Page 36 of The Gentlewoman Companion (The Gentlewoman #4)

Thirty minutes later, after James asked that the money he donated be used for the boy and his sister and threatening to discontinue his patronage, Mr. Bloomfield repeated the same line for the hundredth time.

“There is nothing we can do.” He reached a finger beneath his wig and scratched.

“Some foster children in addition to donating, should that interest you.”

“You are not suggesting…” James thought of the tour they’d completed—the frazzled cooks slicing bread too thin, the girls in frocks that were too short, the boys who all needed haircuts.

But he was not equipped to care for children.

He was young, without experience, and he had no nanny to assist him.

“I am afraid that is impossible.” Defeated, he turned his back on the Hospital and strode toward his waiting carriage with Louisa and Margaret at his side.

The boy ran up, his face bright with hope.

“I did everything I could,” James said, all the while knowing he hadn’t. “What’s your name, child?”

“Don’ worry abou’ tha.’ She is called Susan.” He held his sister’s face, streaked with snot and dirt, for James to inspect. Susan smiled and reached for one of James’s gleaming buttons. “You will ’ake ’er.” It wasn’t a question.

A stench, fetid and sharp, accosted him. He stepped back from the children. Margaret nudged him. “You really want to make a difference?”

Louisa’s eyes flashed between him and the children.

A rock dropped into his belly. For all he knew, these thin children with unhealthy crimson cheeks were his relatives. Would he condemn them to a life of privation or to death? He forced himself to move toward them.

“I will take you both.”

“No’ me.” The boy placed the baby at James’s feet and ran.

She cried out, rolled to her stomach, stood, and took a few stumbling steps in the direction of her brother. “Dom!” she screamed. “Dom, Dom, Dom!” He vanished around the gate, and she plopped onto the ground and wailed.

“That was a brave thing you did,” Margaret said, “but before you ask, I am no nursemaid.” She crossed her arms, and James had no choice but to lift the wailing babe from the ground and breathe through the poor child’s stench.

“I am sure one of your servants will know how to care for her,” Louisa said with more doubt than her hopeful words should carry.

“How old to you think she is?” he asked.

“It’s hard to tell with a starving child. Maybe two,” Margaret said.

“What have I done?” he asked.

W hen they returned to Grosvenor Square, Margaret disappeared to see Samuel. In turns, James and Louisa stared at each other and at Susan, who sat on the floor and sucked her thumb, her sobs diminishing to the occasional shuddered inhale.

“What will you do?” Louisa asked.

He sighed. “Do you have a suggestion?”

“Call your mother?”

“My mother, yes. But perhaps the housekeeper first, to bathe her?”

Mrs. Corfield took one look at the child and shook her head. “Pardon my boldness, my lord, but I have no time for a child.”

“Is there someone who does?”

She promised to do her best and left the room.

“What is this?” His mother entered, saw the child, and looked at James with pinched brows.

“She is orphaned.”

“The two of you go to the Foundling Hospital and return with a child? Really. She is not a lost puppy.” She placed her hands on her hips.

James ran his hand through his hair. “Do you know of a servant who could give Susan a bath?”

“Susan?” His mother bent down and smiled, but the girl lowered her face. “Nellie is mending my skirt, but her task is not so urgent as Susan’s need for a bath.”

“I will get Nellie,” Louisa said. “Lord Halverton, perhaps you know who can help with the sewing?” She gave him a meaningful look.

Margaret worked for a tailor. He would fetch her. “Of course. I will get Susan something to eat as well,” he told his mother. He moved to set Susan down.

“James, you cannot leave a child alone,” his mother said.

“But you are here.”

She smiled at him. “Bringing this child in was an act of compassion, but caring for a young child is a serious commitment.”

“You take in village children, Mother. I believe I know what is required.”

“I arrange fostering situations if they are very young and bring them in as servants if they are older. This is very different.” She patted his cheek. “I trust you will figure it out. But for now, I will call up some food for her from the kitchens while you attend her.”

She left him alone with Susan, whose disconcerting round eyes settled over him. With her finger hooked over her nose, she continued to suck her thumb. James stared back at her, his heart racing.

In a few minutes, Louisa returned with Nellie, who exclaimed over the child. “She is bonnie! Just look at her blonde curls.”

“You will bathe her, then?” he asked. “Find a place for her to sleep? Whatever she needs?” He had little idea what to ask for.

“How can I resist?” Nellie scooped the child up and kissed her cheek as if it were not covered in grime.

Susan put her hand on Nellie’s cheek. “Where Dom?” She was not very articulate, but James understood she asked after her brother.

“Dom?” he asked.

“Dom.”

“Tom?

The girl nodded.

“He is…not here just yet.” James’s reply was clumsy, but what else could he say?

Louisa and Nellie traipsed out of the room, tittering over the baby’s adorable nose, ears, toes. Relieved, he went to find Margaret and ask if she could help with the mending.

She was sitting on Samuel’s bed, cupping her brother’s cheeks, which were returning to their natural color. “You must wear shoes,” she told him. “In a fine house such as this, we do not traipse about barefoot.”

“They squish my toes,” he whined.

“All the same.”

“If the shoes don’t fit,” James said, “we will get more in the proper size.” At his words, Margaret and Samuel turned, Margaret scrambling to her feet and Samuel taking the opportunity to plunge his feet into the blankets.

“They fit. He’s simply never worn shoes before,” Margaret said.

“Ah. Perhaps we might start with slippers. For now.” James addressed Samuel. “Why don’t you find Graham and ask him to take you to the stables, though you will have to wear shoes for that.”

“I’d rather go with him, my lord. I’d hate for him to get into trouble.” Even as Margaret spoke, the boy darted out of the room, barefooted.

“I’m not worried. Graham is never far away and will like nothing more than to show him the horses.

He may even convince the boy to wear his boots.

” This seemed to satisfy Margaret, who sat back down.

“The servants are good-natured, but Samuel must have a proper focus for his energies. What would you think of my hiring a tutor?”

“We’d best be moving back home. Besides, your ‘good-natured’ servants are talking. The story about our being relations of your vicar only causes questions.”

“I have thought a lot about this, Margaret. If I claim him as my ward and provide him with proper schooling, he will have opportunities not available in Rosemary Lane.”

She crossed her arms but did not protest. At last, his arguments were starting to get through to her. Or perhaps she could sense his genuine concern for the boy—and for her.

“Now that is settled, I wonder if you would do me a small favor. The lady’s maid is taking care of Susan. Would you mind doing her mending?”

“I would not say it is settled, but we can discuss it another time. I am only too pleased to help with the sewing.” Her countenance brightened.

Louisa must have realized how excited his sister would be at the prospect of a sewing project.

Perhaps he should arrange for her to spend a little more time with him and Louisa; the two seemed to get along quite well.

“Would you like to ride with me this afternoon? Louisa and some of our friends are joining us, and I am sure we can find room for you.”

A rare smile stole over her face. “Hah! Fancy me prancing around Hyde Park. No, thank you. I will stay here with Samuel. The mending will keep me occupied.”

“I do not wish you to begin acting as a servant, Margaret. Consider allowing me to introduce you to society.”

She scoffed. “Your people would never accept an illegitimate into their circles.”

The words stung, but she was correct. “I will claim you as a ward.”

“I will consider allowing you to help Samuel, but you needn’t worry about me.”

“I know you have little reason to trust me, but I promise you: I will not abandon you as our father did.”

She opened her mouth, likely to contest the assertion, but closed it again and let him leave with only a tight smile.