A Loving Family by Dilly Court Read Free Book Online

carefully. Most of the provisions for Portgone Place were delivered daily. The butcher, grocer, fishmonger and baker fulfilled the orders placed by Mrs Hawthorne, and her monthly visit to market enabled her to purchase more personal items. The list included needles and thread, two yards of elastic, a tape measure and a thimble from the haberdasher’s, and a bolt of calico from the market stall which would be considerably cheaper than that sold in the shop. There was also a list of liniments and various medicines to be procured from the chemist, including corn plasters and some camphor balls to keep moths at bay.
    She had just completed her last purchase and was walking back to where Jacob was waiting when she saw a familiar figure standing by a stall selling farm produce. Even though it was ten years since she last saw him she would have recognised Mr Hendy anywhere. She had often wished they could meet again so that she could thank him for his kindness, and now it seemed that the opportunity had presented itself. She tapped him on the shoulder. ‘Mr Hendy. It is Mr Hendy, isn’t it?’
    â€˜That’s me, young lady.’ He dragged off his hat, staring at her with a puzzled frown. ‘You seem to know me but I’m afraid I can’t return the compliment.’
    â€˜I’m Stella. You gave me a lift to Stratford station on Mothering Sunday ten years ago.’
    He stared at her in amazement and a slow smile lit his eyes. ‘Well, so it is. By golly, I would never have recognised you now that you’re grown to be such a handsome young woman.’
    â€˜I’ve wanted to thank you for your kindness, sir. And to repay the money you lent me.’ She opened her reticule and took out her purse.
    â€˜No. I wouldn’t hear of it, Stella. What I did was to help a child in distress. I trust you found your mother well and that she enjoyed the cake.’ His smile faded. ‘What have I said?’
    Stella shook her head, fighting back tears. ‘She wasn’t there, Mr Hendy. She was gone and so were my brother and sister.’
    â€˜I am so sorry. You must have been very distressed, but at least you had the return fare to get you home.’
    She looked away. ‘It was stolen by a gang of street arabs. I grew up in Limehouse and I should have known better than to put the money in my pocket.’
    â€˜You were a child, and you were alone.’ He glanced over her shoulder and his stern expression changed subtly. ‘Robert, my boy. There you are.’
    Stella turned to see a young man approaching them. Even before Mr Hendy introduced them she realised that this must be one of the sons he had mentioned at their first meeting. Robert Hendy was tall and well built, and his complexion was that of a man who spent most of his time out of doors. His eyes were a similar shade of grey-blue to his father’s, but the lock of hair that flopped down over his brow was light brown and not tawny like that of his parent. He smiled and the family likeness was even more pronounced. ‘I’ve been looking for you, Dad.’
    Mr Hendy hooked his arm around his son’s shoulders. ‘Robert, I want you to meet a young lady I came across ten years ago, sitting at the roadside on a chilly March morning. She was just a little thing, and had set out to walk all the way to Limehouse to see her mother.’
    â€˜And your father took me as far as Stratford and gave me the return rail fare,’ Stella added, hoping that Robert Hendy would accept that as the full story and not enquire any further. The memory of that day still hurt and she did not want to embarrass them by bursting into tears.
    Robert met her anxious gaze with a friendly smile. ‘How d’you do, miss?’
    She held out her hand. ‘I’m Stella Barry. Your father did me a great service all those years ago.’
    â€˜That sounds like my dad. He’s one of the best.’ Robert shook her hand.