Read Online Without a Mother's Love by Catherine King - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Catherine King
Ads: Link
uncle needs peace and quiet. Go to the schoolroom and get ready for bed.’
She opened her mouth to protest and Miss Trent glared at her. Olivia closed her mouth and obeyed.
When the apothecary arrived Harriet let him in and introduced herself.
‘My name’s Harvey, Adam Harvey. How d’y’do? I’d heard in the town what happened. A bad business, very bad.’ He shook his head and followed her up the wide wooden staircase.
‘What did happen, sir?’
‘He hasn’t said? Proud man is old Mexton. But it’s not his fault the bank failed - and he’s not the only one being mobbed by his workers.’
‘By his own miners? But surely it is the people he laid off who hate him.’
‘You know about that, do you? And that he cut the wages of those he kept on? Now there’s no money to pay even them. The constable has a riot on his hands. Mexton’s lucky to live so far out of town, and well away from his colliers.’
Harriet was shocked into silence.
Mr Harvey looked about him as he climbed the stairs. ‘Is Mrs Cookson about?’
‘She - she’s not too well, sir.’
‘Drunk, I suppose. What about the grandson?’
‘He’s in the North Riding for the shooting.’
‘When will he be back?’
‘I don’t know, sir. He hasn’t been here all summer.’
‘Just you, then?’
‘There’s Matt in the stables.’
‘Best place for him,’ he replied shortly. ‘Wait on the landing.’
He was with the master for a long time and Harriet was dozing in a chair when he came out of the bedchamber. ‘He’ll rest now and I’ve left a sleeping draught for when he wakes. Five drops in a glass of wine. He has deep bruising on his back and his ribs are cracked. He must rest.’
She nodded.
‘Mrs Cookson will know how to keep him quiet. When she’s sober, of course.’ He paused. ‘Hesley Mexton is no longer a young man, yet he behaves as if he is. It’ll be a while before he’s right again. I’ll be back to see him tomorrow.’
Adam Harvey had left after his third visit since the pit disturbance and the governess stood in the doorway of the master’s bedchamber. Shall I send for your grandson, sir?’ A large fire raged in the grate. Hesley could feel the heat from his bed. He wondered how long the coal would last.
‘What can he do?’ He was propped up with pillows in the middle of his four-poster. He tried to shift his position but the pain was too great. The laudanum was wearing off again.
‘He would wish to know that you are ill,’ she answered.
‘I am not ill.’
‘Mr Harvey said your ribs are hurt, sir, and your back.’
‘It’s nothing I have not suffered before.’ But he had been younger then, and stronger. ‘Leave young Hesley to his pleasures. They’ll be over soon enough.’ For me too, he thought. The mine is already losing money. And now no hope of investment from the bank. But the sight of the governess in her chaste grey gown with its puritan white collar brought a wry smile to his lips. She would not notice a little hardship at Hill Top House.
‘I’ll go back to the schoolroom, then,’ she said.
‘Wait. I shall write to young Hesley. Help me to the desk.’ It was by the window and had the best view in the house, with an outlook onto the track down the valley where distant chimneys belched smoke. Today, as often, it swirled away to the east and did not reach the clear air at Hill Top House.
‘You really should not, sir. Mr Harvey said—’
‘I know what he said!’ Hell and damnation! The pain was bad. Every movement hurt. He flopped back against the pillows and closed his eyes. If he took the draught he would sleep. But he had affairs to put in order if he was to avoid the bailiffs at his door. ‘You will write to Hesley for me.Tell him only of the pit troubles. He must stay away from here until this business is settled.’
She wrote as he directed, sitting stiffly on his leather chair. He guessed she was ill at ease in his bedchamber and it diverted him to
She opened her mouth to protest and Miss Trent glared at her. Olivia closed her mouth and obeyed.
When the apothecary arrived Harriet let him in and introduced herself.
‘My name’s Harvey, Adam Harvey. How d’y’do? I’d heard in the town what happened. A bad business, very bad.’ He shook his head and followed her up the wide wooden staircase.
‘What did happen, sir?’
‘He hasn’t said? Proud man is old Mexton. But it’s not his fault the bank failed - and he’s not the only one being mobbed by his workers.’
‘By his own miners? But surely it is the people he laid off who hate him.’
‘You know about that, do you? And that he cut the wages of those he kept on? Now there’s no money to pay even them. The constable has a riot on his hands. Mexton’s lucky to live so far out of town, and well away from his colliers.’
Harriet was shocked into silence.
Mr Harvey looked about him as he climbed the stairs. ‘Is Mrs Cookson about?’
‘She - she’s not too well, sir.’
‘Drunk, I suppose. What about the grandson?’
‘He’s in the North Riding for the shooting.’
‘When will he be back?’
‘I don’t know, sir. He hasn’t been here all summer.’
‘Just you, then?’
‘There’s Matt in the stables.’
‘Best place for him,’ he replied shortly. ‘Wait on the landing.’
He was with the master for a long time and Harriet was dozing in a chair when he came out of the bedchamber. ‘He’ll rest now and I’ve left a sleeping draught for when he wakes. Five drops in a glass of wine. He has deep bruising on his back and his ribs are cracked. He must rest.’
She nodded.
‘Mrs Cookson will know how to keep him quiet. When she’s sober, of course.’ He paused. ‘Hesley Mexton is no longer a young man, yet he behaves as if he is. It’ll be a while before he’s right again. I’ll be back to see him tomorrow.’
Adam Harvey had left after his third visit since the pit disturbance and the governess stood in the doorway of the master’s bedchamber. Shall I send for your grandson, sir?’ A large fire raged in the grate. Hesley could feel the heat from his bed. He wondered how long the coal would last.
‘What can he do?’ He was propped up with pillows in the middle of his four-poster. He tried to shift his position but the pain was too great. The laudanum was wearing off again.
‘He would wish to know that you are ill,’ she answered.
‘I am not ill.’
‘Mr Harvey said your ribs are hurt, sir, and your back.’
‘It’s nothing I have not suffered before.’ But he had been younger then, and stronger. ‘Leave young Hesley to his pleasures. They’ll be over soon enough.’ For me too, he thought. The mine is already losing money. And now no hope of investment from the bank. But the sight of the governess in her chaste grey gown with its puritan white collar brought a wry smile to his lips. She would not notice a little hardship at Hill Top House.
‘I’ll go back to the schoolroom, then,’ she said.
‘Wait. I shall write to young Hesley. Help me to the desk.’ It was by the window and had the best view in the house, with an outlook onto the track down the valley where distant chimneys belched smoke. Today, as often, it swirled away to the east and did not reach the clear air at Hill Top House.
‘You really should not, sir. Mr Harvey said—’
‘I know what he said!’ Hell and damnation! The pain was bad. Every movement hurt. He flopped back against the pillows and closed his eyes. If he took the draught he would sleep. But he had affairs to put in order if he was to avoid the bailiffs at his door. ‘You will write to Hesley for me.Tell him only of the pit troubles. He must stay away from here until this business is settled.’
She wrote as he directed, sitting stiffly on his leather chair. He guessed she was ill at ease in his bedchamber and it diverted him to
Similar Books
