by Dilly Court
'Thank you, Harry, but not tonight. Papa will need me at home. Maybe another night, if he gives his permission.'
'I'll call on you tomorrow. Will you be at home?'
'I might be. You'll have to try your luck, won't you?'
Gertie opened the door. 'You'd best come in,' she said in a grudging tone.
Rosina stepped over the threshold and Harry followed her into the entrance hall. She shot him a sideways glance. 'I thought you had to get back to the office.'
'I do, but I think a courtesy call on Captain Barnum might be in order, and then perhaps I could walk you home.'
The roguish twinkle in his eyes did not escape Rosina, neither was she entirely immune to Harry's charms, but she also knew that he was an outrageous flirt and not to be taken seriously. 'So you suddenly need to see Captain Barnum. Isn't that a coincidence?'
Gertie gave a loud cough. 'What's it to be then? Who's seeing who?'
'I would like to see Miss Sukey,' Rosina said firmly. 'It seems that the gentleman has difficulty in making up his mind what he is doing and where he is going.'
'I say, Rosie. That's below the belt. I have to see Barnum or his mate to arrange for another cargo of hay. The horses in London gobble the stuff up at an alarming rate.'
'I'll take you up to the parlour, miss. But if he wants to see the master, he'd best go to the boat as that's where he'll find him.' Gertie looked from one to the other, and seeing that she had their full attention she warmed to her theme. 'Mr Barker, the mate, come to the door early this morning. Blooming river pirates have been at it again, says he. Why, they've even stole the bloody compass and all the charts. Them's his words not mine, miss. What shall us do, Cap'n? says he. They've stripped the poor bitch bare as a tart's arse.'
'Thank you, Gertie,' Harry said, frowning. 'I think we've got the picture.'
'Who's there, Gertie?' Sukey Barnum appeared at the top of the stairs. Her face lit up with a smile when she saw Rosina. 'Rosie, I thought I heard your voice. And Harry too.' A coral blush coloured her cheeks as she picked up her skirts and ran down the stairs to greet them.
Harry doffed his hat with a flourish. 'Good morning, Miss Sukey.'
'I was just going to show 'em into the parlour, miss,' Gertie said, eyeing Sukey warily.
'No you weren't, you fibber. I heard you telling them my dada's business. Go about your work, girl.' Sukey tucked her hand through Rosina's arm. 'I have a birthday present for you, even if it is a day late. But I had to persuade Dada to give me some money. Luckily he was in a good mood yesterday before the thieves stripped the Curlew of everything that wasn't bolted to the deck.' She turned her head to cast Harry a flirtatious glance beneath her golden eyelashes. 'Will you join us, Harry?'
'Sadly, I must leave you, ladies. I need to see Captain Barnum rather urgently.' Harry made a move towards the door. 'I'll see myself out.'
Rosina glanced at Sukey's eager face and then at Harry, who had stopped in front of a wall mirror to put his hat on at exactly the right angle. The thought flashed through her mind that it was hardly the action of a man in a hurry. 'Harry, wait.'
He patted the crown of his hat, adjusted the angle and turned to her with a pleased smile. 'I do like this topper. I must order another just like it.'
Rosina giggled. 'And they say that women are vain.'
'Don't be mean to Harry,' Sukey protested. 'I think he looks quite dashing.'
'Thank you, ma'am.' Harry inclined his head in her direction. 'You see, Rosie. Some people appreciate me.'
'Oh, poor Harry,' Rosina said in mock sympathy. 'You're so misunderstood.'
'Well, I think he looks most handsome today.' Sukey tossed her curls. 'And much too smart to be going on board dirty old sailing barges.'
'Thank you, Miss Susan. But I really must be going. I need to sort out this business with the hay. We're a load down and I need to send another barge to fetch a full cargo.'
Rosina spotted an opportunity for her father to recoup his losses. She moved to Harry's side. 'I'm coming with you.' She turned to Sukey with an apologetic smile. 'We will have to postpone our chat until later.'
Sukey pursed her lips into a pout.
'I say, Rosie.' A perplexed look crossed his face, and Harry frowned. 'I mean, I know you're worried about your father, but there's nothing you can do. You're not thinking of making a scene, are you?'
'Of course not. You said you needed another cargo of hay. If Captain Barnum can't take the Curlew, I'm sure my pa would be only too pleased to have the work. The Ellie May only needs to be unloaded, and she could be ready to sail on the next tide.'
'I don't know about that,' Harry said, shaking his head. 'The first thing Captain Barnum did when he docked yesterday was to go to the office and sign up for another cargo. It could be difficult.'
'But not if he can't honour the deal, Harry.' 'Hold on, there,' Sukey protested. 'That doesn't sound very fair.'
Rosina spun round to face her. 'Well it wasn't very fair when your dada cheated in the race and set my papa up with a load of rotten hay. I'm truly sorry, Sukey. I hate their silly feud as much as you do, but I must do something. I'll go and speak to Mr Gostellow myself if it will secure the cargo for the Ellie May.'
'Well!' Sukey stamped her foot. 'Some friend you are, Rosina.'
'I am your friend, you know that. But I have to look after my papa, just as you would look after yours.'
'But my present for you . . .'
'Will be lovely, Sukey. And I'll come back later to receive it.' Rosina turned to Harry. 'Are you ready?'
'I don't know what Barnum would have to say about this,' Harry said, eyeing her doubtfully. He opened the door and stood back to allow her to pass. 'I know that you're concerned about your father, but you should leave business matters to those who know what they're doing.'
'By that I suppose you mean that I should leave it to the men, who are so much the cleverer sex.'
'I say, Rosie. I don't think your papa would like you using that word.'
She shot him a sideways glance. 'What word, Harry?'
'You know perfectly well what word – the word that ladies do not use.' With an embarrassed twitch of his shoulders, Harry began walking towards the Curlew. 'I have business to do.'
She broke into a run to keep up with him. 'Precisely so. You need to keep your father's warehouse filled with hay or he will have nothing to trade.'
'It would take almost as long for the Ellie May to be unloaded and made ready to sail as it would for Barnum to refit his ship.'
'I'll fetch Artie Trigg and I know the stevedores will work twice as hard if I ask them nicely. We can do it given half a chance.'
'I'd have to square it with the old man first, Rosie.'
'Oh, Harry. Don't you ever take any responsibility for anything? Stand up to him for once.'
'It really isn't up to me. Captain Barnum has a legal contract . . .'
'A contract which he is unable to honour. That must cancel out any agreement he had with your father.'
'Well I'm blowed.' Harry stopped suddenly, pointing to the Ellie May, which was tied up alongside the Curlew. Artie was standing in the stern directing the men who were using the umbrella cranes to unload the spoiled cargo of hay onto a lighter. Rosina could see Walter standing outside the wharfinger's office, talking to the dock foreman. She picked up her skirts and ran towards him. 'Walter, what's happening?'
He gave her a lopsided smile, wincing as the cut on his lip cracked open. 'There's been a slight mishap to Barnum's boat.'
'I know. I've just come from his house. But how did you find anyone to take the spoiled cargo?'
'It's going to be taken with the city's rubbish and dumped.'
'It must be costly. Can we afford it?'
'Let's just say that Mr Gilks of Duke's Shore Wharf owes me a favour. Don't worry, Miss Rosina. It's all taken care of.'
'Now look here, my good fellow.' Harry strode up to Walter, sticking out his chin like a pugilist about to start a fight. 'You seem
to be taking a lot on yourself for a mere clerk. I can't allow you to interfere in my business.'
'No, sir,' Walter said equably. 'But your father can, and he did. I went to the office first thing this morning. Mr Gostellow's main concern is filling the warehouse with enough hay to feed the work horses in the city. I suggest it ought to be yours, too.'
'Infernal cheek.' Harry's face flushed dark red and he clenched his fists.
Rosina laid her hand on his arm. 'That's wonderful, Harry. I'm so grateful to your father. And it really serves Captain Barnum right for cheating in the first place.' She turned to Walter. 'Well done. I can't thank you enough.'
'Don't thank me, miss. It was the river pirates who made it possible.'
'And I suppose a fellow like you approves of such villainy?' Harry said angrily.
Rosina could see that this argument might escalate into a full-blown row. 'Now, Harry . . .'
Walter held up his hand. 'I think sometimes a man has to take direct action even though it goes against the grain.'
'Bah! You're just a jumped-up little pen pusher. What would you know about anything?'
Behind his spectacles, Walter's eyes held a steely glint and Rosina saw, for the first time, a stubborn set to his jaw. Harry was spoiling for a fight, and she did not want to see Walter's other eye blackened and swollen. She moved to place herself squarely in between them. 'That's enough of that, gentlemen. Harry, I'd like you to walk me home if you will.'
'Of course.' He glanced over his shoulder at the ragged urchin who was patiently walking Nero. 'Bring my horse here, boy.'
The boy broke into a run, his bare feet skimming over the rough cobbles as he led Nero towards them. Rosina held her breath as the horse broke into a trot. There was an eager look of anticipation on the child's face that went straight to her heart. His stick-thin body looked so frail against the well-muscled, sleek body of the animal that was undoubtedly housed and fed better than the boy's whole family. Her hand flew to her mouth as he stumbled, but somehow he managed to regain his footing. One slip beneath those flailing hooves would cause terrible injuries or even death. She clutched Harry's arm. 'Take the reins, Harry. The child is not strong enough to hold such a mettlesome animal.'
Harry snatched the bridle from the boy's hand. He tossed a penny into the air and the boy made a dive for it: he would have tumbled over the edge of the wharf into the water if Walter had not caught him.
'Ta, mister.' The urchin closed his fist around the coin and backed away, as if afraid that someone might steal his money.
'Harry, I promised him twopence.' Rosina held her hand out to the child. 'Wait, boy. I think the gentleman has something more for you.'
Reluctantly, Harry took another penny from his pocket. 'I say, Rosie. You'll bankrupt me and spoil the brat.'
'Give him the money and don't be so mean.' She raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to throw the coin and nodding with approval when he did. 'There, that didn't hurt, did it?'
'You don't understand these people, Rosie,' Harry said, scowling. 'The boy will squander the money on raw spirits or tobacco.'
'Or maybe he will waste it on luxuries like bread and dripping, or a decadent meat pie.' Walter's lip curled in contempt.
'Did I ask for your opinion?' Harry rounded on him angrily. 'Get back to work, fellow.'
'Harry, that's no way to speak to Walter. Walk me home and let's have no more of this bad feeling between you.' She turned to Walter with a grateful smile. 'You've done so well today. I can't thank you enough.'
'I don't know why you're thanking him,' Harry grumbled as they walked slowly towards home with Nero following them on a loose rein. 'You shouldn't be too familiar with servants, Rosie. They'll only take advantage of you.'
'Walter isn't a servant. He's my pa's right-hand man. I don't know what we'd do without him.'
'He's probably fleecing your papa left, right and centre. I know his type, Rosie. He tries to act like a gentleman but don't be fooled by that. My father keeps a pretty tight rein on the clerks in our office. He don't stand for any old nonsense from them and they know their place.'
'I'm sure they do,' Rosina said sweetly. 'Thank you for walking me home, Harry.'
They had reached the house and Rosina was about to go inside when he caught her by the hand. 'Will you allow me to take you to supper tomorrow night, Rosie?'
'I'll have to ask Papa.'
'Then I'll call on you tomorrow morning.'
'All right, Harry.'
He hesitated. 'Perhaps I should speak to your father now.'
'I don't think that's a very good idea in the circumstances. He'll be anxious about the cargo and I expect he's still out of sorts with Captain Barnum.'
'This damned silly affair between them is getting out of hand.'
'It's not really your business, Harry.'
'It is if it affects trade. My old man won't stand for too much of it, Rosie. You can pass that message on from me, as a friendly warning. I wouldn't like to see your papa put out of business, but that's what will happen if he can't settle things with Captain Barnum.' Harry put his foot in the stirrup and mounted his horse. 'I'll see you tomorrow.' He tightened the reins so that Nero performed a caracole, and he doffed his hat, bowing from the saddle.
Rosina laughed at his antics. Really, she thought as she watched him urge the horse into a canter, Harry Gostellow was a dreadful show-off, but she was genuinely fond of him.
The interior of the old house felt cool and slightly damp after the warm sunshine outside. She went straight to the kitchen where she could hear Pa's deep tones and Bertha's higher-pitched voice; it sounded as though they were arguing, but that was nothing new.
'Ah, there you are, poppet.' Edward turned to her with a welcoming smile as he struggled into his reefer jacket, hampered by a fit of coughing.
'What did I tell you, you old fool,' Bertha said crossly. 'You're not fit enough to go out on the river so soon.'
'Hold your tongue, you old harpy. It's none of your business.'
Rosina looked from one red face to the other, sighing. 'Are you two fighting again?'
'Me? Fight with her?' Edward snatched his cap from the table and rammed it on his head. 'Miss Spinks forgets that she's a servant in this house.'
Bertha folded her arms across her ample bosom, squinting at him through narrowed eyes. 'A servant gets paid for her labours. You ain't paid me nothing for the past ten years or more.'
Rosina could see that this argument was getting out of hand. 'But Bebe, dear, you're more like one of the family than a servant.'
'Yes, a nagging old aunt,' Edward muttered.
Bertha shook her fist at him. 'A woman what brings up a man's child and waits on him hand and foot for no wages is usually his wife.'
'I'd as soon sleep with a mop stick soaked in vinegar as share my bed with you, you nagging old crow.'
Rosina threw up her hands. She was used to their bickering, but this was getting them nowhere and there were more important matters to discuss. 'Stop it, the pair of you.'
'This is the day he likes me,' Bertha said, tossing her head.
'She started it, the sour old spinster. Treating me like a schoolboy.'
