Page 39 (2/2)

She erous woman

Francesca woke to the sound of Lil’s urgent voice and her none-too-gentle shaking “Miss Francesca, please…wake up!”

“Lil? Whatever is it?” She opened her eyes, trying to rearrange her thoughts She’d been drea of dark streets and adesperately…but was it toward him, or away from him?

“Miss, we need your help”

Francesca sat up, pushing her hair out of her face, and said the first thing that came to mind “Is it Mr Thorne?”

“Bless you, no! As far as I know, he’s well”

“Then what…?”

“It’s Rosie, miss”

Lil isting her hands in a frantic rasped theht before, Lil had decided Rosie would beher roohtdress that was more or less her size, they’d tucked her into the truckle bed

What could have gone wrong?

“It’s Mrs March,” Lil explained bitterly “She won’t let Rosie stay She’s so angry, ht if I didn’t wake you immediately she’d have the poor e, and it’d be too late”

Francesca pushed back the covers “I’ll talk to her, Lil Don’t worry Go and get Rosie dressed and give her so?”

Lil s away like a little sparrow, irl”

“WeI’ll deal with Mrs March”

Lil sniffed “I hope so, miss”