A TWIST OF FATE
Chapter Thirty-Three
As they approached down town Pittsburgh, the
dirt seemed evermore present and the smell from the smelting works seemed
overpowering. Nancy seemed to forget her tears and was enjoying the ride, her
face pressed to the window. She felt like a princess in a fairy tale carriage.
Trudy watched concerned as Rose put her hand to her head. She seemed worried,
almost far away.
"Here, here!" cried Nancy excitedly as the carriage rocked down the
road.
Trudy knocked for the driver to stop. He came and opened the door. Nancy
bounded down the steps and into a house opposite, leaving the door wide open.
The driver assisted Trudy who in turn assisted Rose. Trudy paid the driver.
Rose stood unsure of what to do next. She felt very out of place and had a
feeling that eyes were watching her from behind the dirty windows.
Well Miss, where did the little girl go?" Trudy asked perplexed.
Before Rose could answer, Nancy appeared again, holding hands with a stout
woman wearing a blue dress and an apron.
"This is Mrs. Rose Mama" Nancy gestured excitedly.
The woman's face was a picture.
"Good Lord, Nancy said a lady had brought her back, I didn't know she
meant a proper lady" exclaimed the woman to no one in particular. She
wiped her hands vigorously on her apron and bustled over.
"My Nancy tell me you helped her today. I'd like to thank you Miss, please
come in, please"
The woman started towards her front door and then stopped.
"Please excuse the house Miss, it probably ain't what you are used
to."
"Please, don't worry about it" smiled Rose.
They followed the woman into her small but neat house. It was cluttered with
odd pieces of furniture, but was clean and neat, the smell of cooking wafting
from the kitchen. The woman scooped up pieces of sewing from the chairs and
urged Rose and Trudy to sit.
"You have a lovely house" Rose smiled warmly, aware that the woman
probably felt very conscious and trying to put her at ease.
"Now Miss, sorry to rush you in and all that, but they are so terribly
nosey round here. I don't like to conduct no business on the street. I'm Mrs.
Driscoll, Nancy's ma. She tells me our Michael left her in an awful predicament
and you rescued her. I am really grateful, honest Miss."
"Please don't worry about it Mrs. Driscoll, anyone would have done the
same. Now let me introduce myself. I am Mrs. Rose Hockley and this is my maid
Trudy Bolt"
Rose was aware that Mrs. Driscoll was staring at her.
"You are Mr. Caledon Hockley's wife?"
"Why yes, replied Rose puzzled.
"My Albert, he works at the mill. Lord, will he have a surprise when he
knows Mrs. Hockley has been here. And it is true what they say Miss. You are
bonny and no mistake!"
Rose flushed slightly.
"Oh Miss, I'm forgetting my manners. Would you care for a glass of
lemonade?"
Rose and Trudy gratefully accepted the offer of the drink. Whilst Nancy's
mother went to fetch it from the kitchen, she came and sat on Rose's lap. When
she returned, Rose, assisted by Nancy recounted the tale.
"My Michael will get it when he comes in." Mrs. Driscoll sighed.
"I told him to look after his sister"
"Forgive for asking Mrs. Driscoll, but do your children not attend
school?" asked Rose
Mrs. Driscoll looked uncomfortable.
"There are only a few places available at the church school Miss. Michael,
well he is almost old enough to start at the Mill. Our Kate goes to the school,
she reads and writes almost proper. But there are no places for Nancy. No money
the Reverend says."
"How awful!" replied Rose, the whole situation becoming
embarrassingly clear to her. For these people, education was not available.
"So the church runs a small school?"
"Yes Miss, the Reverend Hardy organizes it in a room behind the
church"
"Hmm…" said Rose to herself. She was getting an idea.
"Now Mrs. Driscoll, I must thank you for your hospitality, but it is time
for Trudy and I to leave."
"Oh Miss, it was a pleasure. I can't thank you enough for what you did for
Nancy."
"Please, think nothing of it" smiled Rose.
Mrs. Driscoll and Nancy escorted Rose and Trudy to the front door and onto the
street, just in time to hear arguing and crying. A few doors down the road
stood a horse and cart piled with furniture. A woman with two young children
clinging to her skirt was crying and pleading with a man who was carrying the
furniture out and onto the cart. A priest stood beside her trying to talk to
both the woman and man at the same time. People stood in doorways also watching
the scene.
"What on earth is happening to that poor woman?" asked Rose.
Trudy couldn't believe their misfortune. "Oh no, not twice in one
day" she thought.
"That is Jenny Meadows. Her husband got hurt at the mill some weeks ago.
She can't pay the doctor's bill and hasn't paid no rent for weeks."
"So they are just throwing her out?" cried Rose incredulously.
"Please Miss" said Trudy catching her arm.
"Aye. And that is Reverend Hardy. He is such a good man. But even he can't
reason with the rent man."
"But if her husband got hurt at the mill, does the mill not look after
him?"
"Oh Miss Rose, does your husband not tell you anything about the Steel
Mill?" Mrs. Driscoll said with a sad smile which soon disappeared as she
realized Rose didn't know any better.
"No, Miss Rose, the Mill does not look after any injured employees"
Trudy whispered in her ear.
"But that is dreadful" Rose was most disturbed. "How can injured
men feed their families?"
"They don't Miss" Trudy whispered again.
Rose turned toward Trudy. "You knew all about this?" she asked in
hushed voice.
"It is normal life for some people Miss Rose. But it is not for you to
worry about"
"These people are my husbands employees. I can't believe he treats them
all like this!"
"Miss Rose please don't upset yourself. This is the way of it for the
poorer workers"
Rose looked at Trudy and then back at the woman who was sobbing as she was led
away by the priest.