A Place Called Home (18 page)

A BURLY CONSTABLE
stood on the doorstep. His face was red with exertion and beads of sweat stood out on his forehead. ‘I'm looking for two young criminals, miss. They was seen running this way.' He glanced over Lucy's shoulder, glaring at Vicky and Maggie, who were huddled together at the foot of the stairs. ‘Do they belong to you, miss?'

‘Indeed they do, officer.' Lucy faced him squarely. ‘They are my wards.' Out of the corner of her eye she caught a flicker of something moving in the area at the bottom of the steps which led to the tradesmen's entrance. ‘If I find any criminals lurking round here I'll inform the police immediately,' she added, stepping back into the hall and preparing to close the door.

‘Very well, miss. But I warn you, the youngsters might look like butter wouldn't melt in their mouths but they're vicious little brats.' He held up a finger wrapped in a grubby handkerchief. ‘One of them bit me. They're worse than rabid dogs. Good day to you, miss. Bear in mind what I said.'

Lucy waited until he was out of sight before turning her attention to the shadowy area below ground level. Peering up at her between the iron steps she could see two pale faces. ‘Wait there. I'm coming down.' She turned to speak to Hester, who was hovering behind her with a worried frown. ‘It's all right; just some youngsters who've run foul of the law. I'll sort it out, so why don't you take the children upstairs and have a look at the rooms. I'll be with you in a minute.'

‘All right, but I won't let them loose until you've agreed their choices. If I know Bertie he'll pick the biggest bedroom for himself.' Hester went to join the children, shooing them up the staircase.

Lucy made her way carefully down the slippery steps to the area outside the kitchen. ‘Come here,' she said, beckoning to the children who were clinging to each other as if terrified to let go. When neither of them moved she walked slowly towards them, her shoes crunching on empty snail shells and small mounds of moss that had grown between the cracks in the tiles. ‘I won't hurt you,' she added, holding out her hand.

The elder of the two, a ragged boy, peered at her suspiciously. ‘Go away.' The peaked cap he was wearing was at least two sizes too large and it half obscured his grimy face, but Lucy could feel the fear emanating from his small body.

She came to a halt. ‘No, I won't go away. Tell me what you've done wrong and I'll try to help you. If you don't speak up I'll have to send for the constable.'

Reluctantly the boy emerged from his hiding place, dragging a small and equally ragged girl. Her dirty face was streaked with tears and a livid bruise threatened to turn into a black eye.

‘What's your name?' Lucy squatted down so that they were on the same level. ‘I can't begin to help if I don't know who you are.'

‘Sidney,' the boy said through clenched teeth. ‘Sid Smith, and she's me sister, Essie.'

‘Sid and Essie,' Lucy repeated softly. ‘What did you do to make the police chase you?'

Fresh tears spurted from Essie's brown eyes, running freely down her pale cheeks. ‘I bit ‘is finger.'

‘And the copper blacked her eye,' Sid said angrily.

‘That's awful.' Lucy reached out to Essie but the child backed away and hid behind her brother. ‘Why did you bite the policeman, Essie?'

Sid put his arm around his sister's thin shoulders. ‘He nabbed her as we was making off, miss. I dipped a cove's pocket but I never saw the copper until it was too late.'

‘I see.' It was a situation all too familiar to Lucy. She had had many narrow escapes in the past. ‘So you ran away.'

‘I lifted a pocket watch, but I dropped it when I heard the copper shout and we took to our heels. It were all for nothing.'

‘Where do you live? I'll see that you get home safely.'

Essie huddled up to her brother and Sid's expression hardened. ‘We ain't going back to the workhouse, miss. I'd sooner we drownded ourselves than go back there.'

‘You ran away from the workhouse?'

‘Sharp, ain't yer?' Sid met her gaze with a defiant lift of his chin. ‘We're going now, and you ain't gonna stop us.'

‘I won't try,' Lucy said, straightening up and brushing the creases from her skirt. ‘But there's a tasty meat pie in the kitchen. You might like to have something to eat before you go on your way.'

Sid tightened his hold on Essie. ‘We can look after ourselves.'

She moved to open the kitchen door. ‘So you don't want the pie. It's a pity to let it go to waste.'

Essie opened her mouth and let out a wail. ‘I'm hungry.'

‘Suit yourselves. You can come in or go on your way. It doesn't bother me.' Lucy stepped inside and waited.

Moments later Sid marched into the kitchen with Essie close on his heels. ‘Where's the grub, miss?'

Lucy watched them gobble up the pie, followed by two slices of bread and butter. ‘Tomorrow I'll bring jam,' she said cheerfully. ‘And I'll get Cook to bake a cake.' She made a fresh pot of tea and filled two cups. ‘I suppose you ought to have milk, but there isn't enough. Tomorrow I'll make sure we have plenty of everything.'

‘I'd rather have beer, if you don't mind, miss,' Sid said, wrinkling his snub nose. ‘They never let us have it in the workhouse, but our dad used to give it to us every night. He said it was good for growing nippers.'

‘Did he now? Well, you won't be getting it here either.' Lucy looked up as Hester clattered down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to stare at the two dirty little creatures seated at the table.

‘What on earth are you doing, Lucy? Surely you can't be thinking of taking them in?'

‘No, of course not,' Lucy said casually. ‘Sid is eager to go back to the streets. He plans to jump in the river if things don't work out.'

Hester raised an eyebrow. ‘Well, I daresay one street arab less won't make much difference.'

‘I heard that,' Sid muttered, cramming the last morsel of bread and butter into his mouth. ‘Don't worry, lady. We'll be off as soon as Essie's finished eating.'

‘We'll see about that,' Lucy said, frowning thoughtfully. ‘There's plenty of room here. I don't see why you can't stay until we can find you a more permanent home.'

‘Be careful, Lucy.' Hester drew her aside. ‘Next thing you know we'll have all the waifs and strays in Whitechapel knocking on the door.'

‘I know what it's like to live on the streets, and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.'

Hester shrugged her shoulders. ‘Be it on your own head, that's all I can say. Anyway, the children have chosen their rooms and the girls want to share. I managed to persuade Bertie to have a smaller one than he wanted, and young Mary has given them brooms and dusters and set them to work cleaning.'

‘I can sweep floors,' Essie lisped. ‘I can do all sorts of things.'

Sid pushed his cup away. ‘We ain't skivvying for nobody. I can take care of me sister.' He slid off the chair, tugging at Essie's sleeve. ‘C'mon, we're going. Ta for the eats, miss.'

Essie clutched the table top with both hands. ‘I don't want to go, Sid. I want to stay here. I don't want to sleep in a doorway again.'

Lucy put her arms around the little girl and gave her a hug. ‘I know what that's like, Essie. You will have a nice warm bed tonight, and you can stay here as long as you like.'

Hester threw up her hands. ‘Think about it, Lucy. How are you going to support two more nippers? The money Linus gave you won't last forever. What will you do when it runs out?'

Lucy turned to face her. ‘I'm not letting these poor mites roam the streets. They escaped from the workhouse, and only the most heartless person would force them to return to that sort of life. I'll manage somehow, but they're staying here with us.'

Sid drew himself up to his full height. ‘What if I don't want to, miss?'

‘You can come and go as you please,' Lucy said calmly. ‘You can walk away now, but I'm offering you a place to sleep and food in your belly.'

‘What would we have to do in return?' Sid demanded suspiciously.

‘You'd have to stop dipping pockets and keep out of trouble. You could help with the chores because I can't afford to pay servants, but we'll all take our turn.'

‘Even you, miss?'

‘Even me.'

‘And you'll have a bath tonight before I let you climb into a nice clean bed.' Hester stood arms akimbo. ‘Miss Lucy might be easy-going but I expect children to behave properly and respect their elders.'

Essie wrapped her small arms around Lucy's waist. ‘I love you. I'll be a good girl.'

Lucy returned the hug. ‘I'm sure you will, Essie.' She gave Sid a searching look. ‘Is it still the river for you?'

A slow grin spread across his gamin features. ‘Maybe not today, miss. I might wait and see what the cake turns out like.'

Lucy returned to Albemarle Street that evening, exhausted but happy in the knowledge that the house in Leman Street was almost habitable. The top floor rooms had not been touched and there was plenty of cleaning left to do, but the kitchen and the bedrooms they intended to use were reasonably liveable. She had left Hester in charge with enough food and fuel to last until the next day, and Sid and Essie had settled into a room adjacent to the one Lucy had chosen for herself. All that was needed now was to raid the linen cupboard and send bedding to the house in Leman Street. Tapper could take it before he stabled the horse and carriage.

Mary and Dot, the two housemaids who had worked so hard all day, had fallen asleep during the ride home, but Lucy's head was filled with plans for the future. She would take in boarders, and Bertie was old enough to find work outside the home. Vicky and Maggie could help in the house and continue their education at the nearest board school. Linus for all his faults had been born a gentleman, and his offspring deserved better than to end up as menial workers.

She arrived home to find the house in an uproar. Bedwin greeted her with an unusual display of emotion. ‘Thank goodness you're back, Miss Lucy.'

‘Whatever is the matter, Bedwin?' Lucy was distracted momentarily by Peckham, who came to greet her, hobbling along as fast as his rheumatics would allow, but his welcome was as enthusiastic as ever. He nudged her hand, looking up at her with adoring eyes, and she bent down to make a fuss of him.

‘Mr Daubenay has been here,' Bedwin said urgently. ‘He insisted on going through all Sir William's papers, and the man who accompanied him went round making notes of all the valuable items in the house.'

Lucy straightened up. She was shocked, but unsurprised. ‘He probably thinks I'll make off with the family silver,' she said with a wry smile.

‘Mr Daubenay has dismissed us all, Miss Lucy. We only have until the end of the week to find employment elsewhere.' His aged knees buckled and he sank down on a spindly hall chair which creaked beneath his weight.

‘Don't upset yourself, Bedwin. I'm sure something can be arranged.'

He dashed tears from his wrinkled cheek with a hand that shook visibly. ‘Who would take on a man of my age? I've served this family since I was a boy.'

‘I need someone like you to help me in my new venture, Bedwin. I've just come from Leman Street and it would benefit me greatly to have a man about the house.'

He raised his head to give her a searching look. ‘I don't want charity, Miss Lucy.'

‘You would be doing me a kindness. I intend to take in lodgers and I'll need someone like you to keep order.'

Bedwin rose shakily to his feet. ‘I won't let you down.'

‘I know you won't. I suppose I should speak to Mrs Hodges next. Will you send her to me in the drawing room, please?'

Bedwin treated her to one of his rare smiles. ‘I daresay a tray of tea would be welcome, Miss Lucy.'

‘It would indeed. You're a mind reader, Bedwin.'

The interview with Mrs Hodges was fraught. She was understandably distressed by the sudden turn of events and dismayed at the prospect of having to give notice to Cook and the remaining servants. ‘I can pay everyone until the end of the month,' Lucy said, remembering Mr Goldspink's words. It was a reckless decision, but she could not in all conscience allow people who had served her grandfather faithfully to be cast off without a penny. She would be left with her grandmother's annuity and the money from Linus.

The tea and a slice of Cook's seed cake was more than welcome. Lucy sent a message to the kitchen praising Cook's culinary efforts, adding a request for a chocolate cake which she intended to take to Leman Street, fulfilling her promise to Essie. She sighed. She had never pictured herself in the role of guardian, but Bertie, Vicky and Maggie were her flesh and blood, and she had been pitched headlong into the unlikely position of head of their small family, with Sid and Essie thrown in for good measure.

She rose from the sofa and crossed the room to the escritoire set between two windows overlooking the street. She was about to begin writing references when Bedwin knocked and entered the room, closely followed by a tall young man wearing the uniform of a hussar.

‘I'm sorry, Miss Lucy,' Bedwin said breathlessly. ‘The young man refused to wait downstairs.'

‘It's all right, Bedwin. I'll handle this.'

Bedwin shot a wary glance at the newcomer. ‘Call if you need me, Miss Lucy. I won't be far away.' He backed out of the room, leaving the door slightly ajar.

Lucy stared at the young officer and for a blinding moment he was bathed in sunlight, naked and as beautiful as Michelangelo's statue of David. ‘Bram?' she murmured. ‘Is it really you?'

His angry expression softened for a moment but a hint of a smile was quickly replaced by a frown. He took off his cap and tucked it under his arm. ‘I've just come from Half Moon Street. Linus told me where to find you.'