A Place to Call Home

by Evie Grace

  ‘Neither do I,’ he breathed. ‘Oh, this is wonderful. I’ve been looking for Agnes and now I’ve found you, my guardian’s granddaughter.’

  ‘What does this mean?’ she said. ‘I don’t understand how this is possible.’

  ‘I arrived in England in April the year before last. I disembarked in Southampton, whence I made the journey to London to meet with my banker and lawyer, and pursue my mission to find the person who was deeply loved by my most generous and loving guardian, the most remarkable man who ever walked this earth,’ he said, his voice growing husky.

  ‘You are a long way from home?’ Rose ventured.

  ‘Home is half a world away in Tasmania, Van Diemen’s Land, whatever you prefer to call it.’

  She could picture it on the globe that used to be in the dining room at Willow Place.

  ‘Anyway, I came here looking for some real estate, a place where I could make a home and farm a few sheep and the like. I was a shepherd once. Matty – Mr Carter, my guardian – told me a lot about Overshill, the village where he was born and brought up.’

  ‘Mr Matty Carter was my grandfather, my mother’s father …’

  Freddie nodded. ‘When I called at Wanstall Farm, a man came to the door – my guardian’s full brother, Stephen Carter. It was a shock, the similarity. I thought I was seeing a ghost. I asked him about Churt House, thinking I’d tease out the information from him. I would reveal my identity and fondness for his brother soon enough.

  ‘However, Mr Carter couldn’t hide his dislike of the previous owner of Churt House who had died a couple of years previous. He said he didn’t understand why the good died young, and a miserable old lawyer who inflicted lasting harm on young innocent girls and swindled people of their life savings, and charged over the odds for his services, should live well into his nineties.

  ‘Anyway, I respect Mr Carter. He’s a man made good, but his hatred of Mr Hadington felt almost personal and I thought to do a little more digging, but I didn’t get very far. When I hinted of the past and my association with his brother, he gave me short shrift, and sent me away with a flea in my ear. I know why – he didn’t want to upset his wife with talk of Matty. He said he didn’t want to make her ill with it, that it was dead and buried. He didn’t want to upset himself with memories of the past, and what’s more when I mentioned that my guardian wished me to give some of his legacy to Mrs Carter, he said there was no way they would accept the money. He made me promise not to let her know of my association with Agnes’s father.’

  ‘Mr Carter had good reason to hate Mr Hadington,’ Rose said. ‘I will tell you if you promise me it will go no further.’

  ‘You can trust me to keep your confidence, Rose. What is it?’

  ‘I have it on good authority that he took advantage of a young woman by the name of Ivy Rook when she was a maid here. I believe she was very young when he forced himself on her. Anyway, she left Churt House because she was with child – that child became my grandmother, Mrs Carter.’

  ‘That is a surprise to me. Matty never mentioned it. Not that it matters now.’ Freddie smiled briefly. ‘Perhaps Mr Hadington’s longevity was a punishment for his actions – he died alone and miserable, according to Mr Tovey.’

  Rose couldn’t help hoping so.

  ‘How did you find the Carters?’ she said, changing the subject slightly. ‘There must be thousands of them. It’s such a common name.’

  ‘Matty gave me all the information he had. He’d made one last attempt to find his daughter by sending an agent to Overshill where he’d lived as a boy. The agent found Catherine Carter at Wanstall Farm. She gave him the name of a Miss Treen of Windmarsh Court near Faversham.’

  ‘Miss Treen? Not Miss Marjorie Treen?’

  Freddie nodded. ‘Apparently, she was the former nanny of her daughter whom she had adopted out. Matty was shocked to hear that she had been parted from her mother. He couldn’t understand it, although he blamed himself for putting his dear ones in the situation where he had abandoned them.’

  ‘I know Miss Treen well,’ Rose told him. ‘She was Ma’s governess and my pa’s cousin once removed. I call her Aunt, and she’s been part of my family since before I was born. I’ve had a letter from her only recently.’

  ‘Miss Treen had left Windmarsh Court by the time the agent made his investigations,’ Freddie continued, ‘but a maid recalled that she’d had relatives at one of the tanneries in Canterbury. The agent disappeared without trace, and we’d reached a dead end, by which time Matty was dangerously ill. It wasn’t until I travelled over here that I tried again, sending a second man to the tanneries.’

  Rose remembered the man who had called at Willow Place looking for Miss Agnes Berry-Clay, and how Aunt Temperance had dismissed him, thinking he had news of a more recent version of Pa’s will.

  ‘What did your man find out?’ she asked.

  He shrugged. ‘He thought he’d come close to finding my guardian’s granddaughter, but the woman at the house insisted that she knew nothing of it, and that the children who lived there were her own. Although others told him otherwise, he wasn’t able to pursue it further at that time. You are most definitely Agnes’s daughter?’

  Rose nodded.

  ‘I see. It’s good to find out the truth at last.’ ‘Didn’t the Carters at the farm tell you about me, and my brother and sister?’ Rose said.

  ‘I decided to keep my mission to myself. Originally, the agent found out that Mrs Carter had no idea where Agnes was, so there was no reason for me to think that she had suddenly discovered her whereabouts since his visit. Nobody had seemed that interested in her – why should they be when she had been born illegitimate?’ He stopped abruptly. ‘I apologise – I’m talking of your mother.

  ‘If I hadn’t stopped at the cottage for water, I might never have known who you were. It was only because I spotted you wearing the half a sixpence that I realised there could be a connection between you and the Carters. I did a little research at the Woodsman’s Arms over a pint of ale and discovered you were Catherine’s granddaughter.’

  ‘I imagine you would have found out eventually,’ she said. ‘You know how they like to talk.’

  ‘That’s true.’

  ‘What happened to my grandfather?’

  ‘He died two years ago at the age of sixty after a long and hard life. I promised him on his deathbed that I would find his daughter and let her know that he had …’ he paused before continuing ‘… loved her before she was born, always and for ever. Those were his very words.’

  Rose couldn’t speak.

  ‘I’m sorry if I’ve upset you. My guardian was like a father to me.’

  ‘Did my grandfather ever marry?’

  Freddie shook his head. ‘He said Catherine was the only woman for him. He couldn’t bring himself to love anyone else. He did once try to renew his association with her. He sent a letter, telling her he had received a pardon, and asking her to travel to Tasmania with their child, but he didn’t hear anything by return. He waited for years, smoking his pipe of an evening as he watched the sun set. At the end, he said that if they weren’t to be reunited here on earth, they would be in Heaven. I don’t know how that works.

  ‘If you ask me, Catherine had taken him at his word. When he was convicted, he asked her to break their engagement, leaving her free to take another as her husband. I suspect that by the time she read his letter, she was already married to Stephen.’

  ‘It’s very sad,’ Rose said. ‘Was my grandfather unhappy then?’

  ‘He was content, being someone who found joy in the smallest of things. He was kind too. He took me in when my mother, well, she couldn’t keep me. She left me on his doorstep, knowing he’d look after me after my father – a convict, transported for stealing a few shillings – made an attempt to escape the colony by sea and disappeared. No one ever knew what became of him. So you see, we have both led unconventional lives, and had to overcome prejudice and loss.’

  ‘What does thi
s mean for us?’ Rose asked, bemused by the turn that events had taken. ‘You have deceived me all this time, letting me think that you had a high opinion of me, making out that I would be a good housekeeper, and wanting to protect me from the gossips when we were in the bakehouse … and coming to rescue us from the brickfield. I thought … Oh, I’ve been so vain and shallow, imagining you liked me for myself. Now I find that you did everything out of obligation and duty to your guardian, my grandfather …’

  ‘I’m sorry, Rose. I didn’t mean to upset you or hurt your feelings.’

  ‘Why didn’t you tell me the truth the first time we met? I remember how your eyes lingered on the half a sixpence … this is such a shock.’

  ‘I wanted to explain, but I had to be careful because I knew very little about you and your situation. Before my guardian passed away, he asked me to look for Agnes, your mother, so I could pass his wealth to her. Failing that, I was to find her descendants and allocate his money to them, according to my discretion.

  ‘It is a matter of the deepest regret that I didn’t have everything arranged before I set off for my most recent business trip. If I’d been more trusting, you and Minnie wouldn’t have been exposed to the rigours of the brickfield.’

  ‘What’s different now?’ she asked.

  ‘I’ve got to know you. Matty didn’t want his hard-earned assets going to someone who would fritter them away. I didn’t know if you’d be able to handle the sudden change in your fortune. I thought if I gave you enough money to tide you over, then it would buy me time.’

  ‘Why offer me the place as housekeeper?’

  ‘I thought I could keep you safe: you, your brother and sister. Unfortunately, the house wasn’t ready, and events rather overtook us.’

  ‘I’m not sure how I feel, having learned that you have deceived me.’

  ‘You’ve clearly inherited many of my guardian’s traits: intelligence, application and a strong will.’

  ‘It is no use trying to flatter me,’ she said. ‘It won’t wash.’

  ‘Your stubborn streak and refusal to let people help you through the bad times might not be considered a positive attribute.’ Freddie poured more coffee into his cup and sat back, watching the steam rise. ‘You must decide for yourself. You’re a wealthy, independent woman in your own right.’ He paused before continuing, ‘Of course, it will take me a while to organise the transfer of your share of the money – you might as well stay here until then.’

  ‘How long?’ Rose asked, her heart thudding in her chest so loudly she thought he’d be able to hear it.

  ‘About three months, which would work well for me if you’re happy to continue with overseeing the decoration of the house. It would be a shame for you not to finish what you’ve started, and miss out on seeing the end result. What do you think?’

  ‘I’m not going to make any hasty decisions,’ she said, sipping at her hot chocolate.

  ‘I hope you don’t rush away. I was depending on you to keep an eye on the place while I’m away on business. I leave in three weeks’ time.’

  She did owe him a debt, she thought.

  ‘It wouldn’t be too onerous, I think.’

  ‘How long will you be away for this time?’

  ‘About a month.’

  ‘You are a busy man.’

  ‘It’s quite a challenge, emigrating and continuing to look after one’s business interests at the same time. I will be back though, Rose.’ He lowered his voice. ‘Whatever you decide, I’d like to maintain our friendship, if that is agreeable to you.’

  ‘Yes, I think so.’ She gazed at him. Of course she wished to keep in touch with him. ‘This is almost too much to take in.’

  ‘You’ll need to talk to Minnie.’

  Rose knew what her sister would say: stay because they’d found some happiness in the brief time they’d been living at Churt House.

  ‘You haven’t asked how much he left to you. You are too polite. I know I’d want to know …’

  ‘Well, I suppose I should have some understanding,’ she began.

  He mentioned a sum, an amount beyond her wildest dreams, and she gasped.

  He grinned. ‘He was a very wealthy man.’

  ‘What will I do with it?’ She began to panic. It was wonderful that she and her siblings would never want for anything, but it was too much.

  ‘Whatever you see fit,’ he said with a smile. ‘It’s your money. I can’t tell you what to do with it.’

  ‘I’d like to set up a trust for the education of the street children of Canterbury, and make sure that my aunt has a home and the comforts that she deserves for her retirement.’

  ‘You have stunned me into silence,’ Freddie said.

  ‘If you thought I would rush out to buy dresses and shoes, you don’t know me at all.’

  ‘I didn’t mean it like that. If I’d suffered like you and your sister, my first thought would have been to buy comforts for myself, not give to others.’ He tipped his head to one side. ‘You’re a remarkable young lady.’

  ‘Tell me more about my grandfather, and how he made his fortune,’ she said, blushing at his compliment.

  ‘Your grandfather used to say that money meant nothing unless you had someone to share it with. I didn’t always think that way. When I was younger, I was obsessed with finding gold. I’d seen my mother struggle, and I didn’t want that for myself, so I went panning for riches. I remember the excitement and rush of anticipation I felt each time I dunked the pan in the water, rinsed the stones and gravel, and stared until I went boss-eyed, looking for that elusive sign of gold. There were false alarms: a stone glistening in the sun; a light-coloured fleck of sand.’

  ‘Someone said that you’d made your fortune rearing sheep and selling wool.’

  ‘It’s more complicated than that. Your grandfather was, as he used to say, l’arned about sheep farming by Catherine’s father, Mr Rook. He took the Carters under his wing in return for a favour done by old Pa Carter who rescued him from drowning as a small boy in Ghost Hole pond, the one by the church. When Matty arrived in Tasmania, he made himself useful, working as a convict on an estate. Gradually, he managed to make his way up, and then, when he was freed, he bought some land through a friend of his. He reared sheep – he was good at picking the best rams and most prolific ewes, and made quite a success of it.

  ‘Anyway, there was a creek on his land and we were there one day, taking shelter among the trees from the sun, when we started wondering if there could be something in it. We had a go at panning, and after several weeks, we found a sliver of gold. We kept it under our hats so to speak, so as not to have everyone taking advantage of our prospects.’

  ‘What happened to the sheep?’ she asked.

  ‘Oh, they were fine – we had a pair of dogs to keep them in check, and took on a trustworthy boy to watch them until lambing time when we drove them back to the home farm.’ Freddie smiled. ‘In the evenings, we’d sit around the fire and sing. Your grandfather was a great singer. He played accordion and fiddle and used to tell me of the time when he was in the choir at the church in Overshill and the vicar sacked the whole lot of them for drunkenness, and offences against music.

  ‘I find it ironic that his family had nothing when he was a boy, yet when he received his freedom in Tasmania, he made more money than he ever needed. He had bonds and investments, and gold in the bank, but all he wished for was to be back home in Overshill in the arms of his sweetheart.’

  Rose couldn’t hold back her tears.

  ‘I’m sorry.’ Freddie offered her his handkerchief.

  ‘Thank you,’ she said, wiping her eyes.

  ‘Would you like a brandy? I believe that helps in times such as these.’

  ‘No, Mr Wild. I need to keep a clear head.’

  ‘Rose, I’ll ask you once more – let’s not have any more “Mr Wild”. Call me Freddie.’

  ‘All right,’ she said. ‘Thank you, Freddie.’

  ‘Can you find it in your heart to f
orgive me for keeping this from you?’

  She nodded and he smiled with apparent relief. She could forgive him anything.

  ‘I expect you want to go and tell your sister the good news,’ he said.

  ‘I wish I was in a position to tell my brothers too,’ she said. ‘I’ve told you about Arthur, my stepbrother – I was brought up with him when Ma and Pa took him in after his mother died. He’s called Arthur Fortune.’

  ‘You can write to him.’

  ‘If I only knew where he was. He went to London, intending to marry his sweetheart, Tabby, and find work in the building trade. I don’t know his address.’ She smiled ruefully. ‘I would go and search for him …’

  ‘Then you would be looking for a needle in a haystack. I can make some enquiries next time I’m there.’

  She thanked him again. ‘I can’t believe what a coincidence this is,’ she said. ‘It seems impossible.’

  ‘I prefer to think of it in a different way. It isn’t fate or destiny that brought me to you – it’s the result of my investigations, based on the information that Matty gave me throughout the years. I could have given up the search, but I didn’t, because I’m not that kind of man.’

  It was true, Rose thought, gazing fondly at him. Not only was Freddie Wild a gentleman and her grandfather’s ward, he was her hero.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  The Truth Will Out

  Before he went away, Freddie gave Rose a modest advance on the money she would expect to receive in January, which meant she could purchase new dresses for her and Minnie to replace the ones they’d worn out during their time on the brickfield. In addition, she ordered supplies for Minnie to finish the patchwork for Arthur and Tabby, and start on a second one. She helped her with it, finding it useful to fill the passing hours as the trees began to lose their leaves and the nights drew in.

  She found other occupations, walking into the village to take the air and run the odd errand for Cook and Mrs Causton, but there wasn’t much for her to do as most of the supplies for the house were delivered by the respective tradesmen, and the number of household servants had swelled to include a butler, two footmen, four maids, a gamekeeper to replace Mr Tovey, and a gardener and his boys.