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Lady Chapman’s eyes widened. Then she scowled. “You need to learn some manners, Eleanor Heavenly. Then maybe you would have had a husband by now.”
“I know,” Eleanor said sweetly. “Just think, if I was married by now, I would be a lot like you. Good evening, Lady Chapman. I’m sure Lawson will show you out.”
It wasn’t until she was in the hallway that she heard Lady Chapman protesting about Eleanor’s words. But Eleanor kept walking, resisting the urge to laugh. She did like putting that woman on the back foot. She was increasingly irritating, and Eleanor was getting fed up with being put down. Lorraine Chapman was not a nice person.
It was a wonder she married at all with her attitude. She would love Clarice Newman.
Cecilia joined Eleanor next to the laundry room, trying to hold in a fit of giggles.
“And you were just talking to me about being charitable.” Her eyes twinkled “Ouch!”
“Like you said, she brings out the worst in people.” Eleanor took the parcel. “I’ll help you get these clothes distributed.”
Chapter Five
Eleanor had planned to be back by ten, but she lost track of time. Again. She got so engrossed in her work volunteering with the nuns and seeing all the children looking so happy whenever she was around that everything else became a distant memory. She helped get the children into bed, reading a bedtime story to several of them and helping with the babies. That was her favourite part, looking after the babies as they fell asleep. Eleanor loved to hold babies.
It was a shock when one of the nuns tapped Eleanor on the shoulder and reminded her of the time. Eleanor had completely forgotten. She had sent Jonathan back a while back, saying she would walk back on her own as it would still be relatively light. Now it was black outside. She had to go back alone and hope that Parsons was awake to let her in. Eleanor often had a key, but Parsons would be putting on the extra locks tonight, so her father wouldn’t be able to leave. She felt embarrassed that she couldn’t keep an eye on the time, but she couldn’t help it. Eleanor just loved children.
Her friend Marion had told her that she would make a great mother, but Eleanor was sure the time for having children of her own was long gone. She would be considered too old. But there was always adoption, and Eleanor would happily adopt any of the children in the orphanage. If they had enough money to care for a child as well as their servants and themselves, Eleanor would have taken a child home even now. Her father would have been happy to take in another child, for all his faults, he was caring and kind to children. He loved children as much as Eleanor did. If circumstances had been different, and they would have been able to have other children besides Eleanor, their house would have been filled with lots of children. Eleanor knew her father was sad about that, but he doted on Eleanor when she was a little girl. His love of children and her mother’s sweetness had rubbed off on Eleanor. She wanted to give something to those who needed that same love and attention, even if it did remind her that she would more than likely never have children herself. But that was often a brief thought Eleanor pushed aside.
Putting the babies down to sleep in their cribs, Eleanor tiptoed out and went to collect her coat. Cecilia walked her out into the street, holding onto Eleanor’s bonnet and gloves as Eleanor tugged on her coat.
“Are you sure you won’t let Lawson walk you home?” Cecilia asked. “It is very dark out here tonight.”
“It’s fine. The gas lights are working tonight and I’m only around the corner.” Eleanor patted Cecilia’s arm. “I’ll be fine. Really.”
Cecilia didn’t look convinced, and for good reason, they’d had several attacks in the street lately. Some street children who evaded the orphanage’s attempts to bring them in would go after people who looked like they had money and either pickpocket them or hit their victim over the head before taking their valuables. Eleanor hadn’t been accosted yet, but she kept a knife in her pocket. Not the most ladylike of things, but she wasn’t about to be caught on her own and not be able to defend herself.
The sensible thing would be to get Lawson to walk her home as Cecilia suggested, but he was also needed to guard the door. Some unscrupulous characters had previously tried to come in and harass the nuns and steal some children - child labour was big in London. Lawson was someone you didn’t want to have a fight with, and he was better off being at the door. Useful for the children.
Eleanor took her bonnet and fixed it on her head before putting her gloves on. She smiled at Cecilia.
“You get back inside. It’s getting cold. I’ll see you on Thursday.”
“Good night, Lady Eleanor.”
Cecilia stepped back inside, Lawson closing the door behind her. Eleanor then started off down the street. It was only two turns in the street and then she came to her front door. If Eleanor was quick and kept to the lights, she would be fine. Nobody had bothered her so far. Fingers crossed, they would leave her alone.
“Hey! That’s enough! Enough!”
Eleanor slowed as she reached the end of the road. There was a tall man, a very tall man, wearing black with a hat low over his eyes grabbing two boys by their collars, hoisting them away from each other. It looked like they were trying to get loose and fight each other, but the man between them held them like he was holding a piece of paper.
“Enough!”
The man threw them on the floor, both boys sprawling. The young lads stopped fighting. Eleanor found herself stopping as she watched. Was this man abusing them? Or was something else going on? She couldn’t bring herself to keep moving. Mostly because she had to go through the middle of the fight.
The man stood over them, his voice a low snarl.
“What part of that did you not understand? Do you want to be punished for ignoring what you were told to do?”
The boys were cowering in front of him, clearly terrified. Now Eleanor was beginning to worry. What was going on? Had this man been breaking up a fight? Or had something else been happening?
Someone grabbed at her wrist. Eleanor gasped and spun around. A little boy was holding onto her sleeve, a knife in his hand pointed at her face. Eleanor froze. She should have reached for her own knife, but this was a boy. She couldn’t do it.
“Are you deaf? I said that’s enough!”
Then there were footsteps and the boy immediately let go of Eleanor, his expression going from one of determination to absolute fear. He backed away, and Eleanor turned to see the man approaching them. The shadows seemed to wrap around him, his hat hiding his eyes, but it was clear that he was focused on the little boy.
