Chapter 11 #3
‘No,’ Thea interrupted quickly, noticing Harriet almost shaking with suppressed mirth.
‘It is to do with plants,’ she began, but was cut off by Frankie appearing down the stairs.
And it certainly was her. ‘Oh, thank goodness!’ She made for Frankie, but Mother Courage stepped ahead of her.
Thea retreated a little and regarded Frankie’s state.
She looked well enough in a clean enough and simple gown but seemed drawn and tired.
Tired they could deal with. She also looked shocked.
‘Duchess.’ Her hand grasped the banister, and she looked around her warily. ‘Whatever brings you here?’ Thea was dimly aware of Mother Courage’s head snapping towards her, but she was too distracted to care.
‘Frankie.’ Thea breathed out, astounded at how much she had missed that quiet confidence. ‘Mrs Henry told me you were here.’
‘Who?’ asked Frankie, then looked round the hall. Her eyes rested on Harriet. ‘Oh,’ she said. ‘Primrose.’
‘Primrose?’ asked Thea, looking from Frankie to Harriet. She noticed the colour start to rise in Harriet’s cheeks. A bubble of amusement rose inside her, despite their situation.
‘Never mind that,’ said Harriet quickly. ‘I happened to mention to… Mrs Rogers here,’ she glared at Frankie, ‘that someone of your description worked here, and she thought she may know you.’ She stepped a little closer to Frankie and lowered her voice. ‘She’s been looking for you.’
‘Why?’ asked Frankie, looking suspiciously at Thea.
Thea glanced sideways at Mother Courage and stepped a little closer to Frankie. ‘Will you come with me?’ she asked.
‘Where?’ asked Frankie.
‘Home,’ said Thea reassuringly. ‘To my house. In Whitehall.’ She heard Mother Courage take in a sharp breath.
‘I have told her,’ she said, ‘that my girls do not go off the premises.’
‘Quite right,’ said Frankie, appraising Thea with a scouring gaze. ‘I can have no guarantee that I will be safe with you after what happened last.’ Mother Courage’s eyebrows raised. Thea tried to ignore it and appraise the stony look on Frankie’s face.
‘What do you mean?’ she asked. Frankie folded her arms. ‘Is there somewhere more private we could go?’ she asked, flicking her eyes to Mother Courage. Who shook her head.
Frankie did the same. ‘I’d rather stay here, if it’s all the same to you.’
‘You don’t trust me,’ said Thea, seeing a caution in Frankie’s countenance that hadn’t been there before.
‘Why would I?’ asked Frankie.
‘Why wouldn’t you?’ she shot back, a little louder than she had intended. ‘What do you mean after what happened? I just want to help.’
‘I don’t need your help,’ said Frankie.
Thea looked around them. ‘I beg to differ.’ She fixed Frankie with what she hoped was an encouraging but no-nonsense stare.
‘You lost me my job,’ said Frankie. ‘And now you want to help?’
‘I… what?’ asked Thea, not following.
‘There was a letter to Herbert. About that kiss.’
‘And?’
‘And who else could have sent it?’
Thea stared at her. ‘You can’t think it was me?’ She was both appalled and hurt that Frankie would think such a thing. She saw Frankie falter.
‘Who else would know? You were worried someone would find you out and blamed me.’
‘Why would I draw attention to it?’ asked Thea.
‘We were down an alleyway and dressed as men.’ She heard Mother Courage make an impressed whistling noise next to her.
She paused, set her jaw and looked at the ceiling.
She took a breath in, then let it out. ‘I mean that nobody could know it was us, and it is best forgotten, not highlighted in a letter.’ She glared at Frankie who glared back, but now there was doubt in her eyes.
‘Well, whatever happened it lost me my job, and it is difficult for me to forget it.’ She poked a finger in the direction of the stairs.
‘I am here. You can go back to your husband.’ Thea was about to retort that that wasn’t much better but then considered how Frankie must have spent the past month and decided that it was, indeed, far worse than being married to George.
‘I am truly sorry it happened,’ she said. ‘But you have my word that it wasn’t me.’ Frankie paused but then nodded in acquiescence. ‘Come home with me,’ said Thea.
Frankie looked wary. ‘Not for...?’ she gestured at Harriet, and then up the stairs.
‘Absolutely not.’ Thea shook her head to emphasise her point. ‘I should never have kissed you.’
‘Oh, we don’t get too much kissing here,’ piped up Mother Courage, clearly seeing a sale about to slip through her fingers. ‘Lots of the girls don’t like it and just do the business without.’ Thea glared at her.
‘It was not like that.’
Frankie stifled a smile at Thea’s harsh response. ‘Why?’ she asked, ignoring her current employer.
Thea sighed, resigned to sharing it all. ‘Because I am in love with someone else.’
‘Someone else?’ asked Frankie. Thea swallowed, looked away, and then nodded. ‘I assume not your husband?’ asked Frankie. Thea’s head snapped back towards her.
‘No, of course not.’ She took a step forwards.
‘I am genuinely sorry that I caused you any trouble, but I assure you that letter was not from me. Somebody is out to cause issue, and I intend to find out who, but for now, come with me. Be my gardener.’ Mother Courage whistled and they both stared at her.
‘An actual gardener,’ said Thea. ‘For my plants.’
‘Pants?’ asked Mother Courage.
‘Plants!’ emphasised Thea, turning to Frankie incredulously, but Frankie was grave.
‘I can’t,’ said Frankie.
‘Why?’ asked Thea.
‘You won’t want me.’
‘You are excellent at what you do. I have met nobody as talented at growing, Frankie, ever.’ Frankie hugged her arms and looked sullen. ‘What is it?’ asked Thea, confused. ‘You have deflected every time I have hinted at it in the past. I hope I am a good employer.’
‘How do I know you won’t get fed up? That you won’t throw me out when the next one comes along? It’s what your type do, isn’t it?’
‘Not me. I want to help.’
‘I’m not a charity case,’ said Frankie, stepping away. ‘I don’t need nobody keeping me.’ She made to turn but Thea was quicker, grasping one of Frankie’s arms in haste and then releasing it when she realised what she’d done.
‘Frankie, I need you.’ Thea knew her only option was to lay it bare. Frankie wouldn’t accept charity or half formed arguments. And honestly, she respected her for it. Frankie turned back.
‘Huh?’
Thea sighed; all dignity gone. ‘Society does not understand me, but you do. I enjoyed spending time with you, and I thought maybe it was something else and then I realised what it was.’ She stopped, the humiliation sitting heavily, but it was worth it for the broad smile on Frankie’s face.
‘You realised what?’ asked Frankie, stepping forward at last.
Thea hesitated.
‘Mrs Rogers?’ asked Frankie, mischievousness dancing in her eyes.
Thea took a breath, resigned to it. ‘I find you intellectually stimulating,’ she said, a little more loudly than necessary.
There was a pause, and then a laugh burst from Frankie. Thea wasn’t sure if she was simply going to mock her awkwardness, but after a moment she turned and picked a cloak off the rack.
‘Less of the dirty talk, Your Grace,’ she said, emphasising the last two words and making Thea’s heart grow exponentially. ‘Take me home and let me into your plants.’