‘Thank you,’ she said again and once they had gone, she wondered what life had in store for her now. So much had happened since the terrible night her father had raped her that sometimes she couldn’t quite take it all in. And now she was about to enter yet another household! She just hoped that Mr Pembroke’s aunt would be a kinder mistress than Miranda, especially as it sounded like she’d be living with her on her own. She felt a small tremor of fear at the thought of having no one to look out for her. Maddie’s voice came back to her then. ‘You’re stronger than you think, you know.’ She just prayed she was right.

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

‘I made a rather good job of that even if I do say so myself,’ the doctor declared with a smile as he examined Ruby’s leg. It was now mid-May and finally the splints were being removed from her leg.

‘My leg looks sort of thin,’ she commentated.

He laughed. ‘It will do for a while, m’dear. Your muscles haven’t been working for some time but as soon as you start to move about it will be back to normal again in no time. Now, just do a little walk across the room for me, would you, and tell me how it feels.’

Ruby dutifully did a little lap of the room. It felt strange to be walking again, but she didn’t feel any pain.

Doctor Markham smiled, well satisfied with his efforts. ‘Very good. That’s my job here done, I believe. But just don’t go overtiring it too soon. Good day, Ruby.’

Once he had gone Ruby quickly got dressed in her day clothes for the first time in weeks and made her way slowly downstairs.

Cook and Betty were delighted to see her up and about again, although Cook wouldn’t hear of her doing anything to help them. They had been told that she would shortly be going to work for the master’s aunt and although they would miss her, they felt it was an excellent idea.

‘You’ll like Hermione,’ Cook told her as Ruby watched her rolling pastry. ‘She’s a bit crusty on the outside but soft as butter inside.’

‘And where does she live?’ Ruby hadn’t thought to ask before.

‘In Bedworth, a small town just outside of Nuneaton.’

Ruby knew it; she had gone to the market there once with her mother for material for a dress.

‘So when do you think you’ll be goin’?’ Cook asked, adding hastily, ‘Not that we want to get rid of you, of course. We’ll miss you, won’t we, Betty?’

‘We will that.’ Betty blinked tearfully. ‘But then you can allus hop on the train an’ come an’ see us when you get time off. We’ll all want to know how you’re getting along.’