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in her stomach returned at the thought of him. Why in the world was she so distraught over the events of last night? He didn’t know it was her that robbed them, and he certainly had enough money that he could part with a bit of coin.
    Furthermore, there was no doubt in Victoria’s mind that if he knew the money was being used for a good cause, he’d be happy about it. Wouldn’t he?
    Then why wouldn’t that damned sick feeling go away?
    She shook her head free of the thoughts. She didn’t want to think about that anymore. There were much more important issues at hand, and the most important one right now was convincing her mother she didn’t need an escort to Lady Hartswell’s this morning.
    “Mother, really, I’ll be fine. I’ve never needed an escort to Lady Hartswell’s before, there’s no reason to start now just because Tom is home. Besides, he has a life of his own and, I’m sure, much to do now that he’s back. He has been gone for two years, after all.”
    “Exactly,” Tom said, rising from his seat. “And with that said, I shall take my leave.” He bowed to Mother and then to Victoria before leaving the room.
    “I shall be home shortly,” Victoria said, backing out of the room on Tom’s heels. “Goodbye, Mother.”
    She didn’t wait for a response, and as soon as she was out of the room, she hastened to gather her things: Pelisse, bonnet, parasol, gloves, reticule . Good heavens, she didn’t have time for all this today. She’d already been delayed too long and she still had to walk almost to Lady Hartswell’s , where Gil would be waiting for her.
    One of these days she would actually have to visit Lady Hartswell , lest the woman ever go out in society again and find herself engaged in conversation with Lady Grantham. However, today was not the day for that. The hospital needed her.
    And they needed her more than she ever could have imagined. Poor Sarah looked as if she hadn’t slept in a week, but still she scurried in and out of the rooms as if someone had lit her bum on fire.
    “Molly’s fever spiked early this morning. I’ve had to quarantine her in that room.” She pointed toward the room they typically reserved for the patients who had passed on and were waiting for their families to claim them . . . or the undertaker if there was no family.
    “I also admitted a young girl last night. She’s been in labor since yesterday afternoon, but things aren’t progressing well.”
    Oh, goodness. “Sarah, we ought to call in a doctor for her.”
    “We haven’t the money, miss. I’ve spent all we had on medicine and supplies.”
    “I have a bit more. It ought to be enough, but Sarah, you know we can’t deliver a baby without Molly.”
    Sarah looked as if she were going to cry, so Victoria grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a little shake. “I know you’re tired, Sarah, but I’m here now. I’m not leaving until everything is under control and you’ve had the opportunity to take a little rest.” She turned Sarah in the direction of the room where Molly waited. “Now, you go look after Molly. We must bring her fever down and get her back in good health as quickly as possibly. I’ll tend to everyone else and check in on our soon-to-be mama.”
    With that, she gave Sarah a little shove and then set to work tending to the other patients. Most were in stable condition with healing wounds or chronic coughs—they simply needed a bit of tending to. It was the laboring mother who needed the most help, and Victoria worried they wouldn’t be able to help her in the end.
    “What’s your name, sweetheart?” she asked of the girl, for really she could not have been more than sixteen years old.
    “Anna,” she said, her voice weak.
    “How close are your pains, Anna?”
    There was a minute of silence while the girl grunted and clung to her stomach in obvious discomfort. When it subsided, she said, “I don’t know for sure, ma’am. Maybe a minute or two.”
    A minute or two.