Barbara Cartland - Lights, Laughter and a Lady

She had known that her aunt would be curious, but, as she had given no address, there would be nothing she could do about it.

‘If Connie will not help me,’ Minella told herself, ‘then I must go and find some cheap respectable lodging house while I look around.’

She was sure that Connie would be able to recommend one and, if not, she thought the most sensible thing to do would be to go to the nearest Vicarage and ask the Vicar for help.

That was the sort of thing that one did in the country and, although it might be different in London, there would be Churches and if there were Churches there would be Vicarages and it therefore followed that there would be a Vicar and who else should one turn to in time of trouble?

‘I shall be all right,’ Minella assured herself.

Equally there was an uncomfortable fluttering feeling inside her breast that told her that she was very nervous.

The noise and confusion at the Station was an ordeal in itself, but an elderly porter took pity on her and asked if he could help her.

“I have two trunks in the van,” she said. “My name is Clinton-Wood.”

“I’ll get them for you, miss,” he said. “Now stand ’ere where I can find you again and don’t take no notice of anybody as speaks to you.”

He did not wait for her reply, but pushed his trolley towards the van and she thought it was a strange thing for him to say.

Who was likely to speak to her, she wondered.

Then she thought perhaps he was speaking of pickpockets who she had read about and so she held on tightly to the leather bag that had belonged to her mother.

It did not contain a great deal of money. She was too sensible for that and had put into the Bank most of the one hundred pounds that Mr. Mercer had given to her.

But she had to have enough to cover her expenses and she knew that every penny was of vital significance.

She therefore held her bag with two hands and waited until the porter returned with her trunks on his trolley.

“There you are, miss,” he said. “Now, what do you want to do?”

Minella took out the piece of paper from her handbag, which she had written Connie’s address down on.

“I wish to go there, please. Is it far?”

The porter read the address carefully.

“It’ll cost you a shillin’,” he said, “and you give the man twopence for hisself.”

“Thank you for telling me,” Minella replied. “I am afraid of making mistakes, as I have never been to London before.”

“That be just what I thought, you looks lost and frightened. Why didn’t you stay in the country where you belongs?”

“I have to find work.”

The porter was silent for a moment as he pushed his way through the crowds.

Then he asked her,

“’Ave you got someone to ’elp you?”

“I-I hope so.”

“Well, you’d better be careful,” he said. “I’ve got a daughter your age and I’m always a-worryin’ about her. London ain’t the right place for young pretty girls and that’s a fact!”

“But we have to eat!” Minella said. “And in my case that means I have to work.”

“Well, just you be extra careful of what you gets up to,” the porter went on, “and don’t do anythin’ your father wouldn’t approve of.”

“No, of course not,” Minella agreed.

He then found her an old rather dilapidated-looking Hackney carriage with a horse that seemed too tired to pull anything.

“This’ll be cheaper than one of them smarter ones,” he said as he heaved her trunks up beside the driver.

When he opened the door for Minella to climb in, she asked,

“Please, will you tell me what I should give you? I don’t want to make a mistake.”

“That’s all right,” the porter replied. “If you didn’t ask me, I’d ’ave expected thrupence for what I’ve done for you, but as it is, you keep it. You’re gonna need it yerself. Money soon goes in this ’ere place!”

“You are very kind,” Minella said. “Thank you very much for all you have done for me.”

She held out her hand and the porter shook it.

Then he said,

“Remember what I tells you and be a good girl!”

“Yes, of course,” Minella answered.

As the cabbie drove off, she waved at him and thought how kind he was.

Then she realised that she must look very young and countrified for the porter to be so protective towards her.

‘I hope Connie will not be ashamed of me,’ she murmured to herself.

She remembered how smart Connie had looked the last time she had come home and she thought it odd that her father had not told her that he had seen her when he was in London.

‘It was unlike Papa to be so secretive,’ she thought and then wondered if he had had any reason for it.

The cabbie seemed to drive for a very long way through crowded streets.

Looking out of the window, Minella was fascinated by the variety of vehicles she could see everywhere.

Most of all she found herself riveted by the smart carriages and the broughams drawn by two horses wearing, she was sure, bearing-reins, which she considered cruel.

They were driven by two men on the box wearing crested top hats and extremely smart liveries.

There were also the hansoms that her father had described to her so often, but which she had never seen before.

She laughed at their sloping fronts with the driver high up over the roof and their large wheels and she was surprised at the fast pace they could travel at.

It made her feel that London was as exciting as her father had always thought it to be.

She longed to be able to travel in a hansom, but she was sure that it would be incorrect for a lady to travel alone and that one should be accompanied by a very elegant man wearing a shining top hat slightly on the side of his head.

After they had driven quite a long way down very crowded streets in which there was so much to see that Minella kept looking excitedly from side to side, they turned into a much quieter street.

The carriage stopped outside a high rather ugly building with steps up to the front door and railings half-hiding the basement beneath it.

The cabbie climbed down to open the door for her.

“Shall I carry your trunks in, miss?” he asked.

“Will you wait one moment, please?” Minella asked. “I may not be able to stay here.”

“That’s all right,” he answered, “but don’t be long. I wants to be orf ’ome soon.”

“I will be as quick as I can,” Minella promised.

She ran up the steps and rang the bell, thinking that Connie lived in a very grand house.

It took some moments before the door was opened by a rather slovenly maid in a dirty apron and with her cap crooked on her untidy hair.

“Yus?” she asked in an uncompromising voice.

“Does Miss Connie Langford live here?” Minella enquired.

The maid jerked her thumb upwards.

“Second floor,” she said and without saying anything more she hurried down the narrow stairs that obviously led to the basement.

Surprised at such an abrupt reception, Minella climbed quickly up the stairs, passing the first floor where there were two doors, each having a card tacked onto it bearing a different name.

It was then she understood that this house contained flats and on the second floor must be the flat that Connie had thanked her father for.

When she reached it, there were two doors and she went to the first one and saw that it had a card containing a man’s name.

Then on the second, written in Connie’s own hand was the name she was seeking, Miss Connie Langford.

Now she felt more nervous than she had before but, realising that the cabby was waiting for her, she raised the small brass knocker that was above the card.