Hope at Holly Cottage (14 page)

The simple stew was delicious and Anna found herself hungry for the first time in weeks. By the time Queenie had washed and put away the dishes, refusing to let Anna help her and renewing the cold compress as well, the incessant rain and leaden skies were drawing in a dismal evening, even though it wasn’t yet eight o’clock. Queenie lit both the oil lamps that sat on the window sill and placed them on the table instead. The restful glow sent amber shadows dancing on the walls, and as Anna cupped her fingers around the mug of cocoa Queenie put in her hands, she felt herself fill up with warm pleasure.

‘Is there no one we should call to let them know you’m safe?’ Queenie suddenly asked as she sipped her own drink. ‘Your mother an’ father, for instance? Should’ve thought of it afore, but I could pop along to the phone box afore it gets fully dark.’

Anna felt cradled in blissful security and glanced up without the usual stab of hurt at the thought of her parents. ‘No, there’s no one,’ she answered steadily. ‘My mum was … was ill, and she died last year. And my dad died in a road accident a few weeks ago.’

‘What? Oh, my poor cheel. You should’ve said, an’ there’s Queenie putting ’er girt foot in it.’

‘Oh, no. You couldn’t have been kinder. I’ve sort of got used to being without Mum. And I wasn’t really that close to my dad. So there’s no one to call, thank you. I’ve got an aunt, but I haven’t seen her since Mum’s funeral. Wouldn’t want to, either. Can’t stand her.’

‘So where was you going this arternoon, then?’

‘Back to Devonport, where I come from. Ford to be exact. To my best friend there. She and her family have been so good to me. But they weren’t expecting me, so they won’t be worried. And, well, I don’t know what they’ll think about … about me and the baby.’

‘Well.’ Queenie got to her feet. ‘I musts put the ’ens away for the night afore old foxy gets them, an’ see to the goats. An’ then I’s off to bed. Early start for Queenie in the morning. I’ve made up the bed for you, an’ put in an ’otwater bottle. So you get a good night’s sleep an’ us can talk things over in the morning. You can tell me so much or so little as you wants, but there’s always an answer somewheres, you knows. An’ you can stay yere as long as you wants. It’ll be nice to see Albert’s room used again.’

‘Thank you so much, Queenie.’

‘Don’t think nort on it. I ’opes you ’as a good night’s sleep, cheel.’

Alone again, Anna sat a minute or two longer, listening to the rain just pattering now on the roof. It must be easing off at long last. If it hadn’t been pouring all day, she would have reached Tavistock by now, and been well on the way to Plymouth on the bus, wondering nervously if she could steel herself to lie to Ethel and her family. Now, though, she
felt deathly tired and got herself into bed as quickly as she could. It was just about light enough to see without lighting the candle Queenie had given her.

She snuggled down between the warm sheets, cosy, safe, cocooned. Queenie was right. After all the trauma of the last few weeks, tomorrow was another day.

Anna was floating in that sweet, peaceful stillness between sleeping and waking, and her eyelids slowly flickered open. Sunlight was streaming in through the flimsy curtains, filling the room with happy optimism. Where was she? And then the strange happenings of the previous day percolated back into her mind. The dreadful scene at Ashcroft Hall and her own predicament blurred into a haze. What seemed important now was her future. She felt far more relaxed and confident about it, and all down to her new-found friend, Queenie.

Anna consulted her watch. Good heavens! It was a quarter to eight, and they had gone to bed about half past nine. It was the best night’s sleep she’d had in weeks, ever since the day she had learnt of Gilbert’s impending marriage and her father’s death. And for the first time in ages she felt truly refreshed and ready to face life full on.

She sat up, and throwing aside the bed clothes, swung
her legs over the side of the high bed. Would she be able to walk today? She tested her ankle very gingerly. It was still painful, but far less so than the previous evening. She dressed hurriedly, eager to see Queenie again and prove to herself that this lovely little cottage, this haven, hadn’t all been a figment of her imagination.

She half hopped into the kitchen. The room was just as she remembered it, only now it was flooded with early morning sunshine. She stood for a minute or two, allowing its serenity to wash over her as she wondered what she should do next. But just then, Queenie came in through the scullery, happily humming to herself.

‘Ah, there now! Did you sleep well, cheel?’

‘Yes, I did, thank you. Very well.’

‘Good. Well, now you’ll be wanting some breakfast. Or p’r’aps not if you’m suffering from morning sickness.’

Queenie’s allusion to her pregnancy was so open that Anna didn’t feel the least embarrassed or shamed. To Queenie, it was just a fact. Anna blinked her eyes wide. It was odd, but it was the first morning for ages that she hadn’t woken up feeling nauseous.

‘I feel all right this morning, actually,’ she answered quite surprised.

‘That’s what a good night’s sleep does for you,’ Queenie nodded wisely. ‘Nearly brought you a cuppa an’ a ginger biscuit in bed. Best thing to stop the sickness coming on of a morning. But I thought it best to let you sleep on. But now you’m up an’ dressed. Didn’t wash in that there cold water, I ’opes.’

‘No, I didn’t—’

‘Well, draw yersel’ some ’ot water from the range boiler.
Or p’r’aps you’d like to use the closet first? Queenie’ll show you what to do. Don’t s’ppose you’ve used an earth closet afore. Pop your shoes on. They’m dry now but us’ll give them a bit of a polish later on.’

Anna nodded her head gratefully and was soon following Queenie out of the front door. The sun was dazzling on the puddles from yesterday’s deluge, and Anna picked her way carefully through the mud, eyeing Queenie’s gumboots enviously and wishing once again that she hadn’t left her wellies at Ashcroft Hall.

Queenie opened the door to a small shed. At the end was what resembled a brick-built box, topped by a wooden plinth with a large hole in the middle. The lavatory seat, Anna imagined. Oh, dear. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

‘When you’ve done,’ Queenie was explaining in all seriousness, ‘you simply takes a shovelful of earth from yere an’ sprinkles it over. Trick is to ’ave the earth bone dry, then it absorbs everything, smells an’ all. An’ then once a week, I opens the trap door yere, takes out the tray an’ empties it onto the compost ’eap. Both the lodges an’ the ’ouse ’ad flushing lavatories put in, oh, when were it? Way afore the last war. I cas’n mind exactly when. But what would us do wi’ one o’ they newfangled things, my dad said, when the Duchy wanted to build us one, an’ all? An’ I needs it for my vegetables. So you use it, an’ while you’m ’aving a wash, Queenie’ll get some breakfast. Porridge, an’ then I’ve just collected this morning’s eggs.’

Queenie turned back to the cottage, and Anna shut the shed door and put the hook across. Her old home in Ford had an outside privy in the brick-built wash house, but at least it flushed and was far more substantial than this wooden
shed! Anna didn’t fancy sharing her ablutions with spiders or any other creepy crawlies, not that there appeared to be any, a wary glance told her. Nonetheless, she didn’t hang about!

Outside again, Anna hobbled back to the front door. In the blinding rain yesterday, she had scarcely noticed the pretty little garden in front of the house, and in front of that, a small field. Half of it was given over to neat rows of vegetables, and cold frames set against the enclosing stone walls. Beyond the cultivated area, the grass had been left to grow wild and was separated by a strong post-and-wire-netting fence. On such a beautiful morning, it all appeared idyllic. As Anna came back in through the porch, she noticed the rustic sign above her head. Holly Cottage. Surely it couldn’t have a more romantic name!

Queenie was busy at the stove but smiled broadly as she gave Anna a jug for the hot water. Back in the bedroom, Anna stripped off her clothes, ready for her wash. And then she froze rigid.

She had caught sight of herself in the little mottled mirror on the wall above the chest of drawers. Around her throat, the shadows were just beginning to form. The necklace of purple roses from where Gilbert had half strangled her. Just like her mum and dad.

She sat down with a thump on the edge of the bed. Dear God. No.
Thank
God that Gilbert was out of her life, even if he had left her high and dry with his baby. She could see it more clearly than ever now. Little things she had chosen to ignore. He had always been weak, a bit like a spoilt child, but with his charms, he had led her by the nose. She was well rid of him. She may be feeling sorry for herself, but what about poor Francesca? Sweet, trusting Frankie.

‘Three minutes!’

Queenie’s jolly call from the next room made Anna swiftly wash the ‘important’ bits of her before throwing her clothes back on. Fortunately she was wearing a blouse with a turndown collar that always sat high and should hide the bruises coming out around her neck. Nevertheless, she sat down warily at the table.

‘Take the top off your egg so it won’t spoil while you eats your porridge,’ Queenie instructed with the smile that seemed imprinted on her lined face. ‘I bets you’ve never ’ad an egg that fresh afore.’

‘No, I’m sure I haven’t.’

‘Arterwards I’ll show you the ’ens what laid them, an’ introduce you to Dolly an’ Wilma.’

‘The goats?’

‘Indeed. Daft as brushes, an’ they’ll eat
anything
, so mind yersel’.’

Anna chuckled. This place was magical. ‘And then I must be on my way,’ she sighed with reluctance. ‘I can’t tell you how grateful I am.’

Queenie looked up sharply. ‘An’ where does you think you’m going? You needs to rest that ankle, an’ remember there be no bus till tomorrow. Queenie cas’n stop you, but you’m an idjit if you doesn’t stay at least another day. An’ longer if you wants. Give yersel’ thinking time.’

Anna took all of thirty seconds to consider. ‘Well, I’d love to, if you don’t mind. I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be just now. Thank you so much.’

‘But whilst you’m yere, you needs to sort yersel’ out. This lad duped you, I’ve no doubt. Now, I doesn’t need to know ort, but if you wants to talk, I’ve good ears an’ a still tongue
– when it needs to be. Right, then.’ She stood up decisively. ‘If you’ve finished, come an’ say ’ello to Dolly an’ Wilma. Drive them into the field I does in good weather, but got to get them past they flowers an’ the vegetables wi’out them eating the lot!’

Queenie hadn’t been joking. The two goats were the naughtiest things on four legs Anna had ever come across. She did her best to help Queenie, but hopping on one leg wasn’t very useful, and when Dolly gently headbutted her out of the way, she sat down hard on her bottom in a heap of helpless laughter. It really was just what she needed to lift her from her depression – and her fears for the future.

‘Oo-ee!’

The bright voice behind her made Anna turn round. By the gate, a middle-aged woman was smiling at her, clearly surprised at seeing a strange face.

‘Morning, Olive!’ Anna heard Queenie’s cheery voice reply.

‘Lovely morning after yesterday, isn’t it? I was just going into Princetown and wondered if you needed anything?’

‘That’s proper kind o’ you. I could do wi’ some plain flour an’ some Golden Raising Powder if you can carry them.’

‘Oh, yes. Only want a few bits myself. So, you going to introduce me to this young lady?’

‘Of course. This be Anna. Staying wi’ us a few days, she is.’

‘Pleased to meet you, Anna,’ the woman nodded her head. ‘I’m Olive, Queenie’s neighbour in the lodge here. Well, I’ll leave you to it. See you later.’

‘Thanks, Olive. I’ll ’ave the kettle on for when you gets back.’

‘I’ll hold you to that!’

Anna watched Olive set off down the lane with a basket on her arm. ‘She seems nice,’ she said to Queenie.

‘She is that. Been neighbours thirty year or more, us ’as. ’Er ’usband’s called Clifford. An’ next door on that side, that be Crow ’Ouse,’ she went on, indicating the substantial, two-storey building on the opposite side of the cottage from the lodge. ‘Daisy, Gladys an’ Betty lives there. Three sisters. All very nice. You’ll meet them by an’ by. An’ that old farm’ouse up the lane behind us, they’m proper nice, too. But I cas’n stand yere gossiping. I’ve work to do.’

She winked jovially and Anna smiled to herself as she followed her inside. Queenie was a right old chatterbox and she knew it, but a happier person Anna had never known.

Anna could hardly remember a day she had enjoyed so much. She had helped Queenie as best she could to bake fresh scones and a sponge. There were indeed customers in the tea room which was a wooden extension on the far end of the cottage, and they were kept busy all afternoon making pots of tea and pouring out glasses of Queenie’s delicious home-made lemonade. Anna found the time flew by and it all helped her to forget her own problems. By the time Queenie shut up shop for the day, Anna felt as if she had been helping her in the café and cottage all her life.

‘That were a good day’s work,’ Queenie declared as they finally sat down to a cup of tea themselves. ‘There. That’s your ’alf o’ the takings. Reckons you deserves it.’

‘What?’ Anna stared at the pile of coins Queenie had pushed towards her across the table. ‘Oh, no. I can’t take that money. I did so little, and you
have
fed me for two days as well.’

‘Think nort o’ that. But you was a great ’elp to me. Could do wi’ someone like you all the time. Not as young as I were, an’ a little ’elp about the place wouldn’t come amiss.’

Anna smiled with a wistful sigh as she leant back in the chair. ‘It has been a nice day. It’s so peaceful here, and you’ve made me feel so at home.’

‘Then,’ Queenie began tentatively, ‘maybe you’d like to consider it your ’ome. For as long as you likes. Think about it, at least.’

Anna’s eyes stretched wide. Was Queenie really offering her a home? ‘Well, yes, I will. If you really don’t mind having me around for a while.’

‘Wouldn’t ’ave asked you if I didn’t mean it. But you stays on one condition. That you sees the doctor in Princetown. Visits twice a week from Tavvy. At Top Bolt’s, next to the town ’all. Youth club it be now, but it’ll always be Top Bolt’s to me. ’Ad a lovely china shop on one side, an’ on the other, it were mainly ’ardware. An’ afore that, when I were a cheel, it were the Co-op.’

A happy glaze had veiled Queenie’s opal eyes, and Anna watched her with a contented smile. If only she could stay with Queenie for a little while, she felt it might give her the strength to face the future. For when the baby came.

The man at the desk looked up at her with a welcoming smile. His thinning hair was grey at the temples and there were deep laughter lines around his mouth. Altogether, he had a reassuring air about him which gave Anna confidence.

He picked up the card Anna had filled in for the lady in the other room, and read it before glancing up at her over his spectacles.

‘Anna Millington?’

‘Yes,’ she answered nervously.

‘Do take a seat. I’m Dr Franfield. Dr Brodie’s on holiday so I’m standing in for him. But I see you’re a new patient, so you wouldn’t have been expecting him anyway. Now, what can I do for you?’

Anna shuddered with shame. She lowered her gaze and the first time she tried to speak, nothing came out. So she took a mental hold on herself and began again.

‘I think I’m pregnant,’ she mumbled. ‘No, I
know
I’m pregnant.’

‘Well, let’s just make sure, shall we? When was your last period? You could just be late. It happens sometimes, particularly if you’ve been under stress at all.’

He proceeded to ask her various questions in such a calm and friendly way. A lovely, considerate man, Anna thought vaguely. She bet
he
would never have treated anyone in the callous way Gilbert had treated her.

‘Now, just hop up on the couch and I’ll have a little feel of your tummy, if I may. Just relax, that’s it. Right, all done. Come and sit down again when you’re ready.’

Anna rearranged her skirt, grateful that the examination had been so swift. She sat down again and looked at the doctor, a tiny flicker of hope that she might be wrong struggling to keep aflame. It was soon snuffed out.

‘Well, from what you tell me, I would say that yes, you are pregnant,’ Dr Franfield informed her gently. ‘I can just about feel the uterus which fits with your dates.’

Anna felt the grey depression pressing down on her again. His confirmation made it all so final, when she had been desperately hoping … Her despair must have shown on her
face as she saw the doctor remove his glasses, sit back in his chair and consider her over steepled fingers.

‘I gather from your expression that congratulations are not in order. And I see that you wear no wedding ring, so I assume it’s Miss and not Mrs Millington?’

His tone was sympathetic, but Anna could only nod in reply.