Heath.’
‘And what do you do there?’
‘I am a milkmaid, ma’am,’ replied the young woman gradually recovering her composure and turning back the shawl from her head.
‘And how long have you worked at Wellington Heath?’
‘Three months ma’am.’
‘And where were you before that?’
The woman hesitated for a moment and drew back, before eventually replying. ‘Hanbury near Droitwich.’
‘How long has your baby, Lily, been missing?’
‘Three months, Mrs Ravenscroft.’
‘Three months!’ replied Lucy somewhat taken aback. ‘Why on earth did you not report the matter sooner?’
‘Oh she wasn’t taken then.’
‘I think perhaps you should start at the beginning,’ suggested Lucy looking perplexed.
‘I’ll try and explain, ma’am. It was while I was working on the farm at Hanbury. It were those soldiers. They were camping out near the farm for two weeks. He said he would take care of me, but then he was gone with the rest of them, and I was with his child – and I did not know where he had gone.’
‘I see,’ said Lucy turning away.
‘Do not think bad of me, ma’am. He said he loved me; said he would marry me, and that everything would be right with us.’
‘I do not think badly of you, Alice. You were young and no doubt easily lead astray. I more than comprehend your situation . Men can be so feckless,’ said the older woman placing her hand on the other’s arm.
‘You understand, Mrs Ravenscroft,’ replied Alice looking sadly into Lucy’s eyes.
‘Tell me what happened?’ asked Lucy quickly seeking to change the nature of her questioning.
‘They were very good to me at Hanbury. Said I could stay on until after the baby came. Then when she was born, I decided to call her Lily.’
‘That is a very pretty name.’
‘There was a pond on the farm, and I thought the lilieslooked so beautiful there. So peaceful and quiet. Then a few weeks after Lily had been born, the farmer said I would have to leave. Said the baby was always crying and they didn’t want the other servants disturbed. I was desperate. I had nowhere to go,’ said Alice tears again forming in her large eyes.
‘Had you no parents, or brothers or sisters? Someone who could look after you and the baby?’
‘No ma’am. My father died when I was quite young, and my mother married another who did not want me. That’s why I had left home all those years ago. I was so desperate!’ she sobbed.
‘There, take another drink of the water.’
‘Thank you ma’am, you are very kind. They said either the baby would have to go, or we would have to leave together. I did not know what to do. Then I saw the advertisement in the local newspaper. The Droitwich Guardian. It said that a lady had just lost her baby, and was anxious to take on another, and bring the child up as her own.’
‘I see. So you replied to this advertisement?’
‘Yes. She seemed such a nice lady. Told me in her letter how she and her husband lived in a fine house in Cheltenham, how very sad they were that the Lord had taken away their only child. When I wrote and told them all about Lily, they said God had answered their prayers, and that they would do everything they could to see that my baby would have a good life, if I would agree to let them have her. They said I would still be able to visit her as often as I could. So I took her to the railway station and gave away my darling Lily!’
‘There, there, do not distress yourself so,’ said Lucy placing her arm round the shoulders of the sobbing girl. ‘You did what you thought best for your child. You have nothing to reproach yourself with. I have no doubt that you were actingin your child’s best interests. Any other young mother in your situation would have done the same.’
‘Thank you ma’am, but I don’t deserve your words of kindness . What kind of mother would give away her own baby?’
‘A mother who was desperate to do all she could for her child. It seems as though this
‘And what do you do there?’
‘I am a milkmaid, ma’am,’ replied the young woman gradually recovering her composure and turning back the shawl from her head.
‘And how long have you worked at Wellington Heath?’
‘Three months ma’am.’
‘And where were you before that?’
The woman hesitated for a moment and drew back, before eventually replying. ‘Hanbury near Droitwich.’
‘How long has your baby, Lily, been missing?’
‘Three months, Mrs Ravenscroft.’
‘Three months!’ replied Lucy somewhat taken aback. ‘Why on earth did you not report the matter sooner?’
‘Oh she wasn’t taken then.’
‘I think perhaps you should start at the beginning,’ suggested Lucy looking perplexed.
‘I’ll try and explain, ma’am. It was while I was working on the farm at Hanbury. It were those soldiers. They were camping out near the farm for two weeks. He said he would take care of me, but then he was gone with the rest of them, and I was with his child – and I did not know where he had gone.’
‘I see,’ said Lucy turning away.
‘Do not think bad of me, ma’am. He said he loved me; said he would marry me, and that everything would be right with us.’
‘I do not think badly of you, Alice. You were young and no doubt easily lead astray. I more than comprehend your situation . Men can be so feckless,’ said the older woman placing her hand on the other’s arm.
‘You understand, Mrs Ravenscroft,’ replied Alice looking sadly into Lucy’s eyes.
‘Tell me what happened?’ asked Lucy quickly seeking to change the nature of her questioning.
‘They were very good to me at Hanbury. Said I could stay on until after the baby came. Then when she was born, I decided to call her Lily.’
‘That is a very pretty name.’
‘There was a pond on the farm, and I thought the lilieslooked so beautiful there. So peaceful and quiet. Then a few weeks after Lily had been born, the farmer said I would have to leave. Said the baby was always crying and they didn’t want the other servants disturbed. I was desperate. I had nowhere to go,’ said Alice tears again forming in her large eyes.
‘Had you no parents, or brothers or sisters? Someone who could look after you and the baby?’
‘No ma’am. My father died when I was quite young, and my mother married another who did not want me. That’s why I had left home all those years ago. I was so desperate!’ she sobbed.
‘There, take another drink of the water.’
‘Thank you ma’am, you are very kind. They said either the baby would have to go, or we would have to leave together. I did not know what to do. Then I saw the advertisement in the local newspaper. The Droitwich Guardian. It said that a lady had just lost her baby, and was anxious to take on another, and bring the child up as her own.’
‘I see. So you replied to this advertisement?’
‘Yes. She seemed such a nice lady. Told me in her letter how she and her husband lived in a fine house in Cheltenham, how very sad they were that the Lord had taken away their only child. When I wrote and told them all about Lily, they said God had answered their prayers, and that they would do everything they could to see that my baby would have a good life, if I would agree to let them have her. They said I would still be able to visit her as often as I could. So I took her to the railway station and gave away my darling Lily!’
‘There, there, do not distress yourself so,’ said Lucy placing her arm round the shoulders of the sobbing girl. ‘You did what you thought best for your child. You have nothing to reproach yourself with. I have no doubt that you were actingin your child’s best interests. Any other young mother in your situation would have done the same.’
‘Thank you ma’am, but I don’t deserve your words of kindness . What kind of mother would give away her own baby?’
‘A mother who was desperate to do all she could for her child. It seems as though this
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