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Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Prologue
  4. Chapter One
  5. Chapter Two
  6. Chapter Three
  7. Chapter Four
  8. Chapter Five
  9. Chapter Six
  10. Chapter Seven
  11. Chapter Eight
  12. Chapter Nine
  13. Chapter Ten
  14. Chapter Eleven
  15. Chapter Twelve
  16. Chapter Thirteen
  17. Chapter Fourteen
  18. Chapter Fifteen
  19. Chapter Sixteen
  20. Chapter Seventeen
  21. Chapter Eighteen
  22. Chapter Nineteen
  23. Chapter Twenty
  24. Chapter Twenty-One
  25. Chapter Twenty-Two
  26. Chapter Twenty-Three
  27. Chapter Twenty-Four
  28. Chapter Twenty-Five
  29. Chapter Twenty-Six
  30. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  31. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  32. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  33. Chapter Thirty
  34. Chapter Thirty-One
  35. Chapter Thirty-Two
  36. Chapter Thirty-Three
  37. Chapter Thirty-Four
  38. Chapter Thirty-Five
  39. Chapter Thirty-Six
  40. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  41. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  42. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  43. Chapter Forty
  44. Chapter Forty-One
  45. Chapter Forty-Two
  46. Epilogue
  47. Acknowledgements
  48. Also by Rosie Goodwin
  49. About the Author
  50. Welcome to the world of Rosie Goodwin!
  51. Letter from Author
  52. Apple Charlotte
  53. The Precious Stones series
  54. The Days of the Week Collection
  55. Victorian Tales from Memory Lane
  56. Memory Lane Club

‘What are—’ Her words were blocked when a foul-smelling rag was pressed against her mouth and nose, and soon darkness rushed towards her and she knew no more.

*

The following morning, she woke to find Dr Pearse standing over her, once more fastening the foul leeches to her naked body. She wanted to lash out at him and stand to shake them off but her legs refused to do as she told them.

‘I hear you’ve been very disruptive again,’ he tutted. ‘So I think a little more treatment is called for.’

Her head wagged weakly from side to side as a wave of hopelessness threatened to choke her and as she lay staring at the ceiling, tears slid down her face and she wished that she could die. Even death would be preferable to having to stay in this evil place.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Eight

June 1887

Hands on hips, Mrs B glared at Hermione. ‘So you’ve had me standin’ at the stove again fer no good reason, have you?’ she snapped, staring down at Hermione’s untouched breakfast. It had been months now since Ruby had been gone and yet still Hermione insisted that she would come back. ‘You do know that you’re goin’ to make yerself ill if you carry on like this, don’t yer? You’re hardly eatin’ enough to keep a sparrow alive, an’ what good is it doin’?’

When there was no reply, she gentled her voice and tried another tack. ‘They’re havin’ a party out in the street today to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee. Why don’t we get dressed up an’ go an’ join ’em? It’d do us both good.’

‘I’m not in the mood for a party,’ Hermione answered as she rose from the table. ‘I think I’ll go and work in the garden for a while. It’s such a lovely day it’s a shame to be indoors. Why don’t you come and join me?’

‘It’s my day for scrubbin’ the kitchen floor,’ Mrs B responded.

Hermione laughed. ‘I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt to let it go just this once. It’s hardly as if it gets dirty with just you and me walking on it, is it? Oh, and Oscar and Serena are coming this afternoon. I forgot to mention it.’

‘Why . . . have they some news?’

Hermione shook her head sadly. ‘Not as far as I know or they would have come specially to tell me.’

‘Hm, in that case I’d best go and bake a cake.’ With that Mrs B disappeared off to the kitchen leaving Hermione to stare out of the front window where trestle tables were being laid up and down the centre of the road ready for the celebrations later that day.

*