. Oh, I don't know. It's wrong, yes, I know. But if the only way to save Harriet was to kill that man, I wouldn't think twice about it. I'd pull the trigger cheerfully. And at the moment the only thing that stops me giving in to despair is the thought that I could do that. Does that make me an animal or something.? Immoral.? Inhuman.? Unwomanly.? I don't care. I'm not going to give in. I'm not going to sit around weakly and let it happen. I'll fight it legally all the way, and then if need be . . ."
She sat there, her hands clenched on her knees. Rosa watched her, and then put her hand over Sally's.
"But I've made some progress," Sally said. "I've found out Mr. Beech's address."
"And I'm going to find the birth certificate," said Rosa.
"And there's this person Mr. Lee of somewhere in Spital-fields. He comes into it somewhere. Let's go and put Harriet to bed, and then you can help me write to Mr. Beech. D'you think Nick would know how to trace mysterious clergymen.?"
The next day Rosa went to Somerset House and came back baffled, having paid a penny for a copy of the birth certificate of a Harriet Beatrice Rosa Parrish, who it said had been born on 30 September 1879 at Telegraph Road, Clapham. Her father's name was Arthur James Parrish; her mother was Veronica Beatrice Parrish, formerly Lockhart. Of Harriet Beatrice Rosa Lockhart, born on the same day at Orchard House, Twickenham, there was no record at all.
"I'm beginning to see what you mean," she said. "It's a lie and a fake, but the lengths they must have gone to. . . . We'll get them. We'll beat them somehow."
She didn't say, though Sally didn't need reminding, that it was a pity Sally hadn't had Harriet baptized, because then
there'd have been a certificate to show that and support Sally's side of the case. Well, it was too late for that now.
Rosa stayed two days at Orchard House. It was a strange time; there was a storm over Sally's head somewhere, and she knew it was going to break, but Rosa's energy and common sense made it impossible to believe that it would hurt her. And yet she knew it would. Sally felt as if she were half out of one world and half into another, and didn't know where she belonged.
The day Rosa left, another legal document arrived. As soon as she opened it, she hastened to Middle Temple Lane.
"It's an injunction," the lawyer said. "Oh, dear. How very unfortunate. What have you been doing, Miss Lockhart.^"
"An injunction—^what's that.'"'
"It's an order of the court requiring you to refrain from— oh, dear, dear, dear—have you been to Mr. Parrish's house.'"'
"Yes."
"And have you been disturbing—at any rate, you have upset a neighbor, it seems."
''^Mhat?\ spoke to her for less than a minute. She was the one who upset me, if anything. What on earth is this injunction for.^ Does he mean I'm not allowed to go and ask people questions, for heaven's sake.'"'
"Precisely that. It was most unwise, Miss Lockhart. It puts us in a difficult position as regards—"
"Has your inquiry agent started asking questions yet.'*"
"No, he has not."
"Well, for goodness' sake, why not.'* There's hardly any time left!"
"Miss Lockhart, I must ask you not to raise your voice to me in that fashion. I am quite aware that the feminine nature is more excitable than the masculine, but I had given you credit for some self-control. I have not yet appointed an inquiry agent."
Sally pressed her fists together to try and stay calm.
"But, Mr. Adcock, we spoke about this three days ago. Please —why haven't you appointed an agent yet.'"'
"For the best of all reasons. I want to make perfectly sure that we appoint only the best. I have been pursuing references—^would you like to see the testimonials I have been looking through.'* Miss Lockhart, you must not lose faith in your solicitor. I fully understand the anxiety you must feel, but it does not help to let it become agitation. And it certainly does not help to take steps of the sort you have done and
She sat there, her hands clenched on her knees. Rosa watched her, and then put her hand over Sally's.
"But I've made some progress," Sally said. "I've found out Mr. Beech's address."
"And I'm going to find the birth certificate," said Rosa.
"And there's this person Mr. Lee of somewhere in Spital-fields. He comes into it somewhere. Let's go and put Harriet to bed, and then you can help me write to Mr. Beech. D'you think Nick would know how to trace mysterious clergymen.?"
The next day Rosa went to Somerset House and came back baffled, having paid a penny for a copy of the birth certificate of a Harriet Beatrice Rosa Parrish, who it said had been born on 30 September 1879 at Telegraph Road, Clapham. Her father's name was Arthur James Parrish; her mother was Veronica Beatrice Parrish, formerly Lockhart. Of Harriet Beatrice Rosa Lockhart, born on the same day at Orchard House, Twickenham, there was no record at all.
"I'm beginning to see what you mean," she said. "It's a lie and a fake, but the lengths they must have gone to. . . . We'll get them. We'll beat them somehow."
She didn't say, though Sally didn't need reminding, that it was a pity Sally hadn't had Harriet baptized, because then
there'd have been a certificate to show that and support Sally's side of the case. Well, it was too late for that now.
Rosa stayed two days at Orchard House. It was a strange time; there was a storm over Sally's head somewhere, and she knew it was going to break, but Rosa's energy and common sense made it impossible to believe that it would hurt her. And yet she knew it would. Sally felt as if she were half out of one world and half into another, and didn't know where she belonged.
The day Rosa left, another legal document arrived. As soon as she opened it, she hastened to Middle Temple Lane.
"It's an injunction," the lawyer said. "Oh, dear. How very unfortunate. What have you been doing, Miss Lockhart.^"
"An injunction—^what's that.'"'
"It's an order of the court requiring you to refrain from— oh, dear, dear, dear—have you been to Mr. Parrish's house.'"'
"Yes."
"And have you been disturbing—at any rate, you have upset a neighbor, it seems."
''^Mhat?\ spoke to her for less than a minute. She was the one who upset me, if anything. What on earth is this injunction for.^ Does he mean I'm not allowed to go and ask people questions, for heaven's sake.'"'
"Precisely that. It was most unwise, Miss Lockhart. It puts us in a difficult position as regards—"
"Has your inquiry agent started asking questions yet.'*"
"No, he has not."
"Well, for goodness' sake, why not.'* There's hardly any time left!"
"Miss Lockhart, I must ask you not to raise your voice to me in that fashion. I am quite aware that the feminine nature is more excitable than the masculine, but I had given you credit for some self-control. I have not yet appointed an inquiry agent."
Sally pressed her fists together to try and stay calm.
"But, Mr. Adcock, we spoke about this three days ago. Please —why haven't you appointed an agent yet.'"'
"For the best of all reasons. I want to make perfectly sure that we appoint only the best. I have been pursuing references—^would you like to see the testimonials I have been looking through.'* Miss Lockhart, you must not lose faith in your solicitor. I fully understand the anxiety you must feel, but it does not help to let it become agitation. And it certainly does not help to take steps of the sort you have done and
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