‘As I said just now, I’m the child’s mother.’ She inched towards Flora. ‘I was tricked into giving you away, my baby girl.’
‘As I heard it you were quite handsomely paid,’ Rory said calmly. ‘Where are your other children? You had seven of them, according to Smithson.’ He held up his hand as Molly opened her mouth to protest. ‘I know she’s not the most reliable witness, but when I tracked her down yesterday she was reasonably sober and it was she who told me where to find you.’
‘Well, I could lie to you, guv, but the sad truth is that they’re all gone. The little ’uns is buried in paupers’ graves and the older ones have run away, the ungrateful brats. They left their poor ma to survive on the streets. I ain’t had a proper meal in days – weeks, even.’
‘She lying, guv. It’s her what owns the building. She’s here to collect the rent from us poor devils.’ The voice from the shadows spoke up again, accompanied by grunts of assent.
‘Don’t take no notice of her,’ Molly said hastily. ‘She’s touched in the head – they all are. I’m poor like them and in need of help.’
‘Have I got brothers and sisters?’ Flora asked anxiously. ‘Why did you give me away? Didn’t you love me?’
Molly eyed her speculatively. ‘Of course I did, me little flower. I loves you with all me heart, but they snatched you from me arms. I cried for a week after you’d gone.’ She reached out to grab Flora by the arm. ‘Now you’ve come back and you can look after your old ma. I got plans for you, darling.’
Flora pulled away, cowering against Alice. ‘I don’t want to live here. You’re not the beautiful angel I see in my dreams.’
A ripple of grim laughter echoed round the room, and Molly turned on her companions with her hands balled into fists. ‘Shut up, the lot of you.’ She bent down so that her face was close to Flora’s. ‘You wouldn’t leave poor Molly to rot, would you, sweetheart?’
‘I think I’d like to go home,’ Flora whispered.
‘We’ve seen and heard enough.’ Rory put his hand in his pocket and took out a small leather purse. ‘This will keep you in laudanum or whatever takes your fancy for a few days, Molly. Merry Christmas.’
She snatched the money and slipped it down the neck of her blouse, glaring at him with narrowed eyes. ‘So you’re taking me baby away again, are you, guv? I deserve more compensation than that.’
‘You surely don’t expect the child to stay here, do you?’ Rory moved closer to Alice and Flora as the other occupants of the basement room stirred, some of them rising to their feet and others slithering towards them on their backsides.
‘You could take me with you, sir.’ Molly eyed Flora with a sly smile. ‘I could look after me girl. You needn’t tell no one that we’re mother and child. You could say I’m the new nursemaid.’ She made a move towards Flora. ‘You love your old ma, don’t you, girl? Otherwise you wouldn’t have come all this way to see me.’
Alice could stand no more. ‘You are a mean, ungrateful woman, Molly. You don’t deserve a lovely daughter like Flora. It was her dearest wish to find you and make sure you were all right, and this is how you treat her. Do you never think of anyone other than yourself?’
‘I want to go now,’ Flora whispered.
‘That’s right,’ Molly pointed a bony finger at Flora. ‘Run off with your rich friends and leave me here to rot. I’m the one what gave you life and this is how you treat me.’
Low growling sounds echoed off the walls as the other occupants advanced on them. Rory reached into his pocket once again and dropped a handful of coins in their midst. In the wild scramble that ensued he guided Alice and Flora out of the room and up the stairs. Screams and threats followed them even as they reached the street, but thankfully the cab was waiting for them on the corner, as instructed.
‘It’ll be double what I quoted you, guv,’ the cabby said crossly.
‘I won’t argue with that.’ Rory bundled Flora into the cab and Alice climbed in after her. ‘Drive on, cabby.’ Rory jumped in and slammed the door.
Flora sobbed all the way home and nothing that either Alice or Rory could say seemed to comfort her.
‘This was a terrible mistake,’ Alice said in a low voice. ‘We’ve only made things worse for the poor child.’
‘She’s upset now but maybe it’s for the best. At least she knows what sort of woman her mother is.’
Alice was not convinced. She tightened her hold on Flora and they lapsed into silence until they reached Russell Square.
They were met in the entrance hall by Lydia, who had been issuing orders to Hoskins, but she broke off when she saw them.
‘What’s the meaning of this?’ she demanded angrily. ‘How dare you take Flora out without first consulting me?’
Rory handed his hat and coat to Hoskins, who backed away hastily. ‘Merry Christmas, Lydia. I must say that the house looks very festive.’
‘You can’t get round me that way, Rory. I want an answer.’
Flora opened her mouth to speak, but Alice silenced her with a warning glance.
‘I knew you would be busy preparing for your guests to arrive,’ Rory said smoothly. ‘So I took the liberty of asking Flora and Miss Radcliffe to accompany me to my office in Ludgate Circus, where I had a surprise for Flora.’
‘What sort of surprise?’ Lydia shook her head. ‘Really, you are the most exasperating person, Rory.’
‘It’s a secret, Lydia.’ Rory winked at Flora and patted his jacket pocket. ‘One that must be put beneath the Christmas tree with the other presents.’
Lydia threw up her hands. ‘You are talking nonsense, and you abused our trust by taking Flora from the house without my permission.’ She turned to Alice, frowning. ‘As for you, Miss Radcliffe, I’ll deal with you later.’
‘No, Mama.’ Flora stamped her foot, scowling. ‘You must not blame her. It was my doing and I threatened to have a tantrum if she didn’t allow me to go with Uncle Rory.’
‘Keep out of this, Flora. It’s none of your business.’
‘I’ll scream and make myself sick if you don’t promise to be nice to Alice.’ Flora opened her mouth, closing her eyes and screwing up her face until tears oozed from beneath her eyelids.
‘Stop that, you horrid child,’ Lydia cried, holding her hand to her forehead. ‘My guests will be arriving for luncheon at any moment. Stop it, I say.’
Flora opened one eye. ‘Do you promise, Mama?’
‘Yes, I suppose so.’ She was shaking with barely suppressed anger as she spun round to face Alice. ‘In the future if Mr Dearborn suggests an outing you must check with me first, Miss Radcliffe. Do you understand?’
Alice nodded and bobbed a curtsey. ‘Yes, ma’am.’
‘Come with me, Rory. I haven’t finished with you.’ Lydia marched off in the direction of the staircase, leaving Flora and Alice to make their way back to the nursery.
‘Don’t worry, poppet,’ Rory said, winking at Flora. ‘I’ll see you later.’ His expression changed subtly as he turned to Alice. ‘All will be well, I promise,’ he added in a low voice. ‘Coming, Lydia.’ He strolled off, following in his sister-in-law’s wake.
Flora waited until they were back in the nursery. She grinned up at Alice. ‘Uncle Rory is a good liar and I’m rather good at getting my own way.’
‘Are you all right, my dear?’ Alice asked anxiously. ‘I know you were very upset by what we saw this