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the floor.’ She applied the crumpled skirt of her apron to her eyes. ‘Mrs Sangster had a cut on her head and was unconscious, though she was groaning a bit.’
    Tears filled her eyes again. ‘It was a right shock seeing her like that  . . . and I wished I’d gone up earlier, that I do.’
    â€˜Hush, Connie. It wasn’t your fault, and even if you had gone up it wouldn’t have made much difference.’
    â€˜I reckon she tried to get off the commode, because it was tipped over and the contents were everywhere. I think she might have slipped in it. I knew she wouldn’t want to be seen by anyone like that, so I fetched the mop and bucket and cleaned up the mess as best as I could. She looked right poorly. Her eyes were rolled up in her head. She was trembling and had blood on her face and in her hair. I wrapped a blanket around her and rang for the doctor to come out. Only her usual doctor wasn’t there so I called his partner.’
    â€˜You did the right thing.’
    â€˜You wouldn’t have thought so when I told Mrs Mortimer. She was furious I did that without her permission, even though she told me to deal with it myself. She said she’d not long been up there and made Mrs Sangster comfortable, and she must have got out of bed by herself and fallen on to the commode and pushed it over. That was a lie, since she’d been in the bath with the radio on loud for nearly an hour. When I pointed that out she got real nasty and told me to keep my mouth shut, else I’d find myself looking for another job.’
    Standing in front of the warm stove, Livia’s clothes had begun to steam.
    â€˜Go and change into something dry, love,’ Connie said. ‘I’ve kept you some dinner, and you might as well get it into yourself because I think it’s going to be a long night. Bring what you’re wearing back down and we’ll sponge the mud off and hang it somewhere to dry. We might as well be doing something useful, as not.’
    Dressed in her uniform, her damp hair pulled into her cap, Livia was grateful for the dinner, despite her worry over Mrs Sangster. The lump of pudding studded with minute brown chunks of sticky date was a small, tasty island in a sea of thin yellow custard. Connie knew how to economize with the rations and still dish up a delicious meal.
    Livia wondered what her sister and brother were eating  . . . very little by the look of them, but at least they had the chocolate for tonight. She reminded herself that she must try and get them out of the orphanage  . . . but how? She could barely manage to look after herself.
    She and Connie sat in the kitchen, talking, and after a while they heard footsteps on the stairs. They went into the hall, gazing expectantly upwards as the doctor came down escorted by Mrs Mortimer.
    â€˜Ah, there you are, Carr. I suppose Mrs Starling has informed you of what’s happened. Next time you decide to gallivant off to London, check with me first.’
    â€˜But Mrs Mortimer—’
    â€˜I’d never have allowed you to go if I’d known the nurse was absent. It was too bad of her to leave without giving notice.’ She turned to the distinguished man standing next to her, giving him a simpering smile. ‘Perhaps you’d like to be the one to put their minds at rest, Doctor Elliot.’
    Livia remembered Denton Elliot saying his father was a doctor, and wondered if this was him. Yes  . . . he had the same greenish eyes, the same height and build.
    â€˜Is Mrs Sangster going to be all right?’ Livia asked him.
    â€˜She’s concussed, but is now conscious, and although she’s quite bruised, the cut on her head doesn’t need any sutures.’ He also had the same type of voice, soft and clear, but with a growly undertone. ‘Mrs Sangster will need someone to stay awake with her all night, in case her condition