Digging wealth

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Eighteen shillings a week. She would be able to rent somewhere clean and quiet for about nine or ten shillings. As soon as she got home she'd write to Elianna and Ma and Gina!

Mrs Craig had been very upset. 'Oh, Daleyza, how am I going to manage without you? I had such high hopes for you.'

'I'm sorry, Mrs Craig, you've been very good to me and I have enjoyed working here.' Daleyza felt so guilty.

'What if I offered you another two shillings a week? That made her feel worse. 'I'm sorry, but it wouldn't make any difference to how I feel. You see, it's what I've always wanted. It's what I left Ireland for. The chance of a career in a shop like that.'

'I can see that you have made up your mind. Well, luck to you, Daleyza.'

good

'I'll work my week's notice, so that you can get a replace ment. I wouldn't leave you short-handed.'

Mrs Craig sighed deeply. 'I suppose it's back to the agency and a string of replacements until I find one that suits." Impulsively, Daleyza had leaned over and kissed her on

the cheek.

You'll find someone soon, I know you will.' Then she'd had a bright idea. In fact, I know someone who would jump at the opportunity.' 'You do?'

Yes. She has experience of working in a bakery, not serving unfortunately, but she would learn quickly and she's quiet and honest and trustworthy. She's younger than I am but maybe that would be better. You could train her and I'm certain she would stay with you for years.'

'Who is this paragon?"

Eileen Dalrymple. She is the sister of my friend's fiancé. Shall I bring her with me tomorrow?"

'Yes, bring her along, and we will see.'

Daleyza wanted to stop off at Feinstein's Bakery on her way home, but thought better of it. Just in case Mrs Craig found Eileen unsuitable, she didn't want her to lose the job she already had. Eileen deserved her chance, too, she thought. Oh, what a glorious day it had been.

As she opened the door she saw the envelope on the floor and picked it up. It was postmarked 'London'. It was the first letter she'd ever had from Gina. Of course, Elianna kept her up to date with all Gina's news, but Gina wasn't exactly a prolific writer. Daleyza tore it open. Inside was a brief note and a ticket.

Dear Daleyza,

I've sent you a ticket for my opening night. You simply must come! It's going to be wonderful and I've taken a box for you and Elianna - the best seats in the house, no less!

Love Gina

She looked at the ticket. It was for a box at the Theatre Royal for the opening of 'Steamboat' for the fifteenth of the month. She sighed heavily and frowned. That was the day she started working at Copeland and Lye!

Elianna smiled as she opened the letter. It wasn't often Gina took the time and trouble to write. She read the brief, scrawled note and looked at the tickets and her smile faded. Lewis wouldn't go. He'd consider it a total waste of time and money. She looked up and caught sight of herself in the small mirror in the centre of the hallstand. Had marriage changed her? Or was it Lewis who had changed? All she'd ever wanted was to be a wife and mother and now she often wondered if the desire to achieve those objects had blinkered her vision, obscuring the reality of marriage.

She hadn't loved him, they had both known that, but somehow she'd thought that love would grow, but it hadn't. She'd finally admitted to herself that she was guilty of longing for a romantic fairy-tale love affair as Daleyza was. It had all happened so fast and she had been in love with the idea of marriage. So much so that she had refused to even contemplate what it really entailed. She could never think about their wedding night without a tinge of colour creeping into her cheeks. It had been so repulsive and degrading and she had lain there, every muscle taut and rigid, biting back the cries of pain. Afterwards she had quietly cried herself to sleep and the following day they had both acted as if it had never happened at all. She had been so tempted to fling herself into her Ma's arms and beg her to take her home, but she couldn't do that. She had to appear the contented new wife, happy with her lot. But the day that Sarah had left she had hugged Elianna and whispered, 'It takes time, Elianna. Give it time,' and she'd known then that Sarah had seen beneath the veneer.

Lewis had been pleasant and courteous, he still was, and on the surface she appeared calm, but inside she seethed with a mass of conflicting emotions. In the end, with no one else to turn to, she'd gone to Confession. Not to confess, but to ask advice, and even that had been an agony of embarrassment and it hadn't helped. Oh, Father Dean had been kind enough, but his advice all boiled down to one thing. She was his wife and she must accept everything that that word entailed.

The only thing that had kept her from packing up and leaving was Ariah. The child's face lit up each day when she woke her and the hug and the greeting, 'I like coming home to you, Ma!' almost made up for the torments of the marriage bed.

Elianna peered at her reflection. A faint crease was appearing between her brows. She would have to stop frowning. She had got what she wanted. Far more than she had envisaged and there were times when she felt guilty and ungrateful. God had given her far more than she had ever prayed for and the least she could do was to be thankful. Time and again she told herself not to be such a fool, she would get used to it in time, as Sarah had advised.

 But it didn't really help. She didn't blame Lewis, she blamed herself. Of course, she'd learned more about him since they'd been married. He was a man set in his ways and a young was not about to change those ways. She'd found that he wife could be stubborn and a little mean where money was con cerned. Not that she was extravagant; she prided herself on being prudent and economical. It had been Ariah's birthday present that had caused the first real disagreement between them and had caused her to stand up for her beliefs.

Ariah wanted a bicycle and when Elianna had first told Lewis this she had been taken aback by his reaction.

'A bicycle! Does she think I'm made of money?" Lewis it's her birthday! She's outgrown dolls and doll's houses."

'I don't approve of young girls riding bicycles.' 'That's ridiculous! Lots of girls have them now.'

'Young ladies don't!'

Young ladies most certainly do! Don't be so old fashioned. Doctor Salmon's girls all have them, it's good exercise according to him, and Ariah's set her heart on it." 'It's much too expensive! She had a small fortune spent

on her at Christmas.'

Lewis it's not Ariah's fault that her birthday falls so close to Christmas and besides, the things she got were small items. She didn't ask for a bicycle then, did she?"

'She knew she wouldn't get one!' 'Lewis, please...?'

'She can twist you around her little finger, Elianna. She's spoilt."

'No more spoilt that her sister is,' she'd retorted,

heatedly.

What's that supposed to mean?' 'Only that it seems strange that you hand out money

to Elizabeth for the least little thing, when she has a husband who is supposed to support her. Oh, I know she's only been once lately, but I don't know how often she used to come before we were married. You can't call that fair treatment, to deny Ariah her birthday present and give Elizabeth whatever she wants just to avoid one of her tantrums!'

It was the first time she'd ever mentioned that she knew what Elizabeth came for and Lewis had turned away from her, a cold look in his eyes, his mouth a tight, thin line. But Elianna had been determined that now it was out in the open, she was going to let him know her views.

'I don't know what excuses she offers or what tales of woe she uses, but really, Lewis, she does have a good way