Chapter 23

The journey home had been completed in absolute silence. It had taken her a long while but eventually Alice had ceased crying, she and Oliver sat opposite their great uncle. Neither Alice nor their great uncle had so much as exchanged glances since leaving the courtroom and Oliver, concerned for Alice's welfare and noticing Mr Brownlow was not offer any support, choose to stay by Alice's side and give her some comfort. He understood she was distressed and upset by the turn out of events although he could quite comprehend why Mr Brownlow had not seen this.

Their carriage pulled up outside the Brownlow house and the occupants descend from it and into the house swiftly. Once in they proceeded to take off their outer garments and hang them on the appropriate pegs and then continued filing into the drawing room.

"Oliver could you give your sister and I a few moments in private?" Mr Brownlow said before Oliver had really walked in the room. He looked at Alice and then at his great Uncle and nodded, hesitantly turning around and leaving the room.

Although she knew Oliver didn't need to hear what was about to be said, the anger of their uncle rested on her shoulders alone, Alice couldn't help but want him to stay by her. Subconsciously she knew Oliver was the only reason Mr Brownlow hadn't already let out his anger and expressed his thoughts.

Both great niece and uncle sat down opposite each other, now that the younger boy was out of the way it was time for some serious talking.

"And just when were you going to tell me?" Mr Brownlow spoke up breaking the awkward silence that had been held before them.

"I don't know." Alice replied timidly. She downcast her eyes to the pastel shade carpet, vowing inside to be honest in every word she said in this conversation. It was time to come completely clean.

"Did you consider your own and that of your family's reputation when you blurted the news in front of the whole courtroom? What will they think now hmm? My great niece entangled with a murderer!" Mr Brownlow's voice was gradually rising.

"He's not a murderer!" Alice stated strongly, glaring at her uncle. She wasn't even thinking about answering the questions Mr Brownlow had presented her. There was no need to. He knew as he asked them that the answer was no she hadn't thought about it and neither did she care.

"That is what he is charged with. He is a criminal nevertheless I most probably don't doubt." Mr Brownlow's frustration was getting the better of him and he was almost to breaking point.

"I'M a criminal! Yet you don't go round saying I'm a murderer!" Alice stood up and yelled at him. She hated people who judge others purely by class.

Mr Brownlow gulped and sunk slightly into his chair. It struck him hard that Alice openly admitted to committing crimes. His mind had never before reached that conclusion, suddenly the mist had cleared and he could see that Alice had led a complete different lifestyle before he had taken her in. This lifestyle had incorporated witnessing, committing and being involved in crimes on a daily bases.

He stood up, taking it all in, pacing along the carpet as his mind raced to come up with some rational conclusion to this whole business.

"Alice, if this was a conventional family and I was your father, you realise I would have been expected to disown you and you would be expected to turn to your prisoner for support. But I am not your father and I am not part of a conventional family. You cannot and will not see me throw out and disown another member of my family. That is exactly how I lost your mother and I vow it will never happen again. But by God, Alice, you have a great deal of explaining to do."

Alice narrowed her eyes, she thought she had sussed out her uncle. Any other girl would be at a complete loss once set out on the street and would soon come running back begging for forgiveness but she would be fine. She had somewhere to go, people she knew, had the alleyways and streets of London mapped out in her head, she even had a profession-although not a lawful one-to go back to. Yes Alice would be fine left in the streets and Mr Brownlow knew it. For her that wasn't a punishment, keeping her within the household was.

"Don't use that expression with me young lady! Even if you were to leave this house how do you think you would deal with giving birth? You don't know a thing about babies and who would you turn to for that hmm?"

Alice looked away; she could feel her cheeks burning red. Mr Brownlow had made a fair comeback. The reality of it was true. She wouldn't know where to turn to when she went into labour and she would be equally clueless in looking after the child after it was born.

Pulling her arms and legs in as tight as she could, Alice scrunched up her face. She was beginning to feel the frustration of defeat and she hated it. The majority of people around her had been right when she had been wrong, she should have told someone earlier and admitted that she needed help. Instead she had been obstinate and her usual stubborn self had caused her to neglect and ignore what she had really needed to do.

"Mr Brownlow, your post has arrived." Mrs Bedwin walked ignorantly into the room, after knocking once, carrying a bundle of letters all addressed to Mr Brownlow.

Mr Brownlow sighed striding towards Mrs Bedwin he put his right arm delicately on her shoulder and led her out the room. She had exactly chosen the best moment to interrupt.

With a frown on her face Mrs Bedwin handed Mr Brownlow the bundle of letters.

"Did I see Alice crying in there?" Mrs Bedwin asked full of concern.

"Yes, you did. It had just been revealed to me that Alice is pregnant by the murderer who's trial we attended not an hour or so ago." Mr Brownlow informed her with an irrated tone about his voice.

Mrs Bedwin's eyes widened.

"Pregnant?" she echoed "My god, but the girl is merely fifteen, not even engaged!"

"I know Mrs Bedwin I know, but frankly right now I have about all I can take of it. I've had my say and I'm saying no more." Mr Brownlow declared.

"Let me have a word, perhaps I can make better comprehension of this mess." Mrs Bedwin, ever the optimist, strode back into the room she had just been whisked out of. She confidently took up a seat next to Alice on the sofa.

"Now, My dear Alice, would you like to talk about anything?" Mrs Bedwin opened.

Alice uncurled from her position, she could tell by the tone of her voice that Mrs Bedwin had really meant 'I know what's happened, now explain how you got into this'. Knowing that the housekeeper had a kind and gentle heart, she was willing to let her try and comfort her. She turned her head towards Mrs Bedwin, waiting for her to do the next move.

"Did this boy take advantage of you?" the housekeeper asked as gently as possible. She was only thinking of it as a possibility, aware that many situations similar to this were because men had preyed on the young girls.

"No!" Alice exclaimed appalled at the idea. "I love him and he loves me."

Shorter chapter this time and quicker up! It seems that despite having the whole summer off it is only when I go back to normal routine that I can manage to write! Never mind I'm back now and intend to regularly update. Please review!