The Innkeeper's Daughter (12 page)

I don’t know why I feel so grumpy this morning, she thought as she turned over the sausages. Is it because Christmas was such a strain? I missed Father and I know the others did too, but I’m bothered about Ma. She doesn’t seem to have an interest in anything, not even Henry.

She glanced out of the kitchen window. It was a bright sunny
morning
but extremely cold and she thought it might snow later. I’ll go for a walk after breakfast, she decided, and visit Alice’s mother. I’ll ask Ma if I can take her some slices of pork or goose. I know she hasn’t much money.

She went to the stairs again and yelled up. ‘
Breakfast!
Do I give it to ’pig or what?’

William came clattering down, his shirt tails flapping. ‘All right, all right. I’m here.’

‘Is Joe up? I’ll not keep it warm for him,’ Bella grumbled. ‘It’s not as if I’ve nowt else to do!’

William tucked in his shirt and sat down at the table, reaching for the bread whilst Bella dished up and then sat opposite him.

‘He can help himself,’ she muttered. ‘I’m not his skivvy.’

William didn’t look at her, but forked into a sausage. The fat spurted out. ‘He’s still in bed,’ he murmured.

‘What!’ Bella glanced up at the kitchen clock. ‘He’ll catch it from Mr Wilkins if he’s late again.’

William chewed and swallowed before answering. Then he said, ‘He’s not going.’

‘Not going? Not going where?’ Bella said. ‘To Mr Wilkins, do you mean?’

‘Yeah.’ William dipped a piece of bread into his egg. ‘Can I have his breakfast if he’s not eating it? I’m starving hungry.’

‘Do you mean he’s not going in this morning, or—’

William shook his head. ‘He’s not going in any more – that’s what he said. He’s finished.’

Bella stared at her brother. ‘Does Ma know?’

‘Dunno. Don’t think so. Can I have his breakfast then, or not?’

Bella got up and scraped the contents of the frying pan on to William’s plate.

‘Well, I’m not cooking him another breakfast,’ she said. ‘He can cook it himself if he wants one.’ She heaved a deep breath of frustration. ‘What’s Ma going to say? Father paid out good money for his apprenticeship!’

‘I know.’ William nodded and continued eating, but keeping one eye on the clock. ‘Wilkins’ll be furious and he’ll not give ’money back.’

‘Course he won’t,’ Bella agreed. ‘And why should he? Did Father sign a contract for indentures or whatever they are?’

‘I expect so.’ William hurriedly finished his breakfast, belched and stood up. ‘Same as for me.’

‘And what about you? Are you staying on, or are you giving up as well?’ she mocked.

William shrugged into his coat and scarf. ‘Don’t tek it out on me,’ he muttered. ‘It’s nowt to do wi’ me what he does. Nor you either, come to that. But no,’ he added. ‘I’m not leaving. Not for a bit anyway. They won’t tek me in ’army yet in any case.’

‘But what’s he going to do?’ Bella said. ‘Apart from stay in bed half of ’day,’ she scoffed.

William looked at her. ‘He says he’s going to run ’Woodman.’

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

BELLA SAID NOTHING
to her mother about Joe’s being at home when she came downstairs with a well-fed Henry. It wasn’t her place, she decided; what was it that William had said? That it was nothing to do with him nor her either. So it wasn’t until midday that the thud of feet descending the stairs made Sarah look up sharply and say, ‘Who’s that upstairs?’

Joe came into the kitchen, stretching and yawning and scratching his head. ‘Is there any tea in ’pot?’

‘Why aren’t you at work?’ His mother frowned. ‘It’s Monday, isn’t it?’

‘Aye, it is.’ Joe went to the range and put his hand on the teapot. ‘Mek us a fresh pot, will you, Bella?’

Bella didn’t answer but waited for her mother to speak.

‘I asked you why you’re not at work,’ Sarah said again.

‘Didn’t our William say? Didn’t you say, Bella?’

‘I don’t know why,’ Bella answered flatly.

‘I’m waiting, Joe.’ Sarah’s voice grew sharp. ‘Why aren’t you at work?’

‘I’ve finished.’ There was a stubborn edge to his voice. ‘I’ve given up ’apprenticeship. I can do a better job here at ’Woodman than sawing up bits o’ wood for Wilkins. He’s allus saying I’m no good anyway.’

‘Why didn’t you speak to me first?’

‘Because I knew you’d try to persuade me to stop on wi’ him. And I didn’t want to. It’s best that I stay here wi’ you, Ma.
I
can look after ’bar and ’cellar and get properly organized if I’m here all day instead of being at ’carpenter’s shop.’

‘Have you told him? Wilkins, I mean? Cos if you haven’t we’ll have to go and explain.’

‘He’ll guess, I expect.’ Joe sat down at the table and looked up at his sister. ‘Fetch us a glass of ale, Bella. I’ll have it while I’m waiting for me dinner.’

Bella opened her mouth and was about to tell him to fetch it himself when she caught a warning glance from her mother; she turned and went out of the room in a furious temper. It’s not fair, she thought. I’ll be at his beck and call all day if he stays at home. I’ll have no say in anything.

She slammed the tankard of ale in front of him when she returned, slopping some of the liquor on the table, and he tutted at her.

‘I hope you don’t do that to ’customers,’ he said. ‘Waste o’ good ale for one thing.’

‘You know that I don’t,’ she snapped. ‘I serve ’em better than you do.’

‘Let’s dish up,’ Sarah interrupted. ‘Call Nell in, will you, Bella? I think she’s in ’paddock. I sent her out to fetch ’eggs half an hour ago.’

Bella went outside and stood by the door, taking in deep breaths of air to calm herself. Then she called her sister, who came from across the paddock with a basket over her arm.

‘Onny three eggs,’ she said. ‘They’ve stopped laying.’

‘So why did it take you so long to gather them?’ Bella said irritably. ‘Does it take half an hour to fetch three eggs?’

Nell scowled and pushed past her. ‘Crosspatch,’ she muttered, and Bella knew that she was right.

Later, after their midday dinner, when Bella and her mother were on their own, Sarah said, ‘I’ve told Joe I’ll go with him to see Mr Wilkins this afternoon and explain that he’s needed here.’ She glanced sideways at Bella. ‘You see, Bella,’ she said, almost apologetically, ‘it’s for ’best. We do need Joe. We can’t manage without a man here; not two women on our own, we can’t.’

Bella nodded. We could, she thought. But it’s not just that that’s so unfair. Joe wants to stay here and be ’innkeeper. William will leave and join the army because that’s what he wants to do, and I guess that Nell will do as she wants when she’s old enough; but what about
me
? I want to make something of my life too. I want to do something worthwhile.

She felt tears gathering and blinked hard.

‘You do understand, don’t you?’ Sarah asked. ‘I’m relying on you and Joe.’ She shook her head and paused as if reliving some moment, and then said, ‘Your father allus thought that I was resilient and practical, and I was when he was here, but now that he’s gone, I’m not. I’m floundering, Bella. I don’t want to mek decisions on my own. You’re clever and sharp and you’ve got courage,’ her voice dropped, ‘and anybody can learn to pull a pint of ale, like our Joe, but not everybody can run a successful inn. But you’ll be able to, Bella, and I’m depending on you.’

Bella screwed her eyes up tight, but still the tears came and she put her hands to her face and started to weep. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to help her mother, and she could understand Joe’s not wanting to finish his apprenticeship if he hated it; it was not having any choice that grieved her. She’d given up school because her father had said she should and she hadn’t been asked if she minded. It’s because I’m a girl, she thought as she dried her eyes. It’s as if it doesn’t count what my dreams are – or were.

‘You’re upset,’ Sarah murmured. ‘Is it cos of Joe? You think he’ll try lording it over you? Well, what you must remember, Bella, is that it’s my name over ’door. I’m ’innkeeper here, not Joe, and he’ll have to follow my rules, same as you and William will.’

‘Yes, Ma,’ Bella sniffed. ‘I know.’ Except that he won’t, she thought. He’ll soft-soap Ma into allowing him to make decisions just like Father did. But Father knew what he was doing, and Joe doesn’t.

The inn closed at three o’clock and Sarah put on her bonnet and warm shawl. ‘Come on, Joe,’ she said, going into
the
taproom. ‘We’ll go and see Mr Wilkins and explain you’re needed here.’

Joe, propping up the counter, reading a newspaper, looked up and was about to protest, then seemed to think better of it. He nodded. ‘All right, better get it over with, except that he won’t expect us. He’ll know I’ve finished.’

He went into the kitchen to get his coat, which was hanging on a peg behind the door. ‘Wash ’glasses while I’m out, Bella,’ he said casually, ‘and ’pumps and slop tray want doing as well. And keep ’fire going. There’s coal in ’hod and logs in ’basket. I don’t suppose we’ll be long.’

‘Owt else,
sir
?’ Bella said sarcastically.

Joe looked at her and grinned. ‘I’ll let you know when there is. We’ve all to pull our weight, you know,’ he added. ‘There’s our William out all day and not helping. I’ll ask him to chop wood when he comes in; that’ll build up his muscles better’n smithying!’

Bella turned her back on him; if she answered him it would be in anger and that would upset her mother. She was going to clear up in the taproom anyway. It was what she did every day. She liked to see it looking neat and tidy with a good fire burning in the grate to welcome the customers, and she’d do it whether Joe asked her or not.

After they’d gone out she called upstairs to Nell to come and clean the tables.

‘I was busy,’ Nell grumbled. ‘I wasn’t just being lazy!’

‘I expect you were,’ Bella said ambiguously, determined to get on a better footing with her young sister. ‘And you can go back to whatever you were doing when you’ve finished. If you’ll collect all ’glasses and tankards and wipe ’tables with a wet cloth and then polish them dry while I’m clearing up behind ’counter and washing up, we’ll be finished in no time.’

‘I hate ’smell of ale.’ Nell pulled a face. ‘It’s horrible.’

‘It might be, but that ale gives us a living, don’t forget,’ Bella said. ‘It puts clothes on our backs and food in our bellies, that’s what Father used to say. We’re a lot luckier than some.’

‘I know,’ Nell said. ‘There are some bairns who come to school without any breakfast and don’t have owt to eat
all day
; and one of them told me they might onny have a bit o’ bread when they get home. I’d just
die
,’ she said dramatically, ‘if I didn’t have owt to eat when I was hungry.’

Bella paused with her hands in sudsy water. There were some children from poor families in the village who had to take it in turn to go to school because there weren’t enough boots to shoe them all. And they often didn’t go at all in the bad weather as they didn’t have suitable clothing.

‘How can they afford to come to school, Bella,’ Nell asked, ‘if they’ve no money to buy food?’

‘They’re given a grant, I think,’ Bella said. ‘From ’parish council or sometimes from a rich family who sponsors them. Not all bairns have to go to school, but Miss Hawkins said that one day it’ll be compulsory for everybody.’

‘I wish I didn’t have to go,’ Nell complained. ‘I’d rather be at home practising my singing.’

‘And how would you be able to learn ’words from ’song sheet,’ Bella said practically, ‘if you hadn’t learned to read?’

Nell raised her eyebrows. ‘Ah!’ she said. ‘I hadn’t thought o’ that. And I wouldn’t be able to read ’posters wi’ my name on them, would I?’

Bella gave a sigh and continued washing down. ‘No, course you wouldn’t. Nell,’ she said after a moment’s thought, ‘who told you about going on ’stage and singing and that?’

‘Gran,’ she said. ‘When I was about four, I think. Ma took me into Hull once on ’carrier’s cart. You and Joe and William were all in school. And I hadn’t started then.’ Nell sat down on a stool and folded her arms. ‘I don’t think she was very well and that’s why Ma went to see her. She’d had a postcard saying she should go.’ She screwed up her forehead. ‘She was in bed anyway – Gran, I mean – and I sat on her bed and she asked me to sing to her.’ Nell put back her head, stretching her neck. ‘And she said I had a voice like an angel and should go on ’stage when I was old enough. I asked Ma afterwards what she meant and she said that there were concert halls in
Hull
and Gran used to like to go because ’audience could join in and sing.’

‘And that’s why—’

‘Yeh,’ Nell nodded, ‘but Ma said not to tell Father cos he wouldn’t like it. She said he wouldn’t think it was right and proper for a girl to go on ’stage. I don’t know why that should be, do you, Bella? It seems all right to me.’

Bella shook her head. ‘I don’t know why either, but then I’ve never been, so I wouldn’t know.’

‘I wish we lived in Hull,’ Nell said. ‘I could go and see for myself then.’

Joe looked subdued when he and his mother came back, and he went straight to the taproom. Sarah’s face was pinched and irritable.

‘He’d got ’sack,’ she revealed as she shed her shawl and bonnet. ‘Joe! Mr Wilkins said he’d given him notice afore Christmas cos he was either allus late or didn’t turn up. If he wasn’t bigger’n me I’d give him a right belting, which is what his father would have done had he been here.’ She sat down heavily in a chair. ‘Where’s Henry?’ she said wearily. ‘He’ll need feeding.’

‘In his cot upstairs,’ Bella said. ‘I’ll fetch him. Is it all right if I go to see Mrs Walker, Ma? Alice’s mother? I thought I’d ask her how Alice is getting on at ’big house.’

‘Aye.’ Her mother nodded. ‘Mek me a cup o’ tea first, will you, and you can tek Henry with you after I’ve fed him. I’m that mad at our Joe,’ she added. ‘Young devil. After your father paid out for him as well.’ She huffed. ‘Wilkins said he wouldn’t give any indenture money back as his time has been wasted, and he could’ve given some other lad a job. What a waste.’

Bella brought Henry down, made her mother a pot of tea and then packed up a fresh loaf, a goose leg and some meat from the breast which would be good for making a stew, her mother said, and a sizeable slice of Christmas cake.