He shook his head. ‘There’s a good chance that after today’s fall she could lose it,’ he told her honestly. ‘And if she doesn’t . . . well, as you said, she’s little more than a child herself so it’s not a good situation for her to be in, but we’ll just have to wait and see. I shall call back tomorrow, but if you need me before then don’t hesitate to send for me.’

‘Of course. Thank you, doctor.’

He paused with his hand on the door handle. ‘Oh, and perhaps before I go I should have a word with Mr and Mrs Pembroke about . . . Ruby’s condition?’ It was wasn’t something he was relishing telling them so he was somewhat relieved when Miss Wood shook her head.

‘Oh, don’t worry. It might be better coming from me,’ she told him quickly and once he had left the room, she stared down at Ruby’s inert form worriedly, wondering what would happen to the poor girl now. She wasn’t looking forward to telling her mistress and had no doubt that once Mrs Pembroke knew Ruby was with child she would order her from the house immediately; the woman didn’t have an ounce of compassion in her. Thankfully, as it turned out she didn’t have to tell them for as the doctor descended the stairs, he found Oscar Pembroke waiting in the hall for him.

Dr Markham had attended Oscar since he was a child and thought highly of him, although he couldn’t say the same for his wife. She frequently sent for him for the least little thing and he couldn’t recall having ever met a more self-centred, neurotic person. Their daughter, the cause of this upset, wasn’t much better. Putting that from his mind he told Oscar gently, ‘As I thought, the leg is broken. I have set it and apart from cuts and bruises there seem to be no other serious injuries. I have given her something to make her sleep for a while. I’m afraid she’s going to be in a lot of pain when she wakes up. But I also ought to inform you that my examination also showed that, er . . .’ He squirmed uncomfortably for a second before rushing on, ‘My examination also confirmed that the girl is about three months pregnant.’

‘What?’ Oscar had thought things couldn’t get much worse but they just had, and the colour drained from his face like water from a dam. ‘Are you quite certain?’