‘Well, I just wondered . . . what I mean is . . .’ She took a deep breath. ‘While the doctor was examining you yesterday, he discovered something quite shocking, Ruby . . . He discovered that you are going to have a baby.’

Colour flooded into Ruby’s cheeks as she stared at her in disbelief and for the moment, she was struck dumb with shock.

‘What I’m trying to ask is, have you and Bill ever . . .’ Miss Wood gulped deep in her throat. ‘Have you ever slept together?’

‘Of course not, I’ve always slept alone,’ Ruby said indignantly. ‘An’ I can’t be having a baby ’cause I’m not married. I’ve never even kissed Bill and anyway, me mam told me you have to be married to make babies!’

‘Oh dear.’ Miss Wood wrung her hands together as Cook entered the room and she stared at her helplessly.

‘I’ve just explained to Ruby about the baby,’ Miss Wood told Cook with a quiver in her voice. ‘And she insists that she’s never slept with anyone.’

‘Hm.’ Cook sighed. ‘In that case what I have to ask is: Ruby, has anyone ever, er . . . done bad things to you. You know? Down there?’ As she pointed to her private parts, Ruby suddenly flinched as she thought back to the night she had run away. The night her father had forced himself on her.

‘Yes . . . just once. It hurt an’ as soon as it was over, I ran away.’

The two women stared at each other in horror. They had no cause to doubt the girl.

‘Then you were raped and this is the result,’ Cook told her sadly.

Ruby began to panic. ‘But I don’t want a baby,’ she said tearfully. ‘What will happen to me? Where will I go?’

She was getting so distressed that Miss Wood patted her hand and changed the subject quickly. ‘Let’s not worry about it for now, dear. Let’s just concentrate on getting you well again and then we’ll decide what’s to be done about the baby. For now I want you to rest. The doctor will be calling to see you shortly and we don’t want you all upset when he arrives, do we?’ She tenderly tucked the blankets beneath Ruby’s chin and after a nod at Cook they went out of the room, leaving Ruby to come to terms with what they had told her.

‘Poor little bugger,’ Cook said angrily when they were out on the landing. ‘I guessed it would be somethin’ like that. Who do you think it was?’

‘I’ve no doubt she’ll tell us when she’s good and ready,’ Miss Wood responded. ‘But now I suppose I should tell the mistress.’

‘Phew, rather you than me!’ Cook looked horrified. ‘I’d leave it to the master to tell her if I were you.’ And with that she turned and went about her duties, her heart aching for Ruby.