A Mother's Wish (45 page)

They did not make their fortune as Tom had optimistically predicted, but they made sufficient profit to keep them in essentials, although it was hard work and by the end of November the dark nights had drawn in and the weather was bitterly cold. By the time she arrived home Effie was frozen stiff, with chilblains burning painfully on her lower limbs and hands. Trade began to drop off significantly and hard-working labourers did not want ice-cold beer or cider to drink when there was snow in the air. Ever ingenious, Tom found an old brazier which they took with them on the evening round. He would light it as soon as they reached their pitch, and the heat and warmth always attracted a small crowd of passers-by. If they were expecting to buy roasted chestnuts they were doomed to disappointment, but Effie lit upon the idea of mulling ale and cider with a red-hot poker. She added spices to the warm brew and the fragrant scent of mulled ale drew in many more customers, including office workers on their way home and housewives weary after a day’s shopping in the market.

Snow in December halted the building
work, but by now Tom and Effie were a familiar sight in the market squares and with the approach of Christmas people were in a festive yuletide mood and business boomed. Nellie baked great slabs of gingerbread to tempt hungry workers, and it was her idea to add mulled wine to the booming sales of ale and cider. The scent of cinnamon and cloves mingled with the aromatic zest of oranges and lemons and the smell of warm berry wine filled the frosty air, reviving memories of warm autumn days. The mulled wine was a particular hit with women, who might have turned their noses up at the prospect of beer or cider, and Effie soon found she was selling it by the jugful. When they occasionally ventured into more prosperous streets, housemaids would come scurrying from the larger houses, inhabited by bank clerks and junior civil servants, to have pitchers filled with the tempting brew.

They were out in all weathers and Effie was only too well aware that they must earn as much as they could before the snows of winter set in making roads impassable. She spent what profit they made on buying large quantities of staples like flour, rice, sugar and tea, as well as coal, candles and paraffin. She was determined to keep her family warm and fed should the weather close in, isolating Marsh House
from the rest of the world. She continued writing letters to Toby, even though she never received a reply. She tried not to think about how he must be suffering in the cold, dank prison cell and she pinned her hopes on the successful outcome of Seymour’s long voyage. She put all her faith in him, sensing that now he had acknowledged his son he would move heaven and earth to secure his release from prison.

The longing to see Toby a free man and the desire to keep her small son safe and out of harm’s way were the only things that kept Effie going through hard times. She was up before dawn each day, attending to the brewing processes and the more mundane household tasks such as washing and ironing. Nellie did her best to help but her rheumatics were always worse in the cold weather and she spent most of her time in the kitchen. Her devotion to Georgie meant that Effie could leave him safely in Nellie’s care while she and Tom went out selling ale, but being constantly exposed to the elements was slowly taking its toll on them both. Tom had developed a hacking cough that reminded Effie of the terrible lung disease that had made her a widow when she had barely become a wife. As for herself, she kept going even when colds and chills racked her slender body. She could
not afford to give in, and sometimes it was only the strength of her will that kept her going.

It was Christmas Eve, and Tom was spending the night in Phoebe Street with the Crooke family, having been driven there by Effie. She had spent an hour with Betty, drinking tea in the kitchen and swopping gossip while Georgie was kept amused by Bella and the younger children. Agnes and Tom had gone out to the pub to join Harry and his new girlfriend. He was stepping out with a young lady who worked in the factory office on one of those new-fangled typewriting machines, Betty said, with a hint of pride in her voice. Fred had been promoted to foreman in charge of his particular section of the chemical works, and the rest of the family were doing as well as might be. At the tavern things went on as normal. Ben was his usual self and that went for Maggie too, who never lost an opportunity to nag the poor chap.

It was Effie’s turn then to tell Betty everything that had happened to her since they last met. When she glanced at the clock on the mantelshelf she was startled to see that it was five o’clock and high time she was setting off for home. She had not intended to stay so long and now she would have to drive home in
the dark. She was about to take her leave of the family when Betty drew her aside.

‘I didn’t want to say too much in front of the nippers,’ she said in a low voice, ‘but the fair is back on Bow Common. I daresay Agnes has told Tom, but I thought it best if I was to warn you, just in case you happened to run into Frank.’

The mere mention of his name brought memories of their last meeting flooding back and Effie felt a shiver run down her spine. ‘Thank you for warning me. I’ll be on the lookout in case I should see him in the street.’

‘Just ignore him, ducks. He’s not worth bothering about.’

‘I’d go down on my knees to him if I thought I could persuade him to give evidence against Salter, but I know it would be a waste of time.’ Effie kissed Betty on the cheek and gave her a hug. ‘Merry Christmas, Betty dear.’

‘I’ll see you again soon, I hope.’ Betty smiled, but her eyes were moist. ‘Take care of yourself and the little ’un, and hurry home. You don’t want to be out on the marsh alone in the dark.’

‘I’ll be fine,’ Effie said stoutly. ‘Champion knows the way home.’

Betty opened the door and recoiled as fingers of fog curled into the house. ‘I knew there was a pea-souper coming. I could smell
it in the air an hour ago. Perhaps you ought to stay tonight, ducks?’

Effie peered out into the street. She could just make out the shape of the chemical factory and the hazy glow forming halos around the street lamps. ‘I’ll be home in an hour,’ she said, hoping that she sounded more confident than she was feeling. ‘Don’t worry about us.’

She began to regret her bold words as she let Champion have his head. They had skirted the common, where muffled sounds and a soft haze of light were the only signs that the fair had arrived in town. The road ran alongside the North London railway line, but as the fog thickened and became so dense that she could barely make out Champion’s head, let alone see where they were going, she had to put her trust in his instinct to take them home. She wrapped her cloak around Georgie, tucking him in to her side as she held the reins, and, worn out after his games with the Crooke children, he soon fell asleep. Champion plodded along the road, the fog muffling the sound of his hooves, and an eerie silence descended around them.

The filthy stench of the fog filled Effie’s nostrils, making it difficult to breathe, and her eyes ached with the effort of peering into the thick green gloom. Then, suddenly, as if she
were in a living nightmare, a figure loomed out of the fog to grab the reins and bring Champion to a standstill. A scream of terror was wrenched from her lips and she reached for the horsewhip, but the man leapt up beside her.

‘Don’t be frightened, Effie. It’s me.’

‘Frank!’ She made a grab for the reins but he brushed her hand away.

‘Don’t be a fool, Effie. I’ve been following you since you passed me by on the road half a mile back. You’re heading straight for the river.

‘That’s ridiculous,’ Effie cried angrily. ‘Champion knows his way blindfold.’

Frank flicked the reins, clicking his tongue. ‘Walk on, boy.’ Expertly he steered the old horse away from the water’s edge.

Effie caught her breath as she glimpsed the swirl of dark water just feet away from the wheels.

‘You took the wrong turn, girl,’ Frank said gruffly. ‘You were heading east straight into the Lea.’

‘Why were you following me?’

‘To save your pretty little neck, you fool.’ Frank stared ahead, concentrating on guiding Champion through the narrow streets where abandoned barrows and carts loomed suddenly out of the fog, causing the frightened horse
to rear in the shafts. ‘Where are you headed, Effie? You shouldn’t be out alone in this.’

Effie bit her lip. She didn’t want to tell him where she lived, but she knew that she was lost and had little chance of getting home without his help. Frank knew the area quite literally like the back of his hand, and she had little choice other than to trust him.

‘The house on the marsh,’ she murmured reluctantly. ‘Do you know it, Frank?’

‘I passed that way once. I think I can find it, even in a London particular.’

Georgie stirred in his sleep and Effie cuddled him to her side. ‘Why were you following me, Frank? You didn’t really answer my question.’

‘I’ve been looking for you for days. I tried asking at the tavern but I got short shrift from the landlord. I waited until your friend Betty had finished work and I followed her home. Then I saw you and Tom drive up and I hung around, waiting for you to come out. I almost missed you because of the damned fog.’

‘Why did you go to such a lot of trouble? What is there left for us to say to each other?’

‘Everything, Effie. I still love you.’

‘Oh, please don’t start all that again.’

‘I know I behaved badly. I know I was a brute but I couldn’t help myself. I was mad
with jealousy and I took it out on you. I’m sorry.’

‘At least you admit it.’

‘I do, and I’m ashamed of myself.’

She studied his profile, looking for the man she had once loved, but all she saw was an unhappy stranger. ‘There’s no point in all this,’ she said gently. ‘I love Toby and you have a wife and child.’

‘She left me and went back to her own people, taking the baby with her. It was a mistake for both of us and she knew it.’ Frank turned his head to look at her for the first time. ‘My God, you are so beautiful, Effie. I can hardly breathe for wanting you.’

‘I’m sorry she left you, Frank.’

‘I was a fool to let my old man talk me into it, when all I wanted was you.’

Effie said nothing for a moment. She could feel a faint cool breeze on her cheek and the stifling odour of soot and chemicals had been freshened by the scent of damp earth and brackish water. ‘We’re back on the marsh. I can find my own way from here. You should make your way back to Bow Common now.’

‘I’ll see you safe home.’

‘Don’t be stubborn, Frank. It’s a long way to walk.’

‘And I said I’d see you home. Who knows
what villains are lurking ready to steal a horse and trap from an unprotected woman?’

‘Villains like Salter, you mean? You could have put him away for years if you’d given evidence in court.’

‘I know it, and that’s one reason why I wanted to see you. I want to make amends, Effie, love. I’m prepared to testify and so is Jed. All you got to do is find a mouthpiece who can talk the hind leg off a donkey, and then your man will be free.’

Effie stared at him, hardly able to believe her ears. ‘You’re willing to testify?’

‘Salter should have been locked up years ago, and I can’t live with you hating me, girl.’

‘Why the sudden change of heart, Frank? And what do you expect in return?’

‘Maybe I just want to hold my head up again with the fairground folk. I’m sick and tired of dark looks from Leah and Gert and the rest of ’em. One day I’ll be the boss and it won’t work if the fairground folk don’t respect me.’

‘You have changed,’ Effie said reluctantly. ‘I wouldn’t have believed it possible.’

His lips curved into a smile that did not quite reach his eyes. ‘You loved me once, Effie.’

‘Yes, Frank,’ she said softly. ‘I did love you, but it seems a very long time ago now.’

It was mid-evening by the time they arrived at Marsh House. Nellie was openly hostile when Effie introduced her to Frank, but even she agreed that it was not the weather for a man to roam the marshes on foot. It was the season of peace and goodwill to all men, although she confided darkly to Effie that after the way he had behaved in the past she did not necessarily include Frank Tinsley in that category. However, his promise to testify against Salter went a long way to winning Nellie over and somewhat grudgingly she agreed that he could stay for the night. The only bed available was the one in Seymour’s room, although Frank protested that he was quite happy to sleep in the chair by the kitchen range. This seemed to offend Nellie’s concept of Marsh House hospitality and she insisted on showing him upstairs to his room. Effie was clearing away the supper things when Nellie returned to the kitchen with a wide grin almost splitting her face in two.

‘What have you done?’ Effie demanded.

Nellie held up her hand, dangling a key. ‘He won’t get up to no tricks in the night. I’ve locked him in just in case he thinks he can get away with anything when there’s no man in the house to defend us.’

Effie released Frank from his temporary prison next morning with a murmured apology for Nellie’s distrustful nature, but he shrugged it off with a smile. ‘I suppose I can’t blame the old girl for looking after you. It’s obvious she thinks the world of you, Effie, as I do.’

She turned away to hide her blushes and she walked towards the stairs. ‘Breakfast is ready and then you’d best be on your way.’

He was close behind her and she could feel his breath warm against the back of her neck. ‘Don’t I get a kiss, Effie? It is Christmas Day after all.’

‘You’ll get a bowl of porridge and a cup of tea,’ she said lightly. ‘And my thanks for your change of heart.’ She paused in the middle of the staircase, turning to him with a worried frown. ‘You do still intend to testify against Salter?’

‘You may not think so, but I am a man of my word.’ He caught her by the hand. ‘If you ever change your mind about us, or if your man doesn’t come up to scratch, I’ll be there waiting for you.’

She snatched her hand away and continued down the stairs. ‘I trust Toby.’

‘I’ll kill him if he breaks your heart.’ Frank caught up with her in the hallway, taking her by the shoulders and gazing deeply into her eyes. ‘You are sure that there’s no hope for me?’