A Lancashire Lass by Libby Ashworth

Author:Libby Ashworth [Ashworth, Libby]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781473570719
Publisher: Random House

Chapter Sixteen

Hannah had to bang repeatedly on the door when she got back to King Street. No one came and she was just thinking that she was locked out for the night and would have to go to Water Street, and risk being dismissed from her job, when she saw a flickering candle approaching through the kitchen and Cook called out, ‘Who is it?’ in an uncertain voice.

‘It’s me! Hannah!’

She heard the scrape of the bolts being drawn back and then the door opened a crack and she saw Cook’s face in the candlelight. She looked both worried and furious.

‘Where hast tha been until this time?’ she demanded, making no move to open the door wide enough for Hannah to go in.

‘I’ve been helping the doctor care for a friend.’

Cook sniffed as if she didn’t believe her. ‘Hast tha been drinking?’ she asked.

‘I had a half-pint earlier, at the Reform meeting. That’s all. Let me in!’

Cook stood back and opened the door a few more inches to allow Hannah to squeeze through. Then she closed it and shot the bolts again. ‘I don’t know what Mrs Feilden will have to say.’

‘Tha’ll not tell her?’ Hannah could see no reason why she should, other than to be perverse. ‘I really was with a friend. She’s very ill.’

‘Tha’s takin’ advantage cause tha knows t’ family’s away,’ said Cook. ‘I’ll not be made a fool of,’ she warned. ‘I were asleep in my bed and I don’t like being knocked up in the middle of the night. Tha’s lucky I opened t’ door to thee at all. It could have been anybody, and Mr Feilden would never have forgiven me for letting in burglars.’

Hannah thought that Cook was being fanciful but held her tongue.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘But Dr Barlow were tending to Mary and I couldn’t just leave her.’

‘Giving birth, was she?’ asked Cook, putting on the kettle. ‘She were lucky as Dr Barlow came out.’

‘She lost the baby,’ said Hannah. It was true in a way and she didn’t want to go into the full details.

‘Poor lass. That’s always hard.’ Cook set the tea on the table to brew. ‘I suppose tha won’t say no to a slice o’ bread and jam?’ Hannah knew then that she was forgiven. Bread and jam was a rare treat and she was hungry. ‘Then tha’d best get to bed. We’ve to be up early to make ready for the family coming.’

‘Are they coming back tomorrow? I thought they were staying at Feniscowles until next week.’

‘Don’t sound so disappointed. Tha can’t be on easy street all the time,’ Cook told her. But it wasn’t the work that was on Hannah’s mind. Whilst the family had been away she’d borrowed the first volume of Ivanhoe and smuggled it upstairs to read. She would have to make sure it was back on its shelf before they arrived.

It was late morning when the carriage came and Cook sent Hannah hurrying up the back stairs with a tray of hot chocolate for Mrs Feilden and her daughters.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.