The Lost Sisters: A gritty saga about friendships, family and finding a place to call home

by Lindsey Hutchinson

  Reading it, Orpha gasped, ‘Oh Peg! How lovely, thank you so much!’

  ‘I know we ain’t tried the coffee with the chocolate yet, but I also know you’ll make it work somehow.’

  Enjoying their drink, the girls chatted happily about how they could combine the new ingredient with the chocolate.

  Orpha had made up her mind she would visit the Toyes often, if only briefly, and this had proved the ideal opportunity. Hetty and Henry were delighted to see her as she stepped into the small shop. Orpha told them of how their little business was working out, and they in turn explained they were ready to sell up and move away to live by the seaside before they were too old to enjoy it. When Orpha left them, the goodbyes had been tearful.

  . ‘Mr and Mrs Toye want to retire, so they’re looking to sell their shop, Peg! If we could strike a deal, we could buy the shop ourselves, it’s an ideal opportunity!’

  ‘Orpha, it’s in Birmingham… we live in Wolverhampton!’ Peg said. ‘I have the cottage and our suppliers are there, whatever are you thinking? It just ain’t practical!’

  ‘Well, you could carry on the business at the cottage and I could work from the shop,’ Orpha suggested. ‘Besides, when you and Ezzie are married, you’ll be wanting to live in the cottage, I imagine.’

  ‘Married? Whoa Orpha, there’s been no mention of a wedding as yet. Anyway, what about Edna? Orpha this is all becoming too complicated!’ Peg pushed her black hair back in exasperation. ‘We’re running before we’ve learned to walk!’

  ‘But, Peg, we simply can’t pass up this chance! If we do, we’ll regret it. Please Peg… Please!’ Orpha’s eyes were begging her friend to agree.

  Looking at the clock on the fireplace, Peg said, ‘Come on, we have to go.’

  ‘Where?’ Orpha asked as she paid the bill.

  ‘We have an appointment to keep.’ Telling Orpha she would say no more, Peg threaded her arm through her friend’s as they headed for the Midland Hotel. She was feeling anxious now the time had come and prayed all would turn out well.

  ‘An hotel?’ Orpha asked as they neared it.

  Peg opened the door to the building next door to the hotel, standing in front of the nameplate attached to the wall in order to hide it.

  ‘Miss Meriwether,’ the secretary said without looking up. When she did finally raise her eyes, her mouth fell open and she stared blatantly from Peg to Orpha and back again. Pointing to some seats, the secretary rose and disappeared through a door without knocking.

  A moment later the secretary reappeared holding the office door open and crooking a finger for the girls to enter.

  Walking through the door, they saw an easy chair area and on a large couch sat the Messrs Buchanan.

  Chapter 22

  Hortense had not seen Abel for many weeks, but that did not unduly worry her. She knew where he would be. He came home on occasion where he sat in his study alone, he had even taken to having his meals in there.

  It had been a while since Mahula’s death and Hortense had not as yet found a way to dispose of her husband or his son, but she would, given enough time. There was no way that boy would get his hands on the money that should come to her.

  Hortense Buchanan reflected how she had spent her time entertaining her high-society friends who gossiped cruelly behind the backs of those not in attendance during the afternoon tea parties. She never contributed to these wicked conversations but listened instead in a state of pure boredom. The gatherings were essential to her maintaining her social standing in the town. Besides which, her only pleasure during these afternoons was to show off some new piece of furniture she had bought, or her new china tea service. Hortense revelled in the fact she had a butler, cook, maid and stable boy. Her ‘friends’ were not so fortunate. She ensured they had no call to discuss her behind her back by attending every meeting.

  After the ladies left, Hortense settled herself in the parlour, feeling exhausted by all the backbiting and cruel gossip she had been forced to endure. If she had her way, she would see them all in hell alongside her husband and his children.

  *

  Alice brought the last of the crockery into the kitchen saying, ‘That’s the lot. Her “Ladyshit” is exhausted.’

  Simmons and Mrs Jukes exchanged a tight grin at Alice’s description of their employer. Neither chose to challenge or correct her.

  ‘Right then. Alice, go fetch Jago from the stables and we’ll have our tea now,’ Beulah instructed. Alice sauntered out of the back door and the cook shook her head. ‘She’s a card, is that one.’

  Simmons, understanding the meaning, agreed, ‘She can certainly have a bob on when it suits her, but she means no harm.’

  Sitting at the table, Beulah cut into a farmhouse cake fresh from the range as the maid and stable boy fell in through the back door laughing fit to burst over some joke they shared.

  ‘You know,’ Simmons mused, ‘we never did find out much about the accident with the trap.

  ‘Indeed,’ Alice said, borrowing the butler’s stock word. As Simmons raised his eyebrows, she grinned back at him.

  ‘I find it very strange that there was no other information forthcoming. However, whatever it was the mistress hit with that trap, she appears to have got away with it.’

  Leaving it at that, Simmons watched the others mull over his words and he knew they were all thinking the same thing. Their employer may well have got away with murder.

  *

  Hortense sat in the garden of Buchanan House and looked over the plants and shrubs that were withering in the late spring heat. With no rain for weeks, everything had become tinderbox dry. No doubt there would be fires breaking out on the heath, which only usually occurred on the driest of summers. With a sudden thought, she allowed her considerations to roam through her mind. She had not seen Abel for some considerable time, so it stood to reason he was staying at the house in Birmingham. The upkeep of that house would be down to him; he would be paying all bills connected to the property and the boy who lived there.

  Now, if the house was no longer standing, the money paid for its upkeep would stay in the bank at her disposal.

  An evil grin formed on her lips as Hortense connected the thoughts. Taking them one step further, she considered how she could get away with burning down the house which would become Zachariah Buchanan’s inheritance.

  Trying to remember the house itself, she knew the brick structure would remain but everything inside it would burn to ashes. The wooden furniture, the paintings, the beautiful drapes, all would be consumed by the fire as it swept from room to room. In a matter of minutes, the house would become a ranging inferno. Everything that constituted the boy’s life would be lost and if he were in it at the time… all the better!

  The fire station was situated behind Upper Priory which led onto Corporation Street. The fire truck pulled by two great shire horses would have to travel the length of the road and along the tramway to get to the house. Ideal; by the time they arrived the house would be razed to the ground.

  Hortense knew daytime arson was out of the question, she might easily be spotted by nosy people passing by. But setting the fire at night would mean traversing the heath in the dark; not a very sensible option. No, she would need to stay overnight in the city in a hotel.

  She had to be mindful also that the police station was not far from Aston Street where the boy lived. She would need to set the fire, ensure it had taken hold and be away before the authorities were alerted. Casting her mind back to the layout of the streets, the only hotel fairly nearby was the one which stood on the corner where Corporation Street joined Lower Priory. That would have to do.

  Over the next couple of days, Hortense worked out a plan. She decided a shopping excursion in Birmingham would be the perfect cover. A day round the shops would see her far too exhausted to return home in the evening, so she would book into the hotel. The Grand Theatre was right opposite the hotel she had in mind, which would afford her an alibi if she needed one. Moving her
mind to the house itself, she wondered where would be the best place to start a fire to ensure it would gut the whole building. It would have to be at the back to shield her from prying eyes. Hortense had not seen around the house or grounds, she had only been in the parlour when she visited. It was a minor complication, one she felt sure she could overcome.

  Happy she had thought of everything, she walked to the fireplace and pulled the bell rope summoning the maid. A few moments later Alice walked into the parlour.

  ‘Ah Alice,’ Hortense said pleasantly, instantly making the maid feel uneasy, ‘tea please.’ Seeing the maid bob a slight curtsy, she went on, ‘Oh and Alice, please inform the staff I intend to spend tomorrow shopping in Birmingham and I will stay the night there as I intend to visit the Theatre. I will return the following day.’

  ‘Yes ma’am,’ Alice muttered then left the room.

  In her mind Hortense had set her plan. The following night she would burn down Zachariah Buchanan’s house and it was her fervent hope he would be inside it at the time. If Abel were there too… so be it. That, in fact, would be an added bonus.

  *

  Alice set the tea tray with milk jug and teapot, cup and saucer, saying, ‘Lady Muck is off to Birmingham tomorrow. Her’s… she’s… going shopping then to the theatre and, she ain’t coming back ‘til the following day.’

  Simmons and Mrs Jukes exchanged a glance.

  ‘Is that so?’ Simmons asked.

  ‘Ar,’ Alice added over her shoulder as she left the kitchen with the tea tray.

  Beulah said quietly, ‘What’s the mistress up to now I wonder?’

  The butler shook his head. ‘Nothing good I’ll be bound.’

  ‘I’d love to know though,’ the cook added.

  ‘If the mistress plans to be away from home for two days…’ Simmons said, ‘she would not be aware that one of us was away too.’

  ‘What’s on that devious mind of yours Simmons?’ Beulah asked as she poured his tea.

  ‘The mistress never stays away from home, Beulah, so it’s my contention she’s up to something. Now, if we want to discover her plans, it stands to reason one of us must be there too. One of us should follow her, but we would have to be back here before she returns. She must not be aware of what we are up to.’

  ‘Bloody hell! Sherlock Holmes strikes again!’ Alice said as she stood in the doorway.

  ‘Alice,’ Simmons said, ‘this must be of the utmost secrecy, do you understand?’ Seeing her nod, he went on, ‘Right, pop out and fetch Jago, we need to formulate a plan.’

  Chapter 23

  Zachariah stared at the two girls stood before him in the office he shared with his father.

  ‘Orpha! Oh my God!’ Abel gasped, not really knowing which of the girls to look at, they were so alike.

  ‘Eugenie? Oh my dear girl!’ Abel stared at the older of the two young women. Looking from one to the other even he was amazed, they looked like identical twins.

  ‘Father!’

  ‘Father?’ Orpha and Zachariah spoke in unison.

  Abel’s eyes moved between his three children in utter disbelief. Then holding his arms out he rushed to Orpha. ‘Dear God thank you! Oh my dear girl, I thought you were lost to me forever!’ Orpha wrapped her arms around her father and held him.

  Father and daughter cried as they hugged tightly.

  Finally breaking his hold on his youngest child, he turned towards his other daughter and saw she had stepped back a pace. He desperately wanted to hold her in his arms again as he had when she was a baby. He wanted to rush to her and never let her go again. However her moving back told him she was allowing him time with Orpha before introducing herself. Abel then saw Zach standing staring at them with an open mouth. Abel laughed out loud as he watched his children looking at each other hardly able to believe their eyes. Then their father burst into tears again.

  ‘Thank you God for bringing my daughters back to me!’ he sobbed. ‘I can’t tell you how worried I’ve been; I had the police out searching for you both. Where were you?’

  ‘I’ve been staying with Peg,’ Orpha sniffed.

  ‘Peg?’ Abel asked.

  Orpha pointed to the girl standing staring. Peg couldn’t understand why Orpha’s father had called her Eugenie?

  Abel was confused. Why was his other daughter calling herself Peg?

  Zachariah and Peg exchanged a quizzical look as Orpha sat Abel in a nearby chair.

  ‘I don’t understand, your name is Eugenie,’ Abel said, then with open arms he stood and moved towards her; she stepped back out of his reach.

  ‘Erm… I think you’re mistaken, my name is Peg Meriwether.’

  Dropping onto the couch, Abel motioned for Peg to take the seat next to Orpha. ‘Oh dear Lord! I don’t believe this! All together in one place. Heaven surely shines her light on me today.’ He was elated as he looked at each in turn.

  The girls looked at each other and then to Zachariah and finally Abel.

  It was Zachariah who spoke first, ‘Father, I don’t understand…’

  ‘All in good time son, all in good time.’ Abel’s eyes moved back to the two green-eyed girls sat before him.

  Orpha gasped, her father had called the boy ‘son’. She had a brother or half-brother, it seemed!

  Peg snapped her attention back as she said, ‘Sorry, Mr Buchanan, but we don’t have good time. We, or at least I, have to get back to Wolverhampton.’

  ‘So that’s where you’ve been all these years!’ Abel said as his hands came to rest on his cheeks.

  ‘Yes,’ Peg continued, feeling confused, ‘I’ve lived there all my life.’

  ‘Not quite,’ Abel said, ‘the first few months of your life you lived at Buchanan House with me and your mother.’

  Shock took Abel’s three children, who stared at him open-mouthed.

  ‘Let’s have some tea and then we can discuss this whole thing. But first, let me introduce you all to each other.’ Pointing to Peg, Abel said, ‘Eugenie Buchanan my firstborn daughter.’ Sweeping his hand to the boy, Abel went on, ‘Zachariah Buchanan my son, second child to me, born of a different mother.’ Looking at the youngest, Abel added, ‘Orpha Buchanan, my third child, sister to Eugenie.’

  ‘Bloody hellfire and damnation!’ Peg said. ‘I knew I wasn’t Peg Meriwether because Rufina gave me that name, but I never knew my real name.’

  ‘No my dear, you are Eugenie Buchanan,’ Abel said with a laugh.

  Orpha grasped Peg’s hand saying, ‘I knew we must have been sisters. Look at us, is there any mistaking we are family?’

  Shaking heads verified his words and as Abel stood to call the secretary to bring tea, the silence of astonishment hung heavy in the air.

  *

  An hour later and back at the house in Aston Street, Abel and his children exchanged the history of past years, beginning with Eugenie going missing as a baby of a few months old.

  ‘Hortense swore you had been taken off by gypsies, Eugenie, although I never believed her, nor did the police, I suspect. They and I searched for you and when they eventually closed the case, my despair dragged me down into a terrible depression. Oh my dear girl, I looked for you everywhere!’

  Seeing tears well up in his eyes once more, Peg grinned, ‘Well, you searched everywhere but where I was.’

  Abel laughed loudly then went on. ‘It was by happenstance that I met your mother Zach. Not looking where I was going, I bumped into her in the street! I was still searching for Eugenie… Peg… and I didn’t see her coming.’

  Zach’ cut in, ‘My goodness, I bet she chewed your ears off for that!’

  Laughter sounded at the quip as Abel said, ‘You have no idea, lad!’ Again they all laughed. ‘I was taken with Mahula immediately and in time we began a relationship… in secret of course. I swear I never intended to hurt Hortense but things between us were difficult, especially after Eugenie disappeared, and when Mahula came into my life it felt as if I was given a second chance. Then you were born Zach�
� and life for me improved. It has always been my one true regret that I could not marry your mother as I was already married to Hortense, but the only recompense I could make was to give you both my name. I carried on my search over the years for you Eugenie and then Orpha came along. I was overjoyed at having a son and daughter that I could spend time with, but my heart ached to find my firstborn.’

  Zachariah now understood why he had seen so little of his father whilst growing up. He also remembered visiting his father at the Gentlemen’s Club and how he had been sent away. The pieces of the puzzle were finally coming together. Any anger he was feeling was tempered by the fact he had discovered he had two sisters. He did feel a little sad for his mother being deceived by his father, but then again he was grateful they had found each other and had spent many happy years together.

  ‘I met a lady called Hortense Eldon in the town and then she came to the house…’ Zach’ said suddenly. He wondered at what a coincidence it was then saw shock register on his father’s face.

  ‘Yes, Eldon was her maiden name, she’s mother to the girls,’ Abel confirmed. He could hardly believe that had all met – what were the chances of that happening?

  Abel asked, ‘Eugenie, tell us of your years in Wolverhampton.’

  ‘Rufina Meriwether found me on the doorstep. No one ever claimed me so she raised me as her own. She named me Peg. She died of pneumonia some years ago. I still live in her cottage and I made a living growing and selling fruit and vegetables. Then I met Orpha in the market and… well now we make and sell chocolate.’

  ‘Orpha,’ Abel said to his youngest. ‘Why did you run away? Your mother said your temper tantrums were getting out of hand and…’

  ‘No, Father! I didn’t run away – she threw me out! She threatened to kill me if she ever saw me again, that’s why I couldn’t come home!’ Orpha watched the shock on the faces of her family. ‘She beat me often, for no reason. I was constantly covered in bruises…’