, if she could get hold of one, and to clean her mouth with salt water every night and every morning. The first time Amy had tried this she’d been sick, but she’d got used to it now. Getting hold of the apple was another matter, though, and this she’d only managed a couple of times a week.

  ‘Come on, lass, get back to whatever you’re meant to be doing. It’s going to get hectic in here. I’ll see you at dinnertime. Eeh, you’re the lucky one, set to do your learning. I wish I could read.’

  ‘I’ll teach you if you like, Lettie? It ain’t difficult.’

  ‘Not for you, no doubt, but I reckon as I’ll try your patience some.’

  Walking along the back drive that led to the village, some five minutes later, Amy again began to count and add up – this time the number of birds she saw, added to the times she had to jump over a puddle. Though the August sun was hot, the air was fresh after a recent downpour. The child in her wanted to jump into the puddles, but she couldn’t think of muddying her new boots. They were just one symbol of this new life she’d fallen into and, though it was a good life, she still couldn’t accept it and often felt as if she was somewhere she shouldn’t be. ‘That’ll pass,’ Lettie had said. ‘You’ll settle, lass. Life’s been a bit up and down for you. It’s to be expected. You’re bound to feel displaced.’

  This went some way to helping Amy understand, but it was as if she hadn’t found her place in life. She was happy enough, and loved learning all the skills she’d need for the job she was being prepared for, especially what Mr Rudderford, the village schoolteacher and her tutor, called ‘her academic skills’. She sometimes felt like a sponge soaking up all the knowledge he gave her, and he was always full of praise for her efforts.

  Her other lessons with Mrs Larkins, learning the skills she would need as a nanny, were all right, if a bit mundane. Mrs Larkins had a host of young ’uns from six months to ten years old, and a wealth of knowledge about their upbringing and how to deal with their ailments, besides what to feed them at different stages of their lives, what to dress them in, what amount of fresh air they needed and all manner of things – even how to monitor if their bowels were working properly! It seemed that she used to be nanny to the Earl and his late brother, and after each reached the age of ten and went off to boarding school, she married Larkins, the groom, and they were given a cottage on the estate. It seemed to Amy that Mrs Larkins had been engaged in building her own child-nursery ever since!

  One of the big changes for Amy was that she never saw poverty any more. Not real poverty. There were the haves and have-nots, but the latter were well shod and had someone in their household working. They had all this fresh air to breathe, though the aroma that tingled her nostrils now – the farmer’s manure pile – didn’t add anything to that!

  Food wasn’t a problem. It grew all around them, and village life was like a community of support, from what she’d seen of it so far. Much like back at Pradley. Folk were poor, but happy.

  None of this erased from her memory what she’d left behind, though. The plight of those in the workhouse, and of the homeless on the streets, still worried her to the point where she had thoughts of a plan to help.

  Once she was a paid member of staff – and that depended on when the Earl’s wife became pregnant – from that day on, she would have a role. She’d be preparing the nursery, ordering what she’d need from the housekeeper, and generally looking after Lady Katrina’s needs where her health was concerned. But she would also have leave-days, and it was on these that she would buy some food and give it out to those on the street, or just buy some hot tatties from the man with the brazier and give them to the hungry. Perhaps Lettie and Ruth would help her, chip in a bit of their pay even, as they’d both known what it was like to be hungry. Poor Ruth still knew.

  Eeh, it’d be a good day when Ruth came here. But would it all start again – would there always be trouble in her sister’s path? Somehow Amy knew there would be, and the thought weighed heavily inside her. And with this thought a little fear entered her. Fear for her lovely, misunderstood sister, a fear that everything that went wrong would be laid at Ruth’s door and would cause everything in their lives to spiral downwards again.

  Kneading away at the dough, with Cook chuntering away in her ear, Lettie could have screamed. She hated the work in the kitchen – the smell, the heat and Cook’s constant nagging. It had never been her ambition to do such work; she had just landed in it! Aye, her life was better than in the workhouse, but somehow she’d been happier there, nursing the poor, than she was now feeding the rich, even if it meant she was well fed and housed.

  One good thing: she was free now. She could just leave. Oh, Lettie, lass, stop thinking like this. Think yourself lucky. Them as are back there in the workhouse would love to change places. Sing, that’s the thing:

  ‘Tell me the tales

  That to me were so dear,

  Long, long ago,

  Long, long ago;

  Sing me the songs

  I delighted to hear,

  Long, long ago,

  Long ago . . .’

  ‘Eeh, lass, that’s grand. You has a lovely voice, I could listen—’

  The housekeeper cut off Cook by shouting, ‘What’s the noise? Who is it singing? I am trying to do my ordering, and I can’t concentrate.’

  ‘Sorry, Mrs Grimes. I was just passing the time.’

  ‘Aye, and she sings like an angel. Don’t be such a sourpuss. You carry on, lass. I was enjoying it.’

  Not sure what to do, Lettie looked from one to the other. The housekeeper gave in first. ‘Aye, right you are. It was pleasant-sounding, and I’ve nearly finished. Not used to hearing any such around here, that’s all.’

  ‘You should sing at the “Free ’n’ Easy” down at the tavern. Me and Crowther go sometimes and have a jar of ale and watch the show. Anyone can join in, and them as have a nice voice often get taken on
by one of them touring companies. Go all over the world, some of them do.’

  The thought of this sent a thrill through Lettie. Not just ‘going around the world’, but singing to others to give them pleasure – that settled in her as the place she was meant to be.

  ‘When will you be going there again, Cook? I’d like to come if I can and, aye, I’d get up and sing an’ all.’

  ‘Well, if you do, you’ll be lost to us and that’s for sure. Anyroad, start up with your singing again, lass. I’ve never heard the like and it does me heart good. And, aye, we’ll take you with us to the Cock’s Crow, and be glad to.’

  Though this pleased Lettie, she had her doubts about Cook’s motives. Happen as she’ll be glad to get rid of me, as more than once she’s given me the feeling as I’m treading on her toes . . . Eeh, why am I thinking like this? What’s got into me the day? I’ll be turning into a sourpuss like the housekeeper.

  24

  Ruth

  A Fight to Survive

  Stomach pains gnawed at Ruth. The emptiness in her made her muscles clench and unclench as they begged her for food.

  She’d been put on water only, and just the odd drip of that, and this was the fifth day of the order given by the governor. The bed she lay in held the dampness of her own urine. The stench of her sheets and the putrid smell of the other occupants of this ward – all lying on filthy beds, all starving, with their bony bodies near to death – had assaulted her nostrils in the first two days of being here, but now she was used to it.

  And yet the pristine clean walls, painted white, looked saintly and belied the way they enclosed such human misery. For the people in here were considered the dregs of the prison population. This was the madhouse.

  The governor stood over Ruth’s bed, looking down at her. ‘And what frame of mind are we in today then? Have we concluded that we’re nowt special? Because having an earl for a friend does nowt to make you above any of the rest of them, Black Witch.’