Dreams Can Come True (17 page)

“So does this mean you and I are going to start walking out together? Because if it does all me dreams will have come true.”

“Yes, of course it does and we’ll stand firm together if we start receiving any backlash. Now would you like to walk me home? I’ve been standing like a statue on this corner for half an hour at least and the people who own the vegetable shop were beginning to wonder why I was here”

Eddie couldn’t believe his luck as he said goodbye to Hannah at the gate of Selwyn Lodge, especially as she had promised to meet him at Lilac Cottage the following evening. He had thought he would never hold her in his arms again, after that terrible afternoon when he had blurted out what his mother had told him. Now it didn’t seem to matter. All those things that he’d been hearing; how Hannah had been seen in the company of the heir to the Adshead fortune, how she would probably be announcing her engagement; none of it had been true. It had been Eddie that Hannah had hankered after and she was willing to overcome all the problems that undoubtedly they would have to face.

What a vision she had been; dressed in a flowery summer frock with a yellow jacket hanging carelessly from her shoulders. He had spotted her on the corner of Bridge Street as he trundled aimlessly up the hill with another solitary evening to look forward to. He hadn’t bothered pursuing any of the local girls to try and mend his heart over Hannah. No one could ever measure up against his beloved; they had no class, they didn’t have her style. His heart had leapt at the sight of her, but he told himself not to be too eager. She might be have been waiting for her mother, or worse, a boyfriend, but as soon as her eyes met his, Eddie knew that Hannah was to be his destiny.

“Mother, Papa. There is something that I wish to tell you.” Hannah stood in the doorway of the drawing room as the couple relaxed at the end of the day. Maggie raised her eyebrows at her stepdaughter then groaned inwardly. She moved protectively towards Jack who was sitting on the settee beside her. The specialist who had been called in to assess her husband’s condition had said that he must take things easy; no shocks or sudden excitement. If this was the announcement she was expecting from Hannah, Jack would need her support as never before.

He had improved greatly over the month that they had been back from their trip to Ireland. His memory had returned in full, though he was a much more sober man in temperament; spending a lot more time at home or in the garden. There had been no talk of buying another race horse to keep Fletcher and Dalton company. In fact, he had only been to visit Fletcher once at the stud farm outside Chester, saying that Fergal would inform him if any decisions were to be made. Maggie had been busy up at Mr. Arlington’s office, signing the contracts for the land purchases and catching up with her various committees, so she had pushed Hannah’s possible motherhood to the back of her mind. She sat rigid as she waited for Hannah to start speaking. This would either destroy their little family or perhaps make them stronger. Would Hannah admit to her father that she was carrying Eddie Dockerty’s child?

“Papa,” Hannah began to speak in her little-girl voice, which she usually used when she was trying to wheedle something out of him.

“Papa. You know you said that I wasn’t to see Eddie Dockerty again, because his background isn’t as good as ours? Well, I’ve decided that I’m going to marry him. It doesn’t really matter about a person’s background, Papa. Look at you and Mother. Eddie asked me to be his wife when I saw him yesterday and I’ve agreed to his proposal. I know I need your permission as I am under twenty one, but I’ve said “Yes” anyway.”

There was a silence in the room as two pairs of eyes stared at Jack expectantly. Maggie was waiting for Jack to explode and lock Hannah in her bedroom forever and Hannah trembled a little as she waited for the battle to begin. Both women were surprised at his reaction, especially Maggie, who was sitting so close she could feel how Jack’s body had tensed.

“Do as yer like, Hannah,” he said brusquely. “If yer want to leave here and exchange it for a run-down hovel at the back end of Neston, then you do it. If yer want to give birth to a child each year and live off the wages of a labourer, then so be it. But let me tell yer this. When it all gets too much for yer, don’t come crying to me and don’t expect a big lavish wedding either. You’ll be married at St. Winefred’s as soon as the banns have been read. I take it you’re expectin’, or you wouldn’t be so insistent at throwing yer life away.”

He got up then and brushed past Hannah, knocking her into the door jamb. Not intentionally, though it looked that way. He slammed the front door behind him and he stalked angrily along the gravel path that led to the stables. Hannah threw herself in the seat that Jack had just vacated and allowed the tears to run.

Maggie felt at a loss, as she listened to the girl breaking her heart over her father’s pitiless words. But what had Hannah expected? That Jack would be delighted, buy her a smart new house and pay for a costly wedding day? The man must be mortified, as she was, to see his daughter throw away an expensive education and a comfortable lifestyle to marry an ignorant oaf such as Eddie Dockerty.

“Why did you do it, Hannah?” Maggie put her hand tentatively on the girl’s shaking body and attempted to smooth down Hannah’s tangled hair.

“What possessed yer to give in to a person like Eddie Dockerty? Your father had such high hopes that you would marry someone like Jeremy Adshead and live like a princess at Causey Hall.”

“Oh, yes, someone like Jeremy Adshead,” muttered Hannah. It was difficult to hear what she was saying as her trembling hands were covering her face.

“And what would have been wrong with Jeremy, Hannah? He’s from a very good family; he’ll gain rapid promotion in his battalion and should win a few medals I’ve no doubt.”

Hannah sat up then, her eyes puffy from crying and her face red and blotchy. Glaring at Maggie and poised ready for flight, she said the words that cut into her stepmother like a knife.

“It wasn’t only Kitty May that behaved like a bitch on heat with the first man who asked her to sleep with him; so did her daughter. But I didn’t give away my honour to a solid gold man like Eddie. No – the father of the child I’m bearing was Jeremy! Prince Jeremy, heir apparent to Causey Hall, who promised that we would be married, but he’s beggared off to God knows where. Why do you think I’ve thrown my lot in with Eddie? At least he’ll be around for me and he’ll never know that it’s not his child.”

With that she flung herself out of the door and ran up the stairs to her bedroom, leaving Maggie stunned and feeling horribly wounded. That was twice in the last few weeks that Kitty May had been mentioned. Did she have herself to blame for letting Jack live his own life, like she had? If she had followed him to Liverpool, none of this would be happening. There would be no Hannah, no immoral act committed with Jeremy and Jack wouldn’t be hurting with this misery and shame.

She would have to go to him. Follow him down to the stables and try to get him to come to terms with his daughter’s decision. They couldn’t let her live in squalor, couldn’t let her live from hand to mouth on the wages of a labourer. Hannah was Jack’s daughter and soon he would have a grandchild. Be it Jeremy’s offspring or Eddie’s, the babe shouldn’t suffer. Maggie would make damn sure that his grandchild would have the best in life. She went into the hallway to put her cloak on, but spotted Olive lurking. Why would she be dusting the dining room mirror at this late hour?

“Haven’t yer got a home to go to, Olive?” she asked crossly. “You’re usually away on the dot of seven, or has it been more exciting listening to what’s been going on here? Well, let me tell yer, if I hear that one word has been repeated outside to the villagers, you’ll be finding another place of employment. Now get yer coat on and be on time tomorrow. I’ve a coffee morning in aid of the cottage hospital, so make sure there’s no stains on yer pinny and give yer shoes a bit of a wipe.”

Maggie found Jack with his arm round the neck of Jefferson, one of his carriage horses. His eyes were bright with unshed tears as he turned to face her. Then he gathered her into his arms and wept, bringing forth his anguish as she patted him as if he was a babe.

“Maggie, oh Maggie, this is certainly a case of sin being passed down by the forefathers. Why on earth did I leave you all those years ago?”

“Hush, Jack,” Maggie soothed. “It’s not your fault that the silly girl has got into the family way. It takes two to make a baby, so it’s her problem not yours. But I thought yer were a bit harsh, if yer don’t mind me saying so. At least she has a boy to marry; it’s not as if she’s going to bring shame on us all.”

“Not like I would have done if I hadn’t run off with Kitty. Is that what yer mean, Maggie? You had to cover it all up and pretend yer were a widow for all those years.”

“No, Jack, it’s
not
what I’m saying.” Maggie felt stung that he could even think it. “But if that is going to be your attitude, yes, let’s say what is on both our minds. Hannah has behaved no better than her mother did and it will probably be me who has to do a cover up again. Well, I’ll leave yer to stew then, I’ve a girl who needs my attention more than you do.”

With that she stalked back up the gravel path like a cat angrily swishing her tail.

The atmosphere in the house was unbearable over the next few days. Jack refused to speak to anyone; even Olive ran for the security of the kitchen if the master was found to be blocking her path. Hannah stayed in her bedroom and had her meals taken up on a tray. Maggie just got on with her life. If there were plans to make for a wedding, she would wait to hear from the daughter of the house. She had tried to talk to Hannah; she had knocked tentatively on her bedroom door after she had left Jack at the stables. But there had been no answer. Either the girl had fallen asleep or didn’t feel like talking. Maggie left her to it and smilingly played the gracious hostess, when the good ladies of the village called on her next day. Jack moved his things out to the guest room, so neither of them suffered nights of tension. When Maggie examined her feelings, she found that she was glad.

“Mrs. Haines! Oh, Mrs. Haines,will yer come up here quickly!” Maggie could hear Olive shouting, as she walked in from the garden where she had been cutting back a climbing rose.

“Whatever is the matter, Olive? If I was in Neston village I would have heard yer. You must learn to have more decorum, not shouting out like an old fishwife.”

By this time Maggie had climbed the stairs to see what all the fuss was about and pushed past her goggling servant, who was in the doorway of Hannah’s room.

Maggie took in the scene before her, panicked for a moment, then told Olive to get some rags from the store cupboard downstairs.

“It’s Hannah’s monthlies, nothing to get worked up about. It’s happened before, though why I’m standing here explaining this to my servant, I’ll never know. Get the rags like I’ve told yer, then get about yer business. You can tell me later what yer were doing up here. Yer know that servants use the outside W.C.”

“Well, I come to give her a message from her fella, Eddie,” Olive retorted defiantly. “She’s to meet him at Lilac Cottage after work this evening, but I suppose now she won’t be able to go.”

“No, she certainly won’t be going down to Lilac Cottage, not this evening, nor any other and remember you’re not paid to be a messenger. You’re here to serve this household, now go and do as yer told.”

Hannah was hunched up under her blankets, looking deathly pale and scared at what her body was doing to her. Maggie could see that she had been crying and was struggling to be brave with her obvious pain.

“Do yer think yer losing the baby?” Maggie asked in the lowest voice she could muster in case she was overheard. Hannah nodded, then winced as another spasm caught her, which brought on another bout of tears.

“Maybe it’s for the best.” Maggie mentally kicked herself for saying it; it was a little baby, after all, that was slowly losing its life. She was saved from saying more and digging herself into a bigger hole that might be remembered by her stepdaughter, with the appearance of her breathless servant. Olive placed the pile of clean rags on the bedside table, her eyes enormous in her thin, pointed face.

“You can go now, Olive, thank you. Perhaps you could find a little brandy in one of Cook’s cupboards. Bring it up and tell Cook that Hannah will only need a light supper. Perhaps some coddled eggs or if she has any, some calves foot jelly. I’ll be out this evening, so I’ll make myself something on my return.”

Once Olive had left, she sat on the bed and held her stepdaughter to her.

“It is for the best when you look at it sensibly, Hannah, though you won’t thank me for saying so at this very sad time. It wouldn’t have been fair to Eddie. It wasn’t his child and you would always be fearful that he’d notice. The problem with skeletons in peoples’ cupboards is that they often pop out at inopportune times. Look, you’ll probably suffer a lot of discomfort for the next day or two then it will all be over. Now, put these wadges between your legs and when Olive brings the brandy take a gulp and it will help yer settle. I’ve got to go out in an hour or so, but if the pain gets worse we’ll send fer the doctor. You’d only missed two monthlies, hadn’t you? Let’s be thankful fer that anyway. Further on than that and I don’t know what we would have done with you.”

“Thanks, Mother,” said Hannah, in a low voice, as she settled back on her pillow. “You’ve been good to me over the years and taking on someone else’s daughter couldn’t have been easy. I must have been a constant reminder of Papa’s infidelity and you could have left me with Grandmama if you had wanted to. Couldn’t you?”

“No, I couldn’t, Hannah,” Maggie started to laugh at the thought of it. Olive wondered at her gaiety as she walked in bearing the glass of brandy. She’d never work these Haineses out. One minute they were all doom and gloom and now here was her mistress laughing so much she was falling about!

Maggie hurried across the field in the direction of Lilac Cottage a little later. Her mind was so focused on what she was going to say to Eddie that she didn’t experience the pleasure of the fact that all of this land around her belonged to the Sheldon Property Company, and the cottage she was visiting and the other two just up the lane were included in the land purchase. She was intent on meeting this Eddie to try and persuade him that marriage to Hannah would not bring them any happiness. They would hate each other in years to come, when the first bloom of love had withered like a dried-out plant. And there would be no support for the young couple if they went ahead with it; Jack with his silence was making that very clear.