Rag-and-Bone Christmas

Chapter Four

Cecily and Gideon walked arm in arm with Sally following at a discreet two paces behind them. It was only a short distance to the stables, and the outdoor servants had cleared the snow from the path. Sally tried hard not to stride along in her second-hand boots, but she felt very self-conscious in her shabby riding habit and she could not help envying Cecily’s elegant outfit. She found herself wondering if people like the Appletons ever threw out unwanted items of clothing for the local rag-and-bone man; if so, she would be first in the queue.

The sight of Miss Appleton walking towards the stables seemed to cause a minor sensation amongst the stable boys, and the head groom came flying out of the tack room, struggling into his jacket as he ran.

Cecily seemed oblivious to the furore she was causing. ‘Good morning, Jackson. I’ve come to see Miss Suggs’s horse.’

‘Do you intend to ride her, Miss Cecily?’

‘I might, if I like the look of her. Have her saddled up and I’ll make up my mind when I see how she behaves.’ Cecily leaned on Gideon’s arm, chattering eagerly about the coming ball while she waited for the horse to be brought from the stable, but Sally was filled with misgivings. The mere thought of leaving Flower here, even in such luxurious surroundings, was agonising.

‘What do you think, Cessy?’ Gideon looked on, smiling appreciatively as one of the young stable boys led Flower into the cobbled yard, which had been swept clear of snow.

‘She’s a very pretty mare,’ Cecily conceded. She left Gideon’s side and circled the animal, eyeing her critically. ‘What’s your opinion of the animal, Jackson? You’re the expert when it comes to horseflesh.’

Jackson nodded. ‘She’s a true thoroughbred, Miss Cecily. I’ve had a look at her and she’s in good shape.’

‘I’ll have to try her out,’ Cecily said thoughtfully. ‘I’d have to change into my riding habit, of course, and that saddle is no good to me.’

‘It was good enough for my mother when she performed at Astley’s,’ Sally said angrily.

‘I am not a circus performer, Miss Suggs. Ladies ride side-saddle.’

‘What was your proposition, Cessy?’ Gideon said hastily.

‘I’m not prepared to say until I’ve ridden the animal, although I was thinking along the lines of a semi-permanent loan, as suggested earlier.’

‘What does that mean exactly?’ Sally asked anxiously.

‘Your horse would be stabled here as if she were mine. The estate would bear the cost of taking care of your horse, and you would be allowed to visit and ride her whenever you were able.’

‘I don’t agree.’ Sally shook her head. ‘That means I would be giving Flower to you for nothing.’

Cecily shrugged. ‘I thought Gideon said you were desperate.’

‘Perhaps we ought to return to the house and talk it over,’ Gideon said hastily. ‘This is a big decision for Sally.’ He turned to her with an apologetic smile. ‘I know how difficult this must be for you.’

Sally snatched the reins from the stable boy. ‘No, you don’t. How could you know what it’s like to be in my position? I’ll find a way out of this without selling Flower or giving her away. Thank you for trying to help, but I’m leaving now.’ She led Flower to the nearest mounting block and rode off before anyone had the chance to stop her. Sally was vaguely aware that Gideon was calling after her, but her one thought was to get away from Fleet Hall and the wealthy Miss Appleton. Cecily might be everything that Gideon had said, but he was welcome to her and her money. There must be another way out of their predicament.

It was late afternoon by the time Sally reached Paradise Row, and both she and Flower were close to exhaustion. Having unsaddled Flower, and given her a quick rub down, Sally went upstairs to let her father know that she had returned. She was greeted hysterically by Pippy, and it took her several minutes of fussing over the little dog to calm her down.

‘I thought you was going to spend the day at the farm.’ Ted’s dark eyes twinkled mischievously. ‘What happened? Did the honourable veterinarian prove to be not such a good fellow, after all?’

‘Nothing of the sort, Pa. I didn’t want to leave you on your own for too long, so I came home.’ Sally placed the kettle on the hob. ‘You must be hungry.’

‘Well now, here’s the thing. I was sitting up here, minding my own business at midday, when I heard someone calling my name. “Who’s there?” I says. “It’s me, Finn Kelly.” So I says, “Come on up, Kelly,” and he did.’

‘What did he want?’

‘Would you believe it? He wanted to know if I was recovered from my aches and pains.’

‘That’s not like Kelly,’ Sally said thoughtfully. ‘He’s after something, although I can’t think what, considering the fact that we’re broke.’

‘He asked me about poor old Boney, and I told him.’ Ted sighed heavily. ‘Anyway, Kelly was moved enough to treat us to ham rolls and coffee from the stall next to the station.’

‘Boney will be better off than both of us,’ Sally said with a wry smile. ‘I’ve seen the pasture where he’ll spend his retirement with a donkey called Dobson. That is if Gideon is still willing to take him. I’m afraid I might have spoiled his chances there, Pa.’

‘Sit down and tell me about it, love. I can’t believe that you would have done anything wrong.’

Sally made the tea and pulled up a chair to sit close to the fire. She was uncomfortably aware that this was the last of the coal they had stored in the back yard, and if they wanted a fire tomorrow she would have to chop up anything that might burn for long enough to heat a kettle of water. It would be a lean Christmas and the rent collector was due at the end of the month. She had very little time in which to find the means to save them from eviction.

Later that evening, after she had settled Flower for the night, Sally was about to lock up when the outside door opened and Gideon walked into the stable.

‘Why did you run off like that, Sally? We were only trying to help.’

‘Flower is my horse,’ Sally said stubbornly. ‘I decide if I want to sell her and I’ll choose the next owner. I certainly don’t intend to give her away.’

‘I’m certain that Cecily would see that Flower was well cared for. You couldn’t find a better home than the stables at Fleet Hall.’

‘I’m sorry if I embarrassed you, but Flower is a special animal. Miss Appleton would take her out for a genteel trot if the mood took her, but otherwise Flower might be stuck in her stall for days on end. It’s easy for her to say that I could visit when I pleased, but it’s a long walk to Highgate.’

Gideon looked round the dilapidated stable and shook his head. ‘Do you really think this is better than the conditions in which she might be living at Fleet Hall? I know it’s none of my business, but as a veterinary surgeon it’s the welfare of the animal that must come first. I feel I have a right to speak my mind.’

Sally looked him in the eye. ‘You hardly know me. I’m truly grateful that you’ve offered to look after Boney, but if you feel in the circumstances you can’t, I’ll understand.’

‘Of course my offer still stands. I’m pleased to be able to grant an old working horse a happy life in the country, but I don’t know where you get the idea that you’ve offended me.’

‘Miss Appleton is your future wife. I threw her offer to take Flower back in her face, so I would expect you to be annoyed.’

‘I suppose that Jane Wallace gave you that impression, but Cecily and I are good friends. We’ve known each other since we were children. There is no such understanding between us.’

Sally was tempted to argue, but she could see that he was sincere and she held her tongue. ‘Maybe I was mistaken, but Flower is not a rich lady’s toy. Anyway, I’m sure that Miss Appleton has withdrawn the offer now, so please can we say no more on the subject. I’m very grateful for your attempts to help, but we will manage.’

Gideon smiled, shaking his head. ‘I’ve never met two more stubborn women in my life. You might think that you and Cecily have nothing in common, but I can assure you that you’re wrong. She is unlikely to give in once she’s made up her mind, and I can see that you are similar. It’s going to be interesting to see who wins.’

It was impossible to resist his humorous look and Sally relaxed just a little. ‘This isn’t a war. Flower is mine and that’s an end to it.’

‘So you may think. I’ll say goodnight, but I have a feeling that we will meet again before very long.’ Gideon let himself out into the street, closing the door behind him.

Sally fondled Flower’s neck. ‘I know he meant well, but I’m not so sure about Miss Cecily.’

Sally finished work in the stable and went upstairs to her room. They might not have a work horse but they still had the cart. She had toyed with the idea of pulling it through the streets herself, but she had abandoned the project as being unworkable. She sat on the edge of her truckle bed and counted out their meagre savings that she kept in a pouch beneath her mattress. There was only enough to keep them in food for two days, three at the most, and even then they would be living on next to nothing. Perhaps she could sell the cart as it was, although it had seen many years of hard labour. Sally settled down for the night. Maybe tomorrow she would find a solution to their problems.

Sally was in the yard, examining the cart with a view to putting it up for sale, when Kelly sauntered out of the back door.

‘Ted told me that you were out here,’ Kelly said affably.

Pippy bounced up to him, barking with obvious pleasure, and Kelly bent down to ruffle her fur.

‘Pa said you bought him food yesterday. Thank you for that.’

‘We all fall on hard times every now and then, mavourneen.’ He strolled over to examine the cart. ‘Would it be true that you’re thinking of selling this old heap of splinters and woodworm?’

‘Maybe,’ Sally said warily. ‘Why? Are you interested?’

‘What? In that old pile of junk?’ Kelly examined it from all sides. ‘I’ve got a better cart than this.’

‘Then why are you here? You never do anything for nothing.’

‘That’s not fair, mavourneen. Didn’t I come round yesterday to offer my condolences about poor Boney?’

‘How did you know about that?’

‘Word gets round,’ Kelly said mysteriously. ‘But it was obvious that the old fellow wouldn’t make it much longer. Your pa told me you’d gone to the country with the veterinary surgeon. What price did he extract from you for putting Boney out to pasture?’

‘You have a devious mind, Kelly. Some people do nice things simply because they are decent and want to do the right thing.’

‘Don’t trust them, that’s what I say. I’m a bad fellow, but you can rely on me to keep my word.’

‘What do you want, Kelly? I’m getting tired of asking, and don’t give me any of your blarney.’

‘Well, now you come to mention it, I could offer you a few shillings for the cart, but I’d be doing meself down. It’s only fit for the bonfire.’

Sally agreed with him in private, but she was not going to give in easily. ‘A coat of paint and a new wheel or two, and it’ll be as good as new.’

‘So you’re giving up, are you?’

‘I’m not doing this from choice, Kelly.’

He leaned against the cart, stroking Pippy’s small head as she vied for his attention. ‘No, I gathered that from Ted. He feels bad because he can’t provide for you any longer.’ Kelly’s serious expression melted into a wide grin. ‘I told him he should marry you off to a bloke who could look after both of you.’

Sally knew Kelly well enough not to take him seriously. ‘Are you offering?’

‘Not me, mavourneen. I’m not the marrying kind.’

‘Well, that’s good because I wouldn’t want to put my life in the hands of a scallywag like you,’ Sally said, smiling. ‘But we do need money for the rent quite urgently, Kelly. Are you sure you don’t want the cart?’

He shook his head. ‘I’d buy it off you if only to help out, but I made a bad investment at the races a couple of days ago.’

‘It’s all right – I thought I’d ask. I’ll handle it myself, Kelly.’

‘I could lend you ten bob,’ he said grudgingly. ‘But that’s all I’ve got.’

‘Thank you again, but I couldn’t take it from you. We’ll manage somehow.’ She could see that he did not believe her, but she did not want to be beholden to Kelly and she managed a smile. ‘I’m considering an offer I had yesterday. A wealthy woman who lives in Highgate is interested in purchasing Flower. It’s not something I want to do, but she would be safe and I could visit her often.’ This was a lie, of course, but it made the arrangement sound more believable, or so she hoped.

‘So why haven’t you accepted her offer?’

Sally turned away. Kelly had the uncanny knack of knowing when she was lying. ‘I wanted time to think about it.’

‘You mean you don’t trust her to look after your precious horse.’

‘Not exactly – well, maybe. But Flower is mine and always has been. We belong together.’

‘Have you thought about working for Astley’s?’

She stared at him in surprise. ‘I have, but I’m not a performer and neither is Flower.’

‘You could learn and so could she.’

‘Ma was a brilliant horsewoman. I’m a good rider, but that’s all.’

Kelly shrugged. ‘It was just a thought, mavourneen. I don’t like to see my friends lose everything.’

‘We aren’t beaten yet,’ Sally said firmly. ‘I’ll find a way.’

‘Sure you will.’ Kelly glanced round at the neat piles of scrap metal and other items that Sally and her father were preparing to sell. ‘I’ll take this stuff off your hands and I’ll split the profits when I’ve sold it on. I can’t say fairer than that.’

Sally thought quickly. She could not shift the items herself and the money would help to keep them until she had worked out a solution to what had seemed an unsolvable problem. She proffered her hand. ‘It’s a deal, Kelly.’

‘And in the meantime I want you to accept the loan,’ Kelly added firmly. ‘I suggest we go to the Nag’s Head and I’ll treat you and your pa to a chicken dinner. We can settle things over a glass of hot rum punch.’

The loan from Kelly would cover the rent, but they would have to live on pea soup bought from a street vendor, and stale rolls that the baker sold off at closing time in the evening. It was only when Sally put the last of the fresh straw and sawdust down in the stable that she realised that matters had come to a head. It was one thing for herself and her father to cut their food and fuel down to a minimum, but when it came to an empty manger, it was another matter. Sally had not seen Gideon since the night he had called in after her somewhat undignified flight from Fleet Hall, but he arrived early on Christmas Eve, riding his own horse, with Boney on a leading rein.

Sally opened the stable door in answer to his knock, although she had seen him approaching from the upstairs parlour window. ‘Have you brought Boney back to us?’

‘Is that what you want?’ Gideon was not smiling.

‘No. I mean I want what’s best for him.’

‘Then you agree that I should take him to Hill Farm?’

‘Yes, please. I’m very grateful, and, once again, I’m sorry if I offended Miss Appleton by leaving so abruptly.’

A slow smile lit Gideon’s eyes. ‘I’m sure that Cessy has forgotten the incident, but she was sincere in her wish to purchase Flower, and you both seem to have abandoned the idea of sharing her. Have you given any more thought to selling Flower?’

After a sleepless night, Sally had come to the only conclusion possible. She nodded. ‘If she still wants her I’ll consider it, but I must see where she’s to be stabled and I want to speak to the head groom. Flower has very particular needs.’

‘Cessy is very keen to have her, and if she makes up her mind to have something, money will be no object,’ Gideon said, smiling. ‘Today, as you might have gathered, is her birthday and there will be a grand ball tonight. Why don’t you come with me now? Ride Flower to Fleet Hall and then you can have a word with Jackson and a tour of the stables. I can assure you they are very modern and the horses have every comfort.’

‘I don’t know.’ Sally glanced over her shoulder at Flower, who was watching her with trusting eyes. ‘I’m not sure I can do this.’

‘Perhaps you could leave Flower in Jackson’s care overnight, then you can judge for yourself whether or not she’ll settle into her new home. I’m sure Mrs Wallace will make up a bed for you at the farm. She’d be more than happy to have your company.’

Sally knew that if she hesitated she would never be able to part with Flower, and Gideon’s suggestion was not one to be dismissed lightly. ‘All right. I’ll come with you, but first I must make sure that Pa knows what to do for his supper. Give me five minutes and I’ll be with you.’

Sally raced upstairs and found her father seated in his old chair by the empty grate. They had run out of coal and kindling and it was bitterly cold, but she did not dare break into the rent money.

‘Where’s the fire?’ Ted gave her a wry smile. ‘Joking aside, we could do with some coal, Sally love.’

‘I know, Pa. I’m sorry but we’ve run out and there isn’t any money to buy more. That’s why I’m going to do what’s necessary. I don’t want to leave you on Christmas Eve, but this might be my one chance to help us out of this mess.’

Ted was suddenly alert. ‘What d’you mean? You’re not going to sell Flower, are you?’

‘Mr Lawrence is downstairs, Pa. He’s taking Boney to his farm in Highgate and he suggested that I take Flower to Fleet Hall and leave her for the night to see if she’ll settle.’

Ted dashed his hand across his eyes. ‘What have we come to that you have to sell your horse in order to keep an old wreck like me.’

‘Don’t talk that way, Pa. I love you and I’ll do anything to make your life more comfortable. I’ll only sell Flower if I’m certain that she’ll have a good home. With the money I get for her I could buy a horse to take Boney’s place. That means we could stay here and I could take over your round.’

‘It’s not a job for a girl like you, Sally. It was different when we did it together, but I’ll never be fit enough to take over again.’