The Christmas Rose Read online

  ‘Grandmama, it’s me, Maria.’

  The heavy, blue-veined eyelids flew open and Rose found herself being scrutinised by pale watery eyes, and a claw-like finger pointed at her. ‘Who’s that?’

  Maria turned to Rose with a hint of a smile. ‘She’s alert enough when it suits her.’

  ‘I heard that. I’m not deaf. What have you come to steal from me this time, bastard child?’

  ‘I’ve never taken anything from you, Grandmama,’ Maria protested.

  ‘Things go missing whenever you’ve been in this house. Gilroy tells me so.’

  ‘Then Gilroy is the culprit, not me. I’ve come to see how you are.’

  ‘No, you haven’t. You hate me as much as I hate you. You’re an embarrassment, you and your little bastard children.’

  Rose laid her hand on Maria’s arm. ‘You don’t have to put up with this. I’m sorry I asked you to speak for me.’

  ‘What did she say?’ Mrs Colville demanded angrily. ‘Speak up, if you’ve got something to say, girl.’

  Rose cleared her throat nervously. ‘I’m sorry you’re not well, ma’am.’

  ‘No, you aren’t. You don’t know me and I don’t know you, nor do I want to. Where’s Maria? Tell her to take you both back to that rat’s nest she inhabits with a common sailor.’

  ‘I’m Maria, Grandmama.’

  ‘Send Gilroy to me. I want Gilroy. I need my medicine.’

  ‘All right, I’ll fetch her now. Don’t upset yourself, Grandmama.’ Maria hustled Rose from the room and the old lady’s screeches followed them as they retreated to find Gilroy waiting for them.

  ‘What did I tell you?’ She made a move towards the door. ‘I’m the only person who knows what she needs.’

  ‘Wait a minute.’ Maria stared at the brown glass bottle that Gilroy had clutched in her hand. ‘What medicine are you giving her? She’s much worse today than she was last week.’

  ‘She’s having what the doctor ordered, and that is peace and quiet without being bothered by the likes of you.’ Gilroy disappeared into the drawing room, slamming the door in their faces.

  ‘Are you all right, Maria?’ Rose was alarmed by Maria’s sudden pallor. ‘Do you feel faint?’

  Maria shook her head. ‘No, I’m fine, thank you. I’m just anxious and I don’t know what to think. I don’t trust Gilroy, and I’m afraid she might be giving my grandmother too much laudanum or some other drug in order to keep her quiet.’

  ‘Surely she wouldn’t harm Mrs Colville. After all, if your grandmother dies Gilroy will lose her job.’

  ‘I can’t prove anything but I’ve noticed that small objects, quite valuable ones, are missing, and I think Gilroy is stealing things. Maybe she’s selling them and putting the money aside because she knows that my grandmother cannot last for many more years.’

  ‘Then you must tell someone. Your cousin Phineas should know.’

  ‘But he and Caroline aren’t expected back for some time. It might be too late by then.’

  ‘Have you spoken to Mrs Colville’s doctor?’

  ‘No, but perhaps I should.’

  ‘Let’s go. We can’t do anything here at this moment, but if it were my grandmother, even if she was a hard-hearted old woman, I wouldn’t want to see her taken advantage of and cheated out of her belongings, let alone watch her being destroyed by drugs.’

  ‘You’re right. I’ll go and see Dr Tucker right away.’ Maria shot Rose a sideways glance. ‘I’m sorry, I’d almost forgotten your predicament but, as you can see, my grandmother isn’t in a fit state to do anything about the tenancy of the Captain’s House.’

  ‘Don’t give it a thought. I’ll manage somehow, and if I can do anything to help Mrs Colville I will because, whether I like her or not, she’s Max’s grandmother, and I know he’d want me to assist you in any way I can.’

  Maria leaned over to brush Rose’s cheek with a whisper of a kiss. ‘Thank you, Rose. My brother is a lucky man, and now I don’t feel so alone.’

  Rose should have returned to Tavistock Square when she left Maria’s house, but she had a mission in mind and she took a cab to the London Leader office in Fleet Street instead. The fare took the last of her money but she was more concerned for Maria and her children than she was for herself, and she burst into reception, greeting the clerk with a cheery smile.

  ‘Is Mr Sheldon in the office, Perks?’

  ‘Yes, miss. At least, I haven’t seen him leave.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Rose hurried up the stairs and raced through the main office, ignoring Nicholls’ caustic remarks, as she flung open the door to Eugene’s office.

  ‘Where’s the fire, Munday?’ He stopped to stare at her with his overcoat draped over his arm. ‘I thought you had the morning off to sort out your lodgings.’

  ‘I did, but it didn’t work out that way. I think I’m on to a great story, Guvnor, but I need your permission to follow it through.’

  ‘It would have to be good, because you’re supposed to sit behind that desk over there,’ Eugene pointed to the typewriter, ‘and you tap away on that machine, typing out letters and articles for me.’

  ‘I know that, and I’m truly grateful for the job, but if I’m right, this is a story that will make the front page. Will you at least hear me out? Please, Guvnor.’ She clasped her hands, meeting his cynical look with a tremulous smile. ‘This means a lot to me and maybe life and death to someone who is old and helpless.’

  Chapter Nine

  Eugene listened, but it was clear that his mind was on other things. He tapped his toe and drummed his fingers on the desk while Rose told him, as briefly as possible, what had happened at Pier House.

  ‘So you see,’ she concluded breathlessly, ‘I think Gilroy is stealing the old lady’s valuables and slowly killing her off with large doses of laudanum, or whatever she had in that bottle.’

  ‘From what I’ve heard of the redoubtable Clarissa Colville, it would take more than a few drops of laudanum to finish her off, and you are basing all this on pure supposition, Munday. If we printed a story like that we would face a libel suit and extortionate costs.’

  ‘But Maria knows Gilroy of old, and she’s a bad lot.’

  ‘Maybe, but you have absolutely no proof of ill intent. As to objects going missing, it could be that Mrs Colville has put them away for some reason best known to herself. She’s old, Munday, and it sounds as if her mind is wandering.’ Eugene shrugged on his coat. ‘Be a good chap and type those letters for me. I’m off to luncheon with a general and a senior government official.’

  ‘Are you serious about going to Egypt, Guvnor?’

  ‘I am, and I intend to make Cousin Arthur see the wisdom of getting the news of the unrest in that country direct from a trusted correspondent.’

  ‘You might be risking your life.’

  ‘My father always said I was a lost cause. I didn’t shine academically and he didn’t want me to take this job in the first place. Maybe I’ll have a chance to prove my worth in Egypt.’ Eugene plucked his hat from the stand and placed it on his head at a rakish angle.

  ‘I’ve been reading some of your articles – you’re really talented, Guvnor.’

  Eugene flicked her a smile. ‘You’re just saying that to put me in a good mood, but it won’t make me change my mind. The story about pilfering and poisoning is out, Munday. Do you hear me?’

  ‘Yes, Guvnor.’ Rose shed her outer garments and hung them up before taking her seat at the desk. She looked up to find Eugene watching her with an amused smile. ‘You think I’m funny, don’t you?’

  He shook his head. ‘On the contrary, I think you’re sweet and charming, but very naïve. Now, I’m off, but I expect that work to be done by the time I return.’

  ‘It will be. I’m getting used to this typing machine.’

  ‘Excellent.’ Eugene opened the door. ‘You know you’re welcome to stay with Cissie and me until you find something better. My sister has taken a liking to you, so you’re honoured; she’s
very particular when it comes to choosing her friends.’ He breezed out of the office, humming a tune that Rose recognised as a song from Patience, even though he had appeared to sleep through the first half of the performance.

  She settled down to work, but the sickroom in Pier House and the ramblings of Clarissa Colville were never far from her mind. She felt deeply for Maria, who had obviously suffered greatly at the hands of the old lady. And then there was Mrs Colville’s cunning maid. If Sadie were here she would know how to handle Gilroy. Rose had seen Sadie deal with drunken miners and belligerent ex-convicts with no other weapon than a sharp tongue. Sadie would see Gilroy for what she was: a conniving bully and a thief. The problem of squatters in the Captain’s House paled into insignificance when compared to what was being done to a helpless old woman, even if she was a harridan. Rose was angry and however hard she tried, she could not put that cold, dark room and its frail occupant from her mind.

  She spent what was left of the afternoon at her desk and stayed later than normal to finish off the letters that Eugene had scrawled in his appalling handwriting. She had not quite given up hope that he might change his mind, as a successful meeting, ending in a few drinks to celebrate the outcome, would mean that he would be in good spirits when he returned. The sound of the clerks in the outer office chattering and moving about signalled that it was time to pack up for the night, and Rose placed the finished letters on Eugene’s desk. It was only when she was dressed in her outdoor clothes that she realised she had spent the last of her money on the cab ride, and she would have to go on foot to Tavistock Square.

  It was dark when she left the building and the pavements were wet, but there was nothing for it other than to set off, walking as briskly as possible in order to keep warm.

  Cecilia was seated by the fire in the drawing room and she looked up as Rose entered, closing the book she had been reading and placing it on a drum table at the side of her chair.

  ‘Good heavens, what happened to you, Rose? You look as though you’ve been wading through puddles.’

  ‘I have.’ Rose sat down opposite her, resting her booted feet on the brass fender, and almost immediately steam began to rise from her damp skirts and petticoats. ‘I didn’t have any money for a cab fare.’

  ‘Where’s my brother? He should have seen you safely home.’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Rose said truthfully. ‘He had an important meeting and he didn’t return to the office.’

  ‘I’ll make sure he gives you an advance on your wages. You ought not to be wandering about on your own after dark, Rose.’ Cecilia eyed her curiously. ‘How did you get on with Mrs Colville? She has quite a reputation, and from what Maria has told me, the stories about the old lady are completely true.’

  ‘It would seem so, but she’s bedridden and quite poorly. There was no point in asking her for help.’

  ‘So going to Pier House was a waste of time?’

  Rose was tempted to take Cecilia into her confidence, but Eugene had made his opinion clear and she was not to pursue the story. ‘Yes, I suppose it was. I don’t know what I’ll do now.’

  ‘You’re welcome to stay here for as long as you like.’ Cecilia reached up to give the embroidered bell pull a tug. ‘You look as though you could do with some sustenance before dinner. Would you like a cup of tea or something stronger?’

  ‘Tea would be lovely, and thank you for saying I could stay, but it doesn’t seem right to burden you with my presence when I should be living in the Captain’s House. I’m certain those men have no right to be there, and I really should do something about it.’

  ‘I’ve been thinking.’ Cecilia eyed her thoughtfully. ‘I might just be able to help you. I have a wide circle of friends, most of whom are on one committee or another, and Emily’s husband is high up in the Metropolitan Police. If those men are known criminals it might be possible to have them evicted and then you could move in, although you really can stay here for as long as you like.’

  ‘I’m very happy living here with you, Cissie, and I’m truly grateful for everything you’ve done for me, but I mustn’t get used to this way of life. I’ll have to be prepared for anything when I marry into the army.’

  ‘You’re a plucky girl, and I admire you for your attitude, but that sort of life wouldn’t be for me.’ Cecilia turned her head as the door opened and a young parlourmaid burst into the room.

  ‘You rang, miss?

  ‘Knock next time, Bertha.’

  ‘Yes, miss.’

  ‘Bring a tray of tea and biscuits for Miss Rose, and tell Cook there’ll be two for dinner tonight, maybe three if my brother decides to grace us with his presence.’

  Bertha nodded and backed out of the room, almost knocking over a small occasional table in her haste.

  ‘She’s new,’ Cecilia said, sighing. ‘It’s getting quite hard to find good servants these days. The lure of working in the West End department stores has taken away some of the brightest young girls, and they simply don’t want to go into service as they used to in my parents’ day.’ Cecilia rose from her chair and went to the table where the decanters were set out amid a selection of cut-crystal glasses. She helped herself to a measure of sherry and returned to her seat. ‘What was I saying?’

  ‘You said it was hard to find good servants.’

  ‘Yes, but before that we were talking about the house on the wharf. As it happens I’ll probably see my friend Emily tomorrow at a meeting of the charity we both support. I’ll mention your problem to her and we’ll see what happens.’

  ‘I might have to wait for months until Max returns, or even longer, so I have to be practical.’

  ‘Indeed you do, and in the meantime I think you ought to change out of those damp clothes. It’s usual to dress for dinner, even if it is just the two of us. We have to keep up our standards, as you will discover if you marry Max, and these will apply even if you find yourself in darkest Africa or the plains of India.’

  Rose sighed. ‘Would it be all right if I change my mind and have a glass of sherry instead of tea?’

  ‘Yes, of course. Anyway, I hate drinking alone and Bertha can take the tray back to the kitchen, that’s if she even gets it this far without an accident. Help yourself, Rose, and we’ll raise a glass to success in our campaign to free the Captain’s House from squatters.’

  Rose stood up and was pouring herself a drink when the door opened and Eugene walked into the room.

  ‘You’ve started without me, ladies. I don’t call that fair.’ He moved to Rose’s side and selected another decanter. ‘I can see I have some catching up to do.’ He poured himself a generous tot of whisky.

  ‘Was your meeting successful, Guvnor?’ Rose asked hopefully. If Eugene was going to Egypt she might yet persuade him to take her with him. It was a slim chance, but worth pursuing if it meant that she would be reunited with Max.

  ‘I don’t know yet.’ Eugene sprawled in a chair facing them. ‘I gave it my best shot and now it’s up to the powers that be to grant me permission to work alongside the army, and then all I have to do is to persuade Arthur to let me go.’

  ‘Maybe you should have done that first, you noodle.’ Cecilia raised her glass to him. ‘Anyway, good luck, Gene. I can’t say that I want you to risk your life in the desert, but I know you’ll go whatever I say.’

  Eugene acknowledged the toast with a wry grin. ‘I’m not sure whether that’s a compliment or an insult, Cissie.’ He shot a sideways glance at Rose. ‘And if I do go to Egypt, I don’t want you running around London, investigating imaginary crimes.’

  ‘Then perhaps you should take me with you, Guvnor.’ The sherry had warmed Rose’s chilled bones and made her bold.

  ‘What’s this?’ Cecilia was suddenly alert. ‘What is he saying, Rose? What have you been up to?’

  ‘I’ve done nothing wrong. I spent the afternoon trying to get to grips with that infernal machine.’ Rose downed the remains of her drink. ‘I think I’d better go to my room and change for dinn
er.’ She jumped to her feet and was about to leave the room when Cecilia called her back.

  ‘Not so fast, Rose. I think you owe me an explanation.’

  ‘Let her go, Cissie,’ Eugene said lazily. ‘Rose is too intelligent to allow her imagination to run away with her.’ He swallowed his drink in a single gulp and raised himself from the chair. ‘I suppose I’d better change for dinner, too. Although why we have to be so formal is beyond me.’ He followed Rose from the room, catching her up at the foot of the stairs. ‘I meant what I said, Munday. Even if there is mischief afoot in Pier House, I don’t want you to get mixed up in it. If I’m away you’ll find it hard enough to keep your job without getting on the wrong side of my cousin. Arthur is a good editor, but he doesn’t approve of women in the workplace.’

  ‘All the more reason for you to take me with you, Guvnor.’

  He gave her a slightly tipsy, lop-sided smile. ‘You never give up, do you, Munday?’

  ‘No, Guvnor. I don’t.’

  After two weeks waiting for Arthur to weigh up the situation and make a decision, Eugene was growing fidgety, and his changeable mood affected both Rose and Cecilia. At work conversations between him and his cousin were carried out in loud voices, audible through closed doors, and, although the words themselves were muffled, it was obvious that they were arguing fiercely. Rose was torn between hoping that Eugene would win and get his wish to report the political situation in Egypt, and the fear of what might happen to her if he did go abroad. It was obvious that Nicholls was waiting for an opportunity to have her dismissed, and the clerks in the main office seemed to agree with him. Try as she might to do her job well, she found herself subject to strong criticism and stern reprimands for the most minor mistakes. The men in the print room were easier to get on with, although she had to take some cheek from the apprentices, but she was used to dealing with boys and she knew how to respond to their teasing. Scully was on her side, but it seemed that he had to be careful not to show it in front of the other men.