The Christmas Rose Read online

  The move, a few days later, went smoothly, largely because they took Gilroy by surprise, arriving in a hackney carriage with Sparrow and Maria’s two young children, together with Izzie and two large carpet bags.

  ‘I’ll have my old room, Gilroy,’ Maria said firmly. ‘Izzie and the children will have the two rooms adjacent to mine, and Miss Munday will have my cousin Phineas’ room, with a truckle bed for her charge.’

  Gilroy’s shocked expression would, in any other circumstances, have made Rose laugh, but it was replaced almost instantly by a sly, calculating look that confirmed Rose’s previous opinion of the servant. Gilroy was a nasty piece of work and not to be trusted.

  ‘Izzie will see to the children’s meals,’ Maria added. ‘I’m going to speak to Grandmama now, and then I want to see Cook in the study.’

  ‘Mrs Colville didn’t say nothing about this,’ Gilroy spluttered. ‘I take me orders from her.’

  Rose could see that Maria had exhausted the courage she had been summoning since they left the house early that morning, and she stepped in between them. ‘It seems to me that you’ve been doing exactly as you please, Gilroy. You’ll take your orders from Mrs Barnaby until her grandmother has recovered her health and strength.’

  ‘The old woman’s on her last legs,’ Gilroy snapped. ‘She needs me, not you.’

  Maria took her small daughter by the hand. ‘That’s enough, Gilroy. You’re frightening the children. Go about your business.’

  Two-year-old Teddy had been quiet until this moment, but he buried his face against Izzie’s shoulder and began to howl and Polly clutched her mother’s skirts, staring at Gilroy wide-eyed.

  Sparrow leaped forward and poked Gilroy in the stomach. ‘See what you done? You do as the lady says or I’ll set Regan on you.’

  Twin spots of colour highlighted Gilroy’s cheekbones and her eyes narrowed. ‘Regan? What sewer did you crawl out of, you little brat?’

  Rose placed a protective arm around Sparrow’s thin shoulders. ‘So you know him, do you, Gilroy?

  ‘Everyone knows about him. You won’t catch me out that way, miss. And we’ll see what the mistress says about people who barge into the house and invite themselves to stay. This is Mrs Colville’s residence.’ She started off in the direction of the drawing room, but Rose had anticipated a rebellion and she barred her way.

  ‘I think Mrs Barnaby made herself quite clear, Gilroy. You’re to take the luggage to our rooms.’

  Maria nodded. ‘Either you obey orders or you pack your bags and find another position.’

  Rose held her breath. Gilroy’s expression would have curdled cream, but then she bowed her head, mumbled an apology and picked up the carpet bags. She stomped off without another word.

  ‘I think you won that round,’ Rose said, chuckling. ‘But if she knows Regan then she’s in bad company. I think you ought to dismiss her, Maria.’

  ‘I can’t do anything without my grandmother’s permission, but I wasn’t going to say that in front of her.’ Maria bent down to give her daughter a comforting hug. ‘I’ll take you to the morning parlour and you can wait for me there. I have to speak to my grandmama, who is a very old lady, and needs to be kept very quiet. Maybe you can meet her later.’

  Polly sucked her thumb, eyeing her mother doubtfully, but young Teddy’s tears had dried and Maria passed him to Izzie.

  ‘Show us where to go and I’ll stay with Izzie and the little ones,’ Rose volunteered. ‘Unless you’d like me to go with you?’

  ‘I think it might be best if I go alone, but I may need you later. Grandmama’s moods were always volatile.’ Maria gave her a weary smile. ‘I’ll take you to the morning parlour first. Follow me, everyone.’ She crossed the wide expanse of floor and led them to a large, chilly room where the furniture was draped in holland covers. ‘I’ll be as quick as I can and then we can set about making the place more comfortable.’

  Rose nodded. ‘We need to light the fire. I could do that, if you tell me where to find the coal and kindling.’

  ‘I’ll get Gilroy to do it after I’ve seen Grandmama. I won’t be long.’ Maria braced her shoulders. ‘Wish me luck,’ she said as she left the room.

  Polly took her thumb from her mouth. ‘Mama,’ she wailed. ‘I don’t like it here. I’m cold.’

  ‘Hush, Miss Polly. You’ll make Master Teddy cry again.’ Izzie jiggled the little boy up and down, making him chuckle.

  ‘If you can look after them, Izzie, I’ll go and find what we need to get a fire going,’ Rose said, shivering. ‘It’s freezing in here.’

  ‘I’ll help you.’ Sparrow was at the door before Rose had a chance to refuse. ‘I’m good at finding things.’

  ‘We’ll be as quick as we can,’ Rose said as she followed Sparrow from the room, closing the door behind her. ‘I’ll swear it’s colder in this house than it is outside,’ she whispered.

  ‘Best go out the front door, miss.’ Sparrow headed for the main entrance. ‘We don’t want to bump into that Gilroy. I’ve seen her afore, miss.’

  Rose had to run to keep up with her. ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘I am now. She knows Regan and that’s where I saw her – in the pub. They was together, drinking with Ma and Piggin. She’s a bad lot, if ever there was one.’

  Rose opened the door and they went outside into the cold and damp with a lowering sky that threatened yet more snow. ‘Why do you say that, Sparrow?’

  ‘I seen her hand something to Piggin. He’s a fence, if you knows what I mean.’

  ‘Not really.’

  Sparrow gave her a pitying look. ‘He deals in stolen stuff. I reckon she’s been nicking things from the old lady and giving them to Piggin to sell on.’

  Breathless from trying to keep up with Sparrow and gasping as the sooty air filled her lungs, Rose came to a sudden standstill. ‘If that’s true we have to tell Maria.’

  Chapter Eleven

  The flames took hold instantly and the kindling crackled and spat as it ignited the shiny lumps of coal, sending a warm glow into the morning parlour. Izzie sat on the sofa, cuddling the children, who were unusually silent as they took in their new surroundings, and Rose kneeled in front of the fire, adding nuggets of coal to build up the blaze. She needed to speak to Maria urgently, but first she must make sure that the children were warm and comfortable. With nothing better to do, Sparrow was roaming round the room, examining the rows of leather-bound books that filled the shelves in one chimney breast alcove. Appearing to lose interest, she went to inspect the porcelain figurines that were arranged on a rosewood pier table. She turned to Rose, frowning.

  ‘I think some of these are missing, Rose.’

  ‘How do you know?’ Rose scrambled to her feet and went to see for herself.

  ‘You can see the marks in the dust where they were.’ Sparrow drew a circle around the clean patches with the tip of her finger.

  ‘You’re quite the detective,’ Rose said, smiling. ‘It doesn’t look as if anyone has cleaned this room for a very long time.’

  ‘I ain’t offering.’ Sparrow retreated to sit cross-legged on the floor by the fire.

  ‘I need to show this to Maria. It might be important, or it might not. She suspected that things were going missing, and this might be the proof she needs.’ Rose glanced anxiously at Izzie, but she seemed relaxed and was cuddling Teddy, who had fallen asleep with his head on her shoulder. Polly slid down from the sofa to sit beside Sparrow as if seeking comfort from an older child, and Sparrow pulled faces at her, making the little girl double up with laughter. ‘Will you be all right for a few minutes, Izzie?’ Rose said softly. ‘I need to have a few words with Mrs Barnaby.’

  Izzie nodded. ‘Yes’m.’

  ‘I’ll be as quick as I can.’ Rose left them huddled round the fire. There could be many reasons why the figurines were missing, but it might also be proof that Gilroy was pilfering small artefacts from the house. Standing in the draughty hallway, Rose was just getting her bearings when the deathly
silence was broken by the sound of raised voices. She went to investigate and came across Maria and Gilroy in the middle of a fierce argument.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ Rose asked anxiously as she hurried towards them.

  ‘Everywhere is filthy,’ Maria said angrily. ‘My grandmother’s room can’t have been cleaned for weeks.’

  ‘Me and Cook have to cope with everything since Mrs Colville took against the rest of the servants and sent them packing. You try looking after the mad old woman, running to and fro every time she rings the bloody bell, and I ain’t paid to be a skivvy.’

  ‘Don’t speak to me in that tone,’ Maria snapped. ‘You forget yourself, Gilroy.’

  ‘Why are you here, anyway?’ Gilroy countered. ‘I suppose you’re waiting for the old girl to croak so that you can get your hands on her belongings.’

  ‘How dare you?’ Maria slapped Gilroy’s face and the sound of skin hitting skin echoed off the high ceiling. ‘You forget your place.’

  Gilroy clenched her hands into fists, ready it seemed to fight back, but Rose stepped in between them. ‘This has gone far enough. I think you have some explaining to do, Gilroy, and an apology to make.’

  ‘Apologise?’ Gilroy clutched her hand to her cheek. ‘She struck me, damn her.’

  ‘You deserved it for speaking to me like that,’ Maria cried angrily. ‘You’re dismissed, and don’t you dare ask me for a character. You are sly and untrustworthy, and I think you’ve been stealing from my grandmother.’

  ‘I wanted to speak to you about that, Maria.’ Rose lowered her voice to a whisper. ‘It looks as though some things are missing from the blue parlour.’

  ‘I heard that.’ Gilroy held her fists at her sides. ‘You can’t sack me, missis. I’m going to tell the old girl what you just done.’

  Before either of them had a chance to stop Gilroy she pushed past Maria and burst into the drawing room. Through the open double doors Rose could see Mrs Colville lying in the grand four-poster bed, and the old woman’s mouth dropped open at the sight of Gilroy. She lifted her hand feebly, but let it drop to rest on the coverlet.

  ‘What’s happening?’ Mrs Colville’s voice was little more than a hoarse whisper but it echoed round the sparsely furnished room.

  Maria rushed to her grandmother’s bedside. ‘Leave Mrs Colville alone, Gilroy. You’ve been dismissed, and I want you out of the house, now.’

  Rose hesitated in the doorway, prepared to leap to Maria’s aid if needed, but the old lady appeared to be anxious enough without adding to her distress.

  ‘I’ve been falsely accused, madam.’ Gilroy shook off Maria’s restraining hand. ‘She’s after your money, ma’am. She only came here to see you off.’

  ‘How dare you?’ Maria’s voice cracked with emotion. ‘Gilroy has been stealing from you, Grandmama. She’s been giving you huge doses of laudanum in order to keep you quiet while she sells off your belongings.’

  ‘All lies, madam. I’ve been your faithful servant for more years than I can remember. You ain’t going to believe what that by-blow says, are you?’

  ‘You’ve just heard how she speaks to me, Grandmama,’ Maria said angrily.

  ‘Prop me up,’ Mrs Colville whispered. ‘I can’t see you very well.’

  Maria pushed Gilroy out of the way. ‘I’m here to look after you, Grandmama.’ She lifted the fragile body while she plumped up the pillows. ‘There you are. Is that better?’

  ‘Who is that lurking in the doorway?’

  ‘It’s Rose, Grandmama. She’s my friend and she came with me when I last visited you. Don’t you remember?’

  ‘They’ve come to bleed you dry, madam.’ Gilroy moved closer to the bed, fixing the old lady with a hard stare. ‘You can’t believe ill of me, ma’am. Not after all these years of faithful service.’

  Mrs Colville pointed a bony finger at Rose. ‘What have you to say for yourself, girl?’

  Rose approached the bed slowly. ‘I came here to support Maria, Mrs Colville. She believes that this woman has been keeping you drugged and that she has been stealing items from the house.’

  ‘Lies, all lies,’ Gilroy cried passionately. ‘Don’t let them twist you round their fingers, madam.’

  With a sudden burst of energy, Clarissa Colville sat up and threw back the coverlet. ‘Stop this haranguing at once. I won’t have it.’ She swung her legs over the side of the bed and attempted to stand. ‘I want proof, Maria. You were a miserable little thing as a child, but unfortunately you are my flesh and blood.’ She swayed and fell to the floor in a dead faint.

  Maria went down on her knees beside the prostrate figure. ‘See what you’ve done, Gilroy? You’re responsible for this. Run and fetch Dr Tucker.’

  ‘You’ve just sacked me, missis.’

  ‘I’ll go,’ Rose said hastily. ‘Just tell me where to find him.’

  Maria took her grandmother’s hands in hers and chafed them. ‘Gilroy knows where he lives.’ She looked up, her eyes reddened and brimming with tears. ‘You’ll fetch the doctor or I’ll set the police on you, Gilroy. I have enough evidence to have you thrown in prison, and if my grandmother dies it will be your fault. Go now and hurry.’

  Gilroy hesitated for a moment before stomping out of the room, muttering beneath her breath.

  ‘Help me lift her, Rose.’

  Together they managed to lift Mrs Colville onto the bed, making her as comfortable as possible.

  ‘She’s still breathing,’ Rose said gently. ‘But she does look very fragile, Maria. Do you think you ought to send for your mother?’

  Maria slumped down at the foot of the bed. ‘I’ll wait and see what the doctor says.’

  ‘What about Gilroy? You won’t take her back, will you?’

  ‘No, certainly not. I’d report her thieving ways to the police, but it would be almost impossible to prove.’

  ‘Sparrow told me she’d been raised by a woman and a man called Piggin, who’s a notorious fence. They spent most of their time in the pub and that was where she’d seen Gilroy having dealings with Regan. I think they’re all in it together.’

  ‘Sparrow is just a child. She might be mistaken.’

  ‘It follows that if Gilroy has been taking things from the house she has to find someone who could sell them on without incriminating her. Sparrow might be young, but she’s sharp and she has no reason to lie.’

  ‘I can’t think about Gilroy at the moment,’ Maria said, sighing. ‘I have to think about Grandmama, and do what’s best for her.’

  Rose pulled up a chair. ‘Make yourself comfortable. We might have to wait a while for Gilroy to fetch the doctor.

  After what felt like hours, although it was probably little more than thirty minutes, Gilroy rushed into the room, followed more slowly by a short, worried-looking man, wearing a frock coat.

  ‘They brought the old lady to this state,’ Gilroy said breathlessly. ‘You know how devoted I’ve been, Dr Tucker. I’ve looked after her for years with little thanks from the family, and they’re all too busy with their own affairs to care for their poor, dear ma.’

  Maria jumped to her feet, her cheeks flaming with angry colour. ‘Don’t listen to her, Doctor. That woman has been drugging my grandmother with laudanum and she’s been stealing valuables from the house.’

  Dr Tucker placed his capacious leather bag on the chair by the bed and opened it. ‘That is a matter between you and your maidservant, Mrs Barnaby. I’m here to examine my patient. I was told that she became agitated and collapsed when she attempted to stand.’

  ‘That’s more or less what happened.’ Maria turned to face Gilroy. ‘Get out of here. You’re sacked and I never want to see your face again.’

  ‘I take my orders from the mistress, not you.’

  Rose met Maria’s desperate glance with a grim nod. ‘I’ll go for a constable, shall I, Maria?’

  ‘Take this argument outside, if you please, ladies.’ Dr Tucker turned to examine his patient.

  ‘Make sure she leave
s the house, Rose.’ Maria remained standing at the foot of the bed, leaving Rose little choice other than to hustle Gilroy from the room.

  ‘All right, I’m going, but you’ll be sorry.’ Gilroy stomped off in the direction of the back stairs.

  Rose did not trust her to leave quietly. She waited by the window until she saw Gilroy trudging towards the main road with a battered suitcase clutched in her hand. The need to see Gilroy off the premises and as far away from Pier House as possible spurred Rose on, and she seized her shawl from the chair where she had abandoned it earlier, and wrapped it around her shoulders before letting herself out of the house. A sharp breeze slapped at her cheeks as she followed in Gilroy’s wake. She had thought that Gilroy might make her way to the pub where Sparrow had seen her having dealings with Piggin, but to her surprise Gilroy headed for the wharfs.

  The leaden sky seemed to merge with the gunmetal sheen of the river, and the snow had turned to sleet. Gilroy was marching ahead purposefully, but she came to a sudden halt on Black Lion Wharf, and Rose dodged behind a pile of wooden crates. Gilroy hesitated, glancing round as if she suspected she was being followed, and then, seeming satisfied that she was safe from prying eyes, she climbed the wooden steps that led up to a house that to Rose was now achingly familiar. It had been dark when Cora brought her to the Captain’s House, but now recollections of childhood and long summer days upriver came flooding back, and she remembered the eccentric building where she had lived with Sadie and Laurence and taken lessons with Max and Jimmy.

  Gilroy rapped on the front door, and moments later it was opened by a scruffy, unshaven man. The sound of raucous voices and a strong smell of alcohol and tobacco smoke filled the air as if a wild party was in full swing, even though it was not yet midday. A shudder ran down Rose’s spine as she recognised Sid Piggin, who looked even more villainous by daylight. The rank odour of his body had lingered long after she and Cora had escaped from the house, and now the mere sight of him was enough to curdle her blood, but Gilroy seemed to have no such qualms. She flung her arms around his neck as he lifted her off her feet, kissing her greedily as he dragged her into the house. The door slammed and Rose stood there, momentarily frozen to the spot. She had suspected that Sid and his mate were part of a criminal gang, and now she was certain. Gilroy was a thief and the men occupying the Captain’s House were there illegally. This was definitely a case for the Metropolitan Police. It would make headline news if she wrote up the story and presented it to Mr Radley, and he might be persuaded to reinstate her. Despite being wet through and chilled to the marrow, she hurried off in the direction of the pier head.