‘My friend, something troubles you. I can see. I have watched you, seen at times that you are unhappy or concerned, but I do not think that I have ever seen you cast down to this level. You are pale and there is fear in your eyes – fear and pain.’ She reached both hands across and clasped mine. ‘Let me help you. Tell me what has happened.’

‘I hardly dare say,’ I said finally.

‘You must. I will not think you silly and I will not take what you say back to Miss Gillies. Is it Mary?’

I shook my head, the burden of knowledge swollen in my throat, and I could not stop myself; the barrier broke and I began to weep. Once I had begun, I did not cease until the tears had run their course and all the time Bridget held me. I remembered then my mother’s arms, my cheek against her chest. Those days had been too few. She had died giving life to Clara. One heart for another.

‘Listen to me. You cannot keep whatever this is to yourself; it is clearly something of importance.’ She took my wet face in her palms and I lifted my eyes to hers. ‘I could never think you foolish and I promise that whatever you tell me, whatever I feel about it, I shall keep in confidence.’

I believed her and, as Mary had done not two days past, I told her everything.

When I had finished, shock rendered her cheeks pale. We sat in silence as she absorbed what she had learned.

Her eyes were pained. ‘It was well known that Hettie and Paterson were lovers. They hardly hid it. Stupid girl. And Greer,’ she looked at me with concern, ‘her feelings for Paterson were gossiped about long before he took Hettie. It had not occurred to me how that might have affected how she felt about her friend.’ She frowned. ‘Elspeth, it is not good that you have crossed her. I believe her capable of anything. As for Paterson,’ she almost spat on his name, ‘he is a bad creature if there ever was one. That wife and those children see his fists more often than they go to church. Perhaps he too had a hand in it. He would not have liked her to be with his child. We must notify the Edinburgh police. Justice must be served.’

‘It’s too late for police. If it becomes known, do you suppose that Mary will make it alive?’

‘You must tell Miss Gillies.’

I shook my head. ‘Miss Gillies will not want to listen. You know too well that she does not care for Mary and she owes a debt to Greer because of her mother. In a few weeks she may well have Mary committed to an asylum, anyway.’