A New Dream, Maggie Ford [books to read romance txt] 📗

never again spoke to each other. His brother now lived in Canada. She had no idea where. As for the rest of the family, they had always considered Charles had married beneath him and had little time for her. Now she was widowed what reason had they to involve themselves in what now promised to become a severe financial crisis?

‘He had a brother,’ she said feebly, not wanting to discuss the family. ‘But he went to Canada years ago. I don’t know which part of Canada.’

‘We might probably be able to trace him for you.’

‘What good would that do?’ Julia cut in, in defence of her mother’s obvious growing discomfort. ‘He and my father quarrelled. They never spoke to each other again. My father maintained the argument was his brother’s fault and so do I. We don’t need to go cap in hand to him or any of them.’

Whether or not her mother agreed didn’t matter. She wasn’t going to let her be degraded any further by that family, if there were any of them left.

‘So you’ve no one at all to call upon?’ Grantham queried.

‘Apparently not,’ Julia returned haughtily.

‘If your uncle is still alive we’ll endeavour to contact him. What is his name?’

Julia looked towards her mother, hearing her respond in a faint tone, ‘Albert,’ the last consonant fading as the poor woman almost choked on it.

‘Albert Longfield.’ Grantham rolled it over on his tongue as he stood up to gather his papers and return them to his briefcase. ‘We will do our best, Mrs Longfield. One never knows what may come of it. There is always hope. But you must not be left destitute. If it comes to it, until something is settled, you might consider appealing to one of the many charities.’

Never! Julia heard the word in her head, as the man stood up, his business concluded for the present.

Four

It took only seconds from Grantham’s leaving for Julia’s bitter reaction to his parting suggestion to vanish. Seek aid from charitable organizations? No, certainly not. Her family would be fine. She’d see to that if it killed her!

Stephanie was helping their mother from the dining room. Victoria seemed to have no strength left in her body. Julia and Virginia followed them into the parlour where Stephanie eased her mother into an armchair as if she were an invalid. But Julia’s heart was growing lighter by the minute.

Still bent over their mother’s flagging body, Stephanie looked up at her sister as she came in. ‘What are we going to do?’

‘It’s going to be all right,’ Julia said, breaking off as there came a gentle rap on the parlour door. ‘Who is it?’

Mrs Granby put her head round the door. ‘Now your visitor’s gone, I daresay you might need me to make some more tea.’ She could see from their devastated expressions that whatever news the solicitor had brought, it hadn’t been what they had been expecting. ‘I’ll have Mary bring it up.’

‘Thank you, Mrs Granby,’ Julia said. But hardly had the woman closed the door when Stephanie turned on her.

‘Julia! What do you mean it’s going to be all right? How can it be all right? We haven’t a bean. A few bits of savings, that won’t get us far.’

Leaving her mother she began to pace up and down the room, tossing her long hair in frustration. ‘We’ve lost the house, everything we own, and I don’t think it covers everything Father owed anyway. Not only do we have no money but we have to pay back what he still owes all those creditors!’

‘Maybe we might have to go out to work,’ Julia shot at her angrily. Stephanie looked as if she had been hit between the eyes.

‘Go out to work? None of us has ever been expected to work! And what’s Mother to do when we’re not here? How can it be all right?’

Julia forced herself to remain calm. ‘Chester and I will be married soon,’ she said. ‘And I shall make sure that none of my family will want for anything. He has money. His family are wealthy. He is a partner in his father’s business. He’ll understand my need to see my family settled.’

She looked at them all one by one. Stephanie had stopped pacing. Young as she was, Virginia was alert. Even their mother had sat up a little straighter, a gleam of hope in her eyes after the despair that had been there before.

‘Can you see him denying my own mother a little comfort?’ Julia went on. ‘He might even agree to settle Father’s debts.’

Her mother looked suddenly hopeful. ‘Julia, do you think so? It would be such a relief. The very thought of being thrown out of our home has made me feel quite ill.’

Julia smiled at her in pity. ‘We mustn’t let ourselves be carried away,’ she warned. ‘I know he’ll be only too ready to help but I can’t ask too much of him until we’re married.’

‘But that could be ages!’ cried Stephanie crossly. ‘By that time the house will be gone and we’ll be homeless. How can you get our hopes up only to tell us it could be all for nothing?’

It was Julia’s turn to be cross. ‘I’ve made a suggestion, the best I can think of under the circumstances. All I’m saying is that even if we can’t save this house, he might be able to arrange to find us another and keep a roof over our heads.’

‘It won’t be the same,’ Victoria bleated faintly, sagging a little.

‘It’s better than nothing!’ Julia couldn’t help sounding snappy. ‘If it helps I’ll speak to him tonight.’

‘And what if he feels we are using him?’ Her mother’s voice was fast becoming a whine. ‘What if he feels he cannot help? It’s as if we are going cap in hand begging for charity.’

‘No, Mummy, it isn’t!’ Julia began to feel annoyed. ‘I shall soon be his wife. Of course he must help.’

‘Or feel bound to.’

‘That’s silly, Mummy,’ she countered but her