Dilly Court - The Summer Maiden

That evening they made a large placard advertising the sale, taking turns in painting the letters with Indian ink. They took it outside and Max hung it over the railings for all to see, and straight away it attracted the attention of passers-by. Caroline stood back, eyeing it critically.

‘I think that should do the trick.’

‘It’s just as well that Mama went to Devonshire,’ Max said, grinning. ‘She wouldn’t have allowed this.’

‘I can’t see any alternative. The rent is due in a few days’ time and there’s a huge pile of unpaid bills.’ Caroline glanced over her shoulder to see the butler standing at the top of the steps, clutching a portmanteau in his gloved hand. ‘Are you going somewhere, Ingram?’

‘This is public humiliation, Miss Caroline. I’m going to stay with my sister in Highgate while I seek another position. I’ve left my address in the housekeeper’s office, but I think you’ll find that Mrs Hayes will be the next to leave. We can’t afford to work for nothing.’

‘How long is it since you were paid?’ Caroline stared at him in surprise.

‘Too long, Miss Caroline. If you come into funds you can send the money to me, not that I’m pinning my hopes on such an outcome.’ He marched down the steps and walked off, swinging a large black umbrella with a horse’s-head handle.

‘That belonged to Papa,’ Max said angrily. ‘Shall I go and get it from him, Carrie?’

She laid her hand on his arm. ‘No, let him keep it. I’m truly sorry that I can’t pay him what he’s owed, but I’ll tell you this – I will get the money somehow, and I’ll recompense the servants and the creditors, even if it takes for ever.’

Max shrugged and raised his eyebrows. ‘Good luck with that, Carrie.’

She gazed at her younger brother as if seeing him for the first time. ‘You’ve grown so tall, Max. Soon I’ll have to look up to you.’

‘If I was older I’d go out and earn my living and you wouldn’t have to worry about money.’

‘We’ll look after each other,’ Caroline said, smiling. ‘Let’s go inside and see what Sadie has prepared for our supper. She tells me that she learned to cook when she was even younger than you.’ Caroline linked arms with her brother and they mounted the steps together. She glanced over her shoulder before entering the house and was pleased to note the growing number of people who stopped to read the sign posted on the railings outside. Tomorrow would be a good day – she had a feeling in her bones. They would make enough money to stave off disaster and enable them to sit it out until their uncle’s ship returned to London.

Next morning crowds of people flooded into the house. Caroline had opened the door and was almost knocked over in the stampede. Luckily she had placed Max and James in the middle of the entrance hall with Sadie on duty in the dining room. The house had been eerily quiet as, following Ingram’s example, most of the servants had walked out. Mrs Hayes had departed that morning, leaving a couple of kitchen maids, who had nowhere else to go. Caroline had set them simple tasks and Sadie had prepared a stew, which was simmering on the hob in readiness for their meal later in the day.

‘Not that way,’ Caroline cried anxiously as a well-dressed couple headed for the staircase. ‘The items for sale are in the dining room. Please follow the others.’

Glaring at her, the pair retraced their steps and fell in line behind the queue that was already stretching out onto the pavement. Caroline was still directing the prospective purchasers when James pushed his way through the crowd to whisper in her ear.

‘Aunt Sadie says you’re to come to the dining room. She can’t manage on her own.’

Caroline nodded. ‘All right, but you must stand here.’

‘I don’t know what to do.’

She patted her brother’s curly head. ‘Just make sure they go straight to the dining room and don’t allow anyone to go upstairs or into any of the other rooms.’

James glanced at the crowds. ‘I’ll try, Carrie.’

‘Good boy. I’ll be back as soon as I can.’ Caroline hurried towards the dining room, threading her way through the lines of people, some of whom were pushing and shoving as if expecting to snatch a bargain. She found Sadie besieged by customers eager to purchase an ornament, a vase or silk cushion. Others had armfuls of Esther’s best porcelain dinner service, and a large lady in purple had two silver candelabras clutched to her ample bosom. Sadie appeared to be arguing with a gentleman whose raised voice and flushed cheeks indicated a state of extreme agitation.

‘But that is an outrageous price. I could go to the potteries and purchase an item like this for half the price.’

‘Then I suggest you buy a ticket at the railway station and travel north, sir.’ Sadie snatched the vase from him, holding it high above her head. ‘Any offers over one guinea for this eighteenth-century Sèvres vase?’

Caroline stepped aside as the bidding began and the vase finally sold for double the asking price. ‘Well done, Sadie.’

Sadie smiled and turned back to the customers who were clamouring for her attention. Caroline began taking money and soon her apron pocket was filled with coins, including several golden guineas, and finally all the items she had chosen were sold. But the crowd refused to disperse and within minutes they were swarming over the house like a colony of worker ants. Caroline raced up the stairs after them and, having persuaded them to go back down, she positioned herself at the bottom of the staircase, refusing to allow anyone to pass. The mood seemed to change and frustrated buyers began to vent their anger on anyone who would listen. James was in tears and Max was threatening to punch the next person who accosted him. Sadie had her hands full in the dining room and Caroline was beginning to panic. She was about to rush outside and look for a constable to restore the peace when a group of tradesmen burst into the house, led by two burly officials.

‘What is the meaning of this?’ Caroline demanded. She managed to keep her voice steady even though her knees were trembling.

The tallest and broadest of the two leaders stepped forward. ‘This is an illegal sale.’

Caroline tossed her head. ‘I don’t know what you mean. This is private property, so kindly leave.’

He waved a sheet of paper under her nose. ‘This is a court order, miss, and these gentlemen are owed a great deal of money. I want to see Mr Manning.’

‘My father is dead.’ Caroline’s voice broke on a sob.

‘I can’t help that, miss. Who is in charge of the household?’

Caroline took a deep breath. She was not going to let these men witness her heartbreak. ‘I don’t know exactly. I suppose it’s me now that Mama has gone to Devonshire, but if that’s all you’re worried about I can settle some or maybe all of those debts from the sale of our things.’

‘An unauthorised sale, miss. My colleague and I are here to enforce the law.’

There was nothing Caroline could do other than stand back and watch the bailiffs at work. They stripped the house of everything that had any value, leaving nothing but an echoing shell as they carried out the last piece of furniture.

Caroline put her arms around James, who was openly weeping, and she gave him a hug. ‘It’s only furniture and stuff, Jimmy. We’re still together, that’s the most important thing.’

Max braced his shoulders, holding his head high. ‘I’ll get a job, Carrie. I’m fourteen and I’m strong. I can work in the docks or on the river like Grandpa used to, before he went to sea.’

Sadie patted him on the back. ‘Good boy, Max. It’s a setback but it’s not the end of the world. I know what it’s like to be poor, but I’m still here to tell the tale.’