by Dilly Court
‘Yes, Grandpa. I’ll fetch it now.’ Lily hurried from the room, hoping that her brothers had not devoured the last of Aggie’s gingerbread. She was about to return to the kitchen when someone hammered on the front door. She put the bucket of cinders down and tugged at the door handle, but once again the wood had swollen with the damp and she had to exhort the visitor to give the door a push from the outside. It gave way suddenly, sending her staggering backwards as Monsieur Labrosse stumbled over the threshold.
He righted himself with a rueful smile. ‘Your door, he does not want to open, mademoiselle.’
Lily righted her mobcap, which had slipped over one eye, hoping that her sooty fingers had not left a smudge on her forehead. ‘Armand is expecting you, monsieur.’
‘Thank you, I know the way. You have no need to trouble yourself, as I see that you are busy.’ Taking off his top hat, Monsieur Labrosse crossed the hall in long strides, taking the stairs two at a time.
Lily was impressed. For an older man, who must be on the wrong side of forty-five, Monsieur Labrosse was quite sprightly. She would have liked to be present when Armand put their case to his father, but she would just have to wait and hope for the best. She hurried to the kitchen and fed the range with the cinders, and having done that she went into the scullery to wash her hands and face at the sink. She was drying herself on a scrap of towelling when a footstep behind her made her spin round to see Monsieur Labrosse standing so close to her that she could feel his breath on her face.
‘Oh, sir, you made me jump. I didn’t hear you come into the kitchen.’
He smiled and raised his hand to wipe a drop of moisture from her cheek with the tip of his finger. ‘You are all alone?’
Lily took a step backwards and felt the cold stone sink press into her spine. ‘I – our cook will be back soon, but I can make you a cup of tea if you would like one.’
He threw back his head and laughed. ‘You English and your tea. No, I thank you, but I do not want tea.’
‘How did you find your son, monsieur?’ Lily asked breathlessly, hoping that the mention of Armand would make him remember his senior years. She did not like the way he was looking at her, and he was too close for comfort. She could feel the heat of his body through the thin cotton of her gown and he was pressing his knee between her legs in the most embarrassing and improper way.
‘Armand is grateful to you all but he is eager to return home.’ Monsieur Labrosse allowed his fingers to travel down her cheek, caressing the curve of her neck and cupping her breast with his hand. ‘You are so young and fresh, and I have no doubt as pure and innocent as your name would suggest. Am I right?’
In desperation, Lily thought of calling out for her grandfather, but his room was too far away for him to hear now that he was getting a bit deaf. ‘Did Armand tell you about our problem, sir?’ she asked, forcing herself to sound calm when every instinct was urging her to cry for help.
‘My son has told me of your family difficulties, ma chérie. I might, under certain circumstances, be able to come to your aid.’
She felt panic rising. She was beginning to understand him only too well, but she was on alien territory. She had no experience of dealing with unwelcome advances from an older man, or any man if it came to that. Growing up in a family with three brothers she had been as carefully guarded as the Crown jewels, and although she was aware of the admiring glances they received from local men, Lily was well aware that her sisters’ would-be suitors had to run the gauntlet of Matt, Mark and even dreamy Luke, and most of them fell by the wayside. Molly had a string of admirers, but they stayed well away from Labour in Vain Street, and if they met Molly outside her place of work they only walked her part of the way home. Molly might be a rebel but she was mindful of her family obligations.
Lily wished with all her heart that Molly was here with her now. She would know what to do, but she herself was at a loss as to how to handle a practised philanderer like Monsieur Labrosse. He was smiling and speaking to her in gentle, persuasive tones such as he might have used to a spirited mare.
‘You don’t need to be frightened of me, Mademoiselle Lily. I could be very, very kind and generous to an enchanting young creature like you, and I could help your family if you are prepared to be – how do you say – nice, I think. If you will be nice to me I will be very good to you.’ He slid his hand behind her head and drew her inexorably towards him.
‘No, sir. Please, I beg of you do not …’
Chapter Six
His mouth clamped over hers and his tongue probed between her lips. Lily struggled in vain. His breath tasted shockingly of stale cigars and wine laced with a hint of garlic. She felt sick and faint and more frightened than she had ever been in her whole life.
‘Papa!’
Armand’s shocked tone brought about Lily’s sudden release. Monsieur Labrosse thrust her away from him, turning his back on her to face his son. ‘Armand, what are you doing? You should be resting.’
Lily slipped past Monsieur Labrosse with a stifled cry of sheer relief. She ran to Armand and was instantly more concerned for his wellbeing than for herself. ‘You must not put weight on that injured ankle, Armand. Please sit down.’
He shook his head. ‘I am all right, but what about you? Did he hurt you?’
Monsieur Labrosse muttered something beneath his breath as he pushed past his son. ‘You know me better than that, I think. She is no more than a foolish child.’
‘Where are you going, Papa?’ Armand demanded angrily. ‘I think Mademoiselle Lily deserves an apology.’
Monsieur Labrosse came to a halt in front of Lily, glaring down at her. ‘If you think I will help your family after this debacle then you are very much mistaken.’ He turned to Armand. ‘As you are on your feet you can come with me to Bell Wharf Stairs where our vessel is unloading. You will wait on board until this evening when we sail for home.’
Armand leaned on a chair for support, his hands curled into fists as they gripped the wood. ‘Papa, I cannot leave these good people without a word of thanks.’
‘Write them a letter. Come, I have business to complete and I am not leaving you here with these peasants.’ Monsieur Labrosse made for the door, holding it open. ‘Come now, Armand. I will not ask you a second time.’
Lily held her breath; for a moment she thought that Armand was going to stand up to his father, but he seemed to crumble. ‘Very well. You win this time, Papa, but only because I am not in a position to argue.’ He turned to her with an apologetic smile. ‘I am so sorry, Lily. This is not how I wanted to leave you and your family.’
‘You will come back one day, won’t you, Armand?’
‘Yes, that is a promise.’ He took her hand and raised it to his lips. ‘You will say goodbye to Nell for me? And the rest of your excellent family.’
‘Of course.’
‘And you will not neglect your art.’
She shook her head, at a loss for words.
‘Very touching.’ Monsieur Labrosse’s caustic tone sliced through the air like a knife. ‘I wait no longer. Come.’
Armand leaned closer to Lily, lowering his voice to a whisper. ‘I will return.’
Lily spent the rest of the morning wondering how she was going to break the news to Nell. It was bad enough that her own heart was aching more painfully than a bad tooth, but she could not bear to think how Armand’s seemingly cowardly defection would affect her eldest sister. Lily had never allowed herself to hope that a man like Armand might choose her over Nell, and when it seemed that Nell reciprocated his feelings Lily had tried to be happy for them both. But now she was to be the bearer of tidings that would surely dash Nell’s hopes of a happy ending to her budding romance.
She had intended to wait until her sisters returned home from work, but Aggie had sensed that something was wrong when Lily did not take a tray of food to the sickroom at midday, and when she began preparing tea for her grandfather Aggie was downright suspicious.
‘Isn’t him upstai
rs having a cup of tea?’ she asked with raised eyebrows. ‘Has he taken a turn for the worse?’
‘No, he is much better today.’ Lily continued to cut slices from a loaf of bread, buttering them well to suit Grandpa’s taste.
‘So is he coming downstairs to join us for supper then? I’m curious to meet this chap.’
‘He’s gone, Aggie. Armand left with his father earlier today.’
Aggie almost dropped the bird she was plucking. ‘That was a bit sudden, wasn’t it?’
‘Not really. Their ship sails on the evening tide. Monsieur Labrosse wanted to be certain that Armand was there in time.’
‘Oh, well, that means there will be more of this nice fat capon for everyone else,’ Aggie said, shrugging her ample shoulders. She resumed plucking the bird with renewed vigour. ‘You’d best go upstairs and strip the bed, Lily. For all we know he might have brought bugs with him. You can’t trust them foreigners.’
Lily had been putting off the moment when she had to go into Armand’s room, but now she had no excuse. The fire had burned to ash hours ago and the room seemed cold and empty. She folded the counterpane and blankets, piling them neatly on the window seat, and then she stripped the sheets off the feather mattress. The indentation remained where Armand had lain, and the scent of him lingered in the sheets and pillowcases. Lily held them to her cheek, imagining her head resting on the pillow close to his. She lay down on the bed, closing her eyes and musing on what might have been, even though she knew in her heart that it was unlikely to become a reality. She lost track of time as she lay cocooned in the downy softness where Armand had so recently lain. She was neither asleep nor completely awake, but drifting in a dream-like state until the daylight faded into dusk and the street lamp outside flickered into life. She rose reluctantly and gathered up the soiled bedclothes, leaving them in the corner of the room ready for the washtub on Monday. It was on washday that Armand’s ship had foundered and caught fire – from now on she would always associate Mondays with the young Frenchman who had visited them briefly but whose presence had made such an impact on their lives.
She took one last look around the room. She could remember when the house was filled with laughter. They must have been happy in love at first, she thought sadly, but then it ended in betrayal and bitterness. And now Armand had been taken from them and hearts would break yet again. She left the room, closing the door softly on the poignant memories.
In the kitchen Molly was taking off her bonnet and shawl with an aggrieved look on her face. ‘Is it true, Lily? Has Armand left without so much as a goodbye and thank you?’
‘No, it’s not true,’ Lily said wearily. ‘Yes, he’s gone but he was made to leave by his hateful father, and he asked me to make his apologies for his sudden departure, and to tell everyone how grateful he was for everything.’
Molly angled her head, a curious expression on her pert features. ‘What do you mean, his hateful father? I thought that Monsieur Labrosse was supposed to be quite charming.’
Aggie thumped the saucepan lid back on a bubbling pan of potatoes. ‘Don’t take no notice of Lily. She’s had her nose put out of joint and we all know who’s to blame.’
‘What are you talking about, Aggie?’ Nell’s voice from the doorway caused them all to turn their heads. She looked from one face to another. ‘Well, isn’t anyone going to let me in on the secret?’
‘Armand has gone and it’s all her fault.’ Molly pointed an accusing finger at Lily.
‘But I thought his ship was sailing on the evening tide.’ Nell’s alabaster skin paled to ashen. ‘Why would he leave so suddenly? Something terrible must have happened.’
Lily was desperate to reassure her. ‘Armand had no choice, Nell. His father insisted that he went straight to the ship.’
‘You must have said something to upset them both, Lily,’ Molly said, tossing her bonnet and shawl onto the nearest chair. ‘You can be so tactless at times. I could kill you, I really could.’
‘I don’t know what all the fuss is about,’ Aggie muttered. ‘He’s paid for his keep and we’re having a decent meal for a change.’
‘All you think about is your stomach, Aggie.’ Molly choked on an angry sob. ‘Armand and I were just getting to know one another, and now he’s gone. My life is ruined.’
‘Don’t be so melodramatic,’ Nell said sharply. ‘Lily, I want to know what went on here today.’
She was cornered and the only way out was to tell them the truth. She related the facts as simply and plainly as she could, despite frequent interruptions from Molly who liked to dramatise everything and could turn a simple nursery rhyme into a three-act tragic opera.
‘It seems incredible that Monsieur Labrosse would behave in such a way,’ Nell said, staring at Lily in disbelief.
‘But it’s all true. I’m not lying.’
‘What do you expect from a Frenchman?’ Aggie said gloomily.
‘Well, I think she must have encouraged him in some way.’ Molly tossed her head. ‘Lily is jealous because Armand fancies me.’
‘If I was like you then it might be true,’ Lily retaliated with spirit. ‘But I was just standing at the sink, washing the dishes and minding my own business, when he came up behind me.’
‘It’s all right, Lily,’ Nell said, moving swiftly to her side. She gave her a hug. ‘Of course I believe you. Shame on you, Molly, for thinking such a thing of your sister.’
‘Oh yes, I’m always in the wrong and Lily never puts a foot out of place. Well, she has now and she’s made Armand go away. I’ll never forgive you, Lil. Never!’ Molly ran from the kitchen, slamming the door behind her.
‘I pity the man who takes her on,’ Aggie said, opening the oven door and prodding the capon with the tip of a knife. ‘That little madam could do with a good spanking.’
‘I still don’t understand why Armand left without an argument,’ Nell said softly.
‘He really had no choice,’ Lily whispered. ‘Don’t be too hard on him.’
‘Good riddance, I say.’ Aggie closed the oven door with an expressive thud. ‘Supper will be ready in half an hour and those who don’t turn up on time will just have to eat it cold. I’m not ruining a prime bird by overcooking it.’
‘I don’t think I can face food,’ Nell said, holding her hands to her temples. ‘I have a headache, Aggie. I think I’ll go to my room.’
‘That’s all the thanks I get for my efforts,’ Aggie grumbled. ‘But your brothers will scoff everything, that’s for sure.’
Ignoring this last remark, Lily ran after Nell and caught up with her in the hall. ‘Armand’s ship doesn’t sail for another two hours. You could still say goodbye to him.’
Nell’s dark eyes widened. ‘I couldn’t – could I? I mean, it wouldn’t be a very ladylike thing to do.’
‘Bother being ladylike. I’ll come with you if you’re scared to go on your own. The ship is moored alongside Bell Wharf Stairs; it’s not far and you can’t let this chance pass you by. If you love Armand, then you must tell him so.’
Nell shook her head. ‘I couldn’t do that. We’ve only known each other for such a short time. What if he doesn’t feel the same way about me? I would feel so stupid.’
Lily took her by the shoulders and shook her. ‘Don’t be a goose. I’ve seen the way he looks as you. Give him a chance.’
‘All right,’ Nell said slowly. ‘I’ll go and see him, but you must understand it’s just to say goodbye. I don’t want you to come out with any embarrassing comments.’
‘I won’t utter a word. In fact, I won’t even come on board. I’ll just come with you for moral support.’
‘Very well then, but we’ll need our shawls. It’s freezing outside.’
‘Leave it to me. I’ll sneak them out while Aggie is looking the other way. If we hurry we can be back in time for supper and no one will ever know.’
A hand clamped on Lily’s shoulder, making her jump. She turned her head and found herself looking into Molly’s green
eyes.
‘No one will ever know what?’ Molly demanded. ‘What are you two plotting?’
‘It’s nothing,’ Lily said vaguely. ‘We were just talking.’
‘You can’t fool me. I heard you say you’d be back in time for supper.’
‘It’s none of your business.’ Lily sidestepped her sister but Molly was too quick for her and she barred her way.
‘You two are going to see Armand, aren’t you? You were going without me, you sneaky bitches.’
‘Molly! Don’t use that gutter language in this house,’ Nell cried angrily. ‘Yes, we were going to say goodbye to Armand, but I think after all it’s a bad idea. I’ve changed my mind and I’m not going now.’
‘Well, I am.’ Molly made a move towards the front door and tugged at the handle. ‘Bloody door, it’s stuck again.’
‘You can’t go out like that,’ Nell said anxiously. ‘Don’t be stupid, Moll.’
Molly put her foot against the door jamb and heaved, almost falling flat on her back as it opened suddenly and Matt burst in on a blast of frost-spiked air.
‘What’s going on?’ he demanded, staring from one to the other. ‘Where do you think you’re going, Molly?’
‘Don’t blame me,’ Molly said, glaring at her sisters. ‘They started it. They were going without me.’
‘It was just a misunderstanding.’ Nell shot a warning glance at Molly. ‘We weren’t going anywhere.’
‘I thought you were on watch tonight, Matt,’ Lily said in an attempt to divert his attention.
He turned to her and Lily was shocked by the bleak expression in his dark eyes. ‘I’ve just had a visit from the dock company’s solicitor. They want us out of the house by Friday. If we don’t leave voluntarily, they’ll send the bailiffs in.’
‘But they can’t do that,’ Nell said dazedly. ‘Why would they turn us out of our home?’
‘It’s a long story. I’ll explain everything later, but I’m afraid we have no choice.’
