out over the sea, but she heard the subtle hurt in them.
She recalled the New Year dinner and dancing party, he’d hosted on this ship only a couple of weeks ago. It’d been a grand night. “I’m sorry, Hilton.”
“Don’t be.” He smiled down at her and tucked her hand in his arm. “Come, let us eat and be merry.”
Much later than Nicola expected, she walked up the driveway to the Home, having paid the hansom cab at the bottom of the hill. She’d wanted a few minutes more to herself before the demands of the home occupied her. Leaving Meg and Hilton had been bittersweet, but it was over now and she wished them well. They had their life and she had hers.
She stopped and studied the house, her home. If only she knew what the future held. Would running this house be enough? Had she made the wrong choices along the way?
“Miss Douglas!” Miss McIntyre raced out of the front door, her skirts held up in one hand.
“What is it, Florence?”
“Miss Rogers,” Florence gasped on reaching her.
“The child?” Nicola rushed towards the house.
“Aye, Miss Douglas. Not born yet, but she’s had pains for hours.”
“Have you sent for the midwife or Dr Armitage?” In the hall she unpinned her hat and then pulled off her gloves.
“The doctor is away attending a factory accident and the midwife is delivering twins somewhere. She said she’d come as soon as she can.”
“Is it terribly bad yet?”
Florence joined her as they headed up the staircase. “Bad enough, but she’s not screaming. I’ve given her a wad of cloth to bite down on.”
At the bedroom door, Nicola paused. “I’ve never attended a birth before, Florence. Have you?”
“Aye, Miss. Plenty. My mother had six and my eldest sister had seven.”
“Right.” Taking a deep breath, Nicola opened the door and pasted a smile on her face. The air in the room was stale and the closed curtains threw it into a depressing gloom. “Open those curtains, Florence, and a window. The evening is warm.” She turned to the woman on the bed. “Now then, Miss Rogers. I hear we have a baby arriving shortly.”
Miss Rogers raised her head to nod weakly. She looked exhausted already. Her damp black hair clung to her face, which was the colour of uncooked dough, except for the two red spots on her cheeks. In the last few weeks she’d not gained much weight and Nicola feared the poor woman wouldn’t have the strength to expel the child.
Florence stepped closer to the bed. “Miss Rogers, I’m just off downstairs to get some water and a few things. Miss Douglas is here and will stay with you.”
“The doctor?”
“He’ll be here soon as he can.” Florence smiled and left the room.
Nicola sat on the chair drawn up to the bed. “How long have you had the pains?”
“Five hours or so. But my back has ached for three days.” Her face screwed up in agony as another pain assaulted her body.
Spying a water jug and glass on the bedside table, Nicola quickly filled the glass and put it to Miss Rogers’s lips. “This will make you feel better.”
“I think I need more than water, Miss Douglas.”
Grinning, Nicola placed the glass down and then took hold of Miss Roger’s thin hand. ‘May I call you by your Christian name, Penny?”
“Yes, I would like that.”
“Well then, Penny, you lie back and rest while you can.”
“I have written instructions.”
“Instructions?”
“In case I die.” She waved feebly to the drawer by the bed.
“Oh, you mustn’t think like that.” Fear gripped Nicola’s insides.
“The child, if it survives, is to be adopted by a good family that I have already found.”
“And what if you survive, which I’m certain you will, what of the child then?”
“It is still to be adopted. In the envelope is the family I found. Mr and Mrs Walker.”
“Walker?” Nicola leaned back in astonishment. “How did you find this family? You’ve not left the house since you arrived.”
“Mr Belfroy helped me.”
“That was his business when he visited you last week?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you mention it to me? I would have helped too.”
“I heard about the plans of building an orphanage here…” Penny winced and groaned. “You’d talk me out of it.”
“But we can care for the child here. You don’t have to give the baby up if you—”
“No! I don’t want the child here.” Another pain robbed her of breath. It was some minutes before she could speak again. “I have arranged everything, Miss Douglas. I hope you will adhere