Chapter 8

Although the wedding was not a major event in the life of Bristol, it nevertheless made waves in the family. The ladies had, of course, turned out in their finery, and Uncle John was taken into the church in a chair with wheels attached. He took little interest in the proceedings and returned to his room at home immediately after the ceremony. The waves in the family were caused by the fact the the house was simply no longer big enough, and the answer would be to move, but in the meantime Jake, who was now virtually the head of the household, elected to stay in his room on the second floor.

And so, after a sumptuous meal the newly weds retired, the girls to their room, and Jake to his. It took Caroline and Victoria a full hour to sort themselves out and join Jake in his room where they found someone had beaten them to it.

“Evie!” exclaimed Caroline, “what are you doing here?”

“I thought you’d need some help.”

“And what kind of help did you think we’d need?”

“Well, Jake can’t do both of you at the same time can he?”

All four of them looked at the door as it once again swung open.

“Come on in and join the fun, Milly,” said Victoria. “More the merrier, the only one missing is Tilda.”

“And Angelica,” said Evie.

There was a wistful tone in her voice that made the others look at her.

“Oh Evie, you haven’t,” said Caroline.

“Well she is such a temptation, I mean, I didn’t do very much, really...”

There was general laughter and from then on it was nearly impossible to sort out who was doing what to whom, save to say the two ‘brides’ definitely had their fill.

The next morning was a Sunday which meant they were not working. When Caroline and Victoria drifted, somewhat dishabille, to breakfast they found their mother, Lydia, already there.

“Good morning Mama,” greeted Caroline, Victoria merely groaned.

“Good heavens what is going on in this house this morning? Evie and Millie seem to be half asleep, and you two look like...”

“Like what, Mama? It was rather late before we got to sleep,” said Victoria.

“Never mind! I just cannot believe the way you girls carry on. I suppose you get your ideas from those women you consort with!”

“Mama we do not consort with ‘those women’, if you are referring to the women around the docks,” replied Caroline. “We do talk to them, and sometimes we give them sixpence, and what we learn from them is useful to the business, they are a mine of information, and they are happy to talk to us. There isn’t much goes on around the docks that they miss.”

“Your Aunt and the Captain took Angelica to church with them this morning. Just as well they did, a poor innocent like her shouldn’t be exposed to this sort of thing. I suppose it’s all Jake’s fault.”

“Don’t be silly Mama,” said Victoria. “Angelica is hardly innocent, she was about to sell herself when Sarah brought her to us,”

“And,” Caroline joined in, “we’ve always had different ideas, we read a lot, and we think a lot, and things have only improved since Jake arrived.”

The conversation lapsed as Millie brought in more food. For want of anything better to do Lydia looked at her. There was little doubt that Millie had a bulge.

“Millie!” Lydia spoke in an imperious tone. “You are with child!”

Millie looked down at the floor.

“Yes’m.”

“You are dismissed! You will leave immediately.”

Millie burst into tears and Victoria went to comfort her.

“No, Mama,” she said, “she will not leave. She has been abandoned by her betrothed, and in any case the baby isn’t his.”

“Then whose ... Oh!”

“Millie can stay as upstairs maid, so we’ll need another downstairs maid, Mama,” said Caroline.

“Oh! Oh very well, and your father so ill too. But I suppose you are right. Oh dear! I shall have to go and lie down.”

And with that Lydia left the room.

Lunch was a little strained, but by dinner time things seemed to be acquiring an air of normality.

Uncle John died the following night plunging the household into a frenzy of black, almost everything which wasn’t black previously now became black. Jake had to admit that the ladies did look good in black, but nevertheless it did become rather monotonous. Funeral arrangements were made and all the ceremonial duly carried out. Of weeping and wailing there was not a lot, Lydia, as has been explained, had not been in a love match with him, Caroline and Victoria hadn’t been close to their father, and Florentina, his sister, had few fond memories of him. He had, however, proved to be a good provider for the family, and now Jake, together with the girls, who had all been left one third of the business each, were expected to follow suit.

Several days after the funeral Jake called in at ‘Victoria’s Secrets’ and found Annabelle Wills in the company of two other ladies, and a younger woman.

“Mrs Wills, how good to see you,” said Jake.

“And good to see you Mr White, may I introduce my sisters, Mrs Smith and Mrs Jones? This,” she turned to the two women, “ is Mr Jake White who together with his wife and sister is building an enviable business empire, including this business. And this,” she indicated the younger woman to Jake, “is my daughter Harriet, Mr White.”

“I’m delighted to meet you ladies,” Jake bowed.

At this moment Siobhan and Roisin arrived and started their sales patter on the ladies.

Mrs Wills turned to Jake. “My sisters live in London so I had better go with them. They’re not used to the way things are done here,” she laughed.

Jake could see that Victoria, whom he had come to see, was busy with another customer and so he was left with Harriet Wills. Harriet wasn’t a pretty girl, quite tall, the word that best described her was angular, though not unattractive by any means, her best feature was undoubtedly her dark eyes which showed a deep intelligence.

“You have some interesting fabrics, Mr White,” she said. “But nothing for soft furnishings.”

“Something I hadn’t considered,” said Jake thoughtfully. “Indeed, I know little about it, but then not long ago I knew nothing of ladies gowns. Is there a big call for such things?”

“Rather like your dresses I would think. There wasn’t a big call until suddenly there was a plentiful supply of good quality dresses at reasonable prices at your shop. Furnishing fabrics would be the same, I’m sure. I have been drawing designs for fabrics and papers, but I really need to know more about how they are made.”

“Is Harriet boring you with her ideas on interior design, Mr White,” asked Mrs Wills returning to them. “My sisters, will, I think, be some time.”

“Not at all, Mrs Wills. I was interested in what Miss Wills had to say,” replied Jake. “I should like to talk to her about her ideas.”

“Oh she has a head full of them and drawings by the hundred. If she had her way I should have the house decorated from top to bottom and then start again. My eldest sons, William and Henry are taking over the family business, but there is no place for a woman and heaven knows what Harriet will end up doing, she shows no interest in young men. And then there is George, the youngest. His father despairs of him, all he seems interested in is this new fangled photography thing. It may be all well and good as a hobby, but what practical application it can have is beyond me. Oh dear, now I’m boring you.”

“No, no, Mrs Wills, really. I should like to know more about photography myself. But right now I must press on. If you will forgive me.”

Jake left and proceeded to the shipwrights to see the progress on ‘Moonfleet’. This turned out to be very satisfactory, and with a completion date agree Jake realised that the next thing he needed was a skipper for her. To this end he sought out Captain Pook.

Armed with an address provided by the captain Jake took a cab to one of the city suburbs. Telling the cab to wait, he went up to the door of a neatly kept detached villa and rapped the knocker. The door was answered by a neatly dressed maid. Almost before she could ask him his business a voice called out.

“Jake, lad, come in, come in,” and the bulk of George Johnson emerged from a door.

“Tea, if you would May,” he said to the maid. “Come in and meet Mrs Johnson, Jake.”

He ushered Jake into a bright and neatly kept sitting room where his wife was sitting.

“Mr White,” she stood and offered her hand. “This is an honour.”

She was an attractive woman, plump with a bubbly personality. She suited her husband well, Jake thought.

They indulged in small talk until the maid served tea.

“Now,” Mrs Johnson began. “You’ve come to offer my husband the position of master of ‘Moonfleet’.”

“Well, yes,” replied Jake, somewhat taken aback.

“I’ve been telling him for days he should come and see you, but he feels embarrassed about taking advantage of your acquaintance. I understand you are planning a regular run to Dublin?”

“Yes,” said Jake. “About a fortnight turn round. I wondered if he would like the job, but I’ll understand if you don’t want to lose him for so long.”

She had a light tinkling laugh. “Mr White, he is bored out of his mind here all the time, and much as I love him I do have other things to do, so I’ll be glad of the time to myself.”

“When shall I take her over?” asked a grinning Captain Johnson.

“She’s in the dock at the moment, so as soon as you like. We’ve got a date for completion, so plenty to organise. There’s two crewmen that we shipped for the Dublin run and I’ve kept ‘em on to make sure nothing goes missing.”

“Good men then.”

“They are very loyal, particularly to Caroline!” Jake grinned

Johnson looked at his wife who nodded.

“Right, I’ll get changed and come with you now.”

Jake was left with Mrs Johnson for a few minutes.

“Thank you,” she said. “He really does need this. I love him dearly, but he was never made for this sort of life, but being on a short run will suit us both.”

“You seem well informed about the ship.”

“There’s little that you and your cousins do that isn’t the talk of the town, Captain White,” she replied with a broad smile.

With that small problem sorted Jake was able to turn his thoughts to the fact that Lady B and Brigitte would shortly return from Paris. That would undoubtedly mean that more fabrics would be required. He had made a contact with a fabric dyer and printer in Manchester and as soon as he knew anything he would be in touch with them. Meantime there was a bit of a problem to deal with at home. His mother had told him that Lydia wasn’t very happy about the situation and he knew that he would have to smooth things over with her.

The front door was opened by the new maid, Ursula, a tall slim girl who, whilst her attention to her duties could not be faulted, had never smiled.

“Mrs Underwood is in the morning room, sir,” she said in answer to Jake’s query.

With her permission Jake sat opposite his aunt.

“I felt we should clear the air, clarify things Aunt Lydia,” he told her.

“What is there to clarify?” asked his aunt. “I am now a widow dependent on the charity of my nephew and my daughters.”

“No,” said Jake, “your position hasn’t changed. You are still the lady of the house. Previously that position was maintained by Uncle John, now by myself, Caroline and Victoria. We are all working to build up the family business and its fortunes and you are just as much a part of that as you ever were.”

“I’m not even allowed to dismiss pregnant maids.”

“Yes, of course you are. Millie is just an exception. It may seem odd that the girls regard her as a friend, certainly unusual, and there are other reasons, of which I am sure you are aware.”

Aunt Lydia nodded.

“We want you,” Jake went on, “to carry on as before, really as if nothing had changed. We really need you to keep the house running as it always has so that we can get on with business. Can you do that for us?”

Aunt Lydia nodded again.

“Now, shall we have some lunch whilst I am here?”

Lydia smiled and rang for the maid.

They spent a while discussing the arrangements for running the house, the proposed move, Lydia would lead the search for a suitable house, and then over lunch Jake told her about some of his ideas for the future. When he left she smiled and reached up to kiss his cheek.

“Thank you, Jake. I’m glad we got sorted out, I feel much happier.”

Two mornings after his encounter with Mrs Wills, Jake was sitting behind his desk looking at some figures that Victoria had put together as a projection for the fashion business. He had already sorted out schedules for ‘Moonfleet’ and had discussions with Caroline concerning the general affairs of the chandlery and the wholesale grocery business, and he was now feeling somewhat jaded when Dennis came in to announce that he had a visitor.

“A lady, Mr Jake!”

“Did she give a name, Dennis?”

“Oh yes, sir! Miss Wills, sir.”

“Right, better show her up then.”

A few minutes later Harriet Wills came into his office. She was sharply to the point.

“You said you were interested, and they say you’re a man of your word so I brought these to show you.”

She lifted a large portfolio case onto Jake’s desk.

“Mother said you were just being kind, said I shouldn’t bother you. But I thought if I didn’t then I’d never know, and no one else has ever shown any interest. Just the opposite to be honest.”

“Well let’s put this on the table by the window and then we can have a look.”

Jake picked up the case, surprised by its weight.

Harriet opened the case and showed Jake a great number of patterns that she had drawn, some simple and some complex.

“I know that the bottom and top have to match, as they do side to side, although that isn’t always the case, but beyond that I lack the knowledge to take it further.”

“It would be a good to add our own exclusive fabric designs to our range, and to spread out into stuff for interior designs, curtains and upholstery,” Jake mused. “I deal with a company in Manchester who may be able to help. I’ll have to write to them.”

“What would it involve?”

“I would think staying there and learning about it.”

“My father wouldn’t approve of that. I’m not sure about mother either. I shouldn’t really be here without a chaperone.”

“No problem there, my wife is in the next office, you have only to scream...”

“ ... and I’ll be here,” said Caroline as she entered.

“Caroline, this is Harriet Wills. She has been designing patterns for fabrics.”

Caroline looked over the patterns on the table. “I could see that one in the dining room,” she said.

“So, Harriet,” said Jake, “you may have one customer! If you get back to me in a week I should have something to tell you. Meantime you should tell your mama that you have been to see us, and I have an idea regarding a companion for you. By the way, did your brother not think to come with you? I am very interested in his photography.”

“He’s very shy and was quite certain that you wouldn’t really be interested. It’s probably best if you come and visit him at home, he’s always in his shed mixing chemicals.”

“I’ll do that,” said Jake.

“It is strange,” Jake said to Caroline after Harriet had left, “the elder brothers are groomed to take over the business, but Harriet and George are just left to their own devices. Harriet seems to have only one interest, I dare say she’d bore any suitor to death if he didn’t share her interest, and George, well no doubt I shall find out. But I’ve a feeling that strange will be the order of the day.”

As many will know running a large multifaceted business is bound to take up a lot of time, even if there are capable lieutenants to run individual branches. There are also the aspects of the business that are effectively ‘pet’ projects, like, in Jake’s case, getting ‘Moonfleet’ off on her first regular run to Dublin. With a full hold and all her passenger cabins occupied it looked as though the future of this enterprise was assured, indeed, Jake even had plans for the future which presently remained unspoken. So although Jake had had a letter from his Manchester associate Herbert Graves and Sons, it was ten days after the visit from Harriet Wills that he finally got around to calling on her mother in order to try to further the idea that he had regarding Harriet.

Mrs Wills was almost enthusiastic in her greeting. After the normal pleasantries she began:

“Harriet really shouldn’t have bothered you. I was very cross that she should have put both of you in a compromising position, Mr White, but she is so single minded that at times she can be very difficult, if not impossible to stop. But since she assures me you are interested in her ideas, tell me what you are proposing.”

“My suggestion was that she could put her talents to work if she had some further knowledge of how the technical aspects work. I wrote to the the company that we buy dyed and printed cloth from enquiring as to whether they could help, and their suggestion is that Harriet, and a companion, come to stay with the family for a month to see how she gets on.”

“You are being very helpful Mr White, but may I ask what is your interest in this?”

“Certainly,” replied Jake. “I am hoping to get exclusive fabric patterns and we would be interested in setting up a furnishing side to the business. Harriet is very enthusiastic and with guidance could become a large part of that.”

“And the companion?”

“There is a young lady who works for us and can be relied upon. She is very loyal.”

Mrs Wills laughed. “You seem to have covered everything. I will put it to my husband, but I think he will agree if only to try to get this out of her system, although I personally doubt that it will. I’ll tell Harriet and we’ll let you know in a day or two. Will that suit?”

“Indeed, and thank you,” replied Jake. “Now, on another subject, I should like to meet George, his photography intrigues me.”

She smiled. “If you can get him to do something useful I’d be doubly grateful. The maid will show you the way to his workshop. Good luck, and thank you.”

Jake followed the maid through a pretty garden to a substantial shed where she knocked on the door.

“Just a minute,” called a voice from inside.

It was rather more than a minute before the door opened, although nothing could be seen of the occupant.

“What is it? It can’t be lunch time yet,” came a rather soft voice.

“You’ve got a visitor Mr George,” the maid told him.

“Oh!” said George, “Umm ... better come in.”

The maid grinned at Jake and left him to it. He entered the the gloomy shed which smelled of a variety of nameless chemicals.

In the gloom Jake could barely see see George, who stood looking at his workbench, but he could discern a small figure topped by a mass of curly hair. Jake introduced himself and asked George about photography. This turned out to be an obsession and he became almost animated. He proceeded to flood Jake with a mass of information, most of which went straight over his head. George was something that Jake had never encountered before, he obviously didn’t relate well to people, but on his subject he was quite animated and enthusiastic. He and Harriet, Jake thought, seemed to be two sides of the same coin. Jake finally managed to stop the flow of information to ask a question.

“Can you take pictures of ladies in the dresses we make?” he asked.

There was a pause.

“Oh yes, yes, no problem. No, no problem at all. Have to stand still of course, and I’d need to set up a darkroom. The plates have to be developed within fifteen minutes, you see. But I’m working on different chemicals, should get more stable.”

Jake arranged a time for George to come to Victoria’s Secrets to demonstrate. On the way out Jake communicated the appointment to Mrs Wills, working on the principle that George would probably forget. She agreed that she would do her best to ensure that he attended.

A studio, he thought, and a darkroom, whatever that was, could be arranged on one of the unused upper floors of the shop. With this in mind he went to find Victoria.

Jake eventually ran Victoria to earth in the workroom where she was enthusing over the latest sketches that Lady Bridget and Brigitte had returned from Paris with.

There was no doubt that they had some really good stuff and Kaitlynn Humble was already sorting out suitable fabrics, the two girls, Siobhan and Roisin were sketching out Bristol fashions based on the sketches. After enthusiastic greetings from Lady B and Brigitte, Jake drew Victoria aside and told her about George and his photography.

“What good will that be?” she asked.

“Well, it’ll mean that we have pictures of exactly what our dresses look like.”

“But we have the girls who can draw them.”

“And we can have lots of copies.”

“Yes, Jake. It’s called lithography and printing. Lots of copies, thousands if we want.”

“But this isn’t a drawing, this is exactly what is there.”

“Oh very well, I’ll have a carpenter there to do whatever this George wants. Now, we’re very busy, if you haven’t got anything to add to the collection go and play with your new boat.”

And with that she returned to the discussions of the new designs.

Jake was somewhat taken aback by his dismissal and retired to his office to lick his wounds.