The Family Way (Molly Murphy, #12)

“And you didn’t know who she was arguing with or what the argument was about?”


“I never got the chance to speak to her again,” Emily said. “The next morning she had run away.”

“Oh, dear,” I said. “I had hoped that there was a happier reason—that the father of the child had come for her and they had run off together.”

“No. It wouldn’t have been that,” she said. “I know she wanted nothing to do with him. If any of us had had any hope, any other possibility, we’d never have gone to the convent. It is a place of last resort for those who have nowhere else to go.”

“You don’t think she would have tried to go back to her family in Ireland then?”

She shook her head firmly. “She always said she could never go home. She was too ashamed.”

“Can you think of anyone else she might have confided in? Was she close to any other girl there?”

Emily sighed. “She was rather a reserved person—kept her thoughts to herself. She never said much about her home or family. Well, none of us did. It was as if we were afraid to get close to anyone, or to trust anyone. We never knew which of the girls might be Sister’s spies.”

I was startled at this. “Sister Jerome, you mean? She treated you cruelly?”

“I meant Sister Angelique.”

“Who was she?” I asked.

“Sister Jerome’s assistant. She was brought across to us when Sister Francine died and Sister Jerome was training her. Sister Jerome was cold and strict, but at least you knew where you were with her. Sister Angelique was just downright mean and reported back to Jerome. She had her favorites, and she could be quite charming. But if she didn’t take to you—watch out. She was spiteful in small ways. If a girl was afraid of mice and rats, she’d make her work down in the cellar, which was full of them. She’d withhold food as punishment. She’d stick one girl with washing the dirty diapers day after day. And she’d hand out favors to those who were compliant.”

“It sounds like a horrible boarding school,” I said.

“Not like my school,” she answered. “I loved my time there. I was never happier.”

“So there is no other girl you can think of who might know where Maureen went?”

She shook her head. “I can’t think of anyone she would have confided in. I was really her only friend. She was my only friend.” She had been staring out at the lake, but looked up to meet my eye. “Look, I wish I could help you more. I want to find her as much as you do—more than you do. She was good to me when I was in that hateful place and went through…” She glanced down at my own round shape. “Well, you know,” she said. “You can imagine.”

“I’m sure it must have been awful for you.”

We had reached the shore of the lake. Sid and Gus came up beside us. Emily turned away and stared across the water again.

“It seems that some nightmares never end,” she said. “Some people are destined for happiness while others aren’t.”

“Your fiancé?” Sid said. “I take it he was not your choice.”

“Would you marry a man like that if you had a choice?” Emily demanded fiercely. “You saw him. He’s repulsive and old. And he paws me with those big meaty hands. It’s almost more than I can bear.”

“Then refuse to marry him,” Gus said. “They can’t force you to marry against your will.”

“Unfortunately they can,” Emily said. “My mother still hasn’t forgiven me for disgracing her, and they’ve made it quite clear that I am no longer welcome in the family home. It is to be a quick marriage to Mr. Clifton, whose lands adjoin ours and thus is advantageous to us, or I am to be cast out, alone with no money. I’ve nowhere to go. No money and no skills. So actually it’s a choice between life and death.”

“I’m sorry,” I said.

She pressed her lips together as she nodded. “My only consolation is that he’s old. He can’t live forever, can he? But then who knows how long I will live? I almost died when I had the baby. There is no guarantee I’d survive a second delivery.”

“Is there no chance of being reconciled with the baby’s father?” Gus asked gently.

Emily shook her head. “He went away.”

“And you haven’t tried to get in contact with him again? You wouldn’t want to see him again?”

“Of course I’d want to,” Emily snapped. “It’s impossible, that’s all.”

“I’m sorry,” Gus said gently. “We have no right to pry. I just hate to see a woman being treated so unjustly.”