‘Are you quite sure you’ll be all right?’ She felt guilty leaving her and yet this would be the ideal opportunity to go and see Abi.
‘Of course I will. Aggie will still be here if I need anything, won’t she?’ Imogen snapped.
Emmy was concerned to see the bluish tinge about her aunt’s lips. She was sure it hadn’t been there the day before and would have liked to send for the doctor, but knowing her aunt it would only get her into trouble.
‘Very well, but I shan’t be gone long. I might pop over to see Abi.’
At that her aunt smiled. She and Abi had got on like a house on fire but then that was no surprise to Emmy. Abi had always been able to charm the birds from the trees and Emmy was used to walking in her shadow. ‘A girl after my own heart, she is,’ Imogen said approvingly. ‘She’s not afraid to do and say what she wants and damn the consequences. I think she must take after me.’
Emmy smiled and after checking that her aunt had all she needed she set off for Soho.
The club looked just as depressing from the outside as Emmy remembered but she walked quickly past it and entered the stinking alley that led to the girls’ living quarters. She found Winnie, the young maid, mopping the black and white tiles on the floor in the hallway and after asking if Abi was in, Winnie obligingly went to see.
‘She is, miss,’ she told Emmy breathlessly when she returned. ‘An’ she said I’ve to take yer up to ’er. She’s in ’er room an’ I don’t think she’s feelin’ too grand.’
She obligingly led Emmy upstairs and after pointing to Abi’s bedroom door she scooted away to get on with her jobs. Emmy was shocked when she entered the room. Abi was lying on the bed on black silk sheets and the room was very garishly decorated.
‘Winnie told me it would be you,’ Abi greeted her as she heaved herself up on to her elbows looking very fragile and pale. There was a terrible smell and glancing around Emmy was concerned to see that Abi had vomited into the chamber pot.
Striding across to the window, she threw it open but that only seemed to make things worse as the city smells and the sounds of the traffic rushed in. ‘How long have you been ill?’
‘I’m not ill,’ Abi said defensively. ‘I think it’s just the champagne I drank last night, that’s all. It will pass in a minute. But why are you here?’
Emmy chuckled. ‘That’s a nice greeting, I must say! Do I have to have a reason to come and see my little sister?’
Abi bowed her head and Emmy saw then that she had been crying. ‘Why don’t you tell me what’s wrong?’ she encouraged gently and when Abi went to tell her that nothing was, she quickly held her hand up. ‘Don’t bother to deny it. I can read you like a book and I can see you’ve been crying, so out with it.’
‘It’s just .?.?.’ Abi’s lip trembled. ‘It’s just that Hugo has had to go away for a time to see his grandfather in France who is very ill and I feel so lost without him.’
Emmy’s heart sank as she realised that she must have been right. The Hugo Abi was in love with must be Lady Medville’s son. But if hetrulyloved Abi, why would he lie to her about going to see his sick grandfather, when as far as she knew the man was in perfectly good health? Hugo was being sent away in disgrace for his gambling debts and mixing with a club girl, who could only be her sister. But if she told Abi that now she knew that it would break her heart!
Chapter Twenty-Seven
To her surprise when Emmy returned to her aunt’s home it was to find Jake sitting at the side of Imogen’s bed chatting away to her.
‘I didn’t expect to see you today,’ she said with a smile and he grinned.
‘I’ve been given a half-day off, so I thought I’d come and see you both. In the next week or so, about mid-September, I should get my exam results hopefully.’
‘Then let’s hope you’ve passed them all. Anyway, it’s a good job he did call, Emmy, because I’ve got a proposition to put to you both.’ Imogen looked slightly better as Emmy pulled a chair up to sit beside Jake. ‘The thing is .?.?. I’ve been thinking about that poor family you told me about, the O’Flanagans. Sadly, they’re only one of dozens of families from the slums who can’t afford medical care and it got me to thinking. How about if we hired a room somewhere and Jake could treat anyone who couldn’t afford to pay on his day off for free? I know you’re not a trained nurse, Emerald, but you could help out with the organising of it and I’d pay for the hire of the room and any medication you needed to use. What do you both think?’
Emmy’s face was radiant. ‘I think it’s an absolutely brilliant idea and I’d be happy to help out in any way I can. But it’s down to Jake, really. He’s the doctor, or at least he will be if he’s passed his exams.’
Jake’s smile stretched from ear to ear as he stared at Imogen. ‘Are you quite sure about this? It’s a wonderful offer and I know it would make a huge difference to so many families.’
‘I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t sure, would I?’ Imogen barked. ‘But you two would have to do all the hard work – finding a suitable room, etc.’
‘Of course.’ As he looked at Emmy, she saw the excitement in his eyes and it was as infectious as a smile.
‘We could set up two surgeries: one in the morning and one in the afternoon,’ she suggested.
‘Yes, but first we’d have to find somewhere that would give us a waiting room and a surgery where I could carry out consultations and treatment. Oh, and we’d need some chairs and an examination couch, and that’s just the beginning.’
Imogen shrugged. She’d said what she wanted to say and was tired again now. ‘Why don’t you two go down and put your heads together. Then tell me how much you’ll need and I’ll make sure that you get it.’
Emmy and Jake rose from their chairs and Jake looked at Imogen with admiration. ‘This is a very kind thing that you’re doing,’ he said softly, but she waved the compliment aside.
‘It’s not, not really. It’s something my Marcel always said he’d like to do, to help the poor, so I’ll be doing it for him really.’
