“Much better,” he said, pleased.
The man next to him was unknown, but Levi quickly introduced them. “Audrey Wakefield, this is Joseph Caldwell. Joseph, Audrey Wakefield.” The two shook hands.
“Audrey is the new schoolmistress,” Levi told him. “Joseph here is the superintendent of outdoor labour,” he told Audrey.
Joseph acknowledged her. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance. Young Levi here was saying we had a beauty as the new schoolmistress. I see he didn’t exaggerate.”
Audrey blushed lightly. “You’re too kind, Mr. Caldwell. What is a superintendent of outdoor labour?”
“Exactly as it sounds,” said the auburn-haired young man. “All the nonresident paupers I oversee.”
“Have you been here long?” she asked.
Joseph thought on her question. “Seven years. I came from another workhouse before this one.”
She glanced up at him. “Do you like Bowthorpe?”
“One workhouse is as good as the next, I suppose. Each workhouse really depends upon the staff. The Master and Matron mostly. If they run a good, clean place, then it’s all right. Some workhouses are bad. All sorts of odd goings-on,” he told her.
“Odd goings-on?” She clutched her black shawl closer around her. She didn’t like the sound of that.
“Yes. Strange things. You see, the Master is exactly that. The Master. What he says goes.”
She frowned. “But the Board of Guardians? They have a say.”
“Of course,” Joseph conceded. “They administer and deal with the financial affairs, staff, payments. Stuff like that.”
“They meet here every fortnight,” chimed in Levi.
“They are elected by the ratepayers,” Joseph explained. “The board must own property. And they are elected.”
Audrey nodded, thinking about the only board guardian she knew. Henry’s serious, handsome face came to her mind, but she brushed it aside.
“I’ve not met the Master yet, but the Matron seems a no-nonsense type of woman,” Audrey told them both.
Joseph drew out his pipe and lit it. “They don’t allow any frivolous goings-on, and they are a Christian couple. Strict but by the book.”
“You’ve both been here longer than I, so you must know what’s what,” Audrey allowed.
Joseph took a puff of his pipe. “You must come with us to the Adam and Eve. We go there most Friday nights.”
She glanced from one man to the other, trying to figure out what that was. “The Adam and Eve?”
“Aye!” Levi said. “You must!”
Joseph looked at her. “It’s a public house on Bishopgate.”
“A public house? I can’t go.” She shook her head. “I’ve never been to a public house.”
“Never been to a pub?” Joseph asked. “Ah, that’s right. The vicar’s daughter.”
Audrey smiled shyly. She was not used to banding about with men. “I should head in. It’s getting late. It was nice meeting you, Mr. Caldwell. Levi,” she said, turning from them.
Both men watched her leave, and Joseph looked out into the darkness. “For once, I can’t fault you, Levi. She is a looker.”
The next day went a little better than the one before it. When she tried to teach reading, she realized with shock that many of the children could barely read and several didn’t know the basic alphabet. She didn’t know what to make of it so she threw out her lesson plan and started at the beginning. One sully young boy on the brink of manhood sulked and said he refused to be treated like a baby.
“Quite right,” she said approvingly. “Please pay attention and help the younger ones who might need your assistance.”