‘I don’t want anything too fancy,’ she said worriedly, although some of the designs were so beautiful they made her heart race. ‘These will be just right,’ she said eventually, pointing to a pair of shoes with a small heel, a round toe and a strap across the arch.
‘Good choice, lass. Pretty but practical.’ The cobbler nodded approvingly. ‘An’ what colour leather would yer like ’em made in? I’ve got a nice bit o’ soft brown here that would work a treat wi’ that style an’ I can have ’em ready fer you a week from today.’
Amber almost skipped back to work and that evening, instead of dreading the empty hours ahead, she could hardly wait to get started on her new gowns.
Mrs Carter kindly helped her cut them out. ‘I think we should go for a really full skirt and pretty short sleeves on this one,’ she suggested as she fingered the sprigged cotton. ‘It will be your Sunday best after all. And perhaps something a little more restrained for the russet one?’
Amber nodded. ‘And can we please allow for me letting them out as the baby grows? And perhaps I should make the russet one first so that I have a smart dress to wear in the shop?’ she said in a small voice.
Mrs Carter nodded in agreement and began to snip.
*
When she and her uncle returned from work on the following Monday, Amber found a letter from her mother waiting for her. She longed to open but first she had to have dinner with her uncle. He was pedantic with his habits and Mrs Carter always served their meal at six fifteen on the dot. As usual the meal was plain but wholesome. Tonight they were served lamb chops with freshly chopped mint sauce, creamed potatoes and vegetables followed by one of Mrs Carter’s delicious apple pies with creamy custard. The pudding was one of her uncle’s favourites and he helped himself to seconds before finally excusing himself and retiring to his study where he would enjoy a glass of port and a cigar with his newspaper as he did every night after his evening meal.
At last Amber could open the letter from her mother so she hurried up to her room where she would not be disturbed. Like all the other rooms in the house, it was plainly furnished but even so it was far grander and larger than any other room she had ever slept in and Amber never tired of the panoramic view across the sea from the window.
Dear Amber,
You could ’ave knocked me down with a feather today when I opened the door to find yer old gaffer, Mr Greenwood, standing there on the doorstep an’ you can just imagine how the curtains were twitchin’ in the yard. Old Mrs Preston almost fell out of the winder tryin’ to see who it was. Of course I asked him in and he then asked me why you hadn’t returned to your job. I told him what we’d agreed – that your uncle had been taken ill and you’d gone to look after him for a while till he were on the mend. He looked perplexed and asked when you would be home but I just said it all depended on how quickly your uncle recovered. I hope this means he is keeping your job open for you. Everyone here has been told the same story so I hope you’re sticking to it there too. It will make it so much easier for you when you come home.
I do miss you so, my lass, an so does yer dad an yer brothers and we hope that you are keeping well. I wish I could be there with you to see you through this difficult time but I know that Jeremiah will keep you safe. Do give him my love and take good care of yerself. I will do my very best to come and see yer when the time for the birth draws a little nearer.
Until then I send you all my love,
Mam xxx
Amber took a deep breath and chewed on her lip as she tried to digest what her mother had told her. Why would Barnaby Greenwood care if she went back to work or not after the way he had treated her? she wondered. As far as she knew, he didn’t usually bother to check on any of the other staff who had left his employ. But then, they weren’t carrying his baby and she was. Her hand dropped to her stomach. It was still flat as a pancake and it was hard to believe that there really was a tiny little being in there. As yet the only change in herself she had noticed was a tenderness in her breasts and a feeling of nausea first thing in the morning.
Unbidden, a picture of Barnaby flashed before her eyes and the tears came again as she thought of how he had so heartlessly used her. Now for the first time she was glad she had come here. At least here there was little chance of bumping into him. With a deep sigh she laid the letter aside and lifted the gown she was working on, soon becoming absorbed in the stitches and temporarily forgetting about anything else.
From then on Mrs Carter helped her each evening and within a week, between them, the first dress was finished and Amber could hardly wait to wear it. All in all, life at her uncle’s was proving to be far more pleasant than she had thought it would be, and sometimes she forgot that this was just a temporary home – because as soon as the baby was born, her time here would end. She had already decided that she didn’t want to go back to working at Greenacres. Every time she laid eyes on the master it would only remind her of the pain he had put her through, and worse still, what if he wanted to resume their relationship? She knew she wouldn’t be able to bear it and so soon she would have to think very hard about what she planned to do with her future.
Chapter Six
On a fine sunny morning early in June, as Mrs Ruffin was helping her young mistress to dress, Louisa stamped her foot and pouted. ‘Pull the staystighter, Ruffy,’ she grumbled as she looked down at her thickening waistline.
‘If I pull them any tighter, you’ll not be able to breathe!’ her faithful servant retorted. ‘And any road, you’re going to do damage to the baby if you keep insisting on binding your stomach so tight!’
Louisa was in danger of flying into a full-blown tantrum and threw herself down onto her silk chaise longue with tears smudging her pale cheeks.
‘Oh, I feel sofatandugly!’ she declared as she mopped her face with a scrap of a lace handkerchief. ‘And I just feel so sick and ill all the time. Iswearonce this is over, I shall ban Barnaby from my bedroomforever! I simply refuse to go through this ever again.’
At that moment there was a tap at the door and Barnaby strolled in carrying a large box of sweetmeats he had ordered from London especially for her.
‘Here you are, my darling. They just arrived.’ He smiled at her as she pouted back at him. He had always spoilt her but since discovering that she was with child again, her every wish had been his command and Ruffy almost felt sorry for him.
‘How are you feeling? Isn’t Dr Flynn calling in to see you today?’
Louisa sniffed and took the sweetmeats from him before throwing them carelessly onto the other end of the chaise longue.
‘Yes he is?.?.?.again.’ She gave a martyred sigh. ‘And I’m so tired of being poked and prodded about. He’s concerned that my ankles are starting to swell! Says it could be a sign of trouble to come.’ Pulling up her petticoat she displayed them to him. She had always been very proud of her shapely legs but now she was ashamed of them.
‘They still look very pretty to me,’ he soothed but she tossed her head.
‘That’s because you don’t have to go through this! It’s all right for you men. It’s wewomenthat have to suffer.’
‘I understand that, but just think?.?.?. it will all be worth it when we have a fine healthy baby,’ he said encouragingly. He glanced at the corset Ruffy was holding and asked tentatively, ‘Should you still be wearing those, my love?’
