Her heart thudded hard inside her chest.
The man behind them stepped forward and unlocked it. The door swung inward. The scent of something sicklysweet hit her. Laudanum. She knew the smell, as it had been given to her when she’d burned her hand.
She was shoved into the room, and got her first look at what lay before her.
Two large beds, a bath, and other necessities you’d see in a bedroom. Bright-colored dresses hung over a railing. A small, high window, too small for anyone but a child to squeeze through, let in a smear of weak light.
But it wasn’t the contents of the room that held her gaze. It was the occupants.
Four girls. Two on each bed. Three lay as though sleeping.Please, dear Lord, let them be sleeping.
The fourth sat upright with her back braced against the wall. Her hands were folded in her lap, and she was staring at nothing. A long red braid hung over one shoulder.
Eliza knew who had hair that color, which was why she believed she knew exactly who this girl was. Her breath left her in a small, strangled sound. She took a step forward, hardly aware that she was moving.
Fenella.
The girl’s head turned slightly. Her gaze drifted toward Eliza, slid away, then came back with effort.
Eliza’s knees almost gave way. Mungo and his brother had searched London for this girl, and here she was.
Beside her on the bed was another girl, lying motionless in slumber. Could this be Polly Watts?
“What’s wrong with them?” Eliza demanded, turning to glare at the men.
“No questions,” the older man said.
“What have you done to them?”
“None of your business. You’ll have your answers soon enough. I suggest you just enjoy your new accommodation with your new friends.”
“You’ve drugged them, haven’t you?” she snapped. “Bastards,” she hissed.
“You cause trouble, and it’ll go worse for you. Plenty more out there we can bring in,” the younger man said.
“Where? Why am I here?”
“You’ll find out soon enough, Eliza Downing. We’ll be back with something to make you feel better.” He smirked before leaving with the other one.
The door slammed, and the padlock rattled home with a final, hopeless clank. Silence descended as the sound of their footsteps died away.
Eliza stood very still, her heart pounding so hard, she could hear it. The air in the little room was warmer than the barn, and the scent of laudanum made her want to gag. Memories of the vivid dreams and hallucinations she’d had through the worst of the pain from her burns filled her head. She’d vowed never to take it again after the pain had eased.
Slowly, she turned back to the girls.
Fenella watched her with a dazed expression, as if each blink cost her effort. Eliza saw Polly’s fingers twitch where they lay curled in the blanket. The other two, she didn’t know.
“All right,” Eliza said softly, forcing her voice to steady. “All right. You’re safe for now. I’m here.”
Only Fenella heard her, but she did not react.
Safety was a lie, but she needed the thought to cling to. If she let the reality of their situation take hold, she would sink to her knees and weep.
Moving closer to Fenella, she climbed onto the mattress between her and the girl still sleeping.
“You are Fenella Fraser, aren’t you?”
She frowned faintly, as if the question itself pained her. “I am,” she whispered.
