by Val Wood
‘In trouble?’ Rosa’s words were abrupt. ‘What sort of trouble?’
‘I’ve got caught,’ she sobbed. ‘I don’t know what to do!’
‘Caught?’ Rosa’s hands went to her mouth. ‘How? What do you mean?’
Delia shot her a contemptuous glance. ‘Don’t you know owt?’ she almost shouted. ‘Caught wi’ a babby. I’m expecting.’
Rosa sat down again. She felt as if all the breath had been knocked out of her. ‘Who—?’ she whispered. ‘What about the man—? Won’t he—?’
‘Marry me?’ Delia mocked. ‘When I asked him, he just laughed and said his wife would have summat to say about that!’
Rosa groaned. ‘But—!’ She was lost for words. How could Delia have become involved with someone so deceitful, so vile as to take advantage of her innocence. ‘Did you not know anything of him?’ she asked. ‘Of his family? His background?’
Delia wiped her eyes. ‘No,’ she muttered. ‘He used to lodge at ’inn every month. He travelled all over ’county, selling stuff.’
‘A pedlar?’ Rosa was aghast. It was getting worse and worse.
‘Not a pedlar!’ Delia sneered. ‘A salesman. He sold goods from manufacturers. You had to order them and then he delivered ’following month. Not like ’pedlars that come here!’
It seems like the same thing to me, Rosa pondered. But what would I know about it? And if he was travelling the county he could have any amount of vulnerable young women in trouble. ‘Did your employer find out?’ she asked. ‘Is that why you left?’
‘Yes,’ Delia admitted. ‘She heard me being sick. She didn’t seem to care until she found out who it was, then she said I had to go. She said she needed his custom more than she needed me. I think he was carrying on with her anyway,’ she divulged, seemingly without shame. ‘I could tell by her face that she was nettled about it.’
‘He was carrying on with her!’ Rosa repeated. ‘And you knew?’
Delia shrugged. ‘I thought I could get him off her. She was too old for him anyway!’
‘I think you are a disgrace,’ Rosa said slowly and deliberately. ‘If you had loved this man and he loved you, then I could have understood. But it seems to me that there was no love there at all and therefore your behaviour is inexcusable. I’m only glad that your mother isn’t here to witness this.’
Delia put her chin up and there was a suggestion of bravado in her expression, but her mouth trembled and there was anxiety in her eyes. ‘I’m not bothered about what you think,’ she started to mutter. She bit her lips together. ‘But what’s Da going to say when he finds out?’
‘You should have thought of that before,’ Rosa said coldly, and getting up from her chair left the room.
She went back to the dairy and sat down on a stool. It was cool in there and she put her hands over her eyes and tried to think. Mr Drew would be outraged. He might not even let Delia stay. He was such a righteous, religious man, although, Rosa mused, he doesn’t go to church so often since Mrs Drew died. And he is no longer a churchwarden. But I’m sure he will send Delia away to have the child elsewhere so that the shame doesn’t reflect on him.
Poor baby, she thought. It will have no father’s name.
‘Rosa!’ She heard her name. ‘Rosa!’ Matthew was calling from the yard.
She went to the door. ‘I’m here.’
He smiled when he saw her and she thought how brown and strong he looked. His shirtsleeves were rolled back showing his tanned muscular arms, and the sun had bleached his brown hair in golden streaks. ‘What you doing?’
‘Oh – just cooling off,’ she said lamely. ‘It’s so hot in the kitchen.’
‘It is,’ he agreed. ‘I went in to look for you. Listen,’ he grinned. ‘I went to see Flo when I was in Patrington and she’s told me of a girl who she thinks would come over to give you a hand with ’housework. She’d have to live in, of course.’
She gave a low laugh. It might be just too late.
‘I haven’t told Da yet,’ he said. ‘I thought we’d give him an ultimatum. I’ve been dropping hints that you were thinking of going into service in Patrington!’
‘Wasn’t there anyone in the kitchen when you went in, Matthew?’ she asked.
‘No. Don’t tell me you’ve hired somebody already?’
‘No. No I haven’t.’ She wanted to tell him that everything was about to change. That from now on, their lives were going to be different. Hers, Matthew’s, Mr Drew’s. Delia’s behaviour would be the talk of the island. There were no secrets here, nothing could be hidden. Their lives were as open as the landscape they lived in. But she couldn’t tell him. Delia would have to do that.
‘What is it?’ There was concern in his voice. ‘There’s something wrong?’
She took a deep breath. ‘Delia is here. She’s left her employment and come home.’
He frowned, drawing his dark eyebrows together. ‘To stay?’
‘Ye-s. I think so.’
‘She’s taken her time about it, but I suppose she had to work her notice?’
She nodded. ‘I expect so.’
He looked at her and there was pleading in his voice. ‘Don’t leave, will you, Rosa? Please don’t.’
She gazed at him, at his anxious blue eyes. You know that he loves you, his mother had said, and she’d answered yes. Slowly she went towards him. She was trembling, her emotions in turmoil, and as if he knew, he drew her to him. She bent her forehead onto his chest and he folded his arms around her and softly kissed the top of her head. ‘Rosa – !’ he whispered. She lifted her head and placed her finger on his lips to silence him. ‘Ssh,’ she murmured. ‘Not now.’
He gazed down at her and she saw the love in his eyes, but how could she return it when there was so much conflict ahead?
‘Rosa – !’ His eyes searched her face, looking for the truth. ‘You’re leaving, aren’t you, and you daren’t admit it?’
She shook her head. ‘I won’t leave,’ she said softly and reaching up she kissed him tenderly on his lips. ‘How could I?’
Delia looked up from the sink when they went into the house. She had made a start on the potatoes. She had also washed her face and combed her hair and looked altogether more presentable than she had done when she had first arrived.
She greeted Matthew and glanced at Rosa as if wondering whether she had disclosed the reason why she was here, but she visibly relaxed when Matthew asked her what had made her change her mind and come home. She told him the same as she had told Rosa, that she couldn’t bear to stay any longer.
‘I’m not surprised you left,’ Matthew commented. ‘She was a dowly woman. Did you come by carrier’s cart then?’
‘Yes,’ she answered swiftly. ‘Practically all ’way.’ He expressed surprise, but then added, ‘There’s more folks coming through Holderness now that ’roads are being improved, and especially now it’s dry. Though you’d have to walk from Keyingham, I expect. Is that ’way you came?’
She was saved from answering by Jim coming in to ask if there was a cup of tea. ‘What you doing here then, Delia? Been given time off?’
Rosa handed him a cup of tea and gave one to Matthew. ‘She’s left,’ she answered for Delia. ‘Now, can we keep ’questions until later or we’ll never get your supper on ’table.’
‘Who’s left? Left what?’ Mr Drew stood in the doorway. ‘Delia! What you doing at home?’
Again the question was asked of her.
‘I’ve come home to help,’ she answered nervously. ‘I knew Rosa couldn’t manage on her own and none of ’others can come.’
Her father stared at her. ‘Never known you to think of anybody else! So why didn’t you come afore?’
‘I’d to work my notice,’ she mumbled.
Jim took a sup of tea. ‘They haven’t finished you, have they?’ he asked. ‘You’ll never get another job if they have. Not without a reference.’
‘I just told you,’ she said sharply. ‘I’ve come home to help. All these questi
ons, I’m beginning to wish I hadn’t come.’
James Drew’s eyes had narrowed as he heard Jim’s comment and he asked abruptly, ‘Have you been finished? Is that ’reason why you’ve come? That was a good house you were at, you wouldn’t give up a job like that and good money just to come home. Did you do summat you shouldn’t?’ His voice became sharper as he cross-examined her.
Delia started to shake. ‘No. No,’ she denied. ‘I didn’t. It wasn’t my fault.’
‘What wasn’t your fault?’ he roared. ‘You have been up to summat! What was it? Did you break some china or summat valuable? You allus was clumsy.’
He turned to Rosa. ‘What’s up with her? What’s she done?’ He shook a finger at Delia. ‘I’ll get to bottom o’ this, my lass. If you’ve scarred my name at yon house!’
‘Delia left that house some time ago, Da,’ Matthew interrupted. ‘She took employment elsewhere.’
‘Elsewhere? Where elsewhere? How is it I didn’t know about it? Your sisters have stayed in ’same employment, why haven’t you?’
‘I didn’t like it,’ she whimpered. ‘We didn’t get on.’
‘Didn’t get on! Didn’t get on! And now you’ve left this other position and I suppose you didn’t get on there either?’
She shook her head and looked down at the floor. Her face was ashen. ‘No,’ she muttered. ‘We didn’t.’
‘So they asked you to leave?’ His voice dropped and it seemed more threatening than when he was shouting. ‘Where is this other place? I’ll ride over to Hornsea myself and speak to them. I’ll not have this. Sullying my name! Sending you off without a reference as if you’re a nobody! I’ll find out ’reason why.’
‘No,’ she gasped. ‘Don’t. I’ll tell you. I’m sorry.’ Tears ran down her cheeks. ‘I’m sorry, Da, really I am.’ She glanced at them all in turn and finally at Rosa. ‘I can’t,’ she sobbed. ‘I can’t tell them.’
Rosa took in her blotchy face and shaking body and knew that Delia couldn’t disclose the news to her father, that she was too afraid of the consequences. But the confession must be made. There was no doubt that he had to be told before he found out for himself.
‘Delia’s expecting a child,’ she said quietly and unemotionally. ‘And the father can’t marry her.’
There was a sudden hush. Even the fire seemed to stop its crackling and the kettle its hissing.
‘What? What did you say?’ Mr Drew stared at Rosa and then at his daughter. ‘Expecting a child! A bastard?’ His face grew scarlet and sweat stood out on his forehead whilst Matthew and Jim rose simultaneously and gazed numbly at Delia.
‘You strumpet!’ Disgust lined Drew’s face. ‘Can’t marry you? Who is he? I’ll have him horse-whipped!’
‘He’s gone,’ she wept. ‘You’d never find him. I’ve not seen him for weeks.’
‘Gone, has he?’ His tone was harsh and bitter. ‘And that’s what you can do, young woman. Go! I’ll not have any fornicating trollop living in my house.’
Rosa drew in a sharp breath at his coarse language and Matthew started to object.
‘Be quiet!’ Drew bellowed. ‘I’m master in this house and I’m telling you I’ll not have her here. Get your bags and go!’
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
DELIA COLLAPSED SOBBING into a chair and the only sound in the room was of her weeping, until her father turned towards the door. ‘Ten minutes,’ he barked, as he brushed past her. ‘I’ll give you ten minutes to get your things together, then be off wi’ you.’
‘Da!’ Matthew started to say. ‘Let’s talk about this.’
‘Mr Drew,’ Rosa began.
He put up his hand to silence them but as he came towards Jim, who was blocking his way, Jim stopped him. ‘Hold hard a minute, Da,’ he said quietly. ‘Don’t be hasty. She’s your daughter and our sister and you can’t just turn her out.’
‘Can’t I though?’ his father said savagely. ‘She might be your sister but she’s no daughter o’ mine.’
‘She is your daughter and you know where she’ll finish up if you turn her out?’ Jim stared him in the face. ‘She’ll finish up in ’streets of Hull – or in a brothel!’ His last few words dropped to a whisper so that Rosa, who was contemplating Delia’s future if her father refused to have her at home, didn’t quite catch what he was saying.
But James Drew did and he blinked rapidly and opened and closed his mouth. Then he composed himself. ‘She can go to ’devil for all I care,’ he muttered.
‘Aye,’ Jim said softly. ‘Well, isn’t that where we’ll all meet up? It’ll not be in heaven, that’s for sure.’
His father pushed past him and went out of the room, but Jim followed him, giving a quick glance at Matthew as he did so, and putting up his hand to stop him following.
‘Where shall I go?’ Delia moaned. ‘Who’ll have me?’ She appealed to Matthew. ‘Do you think our Maggie’ll let me stop with her?’ Her face was blotched with crying and her eyes red and swollen.
Rosa’s eyes were drawn towards the window. Jim had his hand raised in a fist as he was talking, and although she couldn’t hear what they were saying, she could see that his father was angry as he too was waving his arms about.
Presently Jim returned to the house. ‘You can stop for a bit till we decide what’s best to be done.’ His voice was shaky but he had a set determined look on his face.
Delia started to cry again and Rosa said to her, ‘Why don’t you go up to your bedroom until things calm down. Of course your da is angry. He’s had a shock. He’s upset.’
She nodded and rushed upstairs and Matthew asked Jim quietly, ‘How did you manage to make him change his mind?’
‘He hasn’t changed it!’ Jim gave a deep sigh and sat down and started to drink his now cold tea. ‘I’ve just reminded him of a few things. It’s a temporary reprieve, that’s all.’
‘Reminded him of what things?’ Matthew asked curiously.
‘Nowt that concerns you.’ Jim’s face was creased with tension. ‘Just summat that happened a long time ago. I needed to refresh his memory that none of us is perfect.’
‘I thought Da was,’ Matthew said cynically. ‘At least that’s ’impression we were always given.’
‘Jim!’ Rosa butted in. ‘It seems that your da will listen to you, more than he’ll listen to Matthew and certainly more than to me. So I was thinking. Will you tell him that if he won’t let Delia stay, then I’ll leave because there’s too much for one person to do, and he’ll have to get a housekeeper and a girl in to do for you. He won’t like that,’ she added. ‘He won’t want strangers in the house.’
Jim nodded. He appeared strained after the heated discussion with his father. ‘Aye, I’ll tell him when he’s cooled down a bit.’ He looked up at her and his eyes searched her face. ‘But don’t think that he won’t listen to you. He will. He has you on his conscience.’
‘On his conscience? Whatever do you mean?’ She was totally puzzled. James Drew had never shown her any concern.
‘Never mind,’ Jim said abruptly. ‘I’ve said too much already.’ He rose from his chair. ‘Come on, Matthew. We’ve work to do before supper.’
‘Conscience!’ Matthew exclaimed with sudden enlightenment as Jim went out of the door. ‘Yes. That’s it! That was ’word I was searching for that day we went to see your gran – years ago, don’t you remember, Rosa? And then we went to Marsh Farm and frightened Jim out of his wits? I said there was another reason why Da said you should live with us, but I didn’t know ’word for it then. I couldn’t explain myself!’
She vaguely remembered, but it was a very long time ago and somehow it didn’t seem important. Not when there were so many difficulties looming ahead.
Yet, strangely, there was never any further discussion on Delia’s future and so she stayed. But her father didn’t speak to her, neither would he eat at the same table. Delia took her food alone, either before or after everyone else had eaten. Rosa felt sorry for her but tried not to show it and Delia never
commented on her exclusion, but grew silent and discreet in her father’s presence as if trying to be invisible.
‘Should I take her to see ’doctor?’ Matthew asked Rosa one day, some weeks later. ‘I’ll drive her over in ’trap. And mebbe we should tell Maggie and Flo?’
Rosa agreed. No-one else had been told and Delia had kept to the house and yard, never venturing even into the fields during harvest time in case anyone should see her and comment on her being at home.
‘I’m going to ride into Hedon tomorrow,’ she told him. ‘The pedlar hasn’t been and we need some things for the house. I’ll call on Maggie and tell her myself.’ She didn’t know what was needed for a pregnant woman when she began in labour, but thought that Maggie being an eldest daughter might know. She would ask her anyway. They needed to be prepared.
Maggie was in sparkling form and delighted to see Rosa, who had not visited her in her neat little house before. ‘Come in and I’ll show you round,’ she said, and took Rosa into her tidy kitchen and cosy parlour. Then she led her through the staircase door and up the wooden stairs to the bedroom. There was another door in the bedroom and through it was another very small room. It smelled of new paint, and Maggie showed her the flowered curtains she was making for the windows.
‘Can you guess why we’re preparing this room, Rosa?’ she asked, and half covered her face with her hands as she hid a smile.
Rosa shook her head. ‘Expecting visitors?’
‘Not visitors,’ Maggie said. ‘Someone permanent.’
‘Permanent? Who? Oh! Not a baby?’ She gazed at Maggie, who was oozing suppressed delight. ‘Oh, Maggie! I’m so pleased for you.’ And how can I tell you now of Delia? she reflected. I can’t spoil your happiness by bringing you news of your sister’s disgrace. ‘When?’ she asked. ‘When will it be?’
‘Sometime in January, ’doctor thinks. I would have come over to tell you but Fred has been busy and he won’t let me drive ’trap on my own, not now. He’s like a dog with two tails, Rosa! Though he said he wasn’t bothered one way or another when we wed, he’s that proud now and he runs around after me, won’t let me do a thing and makes me sit with my feet up!’
