by Val Wood
He sat down on the floor and put his head in his hands and the two women stayed silent. Then Lily gently stroked the top of his head. ‘Don’t worry, Stuart. We’ll take our chance. I’ll run with thee if need be.’
Annie made up her mind to speak to Mr Sutcliff immediately. She went into the room where she had tasted the sumptuous food which Lily had prepared on her first visit and found him with Henry on his knee. He’d miss Lily’s cooking, she mused. Joan isn’t nearly as good a cook and Meg is so scatty she’d burn everything. And dear Rose, I hope, is coming with me.
She’d managed to whisper to Rose that she had some good news coming to her and the girl’s lovely face had lit up with a huge smile. She had been a pretty child but now she was beautiful, just grown into womanhood. There was no wonder, Annie thought, that Robin was so smitten, she would turn any man’s head. But she worshipped Robin, there was a smile in her eyes at the very mention of his name.
‘Run and find Rose,’ she told Henry. ‘I want to talk to Mr Sutcliff.’
Henry obediently slipped off his knee. ‘Are you a grandfayther? I’ve got a father and a grandfayther just like my friend James.’
‘Has he, Mrs Hope? Have you told him his fayther’s name?’ Mr Sutcliff looked up at her from his chair.
She nodded and sat down opposite him. She knew that he wouldn’t know anything. Lily was the only one who had known about Matt and Annie knew she hadn’t spoken of it. The others had expressed complete astonishment on meeting Henry.
‘Yes,’ she said. ‘He knows his father, my husband – Captain Linton.’
Mr Sutcliff tried to rise from his chair. ‘Well, I never. Please excuse me Mrs Linton – I had no idea. Does Lily know.’
His face was red with embarrassment and she hastened to reassure him. ‘She does now.’ Sergeant Collins was no doubt telling her of the marriage at the quayside in Hull. ‘Captain Linton has been pressed into the navy.’ She dropped her voice to a whisper. ‘He was also caught by the Customs; there’ll be no more goods I fear.’
‘Dear, dear. Not a naval ship! That is hard luck. Can’t he buy himself out?’ he added. ‘A man like him – his father would have influence!’
It was something she had pondered on too. Money and influence could have done much to persuade the authorities to release him. But she knew how proud Matt was. He wouldn’t go to his father for help, not at any price.
‘If he bought his way out of the navy then the Customs would be waiting for him; he couldn’t easily avoid gaol. There’s a price to be paid for what we do, Mr Sutcliff – we’re none of us innocent as we both know, and if Captain Linton stays in the navy then the Customs can’t bring him to court.’
‘That’s true.’ Mr Sutcliff ran his fingers thoughtfully through his short beard and she thought she saw a vestige of relief in his eyes. ‘And though we know that the captain wouldn’t give evidence, there’s a few folk will sleep easier if they know there’s no-one to give out their names. And I’m not talking about folks like thee and me, like me, I mean to say,’ he added hastily and she hid a wry smile, ‘I’m talking about some of ’nobs who don’t mind handling run goods.’
She nodded and thought of Mr Beddows the magistrate who would be very embarrassed if it came out that he had a regular delivery of smuggled brandy and tobacco.
‘I wanted to talk to you, Mr Sutcliff, about a young man I know, who so far in his life has managed to avoid temptation. He’s had no brush with the law and has always managed to work honestly for his living.’
‘If there is such a man, I’d like to meet him,’ Mr Sutcliff snorted. ‘It’s not possible to keep tha hands clean these days. I don’t know of anybody, except for my four lasses, and they’re both honest and trustworthy, and that’s why they’re not wed. There’s nobody fit for ’em round here. They’ll stay spinsters even though I’ll miss out on having a grandson like your young ’un.’
‘This young man has,’ Annie insisted. ‘And what’s more he’s about to embark on a new career in trade. He’s set to make his mark in drapery. But,’ she sighed. ‘His heart isn’t in it. He’s so smitten with a young lass that he can’t bear to leave without her.’
‘Then why doesn’t he wed her and take her with him? It’s the obvious thing to do. He can’t be that bright if he can’t see that!’
‘Oh, he knows that. But he thinks that the girl’s father won’t let him near his daughter.’
‘Then her fayther must be off his chump. By, I’d let one of mine go if I thought there was a chance like that!’
‘Would you, Mr Sutcliff?’ Annie leaned towards him. ‘Would you let Rose go?’
‘Rose?’ His mouth opened wide in astonishment. ‘Little Rose! Does somebody want that bairn?’ He blew out a breath. ‘Well I never.’
His eyes narrowed as he pondered. ‘I might have trouble persuading her. I think she’s smitten with young Robin Deane. You know, yon fellow who first brought thee here. I’ve seen ’em with moon eyes every time he comes, they think I don’t notice. He’s an upright young fellow, but no prospects. Tha’d have to help me talk to her, Mrs Linton.’
She sat back in the chair and waited for the notion to sink in. It took only a few minutes. He looked up. ‘It’s him, isn’t it? Robin Deane? I think tha’d better tell me about it.’
She finished her explanation and an agreement was made. Robin would present himself formally to Mr Sutcliff on arrival. Rose would be informed and Robin would speak to her and then she would accompany Annie back to York.
‘If onny my back wasn’t bad I’d come wi’ thee,’ Mr Sutcliff said. ‘First of my daughters to be wed, – she’ll be onny one I expect, unless tha can come up wi’ some others,’ he added roguishly.
‘You’ll need one daughter at home to look after you?’ she asked. ‘You couldn’t manage otherwise?’
‘Oh aye, but our Lily’d stay. She’ll not wed, she’s past ’time of passion. She’d not leave her Da.’
‘Mr Sutcliff! Now that we’ve got the business of Rose settled – I need to talk to you about Lily.’
It was as difficult as she expected it to be. He ranted and raved about deceit and trickery and she sat and waited until the fury over the alleged duplicity had blown out. Yet though he blustered that he’d have no soldier living under his roof, she felt that his real fear was in losing Lily.
‘I have to warn you, Mr Sutcliff, that Lily will go with Sergeant Collins if you won’t accept him here. She said she would go with him. They’d have a life of misery, for ever hiding and moving on, but still she would go. You wouldn’t want that would you – not for Lily?’
He heaved himself painfully out of his chair and staggered across to the window. He stood for a few moments just staring out, not speaking. Then he turned towards her.
‘It’s not been easy bringing up four lasses. I did my best by ’em and tried to treat ’em all equal. But Lily, she was allus special to me, being ’first. I wanted a lad of course, what man doesn’t. A lad that could take over here when I’m past it, which won’t be long,’ he groaned as he eased himself back into the chair. ‘But Lily was like a mother to other ’bairns. It was hard for her when her Ma died, but she never complained. Never once as far as I remember.’
‘Then isn’t she due for some happiness, Mr Sutcliff?’ Annie pleaded. ‘They might not have long together. If the army finds him and takes him back, then she’d lose him for good. You can’t deny her a chance.’
He shook his head. ‘Military wouldn’t find him up here. They never come now. They’re too busy fighting ’French to come looking up here for a deserter for one thing; and for another, we get very few travellers in this part of ’Wolds for ’word to get out. And if local folk round here did find out about him, their lips ’d be sealed, they’d say nowt.’ He folded his arms across his chest purposefully. ‘Not if he was wi’ me, they wouldn’t.’
She was halfway to victory. She rose to her feet. ‘I must relieve Rose of Henry. Perhaps you’ll think about it?’ She opened the do
or and a smell of onions and wild garlic drifted through from the kitchen.
‘Something smells good,’ she said lightheartedly. ‘She’s a good cook is Lily.’
‘Aye, she is,’ he said gloomily. ‘She takes after her mother.’
As they were preparing to sit down to supper, Mr Sutcliff pulled out a chair at the table for Annie, and one next to her for Henry. ‘Rose,’ he said. ‘Come and sit by me. If I’m to lose thee soon then I’ll have thee next to me.’
Rose blushed and glanced shyly from beneath long dark lashes at Annie and then at Joan and Meg who were bringing in the supper dishes.
They both looked up and glanced at her and then their father, but asked no questions. Joan put a pie dish on the table, its contents hidden beneath a golden crust.
‘Mm, that looks good Joan, thy hand’s improving then?’ her father remarked.
She giggled. ‘Don’t tease, fayther. Tha knows it’s not mine. Nobody makes paste like our Lily.’
Her father sighed. ‘Aye, tha’s never spoken a truer word.’
Lily sat down and cut into the crust and a fragrant spiral of steam rose from the incision. Her face was drawn and she avoided looking at her father.
‘Excuse me, Lily, but hasn’t tha forgotten summat.’ Mr Sutcliff’s words broke the silence.
She dropped the spatula with a clatter, spilling gravy on to the table and looked up in fright, her face whiter than ever.
‘Nay lass. Don’t look so scared,’ he said quietly. ‘I’m not going to bite tha head off.’
‘I’m sorry fayther. Wh- What have I forgotten? Everything’s out I think – extra gravy and ’taties.’
‘I was thinking that it’d be polite to wait on our other guest to join us before starting on our supper, and tha hasn’t set an extra place at ’table!’
Lily stared at her father, her face set, her eyes enormous. She said nothing and the other girls moved only their eyes from one to another, as if aware that something momentous was about to happen, but dare not for the life of them ask what it was.
‘Joan’ll dish up,’ he continued. ‘Meg, fetch another plate from ’rack. Go on then, Lily,’ he said gently. ‘Bring tha friend in before ’supper gets cold.’
35
Annie, Rose and Robin waved goodbye to the Sutcliffs as they gathered in the inn yard to see them off. Mr Sutcliff leaning on a stout stick stood between Joan and Meg, both of whom were weeping copious tears, while a little apart from them stood Lily and Stuart Collins. As they made a final wave before turning a corner they saw him put a hand on her shoulder.
‘You don’t mind about not being married from home, Rose?’ Annie looked at her anxiously. ‘You don’t feel as if you’re being rushed?’
Rose shook her head. ‘Local folk would have expected a wedding breakfast, and under ’circumstances – with Mr Collins here, it would have been awkward for our Lily. I’m so glad for her, Annie. She’s been so good to all of us, she deserves to be happy.’
Rose and Robin had barely spoken to each other since Mr Sutcliff had given them his blessing, they both seemed so overcome with the swift events, the impromptu family party that they’d had to celebrate, the hurried packing of Rose’s things, that it was as if they had run out of things to say.
They hardly know each other, Annie thought. They’re going to have to learn, I’ll keep Rose close by me until she’s ready.
Robin had hired a bigger cart than usual, and a swift mare. He’d brought all of his cloth and trimmings, though his own belongings were in one small bag, so they all rode in the cart with Sorrel tied behind and Charlie running alongside.
‘We’ll be there before nightfall,’ Annie said. ‘This is faster than by donkey-cart. I thought I was travelling to the ends of the earth when I first came.’
‘Tha left at a bad time, if I remember rightly,’ Robin said. ‘Wasn’t it winter and snow on the ground?’
‘It was,’ Rose interrupted. ‘I remember you came out looking for Annie, Robin, and we were all surprised at you coming at that time of year.’
She blushed as she spoke as if remembering it with pleasure.
‘That’s right I did.’ He glanced at her from over his shoulder as he urged on the mare. ‘And we took that walk across the valley and all the branches of the trees were covered with snow. It looked so beautiful.’ It was his turn now to blush as he too remembered.
And the Sutcliffs didn’t give me away, Annie thought. If they had – how different things would have been. Robin would have found me and told Matt. How hastily I acted; what wasted years.
As they drew up outside the shop in Fossgate the lights were burning though it was after eight o’clock, the normal closing time. Annie glanced in the window. Someone had changed her display. Instead of the red and white and black which she had arranged, there was a conglomeration of colour; purples and maroons, yellows and orange. The window was filled to capacity with rolls of velvets and satins set in a hotchpotch fashion.
She opened the door, the bell gave a tinkling chime and she looked up. The clapper had been taken out and a coin put in its place. She looked around. What had happened? Everything looked different. The rolls of cloth had been taken down from the shelves and placed in boxes on the floor. Ralph Mortimer stood behind the counter watching her.
‘What’s happened?’ she asked breathlessly. ‘Mr Sampson—? He’s not ill?’
‘Good evening, Mrs Hope. So you’re back at last? We’d quite given you up.’ He adjusted his fine neckcloth and perfunctorily brushed hair powder from his shoulder. He had on his head a full bottom wig after the fashion of the traditional London drapers, and a green watered silk waistcoat embroidered with lace, beneath his grey cutaway coat. He wore white stockings and tight grey breeches.
‘Where is Mr Sampson?’ she demanded. ‘Why are you here and where is Mrs Cook?’
‘I’ve sent Mrs Cook home, and alas my uncle is confined to bed. My mother, Mrs Mortimer, is with him now, taking care of him. Oh, and the girl, Polly, has gone also, we have no need of such a person here.’
‘But is Mr Sampson ill? What’s the matter with him?’
He surveyed her from down his long nose. ‘I think it’s no concern of yours, Mrs Hope, except of course,’ he laughed scornfully, ‘you will be worried about your position here!’
Mine and that of Robin and Rose, she thought, glancing through the window where she saw them sitting in the cart waiting for her to tell them they could come in. But poor Mr Sampson in the clutches of that pair!
‘But there is no need to worry,’ he assured her patronizingly. ‘I’m sure we can usefully employ you in a similar capacity to the one you had previously. I shall need your room, however. I shall stay on the premises until, or if, such time as my uncle should return.’
‘But my things—, have you been in my room?’ She couldn’t bear to think that his thin white hands had been straying over her possessions.
‘Only to assess what I shall need.’ His thin smile told her that he had indeed been prying.
The bell tinkled again and Mrs Mortimer filled the doorway, her bearing arrogant as she saw Annie. ‘Ah,’ she gushed. ‘So you came back, Mrs Hope!’
‘Of course I came back, Mrs Mortimer.’ Annie’s temper got the better of her. ‘Surely Mr Sampson told you that I had been away on his behalf? We have a new manager, Mr Deane, who is at this moment patiently waiting to be let in!’
Robin had dismounted from the cart and was waiting outside the window. ‘He is most experienced,’ she continued, ‘and has been employed especially at Mr Sampson’s request, so that he might now take things a little easier. I can’t understand why he didn’t inform you if you are as close as you maintain.’
Mrs Mortimer and her son exchanged glances and two bright pink spots appeared on Ralph’s cheeks.
Annie smiled sweetly. ‘Did Mr Sampson not also tell you that he had asked me to marry him?’
Their mouths dropped open and they both took a breath.
‘Yes
,’ she continued. ‘I said I would inform him of my decision on my return. I intend to go to his lodgings and tell him my answer just as soon as we have unpacked Mr Deane’s belongings. So if you will excuse me—? Don’t worry about locking up,’ she said, opening the door. ‘I’ll do that after you’ve gone. I have my own key.’
Dumbstruck they both walked towards the door. Annie picked up a cane which was lying on a chair and handed it to Ralph Mortimer. She viewed him with her head on one side. ‘Are they still making those wigs?’ she asked. ‘Or was it your father’s? All the London dandys are wearing their own hair now, so I hear. Still,’ she added sweetly, ‘wear what suits, I always say. Good evening.’
After they had unpacked the cart, she sent Robin round to lodgings nearby where he would spend the night and stable the two horses. Henry had fallen asleep in a chair and Robin had gently lifted him up and taken him up to bed. Rose watched him as he covered the boy with a blanket and her face became soft and loving.
‘Will you be all right here with Henry, Rose, if I leave you for half an hour? I must go and see Mr Sampson even though it’s getting late. I want to put his mind at rest, God knows what state he’ll be in if he thinks those two have been in charge of the shop. Go to bed if you’re tired.’
There was a knock on the shop door as she went down the stairs and Robin peered through the glass. ‘Can I leave Charlie here, Annie? The woman at the lodgings won’t let me take him up to my room, ’says he has to sleep in the stable, but I’m afeard of him running back home if I’m not there with him.’
She opened the door and let him in and Charlie greeted her joyously as if he had been parted for days instead of only a half hour.
‘Will you stay until I get back, Robin? I think Rose is a little nervous in a strange place.’
‘Aye, she will be. She’s not been in a town before, she’ll wonder at all the strange noises. At the carriages rattling past, not to mention the drunks going home from the gin shops. I’ll stay, you don’t have to rush.’
