Caroline had also enquired of him what proof he had for the aspersions he sought to cast upon his wife; whereupon he had claimed to have a witness who had seen Alice and the doctor together during his absence at the war, and on more than one occasion. He had been most reluctant to furnish the name of this person, but she had pressed, and he had by and by named the witness as Emily Norris. This was calumny indeed! Since the girl depended upon William’s charity for the roof above the heads of herself and her family, her position was all but impossible. She could not deny him for risk of finding the Norrises out on the very streets. His sister was forced to conclude that his association with a certain lady had caused him to become devious in the extreme. She concluded with the sorry admission that William had sunk lower in her estimation than ever in their lives.

Alice was further sobered by the contents of this missive. Any hope – however faint – she had entertained of regaining the affection and trust of her husband now evaporated. To visit Mrs Lockwood would be futile, if there could be no alteration in William. The only thing that mattered now was that she should not be parted from her child. All at once, with a resolution and purpose she had not felt for some time, she took out paper and ink and pen, and sat down to write.

6 Montpellier Spa Road, Cheltenham

24th June 1858

William –

It has this morning become clear to me that no course remains open to us but to part. Nevertheless I wish to state with all my heart, here in the ink on this page, that this sundering is at your behest. I repudiate your case entirely.

You have since your return from the Crimean campaign been of a much altered disposition, and to this I shall attribute the course you are now set upon.

If you would be so good as to call on me here, I have a proposal to put before you which I believe to be expedient to us both. I have been given to understand that if any collusion between husband and wife should be discovered, no divorce may take place. Therefore I urge you to guard this letter closely, or better consign it to flames.

I remain pro tempore your loving wife,

Alice

There. The thing was done. She sealed the letter and smoothed down her skirt. She smoothed down her skirt again for courage, before dipping her pen once more into the inkwell and beginning a second note, to the doctor. On this page she wrote only three words:

I will come.

Part 2

8.

Cornwall, summer 1977