‘Oh my God!’ Freddie got to his feet. ‘Do you think if I’d had a haul such as I carried that night, and it was a big haul because the package broke and the three stones that Maggie brought you had fallen into the seam of my trouser pocket, do you think if I’d hung on to the rest I’d still be here? It must have been a big fortune and I would have made a small fortune out of it, and you a comparatively large one, before it reached London.’
‘Well, Mr Musgrave, I thought it better to put you in the picture as to what is taking place and for you to be on your guard from now on. Between us both, Freeman is a nasty piece of work, but like lots of other nasty pieces of work he is high up in several quarters in the city. Nobody really knows what he’s worth. But I know he stacks a lot of his money abroad, perhaps for a rainy day when things become too hot for him, as they generally do for his ilk.’ He too rose from his seat now, adding in a sad tone, ‘The smuggling and the running, the narrow squeaks through the customs and the excise men, the bargaining that took place in this very room, mostly in the dead of night, all lent excitement to life. And there was honour among thieves in those days, and everyone got their fair share of what they managed to haul. But all that is past now, gone like so many other good things. Do you know something, young man? I am glad I am old. Ah, there’s the bell, another customer, so I’ll say good day, Mr Musgrave. I hope I’ve been of a little help to you.’
‘Thank you. Thank you, Mr Taylor, you have.’ He did not add, ‘And an added source of worry with regard to things to come, as if I hadn’t enough.’…
Maggie was perturbed at his news, but one thing she said and with which he agreed was that Freeman would bring nothing into the open: he himself stood to lose too much to risk exposure; everything that followed from now on would be underhand.
Here Maggie was mistaken.
The following day Freddie made another journey to Newcastle, this time to the coffee house. He went straight up to the counter. Connie was behind it. She didn’t seem surprised to see him, and he began without any preamble: ‘Your father’s opening his mouth, do you know that? There could be trouble all round.’ And to this she answered, ‘My mother died the day afore yesterday. They’re burying her the morrow. And me da broke into the cash box upstairs and has gone on the spree. D’you think I’m worried about anything more that can happen? My mother was more than a mother, she was my friend, the only one I had.’
He said, ‘I’m sorry. I’m very sorry, Connie.’
‘So am I,’ she said, ‘and for meself now.’
He had to move to the side to allow a customer to pay for his meal, and he stood for a moment longer looking at her through the blurred glass; then he turned and went out.
When he reached home it was to find that Maggie had had a bout of that pain, and so severe had it been she had had to be helped up from the office. Belle had put her to bed and sent for the doctor.
He had met the doctor in the hall, and had asked straight away, ‘What is it? What is really wrong with her?’
Shrugging his shoulders, the doctor had merely answered, ‘Well, it’s the old stomach trouble gathering momentum.’
He had wanted to say, ‘What d’you mean by that?’ but that apparently was as far as the doctor wished to prognosticate for he was on his way to the front door. And when a moment later he had stood by Maggie’s bedside and asked, ‘What’s all this about then?’ her reply had been even more non-committal: ‘Oh, I’m sick of work, at least for this week; I’ve decided to put me feet up properly this time,’ she said.
‘And not afore time, I should say.’ He looked across at Belle standing at the other side of the bed and said, ‘When did this happen?’
And she replied, ‘Shortly after you left. She tried to stop me sending for the doctor.’
‘Well, what has he done?’ Maggie looked from one to the other. ‘Written out a prescription for the apothecary. It must be something nasty for he usually does his own dispensing. I’ll get a bill for that all right. You could have gone down there and got me usual bottle for a shilling, but I’ll bet he’ll charge five bob if a penny.’
‘Shut up and rest yourself!’ He bent over her and smoothed the hair from her brow; then casting a glance at Belle, he said, ‘Is there anything hot going? I’m chilled to the bone.’
‘Oh yes. Yes, Freddie, I’ll get you a drink.’
As she hurried from the room he pulled up a chair in order to sit closer to the bed, and when she said, ‘Did you see her? How did it go? What happened?’ he said, ‘Oh, I’ll tell you later. It’s nothing to worry about. But about this pain, Maggie. Was it all that bad?’
‘Bad enough.’
‘What is it? D’you know? Is there a name to it?’
‘Well, I would give it the name of cramp, to be kind; like, you know, you get in the calves of your legs. But I suppose them doctors have a name for it. The guts get twisted or something, spasms. We all have spasms of one thing or another. She’s in a spasm.’ She motioned with her head towards the door. ‘In spite of her worry over me she can’t keep it hidden, it’s shining out of her. Freddie’—she gripped his hand—‘try to be happy for her, be gentle with her. Married or not, she’s going to need a friend through life, and you should be that one. At the bottom of me I’m worried about her.’
He wanted to reply, ‘And you’re not the only one,’ instead he said, ‘Don’t worry about it. As to my attitude: knowing how I feel, you wouldn’t expect me to react in any other way, at least not at the moment. But—’ He pressed her hand against his chest, saying, ‘It’s you that’s on my mind, not her. Now…now listen to me. You’ve got to take care of yourself, so be a good lass and stay there for a week.’
‘Oh my God, no! I’d go mad lying in bed for a week. Look, lad, this thing just comes in spasms. I might go days, weeks, even months, and not have another.’
‘You haven’t had days, weeks, or months between the last…spasms, as you call them; you had more than a touch of one three days ago.’
Her voice was very low and soft as she said, ‘Lad, we’ve all got to go some time or other.’
‘Don’t say that.’ He thrust her hand from him. ‘Don’t talk like that, Maggie. Don’t scare the wits out of me. What would I do without you?’
‘Oh, oh, come on, come on, man; everybody can be done without. There never was a good but there’s a better.’
‘Don’t talk such bloody rot.’ He was actually gasping now, and again he grabbed her hand and, his face coming close down to hers, he said, ‘Maggie, for God’s sake, don’t leave me. I can do without Belle because I’ve got to, but I couldn’t do without you, because I know…’
‘Now, now! Stop it.’
‘I won’t stop it, I’ve got to say this. I’ve never said it to you afore: I’ve got a feeling for you that I can’t explain even to myself, from the first time you took me under your wing. I don’t think of you as another mother, Maggie. I can’t, as I said, put a name to how I think of you. Perhaps if you had been a bit younger and I a bit older, even twenty years between us wouldn’t have made any difference. I…I love you, Maggie. And…and this is the first time I’ve ever said that to a woman. I never said it to May, and I’ve never said it to Belle, but I say it to you.’ His head now dropped onto her chest and her hands came on it, but she was unable to make any comment on his words, either derisory or otherwise, for at this moment the pain in her heart was obliterating the growling pain in her stomach. But after a moment, when she raised his wet face up to hers, she said, ‘Then take comfort, Freddie, because I too couldn’t put a name to the feelings I have for you.’
He now went to take her face between his hands when the door opened, and this caused him to rise abruptly and, with his back towards Belle now, he muttered to Maggie, ‘See you later.’
She made no response, and he went out. In the hall, he hesitated whether to go to his room or down to the kitchen; but he knew that if he went to his room he might break down altogether, and he had an afternoon’s work to fac
e and people to meet.
His mother was in the kitchen and she cast a quick glance at him but said nothing, not until he asked a question: ‘What is really wrong with Maggie, Ma, do you know?’
‘Well, I can’t put a medical name to it,’ she said, ‘but it’s either what you call a tumour or an abscess in her guts, and it’s been growing this long while.’
‘Is there any cure?’
‘No, as far as I know there isn’t.’
He swung round from her and went to the window and looked out onto the garden, and Jinny, from where she stood at the table, said, ‘It’s no use lettin’ go like that. You must have guessed she’s been bad for a long time, and time’s runnin’ out now.’
Swinging about, he cried, ‘Don’t say that, Ma! Don’t say it!’
‘And don’t you shout at me, lad. You asked a question and I answered it.’ And her lips trembled slightly as she said, ‘I hope when my time comes you show as much concern, but I doubt it, aye I doubt if you will.’
There it was, the old jealousy that he had thought dead this many a year, but it still festered. His voice just a mutter now, he said, ‘She’s been good to me, Ma. She’s been good to all of us.’
‘There’s nobody sayin’ nay to that. But what you seem to forget, lad, and often, is that I’m still your mother. I may be a servant in this house but I have me pride an’ I can tell you this for nowt, you’ve hurt it many a time. I like the Miss; at least half the time, but the other half…I hate her for havin’ taken you from me.’
‘You’re wrong there, Ma; she hasn’t taken me from you, you’re still me mother.’
‘Aye, I might be in name but not in affection. Oh, lad, don’t start givin’ me any of your high-flown explanations. There’s somethin’ atween you two, and has been for years, that shuts me out.’ She turned round now, took up a tea towel and, stretching the hem between her fingers and thumbs, she shook it out straight before hanging it on the rod above the fire, when she said, ‘By the way, I have a message for you from our Nancy. She wants a word with you. I think you had better call in home on your way down. It seems important enough to me for you to take the trouble to call in home.’
The angry retort that was on his tongue was quelled, and he marched from the room, all the while heavy with guilt now because he knew that everything she had said was true even to the last remark concerning his spare visits home.
When he was dressed for the road he looked in on Maggie again, saying briskly now, ‘Do what you’re told and stay put.’ Then turning to Belle, he said, ‘See that she doesn’t move out of here, will you?’
‘Don’t worry; I’ll see to her.’
Maggie watched him all the time, and as he made for the door she said quietly, ‘Wrap up well; it’s biting, and you left the hot drink Belle got for you.’
Wrap up well; it’s biting. No frost or icy wind could make him feel colder than he was already inside. And when he reached the house—he didn’t now think of it as home—he found Nancy alone in the kitchen-cum-sitting room.
‘Where’s Da?’ he said.
‘He’s having a lie down.’ She indicated the bedroom door as if she could see it. ‘His legs have been worrying him of late.’
‘You wanted to see me, Nancy?’
‘Yes.’ She walked towards the fireplace, which was farthest from the bedroom door and there, her voice low, she said, ‘You know I’ve been seeing John Pratt, and I don’t care what the neighbours or people think. Do you?’
‘What d’you mean?’
‘Just what I say, Freddie. D’you care what people think?’
‘No, not much.’
‘That’s just as well, because they criticise you for making a new home and neglecting your old one.’
‘That isn’t fair, Nancy.’
‘Nothing is very fair, I find, Freddie. For instance, I’ve never thought it unfair that I was blind, up till recently when a man told me I was beautiful and asked me to marry him and I refused.’
‘Why?’ His tone changed. ‘Why on earth have you refused him? Because he’s in the customs?’
‘No, of course not.’ Her voice was scornful; and as he stared at her he couldn’t believe this was Nancy who was talking, sweet, quiet, placid Nancy, everyone’s comforter. But this is what love did to one, opened one’s eyes so to speak; and it was a poor simile but it had opened hers. He put out his hands and drew her to him, and she didn’t resist his embrace. And when he said, ‘You are beautiful, Nancy; and if this man loves you you must take him. Do you care for him?’
After a short silence she said, ‘Yes. Yes, I do. All the things about him that I sense I like, much more than like.’
‘Well, what has stopped you? What made you say no?’
‘Da’s upset because of what his cronies might think. As he said, I was bringing a spy into their midst. To hear him talk you would think the smuggling was an everyday affair. He lives in the past.’
‘I’ll soon settle Da in that quarter; you leave that to me.’ He shook her now gently, saying, ‘When are you seein’ this fellow next?’
‘I hope tomorrow. He’s taking me into Newcastle. I have an appointment.’
‘Tell him you’ve changed your mind. Now promise me? Because he sounds a decent bloke. I’ve only caught a glimpse of him. There’s still so many of them around the town and along the front, it’s practically as bad as Newcastle, but I could pick him out. Medium height, isn’t he? Sandy hair, brown-eyed. Of course, you wouldn’t know all those particulars.’
‘I do, and what’s more, why I wanted to see you was to give you a message from him.’
‘A message to me from him?’
‘Just that. Apparently there’s something afoot. He couldn’t explain what, but there are enquiries being made, especially on the river and even in the city. He says you must have an enemy or two. It’s something connected with what happened years ago when you used to be a runner. Although how they can hold you responsible for anything that happened then I don’t know, because you were just a tiny little chap. But he pointed out that you were twelve years old or thereabouts and, as he said, they used to transport lads for stealing a loaf, never mind valuables. Did you steal any valuables, Freddie?’
‘No, I didn’t, Nancy, and you can tell him that. I have never stolen anything in me life, except giblets from the butchers, and bits of fruit when I could.’
‘Well, what do you think they are getting at? Why are they suspicious? Can you guess why anybody should want to cause trouble?’
‘Oh, yes, yes, Nancy, I can guess. I can pinpoint the very person; so don’t worry, I’ll deal with this. But you give Mr Pratt my thanks and tell him I appreciate the gesture he’s made. Apart from all that, though, you take back that no. Will you?’
‘I’ll think about it, Freddie.’
‘You’ll not think about it any more, you’ll do it. If you don’t I’ll go to him and tell him how you feel. Nancy’—he gripped her arms—‘you must get away from here. Now don’t think I’m actin’ the upstart, but Ma and Da are used to this, they were bred to be used to this kind of life. As long as they’ve got their belly full and a good fire and something to drink they won’t worry, but you…you are made for better things. Your voice could carry you far if you had somebody behind you, and this fella could be the very start you’re lookin’ for. Now think on it, because what’s the alternative? You’ll end up like Maggie, lonely inside and lost. And you couldn’t stand life with one of the lads from around here. They’re good chaps, many of them, but coarse-grained. By the way, did your friend give you any indication of how this matter had started? I mean people, somebody put on to me?’
‘Oh’—she nodded quickly now—‘I think it was an anonymous letter sent to the headquarters in Newcastle first. I sort of gathered that.’
‘Huh!’ He gave a short laugh. ‘There’s two can play at that game. But I don’t need to write my information down, I can speak it. Anyway, thanks, love. I must be off now.’ He bent and kissed her,
saying, ‘Do as I tell you now. Get your life sorted out and think of yourself for once. I’ll look after the both of them here; you need never worry about that.’
‘Thanks, Freddie.’
‘Ta-ra.’
‘Ta-ra, Freddie.’
Anonymous letter. Of course Freeman wouldn’t want to become implicated, would he? Well, by God, he would show him! He would go up to Newcastle now, and damn the business.
A few minutes later he burst into the quay office, startling Andy Stevens and the new clerk having a quiet smoke in short pipes, their coat tails lifted up to warm their backsides at the small fire in the office grate, and he bawled at them, ‘Miss Hewitt’s away sick but I’m in good health and there’s a line of clerks wanting jobs up in the city. Think on it when next you want to warm your backsides at two o’clock in the afternoon.’ But then, his voice dropping, he said, ‘I’m surprised at you, Andy.’
‘We were both froze, Mr Musgrave.’
‘You’ve never complained about being frozen before. And I ask you, what would it have looked like if a customer had popped in, eh? Now don’t let me have to warn you again on this. I’m surprised at you, I am that. As for you, Hooper: you learn and you learn quickly or you go. And now I want a message taken to a Captain Hannan. Tell him I can’t come aboard at three as I said, but I’ll see him in the morning when they dock again.’
‘Yes, Mr Musgrave.’
He went out, and as he marched along the quay and up through the town to the station his thinking calmed somewhat and he thought he had perhaps been a bit high-handed, because it was the first time he had seen Andy slacking like that and taking advantage. But why had he taken advantage? Simply because he knew Maggie was out of the way. Well then, in future he would have to learn who was boss, wouldn’t he? And it came to him that it might take hard work and acting high-handedly on his part to convince them, whereas Maggie had just to appear at the end of the quay and they seemed to smell her presence and would be hard at it when she entered the office. Oh, but what did it matter? What mattered now was the meeting with Freeman. But where would he find him at this time of day? In his office? In which office? He had his fingers in so many pies. If it took till midnight, though, he would find him.
The Harrogate Secret (aka The Secret) Page 24
