The Lady's Maid (25 page)

Kate stared at her in amazement. ‘So how do you think the household runs itself?’

‘I’ve never given it a thought. I suppose Papa paid all the bills, but either Toop or the housekeeper saw to the day to day running of the house. Anyway, how should I know about sordid things like that? I was brought up to be a lady, not a housemaid like you.’

Kate subsided into silence. Josie might pretend that they were equals when it suited her, but at other times she made the difference in their status painfully clear. After a moment, Josie nudged her in the ribs. ‘Are you sulking? Have I said the wrong thing again?’

‘You speak without thinking, but it’s no use pretending. You’ve got to choose one way or the other. I’m either your friend or your servant. I can’t be both.’

Josie screwed her face up against the rain and the foul smells emanating from the dung-covered city streets and overflowing gutters. ‘We’re friends, of course. I wish you wouldn’t be so sensitive, Kate.’ She kissed her on the cheek. ‘But when we’re with Harry you will pretend to be my maid, won’t you? It’s even more important for me to impress him now. I must marry him, Kate. I really must.’

‘And where does that leave Sam?’

‘On the farm where he belongs. One day I hope he’ll marry a nice cheerful country girl who’ll never utter a cross word and will bear him lots of chubby-cheeked children.’

‘You’re lying.’

‘Yes. I am, but don’t you dare tell him what I said. I’m going to marry money and that’s that.’

Kate stole a sideways glance at Josie and stifled a sigh. She knew by the stubborn set of Josie’s jaw that
she
had made her mind up and nothing would shift her from her purpose. There was little that she could do at this moment other than to go along with whatever her capricious friend decided. She settled back to endure the cold, bumpy ride to the wilds of Hackney. The streets grew narrower and poorer the further east the hansom cab travelled. Beggars and half-feral children crowded the pavements, beseeching passers-by for money. Skeletally thin cats and dogs roamed the narrow courts and alleyways, sniffing out morsels of barely edible detritus in the gutters. It was scene after scene of poverty and deprivation, and even though the rain had ceased a sulphurous gloom wrapped itself around the stark outlines of the manufactories and the streets lined with back to back dwellings.

The lamplighter was just finishing his rounds as they reached Hackney Terrace which overlooked the wide expanse of Hackney Common, Josie awakened with a start, staring round wide-eyed and dazed with sleep. Kate climbed down from the cab, after paying the cabby what seemed like an exorbitant amount. She lifted their luggage to the ground and Josie alighted to stand on the pavement, smoothing out the creases in her clothes, seemingly oblivious to the dangers of being in a rough part of the city. The cab drove off at a spanking pace and they were alone. Kate had seen enough of the raw underbelly of London life to be aware of the perils lurking in the darkness. The common and surrounding market gardens would be the ideal haunt for thieves and robbers. She could see tiny
pinpricks
of light from fires lit by the homeless who huddled together for warmth, hoping to live through yet another bitterly cold winter night exposed to the elements.

They had been left outside a row of near derelict artisans’ cottages with front doors that opened out directly onto the pavement. Kate’s heart sank as she took in their surroundings. ‘Which house is it, Josie? Where does this woman live?’

‘Number ten, I think. I don’t remember.’ Josie gazed longingly at the far side of the street where a crescent of once elegant Georgian houses was set back from a tree-covered green. Even in the soft glow of the gas lamps they appeared to be sadly run down and the gardens a neglected tangle of brambles and ivy, but lights shone invitingly from the tall windows and their slightly tarnished opulence was in sharp contrast to the dwellings on their side of the road. ‘Why couldn’t she have lived in one of those?’

‘I expect it’s because she earned so little as your nanny that she couldn’t save a penny towards her old age.’

‘Don’t take that tone with me, Kate.’ Josie tossed her head. ‘At least she’s got a roof over her head. It’s just that I’m not entirely sure which one it is.’ She marched up to the door of number ten and rapped on the knocker.

Kate glanced over her shoulder. She was certain that she saw dark figures skulking in the shadows. She crossed her fingers, hoping that Josie had picked the right house. When no one answered, Josie knocked again and eventually the door opened a crack.

‘Who’s there?’ The voice quavered nervously and an eye peered out at them.

‘Nanny Barnes.’ Josie’s voice shook with relief. ‘Thank goodness, it is you.’

The door opened wide. ‘Miss Josephine?’

Josie flung her arms around the tiny woman, lifting her off her feet. ‘It is I, Nanny. I’m so glad to see you.’

‘Put me down, child. Come in and shut the door.’ Nanny Barnes squinted short-sightedly at Kate. ‘And bring your friend. I’m afraid I haven’t any seed cake or muffins for tea. The delivery from Fortnum’s is late once again, but you’re welcome anyway.’

Kate followed them into the small space that served as both kitchen and living room. In the dim light of a single candle it was patently obvious that Josie’s old nanny was not living in the height of luxury. A fire had been lit in the grate but the tiny nuggets of coal glowed fitfully amongst a pile of damp twigs spitting sap and creating more smoke than heat. The packed earth floor was covered in straw and the air felt damp, a feature made worse by the kettle hanging on a hook over the fire sending puffs of steam into the room.

‘Sit down, both of you.’ Nanny Barnes pointed to two wooden chairs tucked beneath a deal table. ‘I was just going to make a pot of tea.’ She frowned at Josie. ‘You look perished, my dear. Take off those damp things before you catch your death of cold. You too, young lady.’ She took in Kate’s appearance with a nod of her head. ‘You must be Miss Josephine’s maid. Well, we don’t stand on ceremony in my house. You’re
welcome
to stay to tea.’ She hobbled over to the fireplace and lifted the kettle with both hands.

Noting Nanny Barnes’ gnarled fingers, twisted by rheumatism into grotesque shapes, Kate took a step forward intending to help her but Josie frowned and shook her head. ‘Thank you, Nanny. A cup of tea will be lovely.’ She took off her bonnet and mantle and hung them over the back of her chair. ‘Sit down, Kate,’ she whispered. ‘She won’t thank you for interfering.’

Kate did as she was told, taking off her damp cloak and sitting down at the table which was laid with an embroidered cloth, stained by many years of spilt tea and lacy with moth holes. She glanced round at the roughly plastered walls with large bare patches revealing the bare brickwork. She could feel the cold and damp rising from the floor. No wonder the poor woman was crippled with rheumatism.

Nanny Barnes placed the teapot on the table and took two teacups from a shelf on the far side of the chimney breast. ‘I don’t often have company,’ she said, beaming. ‘Did I tell you that there isn’t any seed cake? Anyway, there’s plenty of bread and butter.’

Kate’s stomach rumbled at the mention of food. She had not eaten since breakfast that morning, but despite Nanny Barnes’ boast there seemed to be only the end of a loaf and a tiny pat of butter on the table. There was little enough for one person, let alone three. She could see that Josie was thinking along similar lines.

‘We don’t want to take your supper, Nanny,’ Josie said hastily. ‘In fact, I was going to treat you to
something
from the – er …’ She sent a mute appeal for help to Kate. ‘I suppose Fortnum’s is out of the question.’

Taking her cue, Kate rose to her feet. ‘I’ll go out and find a pie shop.’ Used as Josie was to relying on servants for every mouthful of food she ate, she would have no idea that there were shops selling such things as meat pies, stewed eels and pease pudding. She would never have eaten fish and chips wrapped in yesterday’s newspapers. In fact, Kate realised, Josie had not the foggiest notion how ordinary people lived. She slipped her damp cloak around her shoulders and picked up the purse. There would be enough for a meal for three. How they would manage tomorrow was another matter.

Despite Nanny Barnes’ protests that it was unfitting for a young woman to go out alone at night in this part of the East End, Kate was driven by hunger, and she slipped out of the house leaving Josie to calm Nanny’s fear. She had seen a pie and eel shop next to the Baptist chapel in Grove Street and it was not far to walk. The tasty aroma of hot meat pies kept her going and she left the shop with the comforting heat of the parcel clutched to her bosom. She had almost reached the end of Terrace Road when she was accosted by a man who leapt out of a doorway, grabbing her by the arm.

‘Hand it over, girl.’

She clutched the parcel of food even tighter. ‘Let me go.’

‘Me wife and nippers is starving. Give us it.’

Kate made a vain attempt to struggle free but the man was obviously desperate and in no mood to be gentle. He pushed her roughly to the ground and was attempting to wrest the package from her when someone grabbed him by the collar and flung him aside. Her assailant scrambled to his feet and ran off.

‘Are you all right, miss?’

Still clutching her precious parcel, Kate allowed her saviour to help her up. ‘I’m fine, thank you.’

He tipped his cap. ‘You shouldn’t be out alone, miss.’ He started to walk off towards the common but Kate hurried after him and caught him by the sleeve.

‘Thank you for what you just did.’

‘It were nothing, miss.’

‘It was very brave of you.’ Kate fumbled in her pocket for her purse. ‘I should like to thank you properly. That man would have taken everything.’

He pushed her hand away. ‘Like I said, it were nothing. Go home, miss. I don’t want your money.’

In the light of a street lamp she could see his features clearly. His dark curly hair was streaked with silver, and he had the swarthy look of a Romany. It was odd that as a child she had always been warned to avoid gypsies, but this was the man who had saved her. ‘Are you camped near here?’

He grinned. ‘Aye, miss. We’re on the far side of the common. Should you want your fortune told, you know where to come.’

‘Could you tell me your name? I’d like to know.’

‘Marko, miss.’

She held out her hand. ‘Kate. Thank you, Marko.’

He shook hands, bowed and walked off into the night. Kate hurried the last few yards to the house and let herself in.

‘You took your time,’ Josie said crossly. ‘We’ve been waiting for ages.’

‘You would have had to wait even longer for your food if it hadn’t been for a gypsy who saved me from a mugger.’

Nanny Barnes threw up her hands. ‘Oh, dearie me. I told you not to go out alone, my girl. It’s not safe with all those desperate men loitering around. I suppose you can’t blame the poor things who can’t find work and have families to feed.’

Josie took the food from Kate’s hands and peeled off the newspaper. ‘Never mind, you’re here now and I’m absolutely famished. Pass your plate, Nanny. This smells all right, but frankly I could eat a horse.’

‘You always were a greedy girl,’ Nanny Barnes said, shaking her head.

Later, when Nanny Barnes had gone upstairs to her room, Kate and Josie were left to make themselves as comfortable as possible with one blanket each and a rag rug laid out in front of the fire. They huddled together in front of the dying embers.

‘It’s awful to see her living like this,’ Josie murmured sleepily. ‘I wish Toop had told me more of her circumstances.’

Kate tugged at the thin blanket in an attempt to cover herself and keep out the draughts that whistled
under
the front door. ‘I doubt if you would have believed him if you had not seen it for yourself.’

‘You’re right, of course. I never gave the poor old soul a thought.’

‘Perhaps you’ll have a chance to make it up to her.’

‘You mean when I marry Challenor?’

‘I suppose so. But you might decide to return home. Your mother must be out of her mind with worry.’

‘She’ll recover soon enough. She’s thick as thieves with Hermione, and Joseph isn’t stupid enough to pick on Mama. He likes to keep his wife happy so that he can do what he pleases with girls from the village, or willing chambermaids. I’m just disgusted to think that he puts me in that class.’

In spite of everything this wrought a chuckle from Kate. ‘So says the girl who is sleeping on the floor in a hovel. This is what they call finding out the hard way how the other half live, Josie. I hope you remember it when your fortunes are restored.’

‘And they will be.’ Josie snapped into a sitting position. ‘How much money is there in my purse?’

‘Fifteen and sixpence three farthings. See how far that gets you.’

Josie subsided onto the rug, curling up against Kate’s back. ‘I’ll think about that in the morning, but right now I’m really sleepy …’ Her voice tailed off as she settled down with a hearty sigh.

Next morning the full extent of Nanny Barnes’ poverty became clear to both Kate and Josie. The small terrace of houses had been built at the
beginning
of the century to house factory workers and artisans, but it appeared that the landlord had neglected to do the necessary repairs and the row was fit only for demolition. All the occupants were forced to share a block of privies in the service lane which abutted the common, and the tiny back yards were too small to allow the tenants to grow their own vegetables. On questioning, Kate discovered that Nanny Barnes had no family to support her and that she had existed on the small pension that Sir Hector had given her, but even that had ceased since Joseph had inherited the family fortune. She was all but destitute and facing the worst horror of all – the workhouse.

This last piece of information had the power to shock Josie out of her despondent state and had galvanised her into action. She washed in ice cold water drawn from the communal pump and donned her gown, grumbling that it was creased but having to wear it anyway as Nanny did not possess a flat iron. Kate put her hair up for her and helped her into her travel-stained bonnet and mantle.