Page 59 of The Laudanum Ladies' Society

Her voice wavered and she was appalled to feel the pricking of tears at the corners of her eyes.

‘Gwen?’

‘I’m afraid I’m rather out of sorts today,’ she said.

He gave a sympathetic smile. ‘Out of sorts or tripping over. You don’t appear to have much luck.’

She should be indignant at his over-familiarity, but he’d always had a way of teasing her that she’d found amusing.

‘I don’t do too badly. My life is easier than a lot have it,’ she answered, gesturing to a young boy who was waiting at the side of the road to rush out with a broom and sweep up horse dung.

‘Your worries aren’t insignificant to you,’ Danny said. ‘Now, if you would prefer me to leave you, I will, though I would very much like your company.’

A married woman should not accept such an offer, but Danny was an old friend and she was hardly a young debutante with a reputation to ruin. She thought of Archibald waiting at home, and to her dismay couldn’t picture him without a scowl on his face and sharp words on his tongue. Danny’s eyes crinkled in such a kindly way and his smile was genuine, and she hadn’t seen a friendly face for a number of days, so she felt her resistance starting to melt a little. It was a typically busy Saturday afternoon, and the milder weather had brought out families and couples. Her heart throbbed with loneliness, and she held out her arm.

‘Just for a little while.’

He smiled down at her with such warmth in his eyes that Gwen was transported back to the days when they had almost, but not quite, been sweethearts. He smelt spicy when she drew close to him. It must be the pomade or cologne he was wearing, though she tried not to sniff too obviously. Danny was tall and broad-chested and he made her feel quite comfortable at his side. Flickers of longing raced through her, and she bit her lip.

‘What are you doing here?’ she asked. ‘It’s not too far from where I saw you last time we met. Are you staying in this area?’

Unexpectedly, he increased his pace, meaning that Gwen had to walk a little faster than customary and tug his arm to slow down.

‘I’m sorry, I do everything at a rush. My mind works far too quickly, and I just gather people along with me,’ he said apologetically. His mouth twisted and he tipped his hat back slightly then forward again. Gwen wondered if it was an unconscious habit.

‘Why are you visiting London?’ she asked.

‘I can’t burden you with that woe.’ Danny’s voice dropped almost an octave, causing Gwen to wonder what dire abomination had drawn him to the city.

‘Please, tell me. If it is causing you woe, then perhaps I can do something to help.’

‘There is woe and there is woe,’ Danny answered. His lips quirked downwards and he looked momentarily furious. ‘I don’t want to burden you, and I doubt you can help me in any case.’

Gwen put her hand on his. ‘I can listen.’

‘You always did.’ His face softened. ‘Very well. I’m looking for my niece. Do you remember my younger sister, Morfydd?’

Gwen nodded. Morfydd had been a pretty girl seven years younger than Danny. His mother had believed the change of life had happened, but as it turned out she was wrong.

‘She was widowed six years ago and sadly died three years ago, leaving a daughter. Ruth had always been flighty but the loss of her final parent seemed to change her. She was fifteen two months ago, and within days of her birthday, she ran away from home with an unsuitable young man.’

Gwen winced in sympathy. The girl was over the legal age of consent, of course, but still very young.

‘You disapprove of their marriage?’

‘I would be grieved that she didn’t feel able to discuss her intentions with me, if that is all her plans entailed. However,I don’t believe marriage was uppermost in her mind. She left with the intention of becoming a dancer. I traced her to Cardiff, where I discovered that the theatre group she had joined had been booked to appear in London.’

‘That’s good news, isn’t it?’ Gwen asked, but Danny shook his head.

‘By the time I had managed to settle my affairs and was free to follow her, it appears she had a quarrel with the man and left the troupe. I’ve spent a lot of effort and money and now I have traced her to this borough.’

‘Do you have a picture of her?’ Gwen asked. ‘I don’t come here often, but I might have seen her.’

‘A small likeness, but it is not the best and it is two years old.’

He reached into his breast pocket and showed Gwen acarte-de-visiteof a pretty girl with dark hair swept into rolls over her ears, and eyes that were similar to Danny’s. She wore a blouse with a waterfall of lace across a well-developed bust and had a graceful air that hinted at her dancing ambitions.

‘I’m afraid I haven’t seen her,’ Gwen said glumly. She committed the image to memory in the hope that she would recognise Ruth if she came across her. Danny slipped the picture back into his pocket.