The Time-Traveller's Choice

relief and disappointment

Charlie stood on the landing. He still had his jacket on, and his eyes were a little bright; he'd just come in from the pub. "Sorry to wake you," he said. "There's something I have to tell you."

"What is it?" I managed to say this calmly, but my heart had started to thud against my ribs.

"Well, I've been thinking 'bout your Emer Connolly," said Charlie, drawing out the ee sound at the beginning of the name.

Oh, right. Okay, that hadn't been what I was expecting.

"Oh yeah?" Caught between relief and disappointment, I came out into the hallway and closed the door.

"I asked some of the lads if they knew anything. My mate Locky knocks about with some Irishmen at the Gasworks."

I was now wide awake. I crossed my arms over my breasts, conscious of the thinness of the garment and the fact that I wasn't wearing anything under it. "What did you find out?"

"There was a lad what used to work at the Gasworks, 'til the war. He came over to London with his mum and sister who worked in a clothing factory. Sister got herself in trouble, father unknown, and was fired. Brother died in the war; mum cast the sister out. Last name of Connolly."

"Did they know where the mother lived?"

Charlie grimaced. "Somewhere in Stepney," he said with distaste.

"That's near here," I said.

"Sure," said Charlie, "but not a place to be wandering around."

"Well, how else am I going to find Mrs. Connolly?"

Charlie leaned back against the wall. "Her name'd help with that," he said. "Since you're a relation and all."

Uh oh. "Distant relation," I said.

"Emma."

"I'll remember in a minute."

"Emma."

"She really is a relation," I protested.

Charlie's expression was grim. "Are you mixed up in something, Emma? Am I gonna regret taking you in?"

"It's nothing like you're thinking," I said. "She hasn't taken off with something of mine, or... I'm not being paid by a gang to hunt her down, or anything like that."

Charlie's eyebrows climbed towards his hairline and he gave a startled laugh. "Well, thank blazes for that," he said.

"We met for the first time outside the Receiving Home. But you have to trust me, please. I know we haven't known each other very long, but it is terribly important that I find Emer Connolly as soon as possible."

"All right, odd 'un, I'll leave you your secrets if you swear they ain't harmful to me and mine."

"They really, really aren't." The only person my secrets harmed was me.

And mum. A phantom hand gripped my insides. Poor mum. She must be frantic.

Don't think about that, Emma. You'll get back. This will never have happened.

"What happened?" said Charlie.

"Hm?"

"Clouds just went across your face."

"Oh. I was thinking about my mum," I said quietly.

"You miss her."

I nodded.

"Can't you see her?"

"Not until--I can't see mum again until I find Emer Connolly."

"Right." Charlie nodded. "I have to work tomorrow, but on Sunday we'll see what we can find."