Marrying Miss Hemingford (20 page)

‘Why is it empty when everyone knows accommodation in Brighton is at a premium?' Mrs Bartrum asked. ‘What is wrong with it?'

‘It is in want of repair,' Anne said. ‘But nothing serious.'

‘I know it,' Captain Gosforth put in. ‘I pass the end of the lane on my way into town when I come by the coast road and it can just be glimpsed from there. It is in dire condition and reputed to be haunted.'

‘Haunted?' her ladyship gasped. ‘Then I, for one shan't go anywhere near it.'

‘Oh, come, Mama,' the Major soothed. ‘Surely you do not believe in ghosts?'

‘I neither believe nor disbelieve, but I am not sure I wish to put it to the test.'

‘It is nothing to be afraid of,' Walter told her. ‘It is only a little child.'

In spite of her conviction that she was practical and not easily frightened, Anne shuddered. Children in distress always aroused her strongest sympathies and if this child had not found peace in death, then she, or he, must have been very unhappy in life. But the house had not struck her as an unhappy house; quite the contrary, she had felt its peaceful ambience. ‘Do you know the story, Captain?'

‘The house belonged to a Colonel Skipton. His wife died and, having no children or grandchildren, he was lonely and became more and more of a recluse, refusing invitations and never being at home to callers. The house became filthy and the old man unkempt. He had one old military friend who decided to take him in hand. He took it upon himself to advertise for a housekeeper and a young widow applied and was taken on. She had a little daughter and the child changed the old man's life. He doted on her. The house became full of light and laughter, and though there was gossip about the three of them living together like that, he did not let it trouble him and neither did Mrs Bolton. When the old man died, he left the house to her…'

‘What happened?' Anne could hardly breathe, so intense was her feeling.

‘The child, I think she was called Susan, pined for the old man and was always searching the house, calling his name, pretending they were playing a game of hide and seek and he was simply hiding from her; it was something they had done frequently. One day she went down the cliff path when her mother was busy elsewhere, no doubt because the Colonel had often taken her down there to play. One supposes she was caught by the tide. Her body was washed up further along the coast some days later. The mother could not stand the place after that and left it to stand empty.'

‘Oh, the poor thing!' Anne said, completely taken up by the story, feeling the mother's anguish at the loss of her child. ‘And so they say the little one still looks for the old man?'

‘Yes, people passing by have heard her calling to him.'

‘Oh, that is nothing but the wind and the sea,' the Major put in scornfully.

‘No doubt you are right,' Anne said, forcing herself back to the matter in hand. ‘But what do you think of the idea of taking the house for our hospital? It is large enough to house fifty patients on the first floor, with waiting rooms and accommodation for the doctor on the ground floor. The attic rooms would house the staff.'

‘What about drinking water?' the Captain asked.

‘I knew water might be a problem, considering that a hospital must use a great deal of it, but the agent assured me there is a well of pure water in the garden that has become overgrown, but it can be cleared out.'

‘You have been busy on our behalf,' Justin remarked laconically, pretending, as they had arranged, that this was the first he had heard of it. ‘I think we should take a look at it. Can you obtain the key?'

‘I have it,' she said, retrieving it from her embroidered reticule. ‘No one else has shown an interest in the place. It is too far on the edge of town for anyone of consequence to want it and it is too big and dilapidated for a tradesman. The agent was perfectly willing for me to have the key until we reached a decision.'

‘I am not going anywhere near it,' Lady Mancroft said with a shudder.

‘Nor me,' said Aunt Bartrum. ‘I will leave it to Dr Tremayne and Professor Harrison to decide.'

‘If they agree, then it is more than ever important to raise as much money as possible at the games and the ball,' Anne said, handing the key to Justin, touching his
hand with hers as she did so. It was no more than a brushing of her fingers on his, but it was enough to send ripples of warmth flowing through her all over again. Whatever this man had done in the past, whether he was a cur or not, did not matter. She wanted him, she wanted him so desperately it was almost a physical ache.

It looked as though she would have her way over the hospital, though whether she would have it on a more personal level she was not so sure. There was still that warning of Mrs Tremayne's echoing in her head.
He has these fancies, you know, but they do not last… It is only when the project, whatever it is, palls and he is off again that the dear people he has involved in it realise his capricious nature. Believe me, it will happen again and you will be left high and dry.

 

‘It was providential that we stopped to rescue that young lady,' George said, as they strolled back to the doctor's house.

‘Yes, she might have drowned,' Justin said. ‘And even if someone had dragged her ashore, they might not have known how to revive her.'

‘How did you know? I have never before seen anyone being pumped out like that.'

‘I learned to do it at sea. Sailors are always tumbling overboard and very few of them can swim. Turning them over and applying pressure to the chest expels the water and allows air back into the lungs.'

‘I agree that was providential, but that was not what I meant. I saw how the wind was blowing with those people; if you had not arrived a hero, you would have been subjected to a quizzing.'

‘I know. It has probably only delayed it, not prevented it altogether. Sooner or later, I shall have to give an account of myself.'

‘Why not sooner?'

Justin stopped to consider the question. He wanted Miss Hemingford to trust him, to believe in him without calling for explanations about why he had done what he had, or so he told himself. But the other side of the coin was that, if he volunteered the information, she might blame him for what had happened. After all, no gentleman of breeding reneged on an engagement whatever the provocation. The condemnation of society would be enough to make her hold him in revulsion. He could not understand why it mattered; there was never any likelihood they would make a match. He had decided his work would fill his life and marriage was not part of it, certainly not marriage to one of the
ton.
‘I will choose the time,' he said.

‘It is your business, my old friend, but I cannot understand the difficulty. Tell the truth and shame the devil.'

‘She-devil,' he murmured.

‘Surely not Miss Hemingford?'

‘Good God, no! Far from it. She is more angel than devil, as well as beautiful and intelligent…'

‘Oh, I begin to see. The she-devil is the other one. You have got yourself into a coil, Tremayne. If I can do anything to help…'

‘Support me in this hospital idea, that must be my first consideration, before anything else. My feelings have no relevance.'

‘You do not need to ask. I will do what I can.'

Justin suddenly became animated and quickened his pace. ‘Then let us see to the patients who are waiting, and then go and inspect Cliff House.' They turned the corner and discovered the houses at the sea front end of the street was already falling to the hammers of the developers. The air was filled with noise and dust. ‘We have no time to waste.'

 

The fields to the west of the town were often used for games and military parades and on the Thursday chosen for the sports the weather was fine and warm and long before the opening ceremony the crowds were gathering, some to take part, others simply to watch or wander round the many booths set up to entertain and to tempt people to part with their money. There were booths selling hot potatoes, gingerbread, whelks and lemonade and sections roped off where the populace could try their hands at nine pins, bobbing for apples, archery and boxing, all of which would bring in more revenue. Anne sat at a table, taking the entrance fees as people flocked in.

She had seen Justin only once since the last committee meeting and that was when they met by chance while she and her aunt were promenading the sea front after tea at the Assembly Rooms the previous Sunday. He had been in animated conversation with Mrs Tremayne, but stopped to bow to them both. ‘Ladies, your obedient.' His smile had seemed a little forced, as if he would rather not have come upon them.

They had returned his greeting from beneath their parasols. ‘Good day, Dr Tremayne. Mrs Tremayne.'

‘Good afternoon, Mrs Bartrum, Miss Hemingford.'
Mrs Tremayne's cheeks had been bright pink, as if she were embarrassed at being caught out in some indiscretion.

They had exchanged comments about the weather, which was calm again after the storm, and Justin had told them he had viewed Cliff House and was of the opinion that it would make a good hospital and he had made an offer for the lease. ‘Of course, there is a great deal of work to be done before it is ready for its first patient,' he had said.

Mrs Tremayne had made a snort of derision. ‘Really, Justin, it is a ruin. I cannot see how you can possibly contemplate making it into a hospital.'

‘Oh, I shall,' he had said quietly.

‘You know, he is only doing it to win a wager,' Mrs Tremayne had said, turning to Anne and her aunt. ‘If he wins, I will make a donation to his hospital, but, if I win, he will come home and make his peace with his family. I am confident of success.' She had smiled and taken his arm. ‘I know him so well, you see.'

The memory of the encounter still burned Anne's cheeks whenever she thought of it. The woman had been so sure of herself, so like a cat in a cream bowl, that Anne wanted to scream at her, ‘You shall not have him!' And that, looking back, only showed how foolish she had been to be taken in by a handsome face, a muscular body and a couple of kisses. Kisses meant nothing to him; she had proof of that, and the sooner she put him from her mind the better. She had made an excuse that they were in a hurry to be elsewhere and dragged her aunt away. She had not looked back.

Now he was coming towards her with Tildy skipping at his side. The child was not in the least in awe of him and was chattering gaily. Seeing Anne, she broke away from the doctor and ran to stand before her. ‘Hallo, lady.'

Anne smiled at the little girl. ‘Hallo, Tildy. Are you enjoying yourself?'

‘Oh, yes. I am going in one of the races later and Tom is going to bowl for the pig.'

‘Then I hope you both win.'

‘Will you come and watch?'

‘I have to stay here and take the people's money.'

‘Can't someone else do it for you?'

‘Yes, Miss Hemingford,' Justin said with a smile. She was in pale green gingham today, which seemed to heighten the colour of her chestnut hair and amber eyes; she was vibrantly alive. ‘Do shut up shop for a while. I do not think there will be many more coming. It is nearly time for the opening ceremony.'

Everyone was congregating at the end of the field where a platform had been erected and on which were gathered the town dignitaries, Lord and Lady Mancroft, Major Mancroft and Captain Gosforth. ‘You should be with them,' he murmured, watching as she closed and locked the money box and handed it to the sergeant whom Major Mancroft had detailed to guard her while she had it in her possession. Pickpockets and thieves would view the occasion as a gift from heaven and no one doubted they would take full advantage of it. The sergeant and another soldier, both big strong men, would see off anyone attempting to steal it. ‘Without you, there would have been no hospital project.'

‘Oh, I have no desire to be in the limelight, Doctor,' she said, retying the green ribbon that secured her straw bonnet. ‘But you should be there. Do not let them crowd you out.'

‘Like you, I would rather work behind the scenes, Miss Hemingford.'

He offered her his arm. She put one hand upon the sleeve of his dove-grey frockcoat and was surprised and pleased when Tildy slipped a small grubby hand into hers on the other side and together they made their way towards the platform to stand at the back and listen to the speeches. There were cheers from the crowd when Justin's name was mentioned as the doctor whose work with the poor had inspired the project.

‘It is very unfair,' Anne said, when the speeches had ended and Lady Mancroft had declared the event officially open. ‘No one said a word about you running the hospital when it is ready…'

‘Does it matter who runs it as long as it comes to fruition?' he queried. ‘I am not indispensable.'

‘Oh.' She was reminded of Mrs Tremayne's contention that he would not see it out and wondered if the woman had been right all along. Was he already losing interest?

She had no time to ask him because her aunt was bearing down on them, with Major Mancroft and Captain Gosforth in tow. ‘Come, Anne, I need your help in the refreshment tent,' she said. And to Tildy, with a look of revulsion, ‘Run along, child. Find your mama.'

‘But you promised…' the little one appealed to Anne.

‘So I did and I will not break it.' She turned to her aunt. ‘I promised Tildy I would see her run in her race. Can you not spare me a little longer?'

‘Oh, very well. I will ask Mrs Barry to help me. No doubt the lieutenants will be glad to lose her for a while.'

The Major laughed. ‘I am sure you have the right of it, ma'am, but it is understandable that she would be concerned for her daughters after what happened to Miss Jeanette. I would help you myself, but I have other duties. If you will excuse me.' He seized the lady's hand and kissed the back of it before striding away.