Hattie stood outside the closed door of her parent's formal drawing room trying without success to calm her breathing. Her knuckles ached from being repeatedly cracked.

She looked down at her dress, there were no more invisible creases to smooth out.

“You look fine my dear,” said Mrs. Little. She patted Hattie gently on the shoulder.

When the door opened and Will stood on the threshold, Mrs. Little gave her an encouraging smile. Will held out his hand.

“Come, Edgar is waiting,” he said.

Hattie stepped into the room. The heartfelt speech she had spent the better part of the past day rehearsing sat ready on her lips. Edgar stood hands clasped in front of him by the window.

His gaze immediately fell on the still healing deep cut on her forehead and he sighed. The Saunders’ family doctor had done an excellent job of close stitches, but Hattie would always bear a scar.

They both took a tentative step forward toward the other.

“Ed,” she barely managed. He put his arms out, ready to pull her into his embrace, but she stopped him.

“I had an encounter with some unpleasant people recently. Much as I would love to wholeheartedly embrace you, it must be a gentle clasping of arms today.”

He looked to Will.

“What is this? You did not mention that my sister had been injured.”

Will walked toward the door. They had agreed that Hattie would tell Edgar the story of what had happened to her at the hands of the Belton Street thugs.

“I shall leave the two of you alone to get reacquainted,” said Will.

“It’s alright Edgar. I shall explain. Thank you Will,” she said.

Once Will had closed the door behind him. Brother and sister stood several feet apart staring at one another. Neither had hoped for this moment, for this miracle of reunion.

“Oh H, thank god you are safe. Every day since you left has been a waking nightmare. Miranda has cried herself to sleep so many nights. I have torn myself apart with guilt.”

Hattie stepped forward and gingerly put her arms around him. Edgar held her softly in his, as he would a small child. The tears Hattie had managed to hold back, finally won. Edgar meanwhile ruffled the top of her hair in the same affectionate way he had done when they were children. Hattie sobbed ever harder at every stroke of his fingers.

When he finally released her, and stepped back, she saw tears shining in his eyes. One of his huge, lopsided grins formed on his lips. She snuffled back the tears and chortled.

“Anyone would think you were pleased to see me,” she said.

“You have no idea,” he replied.

They repaired to the comfort of the big floral couch which sat close to the window. A couch on which they had spent many hours seated side by side in the years before Edgar married and left home. She was grateful that Will had seen fit to keep it.

“How is Miranda? I saw the two of you at St. Paul’s not long after I arrived back in London. Will tells me you have a son.”

Edgar took hold of her hand and held it so tightly in his that Hattie feared he would never let go. Regret over not having sought him out that day at the cathedral brought more tears to her eyes.

“We have been granted two miracles in a year. Long after we had given up hope we were graced with a son. He is the most perfect thing I have ever seen. Miranda cannot wait for you to meet your nephew,” he said.

“What was your second miracle?” she replied.

“You of course. Hattie, we never expected to see you again.”

Edgar sucked in a deep breath.

“Sebastian was born the day you sailed for Africa. Miranda and he both nearly died in childbirth. I had received your message and intended to confront papa the morning you were due to leave. But I could not leave Miranda’s side. It was only later that day when my wife and child were both safe, that I was able to finally leave the house in search of you. I rode like a madman to the dockside but your ship had already sailed. I cannot begin to tell you how many tears I wept at the dockside thinking I had lost you forever.”

Hattie brushed a hand on her brother’s cheek. Edgar had been faced with a terrible dilemma. He had done the right thing in putting the safety of his wife and child first.

“I didn’t abandon you Hattie. Even after you said those cruel things to Miranda about her being too concerned with her looks and money, we never gave up on you. We always knew you were not meant for the life of a missionary in the African jungle. I am beyond grateful that you realized it as well before it was too late. That was an incredibly brave thing you did in Gibraltar.”

She smiled softly. There would not be too many other young women in London who could lay claim to that feat of daring.

“He is a good man, your Mr. Saunders,” said Edgar.

Hattie blinked, taken aback by the sudden change of topic.

“He is not my Mr. Saunders,” she replied.

“Really, I don’t think that is how he sees things. He was deliberately vague about the details of what transpired between the two of you onboard the Canis Major, but I know enough to have agreed to Mr. Saunders’ request to court you. Hattie, you need a husband and knowing the family that Mr. Saunders comes from, you would be hard pressed to do better. There are some realities which you are going to have to face up to and marrying William Saunders is one of them.”

She rose from the couch. She had been half expecting this position from Edgar. Will was no fool, he would see Edgar as the means to press his case for their marriage.

“What is to happen now?” she asked.

“Well Mr. Saunders and I have agreed that you shall move into my house. But before that happens, I need you to explain to me what happened to you. Why can’t I hug you as much as I desperately need to, and what happened to your face?”

“I crossed the boss of one of the criminal gangs in the rookery in Plumtree Street. He gave me a beating which left me with this angry scar and a number of badly bruised ribs.”

The shock and anguish which appeared on Edgar’s face matched that of Will the night Joshua had brought her home. The young women of their social circle led protected lives. Strapping footmen and trusty maids ensured that vagabonds did not get close to them.

Young unmarried women of the haute ton would be hard pressed to point to St. Giles on a map, let alone be willing to set foot in its dangerous streets.

He was about to open his mouth and Hattie knew a pronouncement about her charitable works would soon be on his lips. She had her own speech well-rehearsed.

“I am prepared to come and live with you and Miranda, but I will not give up my work.”

Edgar huffed. “You cannot expect me to accept that condition.”

“Father Brown needs me to help him at St. John’s. In return for letting me undertake my daily visits to the church and Covent Garden market I will agree to stay out of the rookery. I shall live under your roof until my future can be determined.”

Edgar considered her words for a moment.

“And you will rejoin society and allow William Saunders to court you?”

Hattie sighed. She had little other option but to accept those terms. They did however fit in with her plans. By joining society and spending time with Will among the rich and powerful of London, she would be able to show Will how ill- suited they were.

The more Will pushed for her to marry him and give up her work, the harder she would resist. Edgar would not stand idly by and let her be browbeaten into an unhappy marriage. It was therefore only a matter of time before she was able to convince Will that a union between them was a terrible idea.

“We have an accord,” she replied.