The Girl From Pit Lane

by Gracie Hart

  ‘La-di-da toffs that you thought you could rely on, but disappear in the blink of an eye. Even your William has not been back to see you.’ Eliza grabbed her shawl and linked her arm into her sister’s.

  ‘Na, and I’m not bothered. Let someone else have him; he’ll only be like his father. You’d never be able to trust him. Upper-class snob.’ Mary-Anne smiled at her sister, trying to hide her true feelings about visiting their Aunt Patsy.

  She was scared … scared of what the future held for her.

  Twenty Two

  ‘There’s no sign of him, Mary-Anne.’ Eliza glanced around Calls Wharf, watching the wharf men unload and load the barges but with not a glimpse of John Vasey. Workers knocked her shoulder as she stood in their way and occasionally cursed her.

  ‘Come on, out of the way, we’ll look for him on our way back. That load of sacks is going to fall on your head if you don’t get out from under them.’ Mary-Anne pulled on her sister’s arm, moving her out of the way of a board gladden with grain sacks being hauled by chains just over her head. ‘We’ll probably see him on the way back if he’s not at Aunt Patsy’s. I need to get to Ma Fletcher and then I thought we could walk over to Park Lane and have a look at the town hall that’s being built there. People are saying how grand it looks. Things are changing in Leeds, that’s for sure.’ Mary-Anne pushed her way through the crowds with her sister in tow, and they darted in and out of the busy wharf side.

  ‘What do you want to go and look at that for? It’s costing a small fortune and divided folk in opinion, all that money on a posh town hall, when ordinary folk are living in slums. They want to go and look at Aunt Patsy’s square and build new houses for them instead of building something that grand.’ Eliza sighed as she caught up with her sister again.

  ‘Leeds is growing, Eliza, it’s got wealth and has to move with the times. I like that we’re going to have a city to be proud of. After all, we supply nearly all the country with our wool and coal, not to mention the Commonwealth. Also, the local paper says Queen Victoria is rumoured to be opening the hall; we will have to try and get in to see her. I’ve never seen royalty before. Do you think Prince Albert will be with her? She never seems to go anywhere without him.’

  ‘I just think we have more important things to worry about at the moment and to be quite honest I don’t know what she sees in that Albert; he’s German for a start, and he’s not that handsome. He’s not as good-looking as my Tom, and he has strange ways.’ Eliza followed in her sister’s footsteps up Lower Briggate to the market on Higher Briggate.

  ‘I read that he’s heart-broken that his eldest daughter Victoria has gone to live in Prussia, since she got married last month to Prince Frederick. He must love his family and worry about them like any other father, so don’t be so hard on him.’ Mary-Anne waved at Ma Fletcher as she approached her stall. ‘The old bag’s waiting of us. Look, she’s got something for us. She never fails us, does she?’

  Both of them walked quickly towards her, holding their breaths as they made their way past the smells that rose from the butcher’s stall at the start of the market. Mary-Anne was conscious of her stomach beginning to erupt.

  ‘I know, girls, the smell’s bad today – I’ve felt bloody sick all morning.’ Ma Fletcher watched as Mary-Anne retched and looked for a drain to be sick down. ‘Fair turns your stomach, especially if you’ve a weak belly.’

  Eliza watched as her sister made her way as discreetly as she could to the gutter and vomited, knowing that usually she was oblivious to the stench of the market, but not at present.

  ‘You’ll feel better for that, although by the looks of your face, you don’t.’ Ma Fletcher watched as Mary-Anne wiped her mouth along her sleeve and stood in front of her shakily.

  ‘She’s not been feeling well for a while. We had some bacon the other night and I think it must have been off. She keeps being sick, thinking about the taste it left behind.’ Eliza did her usual of picking through the cart while making an excuse for her sister.

  ‘I’m all right; just the smell reminded me of the bacon, as Eliza says. I should be used to it because our shop’s next to the butcher’s and we smell it at least twice a week.’ Mary-Anne rummaged in the bag and held out her hand with what she thought the lot was worth.

  ‘Maybe something else amiss, you want to take care.’ Ma Fletcher counted the money on offer and put up a finger demanding another penny before turning to look at Mary-Anne.

  ‘No, I’m fine. Here take your penny, I’ll not argue today.’ Mary-Anne picked up the bag of clothes and nodded at Eliza for them both to be on their way.

  ‘Bloody hell, you must be poorly, lass. You are not even haggling today.’ Ma Fletcher watched as the usually chatty two wandered away from her stall. Something was wrong with Mary-Anne, and it wasn’t anything to do with rancid bacon, if she knew the signs.

  ‘I’m sorry, Eliza. I couldn’t stay in Briggate a moment longer. I thought I was going to faint.’ Mary-Anne sat down on the steps of the Holy Trinity. ‘And she kept on talking and I just couldn’t think straight.’ She looked up at her sister. ‘I hate that I’m in the family way. What have I done to deserve this, apart from keep us safe and dry?’

  ‘It’ll get better, Mary-Anne, you’ll not always feel like this.’ Eliza sat down next to her.

  ‘I won’t if I can persuade Aunt Patsy to give me something. That’s the best end to what I’m carrying,’ Mary-Anne said quietly.

  ‘Ssshh, not on the church steps, that’s blasphemy!’ Eliza whispered.

  ‘No, what Edmund Ellershaw did was blasphemy but I can’t see God striking him down with a thunderbolt from on high.’ Mary-Anne leant back and breathed in deeply. ‘It’s passing now. Let’s go as I suggested and look at how fast they are getting on with the town hall, and then we will go to Aunt Patsy’s. Heaven only knows what’s in this bag this week; I couldn’t be bothered to look.’ Mary-Anne opened the bag up and pulled a dress and a skirt to the top. ‘I think she’s pulled a fast one on us, but never mind, it is my fault, I’ll just have to make most of a bad lot. She stood up and held onto the iron railings by the church doorway. ‘I’ll not let that bastard win, Eliza, no matter how bad I feel.’

  Eliza stood on the church steps and looked at her sister. ‘Please don’t go to Aunt Patsy’s. I don’t want to lose you! What if I find you like you did our mother, dying in the privy. Please, Mary-Anne, I beg you … don’t get rid of it. No matter how it came to be.’

  ‘Oh, Eliza, don’t start. I feel so ill at the moment. There’s no way out but to get rid of this baby. It’s going to ruin our lives. No one will want to know me once the truth gets out and we can’t afford another mouth to feed. Don’t you think I’m scared too? I remember finding Mother and it was horrific – I’ll never forget it. So do you really think I’m going through with this lightly? I just don’t know what else to do. I can’t have this child.’ Mary-Anne wiped back the tears. She felt weak and vulnerable.

  ‘I don’t want to lose you, Mary-Anne.’ Eliza repeated, pleading. ‘I’d be all alone. Aunt Patsy means well and I’m sure she didn’t mean to but her potion did kill Mother. A baby should be cherished, it can’t help its parentage and it didn’t ask to be brought into the world. We’d manage between us, or you just have it and give it up like you thought before.’.

  ‘I don’t know, Eliza, I just don’t know what to do! I’ve never felt like this before. I’m expecting a baby, which I don’t want. The shop is just starting to be able to keep us and we both have a sweetheart in our lives. It’s spoiling everything. All I can do is think about it growing inside of me, making me worry all the time. I even thought of taking my own life the other day and would have done if John Vasey hadn’t stopped me in time down by the canal.’ Mary-Anne sat back down again on the steps and hid her face in her hands as passers-by looked at her in curiosity.

  ‘Oh my Lord, Mary-Anne!’ Eliza reached her arms around her sister, shocked at her confession. ‘That was just a moment of weakness. Let�
��s go home … you know getting rid of the baby is not the answer. You act hard, same as me, but we aren’t. I could never kill anything, let alone a baby. Nor would you – you’d not have gone through with it, would you?’ Her sister didn’t answer but continued to sob into her skirts. ‘Lordy, if I’d have known you were that low after visiting Edmund Ellershaw, I’d have not let you out of my sight. I take it you did not tell John Vasey why you were committing such an act of desperation?’ Eliza took her sister’s hand and squeezed it tight.

  ‘No, and he must never know. I don’t feel that way now but you’re right, I can’t go through with taking away this baby’s life. I’ll do as I originally planned and have the baby and then leave it on the steps of the orphanage. Are you any good at bringing a baby into the world? Because I’m going to need help if we are to keep it a secret.’ Mary-Anne wiped her tears away and smiled at her sister.

  ‘I don’t know, but we will manage between us. This baby’s not the end of the world, so don’t you think that it is. You’ve got to remember it is half of you as well; forget that the father is Edmund Ellershaw and just look after yourself.’

  ‘What would I do without you, Eliza? We get our strength through one another, we always have.’ Mary-Anne looked at her sister and not for the first time was glad that she was there to talk to, even though she couldn’t always tell her everything. ‘We’ll not bother walking over to Park Lane to look at the town hall or visit Aunt Patsy. Let’s just go home and make the best of this bag of rags that Ma Fletcher swindled us with.’ She breathed in and smiled warmly at Eliza. ‘I’m glad that you stopped me. I couldn’t have gone through with it anyway if Aunt Patsy had given me one of her potions. It was terrible finding Mother like that – and the baby … I wouldn’t wish that on any one. It’s just that I feel I’m in such a desperate situation. I’m not in control of my life any more.’

  ‘You’ll be all right once the baby is born; things will get back to normal. Now, come; let us go and have a proper look for the elusive Mr Vasey. He will cheer you up.’ Eliza held her hand out for Mary-Anne to take.

  ‘I doubt that he will look at me the state I’m in.’ Mary-Anne rose to her feet.

  ‘What state? You look fine to me and as the months go on … well, we will just have to disguise your shape under fuller skirts. It’s a mercy you have such a talented seamstress for a sister – I can fashion your dresses so no one will never need to know of your predicament.’ Eliza linked her arm into her sister’s.

  Mary-Anne smiled. If only it was to be that simple, she thought. Unwanted babies were born every day to women who had lifted their skirts for pleasure, but she had not even done that. She’d been frightened and felt dirty as Edmund Ellershaw had pushed and thrust himself into her. She would never feel the same again and the next few months were going to be hell, even with her sister’s help and support.

  ‘Mr Vasey, I thought you were going to ignore us.’ Eliza tapped John on his shoulder, as both of them walked up behind him.

  ‘Eliza, Mary-Anne … I didn’t see you both there. I’ve been rushed off my feet all morning. I haven’t had time to catch my breath, let alone anything else.’ John wiped his forehead free of sweat and looked at the two young women fondly, even though he had little time for conversation that morning.

  ‘We can see that the wharf’s busy this morning; Eliza nearly got a load dropped on her head when we arrived, and it was so crowded. We’ll not keep you, you’ll be needed.’ Mary-Anne was still aware that she didn’t feel well and really hadn’t wanted Eliza to find John in the busy throng.

  ‘It’s always good to see you two ladies, no matter how busy we are.’ John smiled at Mary-Anne while he tucked his shirt in his trousers, knowing that he didn’t look at his best covered in coal dust and sweat, with his clothes in disarray.

  ‘Vasey, get your arse moving – that barge from Hull needs emptying. Stop pleasing your cock and get on with some work.’

  ‘Yes, boss,’ John answered his ganger as he walked past shouting at him. ‘Sorry ladies, I’ve got to go. The bastard’s on my back today.’ John looked at Mary-Anne and smiled, wanting to kiss her goodbye but realising he shouldn’t.

  ‘Come to tea on Sunday afternoon, John,’ Eliza shouted after him as he pushed his way to the wharf side.

  ‘I will, see you then.’ John waved his arm at them as he shouted his reply and disappeared through the crowd.

  ‘What did you do that for?’ Mary-Anne looked at her sister.

  ‘Because you hardly said a word and it’s as obvious as the nose on my face he’s besotted by you by the way he looks at you. Besides, I thought I could ask Tom as well, just have the four of us around the tea table. I thought it would be good for both of us.’ Eliza grinned.

  ‘Won’t his mother have something to say about that? How’s he going to explain chapel taking that long?’ Mary-Anne pushed her way along the wharf with Eliza by her side.

  ‘I’ve decided to go and pay Mrs Thackeray a visit, convince her that I’m not as bad as she fears. She never goes out of that house of theirs, so she sits and thinks about things too much and always thinks the worst of people. It’s time she met me.’

  ‘Shouldn’t Tom introduce you to her?’

  ‘He’ll never do that, he’s frightened to death of her. No, I’m going on my own. I’ll sweeten her up, else I never will get my man.’ Eliza took the sack off her sister and swung it over her back as they reached the outskirts of Leeds and Hunslet. ‘I’m not going to be bullied by her and it’s time she got to know me.’

  ‘He’s a mother’s boy, Eliza,’ Mary-Anne warned, ‘you take care, or else he will break your heart as well. His mother will always come first.’

  ‘Not if I have my way, she won’t. Now, let’s look forward to entertaining on Sunday. It’ll give the neighbours something to talk about if nothing else.’ Eliza laughed.

  ‘You’re a crafty one, Eliza Wild. With no shame.’

  Eliza looked at herself in the hall mirror; she’d brushed her hair until it shone and was dressed in her Sunday best. She looked completely respectable in her eyes … how could old Mrs Thackeray not like her? She’d win her around.

  She picked up her basket filled with baking, which she had taken care making earlier in the day, and the bunch of bluebells that she’d picked down by the side of the canal. She picked them up and smelled their sweet smell, looking at the blue hue that matched her eyes. She’d pick another bunch for the tea table on Sunday. She wanted their home to look nice for their gentleman callers and for her sister.

  Poor Mary-Anne … she felt so sorry for her and, although she’d tried to sound positive for her, she didn’t honestly know what they were going to do. Grace Ellershaw had not come back after her visit to her home and the money they had made would not last forever. Also, when it came to bringing a baby into the world, Eliza was an innocent and frightened by the very thought that she would have to be the one to help Mary-Anne through it when her time came. Still, something would turn up, it always did.

  Months like the last few could not last forever. After Mary-Anne had the baby and they’d given it away to a good home, they could get their lives back on an even keel. She breathed in deeply and smoothed down her dress. Right, Mrs Madge Thackeray was the one to win over today.

  ‘Yes, what do you want?’ Madge opened the door slightly to the young lass stood on her doorstep.

  ‘I’m Eliza Wild, Mrs Thackeray. I think Tom might have mentioned me?’ Eliza stood on the doorstep of the small double-fronted cottage that stood on the edge of Wood Lane in Rothwell. By its appearance, it had once been part of the nearby estate but now it had been lovingly looked after by Madge and Tom, with the cottage garden just starting to come into bloom with its earliest flowers, while the small-paned windows were well painted and cleaned, sparkling in the sunshine.

  ‘Aye, he’s talked of you.’ Madge opened the door a little wider and looked Eliza up and down. ‘What, tha’s only a bit of a thing. How old are you?’


  ‘I’m sixteen, Mrs Thackeray.’ Eliza stood on the doorstep and tried to peer in behind Madge. ‘I’ve brought you some baking and picked you these flowers, I thought you might like them.’

  ‘What do I want with any of that? I do my own baking, and my garden’s full of flowers. If you think you can charm yourself into my home with them you can think again.’ Madge looked at Eliza and was determined to keep her on the step.

  ‘I just thought that you don’t know the first thing about me and you must be worried that Tom is showing an interest in me. The baking and flowers are just a small token and I also hoped that I can put your mind to rest if you have thoughts of Tom deserting you for me. I can assure you he loves you deeply and you will always be first in his thoughts.’ Eliza smiled.

  ‘He’s a good lad, is my Tom. He doesn’t want any young hussy that’ll lead him astray and just take his money. He belongs with his mother.’ Madge stared at Eliza.

  ‘Mrs Thackeray, Tom will always be your son. I’ve no intention of stealing him from you. We are just friends. It may grow into more than that, but for now we are both happy with how it is. You will always come first, I can assure you, and I respect that. Please accept my gifts, it would be a shame to have to carry them back home. There are some scones and a new loaf of bread; I made them myself first thing this morning. I enjoy baking.’ Eliza smiled at the old woman. She’d put up with her insults for the time being, just until she had won her over.

  ‘I suppose you could come in. It wouldn’t hurt to get to know you a bit better. His head seems to be set on seeing you, no matter what I think. If nowt else it’s good to know what I’m up against.’ Madge opened the door wider. ‘Go on, sit down, and I’ll put the kettle on. You can put your baking on the table. I’ll take your flowers and put them in a vase.’