The Victory Garden(101)

“I don’t think so,” she said hesitantly. “But how does he know I’m innocent? I’m sure judges’ daughters commit crimes.”

“Has he ever had cause to think you don’t tell the truth?”

“Well, no.”

“There you are then. Sit down. Write him a letter, and we’ll make sure he gets it.”

Emily stood, then shook her head. “I can’t, Daisy. If he loved me, he’d have wanted my happiness, wouldn’t he? He wouldn’t have banished his only daughter, whatever she had done.”

“I still think you should give it a try,” Daisy said.

“I’ll think about it,” Emily said.

“I don’t suppose you’ll want to come up to the big house for dinner, will you?”

“I’m supposed to be a prisoner here,” Emily replied. “Besides, I’m not going anywhere near that poisonous woman again.”

“Then I’ll bring you down some food.”

“Don’t,” Emily said. “I wouldn’t put it past her to try to poison me—literally, I mean.” She attempted a laugh, but it failed miserably. “Oh, Daisy, I’m so scared. I don’t think I could eat anything.”

Daisy left her then. The baby awoke, and Emily picked her up mechanically and put her to the breast. “What’s going to happen to you?” she said softly, staring down at that perfect, tiny face.

There were footsteps outside, then a knock at the front door. Emily was in the process of covering herself and putting down the child when whoever it was came in.

“Emily, it’s Alice,” the voice called. “Daisy’s just told me. I’ve brought you some soup from the pub. And a glass of brandy. I thought you’d need it.” She came through to the bedroom and stood looking down at Emily with pity.

“Oh, love, what an awful shock,” she said. “How could that woman ever have said those things?”

“I don’t know, Alice,” Emily replied. “Maybe she really does think I poisoned her mistress. Maybe she really thinks I stole from the house. It’s her word against mine, isn’t it?”

“Lady Charlton’s not dead yet, is she?”

Emily shook her head. “No. I went to see her with her grandson. He promised to give me any news.”

“Her grandson? He came back then?”

“It was pure chance. He was reading from his poetry with a group of friends at Exeter Cathedral. I went to tell him about his grandmother, and he agreed to go and see her. At least I’ve done one thing right.”

“You’ve done a lot that’s right,” Alice retorted. “Don’t you dare say that.”

Emily placed the baby back in the cradle and started to change her nappy as she stared up at her with big serious eyes. “I’m worried, Alice. Have I been really stupid and naive, making my herbal remedies when I really know nothing? Everything is based on someone else’s knowledge. What if they got things wrong? What if they poisoned someone by mistake?”

“You saved this village from the flu,” Alice said. “Don’t ever forget that.”

Emily shook her head, but could find nothing to say.

“Now,” Alice said. “Have you written to your father yet? Daisy said you didn’t want to.” “He may not want to help me,” Emily replied. “He didn’t earlier. He didn’t seem keen to welcome me home after Robbie died. And then he made it quite clear . . .”

“When you told him you were expecting?”

Emily nodded, not looking up from changing her daughter.

“What exactly did he say?”

Emily hesitated. “Well, I didn’t tell them I was expecting. I wanted to, but then my mother launched into a tirade about a neighbour’s girl who had brought disgrace on her family and had to be sent away, and my father agreed with her. So I kept quiet.”

“Emily Bryce, are you saying to me that you never actually told them?”

“How could I? I’d just heard that they would have banished that girl forever. I assumed they’d say the same to me. I didn’t want to hear the words coming from their mouths.”

“Oh, Emily, love.” Alice put a hand on her shoulder. “People say a lot of things about other people. They enjoy passing judgement to feel superior. But when it’s their own child . . . well, then it’s different, isn’t it? You write him a letter immediately, and I’ll take it to him in the morning. I’ll bet you ten to one that he’ll want to come to your aid.”

Emily looked up now. “Well, I suppose I’ve got nothing to lose at this point, have I? I’ve already lost the man I love, my reputation, and now I’m about to lose my life. All right. I’ll do it. And I thank you for being so kind, Alice. You’re a good friend. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

“Oh, get along with you.” Alice gave her an embarrassed slap. “You’d have done just fine.”





CHAPTER FORTY

The night seemed endless. Emily stared at the ceiling, wondering what it would be like in prison, whether it hurt much when you were hanged. Had Susan Olgilvy felt the same? Had she lain there in the same bed, trying to come to terms with the cold truth that her life was over? As she lay there, she felt a gentle brush against her cheek. For a second, she wondered if it was Robbie’s ghost, coming to say he loved her and was watching over her. But then she realized it was Shadow, not out hunting as usual, but realizing in that uncanny way of his that she needed his company. He curled up against her, purring gently.