Another Man's Child

by Another Man's Child (retail) (epub)

  ‘Not all good, I bet,’ said Charlotte with a chuckle. ‘Nat hates a woman who knows her mind.’

  ‘That’s not true. If her mind is running on the same lines as mine, that’s fine.’ He winked at Molly.

  Charlotte’s plump lips parted and her almond-shaped eyes widened. ‘I saw that. I believe you and Nat are distantly related, Mrs Payne, and that’s why Mr Barnes left you shares in the company?’

  Startled, Molly glanced at Nathan but got no help there. She cleared her throat and decided to go along with what he’d said. ‘Yes, we’re second or third cousins.’

  ‘You must join us for dinner so we can have a chat. That’s all right, isn’t it, Nat? I’m sure we can squeeze her into the motor.’ Charlotte did not wait for his answer but loosened the veiling wrapped round the brim of her hat, and fastened it beneath her chin in readiness for the journey.

  ‘Yes, do come, Molly,’ he said with a gleam in his eyes.

  She was not about to turn down the chance of a free dinner or the opportunity to spend time with him. Besides she was hoping to discover why he had lied about her being left the shares. ‘I’ll fetch George.’

  ‘I’ll get him.’

  Before Molly could move Nathan swung her son up, whirling him round before placing him on his shoulders.

  ‘I’m not pleased, Daddy,’ said Jessica, running after them. ‘I want you to lift me up there.’

  ‘What’s going on?’ hissed Doris to Molly.

  ‘What’s it look like? I’m getting a free dinner.’

  ‘Have yer forgotten yer’ve a husband?’

  ‘No. Now shut up, I want to enjoy this. I’ve never been in a motor before.’

  Doris’s lips tightened but Molly turned her back on her. She desperately needed to forget her troubles for a while.

  Charlotte slid behind the steering wheel and ordered Nathan to crank the engine. Jessica called to him, ‘I’m going to have one of these one day, aren’t I, Daddy?’

  ‘Not if I have any say in it,’ he said, handing George to Molly before inserting the cranking handle.

  Doris closed her eyes, clutching at the seat with both hands as the motor shuddered into life. ‘Give me me own two legs any day,’ she muttered.

  ‘It’s progress, Doris.’ Molly’s face shone. Suddenly she felt alive and almost carefree. The last few weeks, no, the last couple of years, had been a terrible strain at times. Now for just a little while she was going to enjoy Nathan’s company and her daughter’s, as well as a meal cooked by a woman she rated as highly as Maggie Block on the gastronomic front. ‘Drive on, Miss Braithwaite! Full speed ahead,’ she called.

  ‘You’re a woman after my own heart,’ shouted Charlotte, pulling down her goggles. ‘Forward, Boadicea!’ As Nathan climbed aboard the motor trundled forward.

  * * *

  ‘That was lovely,’ said Molly, exhilarated despite her watering eyes and windburned face. She stepped down on to the driveway of Falconstone and turned to lift George down but Nathan was there before her.

  ‘I’ll take him,’ he said, swinging the boy up into the air and holding him there a moment. George’s arms and legs flailed in the air but he was laughing as he smiled down into the man’s face. Nathan lowered him to the ground and called Doris over. ‘Take George and Jessica to the nursery and give them tea.’

  ‘Yes, Mr Collins,’ she said woodenly.

  ‘And tell Cook there’ll be one extra for dinner.’

  Doris went, muttering to herself as she seized the children’s hands and led them round to the back of the house.

  Molly was aware of her friend’s disapproval but was determined to enjoy herself nevertheless.

  ‘I’m glad you liked the trip,’ said Charlotte, removing her goggles. ‘I love speed.’

  ‘That thing’s a monster. Too powerful really for a woman.’ Nathan inserted the key in the front door and stood to one side. ‘After you two.’

  ‘You really are maddening, Nat,’ said Charlotte, easing off a glove. ‘The automobile is the transport of the future and will be driven by women all over the country one day.’

  ‘I’m sure you’re right,’ he said smoothly, ‘as you are about so many things.’

  ‘Now you’re being sarcastic,’ she sang, tapping him under the chin with her glove as she swept past him.

  He ignored the remark. ‘I’m sure you’d like to clean up, Molly? You’ve smuts on your face.’ Before she realised what he was about he reached out and rubbed her nose. She pulled away, wondering what he thought he was doing with Charlotte there.

  ‘Perhaps you’d like to borrow something to wear?’ said the other woman.

  ‘No, thank you,’ said Molly with a smile. ‘But I would like to wash.’

  ‘Then I’d best take you up, seeing as Mrs Collins doesn’t appear to have heard us come in.’

  Molly whirled round and stared at Nathan. ‘You didn’t mention your mother was home?’

  ‘She only arrived yesterday.’

  ‘How is she?’ Molly’s newfound confidence was in danger of evaporating. Just the thought of that woman did something to her.

  ‘I couldn’t leave her there indefinitely, Molly,’ he said gently.

  That was no answer, she thought. ‘Will she be joining us for supper?’ Molly’s voice shook in trepidation.

  ‘Most probably. Don’t worry about it. She’s a lot better.’ He left them then, taking the stairs two at a time.

  ‘You know Mrs Collins, of course,’ said Charlotte, as they followed him upstairs.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘She’s a most peculiar woman,’ mused Charlotte. ‘Comes out with the strangest remarks when you think she hasn’t been listening. Was she like that when you last met her?’

  ‘Yes.’ Molly realised Charlotte must have no idea what her position had been in this house. Was that why Nathan had lied? Perhaps she should be grateful to him. After all, Charlotte would definitely have treated her differently if she’d known Molly was once a nursemaid.

  ‘Still, she hasn’t been well so we must excuse her. This is where we part. You’ll find the bathroom at the very end of the landing.’

  Molly limped to the bathroom, locking the door and resting her back against it, attempting to calm herself. Was Mrs Collins better, as Nathan seemed to believe, or was that wishful thinking on his part? What if she became violent again? What if she spoke of getting rid of Jessica and harped about her belonging to Molly? Would Nathan continue to pass her words off as madness? But she realised she would get no answers until she saw the woman for herself.

  * * *

  Molly sat at the oval mahogany dining table, her stomach rumbling with hunger. Mrs Collins was seated between Nathan and herself but so far his mother appeared not to have noticed her.

  ‘Well, this is cosy,’ said Charlotte who was wearing an Alice blue gown with a white broderie anglaise insert in the bodice and panels of the skirt. She looked pretty and was seated on Nathan’s right.

  No, you’re quite wrong! thought Molly. For her the word ‘cosy’ conjured up a small room with the fire glowing red in the grate, children playing on a rug, and her with her boots off, toasting her toes with the man she loved beside her while rain beat against the window.

  ‘It’s at this time of day I most miss Papa,’ said Charlotte with a sigh. ‘Your father’s dead too, I believe, Mrs Payne?’

  ‘I never knew him,’ said Molly, watching Flo ladle asparagus soup into her bowl. ‘He died when I was only small, crushed between a barge and the lock wall on the Leeds-Liverpool canal.’

  ‘How dreadful!’

  ‘Dangerous places, canals,’ said Mrs Collins, startling them both. She bent her head as she sucked up soup from her spoon. ‘A body could easily go in. A foot in a coil of rope. Splash!’

  Molly shivered. It was as if icy fingers were running up and down her back, like the keys on a piano.

  ‘We’re not near the canal so we don’t have to worry about that, Mother,’ said Nathan. ‘You must stop
living in the past.’

  She made no sign of having heard him but continued noisily to drink her soup.

  Roast chicken followed, accompanied by boiled potatoes, tiny new peas, carrots and turnips. Molly drowned her food in a pool of Cook’s marvellous gravy, determined not to let Mrs Collins’s presence spoil her meal.

  Charlotte talked about the factory and her silversmith’s venture. Nathan said little. He had opened a bottle of wine and filled their glasses. Molly took a sip of the amber liquid which glowed in the light of tapering candles in a silver candelabra set in the centre of the table. She chanced a look in his mother’s direction and was met by an unblinking stare. Mrs Collins waved her fork in Molly’s direction, dropping potato on the damask tablecloth, and said in a quavering voice, ‘I’ve seen you before.’

  ‘It’s Molly May that was, Mother,’ said Nathan.

  ‘Ha, Mabel’s daughter! I knew her father.’

  ‘Tell me, Mrs Payne,’ said Charlotte, smiling across at her, ‘is your husband a man of education? Nathan tells me he’s been involved in this most damaging strike, helping the working classes.’

  Molly almost dropped her glass. She looked at Nathan. Was he inventing her a new background so she was more acceptable to Charlotte? Two could play at that game, she thought. ‘Yes. He travels a lot and likes to read. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is one of his favourite authors.’

  ‘Sherlock Holmes?’ Charlotte’s eyes gleamed. ‘I admire the plots. Although I’m certain a woman could do better.’

  ‘If you mean women’s minds are more devious, I’d agree,’ said Nathan, downing half the wine in his glass and refilling it. ‘Take Catherine Flanagan, for instance.’

  ‘Who?’ said Molly.

  His gaze was fixed on her flushed face and she felt a fluttering in her stomach. ‘Listen, Moll, and you’ll find out,’ he said softly. ‘She wasn’t going to let anyone get in the way of her making money. Even members of her own family.’

  ‘Poison,’ said Mrs Collins unexpectedly. ‘Little girl.’

  ‘That’s right, Mother. My father told me the story. She was at the centre of a famous trial in Liverpool in the 1880s. She and her sister killed several people, including members of their own family. They’d insured them with several different insurance companies then afterwards collected the burial money.’

  ‘Wasn’t your father,’ said Mrs Collins.

  ‘Yes, it was. I remember exactly where he sat when he told me of it. He frightened the life out of me. I was only a kid then.’

  ‘How did they poison people?’ asked Charlotte, leaning towards him, face rapt.

  ‘Soaked fly papers in water. Arsenic,’ muttered Mrs Collins. ‘Specks of it on the clothing. Have to wash them carefully.’

  ‘Did they hang?’ said Charlotte.

  ‘Of course they did,’ said Nathan, glancing at his mother. ‘Someone got suspicious despite their moving to a different house before killing their last victim. The bodies were exhumed and as Mother said, they found arsenic. So should all poisoners perish,’ he said with relish. ‘Have you finished, Moll? I believe there’s treacle pudding for afters. More wine?’

  ‘So long as it’s not poisoned.’ She held out her glass.

  He smiled. ‘It’s me that has the money so why should I poison you? But I’ve been thinking of helping you because of Frank’s little trouble. I was wondering if you’d like Mrs Arkwright’s job? Her sister’s seriously ill and she has a young family. Mrs Arkwright feels it her duty to go and look after them.’

  Molly flushed with pleasure. She did not know what to say. She would love the job. Sometimes she felt lonely working on her own. Her first instinct was to say yes, but commonsense soon came into play. What was he thinking of? What was she? How long did he think her husband was going to be in prison? ‘I’d love it,’ she said softly, ‘but Frank’s only going to be away a month.’

  Nathan’s face fell. ‘Why don’t you think about it? Stay the night here and sleep on it?’

  ‘That’s a good idea,’ said Charlotte, nodding vigorously. ‘Then we could take Mrs Payne into Liverpool first thing and she could speak to Mrs Arkwright before making up her mind. I’m all for us women being involved in business.’

  Molly was tempted, she really was, but knew it just couldn’t be. She couldn’t expect Mrs McNally to look after George every day. ‘I can’t stay. My sister-in-law lodges with me and she’ll worry if I don’t go home.’

  ‘Hell, Molly!’ said Nathan, looking exasperated. ‘She’s not your keeper. Besides, how are you going to get back? There are no trains or trains. George can sleep in the nursery with Jessica.’

  ‘No.’ She panicked. God only knew what might happen between them if she stayed. She rose to her feet, pushing back her chair. ‘Well, I’d best start now.’

  ‘Let the girl go. She’s no use to us,’ mumbled Mrs Collins.

  Molly glanced at her but saw nothing in her expression to worry her. ‘They’re the most sensible words you’ve spoken so far this evening, Mrs Collins,’ she said in a low voice. ‘Good night!’ She moved towards the door.

  Nathan stood up. ‘Why don’t you see if George is asleep? It’d be selfish to wake him. I’ll come up with you.’

  ‘Don’t forget, we need to be out early tomorrow,’ called Charlotte. ‘There’s a meeting of the Women’s Social and Political Union in London which I mean to attend. It’s a pity you can’t come with me, Mrs Payne. I’m sure you’d find it interesting.’

  ‘I’m sure I would,’ Molly said without turning round. ‘It really has been nice meeting you.’ And she hurried into the hall.

  Nathan was not far behind. Molly took one look at his face and fled upstairs.

  ‘There’s no need to run away from me,’ he said, catching up with her at the top of the stairs. ‘You couldn’t have spelled it out more clearly that you don’t want me fouling up your resolution to stand by Frank. But it won’t do, Molly. George is too damn’ much like me.’

  She whirled round. ‘He isn’t!’

  ‘I’ve a photograph to prove it in my room. Come and have a look?’

  ‘No!’

  ‘Why not? I’ll keep my hands to myself, promise.’

  ‘It’s not that.’

  ‘I don’t believe you.’

  ‘You can believe what you want.’ She just wanted to get home. This whole day was proving traumatic.

  He seized her arm. ‘Well, you’re damn’ well going to look at it! I want a son and this photograph proves he’s mine.’ He seized her arm and hustled her along the landing.

  ‘Even if it’s true, why do you have to make things so difficult for me?’ she said in a low voice.

  ‘Don’t you think this whole situation’s difficult for me too?’ He pushed open a bedroom door and pulled her inside, leading her across the room to a chest of drawers on which stood a framed photograph. ‘This used to be my uncle’s room, as you know, and this is me at three.’

  She stared at the photograph and was immediately convinced. Yes, here was George’s image almost. Nathan with fair hair, chubby-cheeked and glowering at the camera but with that way of holding his head to one side when he was angry.

  ‘Don’t you think he’s got a look of Jessica too?’

  Molly’s heart turned over. She knew she couldn’t admit to this. ‘Who? You in this photograph?’

  ‘George?’

  ‘Oh, I thought you meant you here.’ She laughed lightly. ‘I could say yes but the shape of the chin’s all wrong.’

  ‘That’s because he has your chin and your eyes, but for the rest I think he’s growing to look like me here.’ Nathan tapped the glass.

  She could not admit it. What would he do if she did? What would Frank do? Oh, God! He might kill the pair of them. He’d assaulted that policeman and he’d tracked her down before when she went missing. She had to stop this right now, for all their sakes. And the best way was suddenly clear to her. ‘If we’re related then he will look like us both.’

  Nathan�
��s expression froze. ‘I don’t believe it! Why don’t you want him to be my son? He could follow in my footsteps, take over the factory after me. I could give you so much more than Frank.’ He seized her by the arms. ‘Stay here, both of you, not just for tonight but forever. Divorce Frank.’

  ‘Divorce?’ Molly was stunned.

  ‘You can’t love him,’ said Nathan desperately. ‘A man who’s violent. He might beat George. It would be much better if my son was brought up with Jessica, half-brother and sister together. Eventually we could get married.’

  It sounded wonderful. Molly was trembling inside, longing to do what he said, but it would create a terrible scandal. ‘It would ruin you. Who’s our main customer? The Church!’

  She could see by his expression he had not thought of that. Then his face set and he squeezed her hand. ‘I don’t care. We’ll move away. Find other customers.’

  She was touched that he would be prepared to do that for her but couldn’t let him. What had he said only months ago when Charlotte had threatened to sell her share in the business to strangers? He cared for that business. And what about Charlotte too? It could leave her in a mess. Theirs was a specialised business and would there be buyers interested in it, with the strike and the way everything was so unsettled? Molly put a hand to her head. And what about Jessica? Molly hadn’t done what she had for Jessica to become the child of a poor man. She had to be strong.

  ‘You can’t do it. I won’t let you.’ She had to convince him that there was no future for. She took a deep breath to steady herself. ‘I’ve made vows, Nathan, before God. I broke them once unintentionally, I mustn’t do so again. Forget me and forget George. Besides, what kind of woman would people think me if I went off with a rich man while my husband was in gaol? It’d be a bit like the Bible where David wanted Bathsheba and got rid of her husband by sending him to the battle front.’

  ‘If only I could!’ Nathan’s voice broke on a laugh.

  They stared at one another and there was a long silence. Then he said in a bitter voice, ‘You still love Frank.’ Molly forced herself not to deny it. ‘You’ve been stringing me along all this time.’ Still she remained silent, lowering her eyes so she couldn’t see the hurt and anger in his eyes. ‘Go back to him. But he’s not having George. I could keep him here right now and you couldn’t prevent me. I will not have him catching some horrible disease in those miserable streets. I want him to have a good life.’