The Dollmaker's Daughters (43 page)

Arriving home, breathless and angry as a wasp trapped in a jam jar, Rosetta entered the house to find the doctor in the living room talking to Ruby. Anger was wiped away by fear and Rosetta could hardly breathe the words. ‘Has she been took worse?’

The doctor turned to her with a reassuring smile. ‘No, I just came to give her a dose of laudanum to help her sleep. I’ll come again
tomorrow morning, but if you’re worried in the meantime just send for me.’

‘Thank you, doctor,’ Ruby said, showing him to the door. ‘I really appreciate you coming again like this.’

‘Don’t thank me, my dear; it was Mr Crowe who suggested it. And you have no need to worry about the bill, he’s taking care of that too.’ Putting on his battered old top hat, the doctor went out into the gathering dusk.

‘Well!’ Ruby said, closing the door behind him. ‘What a cheek! Going over my head like that – he’s got a nerve.’

‘Hold on, Ruby. Seems to me he was just trying to help. After all, I suppose he thinks he’s the head of the family now that Poppa and Joe have gone.’

‘He can think what he likes. I won’t have him telling me what to do.’

‘Can we afford to pay the doctor’s bills?’

‘No.’

In spite of everything Rosetta couldn’t help grinning. ‘You haven’t got the hump with him because he’s helping us out, have you?’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

‘I know you too well, Ruby. You’re in love with him but you don’t want to admit it because he don’t match up to your knight in shining armour, Doctor bloody Fairfax.’

A dull flush spread from Ruby’s throat to her
cheeks. ‘And you’re too pig-headed to admit that you made a mistake thinking you were in love with Jonas. You liked Billy well enough before Jonas came on the scene but you had to throw it all away to follow your stupid dream.’

‘And what about you? Going all the way to South Africa and nearly dying of the fever just to be with your stuck-up doctor.’

Ruby opened her mouth to answer back but Granny Mole’s head appeared round the bend in the stairs and she hissed at them like a cat cornered by a bulldog. ‘Shut up, you two, or do I have to come down and bang your blooming heads together? Your poor ma is trying to sleep and you’re carrying on like a couple of fish fags.’

Silenced, Ruby and Rosetta stared at each other and Granny Mole stumped back up the stairs. Rosetta’s bottom lip trembled and Ruby held out her arms.

‘I’m sorry, Rose.’

‘I’m sorry too.’

Hugging each other with tears flowing freely, they pulled apart sniffling and laughing through their tears.

‘We mustn’t fight,’ Rosetta said, wiping her eyes on the back of her hand.

‘What happened to us, Rose? We used to be such good friends.’

‘And still are. It’s them bloody men that have got us going.’

‘To hell with them both, I say,’ Ruby said, picking up the teapot from the hob and filling two mugs.

They clinked their mugs together and drank a toast in stewed tea.

Having decided to take it in turns to sit by their mother’s bedside, Rosetta took the first watch. As she sat by the bed listening to Sarah’s gentle breathing, terrified that each fluttering sigh might be her last, Rosetta thought hard about her life and she was not proud of herself. In the dark small hours, she saw herself as unloving and selfish; she had hurt those who loved her and now even Billy had grown tired of her. If only she could claw back time and change the past, she thought, fisting her hands and digging her nails into her palms. She had committed so many mortal sins that Father Brennan would need a couple of days to hear her confession and even then he might be hard put to give her absolution. Falling onto her knees at the side of the bed, Rosetta prayed as she had not prayed for years. Please, God, make Mum better and I promise to be good. I’ve made a terrible hash of things and I’ll do whatever I can to put things right, if you’ll just give me another chance.’ Closing her eyes, Rosetta fell asleep.

She awakened with a start when Ruby shook her by the shoulder. Cold and cramped, Rosetta struggled to her feet.

‘Go to bed,’ Ruby whispered. ‘Get some proper rest. I’ll call you if I need you.’

Flinging her arms around Ruby, Rosetta gave her a silent hug. With one last glance at her mother, who appeared to be sleeping peacefully, she went to the room she had shared for most of her life with Ruby and Granny Mole. Even Granny’s stertorous breathing was welcome after the deathly silence in Mum’s room. Rosetta crawled into bed and pulled the covers over her head.

The doctor was more hopeful when he came to visit next morning but he stressed the fact that Sarah must have peace, quiet and rest. He promised to come back later and told Ruby firmly to go to bed and get some sleep.

Having made tea and toast for Granny Mole’s breakfast and having persuaded Sarah to eat a little bread and milk, Rosetta was sitting down with a cup of tea when Jonas arrived at the front door carrying a hamper of food. He brought it into the house and laid it on the table.

‘Is Ruby about?’ Jonas took off his top hat, set it down on the table and began peeling off his leather gloves.

Rosetta shook her head. ‘She’s sleeping. She was up most of the night with Mum.’

‘How is Mrs Capretti?’

Granny Mole got up from her chair by the fireplace and came over to poke her finger into the hamper. ‘What have we got?’

‘Just a few things to help get the invalid better,’ Jonas said, winking at Rosetta.

‘Grapes!’ Granny seized a bunch and held it up to the light. ‘I ain’t tasted a grape for years.’

‘Help yourself,’ Jonas said, grinning. ‘It will keep your strength up.’

‘Are you laughing at me, young man?’

‘I wouldn’t dare, Mrs Mole.’

‘Huh!’ Granny went back to her chair clutching the grapes.

Jonas turned back to Rosetta. ‘How is Ruby? I wanted to see her and put things straight.’

‘She was worried about Mum. She didn’t really know what she was saying.’

‘She did, and I deserved it. I’d do anything for her, you know that, don’t you, Rosetta?’

‘Give her time,’ Rosetta said, touched by the sincerity in his eyes. ‘You got to give us all time to get to know the new Jonas Crowe. It’s been a bit of a shock to find out we got a cousin.’

‘You’re all right, you are, Rosetta. I’ve got a lot of time for you and if there’s anything I can do to help you and Billy, just tell me.’

‘D’you mean that?’

‘These grapes are bloody marvellous,’ Granny said, smacking her lips. ‘For God’s sake, Rose, spit it out.’

‘What?’ Rosetta stared at Granny. ‘I dunno what you mean, Gran.’

Spitting pips into the empty grate, Granny cast her a pitying glance. ‘Bees and honey: money, you daft mare. You need money to set you and Billy up in a proper business so you can have a fresh start. With you gallivanting off and Sarah sick, how d’you think Billy’s keeping the business going? Not very well, I should think. Gawd’s strewth, am I the only one in this family with any brains?’

‘Granny!’ Rosetta’s hand flew to her mouth and she looked anxiously at Jonas to see if he was annoyed.

‘Granny Mole, you’re right,’ Jonas said, chuckling. ‘Rosetta, I’ve done plenty of bad things in my life and I’m not proud of it, but if I can help you and Billy, just say the word.’

‘You will?’ Rosetta held her breath.

Jonas nodded. ‘We’re family and I admire Billy for what he’s trying to do. He’s a better man than I am, Rosetta; don’t make the same mistakes as I have. I may have lost the only woman I’ve ever loved, but you’ve got another chance so don’t make a hash of it.’

Flinging her arms around his neck, Rosetta hugged him until she was breathless. ‘Thank you, Jonas. Thank you.’

‘Save the soft stuff for your Billy,’ Granny said darkly. ‘You got a lot to make up for, young Rose.’

Retrieving his hat and gloves, Jonas made for
the front door. ‘I’d better go. Tell Ruby I’ll call again tomorrow.’

As soon as the door closed on Jonas, Rosetta grabbed her hat and went to the mirror to make sure she pinned it on at an appealing angle.

‘And where would you be off to?’ Granny demanded. ‘As if I didn’t know.’

‘I got to see Billy and tell him the good news.’

‘Are you off your head, girl?’ Scowling, Granny pointed her stick at Rosetta.

‘What d’you mean?’

‘If you goes round there and throw Jonas’s money in Billy’s face, how d’you think that’ll make him feel? He’s worked his guts out to make a home for you and your kid, but that weren’t good enough for you. Take my advice and keep quiet about the money until you got things sorted out with Billy.’

‘But …’

‘No buts. Go round and see him but take it slow, Rose. Get to know him again and start acting like a mum to your nipper; that’s the way to get round Billy. Find out if you got any feelings for him. If you haven’t, then it’ll never work, not in a month of Sundays.’

‘I have got feelings for him, Granny. I think, deep down, I’ve loved Billy all along only I was too stupid and selfish to see it.’

Spitting a grape pip out of the corner of her mouth, Granny eyed Rosetta, unsmiling. ‘You
was crazy in love with Jonas five minutes ago.’

‘I thought I was but it was just his money and power that I fell for. When he turned me down I could have killed him, but it wasn’t my heart that was hurt, it was my pride. I’ve come to me senses, Granny. I want Billy back, and my baby. I want them both.’

Popping the last grape in her mouth, Granny wagged her finger at Rosetta. ‘Then stop gassing and get on round there.’

Suddenly nervous, Rosetta frowned at her reflection in the mirror. What would she do if Billy rejected her? ‘Maybe I shouldn’t go until Ruby wakes up. Mum might need me for something.’

Granny Mole heaved herself out of the chair. ‘I can look after Sal until Ruby wakes up. You get round to Spivey Street and pray that Billy don’t slam the door in your face.’

Billy was in the shop serving a customer when Rosetta arrived, slightly out of breath, from nerves rather than from exertion. The woman paid him for the loaf and brushed past Rosetta without looking at her.

‘Hello, Rose. Come to buy a loaf?’ Billy’s expression was not encouraging.

Rosetta hesitated, momentarily lost for something to say. ‘I – er …’

A look of anxiety crossed Billy’s face. ‘It’s not Ma Capretti, is it? She’s …’

‘A bit better,’ Rosetta said hastily. ‘I come to see you, Billy, and Martha. If that’s all right.’

Lifting the counter flap, Billy stood aside, holding it open. ‘I told you that you can see Martha whenever you like.’

‘The shelves are empty,’ Rosetta said, looking round the tiny shop.

‘I’ve just about been managing to bake bread; cakes is things of the past. I can’t do so much without Ma. Actually, I was going to bring Martha round to see her.’

They were so close together in the narrow space behind the counter that Rosetta could feel his breath warm against her cheek, smell the scent of the bakehouse on his clothes. Standing there with his shirt open at the neck and his sleeves rolled up, Rosetta was suddenly aware of the strength in his muscular forearms and the pulse beating at the base of his throat. Once, not so long ago, he would have wrapped his arms around her, held her close, taken her lips in a long and hungry kiss, but now he stood there, unmoving, unsmiling, watching her as if she were a firework that might suddenly explode.

‘Perhaps we could go together,’ Rosetta suggested, licking her dry lips. ‘Mum would like that.’

‘We’ll do that.’

‘Billy, I’m sorry for what I said. I didn’t mean it.’

‘You never do, Rose. It doesn’t matter.’

‘But it does matter. I want us to be friends again.’

Billy made a move towards the inner door. ‘Come up and see Martha.’ Rosetta caught him by the sleeve. ‘Do you hate me, Billy?’

‘What do you want, Rose?’

‘I want you. I’ve been a blooming idiot and I didn’t realise what I’d got. I took you for granted and I was wrong, I admit it. I want us to be together again and I swear I’ll be a good wife and mother if you’ll just give me a chance.’

‘How do I know you mean it, Rose? You’ve lied to me before. How do I know you won’t get fed up again and run away?’

‘Because I love you, Billy. Deep down I’ve always loved you but I was chasing rainbows and when I got to the end of them there was nothing there. I love you, I really do.’

‘I want to believe you.’

Running her hands up his shirt front, feeling the warmth of his body and the thudding of his heart that matched the beat of her own, Rosetta pulled his head down so that their lips were touching. ‘Kiss me, Billy.’

Juggling work and study at the hospital with caring for her mother made life difficult for Ruby, and Rosetta’s urgent desire to return home was not helping. The doctor was pleased with Sarah’s progress but he was adamant that she must rest and that working again was out of the question. Without Sarah’s help, Ruby knew that Billy was struggling to make the bakery pay and, as soon as she came home from the hospital, Rosetta would hurry off to Spivey Street to be with Billy and Martha.

If it had not been for Jonas’s daily visits, Ruby felt that she would not have been able to cope with the extra demands heaped upon her. Without Sarah’s wages they would have been hard put to buy the extras needed by a recuperating invalid, but Jonas never came empty-handed, bringing food that he said was left over from the dining room and would only go to waste if they could not eat up the pies, roast meat and cakes baked in the Raven Street kitchen.

As soon as Sarah was well enough, Jonas had
insisted on telling both her and Granny Mole that Lottie was his mother. Sarah had been stunned at first, and then delighted to have a male head of the family; no one, she had said, could take Aldo’s place, but she knew he would have been proud to have Jonas for a nephew. Ruby had smiled inwardly, not daring to catch Jonas’s eye, but content to let Mum think the best of him. After all, what good would it do for her to know about Jonas’s murky past? Granny Mole had proved to be a bit more sceptical but Jonas had made himself popular with her by bringing daily supplies of Fry’s chocolate, bottles of stout and making certain that the ‘purely medicinal’ brandy bottle was always refilled. He spent time at Sarah’s bedside and from downstairs, Ruby could hear them chatting amicably; she often wondered what they found to talk about, but whatever it was Sarah had begun to look forward to his visits, saying that Jonas reminded her of Aldo when he was a young man. Ruby couldn’t see it herself, but it was good to hear Mum laughing at something Jonas had said and gradually, a tiny fragment at a time, she found her resentment and disapproval of him being chipped away.