Ruby McBride (30 page)

Not for a moment was he prepared to allow them to get away with his. Hadn’t Ruby McBride done enough damage to his life already? Once again he felt used by her. She’d strung him along all this time yet must have said something to warn Barthram Stobbs of their plan. She no doubt gave some indication of what was afoot, or how would he have known to find them in that blasted office? Kit suspected she’d either spilled the beans, or made it so obvious by her behaviour that she was up to something that he’d followed her. Perhaps had been doing so for some time. And after all his patience, all the trouble he’d gone to. Never trust a bloody woman!

There was nothing now that Kit wasn’t prepared to do in order to exact revenge. He needed to redress the balance. He felt driven to the limits of his endurance. One way or another, he’d punish them both.

‘You are not my mother.’ Pearl’s strident voice rang out for the umpteenth time as it had done throughout those first few difficult days and during the endless miserable week that had followed.

‘God rest her soul,’ Ruby quietly added. They were walking along Deansgate, a blustery wind making Ruby glad of the shawl wrapped about her head and shoulders. Pearl was struggling to keep control of her ridiculous wide straw hat with the sweeping green feather. Bart had generously provided them with funds and they were looking in shops, trying to find something more appropriate for her to wear than the maroon and purple skirt and fitted jacket she wore constantly. ‘What about this lovely grey twill? It’s both smart and practical.’

Pearl curled her lip with contempt. ‘I’d look like a schoolmarm in that.’ She marched over to another mannequin swathed in pink satin. ‘Now this is more my style.’

‘You’d look like a tart in that.’ Ruby started to giggle. ‘You’d set tongues wagging if you walked about the canal basin in pink satin and no mistake.’

‘Happen I wouldn’t wear it in the canal basin. Happen I won’t be stopping in Castlefield.’

Ruby looked at her askance. ‘Where else would you go?’

‘Wherever I want. Back to Rochdale probably. I’ll live where I like. Dress how I like. Like I say, you’re not me bleedin’ mother.’ She picked up a wide-brimmed hat, swathed in blue spotted net and masses of silk flowers, and placed it on her head as if to prove her point. ‘You’re only my
sister
!
You can’t tell me what to do.’

‘I’m your older sister. And didn’t I promise Mam that I’d take care of you?’ Seeing a floor walker approach, Ruby snatched the hat from Pearl’s head and put it back on its stand, swiftly apologised and hustled her out of the store. ‘Someone needs to see that you’re properly looked after.’

‘Why? That promise only held good till I was old enough to take care of myself, which I
 
am, so you can stop your preaching. I’ll decide what’s right for me, not you.’

Oblivious to the passers-by who jostled them, they stood on the pavement locked in combat, Pearl fighting for her independence, Ruby desperate to carry out her self-imposed duty to the letter.
 

‘And what
is
right for you, Pearl? What’s so special about Rochdale that you’re so determined to go back there? Or that pub? There are pubs in Castlefield in need of a barmaid, I’m sure.’

‘I’ll please myself what I do, and where I go. Stop bossing me about, I’ll not have it.’

Ruby gazed with sadness upon her sister. ‘Aren’t you pleased that we’ve found each other again, our Pearl? Don’t you want us to be friends?’

‘I want you to keep your interfering nose out of my affairs, that’s what I want. Where were you when I needed you months, years ago? Living the life of Riley with your rich husband, that’s where. Don’t think you can just swan back into my life, pinch Kit off me and turn my life upside down. It won’t wash.’

‘Pinch Kit? What are you talking about? You and Kit aren’t - are you?’

Realising suddenly what she’d said, that she’d gone too far and Kit would be furious with her, Pearl attempted to backtrack. ‘Well, no, n-not in that way. But he was my friend, and now he’s
yours
.
He’s dropped me completely.’

Ruby reached out and gave her sister a comforting hug, chuckling softly as she did so. ‘What nonsense you do talk. Your obsession over friends always wanting to leave you has to stop, Pearl. Believe me, it is possible for a person to share friends. Oh, Pearl love, you’ve had a hard time. It’s going to get better from now on, really it is. Just give us a chance. Why don’t we go and have an ice cream in Kendal Milnes, eh?’

But even this treat didn’t mollify Pearl in any way. She kept on and on about how she missed her friends in Rochdale, how she had a little room there, and money of her own to spend.

‘Well, if that’s what’s troubling you, you have your own room at Quay Street, and you can earn some brass helping on the barges. There’s enough work for two of us there.’

‘Swabbing decks in the bleedin’ cold? Not on your nelly.’ They argued all the way back down Deansgate, all through the dinner they ate standing at the counter of a tripe stall at Campfield Market, and were still squabbling when they arrived back at Quay Street with no purchase to show for their morning’s effort. Pearl had disliked everything Ruby had wanted her to buy, and vice versa. They had disagreed on everything and achieved nothing.

Back in the house, Pearl snatched up the carpet bag she’d brought with her for the much hoped for escape to Canada and made to leave without even pausing to take off her hat and coat or have the pot of tea Ruby was offering. ‘No, thanks, I’m off back where I belong. I’d a nice comfy little number going for me there.’

Ruby felt as if her heart were breaking. ‘Oh, Pearl, I’d so hoped we’d get on better, now that we’re all grown up and have been apart for so long. Which pub is it? How will I know where to find you?’

‘Don’t you fret. I’ll pop over to see you from time to time, seeing as how I know where you live now.’ She paused at the door to issue her final shot. ‘It’s too late to try to play mother or even big sister to me now, Ruby. You should’ve taken better care of us years ago. We might never have lost our Billy then, if you had.’

After she’d gone, Ruby sank to her knees and wept, for surely Pearl was right.

Chapter Twenty-One

I’m looking for a job and I reckon you owe me one.’

Bart stopped plaiting the rope fender he was repairing to find Kit Jarvis standing beside him, every bit as cocky and arrogant as he’d appeared in the dock manager’s office. ‘How do you work that out? Seems to me I saved you from the nick, not so long ago.’

‘But if you hadn’t recklessly given Ruby that valuable pendant, I’d never’ve been accused of trying to steal it, would I?’

Bart deliberated over this upside-down logic for a moment. ‘You were intending to steal it, weren’t you?’

‘No, only to keep it safe for her.’ Kit slammed a fist into his other hand on a burst of exasperation. His distress sounded so genuine, he could almost believe in his own innocence. ‘That’s my point exactly. You think the worst of me, as does everyone else. And because of your interfering, yours and Ruby’s, that copper has never been off my tail since. No one’ll ever give me work while he’s hanging around.’

Bart eased himself into a more comfortable position, eyes narrowing as he considered this unexpected request. ‘Since you were running off with my wife, why the hell should I offer you a job? I’m more inclined to take a horse whip to you for your presumption.’

This threat was issued in the mildest of tones but Kit was not fooled. The sincerity behind the words was indisputable, and he’d no wish to put them to the test. Nor did he attempt to deny the charge, rather he acknowledged it with a sly smile.
 

‘You should happen wonder why she was prepared to leave you, and come with me.’

‘Perhaps you applied undue pressure, in the shape of a suddenly resurrected sister and the ludicrous promise to find her brother. Ruby is vulnerable where her family is concerned. If I find you taking advantage of that vulnerability, I’ll strip the skin from your backside and hammer it to the decks here.’

Kit swallowed, taking extreme care not to allow his very real fear to show through the veneer of bravado. ‘At least if I’m here every day, on the tug, you can keep yer eye on what I’m up to.’

The slightest of pauses, and then Bart slowly inclined his head. ‘An excellent- point. Now why didn’t I think of that?’

Telling Ruby that he’d agreed to give her lover a job so that he could keep a better eve on him was the hardest thing Bart had ever done. He chose to announce his decision as they prepared for bed in the cabin one night. She’d deliberately kept her distance from him as she hurriedly undressed and slid into her night-gown, keeping up the pretence that she didn’t come to him willingly, but only under protest as her wifely duty. Bart couldn’t believe that he’d got himself into this situation, and wasn’t in the least surprised when she didn’t believe his tale. No wonder that she looked at him as if he’d completely lost his reason. Perhaps he had.

‘He’s not my lover.’

‘I shall make damn’ sure of that fact in future, my dear. That’s why I gave him the job. Always best to entertain the enemy in your own front parlour, then you can see what he’s up to.’

Ruby tossed back her hair in that haughty way she had when she was displeased. She sat at the end of the bed and began to tug a brush angrily through nut-brown curls that tumbled down around her shoulders, the vigorous movements making the neck of her night-gown gape at the throat as she
lifted her arm, revealing enticing curves of soft white flesh.
 

The thought of some other man caressing her slender form made his stomach clench, and Bart wondered if he could go through with this apparently civilised deal. Having Kit Jarvis on board had, at the time, seemed like a sensible idea. But he was already having second thoughts. How could he bear it? Bart knew he would be constantly on the lookout for the exchange of loving glances between them, secret notes passing from hand to hand.

He took the brush from her hand, and standing beside her began to brush her hair himself. It sprang to the brush as if with a life of its own and he felt a quiver run through her. Her nightgown slid down a fraction more and he placed a caressing hand on her bare shoulder.

‘What would I do if you left me, Ruby? When you planned to run off on this wild goose chase of yours, didn’t you wonder how I would manage without you?’

The stroke of the brush massaging her scalp was setting off strange little pulses of longing deep inside her, making it harder for her to concentrate. ‘Why should I?’

‘Have you not forgiven me yet for spoiling your little adventure?’ He laid the brush aside, his breath soft against her cheek as he turned her into his arms and pushed her back upon the bed. Held close against him, Ruby could actually feel the beat of his heart. Instinctively, she tilted her chin so that her mouth was bare inches from him, feeling a surge of excitement as she saw how his gazed fixed instantly upon it.

‘If I did, it was to assume that you’d quickly replace me with another reformatory kid, some other innocent girl who’d be happy enough to fill your bed and do your bidding, probably more willingly than me. I know about men, you see. My own mother warned me how they chase every bit of skirt that crosses their path.’

‘Oh, Ruby, what a sad indictment upon our marriage. Have you seen me chasing other girls? Have you?’ He kissed the tip
of her nose, nibbled the soft curve of her lower lip. Ruby did not allow herself to respond.

In truth she’d never seen him so much as glance at another female. Not in her presence, anyway. But what did that prove? You couldn’t trust men. You only had to let down your guard once, and they’d be off with the next rain shower. Mam had said so a score of times. And what did he expect her to say? That she was sorry for trying to run off to find their Billy. Well, she wouldn’t say such a terrible thing, and a few kisses and cuddles certainly wouldn’t win her round. All this pretence of affection didn’t move her one bit.
 

As her breathing quickened under the skill of his caresses, Ruby struggled to maintain her composure. Deliberately adopting a scathing tone, she continued, ‘No doubt you think you can bribe Kit into helping with your nasty schemes and con tricks because he’s a reformatory kid too. Isn’t that the real truth behind this apparent show of generosity?’

He had the gall to chuckle, as if he found the suggestion amusing, his eyes moving over her face as he tucked a glossy curl tenderly behind her ear. The tips of his fingers lingered over her cheek, capturing her chin and smoothing them over the firm line of her throat. ‘Not a bad idea. I should think Kit Jarvis would make a much better associate in crime than your own sweet, self, Ruby. If there is one thing you couldn’t accuse your friend of, it is honesty.’