She clenched the paper into her fist as she looked at the man again. “This is an unjust amount, sir, when you only increased our rent two months ago.”
The Robins family owned many of the houses in the lane. They cared little for their tenants, only the money that increased their coffers. His wife was often heard lamenting how little they had, which, of course, was untrue, but no one was willing to say anything in case they were tossed out of their home.
Ruby loathed the Robinses because they were mean and greedy, but most of all they reminded her of the ruthlessness she’d left behind. Her father.
“Life is unjust, Miss Knight, but we, the Robins family, are fair and accommodating landlords.” He rocked back on his heels.
“Of course you are. How foolish of me to think otherwise. Kindness itself,” she muttered.
He preened, idiot that he was.
“I will let the other residents know,” Ruby said woodenly, wondering how they would all make the payment.
“Be sure that you do, Miss Knight. I would not want to evict you, as you moved in last, and then the others, in order of their occupancy.”
“How kind,” she said. “Good day, Mr. Robins.” She slammed the door in his face.
CHAPTERFIVE
She pressed a hand to her breastbone while she inhaled a deep breath. The thought of leaving here and trying to find a place to live terrified her. Yes, it was damp and cold, and in dire need of repair. But 11 Nobby Lane was her home now. And it was the other residents that made it so.
Climbing the stairs, she took in the paint peeling off walls. There were three doors on the first level housing Miss Kent, Mr. and Mrs. Zwart, and Mrs. Chen. Ruby climbed to the next floor. This had a further two doors and housed Mr. Winston and the Amble sisters, Violet and Beatrice. Adam and Ruby were the sole occupants of the third floor.
The house was home to a diverse group of people. People who all needed a home and had found it here.
Knocking on the last door, she waited for a high-pitched call to enter.
Violet and Beatrice were of undetermined age but had once been wealthy. With the death of their father, and no husbands or provisions made for them, they were thrown from their home by their nefarious nephew and left to survive using their wits.
“Oh, now there she is, Adam.” The sisters were alike and only two years apart. Ruby had worked out that Violet’s eyes were a deeper brown than her sister’s, and that her eye tooth was crooked.
“I have good news,” Ruby said, looking to the narrow window where her brother was sitting.
“What news?” he asked.
“I got the position, and now we have cake to celebrate.” She handed it to Violet and rushed to Adam. “It’s going to be okay now.”
Dropping before him, she held out her hands, and he took them. The love she felt for this boy filled her. His face was pale and thin, eyes shadowed. Pain had forged grooves into his cheeks, and at fourteen years of age, he’d lived with it his entire life. He had blond hair that curled if not trimmed, and a smile that he rarely used, but when he did, it lit his eyes.
“You’re tired.” He touched her cheek.
“No, I’m happy. This will change our lives, Adam.”
He smiled, and it was such a rare thing, she nearly wept.
“We are happy now, Ruby. Poor but happy. I much prefer this life to the one we had.”
“As do I, brother.”
She shuddered just thinking of the way he’d been treated in their family.
“I will make tea, and we can eat some of this fine cake your sister brought us as a celebration.”
Ruby rose and moved to set up the teacups. She didn’t know how it was the sisters had such beautiful china, if a little chipped now. She’d asked once where the silver had come from, and the other things that set the room apart from the other residents at number eleven Nobby Lane. The only answer she got was that they’d refused to leave without their belongings. Things that were there one week were gone the next. Ruby knew this was because they’d been sold to survive.
The room was still shabby, but there were touches from the past the sisters had once lived.
“Now, tell us about your position, Ruby,” Beatrice said when they were all seated by Adam with tea, the leaves days old and often-used, but still tea. The cake had been carefully divided into four equal shares.
