Eliza's Child by Maggie Hope Page B

oh it would be a good thing for the bairn if they all went to live in Northumberland again. He would be a cabinet maker like his father and grandfather and he definitely would not have to go down the pit. Her heart lightened at the thought of it.
    Late on Sunday evening Eliza discovered how John Henry’s death was going to affect her little family and it was not at all. Jack came staggering in the door, dirty and dishevelled and stinking of ale and the honeyed sweetness of mead. He leaned over the table and hiccupped.
    â€˜What? What’s happening Jack?’ she cried.
    â€˜Happening? Nowt’s happening,’ he replied, his words slurring into each other. ‘My gracious mother, my lovely, forgiving mother welcomed me back with open arms, oh aye, she did. Then as soon as the last funeral guest had gone she turfed me out, her and that thieving reiving brother of mine.’
    â€˜Jack, you knew you were going to be disinherited,’ said Eliza but in truth she herself was bitterly disappointed. She had been weaving daydreams about life in Alnwick for her little family all day. ‘Did you get nothing?’
    â€˜Oh, aye. Henry said I could have the old pony and the tub trap he left in the stables at the railway station. Only it will cost twelve shillings to pay the stabling charges. Have you got twelve shillings?’
    â€˜Jack, you know I haven’t. It will have to wait until you’ve earned the money.’
    â€˜Or we could sell something.’
    Jack sat down on the settee and Thomas stood at his knee, looking up at him with adoring eyes. ‘If we wait till the weekend and I get my dues from Benson it’ll have gone up a couple of shillings.’ He sniffed and looked up at Eliza. ‘I’ll sell the necklace.’
    â€˜You will not!’ Eliza burst out. ‘You said you would never take it again, you promised me, you did.’
    â€˜Aye, but it’s just to get the pony and trap out, it’s not for gambling. I’m not going to gamble, I told you I wouldn’t.’
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜I’ll pawn it then. I can get it back at the weekend if I pawn it. Where is it, any road?’
    â€˜I’m not telling you. Not even if you bray me.’
    â€˜I’m not going to hit you,’ said Jack in disgust. ‘I wouldn’t.’
    â€˜You’ve done it before.’
    â€˜Shut your mouth, woman!’ Jack suddenly lost his temper. He jumped to his feet and went over to a small chest of drawers he had made for her only the week before. It was built of oak and he had put on brass handles, which twinkled in the firelight against the dull sheen of the polished oak. He pulled out the drawers and threw out the cloths and other things he found in them.
    â€˜You’re not taking them!’ Eliza ran over and tried to pull him away but he shoved her aside roughly and Thomas began to scream in terror. The baby sat down on the clipped rag mat and howled and Eliza couldn’t bear to hear it. She went to him and picked him up and hugged him to her. His sobs lessened and he quietened down and buried his head in her shoulder. She heard the door bang behind Jack and when she looked up he was striding away with the chest humped on his shoulder.
    After a while Eliza took Thomas up the ladder to bed with her. She lay with the sleeping child cuddled against her breast but she couldn’t sleep herself. Every noise from outside the cottage alerted her: the hoot of an owl, the screech of a vixen in the covert over the field at the back.
    If she hadn’t taken food to help out her mam she would have had enough to pay the stabling bill, she thought as she tossed and turned restlessly. As it was, she had only a few shillings to last the week, 2/5d in fact. Though mebbe she could have got something on the slate in Haswell. She could have given Jack what she had. Now he might get three or four pounds for the chest and have money left to gamble with