‘Well, her leg is broken, that’s for sure,’ he told them. ‘It’s going to need to be set and the best time to do it is while she’s still unconscious. Could you find me something that will serve as splints? And I’ll need bandages, as many as you can lay your hands on. Or rip up a sheet into strips for me, but first let’s get her into bed.’

Bill went to find something that would be suitable as splints while Betty rushed off to tear a sheet up. Meanwhile the doctor very gently lifted Ruby and carried her to a room Miss Wood directed him to on the first floor.

Once Bill and Betty came back with what he needed he soaked a pad of cloth with some foul-smelling liquid. ‘I’m going to have to twist her leg back into the right position and it’ll be agony if she’s awake so if she shows any sign of coming round put this across her nose and keep it there until I tell you,’ he instructed Miss Wood. ‘Once that’s done, we’ll look at her other injuries.’

Twenty minutes later the leg was splinted and heavily bandaged and as Miss Wood and the doctor gently undressed the girl they both gasped as they saw the state of her arms and legs. They were covered in bruises, some fresh, some fading.

‘What the hell?’ The doctor was appalled. ‘How did she come by all these?’

Miss Wood frowned. ‘I wouldn’t mind betting Miranda did them. She’s very fond of lashing out if things aren’t done the way she likes it.’

‘Disgusting! It’s about time her parents took a belt to her and taught her how to behave,’ he snorted. ‘You can be sure I shall be having words with them before I leave.’ He continued his examination and after a few minutes he glanced at Miss Wood and asked solemnly, ‘Were you aware that this girl is about three months pregnant?’

Miss Wood wrung her hands together. ‘Cook did have her suspicions,’ she admitted. ‘But we hoped she was wrong. I can’t understand it. Ruby is such a good girl.’

At last he straightened. ‘There don’t appear to be any other serious injuries but she’s going to need careful nursing and she’s going to be in a lot of pain when she wakes up so when it gets too bad give her a few drops of this in water.’ He handed her a small glass jar full of a dark-brown liquid.

After showing him to the door, she asked tentatively, ‘And what about the baby? Ruby is only a child herself.’