The Buffer Girls (36 page)

Emily stared at him. ‘We’ve been tramping the streets – both of us – and no one will offer us anything. But I have to admit that I hadn’t seriously thought about
setting up again myself.’ She turned to her new husband. ‘What do you think, Trip?
Could we do it?’

Trip chewed thoughtfully at his lip. ‘I think you could, Emily, yes. But there wouldn’t be anything for me. It was the making of the cutlery that I learned. Mind you, you need
premises and then there’d be machinery to buy . . .’

‘No problem about a workshop,’ Nathan said. ‘Upstairs is still empty and, as you know, I own it, so it can be yours if you want it. There’s
a wooden staircase to it
outside as well as one inside, so you don’t even have to come through my workshop all the time.’ He chuckled. ‘More’s the pity! It would make my day to see a bevy of pretty
buffer girls passing through my workshop every morning. But,’ he went on, more serious now, ‘you can have it rent free until you’re up and running.’ He held up his hand as
Emily was about to protest.
‘It needs a bit of work before you can use it, so if you do that, I’ll waive the rent for at least six months. And there are still some old machines up
there. I’ll see about getting them repaired.’

‘Oh Mr Hawke, I could hug you.’

With a wink at Trip, the older man said, ‘Well, don’t hold back, luv. T’ain’t often I get the chance to hug a pretty lass. Now,’ he went on briskly when Emily
had
given him a grateful bear hug, ‘about you, young feller. I’m surprised you can’t find work. George Bayes – he’s a good friend of mine and we play bowls together
– always said what a quick learner and an excellent worker you were. His words were, “He’ll mek a fine master cutler one day and be a good boss to work for, an’ all.”
I’ve heard rumours, but I don’t really know what the truth
is. So, tell me – what’s gone wrong?’

The man had been so kind to them that Trip felt he could confide in him. ‘My father threw me out. He’s disowned me because I wanted to marry Emily. Father didn’t marry my
mother for love, he married her for her money. I expect he wanted me to do a similar thing. Marry someone who was “suitable” in his eyes. Well, I wasn’t going to do that.’
He put
his arm around Emily’s shoulders. ‘Whatever happens, I know I’ve done the right thing even if – even if it means being estranged from my father.’

Nathan glanced at the young couple. He was sure that Trip meant every word he said, but the older man knew only too well what strains and pressures could be brought to bear. He hoped their love
was strong enough and that one day Trip would not
come to resent Emily because she had been the cause of the rift with his family.

‘What about your mother?’ he asked quietly.

‘She paid for our wedding and held the reception for us at home. She’s on our side, but I just hope my father doesn’t take revenge on her in some way.’

‘Oh, I wouldn’t worry too much about that. From what I hear, your mother still has independent means of her
own. Her own father was astute enough to leave her well provided
for.’

‘Was he? I didn’t know that, though I had wondered. I’m relieved to hear it.’ Trip paused a moment and then asked, ‘How – how do you know all this?’

Nathan tapped the side of his nose. ‘There’s a cutlers’ grapevine, my boy. I don’t miss much of what goes on in this city. And besides, like I said, I’m good
friends
with George Bayes. He’s worked for your family’s firm a long time. What he doesn’t know about the Trippets isn’t worth knowing.’

The three of them laughed together and then Nathan said, ‘I tell you what, Thomas. How about you come and help me a bit? I’m getting arthritis in my hands and they’re quite
painful at times. I can’t promise you full-time work and I can’t pay you much, but it’ll
keep the wolf from the door whilst Emily gets her business set up again and, of course,
all my buffing work will go to you, lass.’

‘Oh Mr Hawke,’ Emily said, with tears of gratitude. ‘I think that deserves another hug.’

So, Emily started over again, setting up a little buffing business just as she had before, but this time, she was completely on her own, so Nathan’s work filled most of
her time. For the moment, she didn’t need to look for any more. Trip started working alongside Nathan, the older man teaching him the gaps in his education where the making of cutlery was
concerned.

‘It’s
all very well, you learning from the bottom up, and I suppose your father was right in that, but you only learn one process at a time in a factory. I’ll show you
everything I know.’

So Trip, quick and eager, learned far more from the little mester than he had in the years he had worked at Trippets’. And best of all, he was only downstairs from where Emily was working.
They’d worked hard
together to clean out and restore the little workshop and now she was installed and happily busy.

One morning, when she’d been up and running for about three weeks, she paused in her work at the wheel to wrap a batch of spoons she’d just finished polishing. She heard footsteps on
the stairs outside and the door opened. She looked up to see Nell standing there. Emily went towards her. As
she drew nearer and Nell’s face was visible, she could see that there was a
despairing, almost desperate, look in her eyes.

‘Oh Nell, whatever’s the matter? Is it – your little girl?’

Nell shook her head. ‘No, no, she’s fine. At least –’ she stopped and gulped painfully – ‘she would be, if only – if only . . .’

‘Is it your mother, then? Has something happened to her?’ Emily couldn’t
imagine what could have caused Nell to be in such a state. ‘Come inside and sit down. I’ve
only old wooden boxes for us to sit on, I’m afraid, but—’

‘It’s fine,’ Nell said swiftly, ‘but I shouldn’t keep you from your work.’ Even so she stepped into the workshop and sat down. Then she glanced around her.
‘Are you working here on your own?’

‘Yes. Mr Hawke gives me all his work, but I’ve
no other customers so I can manage for the moment.’

‘I see.’ Nell’s tone was flat and Emily felt it held disappointment. She couldn’t think why. And then Nell burst out with the reason for her visit as if she
couldn’t hold back the words any longer. ‘I’m out of work. I haven’t worked for three weeks.’

Emily gasped. ‘Oh no! It wasn’t anything to do with my visit, was it? Did Lizzie see
you talking to me and . . . ?’

But Nell was shaking her head. ‘No, it wasn’t that, but it did happen soon afterwards.’

‘What did?’

‘We – the business closed. We couldn’t run it any more. For all her fine words, Lizzie was useless. Oh, she was a good buffer girl, I don’t deny that, but after she got
rid of you – and it
was
her, Emily, who wanted you gone, not the rest of us – she
became the big “I Am”, fancying herself as a businesswoman. But you were the
brains behind it all. We all knew that – all except Lizzie. Even Mick couldn’t help her this time.’

‘Oh Nell, I’m sorry, truly I am.’

‘It’s not your fault. None of us blame you.’

‘So, are you all out of work now? Even Lizzie?’

Nell nodded.

‘She’s never said anything, even though she’s living next
door in the court. Mind you,’ Emily gave a wry smile, ‘none of the Dugdale family are speaking to us. In
fact, no one is.’

‘Well, she wouldn’t, would she? Too proud to admit she was wrong.’ There was a pause before Nell said tentatively, ‘Emily, would you come back and start up the business
again? We’ve still got the premises, because we’ve managed to scrape up the rent between us, just
in case.’ Nell grasped her hand. ‘Oh Emily, please say you will.’

Emily bit her lip and frowned, thinking hard. ‘I’ll have to talk to Mr Hawke first. He’s been very good to us and this is his workshop that he’s rented to me. I
don’t want to let him down. But I don’t think Lizzie would—’

‘We don’t want Lizzie involved any more – or her precious brother. Ida and Flo agree with me; we just
want you to come back. And don’t forget, our workshop belongs to Mr
Hawke too, so he’s going to lose one or the other anyway. And maybe you could keep this place on too. Just think about it, Emily, you could have two workshops running.’

‘That’s only if I can get back the work that Lizzie has lost.’

‘You will and more besides. I’m sure of it.’

Emily laughed. ‘You’ve more confidence
in me than I have in myself. But let me think about it and talk to Mr Hawke and Trip.’

‘May I come back tomorrow?’

‘Of course.’

Nell hugged her and, as she hurried away, Emily warned, ‘Not a word to the other girls yet. Not before I’ve had time to . . .’

But Nell had gone and Emily was very doubtful that she would be able to keep the news and the glimmer of hope it represented
to herself.

‘I’m sorry for them, of course, I am,’ Nathan said later that day when they’d finished work and Emily had told him and Trip about Nell’s visit.
‘But you can’t take on more workers when you haven’t got the work for them, Emily.’

‘I know,’ Emily said worriedly, ‘and I haven’t time to go out looking for more customers.’

‘There you are, then,’ Trip said triumphantly. ‘Just
take on one person – let’s say Nell, if she’s the best worker – whilst you go out and find the
work.’

Emily glanced at Nathan, who was thoughtful. ‘What do you think, Mr Hawke?’

Suddenly, he smiled, ‘Since both premises are mine and I’m going to lose one of the rents anyway, let’s keep both. Take Nell on to work upstairs here – to take your place
– and set the other girls back on round
there.’ He nodded towards the adjacent street. ‘We can give it a try. How many girls are there?’

‘I think only Nell, Ida and the young girl, Flo, now Lizzie’s gone. Nell said they’d all agreed they don’t want Lizzie involved this time and besides, I don’t
expect she’d want to come back.’

‘You’re better off without her,’ Trip said. ‘She’d only cause you more trouble out of spite.’

‘One note of caution, though,’ Nathan said. ‘Make sure all the girls know that this is a month’s trial to see how it goes and that they’ll maybe need to start on a
reduced wage until you’ve more work.’

So when Nell returned early the following morning, she was overwhelmed to hear what had been proposed.

She flung her arms around Emily and hugged her. ‘I don’t know how to thank you.’

‘It’s Mr Hawke you have to thank. He’s the one taking the risk, really.’

‘Oh, the girls will be thrilled.’

‘There’s just one thing. We all agree with you about Lizzie, so it’s only you, Ida and Flo.’

‘You’re right not to have her back – even if she’d come. She’s a vindictive little madam and you want to watch out when her brother gets to hear about us setting up
again. There’s
no knowing what he might do.’

Emily frowned. She was beginning to hear several hints about Mick Dugdale. Even Nathan had made a remark about him. She opened her mouth to ask Nell what she meant but the excited girl
couldn’t wait to tell the other two. ‘We’ll work really hard for you, Emily, I promise.’

‘Oh Nell, I know you will. I want you to work here on your own – you were always the
best worker – and Ida and Flo can work at the old place.’

‘When can we start?’

Emily smiled. ‘Tomorrow morning.’

And then Nell was off and running and it wasn’t until she was halfway down the street that Emily realized she still hadn’t asked her what she meant about Mick Dugdale.

The following morning the three girls, already dressed in their buff-brats – white caps now, since
Emily thought they looked much nicer, even if it meant more washing, and red neck-rags
– arrived and were introduced to their benefactor, Nathan Hawke. They shook his hand and thanked him prettily.

‘Dear me, such lovely girls. Now, where did I put my spectacles? I must have a proper look at you. Ah, here they are.’

He perched the steel-rimmed spectacles on his nose and looked the newcomers
up and down. Then he smiled and nodded. ‘You’ll do.’

‘We’ll all work really hard for you and Emily,’ Nell said, as the acknowledged leader of the three of them.

‘Right,’ Emily said to Ida and Flo, ‘you two go back to the Rockingham Street workshop. Nell’s going to work upstairs. I shall take my turn at a wheel as much as I can,
alongside Nell here, but I need to concentrate on finding
more work for us. Ida, I shall call round often, but you’re in charge of locking up the premises in Rockingham Street.’

‘What about an errand lass?’

‘Can’t afford one at the moment, not for either place, but if work increases, then we’ll see.’

‘I’ll do it for both workshops, if you like,’ Flo said, readily. She was a small, thin girl, and rather pale faced, Emily thought, but Nell
had told her that whilst Flo
wasn’t very good at buffing yet, she was always willing and eager to learn. And her offer showed that she was not afraid of hard work. ‘I don’t mind getting up early. Me
mam’s got a new babby and ’ee wakes the whole family up at six in the morning for his first feed. We only live a bit further down Rockingham Street. I can nearly fall out of my bed
straight into
work. And then I can do a bit of roughing when I can.’

‘We need you to learn more now than just removing the dents and marks from spoons and forks,’ Emily said.

‘She’ll be orreight, Emily,’ Ida said. ‘She just needs a bit of encouragement, that’s all. Lizzie was supposed to be teaching her, but she was very
impatient.’ She put her arm around the younger girl. ‘I’ll see you learn all
the different processes, luv. And mebbe you can come round to Nell here sometimes and watch
her.’ She bent her head close to the girl’s ear, but they all heard her deliberately loud whisper as she added, ‘She’s the best buffer I’ve ever seen, but don’t
tell her I said so.’

With the other three girls set to work, Emily went home and dressed in her best clothes and went out to seek more
orders.

When the girls had gone, Trip, who had already begun working alongside Nathan, paused and said, ‘I think they’ll be all right, Mr Hawke.’

The older man chuckled. ‘With your lovely wife in charge of them, my boy, they can’t be anything else.’