Page 80 of The Good Fortune of Miss Robbins

Mr. Merritt, Mr. Allen, and Lord Markeley were standing in the hall behind us, just outside the dining room. The ladies appeared to be crowded behind them.

I heard a bit of shuffling and glanced at the stairs. At the top of the landing were Sarah and Joshua, looking wide-eyed.

“I’ll be back in a moment,” I said to my guests, then climbed the stairs.

“Why aren’t you in bed?” My hands were starting to shake even more, as if I was having a late reaction to what had transpired moments ago.

“We heard shouting,” Sarah said softly.

I knelt down in front of them so I could look into their eyes. “Did you recognize that man?”

Joshua and Sarah exchanged glances but said nothing.

“He says he’s your uncle. Is that true?”

They nodded. “I think he is our uncle,” Sarah said quietly, “but we never saw him until our mother died. Will he bring the constable and take you to jail? Take us?”

“No. No, that will not happen. Don’t worry. I will not let him take you. Your home is here with me. You are safe, do you understand?”

They nodded, but fear made their faces look pinched, the same blank-eyed, nervous expressions from when Lord Brookhaven and I found them on the street.

Gretchen hurried toward us, dressed in a quilted wrapper. “So sorry, miss. I didn’t hear them get up. Come along, children.”

She reached for their hands, but I gathered them in my arms and said, “All will be well. Now go to sleep and I’ll talk to you in the morning. All is well.” I smiled at them and let Gretchen lead themback to bed. But their resigned expressions gave me an uneasy ache in my chest.

When I turned to go back down the stairs, all four gentlemen were waiting for me outside the dining room.

We were quiet as we made our way back to our seats.

“I hope my cook doesn’t leave me after I’ve let his dishes grow cold.” I smiled at my weak jest.

No one smiled back.

Mrs. Drake let out a loud sigh and murmured, “Oh dear. Dear me.”

Lord Brookhaven said, “You needn’t worry or be intimidated by that man. Even if he is their uncle, which I doubt, he obviously was not taking care of them. And by the look of him, he’s probably one of those thieves who roams London and forces young children to do their thievery.”

Mrs. Drake pasted on a friendly look as she clicked her tongue against her teeth. “Must we talk of such things? It is a dinner party and there are young, innocent ladies present.”

“I have heard of such things,” I said, ignoring Mrs. Drake and addressing Lord Brookhaven, “and I believe you are right.”

“I cannot hold my tongue any longer,” Mrs. Drake said. “Those children are not your relatives and not your responsibility. You should give them to that man, since he wants them. It is the right thing to do.” She nodded but didn’t meet my eye.

“And if the children wish to go with him...” Mr. Merritt was saying.

I stared at him. “They do not wish to go with him. Why would they? They are safe and warm and fed here with me, and they were sleeping on the ground in an abandoned building before.”

My voice faltered as I realized I hadn’t asked them directly if they wanted to go with him. But I could see on their faces that they were afraid of him. Still, I would ask them outright, but it would completely break my heart if they did.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the look of disgust on Mrs.Drake’s face, the distress on Hattie’s, and the judgment on Mr. Allen’s and Lord Markeley’s faces. Even Millicent looked unhappy with me. Only Lord Brookhaven looked at me with approval.

The rest of the dinner no one mentioned the children or the unwelcome visitor. Then Lord Markeley said during the last course, “This was a fine dinner, Miss Robbins, and more lively than most. It isn’t often the hostess has an argument about orphans with a vagrant off the street.”

He grinned, while everyone else stared down at their plates. Then his face fell and he said, “Forgive me if I gave offense.”

“Not at all,” I forced out, smiling back at him. “It is not a regular occurrence for any of us, I am sure.”

“I do remember a time...” and Lord Markeley proceeded to regale them with a tale from their school days when Lord Brookhaven had defended a kitchen maid from a man who was trying to drag her away. “The man said, ‘I’ll teach you to send your wages to your sister and not to your own da.’ And then Brookhaven grabbed him by the scruff of his neck—he was half Brookhaven’s size—and tossed him out the door. Brooksie said, ‘And if you come around here harassing the servants again, I’ll sic the constable on you.’” Lord Markeley laughed.