Chapter 15

Jake was probably one of the most even tempered of men, and it was rare that he regarded a set back as anything other than an opportunity, whether to find a new solution or take a new direction. So it was most unusual to find him sitting behind his desk silently fuming. The reason for his anger was the note grasped in his right hand. He had, some ten days ago, sent a message via the new trans Atlantic telegraph, a cable newly laid under the Atlantic ocean all the way to New York, to enquire about the steam ship ‘Rigel’, with a view to attempting to recover her on behalf of the owner which was probably Mrs Norton. Probably, because the ship had been owned by her husband who had now disappeared. And now this note.

Jake had anticipated that government business and the like would take precedence over his message and had not been concerned about the delay, but now, after ten days, to be informed that his message had not been sent due to the failure of the cable was infuriating. Had he written a letter to the New York contact it would have arrived by a mail steamer in another couple of days. Jake let out an exasperated sigh and reached for the bell to summon his assistant Dennis, when that worthy knocked on his door and entered.

“Mrs Norton to see you, sir.”

“Show her in, Dennis,” said Jake, dropping the note on his desk and standing.

The Amelia Norton that Dennis showed into Jake’s office bore little resemblance to the sour faced woman that he had first met. She was now smiling and, Jake thought, rather that being able to see the resemblance to her daughter she now looked more like an elder sister. He guessed that she was about forty years old with a delightful mature figure carrying, as may be expected, just a little extra weight than her daughter, but all of it distributed to good effect.

“Good morning, Sir Jacob,” she greeted him with a smile.

“Good morning, Mrs Norton, you are looking well. How may I be of assistance?” Jake enquired.

“If I am looking well it is because I am feeling more at ease, and that is due to your intervention over the ‘Bellatrix’,” she replied. She took a letter from her bag. “I was coming down to call and see how Nerissa was getting on when I received this letter,” she handed it to Jake. “You had better read it.”

Jake took the letter and opened it.

“Should you not be discussing this with Mr Measley?” he asked, after reading it through.

“I should, and indeed I will, but I wanted a reaction from you, and in case something needs to be done then better a man of business than one of the law. I know you have telegraphed New York about the ‘Rigel’, but...” she picked up the note that Jake had pushed across the desk to her and read the few lines on it, “ ... oh! Well, I think the letter covers that!”

The letter was from Captain Kirk, the master of the ‘Rigel’ asking for instructions and money to be able to pay the debts the ship had incurred, and to pay the crew.

Jake was silent, thinking.

“So you see,” Mrs Norton went on, “I am in no position to do anything about it, and whilst I shall listen to Mr Measley’s advice, he isn’t likely to do anything. But you might be able to.”

“Yes,” said Jake, “I think I will be able to. What about title to the ship?”

“If I was able to claim the ‘Bellatrix’, then I see no reason not to claim the ‘Rigel’,” Mrs Norton replied. “And as to yourself, I propose that you take over and run the ship for half the profit.”

“That’s a very generous figure,” said Jake.

“Perhaps,” said Mrs Norton. “But it seems worth it to me to have someone I can trust.”

Jake thought for a moment. “I’m leaving on ‘Moonfleet’ in a couple of hours to collect my new ship, ‘Aurora’, so we’ll have to get things moving. We should both write to Captain Kirk, you to explain how things are, and me to introduce myself and inform him about funds. I will get to the bank and get them to extend a line of credit upon which he can draw, and then when I return in about a week I’ll leave for New York to sort everything there.”

“You’ll go to New York?”

“I think it best, we don’t know Captain Kirk, and it would be good to establish contacts there.”

“I should like to come,” Mrs Norton smiled.

“Do you think that wise? Your reputation might suffer, an ocean voyage with a single man?” Jake grinned.

Mrs Norton blushed and fanned herself. “With my husband’s behaviour my reputation is already at a low ebb in some quarters ... besides, I think I might enjoy it.”

“And Nerissa?”

“She’s making her own way in business now, her reputation will be her own affair from now on.”

Jake rang for Dennis.

“Mrs Norton will stay and write a letter here,” Jake told him, “and then I will pen one when I return from the bank. They are to go together. I also want you to book two first class cabins on the first steamer to leave for New York after I return in about a week.”

He looked at Mrs Norton. “You’ll be taking a maid?”

“Yes, of course,” she replied.

Jake nodded to Dennis.

“It’ll be from Liverpool, I should think, sir,” replied Dennis.

“I expect so, and if that is the case you’d better book a train to London, my usual hotel and the North Western to Liverpool.”

Just over twenty-four hours later found Jake and his party in Aberaeron. They had shipped an additional boat aboard ‘Moonfleet’ so that she wouldn’t be delayed for too long, as she would have been if they had to take her into the drying harbour. With the boat launched the two hands they had brought with them took the oars and by the time they reached the harbour entrance ‘Moonfleet’ was already hull down speeding her way to Dublin.

Mrs Davies was delighted to see her daughter again, and hear all about the things she had been doing, and was suitably impressed that she would be studying in Paris too. Whilst they were there she made a great fuss of Jake and George Johnson, whilst the two hands settled into their berths aboard the ship and frequented the quayside tavern for their meals. There was no doubt that Tomos Davies had done an excellent job on finishing ‘Aurora’, her passenger accommodations were first class. The gilded gingerbread on her stern encompassed the carved name, ‘Aurora’. As promised by Tomos there were two additional hands who were fishermen wanting more adventure and they would ship with them. All in all Jake was very pleased with her and George Johnson had a smile that just wouldn’t quit.

A week later they arrived back in Bristol on board the new ship. ‘Aurora’ had so far lived up to the promises of her builder and shown a good turn of speed and generally good sea keeping qualities, although the weather had hardly been rough.

Relaxing in his office Jake had Dennis update him on the day to day happenings over the last few days. Dennis informed him that the passages to America were booked, and that the ship did indeed sail from Liverpool in four days.

“How are you getting along with Angelica, Dennis?” Jake asked, changing the subject.

“We get along very well, sir,” Dennis replied.

“And...” Jake was well aware that Dennis was extremely fond of the girl.

Dennis sighed. “She says that she thinks of me as a friend, sir, perhaps a brother, but not more than that.”

“I am sorry to hear that, Dennis, but perhaps for the best, working together.”

“I’m not sure about that, sir. Anyway I believe she has her eye on someone else, but I’m not entirely sure who it is,” replied Dennis, though he didn’t seem too downcast about it.

“And you’ve an eye on someone else yourself then?” Jake had spotted a look in Dennis’s eye. “And she’s a milliner, I’ll bet” Jake laughed, knowing that Dennis had few opportunities to meet suitable young ladies, but that he did have to go to Victoria’s.

Dennis blushed. “I had to take some papers around to Miss Victoria, sir, and, well, Miss Nerissa is very attractive, and very easy to talk to, and I call in as often as I dare, but, well, she says she won’t do anything without her mother’s permission. And I’m not sure about Mrs Norton, she seems...”

“Not such a dragon, I think, Dennis. You’d better find an excuse to go and see her before she goes away, Who knows how long that’ll be for. Tell you what...” Jake reached for a sheet of paper and wrote a few words, signed it and put it in an envelope. “Take this to Mrs Norton, and wait for a reply,” he told Dennis.

Victoria had welcomed Nerissa to Victoria’s Secrets, and had set her up with a workroom and a display area. She was impressed by the quality of Nerissa’s hats and by the fact that she worked hard. The displays soon caught the eyes of the ladies who called in to see what was new, and to purchase something to add to their wardrobes. Gina was also quite taken with the new girl, although perhaps for slightly different reasons.

“We need to have you modelling your hats,” he told her.

Nerissa was naturally intrigued, she had never had her photograph taken, although she was aware of the process, and so with several of her creations she went up to Gina’s studio. Once there she put on the first hat.

Gina set up the camera and took the first photograph. Nerissa made a good model and Gina’s thoughts, as usual, turned to how to persuade her to show just a little more. After the third and last hat had been immortalised, she peered through the lens again.

“You have a lovely figure,” she told Nerissa.

Nerissa laughed, “No I haven’t, I’m much too skinny and almost flat chested. And I know exactly what you are up to.”

Gina came out from under her camera hood.

“Whatever do you mean?” She asked with an air of apparent innocence.

“I once overheard my father, who was a sailor as you may know, telling a friend that all these photographers wanted to do was take pictures of girls with no clothes on. It was a year or so ago and I had no idea why that would be, so I asked my maid. She told me that all men just wanted to see girls without any clothes on, but she wouldn’t say why, just turned bright red and said she had something she had to do. But why a woman would want to take those pictures I’ve no idea.”

Gina blushed. Obviously Nerissa knew nothing about her, and for her age she was very innocent.

At this point Victoria breezed in and brightly asked how the photos were coming along.

“I think we are finished for the moment,” said Gina. “Just got to print them up and you can have them for display.”

Nerissa took her hats and went back to her workroom, but with a lot of questions milling around in her mind. What was Gina up to and why? And that nice young man, Dennis. He’d been in several times and she really looked forward to seeing him, but she didn’t know who or what he was, apart from obviously being something to do with the business, he dressed and spoke nicely, but when he had suggested that they might see more of each other, perhaps go for a walk, she had told him that her mother’s permission should be sought, it seemed the safest way. Perhaps all he wanted was to see her naked? But no, that didn’t seem right. So many questions, so many new things that were happening that she had no knowledge of, because until her father had left her upbringing had been so sheltered. Should she, she wondered, ask Victoria? She seemed to be a woman of the world, whatever that really meant, but she felt sure that Victoria could provide her with some answers. Nerissa was quite sure she couldn’t ask her mother and so she determined, Victoria it would have to be.

Dennis arrived at Mrs Norton’s house and was admitted by the maid.

“I have to wait for a reply,” he told her, handing her the letter.

A couple of minutes later the maid showed him into the salon where Mrs Norton was standing holding Jake’s letter. She looked him up and down and then indicated he should sit.

“So, Mr Knott, you wish to court my daughter,” she stated.

Dennis looked shocked and then blushed.

“I ... yes, ma’am, but how... ?”

“You are not aware of the content of this letter?”

“No, ma’am.”

Mrs Norton smiled. “I think Sir Jacob is trying to play Cupid,” she laughed. “Well now, this is something I never thought I would have to do, my husband should be interviewing suitors for Nerissa, probably some sort of business alliance, but there ... things have changed, although perhaps there is an element of business here. Now, Mr Knott, tell me about yourself.”

Dennis told her about his job and prospects, that he was Sir Jacob’s personal assistant and the fact that he looked after the day to day running of the business whilst Sir Jacob was away. That he lived with his widowed mother and her brother, and that his uncle had spent most of his life in the East and was fairly wealthy man, and Dennis, as his sole heir, had expectations. He rarely, he said partook of strong drink, and then only with a meal, and he did not smoke.

“So you have good prospects, and no vices,” Mrs Norton paused, “except I have the suspicion that you are a bit of a dandy, what do you say to that?”

Dennis coloured again. “I like to look smart, Mrs Norton, it gives people a good impression of the business too, if employees present well.”

“A good answer, Dennis,” Mrs Norton adopted a greater familiarity. “As you know I will be away for a few weeks, so if you are to pay court to my daughter I will hold you to higher standards than if I were here to supervise, do you understand?”

“Yes, ma’am, Mrs Norton, you have my word, Nerissa will be as safe with me as she would with you.”

Mrs Norton laughed, “for her sake I hope not!” she said.

Nerissa caught Victoria as she was going to her office.

“Victoria, may I have a word with you?” she asked.

“Of course, come into my office,” Victoria told her.

“Now, what did you want to know?” Victoria asked when they were sitting in her office.

“Well, there are several things. I think Gina would have liked to photograph me with umm ... oh I don’t know how to say it, it’s...” Nerissa began.

“Embarrassing? But you think she wants to photograph you with no clothes on, naked,” said Victoria smiling.

“Oh! Ye, es, I suppose so. But why? Why would a girl want to see another girl with ... no clothes on?”

“Well, there are two things here. Firstly, there is no reason why a girl wouldn’t want to see another, particularly another attractive girl with no clothes on...”

“But why?”

“How old are you Nerissa?”

“Twenty. Why?”

“And you have led a very sheltered life?”

“Yes ... I suppose so.”

“And what do you know about sex?”

Nerissa turned bright red.

“Nnnnothing. Well, umm, it’s something men and women do, to have babies, but I don’t know what,” Nerissa replied looking as though she was on the verge of tears.

“Having babies is something we try to avoid,” said Victoria, grimly, “until the right time that is. But it isn’t just men and women, although that is the usual thing, and very pleasurable, but it’s also something women can do to give each other pleasure, and I believe men have certain ... too, but that is a subject I know little about.”

“Oh!”

“Now about Gina. This must go no further, do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Gina isn’t a girl.”

“Oh! But...”

Yes, I know, you couldn’t tell, and she even models for us when we have a fashion show.”

“But why?”

“When Gina, her real name is George, so Georgina, dresses in male clothing she, or rather he, just wants to lock himself away and have no contact with people, he’s virtually inarticulate, I’m sure there must be some medical term for it. Anyway, Jake found out about his photography and got him here to photograph the dresses, well his mother brought him, she manages our London shop now, and then I saw him looking longingly at the dresses so I asked if he wanted to try one on, and he nodded. Once he was dressed he was like a different person, outgoing and sociable, just so different, so I called her Georgina, Gina for short, and Gina she’s been ever since.”

“What does his mother think?” asked Nerissa.

“She accepts it, she’d rather have the outgoing and fun to be with Gina than the miserable, unhappy and uncommunicative George. Let me tell you though, he’s all male in bed.”

“Oh! Oh!,” Nerissa turned bright red again. “But you’re not...”

“Married? No, we’re not. Might do one day. We’ll see.”

“Oh dear, I’m sure my mother would say I have entered a den of iniquity!” said Nerissa.

“Probably,” replied Victoria. “Now, have you any other questions?”

“I, I, Wanted to ask you about Dennis.”

“Ah! I knew he was interested in you, but I wasn’t sure how you felt. He’s a very nice young man, Jake is his role model, so that’s no bad thing, but I doubt he has the experience with the ladies that Jake has,” Victoria told her. “I don’t suppose many have...” she went on with a faraway look in her eye.”

Nerissa drew herself up in her chair.

“Do you think you could teach me?” she asked.

“Teach you?”

“Yes, about sex and, well, things. If I were to marry Dennis, then I’d like to know what to do.”

“I don’t see why not,” said Victoria. “We might as well start now.”

To be honest, the conversation had got Victoria turned on and she stood, and pulled Nerissa to her feet, pulled her into a clinch and kissed her.

“Oh!” said Nerissa when they broke for as moment.

Victoria put her hand on Nerissa’s chin, holding her mouth open, and kissed her again.

There was little doubt that for a minute or two Victoria was holding Nerissa up, but when they broke apart again she remained standing on her own.

“Come on,” said Victoria, “let’s go up to the studio. Gina can take some pictures.”

Strictly for instructional purposes of course thought Victoria.

The train journey to London was only a couple of hours and Jake and Mrs Norton and her maid arrived at their hotel in plenty of time to settle in and prepare them selves for dinner. The journey had been without incident and they had decided that it would be acceptable for them to be Jake and Amelia and they found that they were able to converse easily making the time pass quickly.

“You sent young Dennis to me,” Amelia had accused him, “are you trying to play cupid. Or do you have an ulterior motive I wonder.”

“No, no,” replied Jake. “I’m just trying to help two young people. Nothing more I assure you.”

“Anyway, I gave him permission to pay court to her,” Amelia went on. “And I think he must have gone to see her immediately because when she returned home a little late that evening she seemed rather excited. I hope I haven’t done the wrong thing.”

Jake had been a little taken aback at that because he knew that Dennis had come straight back to the office, however he dismissed it from his mind.

“I don’t think so, Dennis is very level headed and I instructed him to keep an eye on her. I trust she will be alright in the house by herself,” he said.

“Oh I think so, I gave strict instructions to cook and there is only one housemaid, and I have every confidence in them, so yes, she should be alright.”

Jake had taken Millie out to the theatre and supper the previous evening. It had been a performance of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, a completely new experience for her and she had been enthralled. Jake hadn’t known before her recent change in circumstances that her name was Diana, making the same mistake as his aunt, and was having some difficulty in adjusting to calling her by her given name.

“Jake,” she said later when they were in bed, “it doesn’t matter, if you call me Diana I shall probably wonder who you are talking to, or whether it is another woman. Now, let me thank you for a lovely evening.”

A little later she asked him about his trip to America, “and I suppose,” she giggled, “that you’ll be rogering Mrs Norton.”

“Good heaven’s, it hadn’t even crossed my mind,” Jake replied.

“Liar!” Millie giggled, “But I suppose if she is an ugly old bag...”

“No, she isn’t, she’s no more than forty and very...”

“And you’re not going to bed her? Age doesn’t normally worry you, you didn’t take long with Annabelle Wills, and she’s older than that!”

“How do you...”

“I know a lot more than you think! And I certainly don’t mind the older ones. I don’t think you touch the younger women and you don’t touch any of the girls in the house, although Ursula wouldn’t mind I know. Still, as long as you come back to me and the children. Now, I’d better wear you out, as if that’s possible,” she said with another giggle.