Hold on to your Dreams

by Beryl Matthews

  He smiled and nodded his thanks when Millie handed him a cup of tea. There was hardly any milk in it, but he guessed that would be used sparingly in her home.

  ‘That all right?’ she asked.

  ‘Perfect, thank you, Millie.’

  She beamed, warming to him at last. ‘You want something to eat? There’s lots.’

  ‘I’ll have a sandwich, please.’

  Turning back to the trolley she began to count the sandwiches.

  ‘What are you doing?’ David asked.

  ‘There’s four of us so they’ve got to be shared properly. Got to be fair.’

  Alex’s jaw clenched as he watched her earnest little face. He’d always had a life of plenty, and this scene humbled him.

  David put the plates in her hands. ‘You don’t have to worry about that. If we eat everything the maid will bring more. Hand the plates round.’

  ‘Empty?’

  ‘Yes, then you offer the large platter of sandwiches and we all take what we want.’ When she rushed towards Fred, he stopped her. ‘You serve Mr Glendale first.’

  Fred was ginning, more relaxed now. ‘That’s ’cos he’s top of the heap,’ he told Millie.

  ‘That right?’

  Alex couldn’t stop himself from chuckling. ‘Not quite top of the heap. Now Millie, if there were ladies here, they would be served first, and then the men.’

  With the point cleared up to her satisfaction, the girl happily trotted around seeing that everyone had lots to eat, including herself. It looked as if a plague of locusts had hit the table by the time they’d finished.

  Eyeing the empty plates, Alex asked, ‘Would you like anything else?’

  ‘Couldn’t eat another crumb,’ Fred declared, patting his stomach.

  Millie nodded agreement, giving Alex an impish smile. ‘When Miss takes us to the teashop she gets them to give us some food to take home. She’s ever so kind.’

  Without saying a word, he rang the bell for the trolley to be removed. While the maid was doing this, he said, ‘Daisy, ask cook to prepare a basket of food for both Mille and Fred.’

  ‘At once, sir.’

  After the maid left the room, Fred gave Alex a determined look. ‘You being kind to us don’t mean I’m gonna do what you want. I don’t get involved in nothing criminal. I promised my dad. He said just because we’re poor don’t mean we have to sink into the gutter.’

  ‘And he’s quite right. I’m not trying to bribe you, Fred. Listen to what I have to say and then make up your own mind.’

  ‘Fair enough.’

  Alex sat back, his respect for these youngsters growing by the minute. ‘The men Mr Melrose gambled with are members of my club and I would like to find out if he was cheated. If you were able to watch them, could you tell if they were manipulating the cards?’

  ‘That all you want me to do? Just watch?’

  Alex nodded.

  ‘Hmm. They’d have to be very good for me not to see …’ He paused. ‘But I’d have to be near them for some time.’

  ‘That can be arranged. The gamblers eat and drink a lot and I can get you in to clear the glasses and plates. I’ll be there with you all the time. Will you help us, Fred?’

  He almost held his breath while Fred looked at Millie, silent messages passing between them.

  Eventually, Fred turned back to him. ‘Will you help Miss and her family if we find out her brother was cheated?’

  ‘You have my word on that.’

  ‘Hmm, you don’t look like a man who’d break his promise.’

  ‘I’m not.’

  ‘All right, I’ll do it. But how are you gonna get me into your club? It must be posh. You being rich and all that.’

  ‘You can leave that to me.’ He wasn’t sure how this was going to turn out, but at least they would be doing something for the Melrose family.

  ‘Cor!’ Millie was beaming. ‘Wait till we tell Miss.’

  ‘She mustn’t know about this,’ David said quickly. ‘Promise me you won’t say a word.’

  ‘Why?’ Fred was puzzled.

  ‘Miss Melrose wouldn’t be pleased to know I was helping her,’ Alex explained, deciding to be completely honest with the youngsters.

  ‘Why?’ Millie asked this time.

  ‘Because she doesn’t like me.’

  ‘You been nasty to her?’ Millie eyed Alex with suspicion.

  ‘No, I’ve always treated her kindly. I have great affection for her and her family.’

  ‘Why don’t she like you then?’

  David smothered a laugh. These youngsters were not going to let this subject drop.

  ‘Do you like everyone you meet?’

  ‘No, ’course not.’ Millie was now standing close to Alex, frowning. ‘Most girls would fall over themselves to get at you. You being so posh and all that.’

  Out of the corner of his eye, Alex could see David almost crying with silent laughter, and he was having the same difficulty, but managed to keep his composure. ‘Those things do not impress Miss Melrose.’

  ‘’Spect not.’ Millie glanced at Fred. ‘She’s not a snob, is she?’

  Her friend nodded vigorously in agreement.

  ‘Indeed not.’ He thought it was about time he took control again. ‘I’ll contact you when the arrangements have been made, Fred. Will you give me your address?’

  This was quickly written down, and armed with baskets of food, they were sent home in Alex’s carriage, much to the youngsters’ glee.

  When they were alone again, Alex and David settled down with a large whisky each.

  Alex raised his glass. ‘Here’s to success.’

  ‘I’ll drink to that.’

  Chapter Eight

  ‘Come into the library.’ Sutton urged his wife and daughter into the room. ‘I have something to tell you.’

  Gertrude studied her father’s face and was relieved to see him looking more relaxed. This was a terrible time for all of them, but her dear father was the one desperately trying to settle the matter, and the strain showed.

  When they were seated he glanced at each of them, a brief smile touching his lips. ‘You’ll be pleased to know that the debt has been settled.’

  ‘Oh, that’s wonderful!’ Florence sighed with relief. ‘But how did you manage it, my dear? We haven’t sold the house yet.’

  ‘Yes, we have. I had a visit from Alexander Glendale this morning.’

  Gertrude tensed, but she said nothing – with difficulty.

  Her father continued. ‘He’d heard of our urgent need and made an extremely generous offer for this house. It was enough to clear the rest of the debt. I accepted. The money arrived from his bankers two hours ago and I’ve paid those men. We’ll have no more trouble from them.’

  ‘That is good news, darling.’ Florence managed a smile, but couldn’t stop her voice shaking. It had happened. The home she loved was no longer theirs. ‘When does he want us to leave? I must get in touch with Hanna.’

  Gertrude knew her mother would be heartbroken to leave this house. They all would be. And it was awful to hear that Mr Glendale had bought it.

  ‘We don’t have to leave.’

  ‘What?’ Her head came up and she gripped her mother’s hand as it began to tremble.

  ‘Explain, please.’ Florence whispered.

  ‘He has bought the house as an investment—’

  Gertrude snorted.

  ‘I know you don’t like him, Gertie, but listen, and then I would expect you to find gratitude in your heart for his kindness. And make no mistake, this is an act of unselfishness. He didn’t fool me that this was purely a business venture. He came to help us and presented it in a way he felt I could accept with dignity.’

  She lowered her eyes at her father’s rebuke. ‘I’m sorry, Father.’

  He nodded and continued. ‘He explained that he had no plans for the property and so we could continue to live here. The rent he has set is ridiculously low. This I also accepted, because it will mean we can sta
y here.’

  ‘That is very kind of him.’ Florence couldn’t hide her relief. ‘I am so pleased we won’t have to leave.’

  Sutton smiled at his wife. ‘You have been courageous, my dear, and I’m grateful for your support. There is one more piece of good news. Alexander said that we may purchase the house back at the price he paid for it when we are in a position to do so.’

  ‘That’s wonderful!’ Florence exclaimed.

  ‘Don’t get too excited,’ he warned gently. ‘It will take time, for we have run ourselves dry. But we still have the business, and with economies and hard work we shall recover.’

  She was pleased they didn’t have to leave the home her parents had lovingly built up together, but Gertrude was suspicious about Mr Glendale’s motives. Why on earth would he want to buy their house when he had so much property already? And from all accounts, he was also building up a thriving business in shipping. She was worried. Seeing the relief on her mother’s face, she chose her words carefully. ‘I don’t understand why he has done this. Did he ask for something in return?’

  Her father sat back and studied his daughter intently. ‘No, he did not ask for your hand in marriage.’

  ‘I didn’t mean that,’ she said hastily. But truthfully, it had been the first thing to come into her head.

  ‘Yes, you did. He’s made no secret of his affection for you, and I believe this is why he’s helping us in this way. I can see no other reason for it. But he’s not a fool, far from it. He knows you dislike him, and is too much of a gentleman to force his attentions on you. We cannot fathom why you feel such animosity towards him – and I suspect neither can you.’

  She squirmed in her seat. Her father knew her too well, and what he said was true; she had no idea why she’d wanted to run the other way as soon as she’d seen Mr Glendale for the first time. It was all quite illogical. ‘He makes me uneasy when he’s near. Such a strong personality swamps me. I’m sorry, I know I’m being unreasonable, but I can’t seem to warm to him.’

  Florence stood up. ‘I shall write a letter tonight, and you will do the same, Gertrude. We must also let Hanna know. I expect she’ll be relieved to know we won’t be moving in and disrupting her life.’

  ‘Of course I’ll write.’ Her mother had made it an order, not a request. But she knew it was going to be a difficult letter to word. He might not be asking for anything at the moment, but what would happen in the future? They would be at his mercy, and that didn’t sit easily with her. She knew enough about her father’s business to be sure it would take a long time before he was able to buy back the house. Maybe years. Her parents liked and respected Glendale, but she had always found him to be a cold man.

  Her mother left the room to tell Cook they were now ready to eat, but Gertrude stayed where she was, lost in troubled thought.

  ‘Don’t look so downcast, my dear.’ Her father rested his hand on her shoulder. ‘We have the worst behind us now.’

  ‘I know, but I’m uneasy about this arrangement.’

  ‘Don’t be. If things should go wrong, then we can move in with Hanna. It would have broken your mother’s heart to leave this house. I have taken Alexander at his word for her sake. He has the reputation of being a man who is honest in his dealings.’

  She nodded. ‘I don’t doubt that, but he seems to lack warmth.’

  He squeezed his daughter’s shoulder. ‘I agree he guards his emotions, but let’s accept this piece of good fortune and take each day as it comes. The debt has been paid, and we can stay here, even if it no longer belongs to us.’ Sadness filled his eyes. ‘I’ve robbed Florence of her son. I didn’t want to take her home from her as well, and I grabbed at this reprieve, even if it turns out to be short.’

  She could feel the mental strain he was under and reached out to comfort him. ‘Father, you had no choice. Not only had Edward left awful debts, but you had been attacked and your family threatened. Mother understands you only did what you felt you had to.’

  When he spoke, his voice was husky with grief. ‘I know, but it doesn’t make my decisions any the less painful. He’s ruined us, and I couldn’t risk any harm coming to you and your mother. Material possessions mean nothing when weighed against both of you. Your lives are precious to me.’

  ‘Do you really believe those men would have carried out their threat?’ she asked quietly.

  He shrugged, and then sighed deeply. ‘I could not take that chance. Please don’t mention this to your mother, but I want you to be aware that we may not be able to regain the comfortable position we once held.’

  She gazed into his troubled face. He had always spoken to her frankly, and he was doing that now, alerting her to the seriousness of their position. ‘You mean it’s unlikely we’ll be able to buy this house back?’

  ‘The word I would use is impossible. Oh, I could eventually save enough if the business grows, but times are hard and it will take many years. Will Alexander wait that long?’ He grimaced. ‘I doubt that very much. He’s a good businessman and he will not want to have an investment standing idle for any length of time. I knew that when I made the agreement, but the debt had to be paid, and he was giving me a way to do that. I had to take his offer, as there was no choice. You understand, don’t you?’

  Gertrude felt sick when she nodded. Her father had been putting on a brave face for his wife’s sake. She was grieving for the loss of her son, and she had been given some small comfort to know they could remain living in the house she loved. The pain she felt for her parents was physical, making her clench her teeth. And for the first time in her life she hated her brother for doing this to them. How could Edward have been so selfish?

  ‘If there’s anything I can do, you must let me know,’ she said.

  ‘There is something. Will you come and work with me, Gertie? I’m going to need all the help I can get at the workshop. The business is our only asset now and we must work hard to expand it if we can. It’s not as profitable as it should be.’

  ‘Of course,’ she agreed instantly, then glanced up and smiled. ‘I’m not much good at sawing wood.’

  He laughed for the first time. ‘I believe you’d be good at anything you tackled, but I’ll need you to look after the paperwork for me. I’ll expect your best handwriting.’

  She smiled at his attempt to make a joke.

  ‘I’m going to need you, and so is your mother.’ He lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes, serious again. ‘There’s hard work in front of us, Gertie.’

  ‘I’m not afraid of that. We’ll get through this, whatever happens,’ she declared confidently. ‘Something will turn up, you’ll see.’

  ‘Ever the optimist.’

  ‘Of course. Ah, there’s the dinner gong. Now we must smile.’ They walked arm in arm to join Florence, but the brightness of her expression belied the heaviness inside her. She prayed that Mr Glendale could indeed be trusted not to turn them out for a year or two. They all needed time to come to terms with the mess they were in. She doubted if her mother could have dealt with the loss of her son and the house all at once. How she hated to be at the mercy of anyone. But it was no good riling against it. Their situation was grave, and she would do anything she could to help.

  The most important thing at the moment was to find Edward and know he was safe. Then perhaps it would be easier to come to terms with the rest.

  The next morning, Alex was up early as there was a busy day ahead of him. His first call this morning would be to his club. He usually shied away from using his position, but he was going to call in a favour to get Fred into the gaming room. Then he would see David before going to the boy’s parents. There was no way he would involve the youngster in this if they objected.

  With the day planned, he helped himself from the various breakfast dishes. As usual, he was the only one there. Two years ago his mother, father and sister had died within a year of each other. His sister died of a fever, then his father of a massive heart attack, and his mother of a broken heart.
She just seemed to lose the will to live.

  The food in front of him was forgotten as the memories flooded in. He had been set for a military career, but he’d had to resign his commission and return home to take care of the family estates.

  The grief that had swamped him on his return would never be forgotten. This large house had always been full of lively people, and the emptiness had nearly destroyed him. But he was a fighter and could not allow that to happen. He knew people considered him cold and unfeeling, but that facade had been necessary. It was the only way he’d been able to survive the loneliness and grief.

  Pushing away the now cold food, he glanced down the table and pictured Gertrude sitting there. But that wasn’t going to happen, and it was time he dismissed the desire. She didn’t like him and he wouldn’t waste time trying to change her mind. He didn’t believe he was a vain man, but there were several young women who would marry him for his money. But he had grave doubts that he could ever commit himself to a woman who only wanted wealth and position. His parents had loved each other deeply, and he wanted the same for himself. Foolish!

  The butler arrived holding a silver tray. ‘The post has arrived, sir.’

  ‘Thank you.’ He took the letters, pleased to have his sombre thoughts interrupted.

  The first letter was from Florence Melrose, thanking him for allowing them to remain in the house. It was beautifully written and he was pleased his offer had been accepted with such dignity. The next note lacked sincerity and he guessed it had been written out of duty. Gertrude had managed only a couple of sentences, and her gratitude was grudging. Giving a snort of disgust, he tossed the note down and muttered, ‘My God, Gertrude, what have I ever done to you? You didn’t mean one word of that! Your stiff note shows clearly that you resent the fact it was me who came to your aid. Well, I’m going to do a hell of a lot more. And when I’ve sorted out the mess your brother has left you in, I’m going to dismiss you from my thoughts and find myself a willing, docile wife!’