The Workhouse Girl (29 page)

‘It was quite splendid in its time,' Grey said, apparently reading her thoughts. ‘But its glory days are long past.'

‘You never said a truer word, Master Toby.' Parker had been riddling the embers in the range to little effect and he rested the poker with an exasperated sigh. ‘It's difficult keeping the fire going with only green wood for fuel. I remember when we had coal aplenty and the log store filled to capacity.' His hands began to shake and he dropped the poker.

Grey hurried to his side. ‘I'll do that, Parker.' He helped him to a chair. ‘Sit down, old chap. You'll feel better when you've got some food inside you. I'll see what I can do with the fire and then we can have that cup of tea.'

‘And all I need is a knife and some plates.' Sarah emptied the contents of the basket onto the table. ‘And then we'll eat.'

They left Parker dozing by the fire, replete after a meal of tea, bread and cheese. Grey led the way through a maze of narrow corridors until they came to the entrance hall. A heavily carved oak staircase led to the first floor and beneath a layer of dust the floorboards glowed with the patina of many years of dedicated polishing by housemaids long departed. As in the drawing room the furniture was shrouded in holland covers, giving the old house the appearance of being inhabited by ghostly spectres. Dust motes filled the air, dancing and glinting in the feeble rays of sunshine that penetrated the grimy windowpanes.

‘Why did you bring me here, Grey?' Sarah demanded anxiously. ‘Hiding away isn't going to solve anything.'

‘I know, but it can only be temporary. If I know George he'll have the police looking for me at this very moment, and eventually they'll come here.'

‘Then I must go into the village right away. I have to see Davey and put things right and then he'll help me get you on a boat bound for the Continent.'

‘Wait until dark. I'll go with you as far as the church.'

Illuminated by moonlight, the church was silhouetted darkly against the night sky. Grey had insisted on accompanying Sarah but she stopped by the lychgate. ‘Wait here for me.'

‘If you're not back within the hour I'll come looking for you,' he said in a low voice.

‘Just keep out of sight,' she whispered. ‘I'll be as quick as I can, but please don't follow me. I know almost everyone in the village and I'll be quite safe.'

‘All right, but be careful.'

‘Don't worry about me.' She walked away, wrapping her shawl around her head so that she merged into the shadows. Her pulse began to race as she hurried along the main street. The school and the blacksmith's forge were shuttered and silent and the warm glow of firelight and tallow lamps shone from uncurtained windows, but for some inexplicable reason she felt like a stranger as she made her way to the cottage. She was suddenly nervous as she raised her hand to knock on the door, but then she remembered that it was never locked, and taking a deep breath she lifted the latch and stepped inside.

The sight that met her eyes brought a lump to her throat. Mary, Lemuel and Jonah were seated round the table with their heads bent over a book, but at the sound of the door opening Mary looked up. Her face paled and she leapt to her feet uttering a shriek of fright. Jonah pointed a shaking finger at Sarah. ‘Ghost,' he cried, reaching out to hold his sister's hand. ‘Don't let her get me, Mary.'

Lemuel jumped up and advanced on Sarah with his small hands fisted. ‘Get out of here, evil spirit.'

Sarah stood her ground. ‘I'm not a ghost or an evil spirit. It's me, Sarah. I've come home.'

Mary was the first to recover. She moved slowly towards her. ‘B-but you died in the fire. Everyone said so. The vicar held a service of remembrance for you and Miss Elsie, even though we all knew she was a heathen.'

‘I sent a note,' Sarah said, fighting back tears. ‘I'm so sorry if you didn't receive it, but I was certain you knew that I was safe and well.'

Mary's pale face assumed a mask of indifference. ‘We've been thinking you were dead and gone for nearly three weeks. Why did you go away? Why didn't you come here and let us all see that you was alive?'

‘I still say she's a ghost,' Jonah said, hiding behind his sister. ‘Pinch her, Lem. See if she's real.'

Lemuel darted forward and pinched Sarah's forearm, making her squeal. ‘She's real,' he said, backing away.

Sarah rubbed the sore spot. ‘I hope you're satisfied, boys. That hurt.'

‘You should be ashamed of yourself,' Mary said angrily.

‘Don't blame him.' Sarah smiled as she pulled her sleeve down to cover the red mark.

‘I didn't mean Lemmy. It's you who are in the wrong.' Mary's pretty lips hardened into an unsympathetic line. ‘You nearly broke our Davey's heart. He's been off his food ever since you got burned to a crisp in the fire, and won't hardly speak to no one. It's all your fault, Sarah Scrase.'

Sarah pulled up a stool and sat down. ‘I couldn't help what happened, Mary. You must hear me out.'

‘There's no excuse for running off like that,' she said, frowning.

‘There might be if you'd just listen to what I have to say.' Sarah was angry now. She had slept little on the journey from London and she was exhausted as well as overwrought. ‘Miss Elsie suffered terrible burns. She might have died in the fire if it hadn't been for a brave man who saved her from the burning building. We took her to a hospital in London, but it was too late and she died of her injuries.'

‘She was a witch,' Jonah muttered beneath his breath but just loud enough for Sarah to hear.

‘She was a healer and she took care of your father,' Sarah said firmly. ‘You all know that, so don't talk nonsense, Jonah Hawkes.'

Jonah's face crumpled at her sharp tone and she was instantly ashamed of her quick temper. They were all too young to understand. ‘Miss Elsie was a good woman,' she added in a gentler tone. ‘But she was different from the rest of us, Jonah. That doesn't mean she was bad or that she was a witch. She used her knowledge to cure sick people.'

Jonah did not look convinced and he went to join his brother, who had retreated to the hearth and was squatting on the packed earth floor eyeing her suspiciously.

Mary's expression softened just a little. ‘Well, I suppose that's right, but why did you stay away so long? How are you going to explain that to Davey?'

‘Explain what to Davey?'

Sarah spun round to see Davey standing in the doorway. He stared at her in disbelief. ‘Sarah?'

She held out her hands. ‘It's me, Davey. I'm not a ghost. I was just trying to explain things to the children.'

He closed the door with such violence that the house shook. ‘You let us think you died in the fire and then you turn up out of the blue.' He planted his feet apart, folding his arms across his broad chest. ‘And we're supposed to pretend that it's all right. Is that it?'

‘I sent you a note.'

‘Well I never got no note. Everyone said that you'd perished in the flames and I had no reason to suppose different.'

‘I'm so sorry.'

‘You've had plenty of time to send word since then. Where've you been all this time?'

His frosty gaze sent shivers down her spine and she looked away. ‘In London. We took Miss Elsie to hospital but they couldn't save her.'

‘Who took you to London? Was it that villain who forced you to live with the mad woman?'

‘Don't say things like that, Davey.' She met his hostile gaze with a frown. ‘I won't let you speak to me like this. I thought you'd be pleased to see me and I'm sorry you thought I was dead, but I had to do everything I could for Elsie.' She made for the door but he barred her way.

‘You put me through hell,' he growled, taking her by the shoulders. ‘What am I supposed to think? Did you run off with your fancy man?'

‘Stop it, Davey.' Mary stamped her foot. ‘Don't be mean to Sarah. Can't you see she's trying to explain what happened?'

‘Be quiet, Mary. This is between Sarah and me.' Davey turned to his brothers, scowling. ‘And you two should be in bed. Don't sit there gawping.'

Lemuel and Jonah scrambled to their feet and went to sit on the wooden bed at the back of the room, watching them wide-eyed.

‘Leave them alone. It's me you're angry with, not them.' Sarah pulled free from his grasp. ‘I'm sick of saying sorry, and Grey isn't my fancy man. He saved Elsie from the fire and his hands were too badly burned for him to drive, so I did. We took her to London but it was no use. She died in hospital.'

‘Why didn't you come home then?'

She was quick to hear the note of uncertainty in his voice and she laid her hand on his arm. ‘I wanted to, Davey. But things happened and it was complicated.' Her voice broke on a sob. ‘I don't want to talk about it now. Perhaps I'd better go.' She made a move to walk past him but he reached out and caught her by the hand.

Mary hurried to her side. ‘You must be hungry, Sarah. There's enough soup left in the pot for both of you.'

‘Thank you, Mary, but I had supper at Blackwood House. That's where I'm staying until things are sorted.'

‘Blackwood House?' Davey stared at her in amazement. ‘That old place? It's been empty for years.'

‘And it's haunted,' Lemuel said in a loud voice. ‘No one goes there. The yew tree tunnel eats people.'

‘And spits out their bones,' Jonah added gleefully. ‘It's the truth.'

‘Get into bed and stop being silly.' Mary snatched their nightshirts from the back of a chair. ‘I don't want to hear another word from either of you.' She tossed the garments at them. ‘Don't make me come over there, boys. I'm getting cross now.'

Davey drew Sarah aside, lowering his voice. ‘There's something you're not telling me. What is it?'

‘It's complicated. Grey's family own Blackwood House and his uncle has falsely accused him of theft. Now the police are after him, and he must leave the country as soon as possible, which means finding a ship that will take him to the Continent.'

‘Which is why you've come to me, I suppose.' Davey's tone was not encouraging.

‘You're the only chance he has of getting out of the country. He's innocent, Davey. I wouldn't ask you to do this for him if he was guilty.'

‘Why should I? He's brought you nothing but trouble.'

She raised her hand and then let it fall to her side. ‘I thought you were my friend.'

‘And I thought we had an understanding, Sarah Scrase. I thought that one day I'd go down on bended knee and ask you to marry me, but it seems I've been a fool. First of all it was the schoolmaster who was ogling you like a lovesick old goat and then you go off with that criminal. I wouldn't lift a finger to save his neck.'

Sarah backed towards the door. ‘You're a stupid, jealous fool, Davey Hawkes. I never made any promises to you.'

‘And now you've found someone you like better. It wouldn't be because he might own the big house some day, unless his neck gets stretched by the hangman's noose? I thought better of you.'

‘That's not true and it's not fair.' She wrenched the door open. ‘I'll never ask you for anything again as long as I live.' She slammed out of the cottage with Mary's sobs ringing in her ears.

She was halfway down the main street when Davey caught up with her. ‘Wait, please.'

She continued walking. ‘Leave me alone.'

‘No, please stop a moment.' He caught her by the hand and drew her to a halt. ‘I'm sorry. Seeing you like that was a shock. I hardly knew what I was saying.'

‘You made your feelings perfectly clear. I was stupid to think that you'd want to help.'

‘I'm the one who was stupid. I can't begin to tell you how I've been feeling these past few weeks, but I had no call to speak to you like that.'

‘I did send you a note, Davey. I would have come sooner if I hadn't got caught up in everything that was going on in London. But I really thought you knew I was safe.'

‘I'll do anything you ask,' he said, lifting her hand to his cheek. ‘Just tell me what needs to be done.'

‘Grey has to leave the country. If you can't take him I thought you might know someone who can.' He hesitated and she thought that he was going to refuse. ‘But if you don't want to get involved I can hardly blame you,' she added hastily. ‘It's not your problem, Davey.'

‘You're wrong,' he said slowly. ‘If it makes you unhappy it becomes my problem. We've been through hard times before, Sarah. I know someone who might be willing to help, for a price.'

She thought quickly. There was still money left in the leather pouch, although she did not know how much. ‘That shouldn't be a problem. What do I have to do?'

‘Nothing. Give me a day or two and I'll let you know.'

She stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. ‘Ta, Davey. I knew you wouldn't let me down. Now I must go. Grey's waiting for me in the churchyard.' She attempted to wrest her hand from his grasp but he tightened his hold.

‘Are you sure there's nothing going on between you?'

‘He's years older than me, Davey. I've never thought of him as anything other than a friend.'

Davey uttered a derisive snort. ‘That wouldn't stop him fancying you. You're an innocent, Sarah.'

‘I can look after myself and I trust Grey. He's been good to me and I don't want anything to happen to him. Promise me that you'll do everything you can to get him to safety.'

He raised her hand to his lips and brushed it with a kiss before letting her go. ‘I promise. Now go and find him. I'll wait here until I see you safely on your way.'

‘Thank you, Davey. I'll never forget this.' She turned and ran towards the churchyard, waving to Grey who was waiting in the shelter of the lychgate.