Beyond the Sunset Page 27

  He stared at her, not allowing himself to respond.

  Mr Dawson filled the silence. ‘Remember to say nothing about your real situation, my dear Miss Blake. And Zachary, please contain your impatience. We’re relying on you to find some way of proving what’s going on.’

  ‘I’ll keep my eyes open too,’ Pandora said.

  ‘Oh, my dear young lady, this is not work for a woman. Please leave that sort of thing to us.’

  ‘It’s my shop, mine and my sisters’.’

  As Zachary helped her out of the cab, Harry came to the shop door, a smirk on his face.

  ‘So you’re back, Carr.’ He stared at Zachary for a moment or two, frowning as if he hardly recognised him then turned to Pandora. ‘May I be the first to welcome you to your new home, Miss Blake.’ He looked back down the street. ‘I presume your sisters are following?’

  Pandora inclined her head. ‘Thank you for your welcome, Mr Prebble. I shall look forward to working with you.’

  Mr Dawson made shooing motions with one hand and Harry hesitated then went back into the shop.

  It all seemed very dream-like to Zachary – or rather, like a nightmare. He wanted to tell Harry to stay away from her, but he no longer had the right. Already being back in Outham was putting a distance between him and Pandora. Whatever she said, the gap could only get wider.

  When Dot answered the doorbell of the living quarters, she beamed at them and held the door wide, saying simply and with obvious sincerity, ‘Welcome home, Miss Blake. Mr Dawson said you were coming today. This way, please.’

  ‘I’ll help the cab driver carry your trunk up,’ Zachary said.

  ‘Thank you. You’ve been very helpful.’

  She followed the clerk upstairs. ‘I’ve never been inside the living quarters before.’

  ‘You’ll find them very comfortable,’ Mr Dawson said. ‘Ah, there you are, Miss Blair. Allow me to introduce you to Miss Pandora Blake, who is very tired indeed.’

  ‘Welcome home,’ Alice said. ‘What a long journey you’ve had.’

  Pandora returned her smile. ‘Thank you. I’m very glad to be back but I’m exhausted. Could I just have something to eat and go straight to bed? I’ll make more sense in the morning, I’m sure.’

  Alice turned to the maid. ‘Dot?’

  ‘Ham sandwich and a piece of cake be all right, Miss Blake?’

  ‘Just a piece of cake and a cup of tea.’

  Zachary and the cab driver puffed upstairs with the trunk and Miss Blair showed them which room to put it in.

  ‘I’ll leave you ladies alone,’ Mr Dawson said. ‘I’ll come round again tomorrow morning, Miss Blake. I hope you sleep well.’

  ‘I’ll show you out,’ Alice said.

  Left alone with Pandora, Zachary hesitated. ‘Are you feeling better now?’

  ‘I shall be once I’ve slept. I’m sure you’re exhausted too.’

  ‘Yes. It’s been very . . . tiring.’ He turned to follow the others down the stairs.

  ‘Zachary . . .’ she called.

  He swung round. ‘Yes?’

  She said it again and would go on saying it until he believed her. ‘I shall not change my mind.’

  ‘You think you won’t. Wait till you’ve settled in again.’

  ‘How long do I have to wait to prove that to you?’

  ‘Two or three months.’

  She drew herself up. ‘No. That’s too long. One month then I’m telling everyone. You can move in with me or not after that, but I’ll still tell everyone.’

  ‘Pandora, you mustn’t—’

  She went back into the parlour with a toss of her head and slammed the door on him.

  The cab dropped Mr Dawson off at the lawyer’s rooms first and he paid the driver for the whole journey. ‘Don’t forget,’ he murmured to Zachary. ‘Keep quiet about your changed circumstances.’

  ‘Yes.’

  The clerk hesitated. ‘You love her, don’t you?’

  ‘Too much to spoil her life.’

  ‘Oh, I don’t think marrying you would spoil her life, but I do think we need to sort out the other business first. No need to go to work on Monday, or for a day or two. We have a lot of things to sort out first and you’ll need to recover from the journey.’

  Zachary stared as the clerk got out of the cab. Did Mr Dawson mean what he’d said about him and Pandora? Was there really hope that others would approve of the marriage? He couldn’t even think about it clearly at the moment, just leaned his head back against the seat, weary beyond belief.

  When the cab stopped at his home he got out, staring at the house in shock. It looked so small. And all the houses in the street were crammed closely together. For a moment an image of the wide spaces of Australia floated before him, the sky that seemed higher and brighter blue, the magnificent sunsets.

  The front door opened and with a shriek, Hallie flew out to hug him. ‘How brown you are. And surely you’ve grown taller?’

  His mother came to kiss his cheek and hold him close for a moment, then she stepped back and turned to her daughter. ‘Calm down, Hallie, and let your brother get inside.’

  By the time he’d hugged his mother again and got his luggage inside, he was walking like a man half asleep.

  ‘Sorry. I’m too tired to talk tonight. Have you something to eat, Mum? Then I’d like to go to bed.’

  ‘Of course we have. Mr Dawson let us know you were coming, so I made a nice lamb hotpot.’

  He ate mechanically then went upstairs, wondering whether he’d find it difficult to sleep. He let his clothes fall anyhow on the familiar old chair in the corner, then crawled beneath the covers, letting the world fade away.

  He’d done it, brought Pandora safely back. But at what cost to himself?

  18

  Pandora woke around nine o’clock and rushed to stare out of her new bedroom window at the town, and best of all the moors rising behind it. Sighing happily, she slipped her arms into her old dressing-gown and made her way down the stairs, finding Dot at work in the kitchen.

  ‘Where’s the privy?’ She’d used a chamber pot the previous night, too tired to do more than fall into bed.

  ‘There’s an indoor bathroom, miss. At the end of your corridor. I showed you last night.’

  Pandora laughed. ‘I’d forgotten. Everything seemed to pass in a blur. Sorry.’

  ‘Mr Blake had the bathroom installed just after I started work here. It’s very modern. Hot water comes out of the right-hand tap if you run off the cold first. Miss Blair lets me have a bath in there every week, but Mrs Blake wouldn’t let me go near it except to clean.’ She sighed blissfully at the thought.

  ‘Is there enough hot water for me to have a bath now?’

  Dot nodded and smiled at the stove. ‘Plenty, miss. I’ve only to get the fire burning up to heat more afterwards. This house has all the modern conveniences you can think of. It’s a pleasure to work here . . . now. Oh, and miss!’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Miss Blair says I should call her Miss Alice now, because your names are similar. Is that all right?’

  ‘Of course it is.’

  Pandora went back upstairs and enjoyed the wonderful luxury of an indoor bathroom with all the amenities, emptying her slops, then soaking in the hot water, and washing her hair.

  When she came down, Alice was waiting for her.

  ‘Did you sleep well?’

  ‘Very soundly, thank you.’

  ‘Are you going to chapel this morning? My cousin said you and your sisters used to attend.’

  Pandora was about to say no, then it occurred to her that Zachary might come to see her there, so she nodded. Besides, she wanted to give the Minister and his wife her sisters’ fond regards. The Raineys had helped Cassandra to escape from Outham and their aunt. ‘If I can get my hair dry in time.’

  ‘Go and sit by the stove in the kitchen.’

  But she couldn’t bear to sit still for long. When her hair was almost dry she hurried upstairs and d
ressed in her best, the dress she’d worn for the wedding. It was quite old and had faded a little. One of the first things she was going to do was order some new clothes, she decided. She wanted to look her best for Zachary and she could afford to have a few new outfits.

  Zachary slept until nearly ten o’clock the morning following his arrival and woke to the sound of church bells. He lay there for a moment or two, enjoying the morning sunshine pouring in through the curtains, which he hadn’t drawn tightly the night before. Then hunger and his body’s needs got him up.

  He was surprised at how shabby his bedroom now seemed after the beautiful fitments on the ships. They might have been short of space, but they hadn’t been short of polished brass and gleaming woodwork. Still, he was lucky to have a room of his own. Few people had that privilege. Only he missed Pandora dreadfully already, missed her smile, missed chatting to her.

  Stop it! he told himself firmly and went downstairs.

  Hallie beamed at him as he went out to the privy, calling, ‘I’ll have a cup of tea waiting for you, love.’

  He came back inside, still in his nightshirt and the dressing-gown Mr Dawson had bought him for the journey.

  She fingered the fine woollen material. ‘You have some lovely clothes now. Are you going to wear the new ones to work?’

  ‘I don’t think so. I’ll just take up some water for a quick wash, then get dressed.’

  When he went down again, his mother and sister joined him at table. Once he’d taken the edge off his appetite, he started telling them something about his journey, interrupted regularly by Hallie who could never keep quiet for long.

  ‘We saved some money out of your wages, Zachary. It was easy to save without you eating us out of house and home.’ Her smile said she was only teasing, but he knew his appetite had been a problem in the days when they’d been watching every penny. It might be a problem again now if he went back to a shopman’s wages.

  ‘You look well, son,’ his mother said. ‘I’d swear you’ve grown taller and broader. And you seem more – in charge of yourself.’

  ‘It gives you confidence, travel does. Oh, I’ve so much to tell you. And that was a wonderful breakfast, just what I needed. Are you two going to church?’

  ‘We go to the Methodist Chapel now. I can understand Mr Rainey’s sermons. I never understood a word of what Mr Saunders said. Besides, we don’t like the way the Vicar treats people who’re out of work. You’d think it was their fault.’

  ‘Are things still bad in the cotton industry?’

  ‘Yes. Though the relief works are better organised, I think. At least they’re keeping people alive.’

  He looked down at the remains of his bread and ham, feeling suddenly guilty for eating so heartily.

  ‘It won’t do any good to others for you to miss a meal,’ his mother chided. ‘Eat up. Now, I’d better get my hat on for chapel. I’ll clear up after I get back.’

  He suddenly remembered that Pandora went to the Methodist chapel. ‘I think I’ll come with you, after all.’

  As they walked along to the Methodist Chapel, Pandora said impulsively to Alice, ‘Can you stay on here for a while? Or do you have a job waiting?’

  ‘No job. And I’d be happy to stay on if I’m not in the way.’

  ‘I’d welcome the company. I’d like to speak to your cousins after the service. They’ll want to know what happened to my sisters.’ Surely there would be no harm in telling the Raineys about that?

  Her heart suddenly started beating faster as she saw Zachary. Hard to miss him when he was a head taller than most people. Their eyes met across the paved area in front of the chapel and he stopped walking to smile at her. Then he bent his head to say something to the two women he was with and they all moved in her direction.

  Alice stopped walking. ‘You’ll want to say hello to Mr Carr. You two must be good friends by now after spending so much time together. Or irreconcilable enemies.’

  Pandora could feel herself blushing. ‘Friends,’ she managed.

  Zachary stopped in front of them. ‘Miss Blake. You look well rested. And Miss Blair. How nice to see you again! I’d like you to meet my mother and sister.’

  They exchanged greetings then Mrs Carr said, ‘We’d better go inside, love. The service will be starting soon.’

  ‘Let’s sit together,’ Pandora said.

  Zachary hesitated, but she knew it’d be rude for him to refuse. She put up her chin and gave him a challenging look. She wasn’t going to make it easy for him to get rid of her.

  She managed to sit next to his sister and the two of them chatted in whispers while they waited for the service to start. Hallie was full of questions about Australia and the journey back, and her lively intelligence reminded Pandora of her brother. It’d be nice to have Hallie for a sister – though nothing could take the place of her own sisters. Tears came into her eyes at the thought.

  ‘Are you all right?’ Hallie whispered.

  ‘I was just thinking about my sisters. I do miss them.’

  Hallie squeezed her hand. ‘I missed Zachary while he was away. He’s the best of brothers.’

  He’d be the best of husbands, too, if he let himself, Pandora thought. One month, she repeated to herself. That’s all I’ll give him.

  After the service was over, she waited for Mr Rainey to speak to the parishioners who needed to see him. Some of them were wearing ragged clothes, but he treated them all with patient courtesy, flashing her a quick glance and smile to say he’d noticed her presence. There was no sign of Mrs Rainey, who must have slipped out after the service.

  Eventually he turned to her, holding out both hands to clasp hers. ‘Pandora, my dear, how wonderful to see you home again! Have you time to come and tell me about your journey?’

  ‘Yes, of course.’

  Alice touched her arm. ‘I’ll walk home alone.’

  But Pandora saw Mr Dawson step out from under a sycamore tree near the gate and offer Alice his arm. The two of them looked so comfortable together she stared for a moment and then smiled. You couldn’t mistake love. Did her feelings for Zachary show as clearly?

  Sighing, she turned back to Mr Rainey.

  Sitting in their comfortable, untidy parlour, she told the Raineys about her sisters, how Cassandra had married Reece, thanks to their help in getting her to Australia.

  Mrs Rainey beamed at that news. ‘And you, Pandora, what do you want now? I saw you with Mrs Carr’s son. You looked – as if you were good friends.’

  How she felt about him must show, then. She blushed, hating to hide anything from them. ‘We are. But he – says he can’t support a wife.’

  Mrs Rainey frowned. ‘But you have money.’

  ‘It’s come between us.’

  ‘He’s right, really,’ Mr Rainey said. ‘The world would judge him badly if he married you.’

  How she kept back the anger at that remark, Pandora didn’t know. Perhaps she’d grown more used to hiding her thoughts. But if a Minister of religion felt that way, how would other less charitable people feel?

  Catching sight of the clock, she took her leave of them and walked slowly home.

  On the way back she met Harry Prebble and when he stopped to greet her, she felt obliged to do the same. He was well dressed, surprisingly well dressed for a young man who worked in a shop – and several inches shorter than her.

  ‘I hope you’ve recovered from your travelling now, Miss Blake.’

  ‘Yes, thank you.’

  ‘I’ve done my best to keep the shop profitable, in spite of the hard times.’ He smirked at her. ‘I think you’ll be pleased when you see the figures. I’ll be happy to explain them to you.’

  ‘I’m not even thinking of such things yet. But when I do, I shall be able to understand the accounts perfectly well without any help.’ She turned to leave and to her dismay, he fell in beside her.

  ‘I’m going the same way,’ he said. ‘Allow me to escort you.’

  It was the last thing she wanted,
but she couldn’t see how to get out of it without appearing rude, so began to walk more briskly, relieved that it was only a couple of streets.

  She was thoughtful as she took her leave of him and went up to the parlour. He was – obsequious. Yes, that was the only word for it. And yet there was a scorn behind it. As if she needed help with understanding figures! But there was something else about his manner that she didn’t like, though she couldn’t put a finger on exactly what it was. Whatever it was, he made her feel uncomfortable.

  She definitely wouldn’t have appointed him as manager, even if she hadn’t had Zachary to do the job. She didn’t even want Prebble working in the shop, but you couldn’t just dismiss for no reason a man who’d worked hard for you. She could only hope Zachary would find out what had been going on and give them a good reason to get rid of Prebble.

  She spent the rest of the day unpacking and discussing with Alice the best way to replenish her wardrobe.

  Alice also told her about the relief efforts in the town and that brought back memories of the callous way the ladies from the established church had treated her and her sisters when they attended sewing classes.

  It suddenly occurred to Pandora that normally such ladies would be calling on the owner of the shop and asking her to join them in their relief work. Well, she’d help where she could, of course she would, but she wasn’t going to Saunders’ church. What she really wanted to do now was learn how the shop was run and make a place for herself in it.

  And no one was going to stop her doing so – not Zachary and certainly not Mr Featherworth.

  The following morning Zachary was woken by someone hammering on the front door. He stared round, surprised all over again to find himself in his old bed.

  Footsteps ran lightly up the stairs. Hallie. He’d recognise her tread anywhere. She tapped on the bedroom door.

  ‘The shop lad from Blake’s is here.’

  ‘What does he want?’

  ‘He’s brought a message from Harry Prebble.’

  ‘Give it to me.’