‘I have every intention of doing just that. In fact, I’ve already written to Madame Babineaux, so you had better get used to the idea.’

Lydia stared at him boldly. ‘I thought you would be in the mood to be more reasonable this morning but it appears I was wrong, so I will repeat what I said last night. If you do go ahead with this, I shall have no choice but to leave you and return to my parents’ home.’

‘And I shall repeat what I said,’ he countered. ‘Go ahead. Let’s face it, Lydia, ours has been a marriage in name only for many years now. We should have parted long ago.’

Temper stained her cheeks an unflattering red as she glared at him. ‘But you know why I couldn’t sleep with you anymore, and why I insisted on us having our own rooms! Should I have fallen for another child it might have killed me!’

‘I know you were never cut out to be a wife, or a mother for that matter, so go with my blessing and I hope one day you will meet someone who will make you happy. Goodbye, Lydia!’ He turned and left the room, closing the door firmly on his farce of a marriage without once looking back.

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

The doctor arrived mid-morning along with Maddie, Mrs Petty and Nell. Bill had taken it upon himself to go and tell them what had happened and now that Maddie had discovered where Ruby was she had wasted no time in rushing to see her. The doctor had just gone in to Ruby when Maddie burst in and he stared at her, ‘And who are you, may I ask?’

‘My name is Madeline Bamber and I am Ruby’s friend.’ Maddie approached the bed and despite everything that had happened Ruby was pleased to see her and clung to her hand as if it was a lifeline. ‘How are you?’ Maddie asked.

Ruby started to cry. ‘Miranda pushed me down the stairs and I’ve broken me leg an’ now the doctor says I’m goin’ to have a baby and I’ve got terrible pains in me stomach.’

‘I see.’ Maddie looked shocked.

‘It were me dad,’ Ruby said between sobs. ‘He forced himself on me. That was why I was running away the night you found me.’

In the doorway, Mrs Petty gasped and rushed towards her, smoothing her hair away from her face. ‘Oh, me poor little lamb,’ she said gently, while Nell stood at the end of the bed feeling helpless in the face of her friend’s pain and anguish.

‘Try not to worry, Ruby,’ Maddie said. ‘We are all here to help now.’

Ruby barely heard her as the pain in her stomach intensified and she bit her lip as she tried not to scream.