The Christmas Rose Page 13

  ‘Thank you, Edna.’ Rose snatched Sparrow’s outer garments from her and passed them to Edna before hustling Sparrow along the corridor to the back parlour.

  Maria looked up from the letter she had been writing, and her startled expression melted into a smile. She put her pen down and stood up. ‘This is a pleasant surprise. I wasn’t expecting you today.’ She glanced at Sparrow, eyebrows raised. ‘Who is this?’

  ‘This is Sparrow – she doesn’t seem to have another name.’ Rose answered before Sparrow had a chance to speak for herself. ‘I found her half-naked, selling lavender on a street corner. She was dressed in rags, blue with cold and I don’t know when she last ate.’

  ‘Last night.’ Sparrow shot a wary look at Maria. ‘They give me a bit of burned sausage to take the taste of the gin away. I hates the stuff, but they make me drink it so that I’ll go to sleep.’

  Maria and Rose exchanged horrified glances.

  ‘But I seen what goes on,’ Sparrow added with a knowing wink.

  ‘Never mind that now,’ Rose said hastily. ‘Perhaps Mrs Barnaby’s cook could find you something to eat.’

  Maria nodded. ‘Of course, and perhaps a bath wouldn’t go amiss.’

  ‘You ain’t taking my clothes off. I ain’t stripping in front of strangers.’ Sparrow backed towards the door. ‘What sort of place is this, miss?’

  ‘Don’t be scared, Sparrow. No one is going to hurt you, and you’ll feel much better when you’ve had a good wash and a nice meal.’ Rose spoke firmly, but she was beginning to wonder if taking this half-feral child away from her normal way of life was the wisest course of action.

  ‘I’ll ring for Edna.’ Maria moved to the fireplace and tugged the bell pull. ‘You’re quite safe here, Sparrow.’ She turned to Rose with a questioning look. ‘Do you know where she comes from? She must have a family somewhere.’

  ‘The woman she thought was her mother turns out to be a drunkard, and no relation. Her real mother was drowned years ago, and the people who were supposed to be her guardians are the lowest of the low.’

  ‘They didn’t want me, that’s why they only give me one name, but mostly they called me the little b—’

  Rose put her finger to her lips, shaking her head. ‘They shouldn’t have spoken to you like that, Sparrow. It was very wrong.’

  A thud on the door was followed by Edna, who erupted into the room with an eager expression on her face. ‘You rang, missis?’

  ‘Yes, Edna. I want you to take this child to the kitchen and tell Jessie to give her some food and a hot bath, and wash her hair thoroughly.’

  Edna held her hand out. ‘Come with me, nipper. Jessie and me will look after you.’

  ‘My name is Sparrow.’

  ‘Is it? Well, I’m Edna, so come along and don’t lark about.’ Edna held the door open, and Sparrow, clearly recognising a will stronger than her own, left the room, dragging her feet in silent protest.

  Maria waited until the door closed on them before sinking down on a chair by the fire. ‘What were you thinking of, Rose? That poor child has lived a life that you and I can barely imagine.’

  ‘I know, but I couldn’t leave her to freeze to death or die of starvation.’ Rose took a seat on the opposite side of the fire, holding her hands out to the heat. ‘I only intended to buy her warm clothes, but the woman in the shop told me that her mother was a hopeless alcoholic and the man she lives with is a brute. The fact that Regan is involved convinced me that I couldn’t abandon her, and then I thought of you, and I wondered if you could help.’

  Maria gazed into the flames, frowning. ‘You can hardly take her to Tavistock Square. I don’t know Cecilia Sheldon very well, but I imagine she might take exception to giving house room to a street urchin.’

  ‘You could be right. I have to find somewhere to live, and I’ve lost my job at the London Leader. I still hope to move into the Captain’s House, but I’m waiting to find out if those men are there legally or not.’

  ‘What then? Would you take that little girl to live with you? How would you support yourself and Sparrow, and what would happen to her when you marry Max?’

  ‘I hadn’t thought that far ahead, Maria.’

  ‘Your kind heart leads your head, but you need to think before you act.’

  ‘I’m beginning to realise that, but I can’t walk away from her. My pa left me with Sadie and Laurence, who were wonderful to me, but it wasn’t like having a family of my own. I always felt the odd one out.’

  ‘I understand, believe me. My grandmother made my life a misery. She kept telling me that I’d disgraced the family name simply by being born. I didn’t find my mother until I was nearly twenty, and that was thanks to Caroline. If it weren’t for her I would still be a virtual prisoner in my grandmother’s house.’

  ‘I haven’t seen Caroline since her wedding to Phineas,’ Rose said soulfully. ‘I wish she were here now – it would make life so much easier.’

  ‘Phineas would know what to do about Gilroy, too.’ Maria sighed, shaking her head. ‘I thought I hated my grandmother, but seeing her so frail and helpless makes me sad.’

  ‘I’ll come with you if you want to confront Gilroy. I tried to persuade the guvnor to let me investigate and expose her for the thief she is, but he wouldn’t allow it, and now I’ve lost my job it’s too late.’

  ‘What did you do?’

  ‘I did nothing wrong, apart from being a female. I went to the station to see Eugene off on the start of his journey to Egypt, and it made me late for work. Nicholls must have told Mr Radley all sorts of lies about me, and I was dismissed. I need to find another position so that I can pay my way.’

  ‘Max is to blame for this,’ Maria said angrily. ‘He should have known better than to send for you when he was likely to be posted anywhere in the world at short notice, and to make it worse he doesn’t seem to have made any provision for you. I know he’s my flesh and blood, but I’m very cross with him.’

  ‘I chose to come to London, Maria. I could have remained in Bendigo and waited for him there, but I didn’t. I have to make the best of things.’

  ‘We can only hope that Max will return unharmed, Rose.’

  ‘Surely the family would have been informed had he suffered an injury.’

  ‘One would hope so, but with Caroline and Phineas away I’m not sure that anyone would think to let me know,’ Maria said gently. ‘However, I have my own problems and Grandmama is one of them, whether I like it or not.’

  Rose eyed Maria thoughtfully. ‘That house is huge. Why don’t you move in? Just as a temporary measure, of course, but then you could make certain that Gilroy isn’t harming Mrs Colville or stealing from her.’

  ‘Even if Grandmama was the worst person in the world I couldn’t stand by and watch her being ill-treated. But the thought of returning to Pier House makes me shudder, and I doubt if I’d be strong enough to stand up to Gilroy. Unless I had someone to back me up,’ Maria added pointedly. ‘Someone who one day will be related to me by marriage.’

  ‘Why are you looking at me?’ Rose demanded. ‘Oh, no, Maria. Surely you don’t want me to go with you?’

  ‘That’s exactly what I would suggest. You said yourself that you can’t remain in Tavistock Square indefinitely.’

  Rose frowned thoughtfully. ‘Cecilia has been very kind, but Eugene did foist me on her, and now I’ve got Sparrow to think of as well.’

  ‘You might have to put her into the workhouse, Rose.’

  ‘Never. I remember what people used to say about those places.’

  ‘You need somewhere to live, and I need someone to help me get rid of Gilroy. You said you wanted a story, Rose. Maybe you could sell it to your editor after all, and he might take you on again.’

  ‘I suppose it’s a possibility, but what about Sparrow? I don’t think Mrs Colville would be very pleased if I brought a waif from the city slums into her ice palace. From the little I know about Gilroy, I’m certain she would make trouble for us.’


  ‘You could bring her, too.’ Maria’s eyes lit with a mischievous smile. ‘I’d pit Sparrow against Gilroy any day, and Grandmama need never meet the child. I would have to keep my little ones out of her way, but the nursery suite is a long way from Grandmama’s room. What do you say, Rose? You’ve nothing to lose and maybe something to gain.’

  Rose stared into the fire, trying to visualise what life might be like in Pier House. The sound of the water lapping on the foreshore had served as a lullaby each night when she was a child, and her home on the river-bank was what she had missed most when she was taken to Australia. She broke free from her reverie and looked up to meet Maria’s expectant smile.

  ‘All right, I will. How do we go about it?’

  ‘Really?’ Maria’s hands flew to cover her lips. ‘I don’t know exactly – I’ve only just thought of it. I suppose we could simply move in, because Grandmama isn’t in a fit condition to turn us out, and Gilroy might think she owns the place, but she’s just a servant. I’m my grandmother’s next of kin while the others are away.’

  ‘What about your mother?’ Rose asked urgently. ‘Might she object?’

  ‘I don’t think she’s ever forgiven Grandmama for casting her out, and I doubt if she has any feelings left for her, which is hardly surprising.’

  Rose was about to answer when the door flew open and a small figure burst into the room. Sparrow was naked except for the scrap of towel that she held on to and her hair was wet and clinging to her head. Rose jumped to her feet.

  ‘What’s the matter?’

  ‘She’s the trouble, miss.’ Edna hurried into the room red-faced and dishevelled. Her apron was soaking and there were damp patches on her skirt. ‘That little brat bit my finger when I tried to rinse her hair in vinegar. She was running with vermin.’

  ‘You hurt me.’ Sparrow pointed a trembling finger at her. ‘I got stuff in me eyes and it stings.’

  ‘You’ve got nits,’ Edna said angrily. ‘You’ll pass them on to Mrs Barnaby’s little ’uns if we don’t get rid of ’em.’

  Maria uttered a shriek of dismay. ‘Oh, no. Look what you’ve done, Rose.’

  ‘It’s all right. I’ll deal with it,’ Rose said calmly. She took Sparrow by the hand. ‘I’ll come downstairs with you and we’ll sort it out together. Edna will find a cloth for you to hold over your eyes and I’ll do the rest.’ She turned her head to give Maria an encouraging smile. ‘Don’t worry. I was used to doing this for the children in our school at home. It’s not as bad as it sounds.’ She hustled Sparrow and Edna out of the room before Maria had a chance to protest.

  Edna led the way down a long dark corridor to the back stairs and Rose followed, holding tight to Sparrow’s hand.

  The smell of something that had burned in the bottom of a saucepan hit Rose forcibly in a gust of steam when Edna opened the kitchen door. Jessie was seated in a chair by the range, fanning herself with a cabbage leaf. She jumped up when she saw Rose, and her thick brown eyebrows knotted together over the bridge of her beaky nose. ‘Why have you brought that kid back here, Edna?’

  ‘She didn’t,’ Rose said firmly. ‘I did, and you’ve both done a very good job as far as I can see, but Sparrow needs to have the soap rinsed from her hair, followed by the application of vinegar to loosen the nits.’

  Jessie puffed out her plump cheeks. ‘I know that, but she wasn’t having none of it.’

  Sparrow growled at her like a feral dog, and for a moment Rose thought she was going to fly at Jessie and bite her. She slipped her arm around Sparrow’s shoulders. ‘Perhaps if I do it, Sparrow will submit to the treatment.’

  ‘I ain’t touching her again.’ Edna retreated to the scullery and began splashing around in the stone sink.

  Rose met Sparrow’s rebellious glare with a smile. ‘It won’t take long, and you’ll feel so much better when it’s done.’

  ‘If you don’t let the lady do it, I’ll get my scissors and cut the lot off.’ Jessie unhooked a pair of scissors that had been hanging from a shelf and made snipping movements in the air. ‘I ain’t joking, nipper.’

  Sparrow subsided without a murmur and allowed Rose to finish treating her straggly hair, which she towelled until it was almost dry. ‘My goodness, who would have thought that you have such lovely golden locks, Sparrow?’

  ‘I dunno. I never seen meself except in shop windows.’

  ‘Then you need to look in the mirror.’ Rose met Jessie’s amused grin with a nod and a smile. ‘What do you think, Miss Spriggs?’

  ‘Very pretty, I’m sure, and you should call me Jessie, miss. I’m only the cook in this here establishment.’

  ‘Thank you, Jessie. Although I think the kitchen is the heart of the house, and good food is very important.’ Rose scanned the contents spread about in a higgledy-piggledy fashion on the pine table. It was obvious that whatever had been in the saucepan was burned to a cinder, and there did not seem to be anything else being prepared for their evening meal.

  Jessie followed her gaze, scowling. ‘I took me eyes off the saucepan for five minutes, that’s all. I dunno what I’m going to give the missis.’

  ‘Might I suggest that you make those vegetables into broth with that rather large beef bone?’ Rose said tentatively. ‘I don’t want to interfere, but I can see that you’ve been very busy.’

  Jessie mopped her brow with a duster. ‘I should say so, miss. I got no help in the kitchen and her upstairs is very fussy about her food and what she gives to her little ’uns. We was brought up on bread and dripping if we was lucky and plain bread if times were harder than usual.’

  ‘And if you had more help in the kitchen I dare say you would find life easier.’

  Jessie let out a snort. ‘That ain’t going to happen, miss.’

  ‘Oy!’ Sparrow tugged at Rose’s sleeve. ‘Ain’t you forgetting something or someone? Namely me. I want me clothes back and something to eat. You promised I’d be fed but all I can see are raw vegetables and something disgusting in that pan.’

  ‘Of course you’ll get something to eat, just let me finish what I’m doing.’ Rose ran the comb through Sparrow’s hair for the last time. ‘We’ll have to repeat this several times, but at least your hair is cleaner than it was.’ She reached for the chemise she had purchased in the dolly shop and slipped it over Sparrow’s head. ‘There you are. You can dress yourself and maybe Jessie will be kind enough to cut you a slice of bread and butter.’

  ‘She can have some cheese on it,’ Jessie said grudgingly. ‘But this ain’t a home for waifs and strays. I hope the missis realises that I have to manage on what she gives me, which ain’t that much.’

  Rose could see a small cask of ale in the larder and a bottle containing some sort of alcoholic spirit. ‘Yes, it must be hard.’ She left it at that. There was no point in upsetting Jessie at this point in time, and it was Maria who needed a few lessons in managing a household. However, it was none of her business and she must not interfere. Rose fastened the buttons on the back of Sparrow’s frock and waited while she put on her stockings and boots. ‘Sit down at the table and I’ll leave Jessie to give you some food. I’ll be upstairs in the parlour when you’ve finished your meal.’

  ‘You ain’t going to run off and leave me, are you?’

  ‘Of course not. Whatever gave you that idea?’

  Sparrow took a seat. ‘It happens,’ she said darkly.

  ‘Well, I won’t abandon you, so don’t worry on that score.’ Rose hurried from the kitchen. She had made promises that it might be impossible to keep, and that was a worry, but she was determined to do her best for the child she had plucked from the gutter. She returned to the parlour to find Maria pacing the floor.

  ‘You took your time, Rose.’

  ‘I’m sorry, but I had to finish off what Edna had started, although Sparrow needs her hair to be treated daily if we’re to rid her of nits.’

  ‘Yes, well, that’s not uppermost on my mind. I’ve been mulling over your suggestion about moving into Pier House
.’

  Rose sank down on her chair. ‘What was your conclusion?’

  ‘Theo won’t be home for at least six months, and that leaves me free to take care of Grandmama, or at least to rid her of Gilroy and find her a more suitable servant and maybe a nurse.’

  ‘So you’re going to go through with it?’

  ‘Yes, but only if you agree to come with me.’

  ‘But what happens to Sparrow and me when things settle down?’

  ‘You won’t be any worse off than you are now, and maybe the Captain’s House will become vacant. I do know one or two people in the office who might be persuaded to help.’

  ‘I’ll do it, but I have to make it right with Cecilia. She’s been so kind to me and I know she’ll miss Eugene even more than I will.’

  Maria gave her a searching look. ‘You weren’t falling in love with him, were you, Rose?’

  ‘Of course not,’ Rose said hastily. ‘I don’t know what gave you that idea. The guvnor gave me a chance and he believed in me, that’s all – and now he’s gone.’

  ‘You must make things right with Cecilia, but perhaps you’d best leave Sparrow here with me.’ Maria picked up the small garment she had been darning. ‘She’ll be quite happy playing with the children.’

  Cecilia took the news that Rose was leaving with a shrug. ‘I thought this might happen when I saw how well you were getting on with Maria.’

  ‘I am so grateful to you for everything, Cissie. You and the guvnor couldn’t have done more for me.’

  Cecilia held up her hand. ‘Don’t thank me, Rose. It was Gene who brought you here and he was the one who thought you had talent. I’m a social butterfly, darling. I pick people up and I drop them when they bore me.’

  ‘I hope you don’t think of me in that way, Cissie. I’d like to remain your friend.’

  Cecilia threw back her head and laughed. ‘You are an original, Rose. I would love to keep you here to alleviate the boredom of being rich and idle, but I will visit you in the slums from time to time.’

  ‘Thank you, Cissie. I was afraid you might be offended.’

  ‘Offended? Certainly not. I’m used to Gene and his flights of fancy, so this is nothing new to me. Good luck with your feral child and with the old lady, too. Clarissa Colville has a reputation for being a miser and a recluse. I pity poor Maria, but she will have you to stand up for her.’