A Bride for the Prizefighter - Alice Coldbreath Page 0,84
he’ll have me any time this past two year. Sam Rollins his name is. He knows I’m no better than I ought to be, but he said he don’t mind my past, it’s my future he’s looking to. He’s a quiet-spoken fellow and slow to smile, but well, when he do, it’s a sight worth seeing.”
Ivy looked wistful a moment, before staring down at her hands. “Well, I’ve always had a fondness for Sam and well,” Ivy took a deep breath. “He’s been left some land up Yorkshire way and a cottage and he wants to make a go of it. Says he’ll marry me, Miss. And what I’m thinking is it’s now or never.”
“Oh Ivy, that’s wonderful, but I don’t understand the need for secrecy?”
Ivy stood up and then sat back down again in agitation. “He asked me a month ago, you see, and I gave him a flat no. He’s got two kiddies, you see, Miss and I- I never liked my own stepmother. I told you I think that I tried married life once before and it didn’t turn out so well.” She quirked an eyebrow at Mina, who nodded. She recalled that Ivy’s husband had turned out to be a bigamist. “Truth to tell it’s not an easy life he’s offering me.” Ivy pulled a face. “I was raised on a smallholding. I’ve got no illusions. It’s hard work.” She twisted her hands. “In all honesty, he’d be better off asking the likes of Edna than me.” Ivy’s expression was rueful.
“I doubt Edna would have accepted him,” Mina said truthfully. “For her aunt means to leave her house to her and the true ambition of Edna’s heart is to own a Crown Derby tea set and raise three cats.”
Ivy gave a startled laugh. “Is it really? Well, she’s an odd duck and no mistake.”
“You’ve a kind heart Ivy, I think you’ll make an excellent wife and mother.”
Ivy’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you, Mina,” she said, taking her hand. “There’s no two ways about it, though. I’ll be leaving you in the lurch here, doing a moonlight flit. I left it too late to work a decent notice. I daren’t tell Nye. Not when he’s expecting a regular gaggle of folks for Wednesday.”
Mina nodded her head, understanding Ivy’s reticence. Nye would be furious. “I comprehend you,” she murmured.
Ivy flung her arms about Mina’s neck. “Thank you for never standing in judgement over me,” she said fiercely as she hugged her. “There’s not many who wouldn’t have.”
“Oh Ivy,” said Mina. “You will be missed.”
“And you won’t tell Nye.”
“I won’t breathe a word.”
Ivy nodded. “You’ve got the handling of him anyway,” she said with a smile. “Any fool can see that.”
Mina wasn’t so sure about that, but she gave an answering smile of reassurance to Ivy who was plainly in a nervous state. “Is Tom collecting you tonight or—?”
Ivy nodded violently. “I’m to slip down to the side door.” She crossed to her small attic window and looked out. “He’s going to park a way’s down the road and I’m to keep a lookout and go to meet him.”
Mina looked around the room. “You’re all packed? You’ve got everything you need?”
“Yes, for this past half hour I’ve been ready and waiting. He said he’d wait till it turned dark and then to watch for him.”
“Just give me a moment, I’ll be back,” Mina said, letting herself out of Ivy’s room and crossing the passage to her own. Once inside, she made for her stocking drawer and retrieved the half-sovereign she had tucked away. Then she returned to Ivy and pressed it into her palm.
“Oh no Miss, I couldn’t!” Ivy gasped looking down at the shiny gold coin.
“Yes, you can. A good friend gave it to me when I was setting out to the unknown and now, I’m giving it to you. Strictly speaking, I’ve already spent it once, but it made its way back to me. Now I’m gifting it to you. If you have no immediate need for it, then hide it away for a rainy day.” Ivy turned teary again and they embraced. “I will remember you in my prayers, Ivy and perhaps you will write to me at Christmas time?”
“Oh yes,” Ivy agreed. “I will and send you my address so you can write back to me at New Year.” She blew her nose as Mina agreed.
“Shall I wait with you now or—?”
“No,” Ivy said firmly. “You get you to bed. I need to compose