A Mother's Courage by Dilly Court

and her heart sank, but she was
not about to give in. 'Put Beth in the cart, Ada.
We're leaving no matter what Mr Cribb says.'
    Harcourt came hurrying towards them. 'Hold
on a moment, lass. This is not right. Not right at
all.'
    'You won't stop us, Mr Cribb. I'm leaving and
I'm taking my children with me and Ada too.'
    'I'm going with Eloise,' Ada whimpered,
cowering behind her. 'Please let me go, mister.'
    Harcourt shook his head. 'I cannot allow it,
lass. You belong here with your mother.' He
seized Ada by the hand, dragging her to his side.
'It's for your own good, Ada.'
    'Please let her come with me,' Eloise pleaded. 'I
will look after her, I promise.'
    'I don't doubt you'd try, but I can't allow it.
This is Ada's home and she must stay. I cannot
stop you from going, Eloise, nor will I see your
children taken from you.' Harcourt took a small
leather pouch from his pocket and pressed it into
her hand. 'There is enough brass there to keep
you and the little ones for a while at least. I won't
see my grandchildren starve, but you must
realise that if you leave now, you can never
return to Cribb's Hall. Our Hilda will take it very
much to heart and she'll never forgive you for
taking young Joss away from her.'
    Eloise took the pouch and tucked it away in her
skirt pocket. 'Thank you. I am truly grateful to
you, but nothing would induce me to return to
this place.'
    'Don't leave me,' Ada sobbed. 'Don't go.'
    'I must, Ada. I'm so sorry, my dear.' Eloise
turned away, hiding her own tears of grief on
leaving the poor creature to the mercies of the
Cribb family. 'Ted, if you'll put Joss in the cart
perhaps I can balance the suitcase on one end,
and the valise will hang on the handle.
Obviously you cannot come with us, even part of
the way.'
    Ted cast an anxious glance at Harcourt. 'Can I
go with them just a bit of the way, master?'
    'I won't hear of it,' Harcourt said grimly. 'Put
Jester in harness, Ted, and bring out the dog cart.
You must drive them to the station.'
    'Thank you,' Eloise murmured, taking Joss
from Ted's arms. She watched him disappear
into the dim recesses of the stables and then she
turned to Harcourt with an attempt at a smile.
'You at least have shown me kindness, Mr Cribb.
I won't forget that.'
    'Nay, lass. I had a duty to our Ronnie's wife
and I fear I have let you both down. It's the least
I can do for you.' He hooked his arm around
Ada's shoulders. 'Stop struggling, Ada. You
cannot go with them and there's an end to it.
Come inside and Mabel will take you up to your
room.'
    Eloise gave Mabel a hug. 'Goodbye, dear
Mabel. You have been a true friend to me and I
will never forget you.'
    'G-goodbye, ma'am,' Mabel said, gulping back
tears. 'I shan't forget you either.'
    'I'll need you to help me,' Harcourt said,
attempting to control the wildly struggling Ada.
'We must get her back indoors before the rest of
the household stirs.'
    With great difficulty, for Ada was putting up a
valiant fight for freedom, they half dragged, half
carried her across the yard to the scullery. Beth
had begun to cry and Joss was whimpering
against Eloise's shoulder and it took her all her
time to pacify them. After what seemed like
hours, but was only minutes, Ted brought the
dog cart out of the stables and he tossed the luggage
in the back. As soon as Eloise and the
children were settled on the driver's seat, he
leapt nimbly up beside them and took the reins.
'To the station then, ma'am?'
    'To the station, Ted,' Eloise said, sighing with
relief. Inside the house she could hear voices, and
bleary-eyed grooms were stumbling out of their
sleeping quarters to hold their heads under the
pump in the yard. Ted flicked the reins and Jester
sprang forward, eager to be off. Eloise could
have shouted for joy. She was escaping from
Cribb's Hall and she had her children clutched to
her breast. Her only sadness was on leaving Ada,
but she prayed silently that now Harcourt was
fully aware of her plight, he would do something
to improve her lot.