Loving Lucy by Lynne Connolly Page A

and dabbing it carefully on her wounds she groaned and began to come to.
    Miss Simonson immediately sat on the bed so she could be seen. Lucy’s heavenly blue eyes opened and the first thing she saw was her aunt. She smiled and stretched out a hand, but then winced when she felt the pain of her wounds. Horror filled her eyes, as the realisation came back to her. She didn’t seem able to speak.
    Miss Simonson took her hand and patted it, trying to reassure her. “We’re going to find you somewhere to stay while this mess is sorted out. Don’t worry.” It was all she could think of to say, and it sounded painfully inadequate to Potter, but she couldn’t think of anything better.
    The two women turned to more practical matters. Miss Simonson found a gown of soft cotton, and a lawn chemise. She didn’t concern herself with the stays Lucy usually wore. It took the two of them to dress her, one to hold her steady and the other to fasten buttons, push hands into long sleeves.
    When they had dressed Lucy in a pelisse and hat, she looked perfectly respectable. Potter took very little time to slip into her own outdoor clothes. “If we call a hackney we’ll rouse the household,” she said while she dressed. “I’ll walk with her to the square and see if we can find something there. I think, madam, we should pack something for her ladyship.
    A carpet-bag was found and several items hastily thrown into it. “I’ll send more if I can,” Miss Simonson promised. Then she looked at Potter, her soft grey eyes full of trouble. “Will you come back? You’ll be suspected if you don’t.” She stared at the embers in the grate. “I know.” Her face brightened. “I’ll say that I found you in tears when you came to light my fire in the morning. Your mother is very ill, you’ve just heard, and so you’re worried. I’ll give you leave to visit her. Will that do?”
    “Yes, madam, that will do very well. Thank you. I’ll come back as soon as I’m able. Mrs Jenks will complain, but she’s a fair woman, and if you say you’ve given me leave she won’t be too upset.”
    “Good.”
    All through this, Lucy had not spoken a word, receding into numbness. It seemed that she was unaware of her surroundings. When she was asked to lift an arm to be dressed, or hold her foot out for her little kid boot to be fastened, she did so, but without comment, without seeming to notice. She stared in front of her, her only independent movement being the occasional blink. At least she was biddable, Potter thought in relief.
    Getting down two flights of stairs and out of the front door was a nightmare.
    Miss Honoria didn’t come with them in case they were discovered, but stood outside Lucy’s room, her niece’s ruined gown and chemise over her arm, and nodded her goodbyes. Now they were outside the room it wasn’t safe to talk
    The first floor was the worst. This was where Lady Royston slept. She always claimed to be a very light sleeper, but she didn’t wake up tonight. Potter was glad this was a well regulated household; that everything was in its place and the stairs didn’t creak.
    Slowly, carefully, Potter and her silent charge made their way to the front door. Potter held the carpet bag in one hand and kept her arm gently about Lady Lucy’s waist. When they got to the front door Potter slid the bolts back carefully. Not one of them squeaked. She knew where the key was kept and it was a matter of seconds to fetch it and carefully unlock the door, holding the key with both hands, just to be sure.
    The cold March night surged in to the warmth of the house. Potter closed the door and turned the key in the lock. She put the key through the letterbox and heard the soft thud on the mat inside. Miss Simonson had promised to come downstairs and secure the door, but only when she was sure there was nobody stirring in the house. They tried to be as cautious as they could.
    Potter didn’t feel safe until she had Lady Lucy in the Square at