Sarah winced. Too many girls ended up in this situation, never to escape. “How did she manage to get away from him?”

“She became ill, and he threw her out. She wandered the streets and ended up on our doorstep.”

“She was fortunate.”

Mrs. Wells gave her a sad smile. “I only wish she had realized it. As soon as she was well, she left us.”

“She went back to her pimp?” Sarah asked in amazement.

“At least it wasn’t that bad,” Mrs. Wells said. “She returned to the man who had originally seduced her. She still loved him, and she was grateful he still wanted her after what she’d done.”

“Did he promise to marry her this time?”

Mrs. Wells shook her head. “She didn’t care. She just wanted someone to love her, she said. And someone who wouldn’t make her walk the streets again.”

Sarah’s heart ached for a girl so desperate for love that she would believe any lie and endure any humiliation. “What brought her back to the mission?”

“She found herself with child. She begged her lover to marry her, for the sake of the baby, but he refused. He said he couldn’t even be sure the child was his. Then he beat her until she lost the baby.”

Sarah couldn’t hold back a low moan. She could feel Emilia’s pain and the despair she must have endured after losing her baby. “So that brought her back here,” she guessed.

“I’m afraid so. God works in mysterious ways, Mrs. Brandt, and all things work together for good. We cannot question why evil things happen if they lead us to Him.”

Sarah had long since stopped trying to understand why evil things happened. “She seemed very happy when I saw her on Sunday.”

“She was very pleased when I gave her the clothing you brought. She said that now she would look like a lady.” Mrs. Wells smiled sadly at the memory. “She was going to find work today.”