Chapter Eight
Fiona spent the morningattending to several pressing matters having to do with some of the food vendors. Mrs. Thompson, the cook, had been sending her odd looks all day, and Fiona greatly feared she’d peeked into the sitting room this morning and seen her in Morgan’s arms.
She sighed and scrubbed a hand over her face as she climbed the stairs toward the room she’d assigned to Ginny. There was nothing she could do about it now. Mrs. Thompson was her employee, not the other way around, so she doubted the woman would actually say anything about it. Still, she hated to think she’d lost the woman’s esteem. She’d always done her best to keep her personal life, what little she had of one, strictly separated from Brookhaven. A woman with a past like hers could not afford the slightest hint of impropriety.
As she passed the room that Morgan had painted, she couldn’t resist ducking inside for a moment. Christina and Bridget were excitedly showing the beautiful murals to a few of the other girls, and the beaming smiles on their faces melted Fiona’s heart. These children had such little joy in their lives, and the fact that Morgan had seen their need for beauty and had fulfilled it made her appreciate him on a soul-deep level. She couldn’t wait to see what he created next.
Her earlier malaise somewhat abated, she left the room and continued down the hall to find Ginny. Tapping lightly on the correct door, she entered the room to find the girl still sleeping. Fiona wasn’t surprised, since Ginny had been heavily sedated last night.
With a sigh, she sank down on the edge of the mattress and brushed a lock of dark hair out of the girl’s eyes. She was little more than a baby, though her thin face hinted at too many missed meals. She’d hoped that perhaps the girl might tell her if she had a family to return to, but it was doubtful that she did. She’d probably been sold into prostitution by her own family, or she was one of the countless orphans who filled the streets of the East End.
“Oh, Ginny,” she murmured. “What am I going to do with you?”
“She’s still not awake?” Morgan asked hoarsely from behind her.
She spun around to find him standing in the doorway, a concerned frown on his handsome face. The memory of his hands on her shoulders, the sweet kiss he’d given her before he’d left, nearly overwhelmed her, but she stubbornly pushed such thoughts aside. Despite his kindness, he was still miles above her, and she must remember that.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, suddenly suspicious. “Were you going to try and talk to her?”
He shook his head. “No. I told you I wouldn’t, and I meant it. I was just looking for you, and Mrs. Thompson told me I could find you here.”
The tension in her shoulders eased somewhat. “I’m sorry. I suppose I’m just still exhausted from last night.”
“It’s all right,” he assured her, and she noticed that his own eyes were hooded with exhaustion. “I’m barely remaining upright myself.” He gave her a wan smile, then gestured to the large wicker basket she hadn’t noticed he was carrying. “I brought the children a gift, but I wanted to clear it with you first.”
He crossed the room to her side and set the basket down on the bed next to her. As he did so, the basket... whined?
“What on earth?” she murmured, lifting the lid to see two small tan puppies wriggling around inside.
“I was on my way here, and a boy was trying to sell a half-dozen puppies—”
“You paid for these mutts?” she interrupted incredulously.
“He obviously needed the money,” he replied with a wan smile. “Anyway, I remembered how much happiness my own dog gave me when I was a child, and I thought it might make the children here happy to have a few dogs around. I understand that dogs involve a lot of work, and if you don’t want them, I’ll take them home with me...” He paused and tilted her face up to his. “Why are you crying?”
“Oh, Morgan,” she whispered, dashing helplessly at the tears streaming down her cheeks, furious with herself for yet another show of emotion. She’d managed to keep her feelings locked away for so long, she’d almost convinced herself she didn’t have any, and she didn’t know why they were all rising to the surface now. “It’s beautiful. You’re so beautiful.”
