Edward hadn’t thought of that and thenotion that she was simply with his parents, waiting for him to get back,filled him with a little hope that she was okay. But how would shethink I would find out where she was? Edward wondered. Maybe she’sleft a note for me somewhere. He chastised himself for not havingsearched his own room for any letter or note that she might have lefthim—exactly as he had done for her. The sinking feeling that he had beenexperiencing was suddenly lifted to one of hope. That will be it—she’sleft me a note telling me where to find her. ‘I’m going to make onefinal check of Blackfriars. If I don’t find anything, I’ll return withhelp and we’ll begin searching for her.’
‘Okay.’
Edward stood up and darted from the houseback to Blackfriars. ‘Why didn’t I think of that before?’ he mumbled tohimself as he ran into the estate.
Breathlessly, Edward climbed the stairs tohis bedroom. He headed straight for the bed and lunged for thepillow. Below it, there was no note. Nothing. He then turnedthe room upside down, emptying drawers and his wardrobe, searching every nookand cranny that he could find. But there was nothing. The roomhadn’t been touched since he had left for Scotland.
In despair, Edward kicked the bed and thenyelped in pain. He stood in the centre of his trashed room, desperatelytrying to stop himself from crying. He frantically considered his optionsand any places where she might have gone or clues that she might have left herein Blackfriars. There was only one other place to check: her bedroom.
Descending the stairs two, sometimes threeat a time, Edward raced along the corridor and up the stairs to the femaleservants’ quarters.
‘Edward!’ Eliza yelled angrily when shebumped into him at the top of the stairs. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘Sorry, Eliza, I know it’s forbidden but Imust look in Mary’s room,’ Edward managed to say through gasps forbreath. ‘She’s disappeared.’
‘What do you mean?’ Eliza askedindignantly.
Upon hearing a man’s voice, Clara steppedout of the bedroom that she had shared with Mary. ‘What’s he doing uphere?’
Edward turned to face Clara. ‘Marystopped working here on Wednesday and she hasn’t been seen since. None ofher family knows where she is and—’ he was cut off by another voice furtherdown the corridor.
‘She was sacked, the naughty littlegirl.’ It was Joan, who stuck her head out from her bedroom door.
‘Do you know why she was sacked, Joan?’Edward asked.
Joan shrugged her shoulders smugly.
‘Please, nobody knows where she is,’Edward pleaded.
Joan grinned. ‘Apparently, so I wastold, Mary was caught by Her Royal Highness wearing all her fancyclothes. Parading up and down in her bedroom, so I was told. Typical Mary—thinking she’s better than everyone else.’
Edward was perplexed. Why wouldMary be wearing Lady Philadelphia’s clothes? Was that even enough to besacked? ‘Then what happened?’
Joan shrugged again.
‘Joan, just tell him if you know anything,you can see how worried he is,’ Clara said.
‘She came up here, packed up her thingsand left. I saw her leaving myself. Gone. She’s probablyhiding, too ashamed to show her face. She’ll not work in a house likethis again, I can tell you.’
Clara rolled her eyes, then facedEdward. ‘Did she not just go home?’
‘No, she never showed up. I washoping she might have left a note or a clue.’
‘You’re welcome to have a look in ourroom, but I haven’t seen any notes.’
‘Thanks—it’s my last hope before I reallystart to panic,’ Edward said, as he followed Clara into the room. Elizaalso joined them and between them they methodically searched the smallbedroom.
‘There’s nothing here,’ Edward said,resigning himself to the situation. Her drawers and wardrobe were empty,her bed was stripped bare: there was nothing of Mary here. She’s gone,he was forced to admit.
Edithhad to get some fresh air. At least that was what she had told her motherearlier today. In reality, she needed to escape her overbearing sister,Caroline. She longed for the day Caroline would return to own house inBristol. Why is she even still here? Edith asked herself, as shetraipsed through the Strand Gate, running her fingers slowly over the ancientstone. She says it’s because Mother is still unwell, but it’s morelikely because she’s enjoying being in charge. A gentle wind waftedthrough Edith’s hair and seemed to calm her thoughts. She stood still andclosed her eyes, trying to settle her mind before returning home. Shewished things could go back to how they were last year. The seriousnessof life seemed to have suddenly come upon her. In just a few days she andMary would turn eighteen. It was a milestone birthday and they were atodds with each other. Edith inhaled and exhaled deeply, trying—reallytrying to forgive her twin. But she just couldn’t yet. She feltutterly deceived by Mary’s actions in the past few months. First the job,then Edward. And she didn’t even have the courage to turn up on Wednesdayto face her—probably snuggled up somewhere with her fancy man.
‘It’ll work itself out, Edie,’ her motherhad said, trying to console her. ‘Look how it all turned out with thejob—you’re going to be the second housemaid at Durrant House. Besideswhich, you’re still young. You don’t need to saddle yourself with a manyet. Trust me, there’s plenty of time for that.’
But her anger and hostility only worsenedand deepened. Edith had been alarmed at the rise of her ill feelingstowards her sister. Then she had berated herself for such shamefulthoughts.
Edith turned the corner into Friar’sRoad. Something was going on. Something serious. The usuallydeserted street was bustling with activity. At least fifteen people,comprising neighbours, friends and some servants whom she recognised fromBlackfriars, were all milling about and chatting noisily just in front of herhouse. Was it her mother? It couldn’t be, she had seemed so wellsince she’d been home. Perhaps it was her father.
Edith spotted her mother among the crowdand rushed over to her. ‘What’s going on?’ she asked.
‘It’s Mary, she’s disappeared. Apparently she left work on Wednesday lunchtime and never came home. They’ve not seen her since at Blackfriars. Edward’s gathered all thesepeople up to look for her. You’ve not seen her, have you?’
‘No,
