‘Perhaps we will wait until daylight, ma’am. If Ellis is not well enough to be moved, I’ll think again.’ Gillingham spoke in a tone that did not invite argument. He bowed smartly and followed Ruth into the building.
‘Go with the men, Lottie,’ Mrs Filby said in a low voice. ‘You’re a sensible girl, for the most part, anyway. See to their needs as best you can.’ She lowered her voice to a whisper. ‘But don’t make them too comfortable. Their sort don’t pay well.’ She glanced round the yard, which was empty except for the ostlers who were attending to the horses. ‘Filby, where are you? Speak to me.’
Lottie beckoned to the soldiers. ‘Let’s get the poor fellow inside.’
The Filbys’ parlour was dominated by a huge walnut chiffonier, upon which were set out Prudence Filby’s treasured china tea set and small ornaments that had no intrinsic value, but must surely have a meaning for her. Lottie knew each piece intimately, having had to dust them every day since her arrival at The Swan with Two Necks. For some reason best known to herself, Mrs Filby had made the cleaning of her private parlour Lottie’s responsibility, insisting that the hand-hooked rugs with vibrant floral designs had to be taken out into the yard and beaten daily, and the heavy crimson velvet curtains and portière had to be brushed free from dust and cobwebs at least once a week.
Lottie held the door open, and while the soldiers settled Private Ellis on the sofa she raked the glowing embers of the fire into life.
‘What happened to him?’ she asked.
The younger of the two men eyed her up and down. ‘What makes a pretty girl like you want to work in a place like this?’
‘I think we should send for the doctor.’ Lottie chose to ignore the compliment. ‘Your friend looks very poorly.’
‘You’ve got eyes the colour of the cornflowers in the fields at home,’ he said earnestly, ‘and hair the colour of ripe wheat. I never seen such a pretty face in all me born days.’
‘That’s enough of that, Frank. You’re a sapper, not a poet.’ The older man held his hand out to Lottie. ‘Private Joe Benson, miss. Don’t take no notice of my mate. He can’t help hisself when he meets a young lady.’
Lottie smiled. ‘I don’t mind being called pretty, but I still think that your friend looks very unwell.’
Benson leaned over to examine the unconscious man. ‘I’d say he’s got concussion. I seen it afore, miss. We was undergoing training at the Electric Telegraph Company, working on the underground wiring in the Strand, and Ellis was on the ladder when it gave way.’
‘He should have been taken straight to hospital,’ Lottie said worriedly.
‘He could die.’ Frank moved closer to the fire. ‘Is there any chance of a bite to eat and a drink, miss? We can’t do much for young Gideon, but the living has to be taken care of too.’
Lottie turned on him. ‘How can you be so heartless? If you’re hungry go to the kitchen and Mrs Pretty will feed you.’
Frank’s tanned features split into a wide grin. ‘Does she take after her name? Is she good-looking like you?’
It was on the tip of Lottie’s tongue to put him straight, but she changed her mind. ‘The only way you’ll find out is to do as I say.’ She shot a sideways glance at Private Benson. ‘You look as though you could do with some sustenance. I’ll stay with your friend while you get some food, but don’t be too long.’
Benson tipped his cap. ‘Ta, miss. Much obliged. We ain’t eaten since midday.’ He pushed Frank towards the door. ‘Hurry up, then. If we don’t hurry we’ll find the greedy gannets have ate everything in the kitchen.’
Lottie stared down at the inert figure on the couch. A livid bruise marked his otherwise smooth forehead, and his light brown hair was matted with blood from a cut on the temple. He looked young and defenceless, despite the army uniform, and if she had not known better she might have thought him to be sleeping peacefully. She left the room briefly to look for Jem who was rushing about, fetching food and ale for their new guests.
She beckoned to him. ‘When you’ve done that, could you bring me a bowl of warm water and some clean rags? I daren’t leave the poor fellow on his own.’
‘What a to-do! But the officer is a toff,’ Jem chuckled and patted his trouser pocket. ‘He gave me a handsome tip, so I don’t mind running after him and his mates. I’ll bring the water as soon as I can.’ He raced off towards the kitchen, balancing a jug of ale with the expertise of long practice.
When she had bathed the soldier’s cuts, and placed a cold compress on his bruised forehead, Lottie could do no more, and she settled down by the fire. It was warm in the Filbys’ parlour and the chair was comfortable. She was tired and very sleepy …
She awakened with a start at the sound of someone calling out in distress.
Chapter Two
Lottie almost fell off the chair in her haste to be at the young private’s side. His eyes were open, but unfocused, and he was babbling incoherently. She clutched his hand. ‘It’s all right, Gideon. That’s your name, I believe.’
‘Mother?’ He attempted to sit up, but she pressed him back against the cushions.
‘Lie still, there’s a good boy.’
‘You’re not my mother?’ He gazed at her, puzzled and frowning. ‘Is she here?’
Lottie swallowed hard. The lump in her throat threatened to choke her but she managed a smile as she held his hand to her cheek. ‘Your ma isn’t here, Gideon, but I’m sure you’ll see her soon.’
‘I need to send her money. I have to make sure she’s taken care of while I’m away.’
‘You mustn’t worry. She’ll be all right.’
His hazel eyes, framed by ridiculously long and thick brown lashes, focused with difficulty on her face. ‘Where am I? I don’t know you, do I?’
‘My name is Charlotte Lane, although everyone here calls me Lottie.’
‘Lottie.’ He closed his eyes with a sigh.
‘Gideon.’ Alarmed, she shook him by the shoulders. ‘Don’t die. Please don’t die.’
‘It’s all right, miss. We’re back now.’ Joe Benson had come into the room unnoticed. He leaned over Gideon. ‘He ain’t dead. It’s the bump on the head that’s making him like this. We’ll take over now. You get yourself back to bed.’
‘I’ll go with you if you want company.’ Frank stood in the doorway with a tankard clutched in his hand. He was grinning stupidly, and it was obvious that he was in the early stages of being drunk.
‘No, ta, very much. I’ll say good night, then.’ She hesitated, staring down at Gideon. ‘Are you sure there’s nothing we can do for him?’
Benson patted her on the shoulder. ‘We’ll take care of him tonight, and we’ll see how he is in the morning.’
‘But where will you sleep?’ Lottie asked anxiously.
‘We’re sappers, miss.’ Frank saluted drunkenly. ‘We can doss down anywhere.’
‘He’s right. Don’t worry about us.’ Benson moved swiftly to the door and held it open. ‘We’ll probably be off before you’re up and about. This was an unplanned stopover, thanks to Ellis falling down a hole in the road.’
‘I hope he gets better soon.’
Lottie tried to convince herself that Private Ellis was in good hands as she made her way back to the attic, but she had the nagging feeling she could have done more for the injured man. Ruth and May were already in bed, snoring gently, and Lottie had to feel her way in almost complete darkness. She lay down on the prickly palliasse, and, despite her worries, sank into a deep sleep.
Her first thoughts when she awakened next morning were for Private Ellis, and she dressed quickly. It was still dark, but she could hear movement in the stable yard below.
She nudged Ruth, who slept next to her. ‘Wake up. I think the soldiers are leaving.’
Ruth snapped to a sitting position, although her eyes were still shut. ‘What’s the time?’
‘It’s early, I think, but I’m going down anyway.’ Lottie did not wait for a reply. She hurried to the stable yard, where she found men assembled, and Lieutenant Gillingham and his sergeant about to mount their horses. Mrs Filby was conspicuous by her absence, and it was Filby himself who was in charge.
Lottie knew better than to put herself forward, but she could not see Private Ellis and she was alarmed. He might have been taken to hospital, or his cold corpse might be lying on the sofa awaiting the arrival of the undertaker. Her imagination was rapidly getting the better of her, and some of her anxiety seemed to have communicated itself to the lieutenant. He handed the reins to his sergeant.
‘Miss …’ he hesitated, smiling ruefully. ‘I’m afraid I don’t know your name.’
‘Lottie, sir. Lottie Lane.’
‘Well, Miss Lane, I want to thank you for turning out in the middle of the night to assist my men.’
‘It was nothing, sir. How is Private Ellis?’
‘Mr Filby has kindly agreed to allow Ellis to remain here for a day or two, until he’s fit to travel on to Chatham. My men moved him to one of the guest rooms, first thing, but unfortunately I cannot spare anyone to stay with him. Mr Filby assures me that he will be well cared for.’
‘He will indeed,’ Lottie said firmly. ‘I’ll do everything I can for him.’
Gillingham’s serious expression melted into a smile that crinkled the corners of his grey eyes. ‘From what Benson has told me you would make a good nurse, Miss Lane.’
‘Oh, no, sir. I did what anyone would have done.’
‘Don’t underestimate yourself, Miss Lane. Did you know that Miss Nightingale is recruiting nurses to take with her to the Crimea?’
‘Don’t put ideas in her head, I beg you, sir.’ Filby had come up behind them, and, although he was smiling, Lottie knew him well enough to realise that he was growing impatient.
‘I am just a chambermaid, sir,’ she said hastily.
‘Yes, indeed.’ Filby jerked his head in the direction of the kitchen. ‘I think Mrs Pretty is preparing some gruel for the patient, Lottie. You’ll find him in room fifteen, but don’t loiter longer than necessary. There’s a mail coach due from Exeter in half an hour.’
‘Thank you for your hospitality, landlord.’ Gillingham mounted his horse, tossing a coin to the ostler as he rode through the archway that led into Gresham Street.
Frank Jenkins marched past Lottie without a glance, but Joe Benson saluted and winked. It was obvious from his tight-lipped expression that Frank was sober now and suffering the consequences of drinking too much ale. He must, Lottie thought, have received quite a shock when he discovered that Jezebel Pretty did not live up to her name. She could picture the scene, and was still chuckling as she entered the kitchen, but her smile faded when she came face to face with Jezebel, who did not look too pleased.
‘Gruel,’ she said bitterly. ‘As if I hadn’t got enough to do without cooking pap for a sick soldier. They should have taken him with them.’
‘It’s all right, Mrs Pretty. I’ll see to it.’ Lottie took the wooden spoon from her and stirred the mess of oatmeal and water in the soot-blackened saucepan. ‘I’ll take it to him.’
‘You’d best watch out. Military men are all the same. My man was a soldier. He was a conceited turkeycock, always showing off and putting hisself about. He ain’t so handsome now, and that’s a fact.’ Jezebel picked up a cleaver and severed the head off a chicken carcass before tossing it into a stew pot. She threw the head to Lad, who pounced on it and ran under the table with it in his mouth.
Lottie filled a bowl with gruel, and poured the tea, adding a generous dash of milk to both. ‘I’ll be back in a tick, Cook.’
‘You’d better, or I’ll come looking for you. I ain’t handling breakfasts on me own, not with her ladyship yelling at me to hurry up with the bacon and make more toast. I dunno why I stick it here.’
Lottie escaped from the kitchen and crossed the yard, making for the stairs on the far side. The ostlers were preparing the horses that would take the mail coach on to its next stop, but they were unusually silent and barely raised a nod of acknowledgement when Lottie passed by. She met Ruth and May on the way to room fifteen, but they too seemed tired and listless. Lottie could see that it was going to be a long day, and by evening tempers would be ragged. She could only hope that Mrs Filby had slept well. If not, they would all suffer.
She let herself into Gideon’s room, but it was too dark to see anything other than the shape of the bed.
‘Good morning, Private Ellis.’ When there was no response she placed his breakfast on a small side table and made her way to the window. With the curtains drawn back, daylight flooded in, but it was hot and stuffy and she opened the casement just wide enough to allow some air to circulate.
She hurried to the bedside where Gideon was beginning to stir, and she laid a hand on his forehead. His skin felt cool to the touch, and she sighed with relief. At least he was not running a fever. He opened his eyes and attempted to sit up, but fell back against the pillows with a groan.
‘Where does it hurt?’ Lottie asked anxiously. ‘You might have broken some bones.’
He stared at her with a puzzled frown. ‘What happened? I don’t remember. Where am I?’
‘You had a bad fall,’ she said gently. ‘Your mates brought you to us last night, but they’ve gone on to Chatham. Lieutenant Gillingham said you were to follow as soon as you were able.’
‘Gillingham …’ Gideon repeated dazedly. ‘I can’t place him.’
Lottie perched on the edge of the bed. ‘He is your commanding officer, Gideon. I may call you that, mayn’t I?’
‘Gideon, yes. I think that’s my name.’
‘Don’t you remember anything? Like what you were doing before you fell?’
He shook his head and winced, raising his hand to his temple. ‘My head aches, miss.’
‘Lottie,’ she said firmly. ‘I am Lottie, and you are in room fifteen at The Swan with Two Necks.’ She waited for a moment to see if this meant anything to him, but his blank expression was answer enough. She tried again. ‘You were brought here by Lieutenant Gillingham and Private Benson.’
He dashed his hand across his eyes. ‘Nothing seems to make sense. Please leave me alone.’
‘I will, but only after you’ve had some breakfast.’ She went to retrieve the mug and bowl, and placed them on a chair by the side of the bed. ‘Would you like a sip of tea?’
He nodded. ‘I’m parched.’ He struggled to a sitting position and Lottie plumped up the pillows behind him.
It took some time, but in the end she managed to persuade him to drink the tea. He took a few spoonfuls of gruel, but the effort exhausted him and he lay back, closing his eyes.
‘I have to leave you now,’ Lottie said in a low voice. ‘I’ll return as soon as I am able.’ She was not sure if he heard or understood. She would have liked to stay longer, but the sound of the post horn announced the arrival of the mail coach and there was work to do. ‘I’ll come back when I have a spare moment.’
Mrs Filby was in the kitchen talking to Jezebel. They both turned to stare at Lottie.
‘Well?’ Mrs Filby fixed her with an enquiring look. ‘How is the soldier?’
‘He seems to have lost his memory,’ Lottie said carefully. ‘I think he ought to be seen by a doctor.’
‘Do you? And who are you to make decisions, I might ask?’ Mrs Filby bristled angrily. ‘I or my husband will decide whether or not to call in a physician. The lieutenant left money for the young man’s keep, although not sufficient to pay a doctor’s fees. You will look after him, Lottie, but only in your spare moments.’
‘Yes, don’t think you can wriggle out of your duties,’ Jezebel added fiercely. ‘Take the coffee and toast into the dining parlour, and be quick about it.’
‘Don’t stand there like a ninny, get on with your work.’ Mrs Filby sailed out of the kitchen, leaving Lottie to struggle with the coffee pot and a plate piled high with toast.
Jezebel impaled a slice of bread on the toasting fork. ‘Hurry, girl. There’s another coach due any minute.’
Snatching odd moments of calm in between the frantic turnaround of coaches and private carriages, Lottie visited Gideon as often as possible. She gave him sips of laudanum diluted in water to ease the pain of his bruised ribs and his persistent headache, and at midday she helped him sup some broth. He remained dazed and confused, but she was pleased to see a little colour creep back into his previously ashen face.
Her frequent absences did not go unnoticed. Ruth was the first to comment when she passed Lottie on the first-floor gallery. ‘I dunno what makes you so special. Why were you given the job of nursing the soldier? I could have done it better.’
‘I expect you could,’ Lottie said calmly, ‘but I happened to be there at the time, and you were off flirting with Lieutenant Gillingham. Didn’t it go as you’d hoped?’
Ruth tossed her head. ‘I ain’t interested in military men. Here today and gone tomorrow, that’s soldiers for you.’
‘I thought you fancied him, Ruth.’
‘To tell the truth I did, but then I discovered he was off to the Crimea. I ain’t interested in someone what’s going to get blown to bits. I think I’ll stick to Trotter; at least he comes here twice a week and he’s got the money to treat a girl now and then.’
‘And a wife and family to support.’
‘You don’t know that for sure. Anyway, I’m up for a bit of a laugh now and then. I don’t think I want to get hitched and end up like my ma with a new mouth to feed every year.’
Lottie smiled and hurried on to the sick room to check on Private Ellis.
Despite the Filbys’ refusal to send for a physician, Gideon began to improve. His memory returned gradually, and his headaches lessened. On the third day he was able to get up and sit in a chair by the window that overlooked the stable yard.
Lottie was late bringing him his bowl of soup and a cup of tea, and she apologised as she set them on the small table in front of him. ‘I couldn’t get away sooner, Gideon. We’ve been even busier than usual.’
‘I thought they worked us hard in the army,’ he said with a wry smile. ‘But you never seem to stop.’
‘I’ve been doing this since I was twelve. I suppose I’m used to it.’
‘This smells good.’ He lifted the spoon to his lips, but the movement seemed to hurt him and he hesitated, pulling a face.
‘Are you ribs still hurting?’
‘Just a bit. Maybe you should stay and help me if I can’t manage to feed myself.’
She hesitated, eyeing him suspiciously. ‘Are you saying that to keep me here?’
‘Of course I am. I get lonely, and you need to take a break every now and then.’
‘Mrs Filby wouldn’t agree with you, neither would Jezebel.’ Lottie perched on the edge of the bed. ‘I’ll get shot if they catch me.’
‘I’m a soldier. I’ll protect you.’
‘You can hardly stand,’ she said, chuckling. ‘But it’s good to see you looking so much better. I was really worried when your mates brought you here.’
‘I’ve got a hard head. It would take more than a tumble to put me out of action.’
‘You won’t get better if you don’t eat. I should go and let you get on with your meal.’
‘No, please stay. I’ll finish this up if you’ll stay and talk to me, Lottie. Tell me about yourself.’ He picked up the spoon and held it poised. ‘I’m waiting,’ he said with a wry smile.
‘You win, but I can’t stay long.’ Lottie frowned as she recalled the trials of her childhood. ‘There’s not much to tell. My pa is a soldier, like you. He’s a sergeant in the Bombay Sappers and Miners stationed in Poona, or he was the last time he wrote to me. I used to get a letter from him every now and then, but I haven’t heard from him for ages, and I haven’t seen him since I was six.’
‘So you come from a military family.’
‘I was born in India, but I don’t remember much of my time there, although I do recall a white house with a beautiful garden and sweet-smelling flowers. I often dream of walking up the path and knocking on the door, but I always wake up before it opens.’
‘Why did you leave? It sounds too good to be true.’
‘When Ma died of a fever, Pa sent me to England to be looked after by my Uncle Sefton. I’m sure I was a miserable little thing, and he didn’t want to be saddled with me in the first place. Anyway, as soon as he could, he packed me off to boarding school.’
‘So how did you end up slaving away in a coaching inn? It seems such a waste.’
‘Uncle Sefton married late in life and his wife didn’t want me around. I was just twelve when I was sent to work here. I didn’t have any choice in the matter.’
‘Didn’t your father have anything to say about such a decision?’
‘Of course I wrote to Pa, begging him to let me join him, but I had to wait months for a reply, and when it came he said he was stationed on the North-West Frontier, and that I’d be safer in London – so here I stayed. That’s my life in a nutshell. What about you?’
‘My father died some years ago. He was a soldier, and it was taken for granted that I’d follow him into the army. My mother lives in Whitechapel, close to the Garrick Theatre. She takes in lodgers, and I help her as much as I can financially. That’s me in a nutshell, too.’
Lottie jumped to her feet at the sound of someone bellowing her name. ‘Oh Lord! That’s Mrs Filby. She’ll be furious if she knows I’ve been sitting here chatting to you. I have to go, Gideon, but I’ll pop in later, when the rush is over.’
‘Don’t forget me, Lottie.’
She glanced over her shoulder, smiling. ‘As if I would. Drink your tea.’
On the fourth day Gideon was dressed when she brought him his breakfast gruel and a cup of tea. He had shaved and, despite the bruise on his forehead, he looked dashing in his uniform.
‘What are you doing, Private Ellis?’ She placed the bowl and mug on the washstand. ‘You mustn’t overtax yourself.’
‘I’m a fraud, Lottie. I can’t stay here any longer, much as I would like to remain and be cosseted by you. I have to report to my unit.’
‘Oh, well, I suppose you know best.’
He smiled and took both her hands in his. ‘You’ve been wonderful. I owe my speedy recovery to you.’
‘Nonsense. I didn’t do much other than to bring you food and drink.’
‘I won’t have that, Lottie. A trained nurse couldn’t have done better.’
She withdrew her hands, aware that she was blushing furiously. ‘It’s very kind of you to say so, but I know nothing about nursing. It was a matter of luck and Mother Nature was on your side.’
‘Maybe, but you did your part, and I’m truly grateful.’
‘You’d better eat your breakfast. You need all your strength if you’re to ride all the way to Chatham.’
‘This is one thing I won’t miss.’ He sat down and began spooning the thin sops into his mouth. ‘I could do with a plate of bacon and eggs and a nice fat sausage.’
‘You are better,’ she said, smiling. ‘I’m so glad to see you up and about. When they brought you here I thought you were going to die.’
‘If the ladder hadn’t given way I would never have met you, Lottie. I’m just sorry that I won’t have the chance to get to know you better.’
‘Do you think you’ll be leaving for the Crimea very soon? They’re talking about nothing else in the taproom.’
‘I can’t say for certain, but I don’t think it will be long.’ He dropped the spoon into the empty bowl. ‘There, are you satisfied now? It’s all gone.’
‘I’m not your mother, Gideon,’ she said, laughing. ‘But I will be sorry to see you go.’
‘Will you?’ His smile faded and he reached out to clasp her hand. ‘I wish I could say that we’ll meet again, Lottie, but I’m afraid this really is goodbye.’
She was struck by a sudden and almost overwhelming desire to cry. She had known him for only a few days, but it seemed that he had become a part of her life, and now he was about to leave and she would never see him again.
‘You’ll be back, Gideon,’ she said, forcing herself to sound more cheerful than she was feeling. ‘You’ll return covered in glory.’
‘Will you be waiting for me?’ He dropped his hand to his side and his expression was bleak. ‘I’m sorry. That was wrong of me. I couldn’t ask that of anyone, least of all you. I’ll be going into battle, even if we’re just digging saps or laying wires for the telegraph. The chances are I won’t return.’
