The Cater Street Hangman - Anne Perry [23]
“All right, perhaps you’d better call them,” she said very quietly.
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll go myself, and lock the door behind me. And don’t worry, Miss Charlotte. You’ll be perfectly safe here with Mrs. Dunphy and Dora. Just don’t let anyone in.”
“Yes, Maddock. Thank you.”
She sat down to wait. Suddenly the room seemed chill and she huddled further into the cushions on the sofa. Had she done the right thing? Wasn’t it a little hysterical to send Maddock out for the police just because Lily was no better than she should be? Papa would be furious. It would be talked about. Mama would be thoroughly embarrassed. It reflected on the morality of the whole household.
She stood up to call Maddock back, then realized it was too late. She had only just sat back on the sofa, shivering, when the front door opened and closed. She froze.
Then Sarah’s voice came clearly. “I’ve never been so tired in all my life! Does Mrs. Prebble normally do all that herself?”
“No, of course not,” Caroline said wearily. “It’s just that with her being ill she didn’t contact the people who normally help.”
The door to the withdrawing room opened.
“Why, Charlotte, what on earth are you doing sitting there like a child huddled in the half-dark? Are you ill?” Caroline came forward quickly.
Charlotte was so glad to see her she felt the tears prickle in her eyes. It was ridiculous. She swallowed hard.
“Mama, Lily hasn’t come back. Maddock’s gone to tell the police!”
Caroline stared.
“Police!” Emily said incredulously, and then her disbelief changed to anger. “What on earth are you thinking of, Charlotte? You must be mad!”
Sarah came up behind her.
“What will the neighbours say? We can’t have the police here just because a servant girl has run off with someone!” She looked around as if she expected to see him materialize. “Where’s Dominic?”
“He’s out, of course!” Charlotte snapped. “Do you think if he were here he’d have gone to bed?”
“You should never have left Charlotte alone,” Emily said, anger sharpening her tone.
“Well, possibly Mama didn’t know Lily was going to pick tonight to get lost!” Charlotte could hear her voice cracking. In her mind she saw Lily lying in the street. “She might be dead or something, and all you are thinking of is making silly remarks!”
Before anyone could take it any further the door opened and closed again and Edward came in through the open doorway of the withdrawing room.
“What’s the matter?” he said immediately. “Caroline?”
“Charlotte sent for the police because Lily has run away,” Sarah said furiously. “I expect we’ll be the talk of the street tomorrow!”
Edward stood aghast, staring at Charlotte.
“Charlotte?” he demanded.
“Yes, Papa.” She could not look at him.
“What on earth possessed you to do such a foolish thing, child?”
“She was afraid something . . . ” Caroline began.
“Be silent, Caroline,” he said sharply. “Charlotte? I’m waiting!”
Charlotte felt her tears disappear in rebellion. She looked at him, as angry as he was now.
“If the whole street is going to talk about us,” she replied distinctly, “I would prefer it were because we were worried unnecessarily than because we didn’t care enough to see if she was all right when she was lying somewhere hurt!”
“Charlotte, go to your room!”
Wordlessly, head high, she went out and up the stairs. Her bedroom was cold and dark, but she could only think of the colder and darker streets outside.
She woke in the morning tired and heavy-headed. She remembered last night. Papa was almost certainly still angry, and poor Lily would reap the worst of it, possibly even a dismissal. Maddock was probably in for an unpleasant patch,