Page 96 of The Laudanum Ladies' Society

‘I know it’s unpardonable,’ she muttered. She wiped her hand across her face harshly, as tears spilled down her cheeks. ‘I won’t try to defend myself, but it is at an end, I promise you.’

Miriam hugged her arms around her chest. She looked vulnerable, and Jenny instinctively reached out to comfort her but stopped before they touched.

‘I didn’t know that’s what Augusta was doing with it. You have to believe me.’

‘I do. As I said yesterday, I’m learning to forgive you. I know how stricken you’ve been by what happened. I’ve seen how brave you were, too.’

‘Not as brave as you,’ Jenny said. ‘I was terrified you’d get hurt. It was all I could do not to rush in there to protect you.’

Miriam’s eyes crinkled at the edges. ‘My valiant defender.’

Jenny shivered. ‘Do you have somewhere safe to stay?’ she asked. ‘Sally will obviously be leaving. Mr Parry will take Ruth back home. Gwen and Bella are going with them. I’m trying to think about what I can do to disappear for a while.’

She’d have money soon, if Mr Parry managed to disentangle her finances from Uncle Conrad’s. He was of the opinion that she should be receiving her initial investment, as well as dividends.

‘I’ll be safe.’ Miriam sat back on the edge of the chaise, looking uneasy. ‘I have been offered the position of companion and tutor to the archaeologist’s family that I told you about.’

‘That’s wonderful for you.’ Jenny tried to keep the sadness out of her voice, but was painfully aware that she was failing. ‘When do you leave?’

‘In two weeks. We’ll take the steamer to France and travel overland from there.’

Miriam stood abruptly and walked to the dresser by the bed. She took out some undergarments and tossed them into the case. She didn’t look as excited as Jenny thought she should be.

‘I shall miss you,’ Jenny whispered.

‘You don’t have to miss me.’ Miriam looked back. Her eyes were wide and inviting. ‘Mrs Stockley has enquired if I know anyone who might teach her daughter the piano. I could tell her that you are adept at it, and see if she will employ you, too. If you’d like.’

‘Do you mean that?’ Jenny stood, her legs feeling wobbly. She walked to Miriam.

‘I do. Perhaps it’s foolish of me because your deception hurt me greatly, more than what you actually did. It will take me a long time to rebuild that trust, but when I imagine leaving you here, my heart cracks.’ She leant forward and took hold of Jenny’s hand. ‘I’m willing to give it time.’

Jenny’s heart swelled to the point of bursting. The chance to travel. Not just to evade Augusta and leave Uncle Conrad’s home, but to see places she’d only dreamed about, and to do it with Miriam at her side. She laughed with joy.

‘I will. If you’ll have me. If they will have me, of course.’

Miriam grinned nervously but her eyes glinted with sultry wickedness. ‘I’ll tell Mrs Stockley that we’ll gladly share a room to save on the expense.’

Jenny put her hands to her mouth. Her throat filled with a lump too large to allow words. She nodded vigorously, then somehow she and Miriam were in each other’s arms, kissing, laughing as their lips met.

It was only later, as they lay tangled wearily in Miriam’s patchwork quilt, talking of the future, that Jenny remembered she might be able to pay her own way, and that a companion didn’t require a dowry, but she’d share it with Miriam without question.

A week later, Jenny and Gwen met at Paddington Station, keeping their distance from the other passengers who were milling around waiting to board the train to Wales. Bursts of steam hissed, filling the air with the oily scent of coal, mingling with the tang of hot iron. The minute hand on the clock over the platform clicked forward. Five minutes more, and passengers would be permitted to board.

Heavily veiled and wearing a new travelling coat in mourning black, Gwen was a far cry from the timid woman Jenny had first met. Beside her on a luggage trolley stood a suitcase and a leather travel bag, both ornamented with a pair of initials. Not the initials she had used for the greater part of her life, but those she would be using from now on: ‘G.L.’ A new name for a new life. Jenny had ordered a steamer trunk a day earlier and now wished she had added Miriam’s ‘S.’ to her ‘J.R.’

At the end of the platform closest to the ticket barrier, the guard began to move along the carriages, unlocking them and opening the doors. So slowly. Jenny felt on edge, almost believing that Wolf or Craig, or even Augusta herself would appear to exact vengeance. It was unlikely, though. Mr Parry had acted swiftly before Sally was banished to the North and while Ruth was seeing sense. He’d reported Augusta and Madam Annie for running the brothel, mentioning the possible link to the drowned woman. The Rook and Wren and the chop house were both under scrutiny.

Selina Salisbury had neither stuck by her former associate nor denounced her, but she had vanished from London shortly after receiving Mr Parry’s letter. The windows to her elegant home were now shuttered. No doubt she would be setting herself up in another city, possibly even on the Continent. Jenny could imagine her sitting in the box at the new Palais Garnier in Paris or La Scala in Milan and found it hard not to wish her luck.

‘I think we have been fortunate to get away with it, not that I’m sure we deserve to,’ Jenny said.

‘I think we do deserve to,’ Gwen said. ‘We saw an opportunity and took it. For women that’s even harder to achieve.’

Jenny wasn’t sure. Since arriving at the station to bid farewell to Gwen, she hadn’t allowed herself to question whether they deserved this second chance, but now she hesitated. What right did they have to escape the consequences?

Gwen stared over Jenny’s shoulder to where Mr Parry, Ruth and Bella stood. It was an odd little family, but Jenny had no doubt Gwen would be happy.

‘Will you try to help your son?’