The Constant Heart

by Dilly Court

  'You're so sensitive, Harry. You poor dear boy, I'm afraid you inherited that trait from me.'

  Rosina could see that Sukey was close to tears.

  In a protective gesture, she slipped her arm around her friend's shoulders. 'I'm sorry, ma'am. But if Sukey is not welcome here, then I cannot stay. It was good of you to invite us to tea, but in the circumstances I think we should leave now.'

  'Mother, I think you spoke out of turn,' Harry said, frowning. 'Miss Barnum is a guest in our house.'

  'Don't fuss, my boy. You'll bring on one of my heads.' Margaret raised a shaking hand to her brow. 'I'm a semi-invalid, as you can see, young ladies. My constitution is delicate and I have to be careful not to overexert myself. You will stay for tea and we will talk about other things. Ring the bell for Watson, please, Harry.'

  Rosina and Sukey exchanged wary glances, but Harry gave them an encouraging smile as he moved to the fireplace and tugged at the bell pull. 'Do sit down, ladies. Watson will bring tea directly.'

  Reluctantly they obliged him. Margaret flashed him a doting glance. 'I am so lucky to have a son like Harry.' She turned to Rosina with narrowed eyes. 'Now, my dear, tell me all about yourself.'

  Rosina hesitated, not knowing where to begin, but before she could gather her thoughts Margaret had begun asking her questions about her home, her education and her father's business prospects – all of which she answered to the best of her ability. It was, she thought, almost as painful as having her teeth pulled out, one by one. She could have cried with relief when Watson entered the room bearing a tray of tea, which she placed on a table behind the sofa. She was followed by Potter, staggering beneath the weight of a tray laden with plates of tiny sandwiches, toasted muffins dripping with butter, and a selection of fancy cakes. Rosina held her breath, waiting for him either to collapse or to drop his burden on the carpet, but somehow he managed to place the tray safely on the table.

  'That will be all, Potter,' Margaret said wearily. 'Watson, you may serve our guests, but I will just take tea.' She turned to Rosina with a feeble smile. 'I have little appetite, my dear. My husband says that I eat like a bird.'

  'I – I'm sorry, ma'am.' Rosina could think of nothing else to say as she found herself involved in a delicate juggling act, attempting to balance a bone china plate on her lap and a cup and saucer in one hand, while selecting delicacies from the dishes offered to her by Watson. Margaret sipped her tea and continued the relentless interrogation. Rosina could only wish that Harry's nosey mother would show more interest in Sukey. In the end it was Harry who put a stop to the ordeal by placing his teacup and saucer firmly down on a side table and rising to his feet.

  'You must not overdo things, Mother. You know what the doctor told you.'

  'You're right, of course, my dear boy.' Margaret signalled to Watson, who had been hovering by the door. 'You may clear, Watson.'

  Realising that they had been dismissed, Rosina leapt to her feet. Then, remembering her manners, she thanked Mrs Gostellow for her hospitality. Margaret gave her a wan smile, and she beckoned to Harry.

  He hurried to her side. 'Yes, Mother?'

  'She might do, my boy,' Margaret said, nodding her head in Rosina's direction. 'With judicious coaching, I think I could make something of her.'

  A dull flush suffused his face. 'Try to get some rest, Mother.'

  'Anyone would think that I was invisible,' Sukey whispered in Rosina's ear. 'Miserable old bat.'

  Rosina stifled a giggle. 'Shh! She'll hear you.'

  'I don't care. She's ignored me completely. I was never so humiliated in all my life.'

  Rosina sighed. 'I wish she'd ignored me.'

  'And I never got to taste one of those scrumptious-looking pastries.'

  'I wonder if all that food will go to waste?' On a sudden impulse, Rosina went over to the tea table where Watson was stacking what remained of the food on a tray. There were enough cucumber sandwiches left to give Caddie and her children a good meal, to say nothing of a plate of cakes covered in fondant icing and choux buns oozing with cream. 'Excuse me, Miss Watson,' she whispered, 'but is that food going to be thrown away?'

  Watson opened her eyes wide with surprise. 'I suppose so, miss.'

  'I know a poor family who would be so grateful for it.'

  'I dunno, miss. No one's ever asked to take their tea home with them before.'

  'What's the problem, Watson?' Harry had come up behind them.

  Rosina glanced nervously at Mrs Gostellow, but she was reclining against the arm of the chaise longue with her eyes closed, and her hand clutched to her forehead as though she was suffering from an acute headache. 'I'm sorry, Harry. It was my fault. I just wondered if I could take what was left of the food to a poor family who live near me.'

  'What a strange request.' Harry stared at her for a moment, and then he smiled. 'What a kind girl you are, to be sure. Watson, tip the lot in a paper bag and bring it to the front entrance.'

  Watson bobbed a curtsey. 'Yes, sir. Right away, sir.' Picking up the tray, she hurried from the room.

  'I'll just make sure that Mother has everything she needs,' Harry said, as he ushered Rosina and Sukey out of the drawing room.

  They stood in silence, waiting for him to re-join them. Rosina stared up at the two huge crystal chandeliers that must hold enough candles to last an ordinary family for a year at least. Sukey had a dazed expression on her face as she gazed at the heavily embossed red and gold wallpaper and the gilt-framed oil-paintings that adorned the walls of the sweeping staircase. They both turned with a start as Harry breezed out of the drawing room. 'It is a fine house, isn't it?'

  'It is a magnificent house, Harry,' Sukey said in an awed tone. 'And your mother is an extremely handsome lady.'

  Rosina said nothing. She had not forgotten Mrs Gostellow's last remark, and was wondering whether the comment 'she might do' was a reference to her or to Sukey, but before she could frame the question tactfully Watson came hurrying along the hall towards them. She thrust a bulging paper bag into Rosina's hands. 'Cook's put a couple more buns in, miss. They was going stale anyway.'

  'Thank you so much, Miss Watson.' Rosina said, smiling. 'Please thank Cook too.'

  'It's just Watson, miss.'

  'Really, Rosie. That was so embarrassing,' Sukey hissed, as Watson bustled away into the depths of the house. 'Don't you know how to behave in front of servants?'

  'Maybe not, but they're human beings just like us, aren't they?'

  'Treat them like equals and they'll get above their station, that's what my mother says.'

  'Where's Potter?' Harry tugged at the nearest bell pull. 'Really, that old man should have been pensioned off years ago. I suppose I'll have to open the door myself.' He strode across the floor and wrenched at the door handle. 'I'll have words with father about the old fool.'

  'You simply can't get good servants these days, Harry.' Sukey shot a triumphant glance at Rosina, as if to say that she at least was used to dealing with menials. She picked up her skirts, stepping daintily out into the sunshine. 'Are you coming, Rosie?'

  Rosina could not bear to be in the gloomy house one moment longer; she hurried past Harry and ran down the steps to the pavement.

  'I think that went well,' Harry said, closing the door behind him. 'Mama certainly took a liking to you, Rosie. And you too, Sukey.'

  'What did she mean by saying "she might do"?' Rosina demanded, unable to keep silent a moment longer.

  He smiled and shrugged his shoulders. 'My mother is not a well woman. You mustn't mind what she says.' He lifted his hand to hail a passing cab. 'It will be my pleasure to see you home, ladies.'

  'Oh, Harry. You are so gallant,' Sukey said, smiling coquettishly.

  The hackney carriage took them as far as the entrance to the wharf and they walked the rest of the way, coming to a halt outside Sukey's house. Harry kissed her hand. 'That was delightful, Miss Susan. Thank you for your company.'

  'Thank you, Harry. But I wish I knew what your mama meant w
hen she spoke about my dada.'

  'It was unimportant, and certainly nothing over which you should bother your pretty head.'

  'Oh, Harry. You do say the nicest things.' Sukey smiled up at him, blushing furiously.

  Rosina wondered if he was aware of the havoc he was creating by toying with Sukey's tender feelings. Did he realise that she had a huge crush on him, which might just possibly be real love? Or was he such an incorrigible flirt that he could not help himself when it came to a pretty girl? She would have to put Sukey straight one day, but not right now. She tugged at his arm. 'Harry, I'm going home.'

  He turned to her with a disarming smile. 'Of course, my dear. I'll escort you to your door.'

  'There's no need, really. It's just a short distance.'

  'Nevertheless, I will see you safely home.' Harry doffed his hat to Sukey, and tucked Rosina's hand in the crook of his arm.

  'You are not being fair to Sukey,' she said hotly as they strolled homewards.

  'I don't know what you mean.'

  'Yes, you do. You know perfectly well that Sukey likes you, and you were openly flirting with her, even though you had proposed marriage to me, making it plain that you wouldn't take no for an answer.'

  'I was just being civil to her, Rosie. My feelings for you must be so obvious that I did not want her to feel slighted. And, as I said before, I did not mean to pressurise you, my dear.'

  'Really? That's not how it seemed to me, Harry.'

  He patted her hand and smiled. 'I laid my heart open to you, Rosina. If I was too pressing it was only because of my sincere regard for you.'

  'Did I imagine that you threatened to put my papa out of business if I did not accept your proposal of marriage?'

  His face crumpled with consternation. 'What I meant to say was that if we were married, then naturally I would do everything I could to promote your father's business interests.'

  'That wasn't how it sounded.'

  'I apologise most humbly.' Harry stopped walking and he clasped her hands in his, crushing the paper bag filled with leftovers from their tea party and covering his fingers with cream. 'Damn. I'd forgotten that you were intent on feeding the poor.'

  'It's the cake and sandwiches for Caddie and her children,' Rosina said, suppressing a giggle. 'Perhaps I shouldn't have asked for them.'

  Harry licked his fingers, smiling ruefully. 'Oh, Rosie, what do I care about a few rotten cakes? You could turn my house into a soup kitchen for all I'd care, if it made you happy.'

  'Harry, please don't say any more.'

  'I have to, my sweet. I want you to accept my apology for the way I behaved to you. I must have been carried away by the passion burning in my heart. I confess that I was eaten up with jealousy after that – that creature took such an obvious interest in you at Cremorne Gardens. You can hardly blame me for that, my love.'

  She hesitated. He seemed so humble now, quite different to the devil-may-care, self-confident Harry Gostellow she thought she knew. She could almost believe him, but that did not alter her feelings. She drew her hands away gently, and with a smile. 'Oh, Harry. What am I to do with you?'

  'Marry me, Rosie. I know that both our families would approve of such a match.'

  She angled her head. 'Is that what your mother meant when she said "she might do"? You didn't answer my question when I asked it before.'

  'Mother took an instant liking to you, as I knew she would. I had no idea that she was acquainted with your mama, but that is all to the good. Won't you give me a chance, my dear girl?'

  'Harry, please . . .'

  'I know you need time to think it over. That's quite all right with me. I won't press you on the subject.'

  'How many times must I refuse you, Harry?'

  'It's what young ladies always do. I understand that, my dear.'

  'I don't want to give you false hope.'

  'But you will think about it?'

  His eyes pleaded with her and she could not find it in her heart to disappoint him yet again. She lowered her gaze. 'I will think about it, Harry.'

  He raised her hands to his lips. 'Oh, Rosie, my dear girl. I know I've rushed matters. That's me all over – when I want something I can't help myself, I just go out and get it. No, don't say anything. Let us continue as good friends, for the time being at least. I meant it when I suggested that we have another outing. We'll do it properly this time, with your father's permission. We'll make it a foursome with Susan and a most eligible gentleman of my acquaintance. We'll even take your watchdog, Walter, with us if that would make you feel better.'

  She felt herself weakening. Perhaps she had misunderstood him in the first place. What harm could there be in a well-chaperoned visit to the pleasure garden? And it might be her only chance to meet the pirate again. The sound of his voice, the thrill she had felt when he had held her in his arms, were all beginning to seem like a dream. She had to find out if he was real or just a figment of her imagination. She smiled at Harry's eager expression. 'Well, if my papa agrees, and if Walter can come too, then I suppose it would be all right.'

  'I'll make the arrangements straight away.'

  'And it would be nice to see the Crystal Palace, or to go to Cremorne Gardens again. I did love the fireworks and I would love to see another ascent of a hot air balloon.'

  'Anything you want is—'

  He was interrupted by a cry from above them. Rosina looked up and saw Caddie leaning out of the window, waving frantically. 'Help me, miss. Help.'

  'Oh, Lord. Whatever can have happened?' Rosina ran into the building. She could hear the children screaming as she raced up the stairs. Imagining all manner of terrible accidents that might have befallen them, she burst into the room. But nothing could have prepared her for the sight that met her eyes. Ronnie and Alfie were huddled together, sobbing hysterically. Caddie was collapsed on the window seat and her skirts were stained red with blood. Her ashen face contorted with pain as a fresh spasm racked her distorted body. 'Miss Rosina, it's me baby, coming afore its time.'

  Harry entered the room just seconds behind Rosina. He took in the scene with a gasp of horror. 'Oh, dear. Oh, I say.'

  Caddie held her hands out to them. 'Help me, for the love of God.'

  Curbing the desire to run away, Rosina grabbed Harry by the arm. 'Fetch Bertha. She'll know what to do.'

  He nodded dumbly, backing towards the open door. 'Yes, all right. Oh, I say. Not too good with blood and such, Rosie. Think I might be sick.' He bolted out of the room as though the devil were at his heels.

  'I'm sorry, miss,' Caddie whispered. 'It come all of a sudden.'

  Rosina had only the haziest idea of how babies came into the world, and the sight of so much blood terrified her. She knew that many women died in childbirth, and she had not the slightest idea what to do, but she forced herself to sound calm. 'What can I do to help?'

  'Look after me nippers, miss.'

  Praying that Bertha would arrive soon, Rosina knelt down on the floor beside Ronnie and Alfie. They threw their arms around her and buried their faces in her skirts, sobbing. 'Hush, now. Everything will be all right, but you must be quiet. Your poor mama doesn't feel very well.'

  'They're hungry, miss,' Caddie murmured feebly. 'They've had nothing to eat since last night.'

  Rosina remembered the bag of food that she had tossed carelessly on the table as she entered the room. She manoeuvred the children into a position where she could reach up to get the bag. 'Ronnie, Alfie, if you stop crying, you shall have some lovely cake.'