Pauper's Gold

by Margaret Dickinson

  The look on Hannah’s face was bleak. If she’d secretly hoped for any kind of relationship with her father, then those dreams were dashed.

  ‘He did say one thing though.’

  ‘Go on,’ Hannah muttered through gritted teeth. She was trying desperately not to let the tears that were welling up behind her eyes come spilling out.

  ‘He said, “The reason I’m offering you this job is . . .” now what word did he use? Ah yes, “twofold”. Yes, that was it. That’s what he said. “The reason I’m offering you this job is twofold.”’

  ‘What on earth does that mean?’ Hannah cried.

  ‘Means he’s got two reasons,’ Bessie put in. ‘Go on, Nell.’

  ‘“My wife,” he said, “can be a bit difficult to work for. And the two children aren’t easy. We’ve had more nannies than I’ve got workers in the mill.”’ The three of them smiled thinly at his wry witticism, then Hannah’s smile faded. ‘Oh, Nell, you don’t want to be working for someone like that.’

  ‘Wait a minute, wait till I’ve finished telling you. You see, the other reason was that he said it would be a link between you and him. “If ever she needs anything,” he said, “you’ll be able to let me know.”’

  Hannah stared at her. ‘He never said that.’

  For a moment, Nell looked hurt that her friend could think that she would lie to her. But then, she imagined herself in Hannah’s place. The girl’s father had never shown the slightest interest in her, had deserted her mother and left them to fend for themselves, had never lifted a finger to help them in their direst need. And even when they’d finally met a few days ago, he’d forbidden her to try to see him again. Why, then, should she believe that he’d had a change of heart? No, she wouldn’t have believed it either. So she said gently, ‘That’s what he said, Hannah. I wouldn’t lie to you.’

  Now Hannah was contrite. ‘Oh no, no, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. It . . . it just came out because . . . because I couldn’t believe it.’

  ‘Mebbe when he saw you, love, he had a change of heart,’ Bessie suggested softly.

  ‘Huh! It was a big one then, ’cos the other day he didn’t want to see hide nor hair of me ever again.’

  ‘Well, that’s what he said, Hannah, I promise you.’

  Hannah was torn now. ‘But I still don’t like the thought of you working for a tartar just so that I’ve got a link with my father. I’d sooner you got a job alongside me at the mill.’

  ‘Wait a bit. There’s more.’

  ‘More? Go on, then.’

  ‘I was honest with him. I didn’t think there was much point in being anything else. I told him I’d got a little boy and he said that would be fine. I could take him with me sometimes if I wanted.’

  ‘By heck,’ Bessie blurted out. ‘They must be desperate for a nanny if he offered that. But you know you can leave him with me, love. You don’t need to take him there unless you want to.’ Suddenly, her face fell. ‘Oh – you mean, they want you to live in?’

  ‘Not exactly. I’ll be given a room of my own there – and a bed in it for Tommy too – and they might want me to stay so many nights of the week, two or three maybe.’

  Bessie was struggling with her feelings. It was like being desperately thirsty and being handed a cup of water only to have it snatched away again before being able to take even a sip. Yet she couldn’t stand in the girl’s way and little Tommy would live in the lap of luxury compared to her humble home.

  She felt Nell’s touch. ‘I’m not going to live in, Auntie Bessie. I don’t want to. She’d have me at her beck and call all day and all night too. And I don’t want Tommy learning those kids’ bad ways, ’cos they must have got a few if they can’t keep a nanny for long.’

  ‘Are you sure, Nell? I mean it’d be much better for you both living in a nice house.’

  ‘Maybe,’ Nell agreed. ‘But there’d be no laughter, no fun – and no love.’

  Bessie was thoughtful for a moment. ‘Have you thought, Nell, that that’s probably what those kiddies need? A bit of love? Children are sometimes naughty just because they want someone to take a bit of notice of ’em.’

  Hannah and Nell glanced at Bessie and then at each other.

  ‘You know, she could be right, Nell. Folk like them don’t have much to do with their children. Look how the Critchlows sent Adam away to school. He was hardly ever at home, now was he?’

  Bessie gave a snort of laughter. ‘Well, Jimmy Gregory wasn’t born into that sort of class, but I expect he thinks he’s one of them now.’

  ‘Yes,’ Hannah said slowly. ‘I expect he does.’

  ‘Well, I’m going to give it a go,’ Nell said. ‘If it doesn’t work out, I can always leave. One more to add to the long list of nannies who didn’t stay long. I’ll tell you one thing though,’ she ended as, hearing Tommy’s cries from the bedroom, she levered herself up from the stool to go to him. ‘I shan’t stand any nonsense from the kids – or from Lady Muck, whoever she thinks she is.’

  Thirty-One

  The sight of a policeman knocking at one of the doors in Paradise Street was unusual on a Sunday afternoon. Though it was not one of the wealthier streets in the town, the residents were, in the main, God-fearing and law-abiding. A wayward youngster was dealt a cuff around the ear by his father or a neighbour – or even the local peeler on the beat – and no ill-feeling resulted. The community watched out for each other, helped one other, laughed, quarrelled and made up to laugh together again. But when a young constable was seen visiting Bessie’s house, that was cause for Flo’s curtains to twitch and the tongues to wag.

  ‘Come away in, lad,’ Bessie welcomed, and ushered Jim into the kitchen where the two girls were sewing. Little Tommy was lying on the hearthrug, looking about him and gurgling with glee.

  ‘I was just passing.’ Jim smiled, tucking his hat under his arm. ‘Constable Robinson put me on this beat special-like, so’s I could call in and see how you are.’

  Hannah threw her sewing aside and jumped up to pull out a chair for him. ‘Oh, how kind of you – and Mr Robinson. I’m fine. I’ve got a job at one of the mills. Been there for two months now. And this is my friend, Nell, and her little boy, Tommy. They’ve come to live here as well. Nell’s got a job as a nanny.’

  ‘Sit down, lad, sit down,’ Bessie waved him into the chair. ‘Now, I don’t ’spect your superior would mind if you had a cuppa with us, would he?’

  Jim grinned. ‘Not if he doesn’t know, missis.’ And they all laughed.

  He laid his hat on the table and squatted down to Tommy to tickle his tummy. ‘You’re a grand little chap, aren’t you?’

  Tommy looked up at the tall man, startled for a moment. His baby round chin trembled and he screwed up his eyes, about to cry.

  ‘Aw, I’m sorry. I must’ve frightened him. Must be the uniform. I’m usually quite good with little ones. Got nephews and nieces of me own.’ He stood up and backed away, but continued to smile down at the little boy.

  Nell picked Tommy up and held him against her shoulder, patting his back comfortingly.

  ‘It’s not your fault. He’s not used to men, see. In the workhouse, we were segregated. He’s only been around women, really.’

  The smile faded from Jim’s face to be replaced by a look, not of disgust or censure, but of concern. He sat down in the chair Hannah had pulled out for him. ‘I’m sorry to hear you was in there. Very long, was it?’

  Nell pressed her lips together. ‘Since just before Tommy was born.’ Tears hovered in her eyes but she smiled at Hannah. ‘But thanks to my friend here – and Mrs Morgan – we’re out. And,’ she said firmly, ‘I mean to stay out. I don’t want my son growing up in that place.’

  The household soon settled into a happy routine. Hannah loved her job at the mill. The other workers there were friendly and helpful and she soon fitted in. And the conditions were much pleasanter than in the cotton mill. No fluff or dust floated in the air and Hannah revelled in the sight and the touch of
the silk.

  ‘It’s so shiny and all the pretty colours they dye it,’ she enthused to Bessie and Nell. Bessie nodded and smiled sadly. She fondly remembered watching Bill in his garret working with the lovely yarn.

  As for Nell, forthright, no nonsense Nell, she soon had the Gregory youngsters eating out of her hand.

  ‘You were absolutely right, Auntie Bessie.’ Already Bessie Morgan was ‘Auntie’ to Nell too, and to little Tommy she was ‘Nanna’. ‘Those poor kids,’ Nell went on indignantly, ‘are just starved of attention. That’s all they need. Mind you, this job’s not long term anyway. They’ve hired a tutor for the little boy for two years and then he’s going away to boarding school when he’s seven.’ Her eyes darkened. ‘Fancy choosing to be separated from your kids. I can’t believe it. They don’t know how lucky they are.’

  ‘But there’ll still be the little girl to look after,’ Bessie put in, trying not to get her hopes up that Nell and Tommy would be coming back to live all the time with her.

  ‘Not really, ’cos when the boy goes to school, they’ll get a governess for the girl. Madam told me so.’ She laughed. ‘That’s what I have to call her – “Madam”. And she can be a right “madam” an’ all. Mind you, I don’t stand no nonsense from her. I tell her exactly what I think. She keeps asking me to go and live there full time, but I keep giving her the same answer. I’ll stay there some nights but I want to keep coming home.’ She glanced at Bessie. ‘’Cos this is home to me an’ our Tommy. I told her I don’t want him growing up thinking he’s part of that household – that he belongs there. It wouldn’t do, wouldn’t do at all. Funny thing is, she seems to take it from me whereas her poor lady’s maid gets shrieked at from morning till night. It’s a wonder she doesn’t up sticks and leave. I reckon she would if she could get another position. Trouble is, she doesn’t get any time to get out and look for another job. Madam keeps her working day and night. She never seems to get any time off. And the poor kid hasn’t got the guts to stand up to Mrs Gregory. She’s a mousy little thing – from the workhouse, so I suppose she’s used to taking orders and never thinks to answer back.’ She laughed. ‘Not like us, eh Hannah? Old Goodbody and his missis couldn’t wait to ship us out of the way, could they?’ Her laughter died. ‘But I turned up again on their doorstep like a bad penny and about to give birth. He wasn’t best pleased, I can tell you.’

  Nell chattered on about her life with ‘the upstarts’, as she referred to the Gregorys. ‘She might’ve been born to that life,’ she would say, ‘but he certainly wasn’t. He’s no better than you and me, Hannah. He was just lucky enough to be born goodlooking.’

  ‘Yes,’ Hannah said bitterly. ‘A curse on all goodlooking men.’ And she knew that Nell was aware she was including Edmund Critchlow. But then Nell countered her remark by saying softly, ‘He asked after you today. Mr Gregory. Asked if you were all right – if there was anything you needed.’

  Hannah stood up suddenly and turned away. ‘What did you tell him? It’d’ve been nice to’ve had a father when I needed one. His concern comes a bit late in the day.’

  She left the kitchen, slamming the back door and leaving Nell staring sadly after her.

  ‘He’s here again,’ Bessie called from the front doorstep as she saw Jim coming down the street. ‘And on his day off, an’ all, by the look of his clothes. That’s not his uniform or I’m a Dutchman.’

  Hannah poked her head out of the door, looking over Bessie’s shoulder.

  ‘This is the third time he’s come.’

  ‘I reckon he’s got his eye on you.’

  ‘Oh no, Auntie Bessie,’ Hannah lowered her voice as the young man came closer. ‘It’s Nell. Haven’t you noticed how he looks at her?’ She raised her voice, ‘Hello, Jim. She’s not here. She’s at work.’

  There was no mistaking the faint flush that coloured his face nor the fleeting look of disappointment.

  ‘You’re right, Hannah,’ Bessie muttered, but then raised her voice too. ‘But we’re glad to see you. Come away in.’

  He stayed an hour, but Nell was still not home by the time he rose reluctantly and said, ‘I’ll have to go. I’m on duty at six.’

  ‘Nell will be sorry to’ve missed you,’ Hannah said archly.

  ‘Come an’ have your Sunday dinner with us tomorrow, lad,’ Bessie invited. ‘She’ll be here then. It’s her day off.’

  ‘Mine too.’ There was no denying the sparkle in his eyes. ‘Do . . . do you think she’d go for a walk with me? See . . .’ He was embarrassed now, but pressed on. ‘See I’ve got something for her. A perambulator. The lady my mother cleans for has one to sell. It’s a bit battered.’ He smiled. ‘It’s been well used, but little Tommy must be getting heavy for her to carry far now. I thought it’d be just the thing for him.’

  Bessie and Hannah glanced at each other. ‘That’s really thoughtful of you, lad, but I don’t think we could afford—’

  ‘Oh, it’s a gift,’ Jim interrupted swiftly. ‘I want to get it for her.’ The colour on his face deepened. ‘Unless you think she’d be offended.’

  ‘Offended?’ Bessie laughed uproariously. ‘When it’s a gift for her little Tommy? Oh no, lad. You couldn’t have thought of anything better,’ she assured him, and the young man went away beaming.

  ‘It can’t be me he’s coming to see, Hannah, it’ll be you.’ Nell, when they told her that evening of Jim’s visit, was adamant. ‘I’m not ’alf as pretty as you and besides, I’m a fallen woman.’ She gazed down fondly at her child as if the thought didn’t worry her too much now that she had him. But her tone was a little wistful as she added softly, ‘No one’ll want me now.’

  ‘Well, you’ll see for yourself tomorrow, love,’ Bessie said, winking at Hannah. They hadn’t told Nell of the gift Jim intended to bring. They wanted that to be a surprise – a surprise that, in their eyes, proved his growing fondness for Nell and – best of all – for her little boy too.

  When a knock sounded on the door at eleven o’clock the following morning, Bessie shouted. ‘Answer the door, Nell, will yer? I’m peeling the ’taters.’ She was doing no such thing; both she and Hannah were hiding in the back scullery, stifling their laughter as they listened to Nell opening the door.

  ‘Oh – hello, Jim.’

  ‘Hello, Nell.’

  There was silence whilst Bessie whispered impatiently, ‘Get on with it then, lad,’ to be shushed by Hannah.

  They heard Jim speak again, nervously. ‘Mrs Morgan – er – invited me for dinner.’

  ‘So she said,’ Nell answered. ‘You’d best come in.’

  ‘Well . . . um . . . I was wondering if – after dinner, like – you’d come out with me. For . . . for a walk?’

  ‘Oh!’

  Though they couldn’t see her, Hannah and Bessie could imagine Nell’s face growing pink.

  ‘That’s very kind of you,’ they heard her say, ‘but I couldn’t leave Tommy. I only get to spend time with him on me day off and—’

  ‘Oh, I meant Tommy too.’

  ‘Oh . . . oh.’ Now they could hear that Nell was truly flustered. ‘But . . . but he’s getting too heavy to carry very far.’

  ‘That’s why I’ve brought this.’

  There was a pause and Hannah and Bessie held their breath. Then they heard Nell’s gasp of delight. ‘Oh, Jim. A baby carriage.’

  ‘I’ve brought it for Tommy. To keep, I mean. It’d be so much easier for you when you take him to work than having to carry him. Oh, Nell, do say you’re not angry or offended.’

  ‘Come on.’ Bessie gripped Hannah’s arm. ‘Time we lent the poor lad a hand.’

  Together they stepped out of the scullery and into the kitchen.

  ‘Now isn’t that kind of you, Jim? Now bring it in. We’ll make a space for it here in the kitchen and he can sit in it like the little lord he is.’

  The perambulator was a box-like contraption sitting on two huge rear wheels and two smaller ones at the front, with two long curved handles to push i
t with. Nell still hadn’t spoken, and Jim was eyeing her anxiously as he manoeuvred it in through the door and set it against the wall in the space that Bessie had already cleared.

  ‘Oh, just look, a mattress and pillow and even blankets. Put him in it, Nell, do.’

  Moments later, Tommy was lying in the pram looking very much at home and beaming up at the four grown-ups watching him.

  ‘He likes it. What a grand present,’ Bessie patted Jim on the shoulder. ‘And you shall carve the joint of beef I’ve got in special.’

  As Hannah and Bessie went back to the scullery, this time no longer pretending to prepare the meal, they glanced back to see Jim taking Nell’s hands in his and she looking up into his eyes.

  ‘Now mebbe she’ll believe us,’ Bessie said happily.

  As she stood at the sink to peel the potatoes, Bessie began to sing, and just as so many years ago, Hannah joined in.

  ‘Let all the world in every corner sing . . .’

  Thirty-Two

  ‘Oh, my lor’! What have you done to your hair?’ Bessie threw her hands in the air as Nell stepped through the back door.

  They’d been sharing the house now for a year. Hannah continued to be happy working at the silk mill, though, unlike her time at Wyedale Mill, her co-workers had not taken the place of her family. Home was now with Bessie, and Nell and Tommy when they were there. Those were the best times, when the door was closed, the curtains drawn against the world and there was just the four of them. Though more often than not, it was five, for Jim was now a regular visitor to the terraced house. He and Nell had been officially ‘walking out’ together for most of that time.

  At Bessie’s exclamation, Hannah straightened up from where she had been bending over the fire in the range. At the sight of her friend, she gave a little cry, but her surprise soon turned to admiration. ‘Oh, Nell, it’s lovely.’

  ‘Lovely? Lovely, you say? I’ll give her lovely,’ Bessie was shouting and waving her arms about. ‘Spoilt her pretty hair. She looks like a whore!’