The Swan Maid

by Dilly Court

  Gideon’s attitude had mellowed, although he remained aloof from the preparations for the move, and even though Lottie tried to interest him in the project it was obvious that he still considered it was a mistake. She was disappointed, but determined to carry on. The Swan had become a personal journey. It had been her home since the age of twelve, and despite the hard work and the ill treatment meted out by the Filbys, the memories were not all bad. She would never have met Gideon had she not been working there. There might have been a cooling in their relationship but she still loved him, and she knew deep in her heart that his feelings for her had not changed. It was male pride that stood in their way, but everything would be different if Barnard Coker could make a deal with the telegraph company, of that she was certain.

  The day for the move arrived and Grace’s furniture was being laden onto carts, much to the delight of a crowd of young street Arabs, who had gathered outside and were poised, ready to snatch anything they could sell for a few farthings. The carters retaliated with threats of dire punishments, and if all else failed they resorted to their horse whips. Lottie was in the front parlour, checking that nothing had been left behind, and was about to leave the room when Gideon entered, grinning and looking so much like his old self that her heart missed a beat.

  ‘You look very pleased with yourself,’ she said cautiously.

  ‘You’ll never guess what’s happened. I can hardly believe it myself.’ He took a letter from his pocket and handed it to her.

  She tried to look surprised as she read the contents. ‘The Electric and International Telegraph Company want you and Farrell to join them on the board. That’s wonderful, Gideon. I’m so pleased for you.’

  ‘I can’t imagine how they got my name, unless it was Farrell who put me up for it. I’m going to visit him in Grosvenor Square to find out.’ He hesitated, his elation dimming visibly. ‘I should be helping you with the move, Lottie. I’ll go later when we’re all settled in Gresham Street.’

  ‘It’s all right. There are plenty of us, after all, and the carters are doing most of the work. You go and see Farrell.’

  ‘I’ve been visiting him every other day. I suppose I should have told you, but I feel responsible for the poor fellow. He can see a bit better these days, but I know how much he suffers.’

  ‘You’ve been a good friend to him,’ Lottie said earnestly. ‘I’m glad that you two are close, and I’m sorry if my actions have made a rift between us.’

  Gideon made a move towards her but at that moment Teddy burst into the room. ‘Come quick, Lottie. Lad has bitten one of the street kids and his ma is threatening to wring Lad’s neck.’

  ‘I’ll sort it out.’ Gideon moved to the door. ‘I’ll see you later – at The Swan.’

  ‘Hurry up, do.’ Teddy stood in the doorway, his eyes wide with fright. ‘She’s going to kill Lad and if Jezebel gets wind of it there’ll be hell to pay.’

  A loud yell from the front steps made Lottie run to the window in time to see Jezebel flying at the woman, who had Lad by the scruff of the neck. The carters stood back in amazement at the sight of the tall woman with muscular forearms, who swung a punch a boxer would have been proud of. The boy’s mother crumpled to the ground, but Gideon arrived just in time to prevent Jezebel from kicking the woman as she writhed on the filth-encrusted cobblestones. Teddy snatched up Lad and leaped onto the cart as it was about to pull away from the kerb. He cocked a snook at the street urchins, who followed, throwing handfuls of dung and rotten vegetables.

  ‘Oh Lord, what a day.’ Ruby waddled into the room. ‘I hope I don’t give birth before we get to The Swan. I’m overdue as it is.’

  Lottie hurried to her side. ‘Have your pains started?’ Memories of Aurelia giving birth to Molly on board the Albatross came flooding back. ‘Perhaps we ought to leave right away. There’s not much left to go on the carts. I’ll come with you.’

  Ruby held her hand to her side. ‘Perhaps that would be best.’

  ‘Stay here. I’ll go and tell Jem and get my reticule and we’ll hail a cab.’

  Ruby’s pains started in earnest as the cab pulled away from the kerb. It was not far to Gresham Street but the traffic was chaotic and horse-drawn vehicles vied with costermongers’ barrows and pedestrians for right of way in the crowded streets. The journey took twice as long as it would have done normally and Ruby’s pains were coming in quick succession.

  ‘Me first labour was short, so they told me,’ Ruby said, grimacing and clutching Lottie’s hand until she thought her fingers would break. ‘Although it seemed to go on for ever.’ She paled and bit her lip.

  ‘Just hold on until we get there.’ Lottie glanced anxiously out of the window. ‘It’s not too far now, Ruby.’

  ‘They say the second one is always quicker.’ Ruby let out a howl of pain that startled the horse, causing it to rear in its shafts.

  ‘Nearly there,’ Lottie said, flexing her fingers.

  Ruby closed her eyes and bared her teeth. ‘I think it’s coming.’

  ‘Just a few more minutes and we’ll be there.’ Lottie clutched Ruby’s hands. ‘Hold on, please.’

  They had come to a halt and the cabby was shouting at a costermonger who had blocked the street as he tried to turn his barrow laden with apples and pears. ‘Get out of me way. I got a woman giving birth in me cab, you bloody numbskull.’

  The costermonger replied in kind, but he managed to manoeuvre his cart just enough for the cab to pass just as the barrow tilted and fruit spilled onto the road; apples bounced over the cobblestones and pears were crushed underfoot as children scrambled to pick them up.

  ‘I ain’t giving birth in a cab for all to see,’ Ruby groaned, clutching her belly as if trying to keep her baby from coming too soon.

  ‘We are so nearly there,’ Lottie said urgently. ‘Just a few more minutes, Ruby.’

  They reached the entrance of The Swan with Two Necks and the cab trundled into the yard. Ruby had been screaming as if she was being murdered, but was suddenly silent. Lottie jumped to the ground calling for Ned Potts. ‘Ned, come quick.’

  He was helping the carter to unload the first wagon, and he turned his head, squinting into the sunlight. ‘What’s up, miss?’

  Teddy dropped the box he had been carrying and hurried towards them. ‘Is she having her baby?’

  Lottie nodded, beckoning furiously. ‘We’ve got to get Ruby inside.’

  Ned lumbered towards them. ‘There’s a strange woman been asking for you, miss.’

  ‘I can’t deal with that now,’ Lottie said hastily. ‘We must get Mrs Barker indoors.’

  ‘But the black woman is in the taproom, drinking rum. She’s been here every day this week, looking for you. I didn’t like to give her your address in Leman Street.’

  ‘Did she give you a name?’

  ‘I dunno, can’t remember exactly. Mary Seacow, or something.’

  Ruby opened her eyes. ‘Mrs Seacole. It can’t be.’ Her face contorted with pain and she writhed in agony. ‘Help me, Lottie.’

  ‘It’s a miracle if it is her.’ Lottie turned to Teddy. ‘Run to the taproom and ask the lady to come quickly. Tell her that her services are needed.’ She turned back to Ruby, stroking her hair from her damp forehead. ‘Don’t worry. Everything will be all right now.’

  ‘Put your arm round my neck, missis.’ With surprising gentleness, Ned lifted Ruby from the cab.

  ‘You’d better take her to the Filbys’ apartment. I’ll pay the cabby and I’ll be with you as quick as I can.’

  ‘Aye, miss. I know where to go.’ Ned lumbered off with Ruby in his arms, leaving Lottie to pay the disgruntled cabby, who drove off muttering beneath his breath.

  Lottie was about to follow Ned and Ruby when Mary Seacole came bustling from the taproom, her scarlet and blue skirts billowing like the sails of a tea clipper, and the ribbons on her bonnet waving like flags.

  ‘Lottie, my darling, it’s good to see you. I was hoping to find you here.’

 
‘I can’t believe it’s really you, and you couldn’t have turned up at a more opportune moment. There’s a lady in desperate need of your services.’

  ‘I heard her yelling. It’s all in a day’s work for Mother Seacole. Lead on.’ Brandishing her umbrella Mary surged forward as if she were leading a cavalry charge.

  Ned passed them in the doorway. ‘I laid her on the bed, miss.’

  ‘Thank you, Ned.’ Lottie led the way to the Filbys’ former bedroom.

  ‘Mother Seacole,’ Ruby whispered, ‘I am so glad to see you.’

  ‘I’m here to look after you now, girl.’ Mary took off her bonnet and rolled up her sleeves. ‘Fetch clean towels and hot water, Lottie. You can leave the rest to me.’

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Lottie was only too pleased to hand over to such an experienced nurse and midwife, and she had complete trust in Mary’s abilities. She went to the kitchen and was horrified to find it in complete chaos. The Filbys had left the remains of several meals to moulder on the table, and in the scullery dirty crockery was piled high in the stone sink. The fire in the range had long since turned to ash and it spilled onto the flagstone floor. The smell of rotting food and rancid fat turned Lottie’s stomach, but she set to work to clean the grate and get a fire going. She fetched water from the pump in the yard and put a pan to heat on the top of the range.

  Keeping busy by sorting out the mess in the kitchen kept her mind off Ruby’s labour, and she enlisted Teddy’s help, although he protested and said he was a drummer boy and washing pots and pans was not his job. Lad curled up in his old place by the fire and, still grumbling, Teddy attacked the dirty crockery.

  It seemed that the Filbys had taken everything they could lay their hands on, but Lottie found a couple of clean towels that had been overlooked and took them, together with a pan of hot water, to the room where Ruby was in labour. She hesitated outside the door, head on one side, listening, but the sound of a baby crying filled her with relief. She entered to find Mary about to wrap the squirming infant in a pillowcase. ‘Ah, just in time.’

  Lottie placed the pan on a table. ‘How are you, Ruby?’

  ‘It’s a boy,’ Ruby said, smiling sleepily. ‘A beautiful little boy.’

  Mary swaddled the baby in the towel and laid him in his mother’s arms. ‘There, that’s my good deed for the day. Well done, honey.’

  ‘I don’t know how to thank you,’ Lottie said, giving her a hug. ‘I can’t believe that you turned up out of the blue. It seems too good to be true.’

  Mary drew her aside. ‘To tell you the truth, honey, I need your help, which is why I’ve been here every day hoping to see you.’

  ‘Of course I’ll do anything I can. What is it, Mary?’

  ‘Things aren’t so good financially for me and my partner, Mr Day. You might say we over-stretched ourselves in our business ventures.’

  ‘I am so sorry to hear that.’

  Mary shrugged and heaved a sigh. ‘Oh well, that’s the way things go, I guess. It looks like we’ll be declared bankrupt very soon.’

  ‘But that’s so unfair. You put everything you had into nursing the sick and injured in the Crimea, and yet Miss Nightingale has come back to national acclaim. I can’t understand why you’re being treated so harshly.’

  ‘Maybe I’m not such a good businesswoman as I thought I was.’

  ‘Where are you living now? Have you got somewhere to go?’

  ‘I’m not complaining, honey. I rent a pretty little room in Tavistock Street, on the corner of Drury Lane. I love Covent Garden and everything that goes on there, and Mr Day is in lodging in Goswell Road. We ain’t homeless, but we might be in need of a little help from our friends in the military. To put it plain, child, I might soon be destitute.’

  ‘That’s awful, Mary. I’ll do anything I can to help, and I’m sure that Lady Aurelia will also.’

  Mary tapped the side of her nose and grinned. ‘That’s what I was hoping. I heard about her narrow escape and the fact that she ain’t such a beauty now, but her ladyship is rich and influential and maybe she could remind some of my friends what I did for them in the Crimea, and help me get back on my feet. It ain’t charity I want, you must understand that.’

  ‘Of course I do, and I’ll do anything I can to make things better for you. But how did you know where to find me?’

  Mary threw back her head and laughed. ‘You mentioned the name of the inn once and Mother Seacole never forgets a thing, so I sought you out because I didn’t want to embarrass Lady Aurelia by turning up on her doorstep. I know how sniffy people can be about an old yellow woman like me, and I am fond of you, honey. I wanted to see you again and find out if things went well for you.’

  ‘You aren’t yellow and you aren’t old, Mother Seacole,’ Lottie said passionately. ‘You are a wonderful woman and I’m proud to be your friend.’

  ‘And I’m a proud Creole woman, Lottie. I have Scottish blood in my veins and I can hold my head up high amongst the best.’ She kissed her on the cheek. ‘I will survive, honey. I always have and I always will.’

  The baby started to cry and Lottie hurried to the bedside. ‘I’m sorry, Ruby. We’re neglecting you. Shall I take the baby so that you can rest?’

  ‘No, thank you. I want to show him to Jem. Has he come yet?’

  ‘What you need, young lady, is a cup of tea brewed by Mother Seacole.’ Mary moved towards the door. ‘I can find the kitchen, Lottie. I have a second sense when it comes to culinary matters, as you well know.’ She let herself out, closing the door behind her.

  Lottie leaned over to drop a kiss on Ruby’s forehead. ‘You have a beautiful baby. Have you chosen a name for him?’

  ‘I’ll wait for Jem,’ Ruby said, smiling. ‘He must have the final say, but I wanted to call my boy Joseph, in memory of my pa.’

  ‘Joseph is a fine name. He looks like a Joe, strong and brave, a son to be proud of.’

  ‘Thanks to Mary.’ Ruby lowered her voice. ‘I heard what she said about being bankrupt. We must help her.’

  ‘Don’t worry, we will. I’ll have a word with Aurelia, who owes Mary her life. She might have died on that ship in the Black Sea had it not been for Mary Seacole. I’ll make sure she puts the word round amongst her wealthy friends.’ Lottie straightened up, head on one side, listening. ‘That sounds like a cart. I’ll go and see if Jem has arrived and I’ll send him in to see you and Joe.’

  Lottie left Ruby cradling her tiny son and made her way to the stable yard. As she had hoped, Jem was seated on the box beside the carter. ‘Jem, wonderful news. You’re a father.’

  He leaped to the ground, his face creased with anxiety. ‘Is Ruby all right? She didn’t tell me that her pains had started. I’d never have left her side if I’d known.’

  ‘She’s fine, Jem. I’ll take you to her.’ Lottie had to curb the desire to tell him that he had a son, but that was something for Ruby to share with her husband. She led the way to the Filbys’ bedchamber and retired discreetly.

  Lottie waited for the others to arrive, eager to share the good news with them, but there was little time for celebration. The furniture and their belongings had to be unloaded, and Lottie settled her father in the Filbys’ parlour to be entertained by Mary. Molly had curled up in a chair and had fallen asleep, worn out by the excitement of moving day.

  Jezebel took over the kitchen, and when she had stopped swearing and cursing the Filbys for leaving her kitchen in such a state, she started singing. Lottie breathed a sigh of relief: when Jezebel sang all was well and they would have a decent meal. There was nothing in the larder and Grace went to market to purchase necessities, accompanied by Teddy with Lad, as always, following close on his heels.

  Mary stayed to have supper with them and Jem put her in a hansom cab with her fare back to Drury Lane, giving her a kiss and telling her it was the least he could do after she had brought his son into the world.

  Gideon arrived soon afterwards, and Lottie could tell by his expression that he
had had a successful day. For once they were alone in the kitchen, Jezebel having gone to inspect the new arrival, even though she was adamant that she disliked children, and babies in particular.

  ‘Farrell and I had our first meeting with the board,’ Gideon said, taking a seat at the table.

  ‘That sounds interesting.’ Lottie set the plate of food she had saved in front of him. ‘What was the outcome?’

  ‘They said they’d discuss our ideas, although I think they were impressed with what Farrell and I put forward. I’m not interested in the financial side of things, but I’d love to get down to work planning and supervising the laying of cables to connect far-flung places.’

  Lottie sat down beside him. ‘And what of Farrell? Is there anything a blind man can do?’

  ‘He knows the theory even better than I do, and he can see enough to get around. The doctors are hopeful that he might regain even more of his sight, but in the meantime we would work together as before, only this time we’ll be equals.’ He cut into a slice of roast pork. ‘I hope this isn’t Lady Petunia.’

  ‘It might be a distant relation, but Aurelia told me she had sent the colonel’s pet pig to her estate in Bath, where she’ll live out her days in comfort.’

  ‘I didn’t think Aurelia cared about anyone other than herself.’

  ‘That’s not fair, Gideon. She’s been more than generous setting me up in business.’

  He raised an eyebrow. ‘I’d say it was to salve her conscience for abandoning Molly.’

  ‘I know we’ll never agree on that, but I think it’s better for Molly to be here, with people who genuinely love her, than hidden away in a nursery, cared for by a succession of nannies and nursery maids.’