Lizzie's heart ached at the plight of these people.
“And then I helped at the Foundling Hospital, where unwanted children are cared for, perhaps you’ve heard of it.”
Lizzie shook her head, and Talbot nodded.
“The Doctor and I not only provide medical aid to these children, but we also try to participate in the education of the younger ones. The older ones often opt for apprenticeships when they are 14 or 16.”
“Interesting,” Lizzie said, all sorts of questions and thoughts buzzing around her head about these unwanted children. “What of the other two institutions?”
Mrs. Cooper shifted in her chair, looking uncomfortable, and directed a pleading look at Elizabeth’s mother, who seemed uncertain of what was expected of her.
“I’m not sure it’s appropriate dinner conversation. One is a lying-in hospital for married poor women, and the other one is for…” She said in a lowered voice, then leaned in and raised both eyebrows meaningfully as she whispered to Lizzie, “penitent prostitutes.”
“I see,” Lizzie nodded seriously. “We can talk more when the men retire.”
“Do you accept new helpers?” Duke Talbot, who hadn’t heard the whispered exchange, asked from his end of the table.
“Of course!” Doctor Cooper replied jovially. “There’s always work to be done.”
“I’m not certain His Grace would derive pleasure from such work,” Mrs Cooper said awkwardly, but Lizzie felt unholy glee at the thought of the arrogant duke spending time with elderly paupers and former prostitutes.
“Charity is good for the soul,” Dr Cooper said, and no one could argue against that.
Mrs. Cooper’s husband, however, wasn’t the only one who always kept an eye on his wife. Talbot had seen Elizabeth’s reaction at the mention of helping the less fortunate, and he was determined to use her charitable impulses to trick her into spending more time with him and seeing that he was a changed man. And yes, he was aware of the irony of that plan.
Before retiring to the library, the men had arranged for the four of them to meet up the following Wednesday for the Talbots’ first voluntary assignment.
Elizabeth was overjoyed – not only would she get the opportunity to do something God-pleasing and meaningful with her time, but her husband would most likely refuse to approach the poor, scoff, or behave terribly in some other way, which would enable her to, once and for all, succeed in suffocating the last of the tenderness she still held for him in her heart.
Chapter 28
Next Wednesday morning, the Talbots were finally alone with each other in their carriage, on their way to meet the Coopers. Neither said anything for a while, not even a passing remark about how cold it was. The husband couldn’t stop staring at the wife, whose dispassionate gaze was directed out the window.
“You probably remember Mrs Cooper saying that they help at four different hospitals,” he said, having determined the work ahead of them to be the wisest topic of conversation. “They will show us two today, and two next Wednesday.”
The duke congratulated himself on his intelligence when his wife looked at him for the first time since entering the carriage and even acknowledged him with a nod.
“One is a charitable lying-in hospital for poor married women,” he continued, emboldened by her response, “and the other is a…” He feigned an inability to remember the name, so he reached into his waistcoat pocket, pulled out some papers and started looking through them.
“Doctor Cooper has explained it all to me here… Ah! The Magdalen Hospital for Penitent Prostitutes.”
Where he would normally have twisted his mouth in distaste at discussing such matters, Talbot intentionally worked on keeping his face open and pleasant. Lizzie watched him with suspicion and curiosity warring against each other in her narrowed eyes.
“From what I’ve gathered, two of the hospitals are focused on healing and health, whereas the other two are focused on education and reformation. Listen to this,” he said and theatrically lifted a page out of Dr. Cooper’s letter.
“The Magdalen Hospital for Penitent Prostitutes focuses on the rehabilitation of fallen women, be they brothel workers or victims of seduction. In order to be admitted, the women must demonstrate a sincere desire to be reformed.
The women attend daily religious services and are trained in work such as laundry,” he concluded.
He’d wanted Elizabeth to know where they were going and who they would be dealing with. He didn’t know how much Mrs Cooper had explained to her, and he wanted to give her the chance to change her mind if this kind of interaction was offensive to her.
“What does he mean by victims of seduction?” Lizzie asked in a quiet voice.
“Sometimes servants are ill-used by their employers, and then find themselves thrown out, or with child, or both,” he said, carefully watching her face, knowing what she would most likely be reminded of.
His wife nodded, then asked, “What else did Doctor Cooper tell you?”
Colin wanted to stamp his foot victoriously, but instead he intently looked through the pages, searching for another paragraph that he’d found particularly interesting.
