by S G Read
‘Theodore I have been talking to Martin. I know that you think Martin should run the orphanage with you following his orders but we both feel he is too young to be known to be running the place, so you will be acting beadle and he will be your assistant.’
Theodore went to argue but Andrew held up his hand palm forward to stop him and he did not speak.
‘Martin will see to the day to day running of the place under my guidance when he needs it but I am afraid you will have to wear a suit and look like the man in charge. If you have any visitors, especially Mr Easterbrook, then you will avail yourself and answer his questions and show him the books. If you do not know any particular answer you will call on your assistant, Martin, to answer it.’
‘Me in a suit?’
‘You will look like a right toff Mr Norrie.’
‘What happened to Theodore; Martin?’ Theodore asked.
‘If you are my boss and in a suit I should call you Mr Norrie when we are in company, so I will do it all the time so I don’t make any slip ups when people are here.’
Theodore opened his mouth to argue again but this time changed his mind. ‘I suppose we will have to make all of them here call me Mr Norrie then.’
‘Best tell them.’ Martin agreed.
‘Well now that it is settled I am going back to Lamerton just to make sure Beth knows I am still alive.’
Theodore gave him a knowing grin, they both walked out to Hopscotch with him and watched him ride away.
‘Well young Martin it looks like we have a modern orphanage, come laundry to run and we have to make sure everyone can read and right as well.’
‘We have that Mr Norrie.’
They walked back inside.
‘It wasn’t long ago I was whipped by Jacob Sly in this very room?’ Martin said as he closed the door.
‘I remember it well Martin, he went to town on you and you took a while to recover from it that time.’ Theodore answered.
‘Norman tried to stop him and got whipped himself.’ Martin added.
‘Still that is all over now, as long as things go smoothly so any other Martins need sorting out.’ Theodore declared.
Martin smiled. ‘Yes they do!’
Chapter 16
Andrew rode back to Lamerton to see Beth and the baby and to find out how Peterkin was getting on. By the time he arrived Beth was ready to stop lessons and she hurried down to greet him. Ruth was looking after their daughter and they had time to make up. Peterkin still hovered between life and death but the longer he breathed the better his chances were of surviving.
Andrew spent more time at Lamerton for the next two weeks as the washing tubs were removed and re-installed at Tavistock. The steam engine at Tavistock could cope with all they asked of it and more. Children were taken by cart two and fro from Tavistock to wash and the younger children no longer had to do any work which they liked. Now they could play like normal children. Slowly the older children settled at Tavistock to save having to travel every day and the younger children stayed at Lamerton.
Andrew rode to Tavistock on Hopscotch during the day to see what was happening there but he rode back soon after when he found that all was well. Theodore and Martin had things working well and the children were happy.
The terrace of houses at Lamerton was now finished and anyone who were too old to officially be in the orphanage moved out of the orphanage and in to the houses including James the carpenter. He had helped out with the work to save Andrew money, at Bill’s suggestion and now they were planning a second terrace of houses nearer the road.
Andrew had an eye on the cottage opposite, which, at the moment was kept for visitors but now that they had a second bedroom in the parlour as well as the nursery he felt he could use it for other things. To that end he sent William the doctor a letter, which brought William to Lamerton surprisingly quickly.
‘Good day William.’ Andrew greeted as he walked out to meet him.
‘You were thinking about opening a hospital Andrew?’ William answered.
‘I was William. The cottage opposite is empty and only used when my parents come to visit and now we have room in the orphanage for them to stay.’
‘Will Alice not come with them?’
‘She will and she can stay in the bedroom we used after we were married, now that Tom is fit and well.’
‘Yes it did go well. I understand James has made him a room in the stable?’
‘Yes, I did offer him a place in the terrace but he said he was too far from the gate for his liking so James made him his own room.’
They walked over to the cottage.
‘I thought as a doctor you would like a hospital near by to be able to look after your sick and injured patients.’
‘I would indeed and I could always travel to my surgery from here rather than my lodgings.’
‘You could have lodgings in or near the cottage as there is room to build a house in the grounds. I have spoken to Ruth Fearon and she would move over there with her children to be your nurse, as we have three people looking after the babies now.’
‘My own house, now there is something I would like but I do not know if I can afford such an undertaking Andrew.’
‘I considered that stumbling block, as you are often paid in meat or vegetables. I will build the house using orphanage children and the builders we have sponsored, not forgetting James the carpenter. We will charge you a rent in excess of what you pay now but it will be a mortgage repayment. Once you have paid what it cost to build, plus a little interest on our money, it will be yours.’
‘But it will be on orphanage land.’
‘On the edge and you will have paid for the land the house sits on and we will make an opening onto the road for you to use.’
‘Well it sounds like an offer I do not want to refuse;’ he paused for breath and to think but it was only for a few seconds. ‘So I will not refuse it.’ He held out his hand and they shook on the idea.
‘We will start as soon as I can get some plans drawn up and believe it or not young James is good at that as well!’
‘No!’ William declared. ‘He does surprise us with his skills, born from a lowly upbringing. While I am here I will look in on Peterkin to see if there is any sign of improvement.’
A few days later work started on the new house and turning the cottage into a hospital; at the same time a letter arrived to announce a visit from the McDays.
‘We will test out the new arrangements sooner than I anticipated Beth.’ Andrew observed after he had read it and passed it to Beth to read.
‘So we will husband, I wonder if Alice will come?’
‘I think she will and I have a feeling William will be here checking on the hospital more than he needs to while they are here but as she was destined to sleep where Peterkin is we need to find somewhere suitable for a young lady.’
‘I am sure she can sleep in the nursery and the baby can sleep in with us, or upstairs if she cries too much. And Alice can do worse than being a doctor’s wife.’ Beth commented.
‘Especially one as accomplished as William, I can see him going on to bigger and better things and possibly propelled by my father, if he does marry Alice.’
‘Here we are talking about marriage and they have hardly spoken to each other.’ Beth declared.
‘But we have both seen how they look at each other. I did think she was interested in Tom when she insisted on the operation on his ankle but I feel it was a ruse to bring William up here while she was here.’
‘I think you are right husband and Tom has two good legs out of it, into the bargain.’
‘So he has.’
The McDay entourage arrived and were shown to their new quarters, Alice was unhappy with her room as it had a cot in it but it was all that was available. She was happy that the house being built was for Doctor Knight, which was a good sign.
Rosemary mooned over the baby and they made arrangements for a Christening while they were there. A lot of thought wen
t into the names chosen and their daughter ended up as Sarah Rosemary Alice Elizabeth McDay. Father Ignacious arrived and carried out the Christening in the orphanage and a telegram arrived with good wishes for the baby from James Easterbrook.
On that day the children were assembled in their uniforms and all stood quietly, which for them nowadays was unusual. The service was slow and father Ignacious talked for sometime on new life, on God and other things pertaining to religion. It started to sound like one of the classes he held for the children, until Clarence gave a cough, which received a stern glance from Rosemary, but it moved things forward at greater speed. Finally Sarah was baptised and did not cry at all. There was food and juice afterwards of which they all partook before the children drifted away to do what they wanted to do.
Alice spent as much time with William as she could even to helping him change Peterkin’s bandages when it was needed. William was impressed by her reaction when faced with a wounded man. The wounds had healed as much as they would with him lying in bed but William needed him to wake up to take food and water. Not that they had not fed and watered him by a tube but it was far better that he woke and ate.
When he had finished with Peterkin he and Alice left, only to be replaced with Clarence. He closed the door and spoke to Peterkin, not softly but in his booming courtroom voice. He talked about cases and things they were doing at the moment, including Peterkin missing the Christening. As he talked Peterkin’s eyes moved under the closed eyelids, sometimes slowly, other times rapidly but they did not open. As Clarence moved to the door he added.
‘I will be back tomorrow.’ And made it sound like a threat. And as soon as Peterkin had been washed in the morning, he was as good as his word and the booming voice started again.
He could be heard outside and it made Ruth say ‘I wonder how long he will stand that?’ To Beth as they walked by.
‘Not long I hope or he may never wake.’ Beth replied quietly.
The work on William’s house continued and the house started to take shape with both William and Alice spending time over the road. They walked together but in sight of the workers, to obviate the need of a chaperone. As they walked they talked and laughed, pointed and smiled at what they were pointing at.
One morning before Clarence went in to subject Peterkin to yet more of his booming voice William arrived and nodded politely to Alice but passed her by to walk over to Clarence. Alice was put out at first but then a little smile appeared on her lips and she walked away; a spring in her step in anticipation.
‘Mr McDay may I have a word?’ William asked politely.
‘Is it about Peterkin?’
‘No it is not.’ William did not say more but indicated the empty parlour.
Clarence looked at him suspiciously but walked into the parlour; William followed and closed the door behind them.
‘I would like your permission to call upon your daughter sir.’ William stated a little bluntly.
‘What more than you are now?’ Clarence accused but then smiled. ‘I will ask Alice if she would like you to call on her and if she answers in the affirmative then you may as long as you adhere to the niceties and customs prescribed by modern society.’
‘Thank you sir.’ William answered a little taken aback.
‘Shall we seal it with a glass of port?’ Clarence asked.
‘This once sir then; I tend not to indulge in alcohol unless the occasion warrants it and this I believe does.’
‘So do I William, so do I.’ Clarence answered, as they walked over to the drinks cabinet. ‘It will be something to tell Peterkin.’
For a week Peterkin withstood the booming voice but finally succumbed on the seventh day.
‘Was I in time?’ He asked weakly when Clarence paused for breath.
‘Hardly Peterkin old chap and when you did arrive you were in no fit state to say anything.’ Clarence answered in a quiet voice. ‘Still you had been shot twice.’
‘Twice, surely one missed.’
‘One did but the other one must have pulled a second pistol and shot you in the back.’
‘Not a nice thing to do.’ Peterkin declared. ‘Still I did shoot his mate.’
Clarence helped him sip some water then lowered his head again.
‘Still you will soon be up and around now.’
‘It don’t feel like it Mr McDay.’
‘I am sure you will feel better with some food in you I will tell Mrs Fearon you are awake.’ Clarence hurried away, in case he fell back asleep before they returned but he need not have worried.
Ruth came in with soup in a bowl for him and between them, they fed Peterkin some hot food.
William went looking for Alice but she was hiding to keep him looking for her. The fact that he was looking for her, she took as a good sign. One small girl watching out the window and taking in what was going on pointed to where Alice was hiding and William headed straight for the spot. Alice acted nonchalantly when he found her.
‘Did you want me?’ She asked coquettishly.
‘I did indeed.’ William answered. ‘Just to tell you I was going out on my rounds now.’ He turned to go and Alice felt deflated but he turned back. ‘Oh and your father has consented for me to call on you if you want me to.’
Alice did not answer.
‘Well did-do you?’
She smiled. ‘Oh I do William, I do.’
‘Then I will call for you when I have done my rounds and we can go for a ride if you want to.’
‘I will arrange for someone to ride with us as custom dictates.’ Alice answered, with slight complaint in her voice. ‘Where will we live when we are married?’
William turned and looked at the house under construction. ‘There I hope.’
Alice looked across at the house. ‘I think I can get used to living out of London, easier than you could get used to living in London William. I will wait for your return.’
They both wanted to kiss but neither made a move to and William was soon on his way to his first patient.
With Peterkin now on the mend Clarence felt he could spend time on other matters, he sought out Beth for a talk.
‘I have had some papers sent to me about you parents and all that went on and I feel now that I can submit a case which will triumph Beth; thus regaining all that was lost. You may not need it but it would be a legacy you could leave to your children. I need your permission to proceed and you can be assured that no matter how long they hang it out and how many arguments they dream up, arguments which usually make it unwise to continue, my time will be free, as will be the time for any one who works for me. There will be costs incurred but I will pay them and they can be the Christening present for Sarah.’
‘Well I must admit it would be nice to get back what is rightfully ours, so do whatever you think you should Mr McDay.’
‘It is Clarence or father Beth, which ever one you choose but no longer Mr McDay.’
‘Then thank you father.’
Clarence smiled and kissed Beth on the forehead; he was going to make the swindlers lives a misery and run them out of money to boot but for now he waited to see if Peterkin was going to fully recover before he went hunting villains.
As the house rose majestically into the air so did Peterkin regain his strength but it was Tom and Andrew who went with Clarence to make sure he arrived where he was going and managed to return safely.
Andrew had spent time teaching Tom how to fire the pistol he now carried and although he was no crack shot he could hit what he was aiming at as long as it was big enough and a highwayman was big enough. With the Tavistock orphanage working under the guidance of Martin and Theodore and Lamerton under Henry and a host of other senior children, not forgetting Beth and Ruth, Andrew spent time ensuring his father’s safety while he set about regaining Beth’s inheritance.
The tactics of the new owners were to try to waste time and cost Beth money but it was a waste of their own money as well. One court appearance led to another with no win
ner or no loser but when asked Clarence just smiled and said be patient. He did admit to Andrew that he had promoted his leading assistant who had been with him for some years and he was now a partner. As a partner he could run the office and McDay’s of London could continue with out him indefinitely. Now Andrew knew what it was all about; Clarence would wait until Peterkin was fit enough to travel before thinking about returning home and that gave him all the time he needed to complete Beth’s case. Instead of waiting for the opposition to act he dragged them back into court on a regular basis until they could no longer afford their counsel who having taken payment, washed his hands of the case. Soon after that the opposition failed to show at a hearing and judgement was given in Beth’s favour. As he knew the likely outcome Clarence had insisted Beth came to court on that day and she walked out of court the proud owner of the lands and houses thereon that her family had once owned.
Peterkin by then was up and about with a need for some action so when they went to investigate the returned lands and houses he went along. The thief taker was invited along in case there was trouble with the previous owners but they had fled, taking all they could carry. He immediately signed out an arrest warrant as what they had taken was now Beth’s property.
The houses were in a poor state with no repairs being carried out for many years but Andrew had a limitless workforce and he sent a group of children over to help and included Bill and James. While they were away arranging the help Tom and Peterkin remained to make sure nothing else was taken or wantonly damaged. There were still two beds there with some furniture and Tom cut logs for a fire and to cook food by. Later that night a noise roused the ever alert Tom before Peterkin woke and he in turn woke Peterkin.
They listened to the voices and the noises of furniture being carried out before they acted. Peterkin moved outside as silently as usual, before Tom challenged them. When the challenge was laid, one of the intruders fired at the voice making the challenge and Tom returned fire with two of the pistols he had ready. Then he moved cautiously down the stairs ready to fire again. Two shots out side alerted him to the fact that Peterkin had acted and by the moonlight he saw a man running away. His ball flew true and the man fell. Peterkin fired again from his concealed position and another man fell after that it remained quiet. Neither Tom nor Peterkin spoke as it was likely to invite a shot at them; they merely watched and waited.
