Dilly Court - The Christmas Rose - The most heart-warming novel of 2018, from the Sunday Times bestseller

‘Then perhaps you should be used to it by now.’ Rose was in no mood to take the blame for something that was beyond her control.

Having taken Cecilia back to Tavistock Square, Eugene and Rose returned to the office where, despite the fact that it was late evening, Rose worked on her review of the opera for Monday’s edition. When both she and Eugene were satisfied with the result, it was left for the typesetters to put into print, and Eugene saw her safely back to Black Raven Court.

‘We must address this problem urgently, Rose,’ he said as he handed her from the cab. ‘I don’t like leaving you here.’

‘I’ll be all right, Guvnor. I’ve got Cora and Flossie looking out for me.’ Rose hoped she sounded more positive than she was feeling as she stepped inside and closed the door.

Having slept for most of Sunday, Rose was up early on Monday morning. She dressed hastily and rushed out to buy a copy of the London Leader from a stall outside Fenchurch Street station. To see her words in print for the very first time would be a thrill, and she could scarcely wait to get back to her room. In her excitement it was even possible to ignore the pangs of hunger that gripped her stomach and the chill of a late autumn morning. With her shawl wrapped around her head and shoulders she trudged back to Black Raven Court. She did not notice Regan until it was too late.

Rose came to a sudden halt at the sight of the man who ruled the lives of the women in his house, and was about to turn and run when he grabbed her by the arm and dragged her inside.

‘Cora is a poor liar,’ he said, pressing Rose up against the damp wall. ‘She told me you’d gone, but Nat Regan is nobody’s fool.’

‘I won’t be here much longer. I can pay rent.’

Regan curled his lip. ‘Only girls who work for me are allowed to live here, sweetheart. I got plenty of clients who would pay good money for your favours.’ He glanced at the newspaper she was clutching to her chest. ‘And you can read, too. I ain’t sure that’s a good thing.’

‘Let me go.’ Rose glared at him, too angry now to feel fear. ‘I’m leaving today.’

He pinned her to the wall with surprising strength for a small man. ‘That’s up to me. This is my place and what I says goes.’

‘I’ve got a job, Regan,’ she said boldly. ‘I’m a reporter on this newspaper, and if you don’t get out of my way you’ll find yourself headline news in the next edition.’ It was a vain boast, but it had the desired effect and Regan released her, taking a step backwards.

‘You’re lying, you little bitch.’

Rose leafed through the newspaper, searching desperately for the article that bore her name. She found it, even though it was tucked away beneath a list of other social events. The print was small, but her name was there and she waved it under his nose. ‘There’s the proof in black and white. And if you don’t let me go I’ll be late for the office.’

Regan stared at her in disbelief, his mouth working silently. Rose seized the moment and slipped past him. She raced down the steps and kept running until she was out of breath and had to stop and take shelter in a doorway. One thing was for certain: remaining in Black Raven Court was not an option. Thanks to her bragging, Regan knew her name and where she was working. She had made a tactical error, but the main thing now was to get to the office on time.

Nicholls was already at his desk and he looked up, his expression hardening when he spotted Rose. ‘You’re late again, Munday.’

‘I’m sorry, Mr Nicholls. I was unexpectedly delayed.’

‘No matter what Mr Sheldon says, I’m the head clerk, and, if you’re late again or you don’t do as I tell you, I’ll report you to Mr Radley.’

‘Yes, Mr Nicholls.’ Rose decided that arguing with Nicholls was a waste of time and she forced herself to answer meekly.

‘Get to work, Munday,’ Nicholls snapped. ‘Your days are numbered, so make the most of your five minutes of glory.’

Rose could hear the two more junior clerks sniggering, but she ignored them as she marched into Eugene’s office, resisting the temptation to slam the door. They were determined to make her life as difficult as possible, but Eugene had given her a chance to prove herself and she had no intention of letting him down. That aside, her most pressing problem was where she would sleep that night, and how she would retrieve her things from the boxroom in Black Raven Court. It was fortunate that the clothes given to her by Cecilia were still in Tavistock Square, waiting until she had found more permanent accommodation.

Rose sat down in front of the typewriter, running her fingers over the keys. The night before last she had felt proud and elated when Eugene allowed her to write her piece about the theatre, and seeing her name in print for the first time was undoubtedly a thrill, but working in a man’s world was going to be an uphill struggle. She took a sheet of paper and inserted it in the machine. There was work that Eugene had left for her and it must be done; even so, she was finding it hard to concentrate, and she was still sitting there when he breezed into the office half an hour later.

‘What’s the matter with you, Munday?’ he demanded. ‘I thought you would be beaming all over your face this morning.’

‘I’ve got a bit of a problem, Guvnor.’

Eugene made to throw his hat onto the stand, but seemed to think better of it and placed it on a chair together with his overcoat and scarf. ‘Anything I can help with?’

‘I have to find somewhere else to stay.’

‘I could have told you that living in a house of ill repute was not the best address for a budding reporter. However, joking aside, I agree with you wholeheartedly.’

‘I bumped into Regan again and he’s being difficult.’

Eugene took his seat behind his desk. ‘I imagine that’s putting it mildly. I suppose he wants you to join his happy band of workers.’

‘That’s it exactly, and I daren’t go back to collect my things in case he sees me. Besides which, I’ve nowhere to go.’

He turned his head to give her a long look. ‘Then you must stay with us in Tavistock Square, and I’ll try to find out if those men have the legal right to be in the Captain’s House.’

‘Thank you, Guvnor. But your sister might object to having me as a guest, even for a short time.’

‘Cissie? Why would she? My sister isn’t a bad sort when you get to know her, Munday. Her main problem is ennui. Cissie is an intelligent woman and she hasn’t got enough to occupy her mind. She doesn’t particularly enjoy balls and soirées, and, in my opinion, she needs a cause to fight for. You might find you have a lot in common.’

‘Maybe,’ Rose said doubtfully. ‘She’s been very kind to me, but I don’t want to foist myself on her.’

‘I don’t think Cissie will have any objections to you staying with us until you find something more suitable. You seemed to get on quite well at the theatre.’

‘She did invite me to join her when she has luncheon with Maria Barnaby. Maria is half-sister to Max Manning, my fiancé.’

‘There you are then. Maria might be able to give you some information, so stop worrying and type out that article I gave you yesterday. You’re still an office junior, Munday, so get back to work.’ Eugene tempered his words with a smile. ‘And don’t worry about your possessions. I’ll come with you when we finish work this evening. I’d enjoy sorting Regan out.’