Love or Duty (6 page)

L
ouise was worried about her father. He was only in his early fifties but sometimes he looked like an old man, his face drawn and grey, his eyes circled with charcoal smudges. She knew there was something wrong, although he refused to discuss it. She just couldn’t think what the problem was, especially as the building trade seemed to be booming. In the past few years the west end of the town had expanded to join up with the
neighbouring
village of Elmham. And the houses being built were large four and five-bedroomed weekend ‘cottages’ with their own private beaches.

Charlton and Spencer had secured the contract to build another one only last week, so why did they seem to be so short of money? Stanley had started building in a small way, developing from the small brick-making business he had inherited from his father. He had trained as an architect and surveyor and, on her walks around the town, Louise was always proud that her father had been responsible, not only for much of the housing built since the great war, but for some of Holton’s civic buildings too.

He and his partner, William Spencer, had designed and built the grand new town hall and, together with other businessmen had developed the ramshackle pier into a thriving place of entertainment for the summer
visitors
. He had also invested heavily in the Winter Gardens with its theatre, dance hall and restaurant. But that seemed to be successful and, as far as Louise knew, there was no reason to think her father would lose money on it. Still, there had been a depression over the past few years and maybe he had lost on some of his other investments.

There was no doubt something was worrying him. And since his refusal to take on a new cook, as well as the dismissal of poor old Fred, the gardener, Louise had to face up to the fact that her father had financial
troubles
. She’d never had to worry about money before. They had always been comfortably off, if not rich, and she had never questioned their way of life. Not that money as such was important to her – she wasn’t interested in fashions or holding her own with the social elite of the town – but it meant a lot to Dora, and to a lesser degree, to Sarah.

She knew that if there was a problem, Father would try to shield his wife from any unpleasantness. She decided to go and meet him from work and try to talk to him away from the house. She went into the kitchen to tell Polly she was going out.

‘But what about dinner, Miss?’ Polly asked.

‘It’s all under control. I won’t be long and besides, you’ll manage. I have confidence in you, Polly,’ Louise said with a smile.

Polly blushed. ‘Thank you, Miss.’

‘I’m only saying what’s true. I don’t know how we would have managed without you these past few months,’ Louise said. ‘Now, just remember what I told you. If I’m not back in half an hour, put the potatoes on to boil. The rest of the meal is almost ready and won’t hurt if it’s left in the oven a little longer.’ She had made a beef casserole with carrots and onions and the smell from the oven was already making her mouth water.

‘What shall I tell the mistress if she asks?’

‘Just say I had an errand. But don’t worry – she’s busy writing letters about Miss Sarah’s next concert. That should keep her busy till I get back.’

Louise put her hat and coat on and slipped out quietly. Instead of turning towards the sea as she usually did when she needed a breath of fresh air, she walked down the avenue and turned the corner towards her father’s office. As she passed the surgery, she thought of Andrew and their brief encounter all those months ago. She had hoped that he would call again but only a couple of days later she heard that he had returned to London.

With a sigh she tried to concentrate on what she was going to say to her father. It was no good dwelling on her love life – or lack of it. As she’d so often told herself, Andrew wasn’t interested and now, although she knew she would never have agreed, even the prospect of a new life in a new country was denied her. When Keith Willis had left for the mission in Africa he had not even called to say goodbye. Not that I’m bothered, Louise thought. Despite her desire to get away from the little seaside town and lead a more exciting life, she hadn’t been quite desperate enough to put up with Keith’s sanctimonious ways, not to mention having to endure his wet mouth on hers and his clammy hands pawing her body.

She squared her shoulders and plastered a smile on her face before going in to see her father. As she walked up the steps and entered the premises of Charlton and Spencer, a door slammed and James Spencer rushed through the reception area, barely acknowledging her.

He had been with the firm for over a year now and was supposed to be learning the business. Louise knew that, although William Spencer had hopes of James taking over from him one day, her own father wasn’t too sure.

‘Young James doesn’t seem to understand that he can’t just jump in. He has to start at the bottom and learn the ropes,’ Stanley had said at dinner the other day.

Louise hoped he would soon knuckle down, if only to take some of the pressure off her father, who she was sure was suffering from overwork.

Stanley looked up from the papers he was studying and his face lit up in a smile at the sight of his daughter. His heart contracted painfully as she pulled her hat off and shook her hair free, then perched on the corner of his desk. She was so like her mother it sometimes hurt just to look at her. Although he loved Dora, he had never forgotten his sweet Mary – how could he, when every day Louise was there to remind him?

Stanley loved both his daughters and would do anything to make them happy, but just recently he’d begun to worry that he had indulged Sarah too much. In her single-minded pursuit of a singing career, he feared she was in danger of turning out to be as selfish as her mother. He wasn’t blind to Dora’s faults; he loved her in spite of them. But it hurt him to see Sarah going the same way. Still, he was sure Louise would never be a
disappointment
to him.

He sighed and reached for her hand. ‘To what do I owe this pleasure then, my dear?’ he asked.

‘I needed to get out of the house. So I thought we could walk home together. We haven’t had our Sunday walks lately and I miss them.’

Stanley patted her hand. ‘I do too. Let me finish going through these papers and then we’ll walk home along the seafront.’

Louise smiled and got up from the desk. ‘Where’s Miss Baines?’ she  asked.

‘I let her go early – her mother’s not well,’ Stanley replied.

Louise smiled sympathetically and went to sit by the window as he bent his head to his work.

But his mind wasn’t on the details of the house he’d recently surveyed for a client. He was still puzzling over what had gone wrong with his business. How could they be losing money when they still had so many contracts underway? He hadn’t lost that much in the stock market crash and anyway, things were recovering a little now. But surely his problems were not just due to Dora’s extravagance, or to the expenses incurred in launching Sarah’s musical career.

He would just have to go through the books again. But the thought depressed him. Last time he had attempted to discuss their finances with his partner, William became quite tetchy, as if he thought Stanley were accusing him of some impropriety. That was the last thing on his mind; he and William had been friends for years and, up until now, their partnership had been a happy one.

It was no good. He couldn’t concentrate on the survey, couldn’t summon up any interest in dry rot and cracked guttering, faulty drains and loose window catches. He threw the papers down with a sigh and stretched.

‘I think I’ll call it a day, Louise. Maybe this will make more sense in the morning,’ he said.

He shrugged himself into his jacket, helped Louise on with hers and took his hat off the stand in the corner. As he closed the office door behind them a voice from across the hall called out.

‘Just off, Mr Charlton?’

Stanley put his head round the door. ‘Yes, make sure you lock up securely when you leave.’

‘Don’t worry, Mr Charlton. You can depend on me,’ the young man replied.

As they walked down the steps, Louise took Stanley’s arm. ‘I didn’t hear James come back. He rushed out just as I came in, nearly knocked me over.’

‘I expect he had another row with William. They don’t see eye to eye and I’m beginning to think it was a mistake, taking him on. James has his own ideas about how we should run things but William doesn’t agree.’

Still, it was about time the young man grew up and started accepting some responsibility. Stanley was in full agreement with his partner on that. Once more he sighed and wished that Louise had been a boy. She would have been a real asset to the business. But it was no use dwelling on that. Dora would have a fit if he so much as hinted that he’d like his daughter to work with him. And he knew his partner would never agree either.

As they walked along the seafront, enjoying the mild autumn sunshine, Louise tentatively broached the subject that had been worrying her. She couldn’t bear to see that drawn, grey look on her father’s face.

‘I know something’s on your mind, Father. I wish you’d tell me,’ she said, slipping her hand through his arm.

‘I don’t want you to worry, my dear. There’s nothing you can do anyway.’ Stanley sighed.

‘So there is something wrong?’

‘Well, I must confess, things could be better – but not a word to your mother. You know how she fusses.’

‘I won’t say anything,’ Louise promised. ‘But why can’t you confide in me? Maybe it would help to talk things over.’

Stanley hesitated, then patted her hand. They strolled slowly between the flowerbeds, now bereft of their colourful summer bedding, and Louise listened apprehensively as her father confided his fears for the business he had worked so hard to build up over the years.

‘You don’t seriously think Mr Spencer has been cooking the books, do you?’ she asked.

‘Of course not.’ Stanley sounded shocked. But Louise could see the thought wasn’t new to him. He just didn’t want to believe it. He tugged at his moustache. ‘No, no, my dear. I’m sure that’s not the case. Things will start to look up soon I’m sure.’

Louise hoped he was right. She didn’t mind helping out in the house, had even begun to enjoy the challenge of cooking for the family, though how they would manage if they ever had to let Polly go, she couldn’t imagine. But she hated to see the pinched worried look on her father’s face and his struggle to control the faint flicker of irritation at Dora’s frequent demands. He tried so hard to please, but she never seemed to be satisfied.

Louise squeezed his arm and smiled up at him. ‘Whatever happens, Father, we’ll manage,’ she assured him.

As they neared Steyne House they saw Sarah at the front gate, excitedly waving a letter.

‘It’s come,’ she squealed. ‘The letter about the concert at the Albert Hall.’ Her violet eyes shone and her cheeks were flushed with pride.

Louise had been so taken up with running the household, not to mention worrying about her father, she had quite forgotten that Sarah had
auditioned
for the concert some time ago. The letter was from Maurice Weeks, the theatrical agent who, with Dora, was promoting Sarah’s career.

‘Congratulations, we’re so proud of you,’ Louise said, giving her sister an impulsive hug. ‘Aren’t we, Father?’ she added, turning to Stanley, whose worried frown disappeared at once.

‘Of course, darling,’ he said, smiling widely as Sarah grabbed his hand and almost dragged him up the front path.

Louise was pleased that he managed to keep the smile in place when Sarah declared that she simply must have a new dress for the occasion, adding ‘… and shoes, and a hat.’

As they entered the house, Polly appeared in the hall, wringing her hands. ‘Oh there you are, Miss. I was beginning to get worried.’ She glanced over her shoulder anxiously as the drawing room door opened.

Dora, her rosebud lips pinched tightly together, stood in the doorway, her blue eyes glittering. ‘Where on earth have you been, Louise? I thought you were supervising dinner. Polly hasn’t the first idea how to go about things and here’s your father home and the table not even set.’

Louise’s lips tightened too. ‘Everything is under control, Mother,’ she said as evenly as she could manage through clenched teeth, wondering at the strength of will which kept her from expressing her true feelings.

Stanley seemed to guess how she felt, smiling at her over Dora’s head and taking his wife’s hand. ‘I don’t mind waiting, dearest,’ he said. ‘Why don’t we sit down and have a drink while you tell me about Sarah’s wonderful news. Louise will call us when dinner’s ready.’

Dora simpered up at him. ‘Oh, Stanley, if you only knew how trying it is, managing with only one servant. I’m sure Polly does her best….’

Louise escaped to the kitchen, where she proceeded to bang the pots about, much to Polly’s distress. The maid hovered uncertainly behind her, gabbling apologies.

‘I haven’t had a chance to set the table. Besides, I wasn’t expecting the mistress down yet. Last time I went up she was sound asleep.’

‘It’s all right, Polly. I’m not cross with you. It’s not your fault I was away so long. I walked home through the park with Father.’ She took the pan of potatoes off the range. ‘Now, you set the table, while I strain and mash these.’

Polly hurried away, still twittering anxiously. If only Mother would keep out of the kitchen and leave things to me, Louise thought. Polly would know where she was then and wouldn’t get into such a state. She forgot for a moment that it wasn’t long ago she’d been annoyed with Dora for not helping more. At times like this she almost wished she’d accepted Keith Willis’s proposal and gone off to Africa with him. Then the memory of his clammy hands and wet kiss overrode her discontent with her lot. I’m not that desperate she told herself. Still, she’d have to do something soon or she’d go mad.