Her Saving Grace (19 page)

Damaris’ confidence seemed to be returning
and by the time they stopped outside of the house, her anger was back, replacing her distress and giving her strength.

He helped her down from the carriage and she strode off towards the front door, not even glancing at the children, who hardly seemed to have moved since this morning. As he caught up with her, Damaris had the tipstaff encased in her fist and was pounding the end of it against the door.

“Wot!” Mrs Murray yelled as she opened the door. She seemed surprised to see them and became defensive. “You again. I don’t do refunds.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

“I’m not here for a refund, I’m here to arrest you.” Damaris brandished the
tipstaff so that she could see the end. “I’m Acting Constable of this parish and you sold us an abortifacient.”

Mrs Murray blanched but quickly regrouped. “I didn’t sell you nothing of the sort! That was treacle.”

“I thought so, in which case you are guilty of larceny and obtaining monies by deceptive means.”

“What the ‘ell is that?”

“Basically, fraud,” Nathaniel chimed in. “Which is a very serious crime.”

“I’ll give you your money back. Here, come on.” She turned away but Nathaniel grabbed her wrist.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

She truly looked terrified now. “But what about my kids? Who will look after them!”

“Don’t try and tell me that you care about these children,” Damaris sounded full of rage. “They’re starving and have been beaten into submission.”

“But I’m all they have! You can't take me.”

“I’m the Justice of the Peace for these parts and I can offer you my word; if you plead guilty, I’ll personally make sure that the children are taken care of.” Nathaniel gave the appearance of mediating between the two women.

“But
- I- I- No! I didn’t do nothing wrong!”

“
Your only thought is for yourself, and you expect us to believe that you care for these childrens’ welfare?” Nate sounded incredulous.

“I do care but… I can't go to jail!”

“Jail?” Nate chuckled and began to drag Mrs Murray towards his carriage. “You know that transportation is the usual punishment for poaching, and that’s just for taking a game bird or two. What do you think the punishment is for fraud?” The next punishment up from transportation was death. Although she most likely wouldn’t be hung for such petty theft charges, there were still 220 crimes on the books that were punishable by death, including theft.

“
No, wait, please! I’ll do anything, just don’t let them hang me.”

Nate sto
pped dragging her and turned towards her.

“This is
the only time I will make you this offer. Admit your guilt in trying to defraud us by selling a fake abortifacient, and we will make sure that transportation is the only punishment that you suffer.”

Mrs Murray twisted her head to look back at her
small house. It was shabby but Nathaniel realised that it was still her home, and she knew that admitting her guilt would mean that she would never see it again. She seemed to be a pragmatist however, and it was better to make a new life in the colonies than to be hanged. She probably wasn’t exactly sure what fraud, larceny and obtaining monies by deception was, but they sounded very serious to her uneducated ear.

“All right.” She bowed her head in defeat. “I sold you two a fake potion, telling you that it induced miscarriage.”

“And how many other women did you do this to?”

“I don’t know. A few, maybe.”

“Perhaps I should have mentioned it before, but lying will negate the deal.” His eyes were blazing and he felt as angry as Damaris looked. “We will check every piece of paper in this house and question every woman in Lanford if you don’t tell us the truth right now.”

“I don’t know!” she cried, terrified that their agre
ement was about to be broken. “A hundred, maybe two.”

“Two
hundred women?”

She nodded.

“And you confess to taking their money, knowing that your potion was ineffective?”

“Yes.”

“Come on then.” He took her over to the carriage, although he didn’t have to drag her this time. “Make sure she doesn’t run,” he told the driver, wondering why he hadn’t thought to collect Smyth’s manacles as well as his tipstaff. Nevertheless, the driver took Mrs Murray’s arm and held tight, while Nate returned to Damaris. She was bent over in front of a child, and speaking so softly that he couldn’t hear her until he got close.

“…nice clothes, plenty of water and best of all, three decent meals a day. What do you say?”

The child in question, who looked to be about four, didn’t say anything. It could have been a girl or a boy under all that grime, he just couldn’t tell.

“I promise that no one will ever beat or starve you again.”

Still the child didn’t move and wouldn’t even make eye contact.

Damaris moved t
o the next child but before she could speak, Nate put two fingers in his mouth and issued a loud whistle.

“Listen closely,” he called across the yard. “If you have any personal possessions, pack them now. You have five minutes
, then I expect you all back here and ready to go.”

They did as they had been ordered and made their way into the house.

“You shouldn’t have yelled at them,” Damaris chided. “They’re just children.”

“I know, but I didn’t
chastise them, I simply got things moving faster.”

S
he still didn’t like his words and it showed in her expression.

“They’re going to a better place,” he said. “I’m not going to apologise for using a tactic that they are used to
, in order to get them there faster.”

She frowned, knowing that’s
she couldn’t argue with that logic.

Less than three minutes later, the children stood before them, their meagre possessions wrapped in dirty clothes
or handkerchiefs.

“Is that everyone?” Damaris aske
d the closest child, who nodded.

There were
nine children in all and given that his carriage was pulled by two horses, he felt that they could bear the additional load, just.

“Right,” Nate announced in an authoritative voice. “Climb ont
o the carriage; sit on the roof or cling to the side, just don’t let go.”

The children did as he said and
he pulled Mrs Murray into the carriage with him and Damaris, then they headed back to the courthouse.

The court
house and town hall were next to each other and each building could be accessed through a door in the basement. Lanford didn’t have its own jail but there was one ten miles away that housed prisoners and as such, the cells in the courthouse were only for temporary use, to house prisoners who were on trial, or allow a rowdy drunk to sleep off his intoxication.

The guard who protected both buildings overnight would keep an eye on any prisoners housed there.

The closest jail for female prisoners was in London, although it was rare to have a woman charged with any serious crime.

Nathaniel wasn’t going to transfer her to the main prison while she waited trial however, because he didn’t want anyone to let her know that the offences she was charged with
, were weren’t likely to result in a death sentence. Perhaps it wasn’t ethical of him but considering what she had done to those children, he did consider transportation to be a just punishment.

Damaris agreed with him and was happy to leave Mrs Murray here until she rotted.
Once she was booked in, they walked out of the basement, heading for the carriage at the rear of the building.

“What should we do with the children?” she asked
, having given it some thought but not come up with a viable solution.

“I don’t know.”

“We could take them home I suppose, until we can arrange something more permanent. You have plenty of bedrooms.”

Nathaniel looked hesitant.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I just… won’t they be uncomfortable in
my home?”

“You find your
home uncomfortable?” she asked, sounding surprised.

“Me? No. No I don’t mean that
my home is inhospitable at all, but these children are dirt poor. They’re used to having nothing, probably not even a bed. In a grand house such as mine, they would likely be terrified to move, lest they break anything.”

Sh
e looked thoughtful. “Well the servants’ rooms are more basic but obviously, occupied.”

“
What about the servants’ quarters in your father’s house?” he asked.

“
Only one room is occupied so there should be room, although some would have to share, but I can't ask Mr and Mrs Higgins to look after nine children, they could barely manage the extra duties involved in looking after me.”

“Then we’ll hire people to help,” he said, as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

“Who? And where will we find them?”

“Have you not taken on new staff since your husband died?”

“No,” She shook her head. “Well, probably but I leave that to the housekeeper, butler and steward.”

“You take no part in it?”

“I didn’t take much interest in anything related to my estate until recently,” she admitted.

“Don’t worry, we will soon find some women in need of the work; two should suffice.”

“But where will we find them?”

He gave her an easy smile. “We will ask people.”

“What people?” she was growing frustrated by how lightly he was taking this. She couldn’t burden Mr and Mrs Higgins with the care of nine children, not even for one night, and his glib promises weren’t easing her mind.

“Come,” he said, changing direction so they were heading to the front of the building and stopping by the front clerk
’s desk. “Mr Ogden, isn’t it?” he asked the young man.

“Yes, Sir. How can I help you?” He couldn’t have been much older than 20 and although he must be educated to be a clerk, still seemed quite young.

“I was wondering if you knew of any women who might be interested in a few week’s work? They would be caring for children, so one of them must have experience in caring for youngsters and one must be able to cook.”

“My sister needs work, she was laid off by the cotton mill last week.”

“Why?” he asked.

“She
was a fettler and got too big to dive under the machinery.”

“They didn’t move her somewhere else?”

“He could of but Old Man Hollis likes his workers young, so he can pay ‘em less. “

“But she’s a good worker?”

“The best.”

“How old?”

“Fourteen, Sir.”

He gave the man Charle
s Howard’s address. “Send a message and have her meet us there as soon as she is able. Tell her to bring a reliable friend as well, if she has one.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Damaris looked slightly surprised as they walked back towards the rear exit.

“Ask and you shall receive,” he said, clearly pleased with himself.

“Well, you can and
you
receive. I doubt I’d have received the same reaction.”

“Why ever not?”

“People don’t like me,” she answered, as if it was obvious.

“I like you.”

“You are the exception.”

“My whole family likes you.”

“They are polite and friendly, but I think it is more a case of good breeding than genuine affection.”

He stopped and caught Damaris’ arm so that she had to stop too.

“I understand that you were raised mostly by people who didn’t like you, but not everyone is like your mother. Most of us are more like your father, we can see that you’re special.”

“I’m not special, I’m odd.”
She was under no illusions about how strange most people found her and despite her gifts, her mother had taken great pleasure in pointing out her numerous failings. Even her father hadn’t believed her to be lovable by anyone other than him; why else would he have arranged a marriage for her, unless he didn’t believe that she could find a husband on her own.

“You are perfectly likeable, Damaris, but your insistence that you aren’t is
most likely what drives people away. You probably want it that way, since it keeps people at arm’s length and heaven forbid that you should get close to anyone. Perhaps the real issue here isn’t whether people like you or not, I think the real issue is, do you like other people?”

He strode off down the hall and had thrown the door open before she had a chance to react.

Was he right? Did people not like her because she drove them away, rejecting them before they could reject her?

She followed him out
side, although at a much slower pace than he.

Now that there was room, f
our of the children were inside the carriage when she got there, two sitting next to Nathaniel and two on the opposite bench. They bunched up as she climbed in and she silently took the seat beside them.

The child next to her was
the one she had tried to talk to at the house. Judging by her size, she appeared to be the youngest, perhaps three or four years old. She was also one of the dirtiest, so when the girl leaned into Damaris, she was initially wary. She didn’t much care for her dress but she knew that it was expensive and if it became too dirty, not to mention the possibility of it becoming infested with lice or fleas, the garment would have to be burned.

The girl was only after comfort though, something she had probably received very little of, and after a few awkward moments, Damaris put her arm around the child’s shoulders.

She hadn’t been near, let alone held a child in years but to her surprise, it came naturally. Her hand soon began to rub the child’s arm in a soothing manner and when the girl moved into a more comfortable position, wrapping her short arms as far around Damaris’ waist as she could, Damaris leaned forward to make it easier for the girl.

She had thought that
her instinct to care and nurture had long since died, along with Thomas, but it actually hurt to realise how easily it came back to her.

She
didn’t believe in God and Heaven, but she couldn’t help wondering if Tom could see her now. How would he feel, to see his mother’s arms wrapped around another child?

She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn’t notice Nathaniel watching her closely, so when she caught his eye, she blushed
and quickly averted her gaze, feeling uncomfortable with his scrutiny.

Once at
her father’s house, they unloaded the children and Damaris was relieved that the girl was no longer cuddling her. She approached the driver.

“Could you go
to Copley Hall and fetch Mrs Paddington for me?”

The driver nodded. “Right you are, ma’am.”

She turned back to the house, just in time to see the last of the children being ushered inside by Nate, and she found herself reaching for the hand of the girl who had been cuddling into her, but the child was gone, of course, and suddenly she felt a pang of something akin to grief.

She shook her head, as if she could shake such foolish thoughts and feelings away. That girl was nothing to her, she didn’t even know her name so to feel upset that she was gone was foolish. Besides, she was only a few feet away, inside her childhood home.

She marched inside to see Mr and Mrs Higgins talking to Nate; the children were clustered together on one side of the hall.

“The help should be here soon
, so they shouldn’t place any additional burden on you,” Nathaniel was explaining.

“At least, not for long,” Damaris said, stepping up to them. “I’ve also sent the driver for Lilly, she used to be a governess
, so hopefully she won’t mind helping out here. I promise that it is only temporary and you will be compensated for any trouble. I am sorry to do this to you but I just couldn’t leave them there. If you could have seen them…”

Mrs Higgins, who had looked rather shocked by the procession of children
coming into her home, now smiled.

“It’s no bother,”
she assured her employer. “You always did have a big heart, and I dare say I couldn’t have left them there either. Now, first things first, Mr Higgins, you’ll kindly get the servants tub out and put it by the fire in the kitchen. You children follow him and I expect you to help fill the tub. Once you’re changed, we’ll burn those clothes and see what else we can find you. Ma’am,” she turned to Damaris, “Would you help me go through the trunks in the attic?”

“Of course.”

“You wait here, Lord Copley,” Mrs Higgins ordered, “and when the help arrives, send one girl to Mr Higgins and one to us in the attic.”

He wasn’t used to being ordered around by staff and Damaris wondered how he would react
, but he seemed eager to help.

“Of course,” he nodded.

“Right then, come on children, no dawdling!” she said, heading to the stairs herself.

***

Among other things, the attic was full of old clothes from Damaris and her brother’s childhoods. Some items were a little grand for these children, they would feel uncomfortable in them but thankfully, children’s wardrobes are usually simple so aside from a few gowns for special occasions, most of the clothes were functional, if cut from a better cloth than the youngsters were used to.

They sorted through the trunks, collecting a range of clothes in various sizes for the children to try
on.

They had just sorted through the second trunk when Mrs Higgins
looked behind Damaris and smiled.

“Well, hello there, who might you be?”

Damaris turned to look but she couldn’t see who Mrs Higgins was talking to.

“It’s all right, you won’t be in trouble,” Mrs Higgins
continued.

Slowly, a face appeared from behind a stack of furniture. It was the girl who had sat next to Damaris in the carriage.

“Still haven’t had that bath,” Mrs Higgins noted, “but never mind, there’s plenty more water.”

The girl stood mute, still half hidden from view.

“It’s all right, you can come out,” Damaris said, holding her hand out towards her.

The girl looked from the hand to Damaris’ face, and back a half dozen times before she finally eased a little further into view. Her gaze flickered towards the door, her escape route.

“Come on.” Damaris gestured for her to step closer but she didn’t. “Well, all right, stay there if you feel safer.”

She returned to her task of sorti
ng clothes, as did Mrs Higgins who gave her a conspiratorial smile. Damaris hadn’t been trying to coax her out by intentionally being contrary, she simply didn’t want the girl to be afraid but if she did come out, Damaris may well get more attached to the waif, and that wouldn’t be a good thing.

The next trunk they opened contained old linen, things which
had been kept with the intention of turning them into cleaning rags.

“There should be some old towels in here, we’ll probably need them,” Mrs Higgins noted.

“Good idea.”

As they began to sort through the contents, Damaris felt something against her skirts and knew that
it must be the girl; she seemed acutely aware of her presence even when her back was turned.