Page 37

As you can imagine, I found this pattern rather disturbing and immediately asked to speak with the one boy who had returned to London from the Stanley’s home. Mr. Morris reluctantly agreed to withdraw ten-year-old Benjamin Harris from his classroom, and I met with him briefly in the hospital lobby under the watchful gaze of the assistant director.

When pressed, Benjamin admitted that he had not been happy with the Stanleys. He had no specific complaint regarding Mrs. Stanley, other than the fact that she did not feed him enough. He did admit to being the target of Mr. Stanley’s wrath, however. It appears that the butcher is wont to strike any young boy who is not his own.

Tears trickled down Jane’s cheeks. Her heart ached for each of the children who had endured Mr. Stanley’s cruel treatment, but with Asher, it felt more personal. Wiping the moisture off her face with the tips of her fingers, she sat up on the bed. She could not ignore this information, knowing that the innocent young boy was trapped in such an untenable situation. And neither, she suspected, would Lord Bloxley.

According to Mr. Morris, the hospital has a small army of inspectors charged with monitoring each home where a ward of the hospital is placed. The inspector assigned to the High Brodmore area is Mr. Fossum. Although well meaning, the vicar’s loss of hearing undoubtedly makes this charge somewhat challenging, and with his many other parochial responsibilities, it is probable that he has neglected the assignment. I intend to request that the hospital appoint someone new to the task.

The parliamentary session is scheduled to conclude at week’s end with what I hope will be a positive resolution to the Chimney Sweepers Bill that is currently in debate. As soon as that occurs, I will be free to travel to Berkshire, and upon my arrival, I shall visit the Stanleys’ home myself. In the meantime, should you learn anything further that may assist me in assessing Asher’s situation more fully, do not hesitate to inform me.

Sincerely,

Alexander Allerton, Earl of Bloxley

Tearing back the blanket from around her legs, Jane slid off the bed and onto her feet. She limped over to her writing desk and sat down. Until now, she’d been reluctant to send yet another update to the earl. The last thing the busy nobleman needed was a steady stream of letters detailing her every Asher sighting. Given the new and alarming information he’d uncovered at the Foundling Hospital, however, it suddenly seemed far more important that she share her most recent experience with the earl. If nothing else, she could corroborate his findings with her own.

Setting a fresh piece of paper in front of her, she readied her quill. Today was Thursday. It was unlikely that Lord Bloxley would leave London before next week, which meant that if she were to catch today’s post, her letter should reach him before he departed.

Charwell Park

30th April 1788

Dear Lord Bloxley,

Thank you for taking the time to write and inform me of your findings at the Foundling Hospital. Like you, I have been unable to quell my growing concern for Asher’s welfare, and to that end, I made another visit to High Brodmore, this time to see Mrs. Stanley.

Our interaction was brief, and my assessment of her remains much as it was after seeing her at church. Asher was present at our meeting, and this time, I recognized in him the same two emotions Benjamin Harris owned to having while with the Stanleys: hunger and fear. The first was made manifest when I offered him one of the spiced buns I took with me, the second, when he accidentally caused me to lose my balance. Both incidents were relatively insignificant and should not have elicited such intense reactions in a young child. I share them only to validate your own discoveries.

I wish you well with the Chimney Sweepers Bill. I shall be most interested to hear news of it when it reaches us in Berkshire.

Sincerely,

Jane Hadford

Jane read over her letter and chewed her lower lip. She should not have included the last two lines. The earl would undoubtedly consider her interest in politics very odd. No refined young woman spoke of such things. And yet, the bills passing through Parliament were so much more important, so much more thought-provoking, than talking of the weather, fashions, or the latest social tidbits.

She sighed. If she took the time to rewrite her letter without that portion, there would be no chance of catching the post. She hesitated one moment longer and then added a postscript.

P.S. Mr. Stanley’s finest sausages were rather unexceptional.

There. Females were supposed to have opinions on food, were they not? Her mother certainly did at almost every meal. That short addition should redirect the earl’s thinking from the previous lines and, hopefully, negate any damage they may have done to his opinion of her. Not that he was likely to think on her long enough to form any opinion, of course, but she would rather not add “odd” to her long list of shortcomings.

She slipped the letter into an envelope, then addressed and sealed it. Moving as quickly as she could, she limped to the door. She opened it and looked up and down the passageway. Farther down, a door opened, and Alice emerged carrying a duster.

“Alice,” she called.

The maid looked back, and her expression fell. “Miss Hadford! Did I forget somethin’ you needed?”

Jane shook her head. “Not at all.” She extended the hand holding her letter. “I need this to catch today’s post. Would you take it to Gresham right away?”

“Of course, miss.” Alice hurried to her and took the letter. “I saw Gresham enterin’ Mr. Hadford’s study when I came back upstairs to do the dustin’. I daresay ’e’s gone for your father’s letters. I’ll make sure this one’s added t’ them.”

“Thank you, Alice.”

Alice smiled. “Glad t’ be of service, miss.”

Jane waited in the passageway long enough to watch Alice disappear down the stairs, then she turned back to her room. Perhaps there was still time for a short rest before Aunt Millward arrived.

Chapter 13