Two

Clouds had almost swallowed up the sun by the time we returned to Patchin Place. The bumpy ride over cobbles woke Liam and his loud cries let me know that he expected to be fed again soon. I felt my breasts react in response. None of this newfangled bottle feeding for me, in spite of my mother-in-law telling me it was more hygienic and that ladies of quality never nursed their infants. I had not regretted my decision for an instant but the arrival of sharp little new teeth made me wonder whether weaning might be a good idea.

“I’m home, Aggie,” I called, pausing in the front hallway to remove my hat and coat.

Her pinched little face appeared from the kitchen. “Laundry’s all done and out, Mrs. Sullivan, but for how long, who can say?”

“You were right about the weather as usual,” I said. “The rainclouds are already gathering.”

“Maybe that’s why I’ve felt so cold all morning,” she said. “Could be a big storm coming.” Liam interrupted this conversation with another wail. Aggie went to lift him out of his pram, but I stopped her.

“It’s all right. He wants feeding. I’ll take him up to the nursery.”

Liam reached out to me to be picked up. I noticed how heavy he was getting as I swung him onto my hip. “I’m going to cut down your rations, my lad,” I said. “You’re getting too big.”

“Don’t say that, Mrs. Sullivan,” Aggie said. “We never got enough to eat at my house. You don’t know what that’s like.”

“No, I don’t,” I said, looking at her with pity. “It’s almost lunchtime. Go and warm us up some of that stew. I’ve got a nice chop for Captain Sullivan’s dinner, if he comes home in time to eat tonight.”

“Oh, that reminds me,” Aggie said. I paused halfway up the stairs and turned back to her. “A man was here this morning asking for Captain Sullivan.”

“What kind of man? A policeman?”

“Oh, I don’t think so.” She chewed on her lip. “A swarthy type. Foreign.”

“What did he want?”

“He just asked when Captain Sullivan was likely to be home. I told him I couldn’t say, and that Captain Sullivan didn’t keep regular hours. We’d hardly seen him at all lately. He then asked about you, and I said you’d be back shortly.”

“Did you ask if you could take a message?” I asked.

“I did. And he said he had to deliver the message to you and the captain in person, so he’d be back when you were both home.”

“How strange,” I said. “Foreign? I can’t think who that might be.”

“I didn’t like the look of him,” Aggie said. “He had shifty eyes.”

I smiled. “You think all foreigners have shifty eyes. Perhaps Daniel will know.”

And I went on up the stairs. Liam was fed and put down for his afternoon nap. The rain started about three and we rushed to get in the line full of laundry. The rest of the day passed without incident. I reread Sid’s letter over an afternoon cup of tea, sharing the interesting bits with Aggie. She was duly impressed. “Imagine traveling halfway around the world and then bumping into a long-lost cousin,” she said. “And a handsome one at that. Maybe they’ll fall in love and marry.”