Cherry Tree Lane (13 page)

‘Getting a meal ready is work for anyone who wants to eat.’ Jacob gave his son a severe look. ‘You never saw me grumbling about doing the cooking, did you?’

Luke shrugged and kicked the table leg, a habit he had when something annoyed him.

The food was simple but tasty and they ate up every mouthful.

‘That was delicious.’ Jacob smiled at Mattie, then turned to his daughter. ‘And the crumble was good, too.’ He waited for Luke to speak and when his son didn’t, he asked quietly, ‘Did you enjoy your meal, son?’

Luke nodded.

‘Then why haven’t you thanked our guest for cooking it?’

‘Thank you for making tea,’ Luke said, but he didn’t sound grateful.

‘You children can do the dishes, as usual,’ Jacob said. ‘Miss Willitt is very tired now. We all have to remember that she’s not completely better yet.’

They didn’t grumble, but he heard Luke snap at Sarah once or twice. ‘I don’t know what’s got into our Luke,’ Jacob said apologetically to Mattie. ‘He usually has better manners than this.’

‘It doesn’t matter.’

‘It does to me. I like my children to behave properly and show respect for their elders. Their mother would have wanted it, too.’ He hesitated, then added in a low voice, ‘You haven’t changed your mind about what we discussed?’

‘No. And you? I won’t hold you to it if you have.’

‘I haven’t changed.’ To his amusement she went pink again. He discovered that he liked to make her blush and had a sudden urge to touch her soft pink cheek.

At seven-thirty, Jacob went upstairs to change into his best shirt and Sunday suit for the call on Miss Newington, finding them laid out neatly on his bed, the shirt beautifully ironed, with a stiff collar and collar studs beside it.

When he came down, Mattie was resting by the fire, looking tired, and he said, ‘Luke, Sarah, don’t let Miss Willitt do anything else this evening.’

‘I’ll look after her.’ Sarah stationed herself beside Mattie’s chair with a self-important air.

Luke mumbled something and Mattie shot him a quick, worried glance.

That boy needed a good talking-to, Jacob decided.

Lyddie tapped on the door and came into the small sitting room. ‘Mr Kemble is here to see you, miss.’

‘Show him in.’

Jacob came in and Emily noticed at once that he was looking much smarter than usual, no doubt due to Mattie’s efforts. ‘Please take a seat.’

He sat on the edge of the armchair opposite, looking ill at ease.

She frowned. ‘Have you come to tell me you can’t take the job?’

‘No. I’ve come to tell you Mattie and I have agreed to get married and if it’s still all right with you, I’d like to take the job.’

She beamed at him. ‘That’s wonderful news! What changed your mind?’

He fidgeted and ran one fingertip round the edge of his stiff collar. ‘I felt sorry for her.’

That didn’t please her. ‘Feeling sorry for someone is no reason to get married.’

‘And, well …’ He flushed. ‘I like her.’

‘Ah, that’s a much better reason. I like her too.’ She beamed at him. ‘I’m very pleased about this, very pleased indeed. We’ll get a special licence tomorrow and we can have you married by the end of the week. April is a lovely month to get married in, don’t you think?’

He blinked at her in shock and his voice sounded thin and scratchy. ‘We don’t need to … to rush things like that, surely?’

‘We do. It isn’t fitting for her to be staying with you if you’re not married. And anyway, I wish to move back to Newcastle as soon as possible.’ She didn’t know why she felt to be in such a hurry but she did. She’d go into lodgings until she could buy a small house, somewhere in Jesmond Dene perhaps. Then she saw that Jacob was waiting patiently for her to continue and remembered that he was quite short of money. ‘I’ll pay for the extra expenses involved in the special licence. You’ll be a married man by this time next week.’

She saw him mouth the words after her, his eyes widening in shock, and hid a smile. ‘We’ll go into Swindon tomorrow afternoon and make the necessary arrangements. I can see my lawyer while we’re there and ask him if he’s found anyone to rent this house yet. The job is yours, Jacob Kemble.’

His tense expression eased a little and he sat more upright as if he felt better for that news.

‘Is that all?’ she asked.

‘I think so, unless you have anything else to discuss, miss?’

‘No.’ She stood up and he did too. His manners were always excellent. She held out her hand and he shook it without a word.

‘I’ll call for you in the trap tomorrow morning.’ Then she had a thought and turned. ‘Does your young lady have her birth certificate with her? I think we might need it.’

‘I don’t know. She had some papers, but they were sodden. I didn’t look at them.’

‘Better find out. If she hasn’t got it, we’ll see what my lawyer suggests.’

When he’d gone she allowed herself one glass of her uncle’s fine brandy, sipping it slowly and smiling into the fire. Then she moved across to her writing bureau and began to make lists and plans for the move. She’d done her best to settle in here, her very best, but something was calling her home, and she felt she should go sooner rather than later.

That was her last thought before she fell asleep. Home. She was going home. She’d soon be taking her daily walks along the seafront. That thought made her feel warmly happy.

Jacob walked back down the lane, feeling as if he’d been picked up and thoroughly shaken by a giant. It was all happening too quickly. What would Mattie say to such a hasty wedding? Would that make her change her mind?

He was surprised to find that he hoped not.

He found her sitting by the kitchen table, reading a book again. She looked tired, her face white and pinched, her eyes huge and, it seemed to him, her expression was rather apprehensive. She didn’t even wait for him to sit down.

‘Well? What did Miss Newington say?’

He went to sit beside her, turned towards her, leaning his left arm on the table and watching her intently. It seemed essential that he not miss anything about her expression. If she felt forced into this, afraid of marrying him, then he’d end it. ‘She was pleased that we were getting wed. Offered me the job on the spot.’

Mattie let out her breath in a long sigh of relief. ‘I’m so glad.’

‘But she wants us to marry straight away, by special licence.’ He wondered if he’d looked as surprised when Miss Newington said this to him as Mattie did now.

‘Straight away!’

He nodded. ‘If that doesn’t suit you, I can go and ask her for a few more days, but she wants to get away from here quickly and go back to the north, which is home to her.’

‘Oh. Well … I suppose it won’t make much difference. Only …’ Her eyes filled with tears.

He took her hand, didn’t like to see her so upset. ‘What is it?’

‘I’ve nothing to wear. I’d hoped for time to make myself a pretty dress. And even then—’ She broke off, covering her eyes with one hand.

He saw a tear trickle down her cheek and pulled her into his arms. ‘There now, there now. Tell me what it is and we’ll find a way to make it right.’

‘I don’t have enough money for the material. Oh, Jacob, I shall look so shabby!’ She gestured to herself. ‘I didn’t leave home wearing my Sunday dress, and even that is … well, it’s old-fashioned now. And my shoes have cracked after getting so wet. They were quite old too.’

‘Did your stepfather keep you so short of money?’

She nodded against his chest, her voice muffled. ‘I never had a penny of my own, even though I worked for two hours every day in a shop. He took all our wages and always wanted to know what I’d spent on housekeeping, right down to the nearest farthing.’

Jacob stroked her hair, marvelling at how soft it was and how well she fitted into his arms. ‘I don’t mind what you wear. It’s you I’m marrying, not your clothes.’

‘Any woman would want to look her best on her wedding day. I’m no different.’

He had a sudden idea. ‘I’ve still got Alice’s things. You can see if there’s anything among them you could alter.’

‘Wear your wife’s clothes?’

‘You’re using her nightdress already.’

‘It doesn’t seem right to get married in her clothes, though. And anyway, that doesn’t solve the problem of shoes.’

‘She’d not mind you having the clothes. She was a kind woman, my Alice. You’d have liked her and I think she’d have liked you. And we can buy you some new shoes in Swindon. There are lots of shops in Regent Street. We’re bound to find something there.’

Suddenly Mattie was sobbing even harder. He didn’t know what to do to calm her, but rocked her to and fro, waiting for the storm to subside.

‘What is it?’ he asked when she lay quiet and spent against his chest. ‘What have I done to upset you?’

‘It’s just … you’re so kind. I’ve not been used to kindness from a man. It overset me.’ She gave him a watery smile. ‘I’m being silly. It’s probably because I’ve not recovered yet.’

And because she was so upset, he found himself kissing her gently on the lips. ‘You’re not silly,’ he said as he drew away. But because her lips were so soft and full, he had to kiss her again, properly this time. And she didn’t protest or do anything but kiss him back.

When the kiss ended, he held her close. ‘Funny old world, isn’t it? Luke thought you were dead when he found you and now I’m going to marry you.’

‘I was more worried about my stepfather catching me. I’m still worried about that.’

‘Once we’re married, there’s nothing he can do.’

‘He can attack you, hurt you badly. He prides himself on paying back anyone who’s offended him. I think it’s just an excuse for hurting people. He enjoys doing that, even in small ways.’

‘He can try to hurt me, but I grew up defending myself against a lad who used to live in the village. Proper old bully he was when he was younger, and bigger than me. But it taught me to fight. He got into trouble for his rough ways and joined the army to escape. Went out to South Africa with Master Jeremy. Poor fellow, he died there as well.’ When she didn’t speak, he added, ‘I do know how to defend myself, Mattie.’

‘But you don’t know my stepfather. He’s a big man and he fights dirty.’

‘I’ll bear that in mind if he ever attacks me. But I promise you, as long as there’s breath in my body, I’ll look after what’s mine, and that will include you from now on.’

She gave him such a luminous smile, it warmed his heart. He gave her hand a final squeeze. ‘Well now, if that’s settled, I’ll make you a cup of cocoa while you get yourself to bed. I’ll bring it in to you.’

When he carried it into the front room, he found she’d fallen asleep, her face peaceful as a child’s, all traces of tears vanished now.

He smiled and was still smiling when he went back into the kitchen to drink the cocoa himself. This marriage was going to be all right, he was sure of it now. If Alice was up in heaven watching over them, he hoped she wouldn’t mind. He didn’t think she would.

And he knew his parents would have approved of Mattie.

How could you not approve of a woman like her?

The following morning Jacob again donned his best clothes, muttering under his breath as he tried to get the tie straight. So in turmoil was his mind that only at the last minute did he remember the birth certificate and ask Mattie about it.

‘I did bring it. But it was in my bundle and it’s in a terrible condition after getting soaked.’

‘Can I take it with me?’

‘Yes, of course.’ She went into the front room and came back holding a crumpled piece of paper, its black ink water-smeared.

They peered at it together.

‘I’d better write down the names,’ she said. ‘Some of them don’t show up very clearly.’ She did this while Jacob found an old envelope to put it in and stowed that in his inner jacket pocket.

‘There. I’m ready.’

‘Just a minute.’ Mattie came across to straighten his tie, smiling up at him involuntarily. ‘That’s better.’

He too was smiling when he left, and kept thinking he felt the butterfly touch of her fingers on his neck.

In the middle of the morning, after she’d had a liedown, Mattie went to try on Alice’s shoes. They were far too big for her. She’d just have to polish up her own and hope no one noticed the cracked leather of the uppers till she could buy some new ones.

There were only a few clothes hanging in the wardrobe and from the way one of the dresses had been mended, she could tell that Alice hadn’t been a good needlewoman. She muttered, ‘Sorry to take your things!’ as she went through them, because it seemed the right thing to do. After choosing a dress, she took it downstairs to unpick the seams. It was pale blue, a nondescript colour, not one she’d have chosen for herself, but it wasn’t worn, so at least she’d be decent.

There was a Singer sewing machine in the front room, a very old-fashioned and heavy treadle type. When she pedalled the foot pad and tried it out on a piece of rag, it clanked and rattled and clearly hadn’t been well cared for. She wondered if Alice had used it much and guessed not. It wasn’t half as good as the one which had belonged to Mattie’s mother, which she’d been using for years. She paused for a moment to wonder what her stepfather would do with her sewing machine and the few books her mother had left her. He’d probably hurl the books out into the yard or sell them to the rag-and-bone man.

She found it hard to concentrate as she unpicked some of the seams and pinned them to fit her properly. Her thoughts drifted and the dress lay unheeded on the table in front of her as often as not. She looked down at it with distaste, then got angry with herself. She should be grateful for these clothes … only she hated the thought of getting married in another woman’s dress, absolutely hated it.

She looked round at another cause for irritation. Jacob had done his best, but she was aching to get the house clean. Physical activity still exhausted her, however, so she was saving her energy for cooking the meals and mending, which seemed the best way to help the family at the moment. They’d certainly been appreciative of her efforts last night. Well, Jacob and Sarah had been. Until prompted, Luke had offered only the unspoken appreciation of clearing his plate and accepting a second helping. He’d also scowled at her a few times. She couldn’t understand why.