The Constant Heart (25 page)

She did not stop, but she slowed down a little. 'I'm sorry, Harry. You haven't upset me. It's just that I – I'm afraid of what people might say if we announce our engagement too soon.'

'Bother what people say. I don't give a tinker's cuss what people say, except my mama, of course. Father will be delighted that I've had the sense to pick such a jewel of a girl, and he's shrewd enough to realise that we will all benefit from the union.'

'You make it sound like a business deal.'

'You're the one who thinks that people will say you married me for my money, my pet.'

'I didn't say that.'

'My darling, you are as transparent as a pane of glass. You think they will say that you married me in order to get the wretched boat repaired. Well, I say let them talk. I'm marrying you because I adore you and I hope that you feel the same way about me.' He drew her into a doorway, holding her hands and looking deeply into her eyes. 'Do you love me, Rosie?'

She was trapped. She could neither break away from him, nor could she admit that her heart belonged well and truly to another. His eyes pleaded with her to tell him what he wanted to hear. She recalled the warm feelings that she had for him before she had fallen under the spell of the pirate. She could have loved him well enough if she had not met the man who haunted her waking thoughts and her dreams. Harry could be such a dear when he was not being patronising, controlling and utterly bossy. At this moment he looked like an eager child, and she would not have hurt him for the whole world. She reached up and brushed his lips with a kiss. 'Need you ask? You silly boy.'

He drew her into his arms and kissed her long and hard, seemingly more than satisfied with her answer. 'Now we will go and see your papa, Rosie. I will ask him formally for your hand in marriage. And, this afternoon, I will make arrangements for the boat to be taken downriver to Etheredge's wharf, where it will be repaired in the shortest possible time.'

'Are you sure you want to do this, Harry? I don't want you to feel that repairing the
Ellie May
is a condition for my accepting your proposal.'

He kissed her again. 'Silly goose. I don't think that for one moment. Put your mind at rest, my love. I intend to build my own business empire and the
Ellie May
is just the beginning. We will soon have a fleet of barges to transport hay to the city. We will feed all the horses in London, and fill all the palliasses in the workhouse. One day, my angel, we will be rich.' He slipped his arm around her waist. 'We'll go and see your father now, and I will beg him for your hand in marriage – on bended knee, if necessary.'

Edward stared at Harry as he listened to his impassioned request for his daughter's hand in marriage, and then his face slowly creased into a smile. 'Well, blow me down. This is a splendid surprise. Of course I'll give you my blessing, Harry. My dearest wish is to see my Rosie happily married to a fine young man like yourself. You couldn't have pleased me more.' He took Harry's outstretched hand and shook it vigorously, pumping it up and down until he was breathless. He sank back onto the window seat, breathing heavily.

'Are you all right, sir?' Harry asked anxiously.

'Papa, you must not overdo things.' Rosina knelt down at his side. 'Remember what the doctor said.'

Gasping for breath and laughing at the same time, Edward patted her on the head. 'My dear girl, give your old father a hug and a kiss. I'm so happy for you.'

Rosina did as he asked. It filled her heart with joy to see him so pleased with their announcement. She knew then that she had done the right thing. Marrying Harry was the only way to look after those whom she loved best in the world: well, not quite all those she loved, but to fall for a man in a mask must count as a childish dream. She was a grown-up now, and, as the Bible said, she must put away childish things. She would have a husband who loved her and a new family to learn to love. Her optimism faltered as she pictured Mrs Gostellow's hawk-nosed beauty, cold as a marble statue. It might be a bit more difficult to grow to love her, but she would do her very best.

Harry helped her to her feet, kissing her on the lips, even though her papa was in the room. 'The first thing we will do, when I've seen to the business matters, is to find a jeweller's shop and I'll buy you a diamond ring. You shall have the biggest and the best ring in all Hatton Garden, my love.'

'Of course she should,' Edward said, beaming. 'My girl deserves only the best. I'll not argue with that, Harry.'

'I hate to leave you at this propitious moment in our lives, my angel,' Harry said, kissing Rosina's hand, 'but I must go back to the office now. I need to talk money with my father, who keeps a rather tight hold on the purse strings, but I'm sure I won't have any trouble in persuading him to finance the repairs to our boat.'

'But I thought that was all settled?' Rosina stared at him, appalled. It had never occurred to her that Harry's father might not agree to his plan.

'As good as, my darling.' Harry kissed her on the tip of her nose. 'It's man's talk, and you mustn't bother your beautiful head with sordid money matters.'

'Quite right,' Edward said, nodding in agreement. 'I have every faith in you, my boy.'

Harry smiled as he picked up his top hat and kid gloves. 'I'll go now, but I'll return as soon as I can.' He was about to leave the room, but he paused in the doorway. 'There's just one thing though, Captain. If we're to merge the businesses, we won't be needing the services of your clerk, Brown. Have I your permission to tell him so?'

'But that's not fair,' Rosina cried. 'You can't do that to Walter. He's a good and loyal employee.'

'My love, this is between the captain and me. It's not personal, it's just business.' Harry strolled over to Edward, lowering his voice. 'Have I your permission to give him notice, sir?'

'No,' Rosina cried. 'I won't allow it. Walter has stood by us throughout our troubles. Why, if it hadn't been for him calling in some debts, we wouldn't even have been able to afford Artie's funeral.'

'Debts?' Edward raised his eyebrows so that they almost disappeared into his hairline. 'What debts? I don't recall that we were owed any money.'

'I – I don't know. He didn't say.'

Harry patted her hand. 'I daresay you misunderstood him, my love.'

'I did not misunderstand him.' Rosina stamped her foot. They were both regarding her with affection and amusement, as if she were a precocious child who had interrupted an adult conversation.

'There were no outstanding debts,' Edward reiterated patiently.

'And if there were no debts to be collected,' Harry said, frowning, 'the question is – how did the fellow come by such a large amount of money? Could it be that he has been feathering his own nest all these years, Captain? Have you ever checked the accounts, sir?'

'That is monstrous.' Rosina stared at him aghast. 'Harry, how can you accuse Walter of dishonesty?'

'My darling, I did not. I merely suggested that it might behove your papa to look into his business matters a little more closely.' Harry turned to Edward with an urbane smile. 'Or perhaps you would like me to do it for you, Captain?'

'Papa!' Rosina held her hands out to him. 'This is madness.'

Edward tugged at his beard and the frown lines deepened on his forehead. 'I trusted Walter implicitly. Perhaps I should have been more particular when it came to checking his work.'

'It would have been so easy for a person in his position of trust to alter a set of figures here and there, and to keep back monies for himself.' Harry folded his arms across his chest, eyeing Edward severely. 'I think we both know what has been going on, sir. Have I your permission to sack the scoundrel?'

'No, Papa. Please think again,' Rosina cried in desperation. 'At least give Walter a chance to defend himself.'

'You are too generous, Rosie. You have your mother's loving and trusting nature, and therefore you are very easily taken in by an unscrupulous rogue.' Edward pushed her away gently. His breathing was becoming laboured, and he clutched his throat.

'Papa, are you unwell?' Alarmed by his sudden pallor, Rosina laid her hand on his shoulder. 'Shall I fetch the doctor?'

'He needs rest, my love.' Harry said calmly. 'Don't worry, sir. Leave everything to me.'

Rosina cast him a furious glance. 'You take too much on yourself, Harry. Papa hasn't agreed to this injustice.' She turned back to her father. 'Please, Papa. Don't allow this to happen. Let Walter speak for himself before you judge him so unfairly.'

Edward rose slowly to his feet. 'Hush, daughter. You don't know what you're talking about. This is men's business, and I've been a fool, taken in by young Walter's pleasant manner and quiet ways. I took him on out of the goodness of my heart, knowing nothing of his background, and asking no questions. This is how he's repaid me.'

'Quite right, sir. He has betrayed your trust. How else could a mere clerk come to have such a large sum of money?'

'Certainly not from the meagre salary that I can afford to pay him.'

'Then have I your permission to send him off without a character?'

Rosina clutched her father's hand. 'Papa, no!'

Edward drew his hand away, silencing her with a stern look. He turned to Harry, nodding his head. 'Sack him, Harry. Tell him that I never want to see his face again. And he should think himself lucky that I don't put the matter in the hands of the police.'

'Harry, wait.' Rosina ran downstairs after him, but he ignored her pleas to stop. He strode into the office and slammed the door. She threw herself against it but the key rasped in the lock. She beat on it with her hands. 'Let me in. Please don't do this. Walter, make him let me in.'

'Whatever is going on?' Bertha emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. 'Good heavens, girl. Is the house on fire?'

Ignoring her, Rosina continued to hammer on the door. 'Harry! Walter! Let me in.'

'Stop that.' Bertha pulled her away and dragged her, protesting loudly, down the hall and into the kitchen. 'Calm yourself, Rosie. What's upset you so?'

'It's awful, Bebe.' Rosina paced the floor, wringing her hands. 'I don't know how it happened, but suddenly they think that Walter is to blame for everything. Harry has convinced Papa that Walter has been stealing money from him, and he's going to send him off without a character. Oh, Bebe, it's so unfair. Walter has done nothing wrong.'

'Can you be sure of that, ducks? He did come up with a fair old sum of money for poor Arthur's funeral. I don't wonder that the men folk think it's a bit odd.'

'Not you too! Has everyone gone mad?'

Taking her by the shoulders, Bertha guided Rosina to a chair and made her sit down. 'Now, listen to me, my girl. Sometimes you've got to let other people make the decisions. Your pa may be a stubborn old man, but he's not stupid, and Harry Gostellow is no fool.'

'I know that, but to accuse poor Walter . . .'

'If Walter is innocent, then it will all come out. Your Harry is a fine young man, and he's well off. Be thankful that you've hooked a rich husband, Rosie.'

'What?' Rosina stared at her, shocked into forgetting Walter's plight. 'H-how did you know that I had accepted Harry's proposal?'

Bertha dropped her gaze. 'Well, I . . .'

'You were eavesdropping again.' Springing to her feet, Rosina pushed her away. 'How could you, Bebe?'

'Don't get on your high horse with me, young lady. I brought you up from a baby, remember?

It was me who wiped your snotty nose when you was a nipper, and me who sat up all night with you when you had the measles, mumps and scarlet fever. You wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for your Bebe.'