Dreams Can Come True (6 page)

“Papa,” came Hannah’s voice, full of sorrow. He looked up to see the tearstained face of his daughter, as she reached up to take hold of his hand.

“Papa. Was my mother pretty? And can you tell me why she died?”

“Oh, Hannah,” was all Jack could say, then he stood to engulf her into his arms. He kissed the curls that had escaped from the pins that held up her fragrant-smelling hair.

“She was as pretty as you are, with the same pussycat eyes. She died giving birth ter you. Some sort of fever they said. I couldn’t look after yer, with my work that is and we didn’t have a proper home. So I sent yer to live with yer grandma, but it was Maggie who took yer on. I’ve a lot to be thankful for to Maggie. She forgave all me transgressions, when I came back ter be with you.”

“I know,” replied Hannah, as they both sat in chairs beside each other, not letting go of each other’s hand.

“Maggie has been the only mother I have known. I shall tell her how much I am grateful when she brings in the tea. But why has Mikey been so horrid? What you did when you were younger hasn’t really affected him.”

“It’s because he loves his mother and when he was a baby he was separated quite a lot from her. She worked many hours and your grandma was quite mean, by only allowing Maggie ter see him for a few hours each day.”

“Poor Maggie. No, I’ll continue to call her mother, she doesn’t deserve anything less. Ah, here she is.”

Hannah moved away from her father and smiled tremulously at Maggie, though inside she was still in turmoil; sad for the woman who had died giving her life, but grateful to her father’s wife, who had treated her as her own.

“Ah, that’s better,” said Maggie, as she sipped her tea. Her colour had come back and she saw that Jack and Hannah were now on better terms. Though her son was still angry, she knew, because he had ignored her knocking when she had gone upstairs with his tea. Mikey would come round, she thought, especially if she allowed him to take up a career in the Army. She would miss him, but she knew that he hadn’t been happy at Sheldon. While Mr. Arlington was still around no one could get a look in. Even
she
still had battles with him, if she wanted to change things or amend.

“Now young lady,” Jack said, trying to put on a serious voice. “I think yer’ve served yer time at finishing school and are ready to take some pressure off yer mother now. I think she’s got some plan to create a grand building company, so you will be needed here to make sure the household is running smoothly. Then perhaps yer could take over some of her social duties as well.”

“I’ll try, Father,” replied Hannah, in a small voice. “And I’m assuming I’ll not be allowed to see Eddie again. Though I’m sure he didn’t mean to hurt our family, he was just repeating something his mother said.”

“Ah yes, the pot boy. He isn’t really the type of person we would choose for the company of our daughter. We prefer yer didn’t see him, Hannah, but who am I to make the rules, when I broke them all when I was young?”

“I think we would all benefit from a holiday, Jack, like you were saying before. Let me visit the bank and sort our affairs out, then we’ll consider where would be best fer us all,” said Maggie.

Eddie had been devastated when Hannah left him at the cottage. Gone were his hopes and aspirations that one day he would marry her. She would hate him now for bringing up the past, though it had been purely accidental. He had mooched home, furious with himself for causing his loved one pain. Though the person to blame was his mother, who couldn’t keep secrets to herself for long.

Five anxious months passed by, with him not even being able to get a sight of her. He had haunted the station every day, until someone told him at the pub’ that Hannah had finished at the school in Chester. It appeared she was now at home helping her mother.

He had then taken to hanging around Selwyn Lodge’s stables, hoping he would see her saddling up to take a ride on her pony, but he got threatened with a pitchfork by a great giant of a man. Eddie decided to call it a day after that.

His father had got fed up with his moody son, and asked around his customers if they knew of any jobs. So now Eddie was a labourer, working for Jimmy Pearson. Jimmy was a builder and Eddie was going to learn the trade. It was hard, back-breaking work, especially that first winter when the ground was hard with frost and it was his job to dig out the footings for the houses that his employer was to build. They were terraced dwellings at the far end of Town Lane and at first Eddie was hopeful that he would see his loved one. Selwyn Lodge was just a walk down the hill; perhaps one morning she would ride his way.

It was one beautiful morning in late February that he saw Hannah again. He was taking a break from being shown how to set the bricks that were to be laid on top of the foundations. It had taken all the day before for the cement to dry, so there was a bit of catching up to do that Saturday. The sun shone weakly through the clouds that were coming in over the River Dee. For some reason he felt cheerful. Was it because spring was on its way, as he listened to a chirruping blackbird on the wing?

She was driving the family carriage, a highly polished black barouche. Eddie looked first to see if there was a passenger sitting inside. No, he breathed thankfully, Hannah was alone.

He ran at the side of the carriage for a few minutes before she reined the horse to a stop.

“What are you doing, Eddie?” she asked in exasperation. “You’ll have my father after you if you keep on plaguing me. You’ve not been forgiven for causing a holy war, saying what you did.”

“Oh, Hannah,” said Eddie. “I didn’t know that your family hadn’t told yer. I just want to see yer again. To tell yer how sorry I am.”

“Well, here is not the time or the place. I accept your apology, but I have been told not to speak to you again. I must get on now. I have just taken my mother to Clatterbridge. She has a presentation to make to the Board there and I must pick her up again at one. Then this afternoon I must get ready. I am attending a ball at the Grosvenor Hotel. It is a farewell dinner for Jeremy Adshead, amongst many. He’s leaving to do a tour of duty in India. I’ll be staying over at Causey Hall and it will take hours to look my best.”

“You will always look the best ter me, Hannah. You’re looking yer beautiful best at the moment. Please say yer’ll meet me again. Could yer come to Lilac Cottage again next Sunday?”

“No, Eddie. Will you not take no for an answer? Anyway, I couldn’t possibly. We will be going away at Easter time and I’ve a lot of packing to do.”

“Please, Hannah.”

But this time in answer to Eddie’s pleading, she snapped the reins for the horse to go forward and he was left standing alone in the lane.

It had been arranged that Jack would drive Michael and Hannah to Causey Hall, then the young people would be ferried to the hotel in Chester by the Adsheads’ liveried carriage. An old aunt would travel with them, rather deaf, but capable of overseeing the three excited girls.

Hannah’s gown was in a saffron-coloured satin. It was low on the shoulders, with short sleeves covered in three-layered lace. The bodice was pointed, over a short skirt trimmed with buttercup shaped flowers: underneath was a floor-length skirt decorated with flounces and frills. Cecelia, her friend, had on a white satin gown in a similar fashion, but with a sash of emerald green pinned across her breast.

Florence, Cecelia’s sister, wore a dress of burnished gold that seemed to show off the streaks of chestnut in her hair. The girls all wore woollen cloaks to keep out the chill wind as the carriage was rather draughty.

Jeremy looked his handsome best in his military dress uniform, epauletted and ornamented, with shiny black dress shoes. There hadn’t been enough room in the carriage for everyone, so Mr and Mrs. Adshead, Monty and Michael, had gone ahead in a hired carriage. The dancing would begin at half past seven.

Hannah gasped when she saw the luxurious foyer of the newly built hotel. Large crystal chandeliers hung down from the ceiling, with marble pillars with what looked to be ivy wound around them. There were gilt trimmed floor to ceiling mirrors and shiny marble tiles on the floor.

The girls were directed to the Ladies’ Powder Room and Cloaks. The same theme of shininess was in there too, with chaise longues upholstered in a deep red velvet, and tiny hand basins and fluffy white towels for the patrons’ use.

After tidying their hair and adjusting their gowns, the chaperone lead the way to the ballroom. Here, there were even more sumptuous surroundings, with a pale peach silk canopy draped in folds which covered the entire ceiling, a mahogany wooden dance floor and long gilt mirrors again. There were recesses, which held elegant sofas and upholstered chairs and the dance floor was edged with a russet carpet, which ran the full length of each side of the room.

There was a long table groaning with food, and waiters in black formal dress, white waistcoats and white ties came to each guest with a glass of champagne or sherry, carried on a large silver tray.

The place was crowded with friends of the Adheads, military personnel from lieutenant up to a colonel. All belonged to the Chester regiment that Jeremy, Monty and Michael had recently joined.

The three young men were standing as part of a group, deep in conversation about their unit departing on Tuesday for Lucknow. There had been a mutiny in ‘57 and there was need of a peace keeping presence to guard the British missionaries there. The men were excited, like boys looking forward to Christmas. They had heard that the living was gracious, with punkah wallahs attending every whim. Their accommodation was the finest, with Gentleman’s clubs, tennis, and plenty of leisure time.

Jeremy was glancing over to Michael’s sister. His brown eyes seemed to follow her everywhere, especially as she danced with her first partner around the room. Jeremy was a tall, spare kind of a chap. He had light brown hair that flopped over his brow, with high cheekbones and an outdoor tan, as he liked riding to hounds and rowing on the River Dee.

“I say, Mikey, your sister is looking rather splendid this evening. I’ve a mind to ask her to marry me, that’s if she’s not already spoken for.”

Mikey’s heart sank for a moment, thinking of how his sister was an illegitimate. Was it fair to warn the fellow, or did his loyalty lie with his family? A scandal like that wouldn’t reflect very well on him if he spilt the beans to Jeremy. Having a sister related to the Adsheads could only further his own ambitions, he thought, so he smiled at his friend conspiratorially and said, “I can’t see why you shouldn’t pursue her. Why don’t you ask her if she has any dances left on her card?”

“Good idea. I’ll go straight over. You’re a lucky chap to have a sister such as her.”

Jeremy marched to where Hannah was sitting: she was breathless from her previous partner who hadn’t danced in the usual sedate fashion. She hoped the man that was coming over had attended a better dance academy than him.

“Hannah, my dear. I do hope you have something left for me on your dance card. Perhaps the last waltz if your card is full?”

“I have the one after supper free and of course you can have the last one, Jeremy. This is all very exciting, isn’t it? You all going off to India with your unit to a place that I can’t even dream of.”

“It’s the heat that will get to us, though they’ll be sure to provide us with light clothing. It’s cooler, so I’ve heard in the mountains during the summer months. I’ll come back and tell you all about it in a couple of years or so, unless of course you would be willing to write to me. A chap can get very lonely, even if he is surrounded by his men.”

“I’d love to write to you. Send your address to Cecelia or Florence and they can pass it on.” Jeremy looked pleased and, saluting smartly, he asked could he have the honour of escorting her to supper as well?

They sipped sparkling wine together, after partaking of a gourmet buffet, then ventured into a secluded alcove when the chaperone looked the other way.

Jeremy was flushed with the warmth of the ballroom, the wine he had been imbibing and the embarrassment of a possible rejection if Hannah turned him down.

“Hannah,” he said, taking her gloved hands in his and placing a kiss on each one. “I have something to ask you. Could you possibly wait for me to come back from my tour of duty? I would find it very pleasing to make you my bride.”

Her eyes widened in surprise at his suggestion. He could have his pick of any of the young ladies that were in the ballroom. She said so and was pleased when he shook his head and spoke of his devotion to her.

“I’ve always looked upon you as much more than a friend of my sisters’. I admire your looks, your candour and the way you have a sparkling wit and repartee. I don’t want a dull as ditchwater, well brought-up, little mouse type of a life partner. I want someone who excites me, vivacious and full of fun like you are. We’d have a good marriage and you could continue to do the work you carry out for the various local charities. Oh yes, I’ve done my homework; though your background is trade you’ve had every social advantage, which can only enhance our marriage, I’m sure.”