A Mother's Trust by Dilly Court Page A

seems to have that effect on women.’
    ‘I wouldn’t know about that.’ She turned her head away, unwilling to be subjected to his intense scrutiny for a moment longer than necessary. ‘Hadn’t you better be going? I can manage here, ta very much.’ She looked up, startled, as he took her hand and laid a silver half-crown on her palm, closing her fingers over the coin. ‘What’s that for?’
    ‘I imagine that you’ll need to pay for the girl’s treatment, and I doubt if Mrs Fowler would be willing to cough up the reddy. Old Henry wasn’t the only skinflint in that family.’ He picked up his top hat and set it on his head at a jaunty angle. ‘Goodbye, Phoebe. I hope we don’t meet again under such dire circumstances.’
    ‘I hope we don’t meet at all,’ Phoebe murmured to his retreating back, but not loud enough for him to hear. After all, he had been more than kind to Dolly. Perhaps his heart was not as black as people made out, but his fearsome reputation could not have been earned by doing good deeds. She settled down to wait for someone to come and tell her what was happening to Dolly. Minutes later a young nurse glided up to her like a grey and white swan.
    ‘Did you come with Miss Fowler?’
    Phoebe nodded her head. Her throat constricted with fear as she studied the nurse’s face for a glimmer of hope. ‘Yes, I did.’
    ‘Are you her sister perhaps?’
    ‘No, just a friend, but her mother’s been sent for. She should be here any minute now.’
    ‘The doctor wants to perform an operation on Miss Fowler. It needs to be done very soon.’
    ‘What operation? What’s wrong with her?’
    A glimmer of a smile curved the nurse’s lips and her brown eyes softened. ‘You mustn’t worry, miss. We’ll do everything to make your friend well again, but we do need a parent or guardian to agree to the treatment.’
    ‘I’m sure Mrs Fowler is on her way.’ The words had barely left Phoebe’s lips when there was a disturbance at the main entrance. Raised voices preceded Ethel and her sister Minnie as they stormed up the aisle between the wooden benches.
    ‘There she is, Ethel,’ Minnie screeched, pointing her finger at Phoebe. ‘There’s the interfering little wretch that stole our Dolly away.’
    ‘I’ll have you for this,’ Ethel muttered breathlessly. ‘What right had you to take my child from her home? And what d’you mean by sending that villain Rogue Paxman to find me? It’ll be the talk of every tavern from here to Shoreditch.’
    The young nurse stepped forward. ‘Please keep your voice down, ma’am. This is a hospital and there are sick people to consider.’
    ‘Oh, an ‘orspital is it? I’d never have knowed it, you silly bitch. Where’s me daughter? I’m taking her home.’
    ‘Yes, we want Dolly and we’re leaving now,’ Minnie added, rolling up her sleeves.
    ‘What’s all this noise?’ A doctor in a white coat had come up behind them unnoticed.
    The nurse blushed rosily. ‘I’m so sorry, Dr Murchison. These ladies are a bit upset.’
    ‘A bit upset, you potty tart?’ Ethel took a deep breath that inflated her already large bosom to alarming proportions. ‘My daughter’s been kidnapped, doctor. You’re a party to a criminal act.’
    Phoebe laid her hand on Ethel’s arm. ‘Please, Mrs Fowler. This isn’t helping Dolly. She’s very poorly. She needs an operation.’
    ‘What?’ Ethel screamed. ‘Are you trying to extort money from me, doctor? Because if you are I ain’t having it. I’m a poor woman. The rumours about the gold was false and anyway it was all pinched because of that stupid little cow.’
    ‘Yes, me sister had to whack her good and hard for burning the wooden leg and then letting a bloody thief pinch the gold.’ Minnie flexed her muscles, glaring at the doctor.
    ‘I think Dolly must have fallen and hit her head again this morning,’ Phoebe added hastily. ‘I found her in a heap on the floor by the hearthstone. That’s where she