A Loving Family (37 page)

He proffered his arm. ‘Anything you say, beloved.' He winked at Stella. ‘As you'll notice I'm a reformed character and intend to be a model husband.'

‘Make sure you keep to that,' Stella said, laughing. ‘But thank you for coming to share your good news with us.'

‘I'll be staying on at Portgone Place for a few days.' Rosa eyed her anxiously. ‘You will be able to manage without me, won't you?'

‘Of course, although I'll miss you terribly.'

‘Maybe one day we'll be sisters-in-law,' Rosa said softly. ‘I don't suppose you've heard from Kit, have you?'

‘Not a word, but it's early days yet.'

‘Come along, Rosa,' Tommy said, stepping out into the snowy yard. ‘We'd better hurry if we're to catch the family before they leave church.'

‘I'm coming.' Rosa kissed Stella on the cheek. ‘You will hear from him soon, I'm sure.' She wrapped her fur-trimmed cape around her. ‘I'll see you in a couple of days, Stella. And in the meantime I'll tell all the Langhornes' guests about your wonderful cakes and pastries. They'll be sending their servants with huge orders before New Year.' She took Tommy's hand and allowed him to lead her across the slippery cobbles to their carriage.

Stella closed the door and set about clearing the table while Jacinta finished stuffing the turkey and placed it in the oven. ‘We'd best get ready for church, Stella. I think Thaddeus would appreciate it if we accompanied him this morning.'

‘I'll see if I can rouse Belle, although it would be easier to waken the dead.'

‘Don't say things like that,' Jacinta said with a shudder. ‘We should go to church and thank the Lord that we're together again. I know I'll never forget the wonderful moment last night when I saw Freddie. I can't help feeling that I don't deserve such happiness, Stella.'

‘It would never have happened if I hadn't met Mr Hendy that Mothering Sunday when I was trying to get to Limehouse. Our lives might have taken a very different turn, Ma.'

‘But I get the feeling that you're not happy, my dear. It's because of Kit, isn't it? I haven't said anything before now, but I could see how things were between you.'

Stella stared at her in amazement. ‘I didn't know myself until it was almost too late.'

‘A mother sees things that others don't. He's a worthy young man and I'm certain he loves you too. God willing he'll return to you when the war is over. It's up to us to have a home waiting for him.'

‘He'll never be happy while Gervase has Heron Park.'

‘My memory has been improving. Flashes of past events keep coming back to me, and one day I might remember something more about that terrible night when the girl died. I know in my heart that Gervase was responsible, but I can't prove it. If only the mist in my head would clear completely.'

Stella laid her hand on her mother's shoulder. ‘Give it time, Ma. You've done so well, you mustn't upset yourself.' She looked round at the sound of footsteps and saw Freddie standing in the doorway.

‘What's the matter?' he demanded anxiously. ‘What are you keeping from me, Ma?'

Jacinta smiled wearily. ‘Sit down, Freddie. I think we have time before Thaddeus and the boys are ready to go to church. There are things about me that you have a right to know.'

He listened intently, but the moment she finished speaking he leapt to his feet, fists clenched. ‘The blackguard,' he cried angrily. ‘I'll kill him.'

Jacinta laid her hand on his arm. ‘No, Freddie. You'll keep out of this. I don't want you getting into trouble on my account.'

He looked down at her with a baffled frown. ‘But, Ma, it's my job to protect you, and I haven't been much of a son so far.'

Tears filled her eyes. ‘Oh, Freddie, my dear boy, none of this is your fault. I was wrong to leave you and Belinda in the workhouse, I realise that now. But at the time I was desperate. I wanted to earn money so that I could find somewhere for us to live, but it didn't work out that way.'

‘And all because of Silas Norville and Gervase Rivenhall,' Stella said grimly.

Freddie paced the floor, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. ‘This is bad. I wish I knew what to do.'

‘You can start by forgetting what I said about Gervase,' Jacinta said gently. ‘Put it out of your mind for now, Freddie. We don't want to spoil Christmas for Thaddeus and the boys, especially when they've gone to so much trouble on our behalf. We wouldn't be together now but for them, and you wouldn't have known about my problem.'

‘It's our problem too, Ma.' Stella nodded to her brother. ‘If you're intent on facing Gervase so be it, but we'll go with you.'

Freddie came to a halt. ‘Yes, Ma. That's what we'll do. I've got seven days' shore leave. We'll sort this out once and for all. I'm going to face up to that man and demand that he releases you from this sham marriage.'

All too soon it was time to set off for London. The roads had been too dangerous to travel on Boxing Day but a slight thaw had set in overnight and they were just passable. Mr Hendy drove them to the station on Friday morning and they took the train.

After the warmth and comfort of the farmhouse it was a shock to walk into the house in Fleur-de-Lis Street. A chilled atmosphere and echoing silence greeted them. For a moment it seemed to Stella that Silas Norville's mean spirit still haunted the old building, and his ghost was reluctant to share its home. She set about lighting a fire in the kitchen range and another in the parlour so that Aunt Maud could settle down for a nap after the rigours of the journey.

There was not enough coal to light fires in the bedrooms, but everyone congregated in the kitchen and soon a warm fug had built up as they sipped hot tea and Stella put a capon in the oven to roast for their supper. This had been a parting gift from Mr Hendy together with a basket filled with carrots and potatoes from their winter store. Stella could only guess how hard it must have been for her mother to leave the home she might one day call her own and return to the house which held so many unhappy memories. Perry produced a bottle of brandy from his pocket, another gift from Mr Hendy, and added a tot to their tea. ‘Purely medicinal,' he said, winking. ‘A little nip to keep out the cold.'

Freddie sipped his drink. ‘So this is where you've been living, Ma.'

‘It's not exactly a palace, but it's given us shelter,' Jacinta said mildly. ‘It's better than the two rooms we had in Broadway Wharf, although I don't suppose you remember them very well.'

‘Of course we do, Ma.' Stella stopped peeling potatoes at the sink and turned her head to give her mother an encouraging smile. ‘It might not have been grand, but you made it a home for us.'

‘I remember watching the ships on the river,' Freddie said thoughtfully. ‘I always wanted to go to sea like Pa.'

‘It's not a bad life, boy.' Perry added another drop of brandy to his own cup. ‘And a grog ration makes it more bearable.'

Freddie stared at him, eyebrows raised. ‘Were you in the Navy?'

‘Aye, for ten years, but that was enough for me. I'd seen all I wanted to see of the world and I didn't sign up for more.'

Jacinta gazed sorrowfully at her son. ‘But for my mistakes you wouldn't have been sent to sea when you were just a boy.'

‘As Perry said it's not a bad life, Ma. It was hard at first, but you might say I grew up in it and now I'm a boatswain's mate. I'm well on the way to being promoted to boatswain.'

‘And you're happy with that, Freddie?'

‘I think so, Ma. After all I don't know anything else, and now I've found my family I've got something to work for and to come home to. I want to see you all safe and settled and then I'll be a happy man.'

Perry slapped him on the back. ‘Well said, young fellow. I take my hat off to you for those sentiments, but you might change your mind about life at sea when you meet the right girl.'

‘Did you ever meet the right girl, Perry?' Belinda paused with a paring knife in her hand as she prepared the carrots for the pot. ‘Was there a great sorrow in your life that blighted your view of all womanhood?'

Spike leaned his elbows on the table, eyeing the brandy bottle. ‘Can I have a drop more?'

‘You've had enough, my boy.' Perry slipped the bottle back into his pocket. ‘There was a young lady once. A pretty little thing with big brown eyes and a tumble of soft curls that made you want to run your fingers through her hair.'

‘That sounds very romantic.' Stella put the potatoes on to boil. She moved to the table and sat next to Belinda. ‘Tell us about her, Perry.' She picked up a carrot and started to peel it.

‘We was engaged to be wed.' Perry sighed heavily. ‘Then I come back from sea and found she'd married someone else. In the family way she was and she swore it weren't mine.' He smiled apologetically. ‘Begging your pardon, ladies; I know it's not the sort of subject to bring up in mixed company, but I've always thought I had a kid somewhere. He'd be about Spike's age and just as spiky as this one's name would imply.'

Spike downed the rest of his tea. ‘I'll be your boy, Perry. You can be me archangel and I'll be the son you might have had.'

‘Sounds good to me.' Perry ruffled Spike's fluffy hair. ‘You and me are a great team, boy. Tomorrow we go back to work. We'll find something against Gervase Rivenhall, and we've got that job from chambers to see to as well. We must do that first or there'll be no money to pay for our board.'

Stella finished the carrots and took them to the stove. ‘You needn't worry about that for now, Perry. We can manage on what I make at the shop until you get your money. After all, we haven't paid you for all the work you've done so far.'

‘I expect to get paid on results,' Perry said stoutly. ‘So far, no result, no fee charged.' He sniffed the air appreciatively. ‘That chicken smells good.'

‘Tell you what,' Freddie said, rising to his feet. ‘Let me buy you a pint before we sit down for supper. I've got my pay and I'll give some to Ma, but I can afford to stand you a drink or two.'

Perry was quick to follow his example. ‘That sounds like an invitation I can't refuse.' He handed the brandy bottle to Stella. ‘See that Mrs Maud gets a nip in her tea. The poor soul looked exhausted when I left her in the parlour. That bloody cat was quiet too, so they must have been tired out by the journey.'

Stella smiled. ‘Thanks. I'll take her tea in now.'

‘Can I come with you?' Spike stood up, eyeing Perry hopefully.

‘Course you can, son.' Perry held out his hand. ‘Come on. Us men will get out of the way and leave the ladies to create a feast.'

‘Men have it easy,' Belinda said as the door closed on them. ‘I sometimes wish I'd been born a man.'

Stella made a fresh pot of tea and filled a cup, adding a generous tot of brandy. ‘I'll take this to Aunt Maud and then we can talk about what we're going to do tomorrow, Ma.'

‘My mind is made up,' Jacinta said with a defiant lift of her chin. ‘I'm going to Heron Park and demand to see Gervase. I'm not afraid of him now.'

‘We'll all go with you. He'll have to listen then. We'll refuse to leave until he's agreed to go through with the divorce. You can tell him that your memory has returned and you know how the poor girl died. That should convince him.' She was about to leave the room when the door opened and Perry burst into the room waving a copy of the
Daily News
.

‘You'll want to read this, Mrs Rivenhall. This concerns you.'

JACINTA SNATCHED THE
newspaper from him and her hands trembled as she read the article out loud. ‘Prominent member of society found murdered. Mr Gervase Rivenhall's body was discovered in the grounds of his country estate, Heron Park, last evening. The police are investigating his death.' Jacinta sat down suddenly, allowing the paper to fall to the floor.

Stella scooped it up. ‘It doesn't say how he died or if there are any suspects,' she said dazedly.

Perry looked over her shoulder, and his lips moved silently as he studied the newsprint. ‘I've got contacts in the Met. First thing tomorrow I'll see what I can find out, but I don't think anyone is going to grieve over Mr Rivenhall's sudden demise.' He shot an apologetic glance in Jacinta's direction. ‘Begging your pardon, ma'am.'

She smiled vaguely. ‘I'm not going to pretend something I don't feel. I'm glad he's dead, and I hope it means that Kit and Rosa come into their inheritance.'

‘Will they, Perry?' Belinda took the newspaper from Stella and read the article. ‘Does this mean that they'll get their home back?'

‘I'm not a lawyer, Miss Belle. I wouldn't like to say, but it depends if Mr Rivenhall left a will.' He sent a questioning look to Jacinta. ‘Would you know if he did, ma'am?'

‘No. We weren't on those sorts of terms.' Jacinta rose somewhat unsteadily to her feet. ‘I detested the man, but it's still come as a shock.'

‘But you're free, Ma,' Stella said quickly. ‘That's the good part. You can marry Mr Hendy and forget all about Gervase Rivenhall.'

Belinda nodded in agreement. ‘That's right, Ma. You're a widow now.'

‘Maybe he left the house to you, ma'am,' Perry said, grinning.

‘But if Kit has inherited the estate he might be able to buy himself out of the Army,' Stella murmured, half to herself.

‘We'll have to wait and see.' Jacinta picked up a chamber candlestick and lit the candle with a spill. ‘I'm very tired. I think I'll go to my room.'

‘And I'll go to the pub and make sure that young Spike hasn't persuaded Freddie to treat him to a tot of gin. No wonder the boy's stunted if that's what Ronald Clifford fed him every night so that he didn't witness his crooked dealings.'