Free The Hungry Tide by Valerie Wood Page B

hands over the pile of papers that littered his desk. ‘As you see, I’m extremely busy and I haven’t the time to attend to it. Perhaps you will see to it, John, I don’t want Isobel to be bothered about something like this, it’s not good for her to have any worries at this time.’
    He waved his arm towards the window. ‘There must be somebody out there who would like to exchange an existence in the town for a living in the country.’
    John felt the germ of an unformulated idea growing in the recesses of his mind. ‘You would need a housekeeper perhaps, if Aunt Isobel is set against Mrs Scryven? Perhaps if I find a suitable woman, then she could find the maidservants?’
    He paused to see the effect on his uncle and, finding it favourable, went on, ‘And it might be an idea for you to have a man about the place, for you will be here in Hull quite often. Someone who could keep an eye on the estate and do jobs about the house, bringing in wood, that sort of thing.’
    ‘If you can think of someone who will suit Isobel then arrange it, but don’t worry me about it until it’s decided,’ said Isaac briskly. ‘But it must be someone completely trustworthy. And in the meantime,’ he dismissed the matter, ‘you will be pleased to know that I’ve heard from the Customs Office. The Commissioner has ordered that the bounty can be paid after all. They are satisfied that we have followed all the legal requirements and that the ship was bound to return early because of the damage.’
    He sat back in his chair. ‘That’s the reason I wanted to see you. I’ve told the clerks to go ahead with the paper work and I would like you to see that it is paid out immediately.’
    John smiled as he left the office. He speculated that with a little diplomacy he might well be able to repay a debt, help a family in need and solve his aunt’s domestic problem at one and the same time.
    Tom hurtled breathlessly through the door. ‘Fayther, Francis is here with the hoss and cart, can I come with thee?’
    ‘No, not this time, son, maybe another day.’ Will knew that if there was any business to discuss, Francis wouldn’t divulge it with the flapping ears of young Tom within hearing.
    ‘Ooh, why not?’ Tom’s face puckered in disappointment. ‘Annie’s going, why can’t I?’ He’d seen Annie sitting at the side of Francis as the cart trundled towards the entry. She’d waved to him graciously as if she was in a carriage instead of a battered old cart, and he longed to do the same to his own friends.
    Will spoke to him sharply as he eased himself out of the wooden chair and on to his crutch. He was finding it easier to move around now and had decided to discard one crutch altogether, and although he still sometimes had terrible pain in the stump of his leg, his arms and shoulders were stronger than ever before.
    ‘Go on, clear off!’ Francis gestured to Annie as Will approached them.
    ‘I thought I was coming with thee?’ said Annie in dismay. ‘Tha promised me!’
    ‘Well, tha thought wrong. Don’t go getting any fancy ideas.’
    ‘Go and see Maria,’ suggested Will sympathetically, feeling sorry for the girl as she stood forlornly in the road in her cheap finery. ‘She could do with some cheerful company.’
    He hoisted himself into the cart and reflected that he was a poor companion for Maria these days, beset as he was with his own problems.
    ‘Women!’ Francis cursed as he urged the horse on. ‘They’re nowt but trouble. Tha won’t catch me getting tied down to ’em.’
    ‘Come on inside, Annie, it’s grand to see thee.’ Maria hid her astonishment at her friend’s appearance. Annie had never before had any spare money for anything but the bare necessities of life, and certainly not for the sort of clothes she was wearing now.
    She was aping the fashionable with her low-cut satin gown, but the colour was garish and the frilly petticoats peeping below the hem were torn and none too clean. She had