by Helen Goltz
‘Thank you, Harriet,’ Matilda said. ‘I am rather exhausted, though. I think I will just lie down for a while. If I’m awake, I’ll join Pa for dinner, but otherwise please give my apologies.’
She felt Harriet’s eyes upon her and hurriedly made her way up the stairs, supporting herself on the banister. Once inside, she lowered herself onto her bed. Then she turned and cried miserably into her pillow, ashamed of her weakness. But in those moments when the breath was being withheld from her throat, as Tufton glared and sneered at her, she’d thought of her family; fleeting thoughts that she might never see her pa again and the grief it would cause him to have her body returned to the home, lifeless. The faces of her brothers, and Harriet and Cook, and Minnie, all the people in her life that she might never see again, appeared in her mind. It terrified her. She thought of Thomas and how disappointed he would be in her being there without protection.
Yes, she was strong and independent, but the man’s world she had grown up in had been a kind one, civilised and protective. She was encouraged to be free thinking and to have an opinion and even to write and support that independence. Mr Tufton’s attack had frightened her to the core.
*****
Harriet watched Matilda make her way up the staircase to her room. Behind Harriet, Daniel appeared and grabbed for his hat to head out.
‘Just a quick drink at the club. I’ll be back for dinner unless Pa wants to dine earlier, then if Cook could keep me a plate? I’ll attempt to bring Elijah and Gideon home with me,’ he said, and planted a kiss on Harriet’s cheek. ‘Or I might drop in and see if Thomas is home…’ He was still talking as the door closed behind him.
‘Goodness, the comings and goings in this house, I can’t keep up,’ Harriet said, talking to herself. ‘I’ll tell Cook to just cook then and whatever is left over can be eaten another time.’ She sighed. Harriet glanced back at the stairs again where Matilda had just departed and then to the study where Mr Hayward worked inside, his door closed. She could not hear a noise from inside Matilda’s room, but if she could have seen through walls, she would have found Matilda weeping miserably.
Moments later, Harriet returned with a cup of tea and made her way up the stairs to Matilda’s room. She knocked gently and received no reply.
‘It’s just me,’ she said.
‘Come in.’
Harriet entered to find Matilda sitting on the edge of the bed and wiping her face. It was clear she had been crying – most out of character.
‘Tea will fix everything,’ Harriet said, offering her the cup, and Matilda smiled as she accepted it.
‘It does seem to, thank you,’ she agreed, and took a welcomed sip.
Harriet sat in a chair near the window and studied the young woman she had raised since Mrs Hayward had died when Matilda was four. She often thought it was a great shame Mr Hayward had not remarried and provided a motherly role model.
‘Now tell me what happened. Do you have a broken heart?’ Harriet asked.
Matilda looked confused. ‘Oh no, nothing like that,’ she said, dismissing the idea as though it were preposterous. ‘If I tell you, Harriet, you must not scold me or tell a soul until I choose to do so.’
Harriet thought about it. ‘If it is not a matter of life or death, I suppose I could be bound to that agreement.’
Matilda smiled. ‘The matter of life and death is over. I was… attacked.’
Harried gasped. ‘Oh Matilda. Do we need a doctor? I can fetch Elijah home immediately.’
‘No, no, nothing like that,’ Matilda assured her and told her the story, her hand close to her throat as she recounted it.
‘How terribly frightening. How could we live without you?’ she said, and now Harriet was dabbing a few tears from her eyes with a handkerchief removed from the sleeve of her dress.
‘I don’t think he ever intended to kill me,’ Matilda soothed her.
‘We don’t know that. He might have killed that other man who died there and not hesitated for you to follow that fate.’
Harriet realised she wasn’t helping the situation. ‘But you are probably right,’ she agreed, stiffening with resolve. She was never one for what-ifs. ‘He sounds like an angry husband who doesn’t like his business interfered in.’
Matilda nodded. ‘Yes.’ She looked at Harriet. ‘I was so scared that I would never see all of you again.’
Harriet rose and came to sit beside her, taking Matilda’s hand in hers.
‘But you can’t tell until I am ready to do so,’ Matilda reminded her.
‘Why ever not? That man needs to be brought to justice.’
‘I will tell Thomas, I promise. But if we tell Father it will distress him, Amos will be consumed with guilt that I did not leave with him and will insist I be accompanied everywhere, Daniel will want to go to Thomas immediately and demand action, Elijah will want to give that man a piece of his mind and Gideon will do just that, knock him out and get himself in trouble.’
They looked at each other and laughed.
‘Yes, well that does sum up the likely reactions,’ Harriet agreed. ‘Shall we call for Detective Ashdown in an official capacity?’
Matilda shook her head. ‘No. I just need tonight to think about it and regain my strength. I am getting angrier now, so I am feeling better and stronger. I’ll drop in and see Thomas first thing in the morning.’
‘Do you promise me?’ Harriet asked.
‘I promise.’
‘You shouldn’t return to that awful place.’
‘I have an interview there tomorrow. Alice and I.’
‘Oh Matilda, no, it is too dangerous,’ Harriet said, alarmed.
‘Daniel will be with us, and a lovely man who works there – Mr Teddy Clements – a cook I believe, came to my aid. He will be there tomorrow too.’
‘I don’t like it.’
Matilda took her hand. ‘I know. I will be much more careful now that my eyes are opened. I will ensure someone is with me at all times.’
Harriet nodded. ‘Come down then when you are ready. Later, when it is quieter after dinner, I want to see where he grabbed you. We’ll see if I can reduce the pain a little with one of my home remedies – I have a very good salve.’
‘Don’t I know,’ Matilda teased. Harriet had applied it for years to every injury in the Hayward family. ‘I make a vow to never be so vulnerable again.’
‘That’s the spirit,’ Harriet said, departing with an ache in her own heart. Sometimes bravery and determination were not enough to counter physical strength and intent.
Chapter 21
Thomas walked up his front stairs and through the front door not long after 7pm. He would rarely be home at this time, preferring to go to the club rather than return to an empty house or to stay at his desk and get some work done when everyone had gone, and it was quiet – except for the night shift on the front desk but they rarely interrupted him unless it was murder calling. But now that Teddy was likely to be home, and the possibility of a dinner on the table, the house felt more like home. If the young man hadn’t already cooked, Thomas decided he would take his nephew out and introduce him to a few of the better establishments for a lager and meal.
Light emitted from the rooms down the hall. ‘Teddy,’ he called, taking off his hat and hanging it near the door.
A head appeared around the dining-room door. ‘Ah, good, you’d ruin the dinner if you were much later,’ Teddy said, seeing his uncle. He disappeared just as quickly, and Thomas went to join him.
‘I didn’t expect you’d be cooking tonight as you’ve spent the day cooking,’ Thomas said with a smile, ‘not that I am unhappy in the least. I was going to suggest we eat out.’
‘Next time for sure,’ Teddy said.
Thomas offered his nephew a drink and poured for two. ‘It’s nice to be home,’ he said with a sip and sigh.
‘Even if I’m invading your space?’ Teddy asked.
‘I wouldn’t be hom
e otherwise. The house would be dark and cold and nothing to welcome a man after a long day at work.’
Teddy gave his uncle a grin. ‘Glad to earn my place. Shall we eat?’
‘That would be great,’ Thomas said, moving to the already set table to share a meal. ‘How was your first day?’ he asked, dying to know but not expecting too much insider news. He cut the bread on the table and slathered a generous serving of butter onto a piece.
‘The first day was interesting and confirmed that the rumours I heard at the grocer and butcher were true.’
They heard two loud knocks at the door and Thomas sighed, expecting to be called back to work. But the door opened before he had to make his way down the hallway and Daniel’s voice called, ‘Are you in?’
‘In the dining room, come through,’ Thomas called back.
Daniel swanned in, hat in hand. ‘Ah, you must be the nephew,’ he said, offering his hand.
‘Daniel, my nephew Teddy,’ Thomas said, and returned to his bread. ‘Staying for dinner? Teddy’s a bloody excellent cook.’
‘There’s plenty,’ Teddy said, carrying a large pie to the centre of the table, placing it down and taking a seat.
‘Wow, smells great. I’ll be in, thanks,’ Daniel said and grabbed his own cutlery. He sat at the table as Thomas placed a large slab of bread on Teddy and Daniel’s plates and pushed the butter closer to them.
‘That looks bloody amazing,’ Thomas said like a man who rarely got a good feed.
‘Steak and kidney pudding, one of my favourites,’ Teddy told them, dishing them both up a hearty sized serve.
‘I tell you what, if I could afford you, I’d hire you to work as a cook for me full-time,’ Thomas said, and Teddy laughed. ‘It’d be boring, I concede, but you’d have plenty of time on your hands.’
‘You wouldn’t get your money’s worth given the few meals you get home for,’ Teddy said. ‘Dig in then.’ He was clever enough not to discuss his work in front of Daniel without the all-clear from his uncle. He glanced his way and raised an eyebrow.
Thomas nodded and addressed his best friend. ‘Speaking of work, I’ve got Teddy doing an odd job for me. You can know about it if you keep it between us. His safety depends on it.’
‘Have I ever divulged any of our secrets?’ Daniel asked. ‘I even took the cane for you once.’
Thomas grinned. ‘That’s the truth, but it was your plan, I was just the one caught. There was that time you told Matilda that I took her ribbon because I liked her.’
Daniel chuckled and turned his attention to Teddy. ‘We were thirteen, so it was a while ago. Thom has had his eye on my sister for many years.’
Thomas flushed slightly, and Teddy laughed.
‘So why haven’t you made good on that, Uncle Thom? You’re not getting any younger and I won’t be here to keep house for you forever. Where’s this lovely lady then?’
‘I’ve been busy,’ Thomas answered, ‘and Matilda had made it quite clear that she is not interested in binding herself to any man. Yet.’ He changed the subject before Teddy had a chance to tell them about his meeting with a lady by the name of Matilda at work today. Thomas informed Daniel of Teddy’s undercover job.
‘I’m glad you told me,’ Daniel said. ‘I’ll be at the Freak Show tomorrow with Matilda. She works for one of those women’s newspapers and is interviewing the ladies of the Freak Show,’ he explained to Teddy. ‘I’m earning my keep as her illustrator. Odd little job but interesting.’
‘Ah illustrating… the court job, I have news,’ Thomas cut in, remembering he promised to make enquiries on Daniel’s behalf to be a court illustrator. ‘You’ve got an appointment next week to make your case.’
Daniel grinned. ‘That’s bloody fantastic, thanks, Thom.’
Thomas gave a small shrug. ‘It was nothing. You still have to get it. So, Teddy, what did you learn today?’
Teddy filled his uncle in on the chef’s dislike of both Mr and Mrs Wilks and his kind words for the victim, Mr Burnham.
‘That seems to be universal,’ Thomas agreed, accepting a second helping.
Daniel knocked back the offer. ‘I told Cook to keep me a plate, but thanks. You’ll be getting fat, Thomas, if you keep this up every night.’
‘Plenty of room on these svelte bones for some meat,’ Thomas said with a smile, brushing his hand down his thin front frame. ‘Any other observations, Teddy?’
‘Yes, I got the impression that the Wilks’ wanted to run the show, but Chef doesn’t think it’ll last the year now under their rule.’ Teddy elaborated on the conversation.
When they finished their meal and discussion, Thomas rose and poured the men a small glass of port, congratulating his nephew on a sterling meal. They stayed at the table, relaxed.
‘There was one other incident,’ Teddy said. ‘It’s something that I imagine didn’t concern anyone who worked there, but it certainly gave a young lady a fright.’
‘What’s that?’ Thomas asked.
Teddy accepted a cigarette from Daniel’s cigarette case and a light. He smoked and exhaled before continuing.
‘I was taking out the bin, just before leaving for the day, when I saw this ruffian holding a lady by the throat between the caravans. I suspect he’d come from the ale tent.’
Thomas sat upright. ‘Did you intervene?’
‘Of course, and I had a foot on him in height and width. He was a rude bugger. I don’t know what it was about, but he removed his hands from around her throat and told me to mind my own business. I told him I was making this my business and he strode off. She said she was all right, but I saw her home nevertheless.’
‘What was it about, did you find out?’ Daniel asked.
‘Yes. The lady was seeing a friend, the giantess, so she said.’
Thomas’s port glass hit the table hard enough to shatter. ‘Did she tell you her name?’
‘Yes, and I was going to say earlier that I’d met a Matilda today – a Miss Matilda Hayward. A great beauty too and brave. She didn’t shed a tear and she was putting up a good fight.’
‘My sister!’ Daniel exclaimed.
‘Wait, Miss Hayward is your sister? The very sister you have feelings for, Uncle?’ Teddy looked from Thomas to the guest.
‘The same,’ Daniel answered.
‘You saw her home and she was fine?’ Thomas clarified.
‘She was.’
‘Did you not see her before you came out tonight?’ he asked Daniel. Thomas was now on his feet.
‘No, I heard her come in, but she went straight to her room. Shall we check on her?’ He rose.
‘Absolutely. Teddy, do you wish to accompany us?’
‘No, I don’t think you need me there, Uncle, I’ll clean up.’ His voice was laced with disappointment. He had hoped to have made an impression on Miss Matilda Hayward, but she might already have her heart spoken for and if not, it would not put him in his uncle’s favour if she reciprocated Teddy’s feeling.
‘Thank God you were there and thanks for this.’ Thomas slapped his nephew on the back and nodded at empty dinner plates. He grabbed his hat on the way out and followed Daniel up the street until they hailed a hansom cab and took it to the house he knew so well, as well as his own. To Matilda.
On the way over Thomas – no stranger to drama – coached his closest and oldest friend, who sat agitated and working himself up more with every minute.
‘Just still for a moment, Dan. Take a deep breath and relax. Matilda is home safely, and if she needed assistance, she would have sought one of us,’ he said. ‘I’m sure Harriet would have noticed too.’
Daniel’s jaw was locked in anger, which was how Thomas felt, but he was better at masking it. He gave Thomas a brisk nod.
‘I’m going to kill—’
‘No!’ Thomas cut him off. ‘I’m going to kill Tufton and then arrest him or not quite in that order. You are going to be the strong brotherly shoulder she needs.’
He exhaled and turned to face Thomas. ‘You are right. Thank you.’
‘It’s all right, I deal with it every day. I’m not saying I’m not angry, I could kill Tufton with my bare hands and I still might.’
Plus, he thought, I want to see Matilda again, and losing my temper might be the quickest way to push her away.
‘I won’t be responsible for my actions if I see him.’ Daniel spat the words.
‘Well, I’d rather arrest him than arrest you, so do your best not to see him too soon,’ Thomas warned him. Their cab pulled up at the Hayward residence, Thomas paid the cabman and they rushed up the stairs and inside, removing their hats as they entered the residence.
‘She’s not in her room,’ Daniel said with a glance up the stairs and seeing the open door of Matilda’s bedroom. He continued walking straight ahead.
Thomas followed him into the kitchen area. Matilda sat, her neck tie undone, along with the first few buttons of her blouse, revealing her neck and all the bruising. Harriet sat next to her, dabbing a salve onto the raw area.
‘Matilda!’ Thomas exclaimed, sorting through a range of emotions – shock, anger, and concern.
‘We heard what happened.’ Daniel dropped into the chair next to her.
She stared at Thomas with wide eyes and hurried to close the fabric of her blouse around the exposed flesh of her neck and chest just as he realised the impropriety of the situation.
‘Forgive me,’ he said, turned and exited the room.
‘Leave, Daniel,’ Harriet ordered, and he stood with a sigh and followed his best friend.
Thomas paced up and down the hallway. ‘I’m going to bring him into the station tonight. Let Matilda know he’ll pay for this,’ he said and, placing his hat back on his head, he stormed out and into the night.
Chapter 22
By mid-morning, Carl Tufton’s legal team had secured his release. Courtesy of the constabulary, one detective in particular, Tufton sported a few more bruises than he might have had before entering the station. Matilda did not wish to take the matter further, and Detective Thomas Ashdown was more frustrated than ever.
