No love for Louisa

THIRTEEN

"It is you, for a moment, I thought my eyes must have been deceiving me" Alex spoke up still in slight disbelief

"Good afternoon Lord Crayford, this is quite unexpected, to find you of all people here" she replied

"I could say much the same of you Miss O'Mara," Alex replied, he  wore a look of slight  concern, "are you all alone? what on earth brings you to this part of London?"

"Actually I have discovered I am very  familiar with these part of London from my child hood my Lord, this is where I grew up with my parents"  Louisa informed him, turning to once more glance at the house she had once known as her home

"You lived here?" Alex could not hide the shock and dismay in his voice, that brought colour to Louisa's cheeks. Realising he had embarrassed her, he quickly added, "I am sorry, I did not mean to be rude, only that-"

"It is alright," Louisa replied hurriedly interrupting his apology with an understanding look, "It was a far more  respectable area  back, when my parents lived here.  I am rather shocked myself on how much it has changed" she admitted sadly

"Of course, I see," Alex replied in realisation as he eyed up the area around him with a more speculative eye. "London gets more populated everyday. People moving in from the countryside from all over, and then there are those immigrants from other countries,  they  are all looking for a better life thinking these streets  here are paved with gold, sadly the majority of them are disappointed and find that is not the case. So instead we get this, more poverty and crowded overrun dwellings,  that causes illness and disease and death" he lamented as he stared at the building she had once called home,  

"We cannot stop the tide or the influx," He admitted ruefully, "but still  I feel I have the power to help where it is needed in some small way. So many children left abandoned,  they need to find some sort of haven where they can be safe from the rogues on the streets who will take advantage of them, both boys and girls" he then informed her in a most earnest tone that told her how much it mattered to him.  

Having been under the receiving end of it, she only too well understood their plight.

"Your charity work is a very noble cause sir, and I  can see it means a lot to you to help those less fortunate," she just about stopped herself from adding "that includes people like myself", but it had just more or less confirmed her suspicions why he had shown a particular kindness to her, and she had no wish to be reminded of it on a more personal level.

"Yes, that is why I was in the area, I was out of town these last few weeks, visiting other parts of the country where  growing towns are facing the same problems. I am  hoping to form some sort of conglomerate  of Charities,  that could work together and help.  I only returned to London a few days ago, then there is an orphanage  in the nearby  area here that  has requested my assistance on improvements" he then explained. But suddenly his attention was  turned back on her with puzzled curiosity "I have to say though, I am more than  surprised that Mrs Marshall allowed you to come here on your own, and unaccompanied in such a manner" 

"Oh, but she didn't, she has no idea I am here" Louisa hurriedly replied in Hettie's defence, and then felt the colour seeping back into her cheeks, realising how it must look, when she noticed he raised a questioning eyebrow at her. 

It seemed she was doomed to encounter Mr Carstairs whenever she was in a slightly compromising situations. First there had been the incident with Mr Marchent all those weeks ago, and now there was this today.

"I was visiting an old friend across town, but on my way back, when the coach happened to pass  this direction, I started to recognise many of the landmarks, and I realised this is where I use to live" she then attempted to explain, " I really do not know what came over me, I suppose it was a moment of madness,  and I made the coach stop to let me off here, needing to see it again. Of course, I now realise it was a foolish thing to do" she then readily admitted  contritely