Claire’s face relaxed, and she swayed on her feet.
Philip cupped her elbow with his hand. Nora supposed he did have some uses. “Thank you, Dotty. That will be all,” he said.
Dotty scurried off, and Claire glanced up at Philip. “A carriage?”
Philip nodded. “That would be best. If she’s with Nettie, she’s safe enough that we needn’t hurry.”
“But I want you to hurry.” Claire stepped away from him and collected Alice to her in a brief embrace. “Thank you for telling us quickly, darling—I suppose we’ll have to remember to watch her more closely.”
Claire turned, caught up her skirts, and half-ran up the stairs.
Nora followed, panting slightly—she really wasn’t used to all this excitement. “She’s never done anything like this before, has she?” She hadn’t heard that the child caused this kind of trouble.
“No, no—never.” Claire turned on the landing, and Nora skidded to a stop, catching the banister to stop her forward momentum. “I don’t know what could have gotten into her—but at least she’s safe. That’s what matters.”
“Absolutely.” Though, if there were a way to make things safer for little Ivy, they had best pursue it as quickly as possible.
Chapter Five
“Here.” Nettie tucked a cup of tea into Ivy’s hands. The mug caused her fingers to tingle, a strange mix of pleasant and unpleasant. “It’s hot. Just sip, it’ll warm you right up.”
Ivy sipped, curling her lips against the heat. “I don’t like it.”
“You will when it cools. Would cream help?”
When did cream not help? Sugar would help more, but Nettie wasn’t likely to offer it this close to bedtime. “Yes.”
Nettie left Ivy seated on an armchair in the front room and walked toward the kitchen at the back. The blanket and the flickering fire, plus the teacup gripped in her hands, made Ivy feel sleepy. She blinked rapidly—now was not the time for sleep.
Nettie returned and poured leftover cream from a pitcher, then stirred it in. Ivy watched the liquid in the cup turn a swirly, light color. Very pretty.
“All right, Ivy.” Nettie lowered herself onto the chair opposite Ivy, gray eyes pensive. “Why are you here? What happened?”
Ivy shrugged and looked away, focusing on the fire. “I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do.” Nettie’s voice had obtained that perfect balance between gentle and firm, and Ivy’s heart squeezed. How could she resist that?
Her eyes rose to Nettie’s face. “I-I’m sorry.” Tears puddled in her eyes, and one managed to burn a hot trail down her cold cheek. “I’m so sorry, Nettie. I didn’t mean to run away!”
“Oh, Ivy.” Nettie rose and came over to squeeze Ivy’s hand, though she didn’t bend down and give her a hug. “What is it?”
Ivy ran a fist over her eyes. “I don’t think Mummy loves me anymore.”
Nettie didn’t even flinch. “Of course she does. She loves you more than anything. What made you think she doesn’t?”
“I don’t know …” Ivy wiggled back and forth in her chair but was careful not to slosh her tea. “I suppose she’s been so busy that she just doesn’t have time to love me anymore.”
“Ah.” Nettie squeezed Ivy’s shoulder and kissed the top of her head. “That’s not true, though. She loves you very much, and her busyness doesn’t change that. You should know that, Ivy—Mummy was always busy when you were small.”
That was true. Back then, Mummy had worked, and when one worked, there wasn’t much time for little girls. But it didn’t feel so neglectful at the time, for Nettie had lived with them, and Alice had been more of a sister to Ivy. In truth, Mr. Knight had stolen both Mummy and Alice.
Ivy scrunched up her nose, wishing she could better communicate these thoughts to Nettie, but her words ran dry. “I know,” she said at last, “but it’s different now.”
“I suppose everything is new for you.” Nettie removed Ivy’s dangerously sloshing teacup and set it on a side table. “You’ll adjust. It’s going to be all right. However, you have to remember not to run off like that. Your mother must be sick with worry!”
Ivy winced. She hadn’t meant to make anyone sick or worried. She’d just meant to find someone who cared about her. “Do you think she’s noticed?”
“I’m sure of it.” Nettie returned to her seat. “Now, if you’ll sit still, you can finish your tea before she gets here. It won’t be long.”
Ivy hoped not. Now that she was calmer, the trembling fading and her breathing normal, it was easy to remember that Mummy loved her and that that kind of love was worth waiting for. She sipped the tea, now cool enough to drink, and tried to think happy thoughts, but it was hard, harder than it had ever been before. Now positivity wasn’t as natural. She was sleepy, so that must be why.
“Your eyelids are drooping.” Nettie smiled. “Yes, dear, I think you’ll feel much better in the morning.”
Ivy wouldn’t admit that for all the world, but perhaps it was true. After all, Nettie had always said that, and Nettie was often right. “All right. Will Mummy tuck me in?”
“Of course.” Nettie cocked her head. “She’s been tucking you in, hasn’t she?”
Ivy quickly relayed the situation with the now-gone Elsie. Nettie’s face grew somewhat dark as she spoke but lightened when Elsie’s inevitable fate came up.
“You have to tell Mummy when people treat you badly,” Nettie said. “Promise me you’ll tell us.”
“I will.” Though, Ivy wasn’t sure if she would be able to, so perhaps it was a lie. She wanted to do what she was told, but she didn’t want to get anyone in trouble, either.
Poor Elsie didn’t have a job now, and even if she had been a bully, Ivy blamed herself for that.
Nora stood in the hall, clutching her shawl close against the cold. The door of Alice and Ivy’s room opened, and Claire stepped out, candle in hand. Her eyes were weary, but at least she wasn’t shaking as she had been before.
Doubtless the act of tucking Ivy in, seeing her warm and quiet and happy, had calmed her considerably. Such a thing would certainly have calmed Nora if her daughter had ventured out into the cold late at night without warning.
Claire nodded to Nora and gestured down the hall. “Will you come into my boudoir and discuss the situation?”
Nora’s heart leaped. Her daughter wanted to discuss it with her? She was a member of the chosen circle? It was silly, really, for Claire had asked her advice on several things of late. But it still made her happy when anyone asked for her advice. Especially her beloved daughter.
She followed Claire into her private quarters.
Her daughter immediately unclipped two earrings, set them on her dresser table, and reached to unclasp her necklace. Claire didn’t speak until the last of her expensive jewelry was tucked into its place. Then she turned to Nora with a smile. “That was quite the adventure, wasn’t it?”
Adventure? Nora would rather compare it with a disaster. But she nodded, not wanting to rock the boat with too-strong words. “Indeed, it was.”