Rescue Operations (30)

A little busier than she would have desired

Jeremiah lowered his newspaper as Nancy sat down at the breakfast table, smiled, and said, happen their Fancy Bazaar had gone off well?

Nancy smiled back, and accepted the cup of coffee he extended to her and said, entire better than expected! Done very well for the Maternity Charity, and there was no disaster. A matter or so of having feelings among the ladies, is ever the case. But all stall-holders got to shake hands with the Marchioness, even did some dispute the order of precedence, and she took it in very good spirits – bought a deal of nick-nacks that I wonder what she might do with – No, indeed I think we may write it down a success.

I never doubted it, my love!

She blushed a little as she helped herself to eggs and bacon. And was aught of interest discussed at the Institute yestere’en?

Why, I confide this notion of technical classes finds favour – we go think upon who one might ask to come teach – but the most interesting matter took place afterwards, when a few of us were invited to go and take a glass or two with Sir Harry.

Nancy lifted her eyebrows, for that did indeed suggest a matter of considerable interest.

Squire Granton is getting very weakly, he hears, and Ned Granton is already obliged to give a deal of attention to affairs at Nackerley. So 'tis very like that, even does the Old Squire not die afore the next election, Ned will be minded to stand down as our MP. Shows conscientious in him.

Nancy made a little tsking noise. Ned Granton was not only a local fellow, even was he of the county set, but the Grantons had very useful connexions with the Whig interest.

I don’t suppose, she ventured, that Sir Harry is minded – ?

Jeremiah shook his head. O that his sister Flora was a man! There is an eloquent orator for you – I fancy even surpasses their sire.

Nancy made a little moue and said, O that ladies of such abilities might be elected to the counsels of the nation!

Jeremiah chuckled and said, but Sir Harry did have a suggestion. Sir Barton Wallace’s son – Mr Robert Wallace – is very minded to following in his father’s footsteps – has been acting as political secretary to His Grace of Mulcaster these last eighteen months or so – and of course, born and bred in that household –

Lady Wallace so very well-thought of for her columns in the press under the style of Aspasia –

Quite so. So, we think it would be worth looking the young man over – married some two years or so ago, Lord Fendersham’s girl, a very romantic love-match – Sir Harry purposes inviting 'em mayhap for New Year, and not saying anything of a definite nature. But leaning on the good work that is being done in the town, and how very valuable to Wallace a closer understanding of industrial matters would be –

Nancy laughed, and said, la, 'twas all entirely diplomatic! But were there not other possibilities –

Certainly! But Sir Barton was such a close friend of Sir Josiah and Lady Ferraby – one feels that this would be somehow apt. Did young Wallace not play in the nursery with the young Dr Ferraby and Miss Flora?

So that was something to think on, as Nancy prepared for her day, that was perchance a little busier than she would have desired so soon after the Fancy Bazaar. But there were matters had been neglected for that reason long enough.

She took the carriage into town, along with Mrs Jasper, the housekeeper, that had a deal of commissions to undertake, desiring to be set down at Minnie’s Tea Rooms on the square.

There she found the other members of the cabal, Hepzie Bramdon and Vinnie Dalgleish, already at a discreet corner table with tea and scones and parkin. Minnie Powlett herself came out with fresh tea for Mrs Gaskell, and Nancy desired her to make up a nice little box of cakes for them to take to Miss Fallows.

The three of 'em spent some time in mutual congratulations upon the Bazaar, expatiation upon the charm and graciousness of Lady Offgrange, and considerations upon some lessons learnt for the next time they undertook such an enterprize.

Minnie came out with the requested box, and Nancy, before the others could, told her to put that, and the charges for the tea &C they had consumed, on her account. There was a certain amount of laughing protest – business was good, they were none of 'em poor! – before they went out, observed by the other ladies that were enjoying the very excellent good things that came from the ovens here.

Hepzie gave a very gratified sigh as she looked around. Law, when I think upon this town when I was a girl growing up, we had nothing the like of this! A fine genteel tea-room where ladies might meet and converse. Eh, but times change!

There was a nipping wind as they walked around the square, nodding to acquaintance as they did so –

– and this square, she went on.

Her companions gave her nudges with their elbows, for the well-proportioned buildings around the square most of 'em were owed to the talents of Hepzie’s architect husband and lately her elder son and the very flourishing building works founded by her father, now under their hands.

Miss Fallows’ dressmaking establishment was in a good street just off the square –

O! Vinnie clapped her hand to her mouth. That is my brother’s gig drawn up outside, I hope Mary Fallows is not ill.

But when the maid showed them into the modiste’s private parlour she was sitting there herself in quite the best of health and black bombazine. Rising to greet 'em, she said, the young woman – Miss Williams – 'tis a very convenient name, I may give it out she is some connexion of dear Bronwen Williams that was Lady Ferraby’s woman – seemed poorly – was showing as if she had some pains about her side – so I sent for Mr Abbott.

Very wise, said Vinnie.

They disposed themselves about the room, saying how good it was of Miss Fallows to take Miss Williams in, and she saying that the town had long felt the want of a really stylish milliner –

Hardly had her maid brought in tea when entered Mr Abbott, in a state of considerable indignation. Accepted a cup of tea, and sat down, and said, the immediate trouble was that she was suffering from an unwontedly heavy delayed catamenial flow –

They all tutted in sympathy, and Miss Fallows said, would just go be about warming a brick –

– but one might see that the poor young woman had been shockingly abused. Would be sending to Dolling the apothecary to have ointments made up to put on her bruises, and there was also a matter of cracked ribs. Not, fortunately, so badly broke that one might fear puncturing of the internal organs, but would give her some discomfort while they healed. One might see that it had not been some sudden attack – the bruises showed to be from different times – some were faded and others quite fresh –

Horrible! cried Hepzie. That there are such monsters.

Miss Fallows, shaking her head, went to be about the matter of the brick.

Well, said Vinnie, we may apprehend why she has been sent here under such discretion.

Peter Abbott gnawed the ends of his moustache, and said, there is a mark on the wedding-ring finger although no ring.

Vinnie snorted and said, had she not read a very telling piece by Miss Ferraby as to how often the promises of the Solemnization of Matrimony went by contraries – that not only did with all my worldly goods I these endow usually mean, and now everything you own is mine, my pretty! but that loving and cherishing were interpreted as I may mistreat you as I like.

Her brother groaned and said, one saw things. He ran a hand across his bald head and said, one is surprized that there are not more cases of poisoning.

Eh, said Hepzie, we will keep her safe here.

The three women looked around at one another. O, they might from time to time grumble a little between themselves upon their husbands, but they knew themselves fortunate in their marriages. Even Allison, thought Nancy, though their union had been cool and prudential, had behaved civil and proper throughout. One might wink at the matter of Bertha in such circumstance.

To turn the subject, she said that she had meant to tell Mr Abbott when she saw him, that Zephaniah had lately writ from Manchester, and said that he heard Abbott very well spoke of as quite the epitome of what a provincial practitioner might achieve – the studies of diseases of occupations, the sanitary improvements….

Mr Abbott looked gratified and said, why, 'twas better work than chasing fashionable ailments in Town or at some spaw. And how did the lad come on?