All the same she was nervous as she and April climbed the steep staircase to the lawyer's rooms at Gray's Inn. The advertisement might not have been placed by Hugh. It would hardly be surprising if he had given up the search for her. She had been as discouraging as a girl could, and no man would carry the torch forever. The advertisement might be something to do with her parents, if they were still alive. Perhaps things had begun to go well for them at last, and they had the money to search for her. She was not sure how she felt about that. There had been many times when she had longed to see Mama and Papa again, but she was afraid they would be ashamed of her way of life.
They reached the top of the stairs and entered the outer office. The lawyer's clerk was a young man wearing a mustard-colored waistcoat and a condescending smile. The girls were wet and bedraggled, but all the same he was disposed to flirt. "Ladies!" he said. "How could two such goddesses have need of the services of Messrs. Goldman and Jay? What could I possibly do for you?"
April rose to the occasion. "You could take off that waistcoat, it's hurting my eyes," she said.
Maisie had no patience with gallantry today. "My name is Maisie Robinson," she said.
"Aha! The advertisement. By a happy chance, the gentleman in question is with Mr. Jay at this very minute."
Maisie felt faint with trepidation. "Tell me something," she said hesitantly. "The gentleman in question ... Is he by any chance Mr. Hugh Pilaster?" She looked pleadingly at the clerk.
He failed to notice her look and replied in his ebullient tone: "Good Lord, no!"
Maisie's hopes collapsed again. She sat down on a hard wooden bench by the door, fighting back tears. "Not him," she said.
"No," said the clerk. "As a matter of fact, I know Hugh Pilaster--we were at school together in Folkestone. He's gone to America."
Maisie rocked back as if she had been punched. "America?" she whispered.
"Boston, Massachusetts. Took ship a couple of weeks ago. You know him, then?"
Maisie ignored the question. Her heart felt like a stone, heavy and cold. Gone to America. And she had his child inside her. She was too horrified to cry.
April said aggressively: "Who is it, then?"
The clerk began to feel out of his depth. He lost his superior air and said nervously: "I'd better let him tell you himself. Excuse me for a moment." He disappeared through an inner door.
