Page 29 of A Winter’s Romance

L ord Hindley’s money kept the three of them safe all week. They had avoided known trouble spots, were careful with the money, and stayed under the blankets each day as long as they could. Winter was fast approaching, and the luxury of the wool ensured that they were all warmer than they had been for a long time. They still had their original blankets, acknowledging that if their benefactor did not return and things worsened, they could trade the fine ones for food.

They discussed what the gentleman might want in return for his generosity. Rosie was of a similar mind to Louisa.

“You don’t ’ave to do anything you don’t want,” Rosie insisted. “We were getting along fine.”

Louisa smiled at her. Rosie was younger than Louisa’s eighteen, but Rosie had lived through so much that a sixteen-year-old should not have experienced that she was older than her years. The other two very often turned to her for advice. “We were getting along thanks to you. Perhaps this way, I get to repay some of my debt.”

Rosie rolled her eyes. “’Ow many times do we have to go over this? You’d ’ave done the same for me.”

Louisa thought back to the time before she met her friends with a shudder. If she had not met Rosie almost as soon as she reached London, she would either be working as a lady of the night or dead, of that she was sure. “I will do whatever it takes to provide for us, for we need food for the winter,” she said firmly.

As the time approached for the meeting, Louisa’s apprehension increased. It was fine being brave and thinking that she was prepared to sacrifice her body to provide for her friends, but the reality of such an act galled her down to her soul. If she did give herself to the gentleman, she would have nothing left. She would be completely lost as a gentlewoman. She almost laughed out loud at the thought. There was no way back from the gutter now. If she attempted to return to society, she would have to face what she had escaped from in the first place. She had better make the best of this situation. If this was the only choice to survive the winter, then so be it, but she felt sick to the stomach as the evening approached.

Louisa was accompanied to the rendezvous by Billy and Rosie. They were determined to offer support, insisting she could walk away if what he asked in return was too much, which made Louisa yet more determined to do whatever it took to provide for them all. It did not prevent bile from rising in her throat when the carriage came to a halt at the roadside.

Lord Hindley got out and smiled at Louisa. “My child, I am extremely glad to see you.”

“I gave my word,” Louisa said, slightly offended that he had doubted her. Seeing him once more highlighted how different her life was now. Lord Hindley was dressed exquisitely, his dark frock coat clearly made by the finest tailors and boots that shone in the lamplight from his carriage.

“You did. And this is Rosie and Billy?” He turned to the two, who were hanging back.

“I’m Billy!” Billy was pleased he was being included and moved forward slightly before Rosie pulled him back with a hiss.

Lord Hindley smiled at the young man. It was clear he had immediately seen that Billy was still a child, mentally at least. “How do you do, Billy? I am delighted to make your acquaintance.” He walked past Louisa, holding out his hand to Billy.

Billy beamed at him and shook his hand enthusiastically. Louisa groaned, Billy was so used to beatings that anyone showing even the smallest degree of kindness found they had a loyal puppy by their side, which is how Rosie had “adopted” him in the first place.

As Louisa watched, still on edge, Lord Hindley turned his attention to Rosie. “I am pleased to meet you, too, Rosie, and I hope that the blankets kept you completely covered this week. Louisa told me how she held onto the blanket you normally shared.”

Rosie laughed despite being on high alert. “Yes, sir. I ’ave been warm, thank you.” She turned to Louisa and said, “Did you tell him all of our secrets, you bumble ’ead?”

Louisa blushed, but Lord Hindley laughed a deep chuckle. “She did not. I promise you she was only explaining why she needed three blankets when I, in my ignorance, had offered only one.”

“Oh,” Rosie said, sending Louisa a pointed look .

“We all appreciated the blankets,” she said quietly, knowing Rosie would lecture her later.

Lord Hindley returned his full attention to Louisa. “I hope to do even more for you this week,” he said.

Louisa set her shoulders, but she made an involuntarily step back as Lord Hindley moved away from Billy and into her vicinity.

“There is no need to fear me,” he said gently.

“I don’t,” Louisa said, but she could not meet his gaze.

They were distracted by the carriage door opening. They had presumed that the gentleman travelled alone, so Louisa was surprised when a fine lady alighted from the carriage with the help of a footman. She stepped out as if directly from a fashion plate. She was around the same age as the gentleman, tall and slender, with an open face that smiled at the group before her.

“Hindley, you are making a complete mess of this!” came a teasing reprimand. “Can you not see she is terrified and is acting as the lamb before the slaughter, waiting for you to devour her?”

“Devour her? But I have tried to be as careful as I can not to frighten her!” came the indignant response.

“Yes, and by not saying what you came to say, you are leaving her quaking in fear, waiting for goodness knows what!”

Louisa blushed. The woman could read minds, it seemed.

Lord Hindley turned back to Louisa. “Miss Louisa, please allow me to introduce my wife, Lady Florence Hindley.”

Louisa was surprised into uttering, “Your wife? But I thought you wanted...”

“Oh, good grief!” Lord Hindley said loudly, his discomfort evident. “I am old enough to be your father! Nearly old enough to be your grandfather, I expect! ”

“I am eighteen!” Louisa responded.

Lord Hindley laughed. “We shall settle on old enough to be your father then. My dear child, I am amazed and slightly shocked that you appeared today if you thought I was going to take advantage of you.”

“We need to survive the winter, and you offered help,” Louisa replied, scarlet in the face and hanging her head in shame. She could not bear the repulsion he must feel at her being prepared to offer herself to him.

Louisa did not see Lord Hindley exchange a look with his wife as he stepped closer to her. He lifted her chin until she could not avoid looking into his eyes. The expression held within them seemed to offer nothing but kindness, but she could not allow herself to believe it.

“Miss Louisa, you have haunted me this week, but for no reason other than to help you. I promise that none of you will come into harm when in my care, and like you, I keep my promises.” He smiled slightly at her. “Will you trust me?”

Louisa nodded mutely. No one in her recent life had cared about her. He sounded so sincere and decent. Her throat constricted at his words, so she could not speak.

“Good,” Lady Hindley said. “Now, let us get this business resolved so we can all go somewhere warmer.”

“What do you mean?” Rosie asked, as suspicious as Louisa was.

“Nothing to worry you, I can assure you,” Lady Hindley replied with an easy smile. “We would like to offer you a home with us until we can establish you in suitable employment.” Lady Hindley had not expected that her offer would be received with cheers of joy, but she seemed astounded when the three huddled together the instant her words were uttered.

“Told you it was like dealing with a scared deer,” her husband said smugly.

“Do not be afraid,” she reassured them, shooting a glare at Lord Hindley. “Let me explain a little about our situation. We live in a large house on the edges of London. In fact, we have a few,” she said a little apologetically. “We also have a son, who is off causing mayhem throughout society, and I long for the house to be filled with noise and bustle again. My husband explained how he had met you and that he wanted to help. So together we concluded that yes, we could offer you food and clothing, but to be a real help to you and us, we could offer you a home and support to become established in whatever work you wish to embark on.”

“You ’ave only one child?” Rosie asked.

A look of sadness passed between the couple. “We only have one son,” Lady Hindley said.

“You want company,” Louisa’s mind was whirling about the possibilities, but that she could not be seen in society was at the forefront of her thoughts.

“Yes, I suppose I do,” came the quiet response. “But, if that company means I can help the three of you, is there any harm in it? We will all benefit from our scheme.”

“Society would think you are harbouring thieves,” Louisa said.

“We only deal with a few friends. My days of gadding about town are well and truly over.”

Louisa sensed there was more to Lady Hindley’s words than she was letting on, but Rosie interrupted before she could utter anything else .

“You are offering us a ’ome? We aren’t refined,” Rosie said bluntly. “Would we be ’idden from your friends?”

“You would be open to every part of our lives but only when you are comfortable with it,” Lord Hindley assured them. “You can take whatever lessons you require, but you will not be hidden away.”

“Lessons?” Rosie asked doubtfully.

“Dance lessons could be included?” Lady Hindley offered.

“Dance lessons? I could learn ’ow to dance proper?” Rosie asked. Her face changed from the hardened street child that she was to an excited girl of sixteen.

“You can do whatever you wish, but I do think a few other lessons may be useful too,” Lady Hindley coaxed.

“I’m willin’!” Rosie smiled.

“What about you, Billy? Would you like to come and live with us and be warm and safe and able to eat whatever you wished?” Lord Hindley asked.

Billy’s eyes brightened. “Anything I wished? Bread and jam and cake?”

Lady Hindley took Billy’s hands into her own. “Bread and jam and cake, every hour of every day, if you should wish it. Our cook likes boys with hearty appetites, and I know she would love you.”

Billy beamed at Lady Hindley. “Rosie, Louisa, can we go to Cook, please?”

Rosie looked at Louisa. “I want to.”

Louisa sighed. She feared returning to a world that would bring back painful memories of the situation she had run away from, but she had promised to get her friends out of poverty, and this was the best chance they would ever have .

Lord Hindley touched her arm. “Louisa, let me speak with you alone for a moment.” He led her a little away from the group. “What is troubling you, my child?”

“We do not belong to your world,” she said simply.

“Do you trust that we have your best interests at heart?”

“I think so,” Louisa replied, a little shamefacedly because such a lot was being offered, and she was questioning it.

“Well, that is a start,” came the smiling response. “We won’t force you into any situations that make you uncomfortable, but we can provide for you. We can give you security, respectability, and, hopefully, the chance for a more secure future. Do you not wish for that?”

Louisa closed her eyes. Yes, she wanted respectability; yes, she wanted security, but she was afraid. “Could you not take the others and be happy with that?” She knew the futility of the words even as she uttered them.

“Do you think I am the type of man who could walk away from you while taking with me the two people who have probably kept you focused and determined for however long you have been together? I accept that you might not wish to share your past, but I know refinement when I see it, and I am certain you were not brought up on these streets,” Lord Hindley said gently.

Louisa sighed. “I think Lady Hindley and you have an uncanny ability to read people, my lord,” she answered wryly.

“Let me help you smile again. I have a feeling you deserve to be happy, and no one should be alone with Christmas approaching.”

Again, Louisa was left wanting to cry, a weakness in which she never indulged. She nodded her consent, and with a smile and a gentle squeeze on her arm, Lord Hindley led her to the carriage. Rosie and Billy were chattering excitedly to Lady Hindley, all hesitation and doubt removed. They clambered into the carriage and moved away, leaving blankets and a basket of food on the ground for someone else to find. Louisa knew it would not be long untouched, for there were too many desperate people about for such bounty to remain undiscovered.