‘An’ I know the mistress is poorly but she ain’t asked to see ’em either, not once since I’ve been ’ere. It seems that the only one who gives a stuff about ’em is Mr Greenwood.’
Amber was secretly pleased that the mistress didn’t show a great interest in the children. She could only imagine how hard it would have been to see Louisa playing mother to her own daughter. She also felt a little resentful that it was the master and mistress who had chosen her child’s name, although begrudgingly she did have to admit that it suited her and she did like it, so she supposed she should at least be grateful of that.
*
By the time Sunday rolled around Amber was more than ready for a little time out of the house, although she quaked inside at the thought of leaving Charlotte. Not that she didn’t trust Becky with her or David. The girl had turned out to be a little star with the children and she was good company too, and often made Amber laugh with her tales of some of the things she and her siblings had got up to when she had lived at home. ‘Me mam were allus threatening to bang our bloody ’eads together, or skelp our arses when we got caught out for some mischief or another,’ Becky would chortle. ‘But ’er bark were allus worse than her bite an’ we knew ’ow to get round ’er.’
Amber was brushing her hair and Becky watched enviously. As the nursery nurse she was only allowed one Sunday afternoon off a month, whereas Amber was allowed every Sunday afternoon, apart from the one when Becky wasn’t there when she happily took charge of the two babies by herself. As the nanny, Amber was allowed privileges that the rest of the staff were not, which she was well aware was just another bone of contention with them.
‘Just think, by the next Sunday I get to go ’ome I’ll ’ave one o’ me new gowns to wear,’ Becky said dreamily as she scrubbed her hands in a bowl of water and Amber smiled at her indulgently as Nancy came in dressed in her Sunday best dress and bonnet.
‘Ready fer the off, are you?’
Amber nodded as she lifted the warm cloak her uncle had bought her. The wind was blowing up a storm outside and it was still bitterly cold so she knew she’d be glad of it.
‘Now are you quite sure you can manage? The babies won’t be due another feed till mid-afternoon now and they should have a nap then. I shall be back for six o’clock sharp to help with their baths.’
‘I’ll be right as ninepence,’ Becky assured her and so she and Nancy set off.
‘Ooh, it ain’t the best o’ weather, is it?’ Nancy said as they shivered their way down the drive. It had started to rain and the drops on their face felt like little icicles. ‘But never mind, we’ll soon be out of it an’ hopefully me mam will have the kettle on.’
Heads bent they hurried on and soon the town came into view below them. Beyond the harbour the sea was choppy and the girls felt sorry for the fishermen who would be out on it. They had a living to make regardless of the weather and went out in atrocious conditions at times. There were very few people about, most preferring to stay in the warm, but as they passed the town hall, Amber’s stomach did an uncomfortable flip when she saw Bertie Preston coming towards them with another young chap.
The last time he had seen her he had been scathing but from the gossip she had heard he’d had a change of heart again and was keen to woo her once more as his first words proved.
‘Ah, Amber, I were hopin’ to see yer,’ he said pleasantly as he strolled towards her. His top hat was set at a jaunty angle and he was wearing a pin-striped suit and a gaudy waistcoat topped off with an old silk cravat that looked totally unsuitable for such cold weather.
‘Were you? I don’t know why. I thought we’d said all we had to say to one another,’ Amber responded with her nose in the air.
‘Now, don’t be like that.’ He extended his hand but she ignored it. ‘Yer know deep down that you an’ me are goin’ to end up together one day; it were written in the stars. An’ you gettin’ a fancy job up at the big ’ouse shouldn’t change that. I’m prepared to forget the way you’ve treated me an’ what people are sayin’ about yer an’ we can go on from ’ere.’
Amber stared at him coolly. ‘That’s very kind of you, Bertie. But when are you goin’ to get it into your head that I don’twantto be your girl? I ain’t now an’ I never will be! An’ it’s nothin’ to do wi’ me new job!’
She saw angry colour flame into his cheeks as Nancy looked on with her mouth gaping open. Bertie had a reputation for being violent at times and she wondered how Amber dared to speak to him that way, especially in front of his smirking friend, who was clearly enjoying the spectacle.
‘Fair enough.’ His eye was twitching and his hands were clenched into fists as he stared back at her. ‘But you’re gonna regret this day, you just mark my words. Yer think yer too good fer the likes of us now yer Greenwood’s whore, don’t yer?’
The colour drained from Amber’s cheeks. ‘I amnotMr Greenwood’s whore,’ she responded heatedly.
‘No? Well, it’s funny how you got the job o’ carin’ fer his brats when ’alf the women in the village would ’ave snapped ’is ’and off to get the position, ain’t it?’
They were almost nose to nose now and it would have been difficult to know which of them was angrier but thankfully Nancy defused the situation by grabbing Amber’s arm and yanking her aside saying, ‘Clear off, Bertie. Amber’s told yer she ain’t interested, so go an’ find another girl who is!’
‘Oh, I will, don’t you worry!’ He bared his teeth at her and without another word turned and stormed away.
‘Well, I reckon he got the message this time,’ Nancy said in a small voice as Amber sagged back against the wall. ‘An’ I also reckon it’s safe to say that yer just made yerself an enemy there, lass. Bertie Preston is a bad ’un to cross so just watch yer back, eh?’ Taking Amber’s elbow she hurried her on to her mother’s house.
‘Good grief,’ Mrs Grimshaw exclaimed when the girls spilled through the kitchen door a few moments later. ‘Why, yer look like a pair of drowned rats?.?.?. an’ Amber, yer as white as a sheet. What’s wrong, lass?’
‘We just had a run-in wi’ Bertie Preston, Mam,’ Nancy informed her as she ushered Amber towards the fire. ‘An’ he weren’t too nice to her!’
‘Hm, he’s a bad ’un he is,’ Mrs Grimshaw said. ‘An’ you’d do well to give ’im a wide berth. But what were it about?’
‘He said?.?.?. well, he were rude an’ reckoned that somethin’ were goin’ on between Amber and Mr Greenwood,’ Nancy answered in a lowered voice so that her siblings, who were scattered about the room, wouldn’t hear her.
Mrs Grimshaw nodded. ‘There’s a few hereabouts sayin’ the same, if truth be told,’ the woman answered – there was no point in lying. ‘Did yer turn him down or something?’
When Amber nodded, Mrs Grimshaw sighed. ‘Us as know yer know it ain’t true,’ she said soothingly. ‘But I suppose yer can understand why they’re thinkin’ it, can’t yer? I mean, that were a good job to land up at the house an’ he has been showin’ yer preferential treatment. All you can do, lass, is take it in yer stride an’ in no time at all they’ll be talkin’ about some other poor devil.’
