Mr Palmer. He brought Miss Downing and Miss Burstall here.” Mrs Eldersley let the curtain fall as noise from the hall announced Meg.
Miss Downing stood, swaying a little. “I had better go to my room, Mrs Eldersley. I’m not fit for company.” She hurriedly left the room and they heard Meg say good day to her in the hall.
Nicola turned to her landlady. “Is Miss Downing ill?”
With a tired sigh, Mrs Eldersley tidied the tea tray. “Only if you call being with child ill.”
“Oh my.”
“Indeed. Terrible luck, poor girl. Doctor Armitage is a good man and brought her here when he found her wandering the streets. He knows of Mr Belfroy’s generosity.”
“Wandering the streets?”
“Yes.” Mrs Eldersley paused as Meg strolled into the room.
“Oh, Nicola, you are back, good.” Meg beamed. “Did you get my book from the shop?”
Nicola scowled. “Indeed I did, but only after I paid your outstanding bill of one and six! I was mortified to be asked for money. You said I only had to collect it.”
Meg giggled. “Oh, I am sorry, you really shouldn’t have paid.”
Mrs Eldersley picked up the tray. “No, she shouldn’t. I’ll thank you, Miss Robinson, to not ruin my reputation by leaving accounts all around town.” She hustled out of the room.
Flopping onto the sofa, Meg unpinned her hat. “She didn’t leave me any tea.”
Nicola shook her head. “Really, Meg, you do stretch the boundaries of a short friendship.”
“Oh pooh.” Meg straightened. “Are you seriously cross with me?” She pouted. “You know I will pay you back soon.”
“With what? You have nothing left and now neither do I,” she lied. She wasn’t going to let Meg know about the dwindling money she had remaining.
Meg examined her nails. “I shall write to Aunt Eunice. It has been six months since my last hand out, surely she can spare a little more of her fortune.”
“Why does she not give you an allowance or allow you live with her?”
“Aunt Eunice hates Mother, Mother hates me, so Aunt Eunice feeds me little crumbs and delights in letting Mother know.”
Nicola walked to the window and watched the wind toss the tree branches. “Why does your mother dislike you?”
“Because she found me rolling in the hay with a groom, because I loved father and she didn’t, because I wasn’t a son. The list is endless.” Meg abruptly stood. “Who are the newcomers?”
“Two more out of work governesses. The doctor brought them.” She glanced at Meg. Rolling in the hay with a groom? She’d never met anyone as wild as Meg. Shaking the thought from her mind she caught sight of Dr Armitage climbing back into his gig. “Why did the doctor bring the women here? Is Mrs Eldersley known as a woman’s safe house or something?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Everyone who comes here seems out of work, short of money and down on their luck and female.”
Meg shrugged. “Mr Belfroy is the benefactor, as you know. He’s rich and supports the keeping of this house.” She frowned, giving Nicola one of her sly looks. “You do know about Mr Belfroy, don’t you?”
“Yes, that he lost his wife and child in childbirth.”
“She wasn’t of his class. Imagine that.”
“So?”
“He saved her. You see, she escaped from a husband who battered her black and blue and she ran off to live on the streets. Old Belfroy found her one day and gave her money for food, but her husband dragged her back home. A few months later, Belfroy found her again, beaten. He fell madly in love with her. He arranged to pay the husband off and managed to have her divorced through the courts. It was a long and expensive problem for him, but he wouldn’t give up until she was free, then he promptly married her. Caused a huge scandal amongst his circle.”
“He’s a good man then, to go against everything for love.”
“Yes, or stupid. He lost many friends. However, he doesn’t seem to care.” Meg stretched and yawned. “After Belfroy’s first experience with women living on the streets, through no fault of their own, he became their champion, and that includes us lot.” She grinned. “He set up his former housekeeper, Mrs Eldersley, in this house and vowed to save as many women as possible.”
“How admirable.” Nicola felt awed to be rescued by such a noble man.
“He’s got more money than sense if you ask me.” Meg flounced to the door. “Fancy going to see a show tonight?” She called over her shoulder.