The Christmas Wedding

‘I’m sure the doctor would prescribe these to be taken freely, Jack. I believe they are very good for sore limbs.’

Jack’s eyes lit up and he crammed a sweet into his mouth. ‘Ta, miss. Ta, ever so.’

‘Don’t speak with your mouth full, boy,’ Lemuel said crossly. ‘You shouldn’t spoil him, miss. Jack wouldn’t have injured himself if he’d been in school. It’s God’s way of punishing him.’

Nick hesitated as he was about to close his medical bag. ‘It was an accident, Lemuel. I think Jack has learned his lesson, and he won’t be doing much climbing for a while.’ He gave Lemuel a searching look. ‘How long have you had that cough?’

‘It’s nothing, Doctor. Just the usual winter ailment, same as the missis upstairs, only she’s took to her bed.’

Nick took a small brown bottle from his bag and laid it on the kitchen table. ‘You might find this helps. The instructions for taking it are on the label.’

‘I don’t want it, Doctor. I can’t pay.’

‘It’s a commercial traveller’s sample; it cost me nothing, so it’s just taking up space in my bag.’ Nick snapped the locks together and made for the doorway. ‘I’ll call again tomorrow. Make sure you behave yourself, young Fox.’ He placed his hat on his head as he stepped outside into the cold, clear morning air.

Daisy followed him to the cart. ‘That wasn’t a free sample, was it?’

‘It will give Lemuel and his wife a little ease from the chest complaint.’

‘Consumption?’

‘That would be the worst diagnosis, but it could be simply inflammation of the lungs caused by the damp conditions and poor food. It’s what happens to people who live in poverty, and I’ve seen it all too often at the London.’

‘Is there nothing you can do for them?’

Nick handed her onto the driver’s seat and climbed up to sit next to her. ‘I wish there were, but all I can do is to hand out laudanum and advice as to their diet, which I know they cannot follow on such a limited income.’

‘You’ve employed Dove and you sent Linnet to us,’ Daisy said gently. ‘At least the girls are looked after, but what will happen to Jack?’

‘The boy will have to leave school and look for work. He has an elder brother, but Jay fell foul of the law and came to no good, according to Mrs Bee, who loves to fill me in with all the village gossip.’ Nick flicked the reins. ‘Walk on.’

Relieved to get away from the depressing subject of illness, Daisy was intrigued by the Fox family. ‘The girls have birds’ names, but Jack is presumably short for James or John.’

Nick laughed and encouraged the horse to trot. ‘I believe he was christened Jackdaw, but understandably prefers the shortened version.’

‘And the other son?’

‘Jay is the black sheep of the family. We used to play together as boys, but then I went to boarding school and university and we went our separate ways.’

‘Perhaps someone ought to inform Jay that his parents are ill?’

‘You’re right, of course, although I wouldn’t know how to contact him. I’ve been away from the village for a very long time.’

‘But Mrs Bee might be able to help. You said that she knows everyone.’

‘Again, you’re quite right. I’ve learned how to diagnose and deal with disease, but it seems I still have much to learn about dealing with patients’ problems. Maybe I’m more suited to working at a big hospital or in Harley Street. Perhaps Toby has the right idea.’

‘My brother isn’t like you, Nick. I think you would make a very good country doctor, and I suspect that the people in places like Little Creek are in desperate need of your services. London is full of hospitals and doctors’ practices, but you said yourself that the villagers have had no one to look after them since your father passed away.’

‘That is true but my position is untenable. If I can’t make the repayments to the squire I’ll have to sell the property.’ He concentrated on the road ahead. ‘Anyway, that’s my problem. Will you stay in Little Creek? You didn’t seem too keen on the idea yesterday.’

‘It’s different for me,’ Daisy said, sighing. ‘I really don’t want to go back to being a governess, but I’m not qualified to do anything else.’

‘Then we’re both at a crossroads, and neither of us knows which way to go.’

He drove on in silence until they reached Creek Cottage, where he reined in and drew the horse to a halt. ‘Come to dinner this evening, Daisy. I’ll show you the rest of Creek Hall and you’ll see the extent of my problem. Nothing has been done to preserve the old house for many a year despite my father’s attempts to renovate the building. I’m afraid it might be too late to save it now.’

‘That’s not the most exciting invitation I’ve ever had,’ Daisy said, laughing. ‘But I would like to see more of the house. It just needs some loving care to bring it back to life.’

Nick leaped to the ground and helped her to alight from the chaise. ‘I’ll call for you at six, if that’s convenient.’

‘Thank you. I’ll look forward to it.’

Dove served their meal in the dining room. Candlelight reflected off the old oak panelling, adding to the feeling of warmth and comfort, and the steak and kidney pie was excellent, but Daisy’s thoughts were with the Fox family, living in squalid conditions less than a mile away.

‘You aren’t eating, Daisy,’ Nick said gently. ‘Isn’t the food to your liking?’

She looked up with a start. ‘No, I mean yes. The pie is delicious. I was thinking of Jack and his family.’ She hesitated, at a sudden loss for words.

Nick sat back in his chair, eyeing her thoughtfully. ‘Their situation really bothers you, doesn’t it?’

‘Yes, but I hope I didn’t show it in front of Jack’s father. I should imagine he’s a very proud man.’

‘You were very quiet. It’s more what you haven’t said than anything else.’

‘Is their home part of your estate?’

‘It was once, but my father sold the properties in the hope that the new landlord would make the necessary improvements. Sadly this doesn’t seem to have happened.’

‘Did you say that the squire owns them now?’

‘Yes, I did. The wretched fellow lives in the manor house on the other side of the river, and I should think he owns half the county. He’s also the local Justice of the Peace.’

‘Perhaps someone ought to tell him that his tenants are living in slum conditions.’

‘He’s not the sort of man who would take kindly to criticism, even if well meant.’

‘I don’t like the sound of Squire Tattersall. Thank goodness my aunt owns Creek Cottage.’

‘She might own the building, but I dare say the squire retained the leasehold. I believe he is an astute businessman, whatever people say about him.’

‘I’ll have to ask Aunt Eleanora, although she might not be aware of such a thing. The cottage was left to her by a relative.’

‘Then I suggest she takes advice from a solicitor. Tattersall is not the sort of man to be sentimental when it comes to money.’

‘Maybe if he saw how the condition of the cottages affects the health and wellbeing of his tenants he might do something about it.’

Nick smiled and shook his head. ‘You have more faith in mankind than I have, Daisy. Let’s enjoy our meal and then I’ll show you the rest of the house. It looks slightly less shabby by lamplight.’

Dove brought the dessert, and after a generous helping of jam roly-poly smothered in creamy custard, Daisy was ready for the promised tour of the house. But Mrs Bee hurried into the morning parlour with the news that it was snowing again, and the road might soon become impassable.

‘You’d better take the young lady home, Doctor,’ Mrs Bee said in a tone that did not invite discussion.

‘You’re right, of course.’ Nick rose from the table. ‘I’ll fetch the trap and bring it round to the front door. You will see the rest of the house one day, Daisy. I promise.’

Mrs Bee followed him from the room, returning moments later with an umbrella and a travelling rug, which she handed to Daisy. ‘You’ll need these, miss.’

‘Thank you, Mrs Bee. And thank you for a wonderful meal.’

‘You’re welcome, miss. It’s good to see the doctor so cheerful. I’ve known him since he was a little boy and he took his pa’s death very much to heart.’

‘You’ll miss him if he decides to go away again.’

‘If that happens it will be the end of Creek Hall. He’d almost certainly have to sell it and who knows what would happen then? I wouldn’t want it to get into the hands of Squire Tattersall.’

‘You’re the second person who’s led me to think that the squire isn’t a good man.’

‘I can only repeat what I’ve heard, but apparently he’s ruthless in business and shows no mercy as a magistrate. His poor wife died young, and they say that he drove her to an early death, but I wouldn’t know about that. All I do know is that he’s a bad landlord and his tenants live in fear of him.’

‘Well, I don’t think I want to meet the squire. I’ll take care to avoid him.’

‘Very wise, miss.’ Mrs Bee walked over to the window and peered out into the darkness. ‘I thought I heard the rumble of wheels. The doctor is waiting for you. Best hurry, miss. The snow seems to be falling faster.’

Nick was waiting to help her on to the driver’s seat and he wrapped the rug round her knees. ‘I’m sorry we’ve had to cut the evening short, but we’ll do this again when the weather improves.’

Daisy unfurled the umbrella and held it over him while he climbed up to sit beside her. ‘I look forward to it. I think I’m falling under Creek Hall’s spell even now.’

‘Walk on.’ He tapped the horse gently with the tip of the whip. ‘The old house does that to people. I can remember visitors coming when I was a child, and some of them stayed on for days, if not weeks. There were people around all the time and the place was alive. Now it feels as though it’s sleeping, but I don’t want it to slip away from me.’

‘You talk about the hall as if it were a living entity.’

‘Do I? I didn’t realise I was so fanciful. I suppose everyone feels like that about their childhood home, especially when it was a happy one. What about you, Daisy? What made you leave London and come to live in the wilds of Essex?’

‘A broken engagement.’ She had not meant to tell anyone outside the family, but Nick was different and he invited confidences.

‘I’m sorry. Do you want to talk about it?’

‘Not really. Julian is the elder son of the Carrington family and I was employed as governess to his younger brother. I don’t know how it happened, but Julian and I fell in love. He asked me to marry him, but he wanted to keep our engagement a secret until his twenty-first birthday.’

‘His parents might have objected?’

‘Yes, they would, although it didn’t come to that. Julian wrote to me from Oxford, telling me that he’d been offered a job in the diplomatic service in Paris, and was leaving immediately.’

‘I don’t see why that would matter. In fact, it would seem ideal for a young married couple to set up home far away from the disapproving family.’

‘Perhaps, but Julian obviously didn’t see it like that. Maybe he had second thoughts. I don’t know.’

‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you, Daisy.’

‘I’m all right.’ Daisy shot him a sideways glance and smiled. ‘In fact, I’d forgotten about Julian for a while. I’ve had more important things to think about.’

‘Meaning the Fox family?’

‘I really would like to do something for them, Nick. But I wouldn’t know where to start.’

‘You are helping by giving Linnet a job, and you could call on Jack each day to see how he’s getting on. His mother and father are obviously too sick to look after him properly.’

Daisy stared ahead into the swirling snow. ‘I wonder if they would allow me to take him to Creek Cottage. He’s not ill, he just needs someone to make sure he gets proper food and rest until his arm heals. I could help him with his lessons, if the schoolmaster would allow such a thing.’

‘I think that’s an excellent idea. You’d have Linnet to help you, and I could put a word in with Lemuel, if you wish. Again, I’ve known him since I was a boy, and he trusts me.’

‘I’ll have to ask my aunt and uncle, but I’m sure they’d agree. There’s plenty of room in the cottage, and it would give me something to do. I’m not the sort of person who enjoys being idle.’ Daisy huddled beneath the travelling rug, holding the umbrella so that it shielded Nick as well as herself from the driving snow. They lapsed into silence as the horse plodded along the now familiar road with the wood on one side and the creek on the other. The water gleamed silkily in the cold light reflected off the snow, and the trees in the wood stood out dark and mysterious against a silvery background. The cold was intense and soon Daisy had lost all the feeling in her toes and fingertips.

It was a relief when the lights from Creek Cottage beamed at them like a welcoming smile. Nick climbed down to help her to the ground and they stood for a moment, so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek.

‘Thank you for supper and for bringing me home.’ Daisy moved away as the front door opened and they were caught in a beam of light from the lantern Eleanora held in her hand.

‘Is that you, Daisy? I was beginning to worry.’

‘I brought her home safe, Mrs Marshall,’ Nick said cheerfully. ‘You must excuse me if I don’t linger, but I want to get back before the snow gets any deeper.’

‘I wish we’d never come to this godforsaken place.’ Eleanora reached out to grab Daisy by the hand. ‘Good night, Doctor.’

‘It isn’t always like this, Mrs Marshall.’ Nick tipped his hat, sending a shower of soft snow into the air. ‘Spring can’t be far off and it’s really beautiful here in the summer.’

‘I doubt if we’ll be here much longer if this dreadful snow persists.’ Eleanora dragged Daisy into the cottage and slammed the door. ‘I didn’t mean to be rude, but it’s too cold to stand there and discuss the weather.’

‘I still have his umbrella.’ Daisy opened the door in time to see the chaise disappearing into the darkness.

‘It will probably be pelting with rain tomorrow,’ Eleanora said grimly. ‘Give it back to him when the weather improves. Anyway, your uncle has gone to bed and I’m about to follow him. I was just waiting up for you, Daisy.’

‘But it can’t be much later than nine o’clock, Aunt.’

‘It feels much later.’ She put the lantern on the hall table and lit a candle. She headed for the stairs, holding the chamber candlestick in one hand and clutching the banister rail with the other. ‘Good night, Daisy.’

‘Good night, Aunt.’ Daisy watched her aunt as she marched up the stairs, accompanied by the shadow cast by her candle. She had made her feelings about living in the country quite clear, and Daisy decided that this was not the right time to ask if Jack could stay with them while his broken bone mended.

She shivered and flexed her fingers, which were tingling painfully. A cup of hot cocoa would be just the thing to settle her for the night and she made her way to the kitchen, but as she entered the room she was aware of soft, even breathing. She held the lantern higher and she could just make out Linnet’s sleeping form, curled up like a kitten in front of the range.

‘Linnet, are you all right?’

Linnet stretched and opened her eyes. She scrambled to her feet. ‘I’m sorry, miss. I didn’t know you wanted anything.’

‘I didn’t mean to disturb you,’ Daisy said hastily, ‘but you shouldn’t sleep on the floor. You’ll be stiff and aching in the morning.’

‘It won’t be the first time, miss. At home I used to sleep on a mattress top to toe with my sister, with Jack snoring away in the truckle bed.’

‘I thought you went home every night.’

‘The missis said I could stay because of the snow.’

‘Then at least she should have made sure you had a proper bed to sleep on.’

Linnet scrambled to her feet. ‘No, miss. Please, it’s all right. I don’t want to make a fuss or I’ll lose my job.’

Daisy placed the lantern on the table. ‘I understand, but we can’t have you lying on the floor like an animal. I’ll fetch some bedding and I think we both could do with a cup of cocoa. Do you know how to make it?’

‘It’s our Christmas morning treat, miss. I made it this year, so I know what to do.’

‘Lots of sugar,’ Daisy said, smiling. ‘You do that and I’ll see what I can find to make you more comfortable.’ She hesitated in the doorway. ‘You heard about Jack’s injury, I suppose?’

‘Hattie told me, miss. She said that you and the doctor had looked after him. He’s a young limb if ever there was one, always in trouble, but he’s a good boy at heart.’

‘I believe that, Linnet. He was very brave when Dr Neville set his arm.’

Daisy left Linnet to make the cocoa while she went upstairs to take the coverlet and a pillow from Toby’s room. It was unlikely that he would come to stay in the foreseeable future, but she did not want to offend her aunt by allowing a servant to sleep in his bed. There were a couple of small attic rooms beneath the eaves on the top floor. Hattie had one and with a little effort the second could be made habitable for Linnet. It would be up for discussion tomorrow, when, she hoped, Aunt Eleanora would be in a happier mood, and Daisy would bring up the subject of taking care of young Jack. It would make life a lot easier if his sister were to live in – Daisy smiled to herself. With luck all the pieces would fall into place, and just maybe her aunt would feel more settled in the country. It would be a shame to return to London too soon. There were people who needed her help, Dr Neville being one of them.

Chapter Six

Daisy was up early next morning, but she was not the first down to breakfast. She entered the small dining room to find her uncle had finished his meal of eggs and bacon and was about to leave the table.

‘I didn’t expect to see you up so early, Uncle.’

Sidney wiped his lips on a clean white napkin. ‘Ah, but I have a purpose for getting up from my bed this morning.’

Daisy sat down opposite him. ‘That sounds interesting.’

‘The landlord of the village pub has fishing tackle he wants to sell. I’m going to take a look at it and make him an offer.’

‘Do you know anything about fishing, Uncle?’

‘Not a thing, but I’m eager to learn. It would give me something to do and put food on the table. We have to be careful with the pennies now that I’ve retired from the business.’ He stood up and stretched. ‘That was an excellent breakfast. Everyone should have a good start to the day.’ He headed for the door. ‘If your aunt says anything, tell her I had to leave early or I might not get what I want.’

Daisy smiled and nodded as he left the room. She had never seen her uncle so enthusiastic about anything.

The door had hardly closed when it opened again to admit her aunt.

‘Really, he’s like an excited child,’ Eleanora said crossly. ‘He’ll spend money on a fishing rod and it will be thrilling for five minutes. He’ll change his mind when he spends hours on the river-bank and catches nothing other than a cold.’

‘He might enjoy it, Aunt. And Hattie can cook the fish he brings home.’

Eleanora went to the sideboard and filled a bowl with porridge. ‘I have so little appetite these days,’ she said as she took her seat and reached for the sugar bowl. ‘Pass the cream, please, Daisy.’

Daisy did as she asked and sat back, nibbling a slice of buttered toast as she watched her aunt spoon porridge laced with cream and sugar into her mouth.

‘Thank goodness Hattie came with us,’ Eleanora said, scraping the last morsels from the bowl. She licked the spoon with obvious enjoyment. ‘She is such a good cook.’

‘It was kind of you to take Linnet on. She’s a bright girl and eager to learn.’ Daisy eyed her aunt warily. So far so good. ‘Do you intend to make her position permanent?’

‘We have certain standards to keep up, and I can hardly expect Hattie to do all the work. She’d pack up and return to London in a blink of an eye.’

Encouraged, Daisy leaned forward, giving her aunt a persuasive smile. ‘Then perhaps Linnet ought to be given a room of her own. There’s a small one in the attic, next to Hattie’s.’

Eleanora reached for a small brass bell and rang it. ‘If you say so, dear. I haven’t been up there myself, but it does make sense to have the girl living in, and it will take some of the burden from Hattie.’

‘That’s a yes, then?’

‘I said so, didn’t I?’ Eleanora was about to ring the bell again when Linnet burst into the room.

‘You rang, missis?’

‘You are supposed to knock,’ Eleanora said firmly. ‘And you address me as Mrs Marshall or ma’am.’

‘Yes, ma’am.’ Linnet placed a plate of crisp bacon and two fried eggs in front of Eleanora. ‘Is there anything else, ma’am?’

‘Yes, Linnet. My niece tells me that you will be happy to live in. There’s a room next to Hattie’s that you may use. Daisy will help you to make it comfortable.’

Linnet’s cheeks flushed and her eyes shone with delight. ‘Ta, ever so, missis. I mean, thank you, ma’am.’

‘That’s all. You may go.’

‘Yes, ma’am.’ Linnet gave Daisy a radiant smile as she hurried past her and almost ran from the room.

‘She’ll have to learn a few manners, but she’ll do. One can’t expect town polish in a backwater like Little Creek.’ Eleanora picked up her knife and fork and began to attack the bacon with a determined look on her face.

‘I was wondering …’ Daisy began tentatively.

‘What, dear? Don’t start a sentence and let it hang in the air.’

‘Well, I know how kind-hearted you are, and Linnet’s younger brother had an accident yesterday. Dr Neville and I happened to be passing and we took him home. Jack had broken his arm and he was very brave when Dr Neville was treating him.’ Warming to her subject Daisy leaned across the table. ‘The family are so poor, Aunt. You can’t imagine how they live. Their cottage is damp and in a dreadful state of disrepair. Mr and Mrs Fox are both ill with chest complaints and they have barely enough to feed them, let alone a sick child.’

Eleanora looked up from her plate, frowning. ‘It’s sad, but that’s how the lower orders live, Daisy. There are plenty of poor people in London who are living in even worse conditions. We can’t look after them all.’

‘No, of course, not,’ Daisy said hastily. ‘But I was wondering if Jack might stay here for a week or two, just until his bones mend. Dr Neville thinks it would be a very good thing.’

‘Does he indeed? Then perhaps Dr Neville ought to take the boy into his house and look after him. Hattie tells me that Creek Hall is huge. She had it from someone she met in the village whose sister used to work for the old doctor.’

‘Nick can’t afford the upkeep of the hall, Aunt. He thinks he might have to return to London, or find a practice elsewhere. He might even have to sell his old home.’

‘That is a pity, but there’s nothing we can do about it, dear.’ Eleanora reached for a slice of toast, broke off a shard and dipped it in the egg yolk. She ate it with relish. ‘You ought to have a cooked breakfast, Daisy. You’re all skin and bone as it is, and in this weather you need a bit of flesh on your bones.’

‘I had a big meal at Creek Hall last evening, Aunt. Mrs Bee is an excellent cook.’

‘I’m sure Hattie is the better of the two.’

‘Oh, undoubtedly,’ Daisy said tactfully. ‘But what about young Jack? I can imagine Toby might have been like him when he was younger.’

Eleanora hesitated with the toast halfway to her lips, and Daisy knew she had scored a point in Jack’s favour. Toby was her aunt’s favourite – she had always known that, but it had never bothered her. Toby had a way with him that women of all ages found irresistible.

‘How old is the boy?’ Eleanora popped the toast into her mouth.

‘He’s about nine or maybe ten. I didn’t ask, but all he needs is a comfortable bed and good food. He’s very undernourished. I would hate to think of Toby suffering like that.’