The Rag Princess, page 23
Milly appeared with her tea then and after she had drunk it, Eve tucked her into bed and left her to rest while she went back to her pile of ironing.
Theo arrived shortly after, being his usual charming self, but for the first time, Eve found herself disliking him.
‘Miss Susanne is in bed. She took a beatin’ last night,’ she informed him shortly.
He strode past her and into Susan’s room, closing the door firmly behind him.
‘Our Davey were askin’ after you last night,’ Milly said innocently as she and Eve sat at the kitchen table having a well-earned cup of tea a little later. ‘He wonders why yer don’t go down into the foyer or come round ours to see him anymore. I suppose you’ve guessed that he’s got a soft spot fer you.’
‘An’ why do yer think I’ve stopped?’ Eve retorted more sharply than she had meant to. ‘Do yer think he’d still be interested when he found out I’ve got another man’s baby growin’ in me belly?’ If truth be told she had begun to think fondly of him too, but she knew it was hopeless. Her future was set, and although she was nervous about the direction it was going in, she was powerless to do anything about it.
Milly sighed as she carried her cup to the sink. As far as she was concerned what was going on was a downright shame. Eve clearly wasn’t sure about the future Susan had mapped out for her, but as Eve had said, what other option did she have?
Suddenly an idea came to her. ‘What about if I asked me Ma how she’d feel about lookin’ after you an’ your baby when it comes? Wi’ our lot, a couple more wouldn’t make that much difference an’ the extra money she got fer lookin’ after it while you were at work would certainly come in ’andy. That way you wouldn’t ’ave to give the baby up if yer didn’t want to.’
Eve chewed on her lip as she thought about it. The idea had taken her completely by surprise. She liked Milly’s mother and had no doubt that the baby would be very well cared for. And as Eve had said, it meant she might be able to keep it if she felt that way inclined after it was born.
But then common sense kicked in. ‘How would we explain the baby away to Davey? An’ worse still, what would ’e think o’ me workin’ wi’ Susan? He still wouldn’t want to know me when he found out what I was doin’ fer a livin’,’ Eve pointed out forlornly.
‘So get yerself a different job. You don’t ’ave to go on the game,’ Milly replied.
The idea was tempting, but after a few seconds thought, Eve shook her head. ‘I appreciate you carin’, but it still couldn’t work. Your mam ’as her hands full wi’ your lot wi’out me putttin’ on ’er. But thanks fer offerin’.’
Milly shrugged. ‘I suppose yer right,’ she said sadly. ‘But I can’t ’elp thinkin’ yer better than that. Not that I’m knockin’ Susan,’ she added hastily. ‘She’s a lovely person. Trouble is, that Theo plays ’er like a fiddle an’ she falls for his lies hook, line an’ sinker. I just wish she’d wake up an’ see ’im for what he really is.’
‘Yer know what they say, “love is blind an’ makes fools of all of us”.’ Eve blinked back tears as she tenderly stroked her stomach, then heaving herself out of the chair, she went to make a start on their dinner.
Theo emerged from Susan’s bedroom shortly after with a face like thunder, and without a word to either Eve or Milly he stormed from the apartment banging the door resoundingly behind him.
Milly nodded towards the bedroom door and suggested, ‘Do you think you ought to go in an’ see how she is?’
Eve nodded somewhat reluctantly and went to tap on the door but there was no reply, although she could hear Susan crying. She tapped again, a little louder this time, and when there was still no response, she inched the door open and stepped inside.
‘Are you all right, Miss Susanne?’ Tentatively she moved towards the bed and Susan turned to look at her, clutching a large white handkerchief.
‘Yes . . . yes I’m fine . . . it’s just . . .’ Her voice broke off and she began to sob even louder as Eve sat down on the bed beside her and took her clammy hand in hers.
She waited patiently for the sobs to subside before asking gently. ‘Mr Theo didn’t ’urt you, did ’e?’
‘Oh no . . .’ Susan sniffed loudly. ‘It’s just that I told him I thought this might be a good time for me to retire from my, er . . . escorting, and for us to get married.’
‘I see. An’ was he not keen on the idea?’
‘Oh, I don’t think it’s because he doesn’t want to,’ Susan said defensively. ‘It’s just that he said he wasn’t in a good enough financial position to do that just yet.’
‘An’ don’t he always say that?’
Susan snatched her hand away. ’If you’re insinuating that he has no intention of ever marrying me you’re wrong,’ she snapped.
Eve wondered if she was trying to convince her or herself.
‘And now if you don’t mind, I’d like to rest.’
Sadly, Eve rose and left the room. Like Milly had said, there were none so blind as those who didn’t want to see and from where she was standing, Susan was one of them.
Chapter Thirty-One
L
ate one evening in April, Annie and Levi sat together looking through the business’s ledgers. ‘I can’t believe what a good job you’ve made o’ these, pet,’ he praised. ‘They were in a rare old state when you first started workin’ on ’em, an’ now they’re all bang up to date. A lot o’ the money that was owin’ ’as been paid an’ all thanks to you. Well done. An’ you’ve made a difference round at the yard too. I’ve never seen it so well organised.’
‘I’m glad you’re pleased,’ Annie answered. ‘But I think there’s still room for improvement.’
Levi cocked his eyebrow. ‘Oh aye, in what way?’
‘For a start off, now that you’re collectin’ clothes from the better areas o’ town I think it’s a shame to sell ’em on to the rag stall. You could ask a lot more for ’em if we sold ’em ourselves.’
Levi frowned as he considered her idea. ‘But how could we do that?’
‘Quite easily.’ Annie had clearly given this a lot of thought. ‘There’s more than enough room in the rag-sortin’ shed to fit a few clothes rails. Peggy has already said that she’d be ’appy to wash an’ iron the good stuff an’ sell it on fer you.’
‘You mean like a sort of second-hand shop?’
She nodded enthusiastically. ‘Yes. She only earns a pittance up at the work’ouse an’ it ain’t always easy fer ’er to find someone to look after Ellie now Sid is gone. If you were to cover the wages she earned there, I reckon you could still make a really good profit.’
He thought about it for a moment. Already it was apparent that despite her tender years Annie had a very good business head on her shoulders. He nodded. ‘I dare say it’s worth givin’ it a go. What else did yer ’ave in mind?’
‘Now that Sid’s not ’ere the scrap man that comes once a month to collect what you’ve taken tends to take the lot, but if it were sorted into piles o’ the different metals you’d fetch far more. He’s only givin’ you the basic pay for metal an’ steel, but copper an’ lead are worth a lot more. I wouldn’t mind doin’ that.’
‘But don’t you think you’re already doin’ more than yer fair share?’ Levi worried that the family was putting too much on the girl. As well as running the house, she was also helping him, and he was concerned that it was too much responsibility for her young shoulders. Harry had started an apprenticeship with a butcher in the town and had turned into a right little Romeo, always off out with some pretty young lass or another. When he wasn’t working, Charlie seemed to spend most of the time over in Coventry with his circle of friends. He had finished college now and was working in an accountant’s office. Barney was still off with the circus somewhere, clearly with no intention of coming back and joining the business, and Maggie was neither use nor ornament but just sat about the house all day expecting to be waited on.
‘Are you sure it wouldn’t be too much for you?’ His eyes were troubled as he stared at Annie.
She smiled. ‘Don’t forget you pay me a wage now,’ she pointed out. It was the first time in her life that she’d had any money of her own and although it was only a modest wage, she was saving every penny she could.
‘I’ll tell yer what, we’ll give yer suggestions a try if you’ll let me up yer wages a bit,’ he said eventually. ‘An’ o’ course I’d be more than ’appy to pay Peggy fer whatever she does. Is that a deal?’
‘Deal,’ she agreed and they shook hands on it.
The next morning when Annie arrived at the yard and told Peggy that Levi was happy to try out her idea, they began to sort through the clothes Levi had collected over the last week. In no time at all they had sorted out a pile that would have graced any lady’s back, and Peggy bustled away to wash the clothes that needed it and to press the rest. They had agreed they would only sell the best and the rest would go to the rag stall as before.
That evening after arriving back at the yard, Levi looked about the rag shed in amazement. All the rags had been moved to the very back and Annie had hung a clean white sheet in front of them and scrubbed the front of the shed until it was spotless.
‘I wonder if you could make me some shelves and put up some hanging rails on that wall over there for me?’ she asked Levi. ‘Then anyone who wants to try anything on can do so in ’ere. Peggy’s got an’ old mirror that she’s bringin’ across so as they can see what they look like in the clothes before they buy ’em.’
‘Seems to me you’ve thought of everythin’,’ Levi said approvingly as he went off in search of some wood for the shelves. By the time he and Annie left almost two hours later he had fitted two broad shelves and a lengthy clothes rail ready for the garments when Peggy had finished preparing them.
‘I thought I’d make a sign tonight advertisin’ the clothes to put at the bottom o’ the alley,’ Annie told him as they clip-clopped towards Swan Lane.
Levi smiled indulgently. Both Annie and Peggy seemed quite excited about the new venture and he’d even seen Peggy smile – really smile – for the first time since she had lost Sid, so he hoped they’d be successful.
Back at the house Levi went to stable Dobbin while Annie went into the kitchen. She had cooked and prepared a large cottage pie for their dinner that morning and it would only need heating up. She found Maggie sitting primly in her favourite chair in a very becoming gown she had ordered from London the week before. Levi had baulked at the price but was reluctant to deny her anything while her mental state was so fragile. She had piled her hair high onto her head and looked more as if she should be going to some very grand event rather than sitting at home all day. She rarely ventured anywhere now apart from to go to St Mary’s each Sunday for the morning service.
Levi had just come in when the door opened and Barney walked in. Maggie was on her feet in an instant, clearly thrilled to see him, until she saw the state of his face. Peggy had mentioned to Annie earlier that the circus was back in town, so she wasn’t wholly surprised to see him.
‘Oh, my poor darling! Whatever have you done to your face?’ Maggie gasped, throwing her arms around him.
Barney grinned self-consciously. ‘It’s nothin’ really.’ He glanced across at his father. ‘Let’s just say I got it in a fight. I didn’t win this time, but the other chap looks worse than me,’ he ended hastily. His eyes found Annie then and he smiled at her.
The questions began next. ‘How long are you here for? Can you stay for dinner? Will you—’
‘Whoa!’ Barney held his hand up to stop the flow of questions. ‘One at a time eh, Ma? Yer makin’ me feel dizzy.’ It had been three days since the fight and if he were honest, he still didn’t feel right, although he was a lot better than he had been. His face still throbbed and he had an idea he might have broken a rib as it hurt to breathe. Charity hadn’t been at all happy about him going out and about so soon, but he had wanted to visit his family.
‘In answer to yer first question, we should be here fer about a month or so. An’ yes, I’d like to stay fer dinner if it ain’t no trouble.’ He gently put her from him and looked over at Annie. ‘But I won’t stay if it’s gonna put you out.’
Annie gave him a friendly smile. ‘It won’t put me out at all, the pie is almost big enough to feed the street.’
His parents demanded his attention then as they asked all about what he’d been doing in the time since they’d last seen him, and Annie was pleased to see Maggie so animated for a change. Both Charlie and Harry arrived home soon after and so it was almost like a family reunion when they all sat down to eat together, and the atmosphere was light. For dessert, Annie had cooked an enormous jam roly-poly, which just happened to be one of Barney’s favourites. She served it with a large jug of thick, creamy custard and after two helpings, Barney leant back in his chair and groaned.
‘I don’t think I’ll be able to eat another thing fer at least two days. That were lovely!’
Annie flushed with pleasure at the compliment as she started to clear the table. Charlie stood to help her; he’d made no secret of the fact that he wasn’t as pleased to see his brother as the rest of the family was.
‘It’s good, isn’t it?’ he hissed to Annie as they washed up. ‘He clears off wi’out a word o’ warnin’, leavin’ you an’ Da to do all the work, an’ me an’ Harry to tip some of us wages up, yet when he bothers to come back to see us, from the way me ma carries on, you’d think he were a returnin’ conquerin’ hero!’
Elbow-deep in hot soapy water, Annie chuckled. ‘I dare say she’d be just the same if you or Harry were to go,’ she tried to placate him.
‘Even so, I’m glad I’m going out tonight if he’s going to be here,’ Charlie answered resentfully.
Annie felt a little stab of disappointment. He’d been a great help with teaching her how to balance the ledgers, and she’d been hoping that she could go over the last week’s figures with him that evening, and tell him about their plans for their little clothes shed.
‘I half expected a visit when I heard the circus were in town,’ Charlie went on. ‘Me an’ a couple o’ me friends thought we might go down there this Saturday. Why don’t you come with us?’
Annie blushed. Had Charlie asked her to go with him on her own she would have jumped at the chance, but she wasn’t so keen on going with young men she had never met before.
‘I’ll see how busy I am,’ she said, not wanting to hurt his feelings, and he shrugged.
When the washing up was done and everything had been put away, Annie made a large pot of tea and carried it through to Maggie and Levi, who were still chatting to Barney. Harry had gone out to meet his latest girlfriend and once again Charlie had caught the train into Coventry.
‘Da tells me you’ve been a great ’elp to ’im wi’ the business,’ Barney told her with a smile that would have charmed the birds off the trees.
‘Oh, I ain’t done that much,’ she answered modestly, and after pouring them all a cup of tea she excused herself and went up to her room to make the poster advertising the clothes for sale, and to get an early night. It had been a very long day.
When she arrived at the yard the next morning, Annie found Peggy had already hung some of the garments on the rail in the clothes shed.
‘While I was washin’ an’ ironin’ some o’ the things I noticed a few had slight damage on ’em so I got to thinkin’.’ Peggy puffed her chest out with pride. ‘There were so much material in some o’ these gowns that I unpicked ’em an’ made ’em into lengths o’ material. Look . . .’ She crossed to one of the shelves and lifted down some lengths for Annie to look at.
Annie was impressed. ‘What a brilliant idea, Peggy.’ She beamed at her. ‘Some of these would make a wonderful dress for a child or a skirt for an adult, perhaps.’
‘That’s what I thought. Have yer put the sign out at the end o’ the alley?’
‘I have, but I shall also add material for sale this evening. I’d better go and sort some o’ the metal into piles if you think you can manage ’ere.’
‘O’ course I can.’ Peggy smoothed the material of her skirt and patted her hair, for all the world as if she was going to serve royalty, and settled down to wait for her first customer.
As the morning dragged on, she began to think no one was ever going to come, but at last she heard footsteps in the ginnel and a harassed woman with a young child clutching her skirt appeared. She had a basket full of food shopping and Peggy greeted her jovially.
‘’Ello, luvvie, if yer lookin’ fer a bargain yer’ve come to the right place. What was it you were lookin’ for exactly?’
‘Well . . .’ The woman eyed the clothes rail warily. ‘It said on yer sign outside that yer were sellin’ second-hand, good quality clothes at a fair price an’ I’m lookin’ fer a gown fer me sister’s weddin’ in a couple o’ weeks’ time. I were goin’ to ’ave a go at makin’ somethin’ but I ain’t that good wi’ a needle if truth be told.’
‘Then I reckon we might ’ave just the thing ’ere.’ Peggy lifted down a very pretty day gown in a soft shade of lemon trimmed with white lace. ‘What do yer think o’ this one? The colour would set yer hair off a treat. The only trouble is yer might outshine the bride. Would yer like to try it on?’
The woman stroked the gown reverently. It was made of a fine cotton and sprigged all over with tiny sprays of lilacs.
‘I’m not so sure I could afford this,’ she said honestly.
‘Why don’t yer just try it on afore yer make yer mind up?’ Peggy said persuasively.
The young woman took the dress behind the sheets to undress, and Peggy helped her into the gown. When it was fastened, she turned to face the mirror and gasped with pleasure.
