Free Lovers Meeting by Irene Carr

hadn’t been for Josie, me and those little lambs would ha’ been killed!’
    Featherstone examined Josie and found nothing worse than heavy bruising of her shoulder. The blow had been enough to hurl her to the ground and the fall had rendered her unconscious. ‘She was very brave. No doubt about it, she saved your nursemaid and the children.’
    He recommended that Josie should keep to her bed for a day and Geoffrey Urquhart, shaken by his beloved grandchildren’s narrow escape from death, insisted on it. Josie had time to reflect, with a shudder, that she had almost died.
    When Josie resumed her duties next day, Geoffrey Urquhart summoned her to his study and gave her a chair. Elizabeth, his wife, sat in another while he stood before the fireplace. He said, ‘I owe you a debt I can never repay. But is there anything I can do for you?’
    Josie was at a loss for a moment, but then she remembered her worry and answered, ‘I’d be grateful if you’d keep me on, sir.’
    Urquhart knew nothing of Mrs Stritch’s tyrannical rule and machinations. Startled, he said, ‘Of course we’re keeping you on. What made you think we were not?’
    Josie stumbled over her words. ‘I thought – Mrs Stritch thinks I’m not giving satisfaction, sir.’
    Urquhart glanced at his wife. ‘You’d better have a word with Mrs Stritch.’ Then to Josie, ‘You don’t need to worry about that. Now, if you haven’t any other request—?’ He paused.
    Josie shook her head. ‘No, sir.’ And she was about to rise, thinking that was the end of it.
    But Urquhart went on, ‘Well, Mrs Urquhart and I have talked it over and we propose appointing you to take over the care of the children when Betty leaves to be married in two weeks’ time. How do you feel about that?’
    Josie smiled with relief and delight. ‘That would be lovely, sir.’
    That night before she slept Josie marvelled at her luck. She did not realise that she was favoured not by fortune but because of her own efforts. The Urquharts knew her too well and would never have agreed to her dismissal, and they had already determined to offer her the post of nursemaid; Josie’s saving the lives of the children had only brought forward the interview by a day or two.
    Josie was happy – and less inclined than ever to venture into the North Country, to the house of the fearsome William Langley to demand an inheritance that did not attract her. She had not forgotten Peggy Langley’s injunction, but to Josie’s mind the Langley family were nothing to her and had nothing for her. And as if to hammer home the message, that night she dreamed of the giant looming black against the light and roaring his rage. She woke, crying out, and it was some time before she sank into sleep again.

7
    London, April 1907
    ‘Hey! Hello – Josie?’ The tall young sailor was in bell-bottom trousers and the linen collar outside his jumper had been washed until it was a pale blue. He was not sure as he confronted her. And Josie was uncertain of him. She blinked in the sunlight of a warm spring day. There was something about his eyes, his grin – but she was used to tentative approaches by young men as she took the Urquhart grandchildren for their walk. She held their hands, ready to edge around this sailor, but hesitated. The river of other strollers in Hyde Park washed around the little island they made. He went on, ‘It is, isn’t it, miss? Josie – I forget your second name now, but it was at Hallburgh Hall.’
    She supplied, ‘Josie Langley.’ And now at the mention of the Hall she recalled the boy who had grown into the young man before her. ‘And you’re Bob Miller.’
    He grinned delightedly. ‘That’s right. I thought I knew your face. O’ course, it’s been – how long? Over ten years?’
    ‘More like fifteen.’ Josie smiled in response to his grin. ‘I was about eight then.’ And she was twenty-three now, slender and long-legged, with hair glinting coppery in the