Stay with Me (17 page)

‘And we will see that the events of a year ago don't cloud your festivities,' promised James.

‘Just having you both there will disperse any clouds that might gather,' said Alistair.

James smiled. ‘You mean, Lena's presence will do that for you.' Before Alistair could respond he added, ‘I've some documents to read through. I'll leave you two, if I may?' He turned quickly for the door.

As it clicked shut Alistair took Lena's hand and led her to the sofa. ‘He's right. Seeing you will certainly brighten up my Christmas.'

‘And you mine,' she replied as they sat down.

He smiled, at her, a gentle, loving smile. It was as if he was searching for a further response that he hoped would be forthcoming from her. The words were on her lips, words she would have uttered without hesitation a few weeks ago, but were held back by the thought of that letter hidden beneath her fichus.

‘I'm glad,' Alistair continued. ‘You have always brightened my life, ever since we were children.'

‘We did have some lovely Christmases. Remember when we . . .'

He put his fingers to her lips to stop her. ‘Don't say any more - don't reminisce. Think of the time to come. Put sad reminders aside. And remember, if ever you need to share, memories good or bad, I am here.'

‘You are so kind and thoughtful, Alistair. I am very grateful to you.'

‘It has always been my pleasure and privilege.' He leaned forward and kissed her then.

Lena did not draw away but returned his kiss, yet even as their lips met she felt a shiver of distress run through her. That letter carefully preserved among her private possessions ...

 

A week before Christmas Olivia paid her friend a visit. After greetings were made and local news and gossip exchanged, Lena was pouring some tea while Olivia expounded on the real reason for her visit. ‘It's always a pleasure seeing you, my dear friend, but I have another reason for calling on you today.'

Lena raised an eyebrow in query.

‘The day after tomorrow I am helping Alistair distribute food and gifts to some of his more needy patients. He wondered if you would care to help too? He would have come to ask you himself but was called away to a woman in labour in Horizon Yard.'

Lena had never visited Horizon Yard which she knew to be a shocking misnomer. If ever there had been one, it was now closed in by hovels built to both sides of a rough narrow track that served as a footpath, climbing the cliff-side from the main thoroughfare of Church Street until it could go no further because of the exposed rock face. Here families lived - no, existed - in direst poverty: unskilled men with no work; women bowed down through constant childbirth and unable to properly feed their surviving brood. Yet not far away were streets of well-cared-for houses where skilled workers and tradesmen thrived, respected by all, and exchanged news of their employers living in the grand new villas being built across the river. Whenever she thought about it, which was rarely, Lena abhorred the contrast between some of the east side and the west, where thankfully she lived.

Yet now she was being asked to visit some of those poverty-stricken streets, for she knew only too well what Olivia meant by Alistair's ‘more needy patients'. A shiver of apprehension ran down Lena's spine. But what else could she do but agree? To refuse point blank would hurt Alistair, as well as surprise and maybe even shock Olivia whom she knew would not recoil from accompanying her brother to such places. Lena did not want to appear nambypamby, but was this the sort of support he would always expect of her? Was this the function of a wife, in his eyes? She shuddered at the thought of what the future could hold for her, completely bypassing the adventure and excitement of the mercantile world pursued so vigorously from Whitby and from Hull.

‘Well, Lena, will you?' Olivia's voice startled her. ‘You were far away then.'

‘Sorry. I was just thinking how Christmases differ according to circumstances.'

‘So they do,' agreed Olivia. ‘But Alistair sees how lucky we are generally and believes we should do what we can to help the less fortunate, particularly at this time.'

It was on Lena's tongue to say, ‘Let them help themselves otherwise they'll always be expecting charity,' but she held the words back. It was no good provoking argument. It was the season of good-will towards all men.

‘So will you help?' prompted Olivia again.

‘Of course,' replied Lena, crossing her fingers behind her back.

‘Then I'll call for you at nine the day after tomorrow. Be prepared for a long day. Alistair has said he will take us to the Angel for luncheon then we won't have to trek all the way back here.'

Lena nodded. ‘That's very good of him.'

‘It will save time, and that is important when it gets dark so early. And he doesn't want to spend another day at it.'

Then why start at all? Lena once again stifled the words but thought them with frustrated annoyance. ‘I'll be ready,' she said with an agreeable smile that hid her real feelings.

 

Olivia was as good as her word; the grandfather clock in the hall was striking nine when she was admitted to the Carnforth residence. Knowing her strict time-keeping, Lena was ready.

‘Good, I'm glad you've wrapped up well,' she commented when she saw Lena's brown redingote and small tight-fitting bonnet.

‘I looked out to test the air before deciding what to wear. Nippy, but at least it's fine. It certainly wouldn't have helped if it had been raining or snowing.'

‘God looks after those performing good works,' said Olivia.

Lena made no comment to this but started for the door. ‘Are we meeting Alistair at the surgery?'

‘No, at Mrs Moorsom's at the end of Henrietta Street. She offered to help and he suggested that if the gifts and food could be assembled at her house, it would be easier to distribute them from there as it is nearer the yards running off Church Street. It would have taken a lot of time if we had had to go back and forth to the surgery on the west side of the river.'

‘Good,' approved Lena, but her mind most welcomed the fact that this would enable them to finish sooner.

Alistair was already at the house when they arrived, to find that he and Mr Moorsom had got some packages ready to be distributed. Mr and Mrs Moorsom were to continue in the role of packers while the other three distributed the Christmas fare.

Alistair greeted Lena with a smile that said much more than his words of welcome. ‘It is very good of you to help, Lena. It means so much to me to make Christmas a brighter time for those of my patients who otherwise face a bleak festive season. I'm sure you will find it very rewarding too.'

She made no comment but asked instead, ‘Just helping your own patients . . . won't it rouse jealousy in others?'

‘I dare say it will, particularly if the doctors who look after them do nothing.'

‘Won't those doctors then be antagonistic towards you, because you are doing this and they aren't? I would imagine that is not the way to remain popular in this town.'

‘I don't seek to be popular with everyone. If I tread on some toes, then so be it. All I seek is to do some good for Whitby and the deserving cases under my own jurisdiction. But enough of this. Let's get started. Those boxes at the front of the cart contain toys for the children, the rest are Christmas hampers. We'll all stay together. We'll be in some rough parts of town but you'll be treated with respect if you are with me.'

Alistair proved to be correct from the start. Men touched their caps or foreheads to them but were openly curious about the two ladies who accompanied the doctor, though as the day wore on Lena sensed that some looked her up and down with more of a salacious gleam. Women with torn shawls around their shoulders and stains on their black dresses, though they had at least made some attempt to make their hair tidy and scrub colour into their cheeks, stood about in groups gossiping, but turned their gaze eagerly on the newcomers as they entered the confines of the yard.

Here and there Lena saw poor attempts to make these hovels more habitable, but there were others too where nothing had been done and filth lay all around. Lena almost retched when she entered the first such house; only by strength of will did she prevent herself from making a fool of herself, and as it was, was unable to hide her disgust. Other dwellings were more salubrious and there she could see a woman had struggled to make her home more habitable for an oversized family. Children seemed to be everywhere; their excited shouts on seeing the toys were almost overpowering, especially when arguments arose over who should have what.

In spite of being affected by the general squalor Lena had to acknowledge their appreciation of the food and gifts the doctor had brought them, to brighten what would otherwise have been a bleak holiday.

‘God bless yer, doctor.'

‘Yer's too good.'

‘Thank yer, good lady.'

‘The kids will be happy.'

And with their thanks she saw tears dampen their eyes.

Sitting down to a fine spread for lunch at the Angel, Lena's eyes were newly opened to the contrast she had just witnessed and she realised fully for the first time what Alistair was doing for these people. Olivia had willingly helped, and Lena was sure now that he would expect the same of her too.

Nevertheless, as she walked up the path to the elegant, comfortable, warm house where she had been brought up by loving parents, she knew she could not venture into those poverty-stricken streets and yards again. All she wanted now was to get out of these clothes. The redingote and dress she would burn; they had been fingered by too many dirty urchin hands, tugging at her for attention while she was distributing toys. She could never wear them again for they would always remind her of the filth and poverty she had seen. Besides they smelt of sweat, smoke, confined quarters and squalor; a smell that would cling to them forever. No doubt her petticoats and underclothes would have absorbed the odours too; well, they could all be burnt.

As soon as she was in the hall she called for a maid and ordered hot water to be brought that so she could bathe the dirt and smells away. It would not be so easy to erase them from her mind.

‘Mrs Campion, be sure to see that the servants have as pleasant a Christmas as possible. Anyone who lives locally may go home if they wish, but see that they are back here the day after Boxing Day so as to prepare for the MacBrides' arrival,' Lena instructed her housekeeper as she pulled on her gloves, ready to go to the Nashes' on the afternoon of Christmas Eve.

‘Certainly, miss,' Mrs Campion replied. ‘There will only be Sarah and me staying.'

‘Very well.'

‘May I say, all the servants asked me to say how grateful they are for the wonderful Christmas meal you provided yesterday? Cook was especially appreciative of the fact that you brought in someone else to do the cooking, so she could enjoy it without all the preparation.'

‘I am pleased everyone enjoyed it, and I know my brother will be too. And Happy Christmas to you, Mrs Campion.'

‘You too, miss.'

As Lena walked to the Nashes' residence she realised that the time spent at the servants' party, though short, for she did not want to intrude or to embarrass them with her presence, had been good for her. It had enabled her to relax, forget the thoughts that troubled her and realise that even tragic anniversaries could be marked without any disrespect to the departed.

James had wanted to make a visit to the office so had arranged to see his sister at the Nashes'. She sensed from the sparkle in Olivia's bright eyes, as her friend hurried into the hall to meet her, that he was already there.

‘Parcels for under the tree,' said Lena, placing the packages on a table at the foot of the stairs. ‘I hope James hasn't forgotten the rest?'

‘He hasn't!'

Lena slipped out of her coat, undid her bonnet and handed them, along with her gloves, to the maid who had admitted her to the house.

‘Come on, we're all in the drawing-room,' said Olivia, slipping her arm through Lena's. ‘We are going to have a splendid time.'

‘We are,' agreed Lena, squeezing Olivia's arm as if to emphasise her observation and reassure her friend that nothing was going to spoil this festive season.

When they entered the drawing-room, the greetings from all the Nashes were warm, making Lena feel at home. Alistair was first to greet her.

‘Welcome,' he said, admiration clear in his eyes as he raised her hand to his lips.

‘Thank you,' replied Lena, returning his smile and inclining her head in acknowledgement. She was aware of Georgina Nash's eyes on her.

‘James and I are most grateful to you for inviting us. We . . .'

‘My dear, our families have been close for so long that you are one of us. You must make yourselves at home.' Georgina straightened her back and placed her hands firmly on her lap as if to say, That is out of the way. ‘Now, we are having a light luncheon, shortly, and will dine in splendour this evening. I have no doubt you young ones will entertain yourselves happily after that.'

After luncheon, when Georgina and Albert Nash seemed to be succumbing to the desire for a nap, the four young ones decided that a walk and some fresh air would sharpen their appetites for the evening meal. Although the wind had freshened it was not unpleasant, but they had wrapped up well.

‘Where are we going?' asked Alistair as they stepped outside. ‘West Cliff?'

‘No,' replied Lena firmly. ‘West Pier.'

‘That'll catch the wind.'