The Innkeeper's Daughter (43 page)

‘Miss Thorp – Bella,’ he said. ‘Wake up. It’s all over.’

‘What?’ She was flustered and feared the worst. ‘Is he—’

‘Going to be fine!’ Jamie smiled. ‘We were fortunate that there was a very experienced surgeon on duty, and with the use of chloroform the shot was removed without any pain to your brother.’

She blinked and looked round. ‘But how quick! We’ve only just arrived.’

Jamie looked up at the clock on the wall. ‘I think you’ll find we’ve been here just over an hour and a half. William is back on the ward and fast asleep. The wound will be painful when he wakes, but the worst is over.’

Bella stood up and swayed a little and Jamie put out his hand to steady her. ‘Thank you so much,’ she said. ‘May I see him?’

‘Just for a moment,’ he said. ‘But we must be very quiet. There are other patients asleep in their beds.’

‘Of course,’ she said softly. ‘But just so I can tell my mother when she wakes that he’s going to be all right.’

He led her up a wide staircase and along a long corridor which had many doors off it. ‘It’s this one, I think,’ he said. ‘This is the first time I’ve been here.’

He led her through a long narrow room with beds on either side. A nurse sat a desk halfway along the ward and she rose as they came in.

‘Dr Lucan,’ he said quietly. ‘We wish to see William Thorp for only a moment.’

‘As long as that is all it is, sir. The patient needs to recover.’

Bella bent to look at William. He was sleeping peacefully, from the application of the chloroform, she guessed. ‘Thank you,’ she whispered. ‘Thank you so much.’

The carriage had left when they went outside; Dr Birchfield had gone home. Jamie pointed out that his house was no more than five minutes’ walk away.

‘Would you like to wait inside whilst I try to find a cab?’ he asked her.

‘It isn’t far to Anne Street, is it? I could walk, I don’t mind, and I could do with some air.’

‘Not alone!’ he admonished her. ‘You are not out in the country now.’

‘Would I not be safe? I’m sure that I would.’

‘I’m not prepared to risk it.’ He smiled, and thought, I’m not going to lose you when I’ve only just found you again. ‘I’ll walk with you, if you’d allow me?’

‘That’s very kind. I’d be pleased to have your company, Dr Lucan.’

He laughed as they began to walk. ‘I’ve not yet become used to being called doctor!’

‘You’ve only recently qualified, I understand? William told me that you’d had good news and bad when you returned to London.’ She paused. ‘We – my mother and I are extremely grateful to you for taking such care of William.’ Then she asked the question that had been niggling away at her since William had told her of Dr Lucan’s nom-de-plume. ‘Did you recognize my brother at once, Dr Lucan?’

‘No.’ He took her arm so that she would wait for a carriage to pass before crossing a road. ‘It was a little while later, when the accent seemed familiar.’ He hesitated, unable to tell her that after meeting her brother he couldn’t get her out of his mind, and hadn’t wanted to tell William that he knew her. ‘And at first I didn’t connect him with the Woodman. I – I’m not sure if I recall seeing him there. I was also in a depressed state of mind having heard about my friend’s death. Also …’ He paused, not knowing what else to say. ‘I can’t properly explain it, not now.’

‘You owe
me
no explanation, Dr Lucan.’ She withdrew her arm, and he wondered if there was a hint of coldness in her voice or whether it was his feeling of guilt that made him think that. ‘And William doesn’t know anything about you, save what you’ve told him yourself.’

He took her to the door of the Maritime and rang the bell, for she said the door would be locked and bolted. He heard the scrape of the bolt and the key turning in the lock.

‘Miss Thorp – Bella – may I come and see you again? Not just because of William.’ His voice cracked as he spoke. ‘I – I need to speak to you.’

She half turned away from him as Carter opened the door, and then turned back. He couldn’t tell what her expression was as the light above the door threw shadows on her face, but she put out her hand to his.

‘Thank you so much, Dr Lucan,’ she said softly. ‘If you could come tomorrow and perhaps have luncheon with us, I’ll introduce you to my mother and we can properly express our gratitude.’

Carter said he would go back to his lodgings if she didn’t need him for anything else, and Bella said that he must come in an hour later in the morning. ‘I’m indebted to you, Carter. I didn’t want to leave my mother alone.’

‘That’s all right, Miss Bella.’ He fingered the rim of his hat. ‘I’m grateful for ’opportunity to repay you a little – for giving me another chance, you know.’

She smiled. ‘Then we’re all square, I think.’

After locking and bolting the door behind him, and turning out the lamp, she went through into the kitchen. Someone had removed the truckle bed that William had used, folded it up and stood it against the wall. Adam was sound asleep by the range.

I can’t go to bed yet, even though I’m very tired; my mind is buzzing with all that’s happened. She sat down by the table and put her chin in her hands. The kitchen was warm and quiet but for the ticking of the clock and Adam’s soft breathing, and that was somehow comforting.

How strange that he should be at Dr Birchfield’s house. Had he only just arrived? Will he be leaving again for London now that he’s said his last goodbye to his father? And I wonder if his sisters still live in Holderness? Bella recalled meeting one of them; what was her name?
Mary
– a very forward child as I remember. Who’ll take care of them now? He’s got a brother,
I
think. No wonder then, if he had things on his mind, that he didn’t immediately call to see William.

She deliberately didn’t give him his name. I think of him as Jamie, because that’s how I’ve always thought of him. But now he’s Dr Lucan and he said himself that he’s not yet used to that title.

Adam stirred and turned over towards the fire, muttering to himself, and Bella stretched her arms above her head. Taking a deep, deep breath, she smiled. I’m so happy to see him again. And he’s coming to lunch tomorrow.

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

LIFE HAD BEGUN
to change on the following day, when Jamie had been invited for luncheon at the Maritime so that Mrs Thorp and Bella might formally thank him for his care of William, not only during his time in the Blackwall hospital but on the journey home and since.

He’d arrived just after twelve thirty and found Bella in the saloon talking to a well-dressed, rather imperious-looking man, a few years older than himself. Bella had introduced him as Justin Allen, one of the owners of the brewery. Jamie had taken an instant dislike to him, not only because of his bearing and handsome looks, but because he seemed over familiar with Bella, touching her hand with his lips as he took leave of her.

‘Is he a friend,’ he’d asked, ‘as well as a business associate?’

Bella had smiled and raised her eyebrows, rather provocatively, Jamie thought, and said, ‘He’d like to be.’ The remark had worried him.

Surprisingly, their meal was eaten in the house kitchen and not in the hotel dining room, where he had noticed a young maid serving the occupied tables. Mrs Thorp in her large white apron had taken a joint of rare beef, a crisped leg of pork and a glazed ham out of the ovens and put them to rest on the top of the stove.

‘This is not for us,’ she said. ‘This is for ’dining room. I’ll just tek it through and then I’ll serve ours.’

He sat opposite Bella and gazed at her. Her cheeks were
flushed
and she seemed a touch uneasy. She looked across at him and then down at her lap.

‘You’re wondering why we’re eating in here and not in ’hotel,’ she said.

He nodded solemnly. ‘I am.’

‘We only invite friends to eat in here with us,’ she said softly. ‘Those who know who we are and what we’re like and where we come from.’

‘Then I’m honoured,’ he said. ‘More than I could possibly say.’ He paused for a second and then asked, ‘Has Mr Allen eaten in here?’

She tried to hide a smile. ‘He’s never had his foot through ’door, nor will he. He and Mr Newby are our business partners only.’

He exhaled. ‘I’m relieved to hear it, more than I can say.’

‘It seems you’re lost for words, Dr Lucan,’ she murmured teasingly.

‘Yes. I’m totally tongue-tied and there’s so much I wish to say to you.’

Sarah came back and dished up the most delicious beef stew he had ever tasted, even better than Mrs Hopkins’s. As well as tender beef, it contained carrot and onion, potato, tomato and leek, and was flavoured with nutmeg and allspice. Floating on top were light and crispy dumplings. A bread loaf fresh from the oven was placed on a wooden platter in the middle of the table.

When he had refused a third helping, he was offered apple pie and custard. ‘Not our own apples,’ Mrs Thorp apologized; she wasn’t eating with them but flitted between the kitchen and the dining room. ‘But there’s a greengrocer here in Hull who buys them from foreign parts, and though they’re not as tasty as my Woodman ones were they’re a reasonable substitute. We’ve no garden here, you see.’

She disappeared again after serving him and Bella and they both smiled.

‘I feel that I’m being fattened up,’ he said, and she nodded. ‘For sacrifice?’ he asked.

‘No. My mother likes to cook. I told her to keep it simple, but she wants to repay you for looking after William so well.’

‘If this is what happens after treating a patient then I have chosen the right profession,’ he bantered. ‘I must bring my colleague Dr Birchfield to the Maritime; his sister is possibly the worst cook in the kingdom.’

As they sat after finishing their meal, he came clean about his meeting with William and why he had, in effect, hidden his identity from him.

‘I didn’t mean to deceive,’ he said penitently, ‘but after the initial astonishment of realizing who he was I felt confused and awkward about saying anything. But …’ He hesitated. Was it too soon to tell her the truth? Would he frighten her away if he told her of his true feelings?

‘But?’

‘It had been a long time since we last met at the Woodman and I wondered if you would still remember me.’

‘I’ve never forgotten you,’ she murmured. ‘I’ve often thought about you and wondered if you’d achieved your ambition.’ She gave him a warm smile. ‘I’m so pleased to learn that you have.’

‘And you? Did you get over the disappointment of giving up your dream of teaching?’

Bella gave a small gasp. He remembered! ‘I didn’t think that you—’

‘You thought I’d forget? No, I remember everything we spoke about – including my embarrassment over my sister Mary and her doll.’

‘Bella.’ She laughed.

‘Yes.’ He laughed too. ‘And it really
was
my father who selected the name.’ His voice dropped. ‘But it’s true. The name was well chosen.’

Bella blushed, but her mother came in again to ask her something, and Jamie said that he must not take up any more of their time.

‘You must come again, doctor,’ Sarah said. ‘And you don’t need to wait until anyone is ill before you do.’

Bella took him through the saloon to the reception area and he thanked her for lunch.

‘May I really come again?’ he asked. ‘I’d like to. We’ve much to catch up on after so many years.’ He glanced back into the saloon through the stained-glass partition. ‘You have made this into a thriving business.’

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I’ve to pinch myself sometimes to remind me of how it was when we first came.’

Impulsively he took hold of her hand and she didn’t pull away. ‘You’re an enterprising and successful young woman. You should be very proud.’ And he wanted to say, I am but a poor doctor, and unworthy of you.

‘I’m not proud,’ she said. ‘We’ve had good fortune, but we’ve all worked hard for it.’

He’d called again just a few days later to ask if she could spare a few minutes for him to speak to her. She was sitting at the small desk in reception, looking over an appointment book.

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Of course I can. I’m just looking at our bookings. Visitors have written to say they’d like to come and stay during the week before Christmas.’ She laughed, gleefully. ‘But we’re fully booked!’

‘Then I won’t keep you long, but I have to tell someone my news!’ He saw her warm expression and felt he could tell her anything, and went on, ‘I’ve been offered a post as junior surgeon at the General Infirmary, and it will fit in well with Dr Birchfield who’s offered me a position as a partner!’

‘That’s wonderful!’ she exclaimed. ‘And – and are you happy to stay here in Hull? Are there as many opportunities here as there would be in London?’

He gazed at her. ‘I hope there are many opportunities, and I’m sure I could be very happy here.’

He pondered; should he tell her that he was a poor man with little to offer? Would she wonder what that had to do with her? They had only recently met again, so why would she assume anything from him but friendship? Yet we have so much in common, despite our different backgrounds.

He gazed at her as she was about to speak, watched the way her soft mouth turned up at the corners, the dimple in her cheeks as she smiled, the open honesty in her eyes that would never deceive. How can I tell her of my feelings for her when I can’t understand or describe them to myself?

‘But you’ve good prospects, haven’t you?’ We are much the same, she thought. He has had to work hard for his achievements and in spite of parental opposition, from what I recall, and yet – and yet he seems to have an inner strength even though he has a yielding and considerate manner.

She stood up from the desk and placed her fingers along the top as if to steady her, tapping them as she considered what she was about to say. Her voice was husky as she spoke and she kept her eyes lowered.

‘Although as a family we’ve never been wealthy, we’ve been fortunate to have always had a good living, with enough to eat and a roof over our heads. But now.’ She raised her eyes to his. ‘Now, I have good fortune; but it – it will mean nothing at all if I can’t have what I truly want; and that is – someone special in my life.’