A fellow builder had helped restore to jewellery shop now owned by Mr. Mountford and so it was not difficult to get a hold of an address, which George Lusk headed over to despite the late evening. His youngest was only nine years old, but her elder siblings were used to caring for her while their father was busy with work and the committee. He would still be there to tuck Lillian in to bed and that was most important.

Knocking at the door with his beating stick (which was perhaps a bad habit developed over the months), George doffed his hat to the maid that answered, who fetched the lady of the house when he explained his business. A tall woman with long, sturdy features came to meet him, her face pale and haggard with worry. George was invited in and he explained his connection to the case, for which Mrs. Mountford seemed very grateful.

"I just wanted to see how the girl is doing, since hearing she survived. I'd feared the worst when finding her but I hope she is recovering well."

"She is, Mr. Lusk."

"Might I see her and give her my wishes? If it's not too much trouble-"

"I think she'd be glad for the company, and to thank you herself. She won't sleep until the early hours anyway; the girl has always been that way. I'll take you up now." Smiling, Mrs. Mountford led the chairman upstairs and down a hallway into a warm room, the walls painted a soothing vanilla-yellow. The large four-poster bed she laid in did not help the already fragile and small appearance she had, but Lavinia Mountford did seem alive and well, sat up in bed with a book in her hands.

"Lavinia, you have a visitor!" her mother chirped, and the girl obediently placed a marker in her book and closed it, putting it aside.

"Hello." She said politely, although clearly had no idea who he was. George almost hoped she didn't remember him being thrust into the mortuary and accused of her attack.

Now was the first time that Lusk really got a good look at her, without hair strewn about a white face. She did, in fact, have colour about her. She was washed and tidied up now, hair pinned back to reveal deep green eyes under a strong brow, pitch black eyebrows standing out against her more mousy-blonde hair. Those eyes were not terribly wide to begin with, and one was even smaller now due to the swelling of the injury on her cheek. Her lips were thick and positioned in a permanent pout, and even with the injury to her face it was obvious she had strong, sharp cheekbones that went with an equally strong jaw. Her mother looked similar, and George figured they must be Slavic in heritage, although their accents indicated they have been born in England.

"My name is George Lusk, ma'am. It was the vigilance committee including myself who found you and caught your attackers. I had heard you were home and resting and wanted to ensure you were on the road to recovery."

"They said they'd thought I was dead." She replied rather eerily, voice flat. "Did you think me dead also?"

"I'm afraid so." He nodded, holding his hat with both hands. Strangely, she smiled enough to show him a flash of teeth.

"Well I should thank you, Mr. Lusk. If you hadn't brought me to the station they may not have woken me up. I've been told by the American fellow that they intend to find out what exactly happened. Although I suppose the fellows won't hang for murder now."

"Probably not, but they'll serve time."

"I think that better; in prison they can repent. I'd hate to be part of a trial that sends men to their deaths."

"Miss Mountford, they beat you - a sight more that I at first thought – and then shot a gun at you. You're an innocent woman making an honest living who was beaten and shot. In my opinion at least one of them deserves to swing for doing that to you."

"You make a good point." She sighed, shoulders falling.

"That being said, I just hope the boys in blue don't continue to imply I had anything to do with it."

"Well they had best not!" she sat up a bit more, and George could see she wore an off-white night gown. "I mean it in a helpful way, but I'd never met you before in my life. I fail to see how you could have been behind anything. I shall set them straight if they dare bring you in after you were instrumental in saving my life, Mr. Lusk."

"Will you be staying for long, Mr. Lusk?" Mrs. Mountford interjected, and George felt unwelcome until she added "I was going to have tea brought up and I can ask Sarah to put an extra cup on the tray if you'd like to stay."

"Do stay! I want to know how many other villainous people you've caught!" Lavinia clapped her hands together, leaning forward. Soft was definitely a word that described her, but not in a detrimental or insulting way. She just seemed to view the world with lace around its frame.

"Ah, well, I thank you for the offer Mrs. Mountford and I would love to speak the praises of our men but I have children to return to, and I wouldn't want to impose on you any longer when appearing out of the blue. I do apologise for the rudeness, but I should probably head home now." He tipped his hat to both women, but Lavinia continued to speak with a curious air about her.

"Won't your wife be caring for them?"

"I like to see the little ones off to bed." George forced a smile, tipping his hat again "I wish you a speedy recovery, Miss Mountford. I will do everything in my power to make sure the men who attacked you see the justice they deserve."

"Thank you again, Mr. Lusk. It was lovely to meet you." She returned his smile. "I'm sorry I cannot see you out myself."

"Please, don't be. You're injured." He nodded and allowed her mother to see him out instead. At the door downstairs, he paused and spoke to the woman frankly.

"The men who attacked her will not hang, but I consider it a worthy sacrifice of justice if it means in turn she has survived. I will ensure they are charged to the fullest extent for the wounds and injury they gave her. The fact that she may have died from whatever shock they drove her into will not be forgotten in court, I can assure you ma'am."

"Thank you, Mr. Lusk. We appreciate your help; all of you in the vigilance committee. It was your group's existence that encouraged us to move here when those murders before put us off. I am very thankful for your help."

"I wish you all the best, Mrs. Mountford. Good evening." Tipping his hat once more, George set off into the night. He wondered if Reid had men stationed outside of the Mountford house for safety. The thought of them reporting his presence at the house to their Inspector made Lusk chuckle. It would only serve his purposes more for the police to harass him.

Continuing home on foot, he adjusted his hat and hoped to arrive home in time to read a story to Lillian before bed.