“Thank you.” She blinked the other tears back. “I was afraid I was too late.”
The other woman smiled. “Not this time.”
CHAPTER THREE
Henrietta made her way to her rooms and stared out the window into the dark garden below, letting the tears flow down her cheeks. Not, she decided, for the man she might have killed. But for the innocent child they had used to try to get to her. She almost dismissed their actions as chance, but there had been three of them, and one of the blackguards had been hiding. Had they done something like this before, abducted a woman coming for a baby? Her sister’s charity was not the only one attempting to save children by offering payment for them. The conditions so many of the poor suffered were heartbreaking. Henrietta couldn’t imagine having to give up a child. But many of them would not live to see out their first year, and for those who did, their lives held little hope. If only the government would pass laws to help. She knew Merton and his friends tried. New workhouses were being planned. Yet she could not think that was enough. Something, some sort of major reform, had to occur. But what?
Henrietta gave herself a shake. Until she or someone else came up with a scheme, she could only support the work they were doing. At least the children they saved would have better lives.
A household maid entered the room, and lights flared and the fire was built up. “I’ll have everything ready in no time, miss.” Her lady’s maid handed her a cup of tea. “Mr. Parkin just informed me you were back. I thought you could use a nice cup of tea. The doctor arrived before his lordship and her ladyship.”
“Thank you.” Henrietta wiped the tears away and gratefully drank the tea. As soon as Merton found out about the trouble, he would want to have a “talk” with her. She supposed she should tell him first. “Thank you for telling me, Spyer. Where is his lordship?”
“They’re both in the nursery.” Spyer handed Henrietta a damp cloth. “Best to catch them when they’re with Lady Vivienne.”
That was a true statement. Merton doted on his three-year-old daughter. By this time next year, there would be a second child. “I’ll go now.”
Henrietta retraced her way back to the nursery, heading to the other end, where her niece, Vivienne, had her rooms. A fire burned, warming the cozy bedroom that had been painted the color of butter to brighten it. Only a few candles remained lit and a nursery maid was cleaning up the remnants of her niece’s dinner. Dotty was sitting in a bedroom chair gently rocking her daughter, but gazing at her husband as she did so. Cyrille, Merton’s Chartreux cat, sat on the floor leaning against one of Merton’s boots as he lounged in the chair next to Dotty’s, reading a book to the little girl.
After the maid left, knowing better than to interrupt reading time, Henrietta leaned against the doorpost and listened. The nursery maid came in again and warmed the sheets of Vivienne’s bed. Soon the little girl’s eyes drooped, then shut, and when her breathing was even, Dotty placed her in her bed and pulled the covers over the child.
As she stood, her eyes caught Henrietta’s, and traveled down to the gown she had not taken the trouble to change. “I take it there is something you wish to tell us?”
Straightening, Henrietta nodded. “There is a baby down the corridor. However, there was some trouble when we fetched her.”
Dotty’s lips flattened. “Where was Mrs. Perriman?”
“Out seeing to another child.” Henrietta related what Toby had told her.
Her sister motioned at the sleeping girl and went into the corridor. “Was it necessary for you to go immediately?”
“According to the message I received, yes. Even Parkin agreed I should go. I took Cullen with me.”
Merton, who had taken time to put the book back on a shelf, joined them. “Let’s look in on our new guest first. Then we can discuss it.”
They met the doctor leaving the room the baby was in. “One of the nursemaids is bathing her. She has sores all over her body.” He grimaced. “Bites of some sort, I imagine. And she is severely malnourished. You are lucky you got her when you did. She would not have lived much longer.”
For Henrietta, hearing that made it all worthwhile. “Thank you, Doctor.”
He bowed to them. “I’ll be back in two days to look in on her.” His face lost some of its seriousness. “Perhaps by then you’ll have a name for her.”
“Deciding on a name will be much more fun than worrying about her health,” her sister said.
They entered the room and watched as Nurse rubbed salve on the bites. Henrietta shuddered. How anyone could allow that to happen to any child, especially one so young, she could not comprehend.
“It appears you were right to go and get her,” Dotty said.
Merton nodded in agreement.
Henrietta dearly wanted to hold the baby, but she knew better than to allow herself to become attached. She’d done that once before, and it had broken her heart to have to give the child up. No more holding infants except when they were being rescued. No more feeding and playing with them. Now she forced herself to keep her hands and arms and heart to herself.
They repaired to Merton’s study, where she made herself comfortable on the plush leather chair. Her sister sat on the sofa.
Merton handed them glasses of wine before joining his wife. “Tell us exactly what happened.”
She told him the complete story. “We were lucky the gentleman came along.”
The whole time she had given her account, she could feel her sister’s eyes on her. Dotty took a sip of wine. “It is a shame we do not know who he is.”
“I doubt we ever will.” Henrietta had the same wish, but knew it would never be realized. He could live anywhere in the country. “I expect he will depart for his home by tomorrow.”
She was glad she’d gone, but she was pretty sure today was the last time she would be allowed to go alone.
Merton cleared his throat. “We can’t depend upon the intervention of helpful strangers. I shall have to ensure that more than one footman is available to assist you if this occurs again.” He gave her a pointed look over his glass. “However, I do not want you to make a habit of it. This is just the sort of thing gossips will latch on to. I will also see about hiring someone to assist Mrs. Perriman.”
Henrietta had not considered the possibility of gossip. Part of her wanted to protest, say she did not care, but being involved in a scandal was never pleasant. “You are right, of course.”
He gave Dotty a smug smile, and she stared at the ceiling. “Please do not tell him that too often. It took his mother and me a long time to convince him even he was fallible.”
Henrietta grinned. She had heard how stuffy Merton had been before falling in love with her sister. “I shall endeavor not to.” Setting down her glass, she rose. “I suppose I should change for dinner.”
“We shall see you in the drawing room,” Merton said.
“Until then.” Henrietta wondered what would happen if it got around that she had rescued a child without her sister or brother-in-law being present.
Her parents would be proud of her, especially her father. But he was probably the exception rather than the rule. Papa had been a vicar before his elder brother died, leaving him the baronetcy. And he had what some considered to be radical views on what reforms should be made to help others. He did not even believe the peerage should exist. Yet that brought up an interesting point when it came to any gentleman she might wed. Whoever the gentleman was, he would have to agree that she could remain involved in her sister’s charitable work, even if it meant rescuing children herself. That alone was bound to limit the number of men she could consider. Her thoughts drifted back to the gentleman who had assisted her. Unfortunately, there was no point thinking about him. If he was not already on the road out of London, he soon would be.