Upon arriving at the orphanage, Amelia noted that it was very quiet. The doctor's coat was still hung up at the entrance, and she became more concerned for Allen.

"Doctor Harper's still here for one of the babies," she explained. Johanna looked worried.

"What's wrong with him?"

"It's just a cough, really," Amelia assured her. "Let's go see if they're almost done. Allen's likely asleep by now, I'm sure Doctor Harper's just talking to Brianne." They softly treaded past the bedrooms where many of the children were sprawled over one another, and the one next to it where Anthony was staying with some of the older boys.

"I don't think he's asleep yet," Amelia said, peering in through the crack in the open door. "He's just laying there reading. Maybe we could come see him after I show you Brianne."

Johanna simply nodded, as she wasn't quite sure how to behave in a home that seemed so casual as opposed to hers. She was also fairly sure she wasn't supposed to go near anyone her age, much less a boy. She peeked inside before she could stop herself and decided that Anthony was much more handsome than either Turpin or the beadle. That wasn't saying very much, but still.

Amelia tugged her sleeve gently and they quietly made their way to the nursery. The door was mostly shut, and Brianne and the doctor were in fact involved in discourse.

"Let's wait," Amelia whispered. "They'll be done in a bit." She slid against the wall into a sitting position and leaned against the doorframe. Johanna hesitated before joining her on the ground. She adjusted her skirts slightly and thought.

"Do you suppose it's anything bad?"

"No," Amelia murmured. "Allen's going to be fine…I'll have a listen, though, if you'd like."

"No, no," Johanna blushed and shook her head. "I was just curious."

"It's okay, I want to know what's going on." Amelia placed her ear closer to the door and motioned for Johanna to stay silent.

Brianne was sitting on the rocking chair next to Allen's bed, checking over her shoulder every few moments. "Not many of these young babies survive, especially not during winters this harsh," she sighed. "I'd hate to lose him, he's terribly sweet."

"Now, Brianne, you know some of them make it through." Doctor Harper cocked his head. "That Amelia of yours, you've had her since she was even younger than Allen."

At the mention of her name, Amelia's attention was caught further.

"Very true," Brianne smiled. "Yes, I remember it well, the day she was brought here. Horribly sad circumstances."

"Had something happened to her parents?" Doctor Harper seemed intrigued.

"Oh, no, I'm sure one of her parents was the one who gave her up."

"Johanna! They're talking about my parents," Amelia hissed. "Listen!"

"She was practically newborn," Brianne continued. "I couldn't imagine giving up your own child on the day she was delivered. At least, near that day—we call that her birthday anyway."

Doctor Harper nodded slowly. "When is her birthday, might I ask?"

"November the twenty-third," she nodded confidently. "I could never forget that day."

"The twenty-third?" Doctor Harper's eyes widened slightly behind his glasses.

"Is something the matter?" Brianne suddenly seemed dismayed. "If it offended you at all—"

"No, no, it's just that…I myself delivered a child on that day. It's a coincidence, though, I'm sure of it, I merely found it slightly odd. It must've been different years, of course, it was what…?"

"She's sixteen," Brianne supplied at the same time Doctor Harper concluded, "Sixteen years ago."

There was an awkward silence that filled the room and the hallway just outside it until Brianne ventured, "Perhaps many babies had been born on that day."

"Perhaps." Doctor Harper crossed one leg over the other and pondered. "The one who brought her here—what was she like?"

"Oh, it wasn't a she, Doctor. It was most definitely a man. Tall, ungainly sort. He hadn't even bothered to name her, just sorta dropped her on my table and told me to keep her. Gave me money, too…I really don't think he was all that sorry to be rid of her."

"He didn't want me?" Amelia kept her ear pressed to the door, but her legs had begun shaking. "W-what?"

Johanna, who was very familiar with the notion of not being wanted, put her arm around her. Her father had left her mother too, after all, and that was certainly just as bad.

"Brianne." Doctor Harper stood up suddenly, looking very much alarmed. "Brianne, I did deliver Amelia. I'm sure of it."

"Well, what's the problem with that?" she cocked her head, not understanding the problem. "I've known a few of the people who've brought children here. It's awkward, no doubt, but it's nothing terrible."

"You don't realize what I'm saying." He paced the perimeter of the room before stopping to rock on his heels. "It was at the Turpin house."

"What?" Brianne's mouth dropped slightly. "You don't mean—"

"He's not married, Brianne. Who's the only other woman he's had near him in years?"

"You don't…it can't be…"

"Lucy, Brianne!" Doctor Harper pounded his fist on the table next to him, and Brianne quickly jumped up to see if it had disturbed Allen. He was still sound asleep, so she absentmindedly fixed his blanket before turning back.

"You've got to be joking, Doctor."

"Brianne, think for a moment! Why do you think as soon as he got rid of Ben we all stopped seeing her around? Everyone's heard the stories, you know she couldn't leave that house once he got a hold of her, and after that happened…" he paused, choking slightly. "There's some things that can't be hidden once they've been done."

"But—why?"

"He wasn't counting on Amelia when he raped her, Brianne." Doctor Harper said bitterly. "What was he supposed to do? Let her go about town and have people wonder how that happened when they all knew Ben was long gone by then?"

"Oh, God." Brianne slowly sank back into her chair. "Poor thing."

Amelia had shaken her head violently throughout this whole conversation until just then bolting up and running. Johanna nearly tripped over herself getting up to follow her, and finally caught up at the front of the house just before the door. She caught Amelia's arm and pulled her back.

"Johanna, no one wants me!" she twisted her arm out of her reach and collapsed on the ground. "My mom didn't even have a choice, it just happened!"

"Amelia, don't say that…"

"I'm the result of rape! What do you expect me to say?" she buried her head in her knees. "I bet she didn't want me either."

"Amelia, our mother loved both of us," Johanna snapped without meaning to.

At this, Amelia looked up in shock. "Our mother?"

"Didn't you hear him? Lucy. That's her."

"Your Lucy? The one your father left?"

"Our Lucy." Johanna slid down next to her, tears falling unnoticed. "He never left, Amelia, I'm sure of it. Doctor Harper said so just now. Judge Turpin made him."

"Judge Turpin as in…as in…my father?" Amelia swallowed. "The one that nearly had a go at me with his cane the day we met?"

"I am so sorry." Johanna encircled her in her arms. "He didn't deserve you."

"My father wants to marry you," Amelia wailed. "That's disgusting." She laughed humorlessly before losing her composure completely.

There was silence save for the occasional sob that slipped out from either of them for the next few minutes. No one else in the house seemed to be aware of the current happenings, and the quiet soon became awkward.

"Johanna," Amelia finally ventured, looking up and wiping one side of her face with her sleeve, "Y'know…this could be good…if your father didn't leave intentionally, he might still be out there."

"He wouldn't come back." Johanna rested her head on Amelia's shoulder.

"How do you know that?" she sat up. "He could be right next door for all we know."

"I doubt it," Johanna sighed, "but if he were somewhere near me…"

"He has to be." Amelia brushed her skirt off. "We could find him."

"We don't know where to look," Johanna pointed out gently. "Amelia, it'd be wonderful, but it's really not very likely…"

"You can't go back to Turpin," Amelia protested. "I can't let you return to that house."

"Trust me, I wish I didn't have to." Johanna sighed. "But this isn't going to solve itself in one night."

"Who's solving what?"

Both girls gasped at the intrusion and turned to see Anthony leaning against the doorway, twirling his book.

How much did he hear?