But if Mrs. Shaw had been seen conversing with the governor, glancing about furtively, her actions might be taken as a woman who was having, or wanted to have, an affaire de coeur. They could also be the actions of a woman colluding with one of the governors to remove the children in order to ask for more funding, as Mr. Thanos said had been done.

Mrs. Shaw drew a sharp breath. “I were only looking out for the Hospital. No one wants the poor creatures, but it costs so much to care for them. If pretending they’re fostered out or adopted away by kind people makes the crown or private donors give us more money, where’s the harm?”

She spoke in all sincerity and innocence. Perhaps she was innocent. Perhaps the governor presented it to her as a scheme to provide more for the children—Mrs. Shaw did seem to like them. I remembered how kind she’d been to Grace, but I now shivered.

“Where’s the ’arm?” Bessie demanded in a near shout. “Ye get poor tykes kidnapped and put God knows where, and you say where’s the ’arm? They trust ya—they ain’t got no choice. And ye spirits them away. Where to, eh?”

“A good question,” I said severely. “Let us have it, Mrs. Shaw. Who did you give the children to, and how can we find them?”

Mrs. Shaw gazed at our unyielding faces. Tess had set down the tray, but she remained solidly by me, no mercy in her.

“What are you all imagining?” Mrs. Shaw asked in astonishment. “I’d never hurt our lads and lasses, not a hair on their heads.”

“Then where are they?” Bessie asked before I could.

“In the country.” Mrs. Shaw’s defiance began to turn to nervousness. “There’s a nice big farm where some of the boys and girls are apprenticed. They’re there, enjoying the outdoors and not being cooped up in the Hospital.”

“It’s a bit cold this time of year,” I said. “Like as not, they’re working hard, and in the rain.”

“No, no.” Mrs. Shaw gave me a pleading look. “He said it was all for the best.”

“Who did?” I leaned to her. “Which of the governors has wrapped you around his finger? Or are all of them in on it?”

Mrs. Shaw stared at me a long moment, then she dissolved into sudden tears. “You’re wrong. He’s a kind man. Only wants more money for the Hospital, for more teachers and warm blankets.”

“No, he is skimming the extra money for his own use,” I said in a hard voice. “I have seen the account books.” I hadn’t understood a line of the account books, in truth, but I trusted Mr. Thanos.

Mrs. Shaw looked up in stunned disbelief. “What you mean? Not His Grace. He’d never do that.”