Dream a Little Dream (11 page)

Alf’s face showed his concern. ‘What’s wrong, pet?’

‘Just off-colour, love, that’s all. If it was serious I wouldn’t be here now, would I?’ Kitty waved to the couch. ‘Sit down, Mr Robert, and take the weight off yer feet.’

Just before he sat down, Robert noticed one of the springs sticking up out of the cushion, and he moved a little to avoid it. His mam used to have a couch like this and it could be lethal to sit down without taking care. Many’s the sore bottom he had from that old horse-hair couch. ‘I believe you don’t enjoy good health, Mr Higgins?’

Alf shook his head. He was as thin as a lath, but you could see he’d been a handsome bloke when he was younger. He had vivid blue eyes and a thick mop of prematurely white hair. ‘I haven’t worked for nearly seven years now. I used to be a stevedore at Seaforth docks, but I caught some sort of infection off a cargo we were unloading and the doctor signed me off. I thought it would only be for a few days, but I never did pick up.’

‘And didn’t the doctor send you to hospital, or tell you what was wrong?’

‘Oh yeah, I was in hospital for a while, and they said my lungs had been affected and there was little they could do.’ Alf’s laugh was hollow. ‘They recommended plenty of fresh air. Now I ask yer, plenty of fresh air! With the factory chimneys smoking non-stop around here, there’s fat chance of that.’

Kitty was hovering by the side of his chair. ‘We don’t do so bad, though, love, do we? We’ve got each other, and that’s what counts.’

‘But I should be the one going out to work, not you! How d’yer think I feel sitting here all day while you’re out slaving to keep us? And just look at yer, pet, ye’re wearing yerself into the ground.’

‘Well, she’s going to have a few days’ complete rest, with plenty to eat to put some flesh on her bones,’ Robert said. ‘A lie-in every morning with no worry about dashing out and walking those three miles. Honest to God, I had no idea you were doing that, Kitty, or I would never have allowed it.’

‘It’s not your fault, Mr Robert, it’s just the way things are. But I can’t afford to take no time off work, and that’s the top and bottom of it. The rent man has to have his money every week or he’ll have us out on the street. Besides, Miss Edwina can’t do without a cleaner and I don’t want her taking no one else on in me place.’

‘It might not always appear so, Kitty, but I am the master of the house. No one will take your place, I promise. But I insist you take a few days off. It’s Wednesday today, so I suggest you take it easy until Monday. I’ll call at eight o’clock on Monday morning, and if I consider you fit for work, I’ll take you in.’

‘Do as Mr Dennison says, pet.’ There was tenderness in Alf’s eyes as he reached for her hand. ‘I don’t want to see yer getting ill, ye’re all I’ve got.’

‘Don’t be going all soppy on me in front of me boss,’ Kitty said. ‘Wait until he’s gone and then yer can get as soppy as yer like.’

Robert was moved by the scene. These two had nothing in material possessions. The furniture was only fit for the scrapyard, and a rag and bone man wouldn’t even give them a balloon for their clothes. But what they did have, was their love for each other. This made them far richer than he was.

‘I’ve had an idea, Mr Higgins, which might interest you. Why don’t you come with Kitty on Monday morning? We have a very large garden, and there are no smoking chimneys for miles. You could get as much fresh air as you wanted, and I’m sure Agnes would be delighted to keep you supplied with food and drink. Does the idea appeal to you?’

Kitty clapped her hands. ‘Oh, that would be bleedin’ marvellous! It would do you so much good, Alf, ’cos yer
seldom
go over the door. And yer’d have Pete, the gardener to talk to – I bet yer’d enjoy that.’

‘I’d like it very much, Mr Dennison, thank you.’

‘Good! Now that’s settled I’ll leave you in peace. Make the most of your few days of freedom, Kitty, and I hope to see you looking better on Monday. And you are not to worry about a thing – I forbid it.’

Alf got to his feet. ‘Thank you for looking after my wife today, I appreciate it very much.’

‘It was nothing less than she deserves.’ Robert could see a group of children around his car and thought a hasty retreat was in order. He had no objection to them looking, they were only kids after all, and a car down their street would be a rarity. But the last time he had felt benevolent towards a group of boys, it ended up with one of them snapping his windscreen wiper. ‘Don’t bother coming to the door, Kitty, I’ll see myself out.’ He donned his hard bowler hat and smiled at the couple who were now holding hands. ‘Until Monday, then.’

Robert was thoughtful as he parked his car in the garage. He didn’t relish telling his wife she would be without a cleaner until Monday, and he expected sharp words would be exchanged. But he didn’t regret his actions and would do the same thing again if the occasion ever arose. On the drive home, he’d been picturing the size of his house and the work involved for one little woman to do. There were ten large rooms and the wide staircase was almost the size of two of the rooms. Plus there was his study, the bathrooms and cloakrooms. Far too much for one person, and his own common sense should have told him this. What was needed was a junior maid to help Kitty with the work and he’d like one in place before Monday.

Agnes was washing the dinner dishes when he entered the kitchen, and as she dried her hands her eyes were anxious. ‘How was she, Mr Robert? I’ve been on pins, waiting for yer.’

‘I’ve told her to stay off until Monday, and get plenty of rest. I’m picking her up, but if I don’t think she’s well enough, she must stay off longer.’

Agnes dropped her eyes. There’d be skin and hair flying when Miss Edwina heard; she’d already been in the kitchen ranting and raving. She blamed the housekeeper for not sending the cleaner home instead of crying to Mr Robert and getting him involved. ‘Your wife won’t be happy about that. Who’s going to do the cleaning until Monday? I’ll help as much as I can, but I can’t do Kitty’s job as well as me own.’ In her mind she was thinking it could easily be done if everyone
pulled
their weight. But there was fat chance of that. They were too bleeding lazy to lift a cup. ‘Anyway, as long as Kitty’s all right, that’s all I’m worried about. I’ll take the rest as it comes and to hell with everyone. Of course it goes without saying that the last remark doesn’t include you, Mr Robert.’

‘I’ve decided to take on a junior maid to help with the cleaning. I was going to say a scullery maid, but she’d have to be a maid of all work. I’m feeling rather tired now, it seems to have been such a long day, but I’ll put my mind to it tomorrow and set the wheels in motion.’

‘I’ve heard of a fourteen-year-old girl who’s looking to go into service, Mr Robert, but I don’t know if she’d suit.’

‘D’you know the girl personally?’

Agnes shook her head. ‘Never set eyes on her, wouldn’t know her from Adam. But yer know I’m friendly with next-door’s housekeeper, Tilly, don’t yer? Well, it’s her sister’s girl and she was telling me about her the other day. I didn’t ask no questions ’cos I wasn’t really interested, but I can slip next door and find out, if yer like. It can’t do no harm to ask a few questions, and at least we’d know what sort of a family she’s from.’

‘I would like you to do that, Agnes, and if she’s suitable it would speed things along.’

‘I’ll serve yer dinner first, yer must be starving. You go and get yerself changed and I’ll bring it through to the study in, say, fifteen minutes?’

‘I’m not getting changed tonight, it’s hardly worth it. So I’ll just swill my hands and face, which should take five minutes.’

Robert heard his wife’s voice as he passed the drawing room, and although he couldn’t hear the words, her tone implied she wasn’t in the best of tempers. As he took the stairs two at a time, he visualised her face. There would be no smile, there seldom was, her eyes would be blazing and her nostrils flared. And if Victoria was in the room with her, she would be agreeing with every word her mother said. He’d have to keep
a
close eye on Kitty when she came back, because both mother and daughter could be very spiteful.

Tilly Woods’ eyes widened when she opened the back door. ‘Yer haven’t been given another night off, have yer, yer jammy bugger?’

Agnes grinned as she pulled out a chair from the table that was identical to the one she had in the kitchen next door. ‘No, this is strictly business.’

‘I was going to say I’ll have to take a leaf out of your book and throw a tantrum with the Mistress, see if she’s as obliging as yours.’ Tilly sat down opposite and folded her arms. She was in her early forties, the same age as Agnes, and she had a pleasantly plump figure topped by a face that was rarely without a smile. ‘Strictly business, eh? Does that mean yer’ve come to cadge the recipe off me for me mouth-watering pastry?’

‘Sod off, Tilly Woods, my pastry knocks yours into a cocked hat any day.’

‘Yer crusty pastry might, but my flaky pastry beats yours by a mile.’

‘We’ll call a truce shall we, and agree that we both make bloody good pastry? And I wouldn’t say no to a piece of apple pie to eat with the cup of tea I know ye’re just dying to make me.’

‘Ye’re not backwards in coming forward, are yer? Cheeky mare, yer face would get yer the ruddy parish!’

‘I don’t want the parish, Tilly, I’m not greedy. I’ll settle for a nice slice of apple pie.’

‘No can do, sweetheart, ’cos the family had rhubarb pie tonight. And everyone commented on how delicious it was.’

‘Well, I think it was most inconsiderate of them, ’cos I don’t like rhubarb. They’re like my lot next door, only ever think about themselves and to hell with what I want. Still, I suppose I could force meself to eat a piece seeing as it’s all yer’ve got.’

Tilly was at the sink filling the kettle when she asked over her shoulder, ‘What is the business yer were talking about? Or was it only an excuse to scrounge a piece of me pie what yer know is better than anything you can make?’

‘No, I came to ask about that niece of yours. Yer know, the one you said was looking for a job in service. Well, Mr Robert is looking for a junior maid and when I mentioned what you’d told me, he asked me to make some enquiries. It wouldn’t be live-in, though, so it might not be what she’s looking for.’

Tilly raised the gas under the kettle and returned to her seat. ‘She doesn’t particularly want to live-in, it’s just that there’s no jobs around for her to pick and choose from. There’s an awful lot of people out of work, yer know, Aggie, and her mother could do with her bringing a few bob in each week. She’s got three other children to clothe and feed, and her husband only brings home buttons. He works at the docks and some weeks he only gets taken on for two or three days. They’re having a struggle and she needs Jessie working.’

‘Is that the girl’s name, Jessie?’

‘Well, Jessica really. And she’s a little love. Very pretty, pleasant, well-mannered and thoroughly nice. I’d be made-up if Mr Robert would give her a chance, and me sister, Edna, would be over the moon.’

‘Tilly, don’t clock me one for asking yer these questions, but I need to know all about the girl before I ask Mr Robert to see her. Yer said she was fourteen, is that right?’ Agnes was sitting with her hands in her lap and her fingers crossed for luck. She waited for her friend’s nod, then asked, ‘Is she willing to work hard and take orders?’

‘I don’t see much of them, ’cos as yer know I only get the one day off. But I know she looks after the three children when our Edna goes out to do a few cleaning jobs, and she does the housework, washing and ironing. I’d say she wasn’t frightened of hard work, but then she’s never worked in a house the size of next door, nor encountered anyone like Mrs Dennison.’

‘I’d show her the ropes, sunshine, and I’d keep her away from Miss Edwina as much as I could until she was used to us and the house.’ Agnes was beginning to get her hopes up. ‘If she’s willing to work, and she’s pleasant, I think it’s worth a try, don’t you?’

‘I’d recommend her, Aggie, and I wouldn’t do that unless I had faith in her. And yer can tell Mr Robert she’s as honest as the day’s long, and trustworthy.’

‘How soon could you get in touch with her to arrange an interview? We could do with someone right away ’cos Kitty’s gone off sick for a few days. The girl wouldn’t be thrown in the deep end, I’d be there to help her.’

Tilly looked at the clock and saw it was ten past eight. ‘Nip next door and have a word with Mr Robert. If he’s interested, I’d go tonight. They live in the Dingle and I could get a tram right to the end of their street.’

Agnes pushed her chair back. ‘Right, I’ll get cracking before the grass grows under me feet. I’ll be back as soon as I can, and I’ll come on the tram with yer.’ She got to the door then turned, a mischievous grin on her face. ‘Yer can wrap that piece of rhubarb pie up for me, I’ll have it for me supper.’

‘It sounds promising, Agnes.’ Robert swivelled his chair from side to side as he tapped his fingers on the top of his desk. ‘It’s an advantage to have someone who’s recommended.’

‘Highly recommended, Mr Robert. If Tilly says she’s a good girl, then yer can take that as gospel. I’ve been friends with Tilly Woods for nigh on ten years, and I’d stake me life on her.’

‘And you’re prepared to go with her to see this girl and make arrangements for her to call here as soon as possible for an interview?’

‘Yeah. If we’re lucky with trams we could be there and back in just over an hour.’ Agnes had something on her mind and it was her firm belief that instead of bottling things up, you should get it off your chest. ‘Mr Robert, would you
interview
her? I know I shouldn’t say it, but Miss Edwina can be a bit off-putting. The girl is only fourteen and this will be her first job. I’d hate her to be frightened off and I think it would be better all round if you were to see her.’

‘I intend to, Agnes, so have no fear.’ He grinned. ‘I’ll treat her with kid gloves.’

‘If she can come tomorrow, what time should I say?’

‘Shall we say ten o’clock, when breakfast is over? I don’t have anything important on tomorrow so I’m all right for time. And if the interview goes well, as I’m sure it will, would you ask if she’d be prepared to start right away?’