“I wondered if you’d be willing to go to the Foundling Hospital today,” I said as I continued rolling my new batch of puff pastry for the maids of honor. “Bessie wishes to speak to me—I thought perhaps you could bring her back here. Oh, and a housekeeper called Mrs. Shaw. She might know things without realizing.”

“Right ho.” Cynthia grinned. “I’ll dress up and play Lady Bountiful. Maybe take Thanos with me to lend credence. Perhaps the matrons will believe we want to reward the two ladies for services to the Hospital.”

“Don’t embellish too much.” I patted more butter into the dough and carefully folded it. “Let Bessie know she’s coming to see me, and she’ll likely find a way to leave. She’s clever.”

Cynthia’s eyes twinkled. “Never worry, Mrs. H. I’ll be a model of discretion.”

“You are kind to do this,” I said with sincerity. “I would not ask if there was another way.”

“Don’t be silly. I’m interested in this too, and happy to help.”

Before she could race away, I asked her, “Do you know what’s become of Miss Townsend?”

Cynthia’s cheerful mood evaporated. “No, indeed. We’re growing rather worried. She usually sends word.”

I hoped, I sincerely hoped, she’d not come to harm because of her assistance to us. Miss Townsend was a resourceful young woman, but danger did not always care. Nurse Betts had been resourceful as well.

“Let us keep a lookout for her,” I said.

Cynthia gave me a nod and skimmed out as quickly as she’d come in.

Tess and I continued preparations for the tea. To keep myself from fretting during the wait, I mixed and baked a large cake and covered it with buttercream and glacé fruit. It was a complicated endeavor, and the hours passed quickly. By the time I sent up all the tea things, arranged daintily on porcelain plates, Cynthia returned.

Behind her came Bessie, a scowl on her face, and Mrs. Shaw. I saw Mr. Thanos’s boots above, but he disappeared from view.

“Thanos was invited in to the ladies’ tea,” Cynthia said, an impish look on her face. “Auntie is taken with him now that he has a sponsor. I suppose I’d better go up and make certain he isn’t overwhelmed by Auntie’s dithering friends.”

Cynthia looked very pretty this afternoon in a tea gown of deep blue trimmed with pink. She’d put a fur cape over this for her trip to the Foundling Hospital, and looked every inch the Lady Bountiful she’d purported to be.

Mrs. Shaw and Bessie both greeted Elsie warmly, but Mrs. Shaw did not look best pleased to learn we were to have our tea below stairs. “I thought when her ladyship invited us out, we’d be sitting upstairs in the parlor. Not shunted off to the servants’ hall.”