Meanwhile Margaret was telling Mrs Ruffin, ‘I think it’s high time my husband and I called in a good doctor to take a look at her. There must be something that can be done.’
‘In fairness, Mr Greenwood has already had a doctor here from Harley Street,’ Mrs Ruffin told her. ‘And he couldn’t come up with a cure, but I have noticed?.?.?.’ She paused and bit her lip before saying tentatively, ‘Well, I have noticed over the last few days when I washed her that although Louisa is losing weight everywhere else her stomach seems to be a little swollen.’
‘Let me see,’ Margaret demanded bossily and when Louisa drew the covers back and lifted her nightdress her mother saw that Mrs Ruffin was right. ‘Are you quite sure that you’re not pregnant again?’ she asked worriedly.
Louisa shook her head. ‘Of course I’m not. I haven’t allowed Barnaby to come anywhere near me since the twins were born,’ she said indignantly.
‘In that case I definitely am going to get another doctor to take a look at you. In fact, I shall go to your father and tell him to organise it immediately.’ And with that she swept from the room leaving Louisa looking more than a little frightened.
Chapter Nineteen
Alice had thought of writing to Amber to tell her that her father and brothers’ boat hadn’t arrived as yet, but she’d thought better of it. By the time Amber would have received it they might have returned safe and sound, and Amber would have had her last days in London spoilt for no reason. After all, she tried to convince herself, they could sail into the harbour at any minute and then all of their worrying would have been for nothing.
Although reluctant to leave without news of their brothers and father, the boys had now returned to their jobs on the railways, and early the next morning after they had departed, Alice wrapped her warmest shawl about her shoulders and set off to keep her vigil on the quay again. It was already crowded with other wives and mothers when she got there and she could see the pain and fear etched into their pinched faces. She herself was desperately tired as she hadn’t slept a wink all night, but she was made of stern stuff and was determined not to give up hope.
There was a thick mist floating on the sea and the cold seemed to bite through her, and as the minutes ticked away into hours, she decided to go home, make herself a hot drink and warm up before coming back again. So she made her weary way back to the cottage where she made the fire up and put the large kettle on to boil. Then she sat staring into the flames, her face strained and anxious as she offered up silent prayers that God would return her loved ones safely back to her. But as the light faded from the day so did her hope of ever seeing them again.
Suddenly the door flew open and, startled, she turned to see Edward and William.
‘Hello, Mam!’ Ted gave her a hug that lifted her from the seat and when he’d finally put her down, Will did the same. ‘We decided we couldn’t leave you all alone until we know what’s happened,’ he told her as he gently stroked a wayward lock of hair from her forehead and once more she marvelled at the way they seemed to have grown. They had been little more than boys when they had left to start their new jobs but now they were muscular and tall like their father, especially Edward, who was the double of Eli when she had met him, and unable to stop them, she felt tears start to bubble down her cheeks. The boys looked worried. They could count on one hand the number of times they’d seen their mother cry in the whole of their lives and as one they rushed to embrace her and offer what comfort they could.
As William put his strong arm about her shoulders, his face was grave. He knew now that something must be badly wrong. None of the fishermen ever missed spending time with their families at Christmas if they could possibly help it.
‘I’m shocked at me dad even considerin’ goin’ on a whalin’ ship,’ he said. ‘He’s gettin’ a bit long in the tooth for that now, surely?’
Alice glared at him. ‘Rubbish! Yer dad is still a good, strong figure of a man, I’ll have yer know,’ she snapped. Yet deep down she knew that he was right. Only the strongest of the fishermen ever ventured on the whaling expeditions but Eli had insisted he would be fine.
‘Anyway, it’s only five days late,’ William told her reassuringly, not daring to voice what he really thought. ‘I’ve known the ships to come back later than this.’
There was a pounding on the door and Mrs Preston stuck her head into the room.
‘One o’ the ships ’as been sighted from the headland,’ she told them breathlessly. ‘It should be comin’ into the harbour any time now.’ And with that she was gone again as Alice snatched her shawl and hastily followed her out with the boys close behind her.
Breathless and panting they arrived to see the ship just coming into the harbour, but as it drew closer Alice’s heart sank. It wasThe Mermaid, and Eli and her sons had been onThe Neptune.
At last it was moored and as the gangplank was lowered, weary sailors came down it to a rapturous welcome from the waiting families. The captain was the last to descend and racing forward Alice caught his sleeve.
‘IsThe Neptunefollowing, Captain?’
Her face was so hopeful that he felt himself shrivel. Removing his cap, he shook his head sorrowfully. ‘I’s afraid not, Mrs Ainsley. I can only imagine she must have hit an iceberg that was below the surface. We saw the SOS flares and got to her soon as we could but it were too late by then, she’d already gone down! I’m so sorry.’
Unable to take the terrible news in she stared at him numbly.
It was Edward who asked, ‘But surely there weresomesurvivors?’
The captain gulped and nodded. ‘Aye, there were, but not many, lad. Seven we fished out o’ the sea but two of ’em passed away shortly after an’ your dad an’ yer brothers weren’t amongst ’em. I’m so sorry fer your loss.’
He replaced his cap and with a nod moved on into the waiting arms of his wife as Alice and her sons stood there trying to absorb the news. Someone had sent word to Greenacres and minutes later Barnaby Greenwood appeared, his face grave as he jumped down from the horse’s saddle and went to seek out the captain ofThe Mermaid.
The younger widows were crying and wailing, and their children, seeing their mothers so distressed, joined in, but Alice just stood there, too numb with shock to show any emotion. Her lovely, kind Eli and her beautiful boys, all snuffed out like the flame of a candle. It was just too much to comprehend.
After a while, Barnaby clambered onto a large coil of thick rope to address the crowd.
‘To those of you who have suffered a loss, I give my condolences,’ he said with a crack in his voice. He gulped as he tried to pull himself together. The news had shocked him too. ‘But rest assured you will all be compensated.’
‘Oh aye,’ one young wife shouted as tears pumped down her pale cheeks. ‘An’ what cost a life, eh? A lovin’ husband an’ father?’
Barnaby stared at her helplessly; he had no answer and had never felt so bereft in his life. He jumped down from the rope and once again he moved amongst the crowds, dishing out coins to the bereaved until, at last, they all filtered away. He stood for a long time on the deserted quay staring out to sea and thinking of all the lives that had been lost. One thing was for sure: for many people, their lives were never going to be the same again and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to make it better for them.
