The Time-Traveller's Choice

a warm point of contact between us

"There's a woman," I said eventually. "Emer Connolly. I'm trying to find her."

"The woman and the baby," said Charlie.

"Yep. She was in the Mile End Workhouse."

"Resident or casual?"

"What's the difference?"

"Casual wards are only for one night, whereas becoming a resident of the workhouse is different. You apply and go up in front of the Board of Guardians."

"Oh," I said. "I think Emer was a resident, then."

Charlie paused in his task. "Who's she to you?" he said.

I decided on a form of the truth. "She's family."

"Cor blimey," said Charlie. "You kept that under your hat."

"Yes, I, ah... I thought you might not want to associate with me if you knew my relation was on the street with a bastard child." My insides crinkled up at referring to my grandmother that way.

"Amy had it fixed that you had given a baby into the home," said Charlie.

This startled an awkward giggle out of me. "Nope." I hesitated. One day Emer would marry Charlie. Would he accept her illegitimate daughter as his own? "Would it matter if I had?"

"Not 'specially," said Charlie. He put his hand into his sock and examined his handiwork. "Though mum might feel different. There's a reason so many girls in trouble end up in the workhouse."

"How hard is it to get accepted into the workhouse?"

Charlie set down the sock and gave me a suspicious look. "Tired of our hospitality already, odd 'un?" he said.

The tramps had said you needed to be destitute to be admitted to the casual ward. Probably all Hannah's clothes were in too good shape to pull it off. But I'd seen rag traders with their carts of old clothes; I bet I could find something in there that would do the job.

"Noo," I said vaguely.

Charlie's expression shifted. He glanced at Mrs. Lawrence, snoring peacefully. "Emma, I hope this ain't because I--" He coloured up under his freckles.

"No, no no, it isn't that," I said, waving my hands at him and feeling my cheeks pink up as well.

"Because if it's that, then you can go and live with Enid--or with Han since Enid has a baby on the way. The workhouse... it don't bear thinking about."

"I promise it isn't that. You've been a perfect gentleman."

He held my gaze, searching it anxiously in a way that made me want to drag him upstairs and pick up where we left off.

"Promise me?"

Well, just one touch. I leaned over and put my hand over his. "I promise. I am so lucky I landed on you... I mean..."

He smiled. "I know what you mean, odd 'un."

Pretty sure you don't. "You and your family have been so kind and welcoming to me, when you had no reason to be. I will always be grateful to you for that."

The smile dug into his cheeks, then faded. I found myself half-off my chair, leaning towards him, our hands a warm point of contact between us. I thought of kissing him, of his long, lean body pressing against mine, the heat between us. The way his lips felt against mine. Breathing became difficult.

I thought again: I'll be gone from his life without a trace. It's only me who will have the broken heart. He won't even remember we met. We won't have met.