‘Harry Wright did what to you?’ Lainie stared at me in horror. ‘Did he hurt you, Bridget? He didn’t manage to … well, you know …?’
‘Careful,’ I warned, ‘I don’t want Tommy to hear. If he were to tell Jamie – you know what would happen. I don’t want Jamie in more trouble.’ I glanced at Tommy, who was playing with a cat in Bridie Macpherson’s back yard and eating an apple.
‘He would go after that bastard for sure,’ Lainie said. ‘He deserves a thrashing for what he did to you.’
‘But then Jamie would go to prison.’
‘Let that devil wait until I see him,’ she said. ‘I’ll have a thing or two to say to him. You should have told Sergeant Jones. He would have sorted him out for you.’
‘I couldn’t. It’s too embarrassing. Don’t let’s talk about it any more. I’m all right. My head was sore for a bit and it gave me a nasty feeling inside, but I’m over it now.’
‘Nothing bothers you for long, does it? If I’d been more like you maybe I wouldn’t have quarrelled with Mam so much.’
‘It was Mam’s fault not yours. Her temper is getting worse all the time.’
‘That’s the drink,’ Lainie said. ‘She guzzles too much of that rot gut stuff from the Feathers. It’s not like good whisky, Bridget. I’m after thinkin’ it’s turned her mind.’
‘You don’t mean that?’
‘It seems that way to me. She wasn’t this bad a few years back, but it’s been coming on for a while … since Da left.’
‘That made things hard for her, Lainie.’
‘She was better off than a good many. I’ve tried to work it out, but I’ve never understood why she’s so hard … so bitter.’
Mrs Macpherson had come into the yard to tell us there was a pot of tea and cakes waiting. ‘You can have your tea with your sister, Lainie,’ she said. ‘Then I need you in the kitchen. We’ve an extra guest this evening and he wants his dinner at six.’
‘I should be going soon anyway,’ I said. ‘It was good of you to let Lainie have time off to talk to us, Mrs Macpherson.’
People might say she was hard on her girls, but I thought Lainie was lucky. Mam would have me at it night and day if she could, and some nights I was so tired I could hardly wait to get my things off and go to bed.
‘Lainie’s a good worker,’ she said. ‘I was pleased to get her, but don’t expect to visit every week. Once a month will suit me, and Lainie gets a half-day every other week.’
We followed Mrs Macpherson into the hotel. She’d set a tray in the little back parlour and she’d been generous with slices of seed cake and treacle tart. Tommy fell on them with delight, wolfing down two slices of each.
‘Don’t make yourself sick,’ I warned, but Lainie smiled and ruffled his hair.
‘Let him enjoy himself, Bridget. Bridie won’t expect any left over. She’s always generous with food, even if she does drive us girls hard.’
‘Is it all right here, Lainie?’
‘It’s better than being at home with Mam after me all the time. And I shall go with Hans as soon as he gets back.’
‘When will that be, Lainie?’
‘He said it would be a short voyage this time. He always stays here and he’ll be surprised to find me waiting for him.’
‘I hope he comes soon,’ I said and felt an odd chill that I couldn’t explain at the back of my neck. ‘I want you to be happy.’
‘Don’t worry about me …’ She paused, wrinkling her nose. ‘I’m going to talk to Hans about you and Tommy. When we’re settled – I might send for you both.’
‘Do you mean it? Would Hans let us? You don’t want to spoil things for yourself.’
‘You don’t know Hans if you think that,’ she said confidently. ‘He’s so good to me, Bridget. I think he would give me the moon if he could …’
Mrs Macpherson was looking at us from the doorway. I jumped up and caught Tommy’s hand. ‘Thank you for the lovely tea,’ I said. ‘We’ll be going now.’
She nodded her approval, ruffling Tommy’s hair as we passed by. ‘You’ve got good manners, Bridget,’ she said. ‘If you ever want to leave home I could find work for you here.’
‘Thank you. It’s generous you are, Mrs Macpherson. I shan’t forget.’
It was cold outside and I shivered, pulling my shawl tighter around me as we passed a gentleman who was about to enter the hotel. He was carrying a large bunch of crimson chrysanthemums and something about his manner made me look at him and smile.
‘Someone is going to be lucky,’ I said. ‘Aren’t they lovely – really big heads and that sort always smells so good.’
He glanced at me, surprised at first and then he replied with an answering smile, ‘They are rather special, aren’t they? I bought them for a friend.’
‘Did you get them from Maisie?’ I asked, chattering on because he seemed such a pleasant man. His clothes told me he didn’t belong in the area; they were too smart – too expensive. I thought he must be gentry, perhaps a country gentleman in town on business and calling on a friend. ‘She had some on her stall yesterday.’
‘What an observant young lady you are,’ he said. ‘Yes, I bought them from Maisie. I usually visit her whenever I’m this way.’
‘On business I suppose?’
I wondered at myself even as I spoke. Normally, I wouldn’t have asked a stranger questions, but I was curious about him. He didn’t look as if he were one of Mrs Macpherson’s regular guests, but he was clearly about to go inside.
‘Business and pleasure,’ he replied looking amused. ‘Bridie is a friend of mine – the flowers are for her. I visit her now and then … When I’m here on business, as you said.’
‘Oh …’ I flushed as I realized that he was laughing at me. ‘I shouldn’t have asked …’
‘I don’t mind.’ He offered me his hand. ‘I am Philip Maitland – and who do I have the honour of addressing?’
‘Bridget O’Rourke,’ I said, suddenly shy as I felt the warm clasp of his hand about mine. ‘My sister Lainie is working for Mrs Macpherson and Tommy and me have been visiting – and I talk too much!’
‘Ah – Miss Bridget O’Rourke,’ he said and nodded. ‘So that’s the source of that delightful accent … just a trace of Irish and very attractive if I may be permitted to say so. Perhaps we shall meet again one day?’
‘Yes, perhaps.’ I was beginning to feel embarrassed. ‘I have to go now.’
‘In that case I must not delay you.’
‘Did you know him?’ Tommy asked when we were out of earshot. ‘Mam will belt you if she knows you were makin’ up to a toff, Bridget.’
‘He was a gentleman. And Mam won’t know, because I shan’t tell her – and you mustn’t either.’
‘You know I wouldn’t tell on you,’ Tommy said giving me a reproachful look. ‘But Tilly Cullen went past while you were laughin’