For The Sake of Her Family (23 page)

Then finally it was over, and they were walking out of the church, watched by a few curious locals who had gathered on the bridge, wondering who the happy couple might be and wishing them well
as they drove off in their wedding coach.

‘They’re here! They’re here! Get a move on – open the doors.’ Mrs Dowbiggin was in full cry. Even though it was only a small wedding breakfast,
she was determined that it should go exactly the way she’d planned.

Faulks opened the front door and welcomed the new couple in while Mrs Dowbiggin stood clapping in the hall, along with a young servant girl who had been hired for the day. Nancy smiled, happy
that everyone was making her day special. There had been a tense atmosphere between her and her brother these last few weeks, but now she had the man she loved and a baby on the way, everything
would be all right. She didn’t know what everyone was making such a fuss about.

‘Congratulations, Miss Nancy. Congratulations, Master Will.’ Faulks smiled and led them to their seats, laying napkins out on their laps and pouring a liberal glass of wine for the
newly-weds.

‘Thank you, Faulks. What a very strange day. I always thought the sun would be shining on my wedding day. Don’t you think the sun should be shining? Instead it’s dull and
dreary, and I feel quite lightheaded.’

‘It’s spring, miss. Sometimes the sun shines; sometimes it rains. As long as you are happy, miss, you’ll radiate sunshine.’ Faulks smiled, trying to offer encouragement,
but at the same time he cast a worried glance at Gerald.

‘That’s me, Faulks – a ray of sunshine, shining out over everyone, apart from my sulky brother, who looks like the rain clouds outside. Make him smile, Faulks: he’s
spoiling my day.’

‘He’s just concerned for you, miss, as we all are. He knows you are unwell and is worried about your new life.’ Faulks moved on to Gerald, his eyes never straying from the wine
pouring into the glass – anything rather than meet his employer’s gaze.

‘My Will is going to take care of me ever so well. Besides, Alice is coming to Stone House with me too. I wouldn’t have it any other way.’ Nancy beamed at Will and Alice,
reaching out for their hands and squeezing them tight.

‘Now, Nancy, we haven’t decided on Alice yet.’ Gerald stirred his soup, which the young serving maid had placed in front of him. ‘I’m sorry to embarrass you, Alice,
but I’m at a loss as to what to do with you under the circumstances.’ He took a long slurp of his soup and gazed across the table at a subdued Alice. ‘I’d have thought that
you would prefer to stay here at the manor, but my sister seems to think you will be moving into Stone House with your brother and her. I think we had better discuss this after the newly-weds have
departed for their home. You can always follow them to Stone House in the morning – that is, if you wish to do so, and if Will is happy with that arrangement.’

Will gave a nod. He’d few words to spare for his new brother-in-law and he was counting the minutes until he could escape the stuffiness of the manor and return to his home.

Alice watched Gerald sitting back in his chair and staring across at the newly-weds, knowing full well he was making Will uncomfortable. ‘I’ll stay here tonight,’ she said.
‘It’s their first night together – a sister in the next bedroom is the last thing you want.’ And then she blushed, realizing she had been forthright. But there was no other
way of saying it, as far as she could tell.

‘I’m afraid that moment has well and truly passed, Alice, my dear. As we all know, your brother put the cart before the horse, as they say – hence the atmosphere around this
table on what should have been a day of celebration.’ Throwing down his napkin, Gerald got to his feet and made his apologies, then stormed out of the room.

‘I’m sorry, Will, it came out wrong. I shouldn’t have said that.’ Alice could have kicked herself.

‘It doesn’t matter, Sis. I’ve had enough anyway; this food was sticking in my throat. I’m off up the dale and taking Nancy with me. Can you get her things?’

‘They’re already packed and waiting in the front hallway. Let Nancy say goodbye to Gerald before you go, though – it’ll only make him worse if you don’t.’

They both turned to Nancy. She seemed confused and sad. She was angry with her brother, and couldn’t understand what she had done so wrong to upset everybody. All she wanted was to have a
lovely wedding day and to marry the man she loved. She knew they were going to be so happy; if only she could rid herself of this feeling of not being in control and stop these anxiety attacks,
things would be all right.

‘Come on, old girl, go and say goodbye to your brother. I’ll wait outside in the horse and trap.’ Will helped Nancy up from her chair.

‘But the dinner – we’ve only had the first course.’ Nancy was even more confused.

‘I’ll make you something when we get home, Mrs Bentham.’ Will put his arm around her, smiling as he led her out of the dining room.

Alice tugged at his elbow. ‘Look after her: she needs your support. And mind you stand by her – she’s having your baby, remember.’

‘What do you take me for? We’ll be all right. Make sure you look after yourself tonight – remember what I’ve said in the past.’ Will winked at her.

‘That’s the pot calling the kettle black, Will Bentham.’ Alice kissed her brother on the cheek.

When Nancy came out of Gerald’s study sniffling into her handkerchief, Alice was on hand to give her a hug. ‘You’ll be fine, Nancy. I’ll come and be with you tomorrow,
but for now go and be happy with my big brother. And if he doesn’t take care of you, he’ll have me to answer to.’ She walked with her to the manor’s steps and waved at the
couple as Will whipped the horses into motion.

Behind the study curtains, Gerald watched them set off down the drive. He had lost his little sister to a man he suspected didn’t love her. He prayed that she’d survive childbirth.
At least once the baby was born, there would be hope.

‘Oh my Lord! All this food and nobody to eat it! I’ve never known a do like this in my life. What’s folk going to think of us? Think on, young Betsy, you say
nothing to anyone in Dent about this wedding day, ’cos if I find out you’ve been gossiping, there will be hell to pay.’ Mrs Dowbiggin wagged her finger at the poor serving girl as
she set off home, her services no longer required now the wedding party had broken up. ‘I feel all faint. I could do with some smelling salts, Mr Faulks. What a to-do!’ She planted
herself in the Windsor chair and fanned her cherry-red face with the tea towel. ‘You shouldn’t be helping clear away. You’re not one of us any more,’ she chastised Alice for
carrying in the wasted food from the wedding breakfast.

‘And who do you think I am? I can’t sit about here and do nothing. Besides, it hasn’t exactly been the day I wanted either.’ Alice was as annoyed as Mrs Dowbiggin. She no
longer knew where she stood in life; her brother wouldn’t really want her at Stone House, yet there was no reason for her to stay at the manor. It was all very well Nancy saying she needed
her, but she didn’t realize that Will was going to struggle to feed them all.

Having cleared the kitchen table of food, Alice set about placing it in the pantry and cellar in the hope that it would keep fresh enough for everyone to eat it over the coming week.
‘You’re all going to eat well, if nothing else,’ she said, washing her hands.

‘That ham will last longer than a week if there’s only us and Master Gerald. What a waste! And all my fancy sweets – nobody even got to see them.’ Mrs Dowbiggin held her
apron to her eyes, almost in tears.

‘Never mind, at least there was a wedding. At one point, I did wonder if my brother would turn up; I was afraid he’d get cold feet. He went through with it, though. Now he’ll
have to get on with his lot and take care of Nancy and the baby. It’ll hit home now he’s got responsibilities. There’ll be no more spending his spare time having a pint or going
shooting with Jack.’ Alice shook her head and walked past Mrs Dowbiggin as she headed back upstairs.

Mrs Dowbiggin caught her hand as she passed, gripping it tight. ‘Your Will, he will take care of our Miss Nancy, won’t he? She may be a handful, but we all think a great deal of her.
And you’ll be there for her, won’t you?’ There were tears in the old housekeeper’s eyes as she pleaded with Alice.

‘I’ll be there for her. I’m going to talk to Gerald now, find out where we go from here. I’m neither one thing nor the other, and someone is going to have to make him see
sense over Nancy and her baby – they still need his support even though she is pregnant by my brother. He didn’t know of her medical problems when he got her pregnant, else he’d
not have even touched her.’ Alice patted the faithful Mrs Dowbiggin’s hand, more resolved than ever to try and salvage something of the day.

Alice knocked gently on the study door. Through the narrow gap underneath the door she could see the flickering light from the open fire, but nobody answered. She knocked harder, knowing that
Gerald was in there and not wanting to retreat from the mission she had set herself, even though her stomach was churning. She was about to knock again when the door opened ever so slightly,
showing the dark figure of Gerald Frankland. He left the door ajar and Alice went in, following as he returned to his chair by the fire.

‘Well, Miss Bentham, have you come to chastise me, to give me the benefit of your considerable knowledge? Because that’s what I’m expecting, you and your quick tongue.’
Gerald Frankland poured himself another glass of port from the decanter and gazed into the fire.

Alice sat down in the chair opposite, her hands in her lap, trying to remain calm. She could see that Gerald had been drowning his sorrows. ‘I’m only making sure you’re all
right. I know it’s been a bit of a day for you, for all of us.’

‘A bit of a day? A bit of a day – ha! That’s a bloody understatement.’ He swigged his drink. ‘It’s been a bloody fiasco, that’s what it’s been. It
was like the Mad Hatter’s tea party, sitting around that wedding table. My mad bloody sister, not knowing what the hell was going on, and your brother desperate to run away . . . I just want
to wipe the whole damn day out. So, yes, it was a bit of a day.’ He poured himself another drink and indicated for Alice to get a glass and join him. ‘Cheers! Here’s to the happy
couple.’

‘But Nancy
is
happy. Perhaps she doesn’t always know what’s going on, but she’s happy with Will and with the baby coming.’ Alice took a quick drink and
coughed as the warm port went down her throat. She’d never drunk port before.

‘How can she be happy, married to your brother? He hasn’t got a penny to his name. She’s left here for that hovel at the top of the dale. She’s not in her right mind,
what with having that bastard baby.’ Gerald glared at Alice with his wounded eyes.

‘Money isn’t everything. Nancy loves my brother. Now, I don’t know if he deserves her love, but if she’s happy, does it matter? She’ll have the baby; things will be
all right. Perhaps living up the dale with my brother will do her good.’ Alice took another sip of the port; it made her feel warm and relaxed. ‘You’re going to be an uncle
– that’s something to be proud of. You haven’t lost a sister; you’ve gained a nephew or niece.’

‘She’s so ill, I might yet lose her! If she dies, it will be all your brother’s fault. I could kill him for what he’s done.’ Gerald spat the words out.

Alice leaned towards him, trying to hold his gaze. ‘He didn’t know about the danger. The only thing he’s done is to love your sister – what’s wrong with that?
We’ve all loved someone we shouldn’t have.’ Words were flowing freely out of Alice as she allowed Gerald to pour her another drink. ‘They’re going to struggle, though,
with no money. But my brother will provide for them. Rabbit stew never hurt nobody.’

She hoped that the mention of rabbit stew would make Gerald realize how tough life was for his workers. Surely he wouldn’t want his sister to endure such hardship, regardless of what he
thought of Will.

‘Don’t try and make me feel guilty, Alice; it won’t work. I might have had a bit to drink, but I’m still compos mentis. I’ll reassess the situation in the morning,
when I take you up to Stone House. I might have been a bit hard, especially on Nancy. But can you blame me? My whole family is going to the dogs – even I’m sitting here talking to my
sister’s maid as if she was my closest friend.’ He placed his glass on the table and looked at Alice.

Alice blushed, the warmth of the port making her complexion glow. ‘I’m sorry I’ve overstepped my place. I only wanted to make a case for them both because my brother is
hopeless at standing his ground. The port must have given me added courage.’

‘Too bloody right! But you never have been one to know your place. To tell you the truth, you amuse me with your forthright ways, but now is not the time. Leave me to my thoughts and this
bottle; I’m best sorting my own head out, without a blue-eyed temptress sitting across from me.’ He raised his glass and grinned at her. He could see that she knew all too well what she
was doing. Alice was not as innocent as she would have him believe. Trouble was, one day he might not be able to resist those cornflower-blue eyes.

‘I’ll see you in the morning.’ Alice smiled and walked past him. Another drink and she would probably have been putty in his hands. There was something about Gerald Frankland
that made her lose all control of her feelings. Perhaps he’d come to her later . . . How she wished he would – to hell with reputations!

Alice lay back in her bed watching the sun’s rays stream through the half-drawn curtains. Specks of dust floated like dancing fairies in the early morning light. She
snuggled down under the covers, content with the warmth of the bed and her thoughts of Gerald Frankland. She’d half hoped that she would wake up with him next to her, but common sense told
her that it was a good thing she hadn’t. Better to hang on to her dignity. Besides, she didn’t want him to think she was easy.

She listened to a family of sparrows cheerfully chattering in the wisteria outside the window. They were busy nesting, preparing for their young and enjoying the spring sunshine. It made her
think of her brother and Nancy preparing for the new arrival. Would Gerald have changed his mind and decided to give Nancy her dowry? Alice hoped so; there was not going to be enough business at
the marble works to keep the labourers and the foreman’s new family fed.