Page 24 of Forgotten No More

“I rarely pass up the opportunity myself,” her friend confided in a whisper. “Oh, there is the coachman now. Jacobs, thank you for waiting for us.”

He took the packages from both women and stored them in the boot of the carriage.

Vi straightened the front of her pink morning dress and rubbed her gloved hands together. “Well, where to now?” she asked.

Ruby looked up and down the street, hoping to see a tea shop close by. Vi could use a few moments of rest, no matter how much she claimed the opposite. “I fear I do not know the area—” Her words were immediately cut off when she spied her mother and Lady Darlingiver exiting a shop a few doors down from where they stood. The women turned in their direction.

Without a word of warning to Vi, Ruby launched herself in the carriage, sinking to the floor and pulling the door shut to hide herself from view. She had good reason to be in London, true enough, but that didn’t mean she intended to inform her mother of her presence.

“Lady Haversham,” Ruby’s mother called. “How lovely to see you. Are you out alone?” Ruby could picture Pearl St. Augustin and Lady Darlingiver peering around for Vi’s escort. It was highly improper for a woman of the ton to venture out without her husband, another member of the ton, or her maid.

She loathed putting Vi in this situation, but now was not the time for her mother to find her in town against her specific wishes.

“Ummm, well,” Vi stalled, and Ruby knew her friend was racking her brain. “No, I am just awaiting Lord Haversham’s return. He insisted on purchasing something special for me—and how could I refuse such a grand gesture?”

“Of course, you cannot,” Lady Darlingiver gushed. “Your father and I hope to see you this evening. If I didn’t know better, I would think you’ve been avoiding our company of late.”

Ruby had begged Vi not to invite Lady Darlingiver, or her mother over for tea, and had refused an invite to their home as well. It was unfair of her and was obviously causing ill will between Vi and her family.

“Quite the contrary, Lady Darlingiver,” Vi continued. “I have been busy preparing Foldger’s Foundling House for the winter months—and for my own child’s birth. I fear my carriage is filled to the brim with supplies.”

Ruby knew both women turned their noses up at the thought of any activity resembling work. A bit of charity fundraising dirtied their hands more than they saw appropriate for the upper class. But the mention of another Haversham had both women cooing in delight.

“Oh, you should call upon Ruby any time you need assistance.” It was Pearl speaking now. “I am sure she’d be willing to move to Foldger’s Hall once again to help you or come to you once you retire to Haversham House for the new arrival.”

Leave it to her mother to hire her own daughter out for manual labor, Ruby thought.

“Oh, I wrote her just the other day and she volunteered to sew thirty-two new bed covers for the children.” Vi added extra inflection to the amount of bed covers Ruby would be responsible for making, her punishment for abandoning Vi to the clutches of the two matronly women.

Ruby saw weeks of sore fingers and cramping hands in her future.

“Well, I must be going,” Vi said. “Oh, look, there is Brock now.”

Ruby peeked over the side of the carriage and out the window, hidden from detection by the drawn shade. The women both looked in the direction Vi pointed and waved, trying to get a glimpse of Vi’s handsome husband.

“He is waving me over,” Vi continued. “He must have a very special surprise for me. It was lovely seeing you both.” She curtseyed to Lady Darlingiver and nodded to Ruby’s mother.

“We can accom—”

“There is no need for you to go out of your way. He is right there, not thirty feet away.” Vi tried her best to deter the women from following her. “Plus, you are headed in the opposite direction. You both are ever so busy, I’m sure.”

“Well, yes, Lady Darlingiver, shall we be on our way?” Pearl asked.

“Very well,” the other lady responded. “Your father is so excited about the babe. Do come visit soon.”

“Of course, my lady.”

Ruby sighed when the women moved down the street, disappearing into the milling crowd.

“Ruby, you get your sissy hide out here right this instant!”

She couldn’t tell if her friend was raging mad or on the verge of laughter. Raising her head further, Ruby pulled the shade back and peeked out the window.

Vi stood on the sidewalk, hands on her hips. “How dare you desert me to those two vultures?”

“I know you’re angry—”

“Do not presume to know what I am.” Vi cut her off, but the tension drained from her body. “It is not that you disappeared per se, it’s that you left me with little option but to lie. You know I despise lying.”