Victoria Maylie - Diary Entry

Dear Diary,

I have reluctantly allowed Maggie to come stay with us here in the country. The poor girl is heartbroken, it seems. She has for so long admired Oliver Twist for his great act of kindness towards her as a young girl. Now, I fear that she has grown more fond of him than either I or Oliver am aware. Either way, Oliver must suspect her of some wrongdoing, as he has recently dismissed her from his employ.

I have not heard from this Shirley person in some time. Part of me wonders whether she ever existed at all and if Oliver is, in fact, telling the truth in this matter. I have seen in his dealings with her a side of Oliver that is most unbecoming of a gentleman and which, at present, gives me great pause as to considering any further relations or correspondence with him. He has always seemed so gentle and mild. Surely this episode with Titus has something to do with Oliver's stunningly angry disposition.

I suppose one cannot blame Oliver for his exceeding great anger. After all, I have heard horror stories from my Great Aunt and my mother of how Oliver was horribly mistreated by a group of characters who would have made him a thieving street urchin! Most incredibly, his own brother, Monks - What a vile creature! - tried to arrange for Oliver to live life as a street thug. This seems to bear some commonality with this Titus person's apparent hatred of Oliver and his seeming want to ruin him in some way.

Part of me is beginning to fear this entire Titus situation. I pray that Oliver will show caution. Though he has done me wrong, I still care for him and his safety. Part of me feels that I may still love him, but whether he is a man I can marry waits to be seen.