The Constant Heart (33 page)

'No! Really? And she gave it to you. Oh, I think that's so romantic, Rosie. She must think a great deal of you to give you her own engagement ring.' Sukey's blue eyes brimmed with unshed tears. 'You lucky, lucky girl.'

'It's taken me by surprise. Life was so easy and settled. I thought things would never change, and then, all of a sudden, everything is different.'

'But change for the better is good. Soon you will be a married lady, and you will have to find me a rich husband. Maybe Harry's friend will be that man. I'm so excited, Rosie. It's going to be a thrilling evening.'

'Are you sure you don't know which wharf Captain Juggins's barge sails from, and when it is due in?'

'Oh, Rosie. Forget about dull old Walter for a minute. We need to discuss what we are going to wear for our night out.'

Rosina could not forget Walter. She needed to be certain that he was going to be all right working with the notoriously bad-tempered and sometimes drunken Captain Juggins. She could not imagine how Walter would take to a life of hard physical work, and she worried constantly about him. She dared not confide in Harry or even her pa; Bertha would tell her not to be a silly goose and to concentrate on her betrothed, so it was Caddie to whom she unburdened herself late that evening when Harry had left, and she was getting ready for bed.

'I know where the colliers from Whitby discharge their cargoes onto barges and lighters. It's St Hilda's Wharf. My Artie mentioned it once, although I can't think why it come up in conversation. He didn't like the coal trade – too mucky and dirty. Artie was particular about being clean and keeping hisself looking good.' Caddie's eyes filled with tears and she sniffed. 'I can take you there, if you want to go looking for Walter.'

'I do, Caddie. I must see him and make sure he's all right, but no one must know about it. Not even Bebe.'

She did not recognise him at first, but when she called his name Walter looked up and smiled. His teeth flashed white in a face that was blackened with coal dust.

'Rosie!' He leapt for the ladder and his feet slipped on the slimy rungs, but he shinned up to stand beside her with surprising agility for a landsman. He tipped his cap to her and to Caddie who was standing at her side. 'You shouldn't have come here. This isn't a nice place.'

Rosina glanced nervously in the direction of the dark figures at work unloading the collier. They were too absorbed in their task to take much notice of two young women, who so obviously had no place in this man-made depiction of Hades. Clouds of coal dust filled the air as the cargo was transferred to the hold of the barge. Everything on and around St Hilda's Wharf, from the warehouse buildings to the furled sails of the ships, was covered in a film of black dust. The workers had the eerie, ghost-like appearance of dark shadows, with only the whites of their eyes and the pink tinge of their lips to make them look human. The river water lapping around the hulls was slicked with powdered coal and the seagulls wore black mantles, like lawyers in their robes. 'This is a dreadful place, Walter. I can't bear to see you brought this low.' Rosina laid her hand on his arm, but he pulled away from her.

'Don't touch me. I'm filthy.'

'It's only coal dust – it will wash off. But the slur on your good name will stick. You must clear yourself of blame, Walter. Then you can come home.'

'I will, given time. But I have to earn a living somehow, and word gets round quickly. My reputation is such that no one will employ me in a counting house.'

Caddie cleared her throat, drawing their attention to her presence. 'I wouldn't have taken you for a waterman, sir.'

'Caddie! Since when have you called me sir?'

'Since I am now Miss Rosina's maid, bought and paid for by her fiancé, Mr Gostellow.'

'Rosie? Is this true? Have you accepted Gostellow?'

She could not meet his eyes. 'I have, but that shouldn't concern you.'

He seized her hands in his, gripping them so tightly that Rosina winced. 'Were you forced into this engagement? Tell me honestly, Rosie. Do you love this man?'

'You're hurting me, Walter.'

'Answer me, Rosie.' He tightened his grip, staring into her eyes. 'Were you coerced into this match?'

She pulled her hands away, raising her chin and meeting his angry gaze with a defiant stare. 'That is none of your business, Walter. I came here to speak about you and your fate, not mine. I know what I'm doing, and it really is no concern of yours.'

Walter lowered his voice but his eyes blazed angrily. 'And what of Will? I thought you loved him. Or was the lure of money too much for you?'

Caddie's gasp was drowned by the sound of flesh on flesh as Rosina slapped Walter's face. 'That was unworthy of you, and insulting to me. I came here to make certain that you were all right, and to offer to find you more suitable work. But now I wish I hadn't come.'

'You shouldn't have come,' Walter said slowly, raising his hand to touch his cheek.

Rosina bit her lip. Her fingerprints were clearly etched in the dirt on his face, and she regretted her hasty action, but she would not apologise. 'What you said was unforgivable. Will is gone – I will never see him again. He told me that himself.'

Caddie tugged at her sleeve. 'Best come away now.'

'I'm coming.' Rosina brushed her hand away, leaving sooty marks on Caddie's arm. 'I'm leaving now, Walter. I wish things had been different, but I can see that we have nothing left to say to each other. If you see your brother you can tell him . . .'

'What shall I tell him, Rosie? What would you have me say to him?'

'Nothing. It isn't important now. Goodbye, Walter.' She turned to go, but he blocked her way.

'If you ever need me . . .'

'If I ever need you?' Rosina's voice broke with emotion. 'You didn't tell me where you were going, or what you were doing. You went away, just like your brother. I realise now that I cannot rely on either of you. Perhaps Harry was right in his accusations.'

'He was not.'

She raised her eyes to his face. This angry man was not the Walter she knew and cared for; this was a different person to the quiet, sensitive and earnest fellow she thought she knew. She angled her head, as if seeing him for the first time. 'Why aren't you wearing your spectacles? I thought you looked strange, and it wasn't just the coal dust, and now I know why.'

'I only need them for close work. They would get knocked off and broken working on the barge, or be so coated with dirt that I could barely see anyway.'

'You look so different. I don't think I know you, Walter.'

'I am the same person, Rosie. I haven't changed.'

'Yes, you have.'

'Don't marry him, Rosie.'

'Goodbye, Walter.' Slipping past him, she turned in the direction of home. 'Come along, Caddie.'

'I'm coming, but first I have something to say to Walter.'

'I can't think what you have to say to him. I'm going.' Rosina squared her shoulders and walked on, quickening her pace. Perhaps she had been mistaken in believing Walter to be innocent. Maybe he was of the criminal fraternity just like his brother. She had allowed her romantic notions to cloud her judgement, falling in love with a phantom.

She stopped at the end of the wharf, glancing down at her hands covered in coal dust, and the diamond winked at her. Marriage with Harry was the only way ahead and her future lay in the hands of the Gostellow family. She would pay a social call on her future mother-in-law, perhaps tomorrow afternoon, and she would make a great effort to get on with her. Harry had promised to take her to a theatre and afterwards to a restaurant for a late supper: she was looking forward to it immensely. If Walter didn't want her help to find a better job, that was his decision: she had done her bit. Rosina turned her head to look for Caddie. She was still talking to Walter and his dark head was bent low as if he was listening intently to what she had to say. A shaft of something very much like jealousy stabbed her in the heart, and she tossed her head. She could not be jealous of Walter – never in a million years.

'Caddie. Don't dawdle. I'm not waiting for you.' She marched off in the direction of home.

'There has been a slight change of plan,' Harry said, leaning back against the leather squabs of his father's carriage.

Sukey clapped her gloved hands together. 'Oh, Harry, how exciting. Do tell.'

'You mean we are not going to the theatre?' Rosina could not prevent a note of disappointment creeping into her voice. She had never been to a theatrical performance and she had been looking forward to their outing for days.

He smiled. 'We are going somewhere much more exciting.'

Rosina exchanged anxious glances with Caddie. It had been hard enough to persuade Pa to allow them to go to the theatre; he would not be best pleased to learn that Harry had changed his plans without first asking his permission. She was about to question him, but Sukey was agog with excitement. 'Don't keep us in suspense, Harry.'

'We are meeting my friend at Ludgate Hill station.' Harry turned to Caddie, his smile fading. 'We won't be needing your services after all, Trigg. Chapman will take you home.'

Anger replaced surprise and Rosina spoke sharply. 'Harry! Papa only allowed us to come with you if Caddie was to act as chaperone.'

He reached out to take her hand in his, squeezing her fingers and smiling into her eyes. 'I am here to look after you, my love. In a month's time we will be married and you will never need your papa's permission to do anything again.'

'But, sir . . .' Caddie began, and was silenced by a quelling glance from Harry. She subsided into the corner of the carriage with a disgruntled sigh.

'Well, I think it's a lark,' Sukey said. 'I love mysteries.'

Rosina was not so enthusiastic; somehow she did not quite trust Harry when he was in this mood. He had a reckless air about him and a glint of mischief in his eyes that made her feel uncomfortable. His hand was hot and when she attempted to pull hers away, he tightened his grasp. A small shiver of apprehension ran down her spine, but the carriage was drawing to a halt and Harry leaned over her to open the door. He leapt out, barking an order to Chapman to lower the steps.

'He is so masterful,' Sukey murmured. 'You are a lucky girl, Rosie.'

Harry held his hand out to Rosina. 'Come along, my love. Hurry up, or we'll miss our train.'

She alighted with his help. 'Train? Where are we going?'

He held his hand out to Sukey. 'Come along, Miss Barnum. We're meeting my friend inside the station.'

Caddie leaned out of the door. 'What am I to do, miss? I should come with you.'

'You take your instructions from me, Trigg,' Harry said coldly. 'You will go home and you will make some excuse to Captain May. Tell him that you were unwell, but don't you dare mention that we have changed our plans.'

'Harry, I won't budge until you tell me where we are going. And please don't speak to Caddie in that tone. She is not one of your servants.'

For a moment, Rosina thought that he was going to lose his temper, but then Harry forced his lips into a smile. 'That will all change when we are married, although I don't think I will be keeping Trigg on. We will find you a properly trained lady's maid, my love.'

Sukey tapped him on the arm. 'Harry, don't be an old crosspatch. Do tell us where we're going.'

'We're going to the Crystal Palace at Sydenham. We'll travel by train – first class, of course. Come, we haven't any more time to waste.'