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

by Lindsey Hutchinson

  Zachariah said he had a room at the Midland Hotel next door to his office and would be booking a room for Seth there too, after they had bought the lad some new clothes.

  Thanking Seth for coming forward with the information, the sergeant scratched his head as he watched them leave the station. This case was turning out to be a right mess, and he had an unsettling feeling there would be a lot more to it before he could close it and file it away.

  *

  Once the room was booked in the hotel for Seth, he and Zachariah went back to the blacksmith’s where the smithy and his wife were compensated for their kindness in taking Seth and the horses in. The smithy agreed to keep the horses until such time that Zachariah could retrieve them.

  The men then walked into the town to buy some new clothes for them both. As they walked, Seth said, ‘I thank you, Mr Zachariah, for taking care of me.’ Zachariah waved a hand, dismissing the boy’s words kindly and Seth spoke again. ‘Do you think they will arrest that woman?’

  ‘I would imagine so now.’ Zachariah explained about Jago Morton, the other stable lad, following Hortense and seeing her commit arson and he had alerted the police. ‘So,’ Zachariah went on, ‘if two independent witnesses saw her, I would think the police would have no alternative but to arrest her.’

  ‘Mr Zachariah sir…’ Seth began tentatively, ‘if this woman was Mr Abel’s wife, then…’

  Zachariah picked up the boy’s sentence, ‘Then what was my mother to Abel?’ He saw the boy nod as they walked along the street. ‘I always understood them to be married, Seth, but apparently it was my father’s one regret that they never were. He couldn’t marry my mother because he was already married to Hortense Buchanan.’

  ‘I see,’ Seth muttered quietly.

  Returning at the end of the day loaded up with boxes of new clothes, the two ate a hearty meal in the hotel before retiring to the bar for the rest of the evening to speculate what would happen next to the woman, who thought she’d got away with the arson attack on their home.

  Chapter 29

  Orpha and Peg looked over the figures in their accounts ledger; they did not have nearly enough to purchase the empty building on Oxford Street. Peg was disappointed but Orpha was sobbing.

  ‘It don’t matter,’ Peg said, trying to comfort her sister as they sat by the fire in the cottage kitchen, ‘we can keep looking. There’s bound to be somewhere we can afford, we may just have to wait a while longer.’

  ‘No Peg, I want that one!’ Sounding like a petulant child, Orpha apologised to her sister for snapping.

  ‘How long would it take us to get the money together for that building?’ Peg asked.

  Orpha took up her pencil and worked the figures. Looking up, she said, ‘We could afford it by the time we were Methuselah’s age!’ Both girls collapsed in a fit of giggles.

  ‘Best get to it then,’ Peg said after they stopped laughing.

  ‘Yes,’ Orpha agreed, ‘and, we have to put our prices up.’ Suddenly a thought struck her and she added, ‘We could find buyers in Birmingham and maybe Ezzie would help out with transportation!’

  Peg gave a coy smile saying, ‘Oh I’m sure he would.’ Laughing together again, the girls settled to their work.

  ‘Speak of the devil,’ Peg said with a smile as a ‘Yoohoo’ sounded at the back door and Edna and Ezzie walked in. Looking at Edna, Peg said, ‘Kettle has just boiled.’

  Edna clicked her teeth as she muttered good-naturedly, ‘I don’t know what the world’s coming to. I come for a visit and I have to make my own bloody tea!’ She moved to set four cups ready for the brew.

  Once settled, Edna and Ezzie related their fears about Hortense possibly finding the girls at the cottage, and maybe discovering their father’s office in Birmingham. They watched the girls’ shocked faces as they told them about Zach’s house being razed to the ground.

  ‘What are we to do?’ Orpha said in a panic.

  ‘Well, worrying about it won’t help,’ Edna put in, ‘after all, this is just “ifs and buts”, we don’t exactly know yer mother even knows about you being here.’

  Orpha relaxed a little as they discussed ways to keep themselves safe.

  Ezzie and Peg went for a stroll and she told him about the building they had looked at and their idea of finding buyers in Birmingham. ‘I can transport your products any time I am near, but I can’t guarantee dates and times, not knowing where we’ll be at any given time.’ That was something the girls had overlooked.

  Meanwhile, Orpha brought Edna up to date regarding the building and her sadness at being unable to afford it was evident. The woman’s heart went out to the girl who worked so hard; life could be very harsh and sometimes it was harder on the good folk. Trying to hide the tears that threatened, Orpha continued to work as they chatted.

  Sitting on a bench by the allotment gardens which were bordered by Major Street, Ezzie took Peg’s hand. Pulling her to her feet, he led her into the gardens proper. Like a park, it had walkways and plant beds with trees dotted about on the grassy areas, although now the branches were bare. As they ambled along, Ezzie gently steered Peg to a large oak tree where he kissed her tenderly on her cheek. Then dropping to one knee his words came in a rush, ‘Peg, will you marry me?’

  Looking around and feeling a little embarrassed, the girl nodded as she dragged him back to his feet.

  ‘Thank God for that!’ Ezzie breathed through his grin which spread from ear to ear. ‘I love you Peg, with all my heart and soul.’

  Peg laughed, ‘I love you too Ezzie. We’d better go and tell your mother she needs a new hat!’ Hand in hand they walked back to the cottage, already making wedding plans. They agreed to a spring wedding which would be a small affair in St. George’s Church which stood between the market and St. George’s Parade. Close enough to the cottage, everyone would walk to the church on the allotted day.

  Edna and Orpha were delighted with the news that there would be a wedding and their families would be joined. Edna cried buckets at the idea of her ‘little boy’ getting married. They celebrated with cups of tea and massive slices of cake before Edna and Ezzie said it was time for the off. Hugs given all round, they parted company.

  *

  A few days later, Ezzie delivered the first of the ingredients from the girls’ new suppliers in Birmingham. Having borrowed a sack truck at the wharf, he stacked the goods in the scullery, then warmed his hands by the fire.

  Orpha was due to meet her brother Zachariah at the office and was readying herself for the train journey to Birmingham. They were to go in search of buyers for the chocolates.

  Ezzie had a backload to go to Bilston so finishing his tea, he kissed his bride-to-be and set out for ‘The Sunshine’ at the wharf.

  Being assured her sister would be fine, Orpha also left the cottage, heading for the railway station.

  *

  Zachariah was waiting for Orpha as she alighted the train. Leaving the platform, they walked into the town together and he passed her a paper. ‘This is a list of the grocery shops I thought might be interested in your products.’ Walking up Corporation Street, Orpha checked the paper and stopped at the first shop on the list. Confidently striding indoors, she asked to see the person in charge. Zachariah followed behind and smiled as the shop girl asked if she could help.

  ‘Are you the person in charge?’ Orpha asked.

  ‘No,’ the girl replied.

  ‘Then you cannot help me. I wish to see the owner or the manager please.’ Orpha stood her ground, confident but polite.

  Disappearing into the back room, the girl returned with a disgruntled man who barked, ‘What do you want? I’m busy!’

  ‘Too busy to make money?’ Orpha asked, not put off by his gruff manner. Seeing the spark in his eyes, she went on to explain about her chocolate business and produced a box from her bag. Then offering a sweet from her ever-present jar, she waited. Examining the box, the man chewed the confection with raised eyebrows. Inviting them into the back room, th
ey sat down to discuss business.

  Walking to the next place on the list, Zachariah said, ‘Congratulations, Orpha, on your business acumen and how you dealt with the man whom you softened to the consistency of your chocolate!’

  By the time they stopped for tea, Orpha had acquired ten new clients. Over tea and cake she began to realise how much extra work this would entail, and she had only visited a few streets so far!

  ‘Birmingham City is spread over a vast area and I will need to visit many more times to expand the business. I also know we will need help in the cottage.’ She recanted all this to Zachariah who agreed with her every word. Orpha then told him about the building they had looked at in Wolverhampton; his eyes growing wide when she said, ‘The asking price is £2,000!’

  Over more tea, Zachariah gave Orpha the benefit of his experience in the financial world, and as they left the tea shop, Orpha now had a better understanding of how to deal with Mr Belcher at the estate agents.

  Zach returned to the office and Orpha decided to visit with the Toyes before going home.

  As usual, Orpha was greeted with hugs and tears of joy. Hetty was ecstatic at seeing her young friend and it was Henry who made the tea in an effort to hide the tear in his own eye.

  Orpha updated her friends on the goings on of the last few weeks and said she felt sure it was her mother to blame for all of it.

  When it was time for her to return home, Hetty clasped the girl to her bosom saying she should keep herself safe and have nothing more to do with Hortense.

  Chapter 30

  Hortense had taken the train to Wolverhampton and found the place where she had abandoned her firstborn child. She had watched the girl leave the cottage. So, Eugenie was still alive and living in the same place. That would make things easy when it came to disposing of her.

  Trudging back to the railway station, Hortense boarded the train back to Wednesbury. Now she just had to find Zachariah and Orpha. Once she knew their whereabouts, she would get rid of them too. That would just leave Abel.

  On her train ride back to the hotel in which she’d been staying since Abel had so harshly thrown her out, she silently fumed at the way her husband had treated her. When his time came to cast off his mortal coil, it had to be something very special indeed. She was going to make sure he suffered before meeting his maker.

  *

  Abel was assuring the staff at Buchanan House. ‘Despite Hortense leaving, your jobs are safe.’ Just then a knock came to the front door. Simmons excused himself from the meeting in the parlour. Opening the door, he nodded to the sergeant and constable from the Birmingham constabulary. Given tea, the sergeant explained his visit. ‘Zachariah Buchanan and his stable boy, Seth Walker, have been into the station and given a statement.’ Usually staff would be sent out of the room during such discussions, but Abel felt as they had been involved from the start, they should remain. After all, without Jago Morton they may never have found out about Hortense and the house fire. ‘Not wishing to step on the toes of the Wednesbury constabulary,’ the Sergeant said, ‘I suggest you and I…’ he nodded at Abel, ‘plus the constable here, should pay a visit to the local station.’ Abel asked Jago to ready the carriage and join them on their journey to the Holyhead Road police station.

  Walking into the hotel, Hortense was stopped by the receptionist who said the police sergeant had visited. Hortense nodded and without so much as a thank you, she hurried to her room. How did the police find her here? How did they know where she was? The lad who had brought her luggage from Buchanan House! The little rat had sold her out. He must have told the house staff where he was taking her things, who in turn had told the police. It had been a mistake hiring that boy to transport her belongings, she should have left them behind.

  Gathering a few things together, she shoved them into her carpet bag; she had to move to another hotel now, so she would have to leave most of her things behind. It was no matter; she would buy more after she sold the emeralds that were hidden snugly in her bodice. Hortense decided it might even be better to travel light and keep on the move.

  Leaving the hotel once more, Hortense informed the receptionist she was going to the theatre in Birmingham and it would be late when she returned. Seeing the girl nod without looking up from the desk, she stepped out onto the street and made straight for the railway station. She needed to get out of Wednesbury. Trying to decide where to go, she considered her options. It would be a million to one chance she would see Zachariah in Birmingham and she had no idea where Orpha was. The police in Wednesbury would be searching for her. She now knew Eugenie lived in Wolverhampton… if she went there she could dispose of the green-eyed girl before moving on.

  Increasing her stride, feeling happy with her decision, Hortense bought a railway ticket for Wolverhampton.

  *

  Peg had worked hard in the kitchen at the cottage and the boxes of chocolates were piled up when Orpha walked in feeling chilled to the bone. Settling by the fire, she told her sister of her day. ‘We have ten new orders,’ she said. She also explained what Zachariah had said about the building on Oxford Street. After agreeing the decision to visit Mr Belcher again the following day, they settled into filling the cold slab with trays of chocolate to cool.

  Weak winter sunshine greeted the girls as they dressed warmly for their visit to the estate agent the next day. Mr Belcher was pleased to see them as they took a seat in his office. ‘Zachariah Buchanan, our financial advisor, has given us instruction on the property we are interested in.’ They saw Mr Belcher’s eyes widen as he stroked his white beard and listened.

  ‘The Mr Zachariah Buchanan?’ he finally asked.

  Orpha nodded. ‘Yes, the Mr Zachariah Buchanan, he’s our brother.’ Clearly Zachariah’s reputation had spread far and wide.

  ‘So what are you proposing?’ Mr Belcher asked.

  ‘My proposal is this,’ Orpha began, ‘we have given the bank the money we have in our account as a down payment to enable us to take over the building straight away… initially to give it a damn good clean!’ Orpha watched the older man nod and she continued, ‘We have borrowed the rest from the bank, who will then pay you. Then, as we begin our business, we will pay off the balance owing monthly. I believe it is known as a mortgage facility; all of this was arranged yesterday with the bank in Birmingham.’

  Surprised at her sensible suggestion, he asked, ‘That’s all well and good, but what if your business fails? Where would you find the balance owing then?’

  ‘Mr Belcher,’ Orpha said confidently, ‘our business will not fail. Only yesterday we had ten new orders from Birmingham which covered only a small part of the city. It is my intention to cover the whole of the city eventually before moving on to other towns. I assure you, Mr Belcher, the bank will have their money for the Oxford Street building in no time at all and not long after… you will have a search on your hands…’ Watching silver-white eyebrows raise Orpha clarified by saying, ‘…because you will be finding us our second shop!’

  Having signed the papers with the bank beforehand and now with Mr Belcher, Orpha left the office in a daze. With the keys clutched tightly in her hand, she had just bought their first shop!

  *

  Orpha and Peg hurried round to the market to buy cleaning materials. They also had a question to ask Lottie Spence, the woman who had a stall next to where Peg had once parked her cart.

  Lottie was standing at her stall in the cold.

  ‘Hey up wenches, how’s tricks?’

  ‘Lottie,’ Orpha said excitedly, ‘we’ve just bought our first shop and we wondered if you fancied working there? It would get you out of this freezing market!’

  ‘I most certainly would! I was thinking this would be the last time to stand the market in the winter anyway. I thank you both.’ Lottie blew on her cold hands.

  Looking at the sky, the threatened snowfall added conviction to her excitement. Peg explained where the shop was, and Lottie said she would be there the following morning to help
with cleaning and painting. When Orpha asked about Lottie’s stall, the woman replied, ‘Damn the bloody stall!’

  Bidding Lottie farewell, the girls rushed round to the shop which now belonged to them; they wanted to get started straight away. Peg immediately began the cleaning when they unlocked the building; they had agreed the shop needed to be ready first then they could start scrubbing down the kitchen. Orpha left Peg to her cleaning and went to the signwriter’s office. She knew exactly what she wanted on the sign to hang above their shop door. Agreeing to her request, the signwriter handed her an invoice, which she promised to pay at the end of the month.

  Walking back to the shop in the cold winter wind, Orpha realised that Christmas was just around the corner; it was already November and she wanted the shop up and running before Yuletide arrived.

  Taking off her outdoor clothes, Orpha knuckled down to cleaning the shop with Peg and said, ‘We need to be open in time for Christmas.’

  Peg looked around her, shaking her head. ‘Don’t make me laugh, girl!’ she said, ‘We’ll never be ready in time… look at this place! It will take a month to get it clean, never mind painted!’

  Orpha looked around too and sighed heavily. ‘Well we can try! Come on, between us, and with Lottie’s help, we can do it!’

  Peg shook her head again and continued her scrubbing. As the light began to fade, the girls locked the shop and wearily walked home. They had an evening of chocolate-making to face before they could retire for the night.

  *

  Lottie was waiting for them bright and early the next morning outside the shop with her two daughters, Joan and Hilda. ‘Thought a little help might be needed,’ she said as they entered the shop, ‘looks like I was right!’

  They all scanned the room – it was a formidable task to clean, paint and open the shop in just under two months. Besides which, they had to transport everything from the cottage, notify their suppliers of the new address and have new labels printed.