Read Online Clifton Chronicles 02 - The Sins of the Father by Jeffrey Archer - Free Book Online
Authors: Jeffrey Archer
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better job, with more pay,’ said Emma as she began folding up her uniform.
‘He’s not going to be pleased,’ said Maisie. ‘It might have been easier if you’d turned out to be useless, or at least been late a few times.’ Emma laughed, and placed her little white cap neatly on top of her clothes for the last time.
‘Is there anything else I can do for you, Miss Dickens?’ asked Maisie.
‘Yes please,’ said Emma. ‘I need a reference.’
‘Applying for another unpaid job, are you?’
‘Something like that,’ replied Emma, feeling a little guilty that she wasn’t able to take Harry’s mother into her confidence.
‘Then I’ll dictate a reference, you write it, and I’ll sign it,’ she said, passing Emma a sheet of the hotel’s headed notepaper. ‘To whom it may concern,’ Maisie began. ‘During the short time—’
‘Could I possibly leave out “short”?’ asked Emma.
Maisie smiled.
‘During the time Miss Dickens has been with us at the Grand’ – Emma wrote ‘Miss Barrington’, but didn’t tell her – ‘she has proved hard-working, efficient and popular with both the customers and staff. Her skills as a waitress are impressive, and her ability to learn on the job convinces me that any establishment would be fortunate to have her as a member of their staff. We will be sorry to lose her, and should she ever want to return to this hotel, we would welcome her back.’
Emma smiled as she handed the sheet of paper back. Maisie scribbled her signature above the words Restaurant Manageress .
‘Thank you,’ said Emma, wrapping her arms around her.
‘I have no idea what you’re up to, my dear,’ said Maisie, once Emma had released her, ‘but whatever it is, I wish you luck.’
Emma wanted to tell her, I’m going in search of your son, and I won’t return until I’ve found him.
8
E MMA HAD BEEN standing on the dockside for over an hour when she spotted the Kansas Star nosing its way into port, but it was another hour before the ship finally docked.
During that time, Emma thought about the decision she’d made, and was already beginning to wonder if she had the courage to go through with it. She tried to dismiss from her thoughts the sinking of the Athenia a few months before, and the possibility of never even making it to New York.
She had written a long letter to her mother, trying to explain why she’d be away for a couple of weeks – three at the most – and only hoped she would understand. But she couldn’t write a letter to Sebastian to let him know that she was going in search of his father, and was already missing him. She kept trying to convince herself that she was doing it as much for her son as for herself.
Sir Walter had once again offered to introduce her to the captain of the Kansas Star , but Emma had politely declined, as it didn’t fit in with her plan to remain anonymous. He’d also given her a vague description of Dr Wallace, and certainly no one who looked remotely like that had disembarked from the ship that morning. However, Sir Walter was able to pass on two other valuable pieces of information. The Kansas Star would be departing on the last tide that evening. And the purser could usually be found in his office between the hours of two and five every afternoon, completing embarkation forms. More important, he was responsible for the employment of non-crew members of staff.
Emma had written to her grandfather the day before to thank him for his help, but she still didn’t let him know what she was up to, although she had a feeling he’d worked it out.
After the clock on Barrington House had struck twice, and there was still no sign of Dr Wallace, Emma picked up her small suitcase and decided the time had come to walk the gangplank. When she stepped nervously on to the deck, she asked the first person she saw in uniform the way to the purser’s office, and was told lower deck aft.
She spotted a passenger disappearing down a wide staircase,
‘He’s not going to be pleased,’ said Maisie. ‘It might have been easier if you’d turned out to be useless, or at least been late a few times.’ Emma laughed, and placed her little white cap neatly on top of her clothes for the last time.
‘Is there anything else I can do for you, Miss Dickens?’ asked Maisie.
‘Yes please,’ said Emma. ‘I need a reference.’
‘Applying for another unpaid job, are you?’
‘Something like that,’ replied Emma, feeling a little guilty that she wasn’t able to take Harry’s mother into her confidence.
‘Then I’ll dictate a reference, you write it, and I’ll sign it,’ she said, passing Emma a sheet of the hotel’s headed notepaper. ‘To whom it may concern,’ Maisie began. ‘During the short time—’
‘Could I possibly leave out “short”?’ asked Emma.
Maisie smiled.
‘During the time Miss Dickens has been with us at the Grand’ – Emma wrote ‘Miss Barrington’, but didn’t tell her – ‘she has proved hard-working, efficient and popular with both the customers and staff. Her skills as a waitress are impressive, and her ability to learn on the job convinces me that any establishment would be fortunate to have her as a member of their staff. We will be sorry to lose her, and should she ever want to return to this hotel, we would welcome her back.’
Emma smiled as she handed the sheet of paper back. Maisie scribbled her signature above the words Restaurant Manageress .
‘Thank you,’ said Emma, wrapping her arms around her.
‘I have no idea what you’re up to, my dear,’ said Maisie, once Emma had released her, ‘but whatever it is, I wish you luck.’
Emma wanted to tell her, I’m going in search of your son, and I won’t return until I’ve found him.
8
E MMA HAD BEEN standing on the dockside for over an hour when she spotted the Kansas Star nosing its way into port, but it was another hour before the ship finally docked.
During that time, Emma thought about the decision she’d made, and was already beginning to wonder if she had the courage to go through with it. She tried to dismiss from her thoughts the sinking of the Athenia a few months before, and the possibility of never even making it to New York.
She had written a long letter to her mother, trying to explain why she’d be away for a couple of weeks – three at the most – and only hoped she would understand. But she couldn’t write a letter to Sebastian to let him know that she was going in search of his father, and was already missing him. She kept trying to convince herself that she was doing it as much for her son as for herself.
Sir Walter had once again offered to introduce her to the captain of the Kansas Star , but Emma had politely declined, as it didn’t fit in with her plan to remain anonymous. He’d also given her a vague description of Dr Wallace, and certainly no one who looked remotely like that had disembarked from the ship that morning. However, Sir Walter was able to pass on two other valuable pieces of information. The Kansas Star would be departing on the last tide that evening. And the purser could usually be found in his office between the hours of two and five every afternoon, completing embarkation forms. More important, he was responsible for the employment of non-crew members of staff.
Emma had written to her grandfather the day before to thank him for his help, but she still didn’t let him know what she was up to, although she had a feeling he’d worked it out.
After the clock on Barrington House had struck twice, and there was still no sign of Dr Wallace, Emma picked up her small suitcase and decided the time had come to walk the gangplank. When she stepped nervously on to the deck, she asked the first person she saw in uniform the way to the purser’s office, and was told lower deck aft.
She spotted a passenger disappearing down a wide staircase,
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