A Dangerous Fortune(165)

Maisie felt let down. She had been looking forward to seeing Hugh. Disappointed, she said: “Perhaps you would just say that I saw the newspaper and I called to make sure he was all right.”

“Very well, I’ll tell him.”

There was no more to be said. She might as well go back to the station and wait for the next train into London. She turned away, disappointed. At least she had escaped an altercation with Nora.

Something in the boy’s face bothered her: a look almost of fear. On impulse she turned back and said: “Is your mother in?”

“No, I’m afraid she’s not.”

That was odd. Hugh could no longer afford a governess. Maisie had a feeling that something was wrong. She said: “Might I speak to whoever is looking after you?”

The boy hesitated. “Actually, there isn’t anybody here but me and my brothers.”

Maisie’s intuition had been right. What was going on? How had three small boys been left totally alone? She hesitated to interfere, knowing she would catch hell from Nora Pilaster. On the other hand she could not simply walk away and leave Hugh’s children to fend for themselves. “I’m an old friend of your father … and mother,” she said.

“I saw you at Auntie Dotty’s wedding,” said Toby.

“Ah, yes. Urn … may I come in?”

Toby looked relieved. “Yes, please do,” he said.

Maisie stepped inside. She followed the sound of the crying child to the kitchen at the back of the house. There was a four-year-old squatting on the floor bawling, and a six-year-old sitting on the kitchen table looking as if he were ready to burst into tears at any moment.

She picked up the youngest. She knew that he was named Solomon, after Solly Greenbourne, but they called him Sol. “There, there,” she murmured. “What’s the matter?”

“I want my mama,” he said, and cried louder.

“Hush, hush,” Maisie murmured, rocking him. She felt dampness penetrate her clothing and she realized the little boy had wet himself. Looking around, she saw that the place was a mess. The table was covered with breadcrumbs and spilled milk, there were dirty dishes in the sink, and there was mud on the floor. It was cold, too: the fire had gone out. It almost looked as if the children had been abandoned.

“What’s going on here?” she said to Toby.

“I gave them some lunch,” he said. “I made bread and butter and cut some ham. I tried to make tea but I burned my hand on the kettle.” He was trying to be brave but he was on the brink of tears. “Do you know where my father might be?”

“No, I don’t.” The baby had asked for his mama, but the older boy wanted his father, Maisie noted. “What about your mother?”

Toby took an envelope from the mantelpiece and handed it to her. It was addressed simply Hugh.

“It’s not sealed,” Toby said. “I read it.”

Maisie opened it and took out a single sheet of paper. One word was written on it in large, angry capital letters:

GOOD-BYE

Maisie was horrified. How could a mother walk out on three small children—and leave them to fend for themselves? Nora had given birth to each of these boys, and held them to her breast as helpless babies. Maisie thought of the mothers in the Southwark Female Hospital. If one of them were given a three-bedroom house in Chingford she would think herself in heaven.

She put such thoughts out of her mind for the moment. “Your father will be back tonight, I’m sure,” she said, praying it was true. She addressed the four-year-old in her arms. “But we wouldn’t want him to find the house a mess, would we?”

Sol shook his head solemnly.

“We’re going to wash the dishes, clean the kitchen, light the fire and make some supper.” She looked at the six-year-old. “Do you think that’s a good idea, Samuel?”

Samuel nodded. “I like buttered toast,” he added helpfully.

“Then that’s what we’ll have.”

Toby was not reassured. “What time do you think Father will come home?”

“I’m not sure,” she said candidly. There was no point in lying: children always knew. “But I tell you what. You can stay up until he gets here, no matter how late. How’s that?”

The boy looked somewhat relieved. “All right,” he said.

“Now, then. Toby, you’re the strongest, you can bring in a bucket of coal. Samuel, I believe I can trust you to do a job properly, you can wipe the kitchen table clean with a rag. Sol, you can sweep up because—you’re the smallest, so you’re closer to the floor. Come on, boys, let’s start work!”

4

HUGH WAS IMPRESSED by the way Scotland Yard responded to his report. The case was assigned to Detective-Inspector Magridge, a sharp-faced man of about Hugh’s age, meticulous and intelligent, the kind who would have made it to chief clerk in a bank. Within an hour he had circulated a description of Micky Miranda and set a watch on all the ports.

He also sent a detective-sergeant to interview Edward Pilaster, at Hugh’s suggestion; and the man came back with the report that Miranda was leaving the country.

Edward had also said that Micky was implicated in the deaths of Peter Middleton, Seth Pilaster and Solomon Greenbourne. Hugh was shaken by the suggestion that Micky had killed Uncle Seth, but he told Magridge that he already suspected Micky of killing Peter and Solly.