Copyright

Published by HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd

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First published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers 2018

Copyright © Dilly Court 2018

Cover photographs: Front © Gordon Crabb/Alison Eldred (Girl); Background © Shutterstock (ships/harbour)

Cover design by Claire Ward © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2018

Dilly Court asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Source ISBN: 9780008199609

Ebook Edition © January 2018 ISBN: 9780008199616

Version: 2017-12-06

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

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Chapter One
Limehouse Hole, London, 1854

Essie Chapman pulled hard on the sculls as she rowed her father’s boat towards Duke Shore Dock. It was dark and the lantern on the stern of the small, clinker-built craft bobbed up and down, shedding its light on the turbulent waters of the River Thames. Essie fought against the tide and the treacherous undercurrents, but she was cold, wet and close to exhaustion. Her mysterious passenger had not spoken a word since she had collected him from the foreign vessel moored downriver. The task would normally have fallen to her father, Jacob, but he was laid up, having slipped on the watermen’s steps the previous evening. He had fallen badly and had been carried home to White’s Rents on an old door, the only form of stretcher available to the wharfinger’s men at the time. He had lain on the sofa like a dead man for twenty-four hours and when he awakened he could barely move a muscle.

‘You’ll have to do my next job for me, Essie, love. It’s a matter of life and death.’

His words echoed in her mind as she battled against the elements. By day Jacob’s small craft scurried up and down the river doing errands considered too small by the lightermen and watermen, but by night things were different. Sometimes it was the odd barrel or two of brandy that had to be sneaked ashore before the revenue men laid hands on it, or packets wrapped in oilskin, the contents of which would forever remain a mystery. There was always a messenger waiting on the shore to grab the cargo and spirit it off into the darkness. Money changed hands and Jacob would spend most of it in the Bunch of Grapes, coming home reeking of rum and tobacco smoke. Sometimes, when he felt generous, he would give Essie twopence to spend on herself, but the money was usually spent on necessities like bread, coal and candles.

The tide would turn very soon and Essie was anxious to reach the shore before the current took her downriver. She shot a furtive glance at her passenger, who was wrapped in a boat cloak that made him merge into the darkness. His face was concealed by the hood and she could not tell whether he was young or old, although his lithe movements when he had climbed down the ship’s ladder and boarded her boat suggested that he was in the prime of life. Getting him to dry land was uppermost in her mind and she put every ounce of strength into a last supreme effort to reach the wharf. The sound of the keel grating on gravel was like music to her ears, although it was as much as she could do to rise from her cramped position. Then, to her surprise, her passenger was on his feet and had stepped over the side, wading ankle deep in water as he dragged the craft effortlessly onto the mud and shingle.

The top of the wharf towered above them, menacing even by moonlight. The great skeletal ironwork of the cranes was silhouetted against the black velvet sky, and an eerie silence hung in the still air, punctuated only by the slapping and sucking of the water against the wooden stanchions. It had to be well after midnight and yet the river was still alive with wherries, barges and larger vessels heading for the wharves and docks further upstream. It was slack water and soon the tide would turn and the river would churn and boil as it flowed towards the coast. Jacob always said that river water ran in his veins instead of blood, and as a child Essie had believed every word her father said, but now she was a grown woman of twenty and she was not so gullible.

She stood up, but before she had a chance to clamber ashore the stranger leaned over and lifted her from the boat as easily as if she were a featherweight. She was acutely aware of his body heat and the scent of spicy cologne mixed with the salty tang of the sea. Most men of her acquaintance stank of sweat, tar and tobacco, but this was altogether different and oddly exciting. She had barely had time to catch her breath when he set her down on the ground, pressed a small leather pouch into her hand, and, without a word of thanks, he strode off, heading in the direction of the stone steps.

Driven by curiosity, Essie hurried after him, although her progress was hampered by her damp skirts and flannel petticoat. She reached the top of the steps in time to see him climb into a waiting cab and it drove off into the night, leaving her alone on the wharf amongst the idle machinery. The brief moment of quiet was shattered when the door of a pub in Fore Street opened, spilling out a group of drunken men, who cavorted and sang in good-natured tipsiness until someone landed a punch, which started a brawl.

She weighed the purse in her hand and it was heavy – this had been no ordinary job. The tall stranger with strong arms and gallant manner was not a common seaman, and if he was carrying contraband, it was something small that could be easily concealed beneath his cloak. There was nothing more she could do and she was tired. She might never know the identity of the man who smelled of the sea and spice. What his mission was must remain a mystery – but she was chilled to the bone and the thought of her warm bed was uppermost in her mind.

Essie started walking. Home was a small terraced house in White’s Rents, a narrow alley leading to Ropemaker’s Fields. It was a poor area with several families crowded into the two-up, two-down dwellings. Chimney sweeps, brewery workers, dockers, street sweepers and sailmakers lived cheek by jowl with the families who raised ten or more children in the tiny houses, with a shared privy at the end of the street. The constant reminder of what fate might have in store for the less fortunate inhabitants was Limehouse Workhouse, just a short walk away.

Essie quickened her pace, but all the time she was aware of the deep shadows where danger lurked at any time of the day or night. The yellow eyes of feral cats blinked at her as they slunk along the gutters in the constant search for food, and skinny curs prepared to fight for survival. Drunks, drug addicts and thieves on the prowl might lurk in the shadows to attack the unwary, and it was a relief to arrive home unmolested.

‘Is that you, my duck?’ Her father’s voice boomed out like a foghorn from the sofa as she opened the front door, which led straight into the front parlour.

‘Yes, Pa.’

‘Is the job done?’

‘Yes, Pa.’ Essie trod carefully as she made her way across the floor in almost complete darkness. The curtains remained drawn back but there were no streetlights in White’s Rents, and clouds had obscured the moon. ‘Do you want anything, Pa?’

He reached out to feel for her hand. ‘A cup of water would go down well, Esther. I’ve drunk all the ale, but it didn’t do much to help the pain in my back.’

‘We should get a doctor to look at you.’

‘You know we can’t afford it, love. I’ll be all right in a day or two.’ Jacob shifted his position and groaned. ‘Did he pay up?’

Essie tightened her grip on the purse. ‘Who was he, Pa?’

‘It’s not for us to know. Where’s the money?’

‘I have it safe.’

‘Give it here, there’s a good girl.’

‘We’ll talk about it in the morning, Pa. Right now I’m tired and I’m going to bed.’ Essie opened the door that concealed a narrow staircase, and she closed it behind her, cutting off her father’s protests. She would give him the money, but not before she had taken out enough to pay the rent collector and buy food. She had not eaten anything since a slice of bread and a scrape of dripping for breakfast, but she had gone past feeling hungry. Pa might be content with a couple of bottles of beer, but Essie could not remember the last time they had sat down to a proper meal. She climbed the stairs to her room where she undressed and laid her damp skirt over the back of a wooden chair, the only piece of furniture in the tiny room apart from a truckle bed. She slipped her cotton nightgown over her head and lay down, pulling the coverlet up to her chin, but through the thin walls she could hear the infant next door howling for his night feed. The organ grinder who lived at number three was drunk again, and, judging by the screams and shouts, was beating his poor wife. Someone was singing drunkenly as he staggered along the pavement below, banging on doors and laughing as he made his way back to the dosshouse in Thomas’s Rents, an alleyway situated on the far side of the brewery.

Essie leaped out of bed and went to close the window, shutting out the noise. Clouds of steam billowed into the sky above the brewery, filling the air with the smell of hops and malt, which was infinitely better than the stench from the river and the chemical works. She returned to her bed and lay down again, closing her eyes but, tired as she was, she could not sleep. There was no saying where the next job was coming from and the money in the pouch would not last long. Her father was well known on the river and work was put his way, but it was a man’s world and she was little more than a girl. She was tolerated because she was Jacob Chapman’s daughter, but on her own she might as well be invisible. For both their sakes, she could only hope that his injury was not serious.

Next morning, having made sure that her father was ready for another long day on the sofa, Essie set off with money in her pocket. Her first stop was at the pharmacy to purchase a pennyworth of laudanum. That done, she visited various shops in Fore Street to buy enough food to last for a day or two only, as it was summer and milk went sour overnight, cheese grew soft and oily, and flies feasted on meat, leaving their eggs to develop into squirming maggots. Essie bought bread, dripping, two meat pies and a small amount of tea. Then, as a treat, she added a few lumps of sugar. It was an extravagance, but she felt she had earned it.

‘Hold on, Essie. What’s the hurry?’

She glanced over her shoulder and saw her friend walking towards her. ‘Haven’t you any work today, Ben Potter?’

‘I’m just about to start now.’ He lengthened his stride, slowing down as he fell into step beside her. ‘How’s Jacob? I heard about his accident.’

‘Not very good. I’ve got some laudanum to dull his pain, but I think he ought to be in hospital, or at least see a doctor.’

‘What about the bonesetter?’

‘I hadn’t thought of that,’ Essie said, frowning. ‘But I’ll see how Pa is by this evening. We really can’t afford to throw money about unless it’s going to do some good.’

Ben nodded, pushing his cap to the back of his head. ‘I’ve got to go or I’ll be late and the guvnor will dock my wages. Old Diggory used to knock me for six when I first started my apprenticeship, but I’m bigger than him now and he’s a bit more respectful.’

Essie shot him a sideways glance. She had known Ben all her life and when they were children they had roamed the muddy foreshore together, searching for valuables or coins that lay hidden beneath the surface. When he was fourteen Ben had been apprenticed to Diggory Tyce, a waterman who had won the Doggett’s Coat and Badge in his youth, and whose knowledge of the River Thames was second to none. Ben was ambitious, and Essie admired that in a man.

She smiled. ‘They say that wherries will soon be replaced by steamboats.’

‘Aye, they do, and that’s the future as far as I’m concerned, but the guvnor will take a lot of convincing.’ Ben came to a halt at the top of Duke Shore Stairs. ‘I’ll call round tonight when I finish, if that’s all right with you, Essie.’

‘Yes, but I can’t promise to be there. It all depends if I can find work.’

‘You shouldn’t be working the river on your own. It’s hard enough for a man, but it’s dangerous for a slip of a girl like you, especially after dark.’

‘I can beat you at rowing any day of the week.’ Essie blew him a kiss and he waved cheerily as he made his way down the stone steps to the foreshore where Tyce’s wherry was about to be launched. The passengers were already seated, and judging by their appearance they were seamen returning to their vessel from a night ashore, some of them very much the worse for wear. One had a black eye and another had his head bandaged, blood seeping through the grubby dressing.

Essie sighed, hoping that someone would offer her employment, although it seemed unlikely. She walked on, heading for home. It was still early but White’s Rents was alive with activity. Small, barefoot children had been turned out to amuse themselves in the street, and the boys were rolling around in the dirt, scrapping and testing each other’s strengths like playful fox cubs. The older girls sat round plaiting each other’s hair and chatting while they kept an eye on the babies.

On the other side of the road Miss Flower was bent double, using her little trowel to pick up deposits left by feral dogs. The smell added to the general stench, but she seemed oblivious to it and trudged on her way, heading in the direction of the tannery where the contents of her wooden pail would be used in the tanning of leather. She said that, on a good day, she could get a shilling for her efforts, but Essie would not have traded places with her for a king’s ransom. Miss Flower’s occupation was almost as unenviable as that of Josser the tosher, who earned his living by venturing into the sewers in search of valuables that had been washed down the drain. Josser and Miss Flower lived at number ten, sharing the house with the night-soil collector, several railway workers and a succession of Irish navvies. Essie wondered how anyone could exist in such conditions, but the poor had to make do in order to survive. She hurried past a group of slatternly women, who stopped talking to look her up and down and went on to whisper and giggle like schoolchildren. Essie was used to this and she walked on, ignoring their taunts.

As she entered the front parlour she was surprised to find her father sitting up.

‘Did you bring beer, Essie?’

‘No, Pa. I spent the money on food. I’ll light the fire so that I can boil the kettle.’

He slumped back against the worn cushions. ‘I need something for the pain.’

‘I bought some laudanum, but you’re obviously a lot better. At least you can sit up now – you couldn’t do that last evening.’

‘Give me the bottle and I’ll dose meself, Essie, love.’ Jacob’s tone changed and he gave her a persuasive smile. ‘Help your poor old pa, there’s a good girl.’

She snatched up the basket and headed for the kitchen. ‘I’ll mix some laudanum in water and then I’ll get the fire going. I’m dying for a cup of tea.’

‘I’m dying for a sip of ale. You could have bought a couple of bottles. What if I give you the money and you take a jug to the pub and get it filled?’

Essie hesitated in the kitchen doorway. ‘What if you give me more money so that I can pay the rent on time every week, Pa?

‘You’re an ungrateful child, Esther Chapman. Your poor mother would turn in her grave if she could see how you treat me.’

‘That’s not fair,’ Essie said angrily. ‘I do my best.’ She closed the door on him and busied herself unpacking the contents of the basket. Her memories of her mother were hazy, and probably enhanced by time, but everyone said that Nell Chapman had been a remarkably pretty young woman. She had come from a good family and had married Jacob to spite her father, who had tried to come between her and the penniless boatman who had captured her heart. The only thing that Essie could recall clearly was the sound of voices raised in anger, and her mother’s tears when Jacob came home from the pub the worse for drink. The sickness that had taken her ma to live with the angels had almost claimed her own life, but Essie had survived, largely thanks to the care of her brother, George. She dashed her hand across her eyes – George had left home after a furious row with their father. She had been only six years old, but that day was etched in her heart for ever.

But there was no point dwelling on the past. Essie heaved a sigh and returned to the parlour where she used the last of the coal and kindling to light the fire.

‘Where’s me tea, Essie?’ Jacob demanded crossly. ‘I’m parched.’

‘All in good time, Pa. I’ve only got one pair of hands.’ Essie sighed and scrambled to her feet. The pail, which was normally filled with water, was empty and that meant a short walk to the communal pump at the end of the street. Jacob normally undertook this, although it was done under protest. She left by the back door and went out through the tiny yard to the narrow passageway that separated White’s Rents from the ropeyard, the tarring house and the other buildings associated with rope making. The smell of hot tar lingered in the air, filling her lungs and making her cough, but she hurried to the pump and joined the queue of ragged women and barefoot children.

‘Looks as if it’s come straight from the river,’ the woman in front of Essie complained. ‘I dunno why we don’t just dip our buckets in Limehouse Hole and hope to catch a few fish as well.’

‘This water’s got legs.’ Her companion sniffed and wiped her nose on the back of her hand as she stared at the murky water in her bucket. ‘Fish can’t live in this stuff.’

Essie knew better than to join in the conversation, but she had no intention of drinking the water in its present state. An old woman who had survived the cholera epidemic of 1848 had told her to boil water before drinking it, and she had done so ever since. Pa had said much the same thing, only he used it as an excuse to sup more ale. Essie filled her bucket and returned home, but as she entered through the back door she heard the sound of male voices coming from the parlour.

She stopped to fill the kettle before going to investigate, but the front door closed as she entered the room. ‘Who was that, Pa?’

Jacob gave her a gap-toothed grin. ‘The answer to our problems, girl. We’ve got a lodger and he’s willing to pay handsomely for a room, with no questions asked.’

‘We haven’t got a spare room, for a start, and who is this mysterious person?’

‘It’s only temporary, and I can’t get up the stairs while I’m like this, so I told him he can have mine. You’d best see to it. Put clean sheets on the bed, or whatever you need to do to make it comfortable.’

‘All right,’ Essie said slowly. ‘But I’d like to know who it is who’ll be sleeping in the room next to mine. I might be murdered in my bed, or worse.’

‘You don’t need to know his name, and you won’t be seeing anything of him. He’ll sleep all day and go out at night. It’s only for a short while, so don’t ask questions. Anyway, he’s paying good money for the privilege, so leave it at that.’ Jacob shifted on his seat and pulled a face, uttering a loud groan. ‘Where’s that laudanum? I’m in agony.’

Essie returned to the kitchen and poured the last of yesterday’s boiled water into a tin mug, adding a few drops of laudanum. She took it to her father, holding it just out of his reach.

‘Don’t tease me, Essie. I’m in agony.’

‘I’ll give it to you when you tell me who this “lodger” is and why he’s hiding here.’

Jacob glared at her, licking his dry lips and grimacing with pain. ‘His name is his own business, and that’s all you need to know. I’m not telling you anything else, girl, so give me my medicine.’

Essie could see that this was getting her nowhere and she handed him the mug. ‘When do we expect him to arrive, Pa?’

‘Just leave the back door unlocked. He’ll come and go as he pleases. You don’t have to do anything other than keep out of his way.’

‘I dislike him already,’ Essie said bitterly. ‘He must be a criminal if he has to creep about in the darkness. I don’t like it, Pa. I really don’t.’

‘Here, take this.’ Jacob pulled a leather pouch from his pocket and placed it in her outstretched hand. ‘Maybe that will change your mind. Pay off that bloodsucking rent collector and get some proper food in, and some ale. What our friend does is none of our business.’

‘Friend!’ Essie tossed her head. ‘I’ll go along with it because there’s nothing else I can do, but I hope you know what you’re doing.’

That night Essie lay in her bed, listening to every creak and groan of the old timbers as they contracted after the heat of the day. The background noise from overcrowded dwellings, street fights and infants wailing was always the same, whether it was noon or the early hours of the morning, but tonight was different. She had tried to elicit more information about their mysterious lodger from her father, but he had refused to be drawn, and now her mind was buzzing with questions and she was apprehensive. Life was difficult enough without getting directly involved in criminal activities. The night runs she had done with Pa had been testing, but work was hard to find and they had to eat. She dozed and eventually drifted into an uneasy sleep, but was awakened suddenly.

She sat up, straining her ears. The hinges on the back door were rusty and she was certain she had heard the scrape of boots on the flagstones in the kitchen. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and seized her wrap, slipping it around her as she stood up and went to open her bedroom door. Her heart was pounding and she hesitated as she heard the door at the foot of the stairs open and close again, as softly as a whisper. Then the shadowy outline of a man filled the narrow space and he was ascending the stairs, two steps at a time.

‘Stop.’ Essie barred his way. ‘Who are you?’

He came to a halt, raising his head but in the darkness his face was a pale blur. ‘You were told to ignore my presence.’ His voice was little more than a hoarse whisper, and she could not tell if he was young or old, but it was obvious from the way he spoke that this was no ordinary criminal.

‘You are in my home,’ Essie said boldly, although her knees were trembling and she was poised ready to retreat into her room and slam the door in his face. ‘I have the right to know your name at least, and what sort of business you have that can only be done by night.’

‘You ask a lot of questions.’ There was a hint of amusement in his voice.

‘Your name, sir. I refuse to share my house with someone who is afraid to make himself known to me.’

‘And what do you propose to do about it, Miss Chapman? Your father has agreed to this.’

‘But I have not.’ Essie folded her arms, staring down at him. ‘You might be a murderer, for all I know.’

He mounted the last of the steps so that they were standing close together on the small landing. ‘Then perhaps you should be afraid. Your father is sound asleep – drugged with laudanum and ale, I should imagine from the smell downstairs. We are alone and I have you at my mercy. What do you intend to do about it?’

The blood was drumming in her ears in a deafening tattoo, but she was not going to let him see that she was afraid. ‘You don’t frighten me, sir. My father has made an agreement with you, which I must honour for now, but if I discover that you are engaged in criminal activities I will have no hesitation in reporting you to the police.’

‘Which is my room?’ he asked, stifling a yawn. ‘I’m tired and I need to sleep.’

‘You haven’t answered any of my questions.’

‘And I don’t intend to. There are things that you don’t need to know.’ He stepped past her and opened the door to Jacob’s room. ‘The bed has not been slept in so I assume this must be mine.’

As he pushed past her Essie had felt the warmth and a scent that was unforgettable. ‘I recognise you now. I brought you ashore from the foreign ship yesterday evening.’

He glanced over his shoulder as he was about to enter Jacob’s room. ‘Very clever of you, but I’d advise you to put it from your mind.’

‘Who are you? You might do me the courtesy of telling me your name.’

‘You may call me Raven,’ he murmured, and shut the door.

‘Raven?’ she repeated dazedly. ‘What sort of name is Raven?’

‘You shouldn’t have done that,’ Jacob said crossly. ‘It’s better that you know nothing about our friend.’

‘He’s not my friend,’ Essie countered. ‘I don’t like it, Pa.’

‘Just get on with your work, girl. I want you to go to the wharfinger’s office and see if he’s got any jobs that you can do. I don’t know how long our guest will be staying or how long I’m going to be laid up. Don’t think I’m enjoying this, because I’m not.’

Essie relented. Her father’s face was lined with suffering and he looked pale and ill. ‘All right, Pa. I’ll go out and get some fresh bread for breakfast and some coffee from the stall in Nightingale Lane.’

‘I haven’t got money to burn,’ Jacobs muttered. ‘You ought to make up the fire and put the kettle on.’

Essie took a deep breath, praying for patience. ‘I would, Pa. But we’ve run out of coal and kindling.’

‘Oh, well, do what you must, girl.’ Jacob lay back and closed his eyes. ‘I can’t sleep properly on this thing. I miss my bed.’

Essie snatched up her shawl and wrapped it around her shoulders, biting back the sharp words that threatened to tumble from her lips. ‘I’ll be back soon, Pa.’

She let herself out of the house and hurried down the street, nodding to Gaffer Wiggins, the chimney sweep, who was mustering his gang of small apprentices ready for the day’s work. Essie smiled at the boys, all of them tiny, undernourished and very young, but they did not respond. She saw them nearly every day and, had it been in her power, she would have taken them home, given them a bath in the tin tub in front of the fire and fed them nourishing food. But they belonged to their master and the many attempts by those in power to improve their lot had been largely ignored.

Essie sighed and walked on, heading for the wharfinger’s office. Maybe one day she would find herself in a position to help the poor and downtrodden, but now the need to find work was uppermost in her mind. And she did not trust the man who called himself Raven.

Chapter Two

Essie heaved the boat across the stony foreshore and secured it to an iron ring above the high-water mark. She had just returned from taking a junior dock official to Limehouse Hole Pier, a job too small to be considered worthwhile by the watermen, but there had been a degree of urgency from Saul Hoskins, who was afraid he might face the sack if he was late for work yet again. Saul lived in Thomas’s Rents and Essie knew his young wife, Marie, who was the mother of twin girls and had recently given birth to a boy. If Saul lost his job the family would face an uncertain future and Essie had been only too glad to help, even if Saul could only afford to reward her with a penny for her efforts. Rowing fiercely against the tide was exhausting work, but she had got him to work on time.

It was a week since Raven, their mysterious lodger, had moved into Jacob’s room. Very little had changed in number seven White’s Rents, but Essie had to admit that Raven’s contribution to the housekeeping had made their lives easier. They had paid off the arrears on the rent and had eaten well every day, although Essie had kept some of the money aside, hiding it beneath a loose floorboard in her bedroom. Their lodger would move on soon, or so she hoped, but Jacob was not yet fit to return to the river and she would have to earn enough money to keep them both until he was strong enough to work. She was still curious and not a little worried about Raven’s activities, but he kept himself to himself and neither she nor her father had seen him to speak to since that first night.

Essie hitched up her damp skirts, wishing that she could wear breeches like the men, but it was difficult enough for a girl to find gainful employment, without shocking the male population and antagonising them. She had many acquaintances on the wharves and amongst the lightermen and watermen, but she knew that they tolerated her for her father’s sake, although he came in for a certain amount of criticism for allowing his daughter to take his place. She did not want to be an object of pity, but she was realistic enough to know her limitations when it came to physical strength. She had always thought of the turbulent River Thames as an entity in its own right, with a throbbing heart that would go on for ever: the river was to be respected, feared and never taken for granted. She climbed Duke Shore Stairs and had just reached the wharf when she spotted Ben, who was chatting to one of the crane operators. He broke off his conversation and hurried to meet her, dodging between piles of crates and coils of rope.

‘You’re looking very serious. Is anything wrong, Essie?’

She shook her head. ‘No, I’m fine, thanks.’

‘I’m sorry I haven’t managed to come round to see your pa, but we’ve been working day and night for the last week.’

‘That’s all right. Pa doesn’t feel up to having visitors.’

‘How is he doing? It’s going about that he might not walk again.’

‘Whoever is spreading such lies should mind their own business,’ Essie said sharply. ‘Pa’s improving every day. He’s moving about the house, although he can’t make the stairs yet, but he’ll be back to work soon.’

‘All right, don’t bite my head off. I was only asking.’

‘I’m sorry, Ben. I’m not having an easy time. It’s just hard to make a living with such a small boat. I’ve taken Saul to work again this morning, and he could only afford to give me a penny.’

‘If you’re short of money I might be able to help.’ Ben’s weather-beaten features creased into a worried frown. ‘You’ve only got to ask.’

‘Thank you, but we’ll manage.’ Essie glanced round, hoping to spot a likely customer. ‘Why are you here, anyway? Shouldn’t you be working?’

‘Engine trouble. These new-fangled steam engines break down too often. Sometimes I think we were better rowing the wherries, even if it was hard work.’

‘Will it take long to fix it?’

‘I dunno, but the guvnor told me to take the morning off, or what’s left of it.’ Ben gave her a searching look. ‘Have you eaten today?’

‘Not yet. I was hoping to find another job, but it looks a bit quiet.’

‘There’s a pie seller in Shoulder of Mutton Alley. Come on, Essie. I’ll treat you to a pork pie and a cup of coffee.’

It was an offer that was too good to refuse. Someone had eaten the last crust of bread and had scraped out what remained of the dripping. Essie had two suspects in mind, but her father was sound asleep on the sofa and there was no sound of movement from Raven’s bedroom. She had heard him come in at dawn, but she had given up trying to find out anything more about him, and so far his stay in their house had been uneventful. It was not his fault that the milk had gone off, although he was guilty for using the last of the tea. She would have to go shopping later, but that could wait.

‘That sounds wonderful.’ Essie linked arms with Ben. ‘I’m starving after all that rowing. The river is in a funny mood today, full of eddies and cross-currents. It’s behaving like a grumpy old man.’

Ben threw back his head and laughed. ‘The things you say, Essie Chapman. It’s a river, it can’t think. It just does what it has to do and flows down to the sea.’

‘You say that, Ben, but I grew up in Limehouse like you, and I know the river. It’s the heart and soul of London and despite its moods and tantrums, I love it.’

He patted her hand as it lay on his sleeve. ‘You need food inside you, love. You’re light-headed.’

The pies contained more gristle than meat, but the pastry was thick and filling, and the coffee was hot and comforting. With a full stomach Essie felt more optimistic as she parted from Ben and walked to the wharfinger’s office.

Riley, the wharfinger, a stocky man with a broken nose and grizzled grey hair, had once been a bare-knuckle fighter. What he lacked in stature he made up for with lightness of foot and dogged aggression. He had floored many a would-be champion, and the dockers, crane operators and watermen all treated him with respect.

Riley looked up from the ledger he had been studying and his lined face crumpled into a smile. ‘Essie, me darling, how are you today?’

‘I’m well, thank you, Mr Riley. Have you any work for me?’

‘Is that father of yours still not able to work?’

‘He’s getting better each day,’ Essie said firmly. ‘He doesn’t like being idle.’

‘It’s true I haven’t seen him in the Grapes recently, so he must be poorly.’

‘But I can take his place, Mr Riley. I’m as good at rowing as any man and I know the river better than most.’

‘’Tis also true, me darling, but you have to admit that you cannot match the men for strength.’ Riley leafed through a pile of paperwork. ‘Nothing today, I’m afraid. Go home, Essie, there’s a good girl.’ He bent his head over the book on his desk and she was effectively dismissed.

Essie knew what he said was true but it still rankled. ‘Thank you, Mr Riley. I’ll pop in this afternoon, just in case anything turns up.’ He did not look up and she left the office, acknowledging the cheery waves from one or two of the men on the wharf and ignoring the salacious comments of those who regarded her as fair game, Diggory Tyce being one such person. If it were not for Ben’s watchful eye and strong arm, Diggory might have become a nuisance, but Essie knew of the waterman’s reputation with women and she kept out of his way as much as possible. Not that it was easy in the relatively small world of the river people at Limehouse, where brawn ruled and the strongest came out on top. Essie knew from past experience when to stand up for herself and when it was better to back away. Women’s work, according to almost all the men of her acquaintance, was to stay at home, marry, keep house, bring up children and cook and clean. Whether it was their father or their husband, men were their masters and it was a woman’s duty to do as she was told. Essie refused to believe this. She was certain that there must be more to life than drudgery and giving birth every year. She made her way to the grocer’s shop and purchased a few necessities before making her way home.

She had just reached the door of number seven when it opened and she was almost bowled over by a tall man wearing a reefer jacket. His cap was pulled down over his brow but she was aware of a pair of intelligent, startlingly blue eyes set beneath straight black brows. The lower half of his face was covered by a small moustache and neatly clipped beard, but even though she had only seen him in the dark she knew it was the man who called himself Raven. For a brief moment their eyes met and then he tipped his cap and strode off.

‘Wait a minute.’ Essie followed him, although she had to run to keep up with his long strides. ‘Are you leaving? I thought you weren’t supposed to be seen in daytime.’

He came to a sudden halt, rounding on her. ‘You were told to mind your own business. Please go home and tend to your father.’ He walked off, cutting a swathe through the curious neighbours who had gathered on their doorsteps, and the children playing on the pavement.

‘What are you looking at?’ Essie demanded, turning her back on the women who were chattering, giggling and pointing at her. She reached the house and let herself in to find her father propped up on a couple of pillows. Judging by the tipsy smile on his face he had supped one too many bottles of ale, and the evidence lay around him on the floor. The smell of alcohol filled the front parlour.

‘I suppose he bought these for you,’ Essie said angrily as she put her basket down and bent over to pick up the empty bottles. ‘You’ll only fall again if you get drunk, Pa. You know you can’t take your ale like you used to.’

‘Stop fussing, girl, it was only a little tumble.’

It was at that moment Essie noticed a large lump on her father’s forehead and the beginnings of a bruise. ‘I’ll soon put a stop to this.’

She abandoned the task of tidying up and ran from the house, determined to catch up with Raven. Dodging passers-by and leaping over infants who were crawling about in the filth, Essie chased after their errant lodger. He had been heading towards Fore Street, and, as she rounded the corner, she caught sight of him striding along, but he stopped suddenly as a carriage drew to a halt at the kerb. The door opened and he climbed in. Essie hesitated, waiting for the vehicle to continue on its way, but it remained stationary and this made her even more curious. She approached cautiously, pretending to study the contents of the shop windows, but as she drew level the carriage door opened and Raven leaped out.

‘What do you think you’re doing?’ He grabbed her by the arm. ‘Why are you following me?’

‘Let me go, you’re hurting me.’

He tightened his grip. ‘Who put you up to this?’

‘No one. I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

‘What’s going on, Raven?’ A fashionably dressed young woman leaned out of the carriage, staring curiously at Essie. ‘Who is that?’

‘Get in. We’re drawing attention to ourselves.’ Without a by-your-leave Raven lifted Essie off her feet and tossed her into the vehicle. He climbed in and closed the door. ‘Now then, I want an explanation.’

‘My dear, you’re scaring the poor creature.’ The young woman turned to Essie with a beguiling smile. ‘Who are you? And why were you following this man?’

‘She is the boatman’s daughter,’ Raven said angrily. ‘Unfortunately our paths crossed just as I was leaving White’s Rents in answer to your note, Alice. I wasn’t to know the silly little fool would follow me.’

‘I am not a fool,’ Essie protested. ‘And I’m capable of speaking up for myself, sir.’

‘Aha, a young lady of spirit.’ Alice leaned back against the padded velvet squabs, putting her head on one side as she eyed Essie with renewed interest. ‘Tell me about yourself. What’s your name?’

‘I might ask the same of you, ma’am,’ Essie said stiffly. ‘I didn’t ask to be pitched into your carriage. I was merely following this man because I want to know what he’s up to.’

‘Let’s start with who you are, shall we?’

‘My name is Esther Chapman and I brought this fellow ashore from a foreign vessel, with very little thanks for my trouble and a good deal of inconvenience, I might add.’

‘Really? I’m impressed, and I apologise for Raven’s treatment of you, but he is rather anxious to keep his presence in London a secret, as you might have guessed. And you are quite correct, introductions should have been made first. I am Alice Crozier.’

‘Lady Alice Crozier,’ Raven added with a wry smile. ‘Daughter of the Earl of Dawlish.’

‘I’m sure that has little interest for Esther,’ Alice said sweetly. ‘I’ll thank you to mind your own business, Raven.’

‘You are very much my concern, Alice.’ Raven’s smile faded as he turned to Essie. ‘You will keep this to yourself.’

She nodded. ‘I just want to know what you’re up to, and what business you have that keeps you out all night. Times are hard enough without dragging my pa into something shady.’

Alice raised her eyebrows, fixing Raven with a questioning glance. ‘Well? What do you say to that?’

He eyed Essie thoughtfully. ‘How trustworthy are you, Esther?’

‘It all depends what you mean by trustworthy. My main concern is for Pa and myself. We’re struggling as it is and we don’t want any trouble.’

‘But you’ve taken my money,’ Raven said smoothly. ‘That might implicate you in my crime, or whatever you imagine my misdeeds to be.’

Alice laid her mittened hand on his arm. ‘Stop teasing the poor girl, Raven. I think Esther could be trusted, and anyway she knows too much to fob her off with threats or platitudes.’

He leaned back in his seat, fixing his intense gaze on Essie. ‘I am a convicted felon,’ he said slowly. ‘I was transported to Australia five years ago.’

Essie, for once, was speechless – she could only stare at him in amazement. He was obviously an educated man, and not the sort she associated with the crimes that could be punished by transportation to the colonies.

‘That surprises you,’ Raven continued. ‘I suppose I should be flattered, but I was accused of obstructing officers of the Crown and sentenced to seven years’ penal servitude.’

‘Were you guilty?’ Essie demanded, finding her voice at last. ‘What did you do?’

‘That doesn’t matter.’ Raven turned his head away, staring out into the street. It had started to rain and the passers-by were scurrying for shelter.

‘He was protecting his brother.’ Alice leaned towards Essie. ‘Raven did not deserve such a harsh sentence. He was punished because he came from a privileged background and was supposed to set an example to his inferiors, or so the judge said.’

‘Seven years sounds a bit harsh,’ Essie said thoughtfully. ‘I don’t know what your brother did, but surely he should have been punished, not you.’

‘My brother was young and irresponsible. He got away.’

‘You saved him from himself,’ Alice said severely. ‘Frederick was your mother’s spoiled darling, and he thought he could do as he pleased. But for you he would have been sent to a penal colony instead of living a life of luxury abroad.’

‘A monastery in Italy is hardly the most thrilling place for someone like Freddie to spend the rest of his days.’ Raven shook his head. ‘I intend to clear both our names, but I’m no hero. If I’m discovered I’ll be thrown into jail and will probably face the death penalty.’

‘Then why have you risked everything to return to London?’ Essie demanded.

‘It’s a matter of trust and honour, but I don’t want you to be involved.’

‘But she is already,’ Alice said gently. ‘And you are risking everything by being seen in daylight. We will all be in trouble if you’re recognised.’

‘I know that, Alice. But I have to see Gilfoyle today – it’s taking too much time with all this creeping about at night. I need to go to his office and have it out with him.’

Alice’s green eyes widened and her mouth turned down at the corners. ‘That’s insanity.’

‘Nevertheless, I must see him in person. I have to sort out my affairs before the Santa Gabriella sails. I have to be on that ship.’

Essie shifted uncomfortably on the padded velvet seat. ‘I shouldn’t be here. Perhaps I ought to go home. I have to find work anyway.’

Alice reached out to grasp Essie’s wrist. ‘Don’t go yet. I have an idea that might save us all from a great deal of trouble and heartache.’

‘You always were the clever one in the family,’ Raven said with a wry smile. ‘What do you suggest?’

Alice ignored him, concentrating her attention on Essie. ‘How do you earn your living, Esther?’

‘It’s Essie, my lady. No one calls me Esther unless I’m in trouble.’

‘All right then, Essie – what work are you looking for?’

‘My pa fell and hurt his back. He’s works the river and I’ve taken over his job while he’s poorly.’

‘Forgive me, but I don’t know what that entails.’

‘We have a boat and we do trips that are too small for the watermen and lightermen to take on. As I told you, I brought Mr Raven ashore the other night, and it was blooming difficult, rowing against wind and tide.’

‘We need a go-between, Essie,’ Alice said earnestly. ‘Raven is risking everything simply by returning to London, but he has important business to transact.’

Essie looked from one to the other. Raven was frowning thoughtfully, but he made no comment. ‘You’re an escaped convict,’ she said slowly. ‘I’d be in trouble too, if you were caught.’

He nodded. ‘Yes, you would. I don’t want you going into this blindly.’

‘But we would pay you well,’ Alice insisted. ‘You’re involved now anyway.’

‘Don’t tell the girl that,’ Raven said angrily. ‘She can still walk away. I won’t be responsible for ruining a young life.’ He fixed Essie with an intense look. ‘You aren’t under any obligation to me or my cousin. If you’re unhappy with this you are free to go now, and nothing more will be said.’

Essie held his gaze and saw a man she could trust. ‘I will help you,’ she said slowly. ‘Just tell me what you want me to do.’

Raven was about to reply, but Alice laid her hand on his arm. ‘Leave this to me.’ She turned a brilliant smile on Essie and the sun seemed to shine inside the luxurious carriage, even though the rain was drumming on the roof. ‘We will take you home and you can tell your papa that you have been offered work in the house of a respectable lady, which will give you an excuse for visiting me in Hill Street.’

‘Take me home?’ Essie shook her head. ‘Are you mad? Begging your pardon, my lady, but if this carriage arrived in White’s Rents it would cause a sensation.’

‘She’s right, Alice.’ Raven’s tense expression melted into a smile. He opened the door. ‘Go home, Essie. I’ll see you later.’

Essie visited Riley on the way, but he had no work for her and she spent the day cleaning the house, attempting to ignore her father’s constant carping. In the end she went to the pub and had a jug filled with ale, which kept him happy. He was soon sound asleep and snoring loudly, and Essie was sitting by a desultory fire in the kitchen, waiting for the kettle to boil, when Raven entered the room.

She jumped to her feet. ‘I thought they’d got you,’ she said crossly. ‘I’ve been waiting all day for you to return.’

He took off his cap and reefer jacket, shaking droplets of rainwater on to the tiled floor. ‘You sound like a nagging wife.’

‘I don’t know who would want to marry a man like you,’ Essie countered. ‘You asked me to help you and I need to know exactly what I’m supposed to do.’

He pulled up a chair and sat down, stretching his long legs towards the fire. ‘Haven’t you got any more coal? That’s a pitiful excuse for a blaze.’

‘No, I haven’t. I bought a bag yesterday and put it out in the yard but someone pinched it.’

‘I’m sorry, I know I’ve put you to a lot of trouble, but you’ll be handsomely recompensed.’

‘If I’m not sent to jail first.’

A smile curved his lips and he nodded. ‘Touché. But I’ll take great care that doesn’t happen.’ He leaned forward and took the poker from her hand. ‘That really is a poor apology for a fire.’

Essie sat back in her chair, eyeing him thoughtfully. ‘Why aren’t you staying with Lady Alice? You’d be a lot more comfortable in her house. She’ll have a servant or two to take care of you, and I’m sure she has coal fires in every room.’

‘My cousin has a large house in Hill Street, as you’ll discover, and she has a small army of servants. Most of them are trustworthy, but there’s always someone with a loose tongue.’ He put the poker down with a sigh. ‘I can’t afford to be caught, Essie. This isn’t a game, which is why I want you to visit Hill Street daily and return with whatever information Alice has for me.’

‘What do you hope to gain from all this?’ Essie asked boldly. ‘And don’t say it’s none of my business, because you’ve involved me and my pa whether we like it or not. Why would you risk everything to return to London now, when you only have to wait for another two years and you could be a free man?’

‘Free, but still a convicted criminal.’ He stared into the pale flames that licked around the damp nuggets of coal. ‘Have you heard of a place called Ballarat?’

‘No, can’t say I have.’

‘You know that fortunes are being made from the goldfields?’

‘I suppose I must have seen something about it in the old newspapers that people leave about, but Australia is on the other side of the world. What has that got to do with us here?’

Raven put his hand in his pocket and took out a gold nugget, which gleamed dully in the firelight. ‘This is what it’s all about, Essie.’

‘You’ve struck gold?’

‘Let’s just say that I’ve found enough to buy back my good name and that of my brother.’

‘It’s hard to believe that something so small can be of such value.’

‘This is not the whole of my find. There’s more.’ He put the nugget back in his pocket. ‘You mustn’t breathe a word of this. People become savages when there is so much money at stake.’

She laughed, despite the seriousness of the situation. ‘Round here they’d kill you for a silver sixpence, let alone a lump of gold.’

‘Which is why no one must find out.’

‘I will help you, but what did Frederick do that caused you both so much trouble?’

‘I suppose it will do no harm to tell you.’ Raven leaned back in his chair with a faraway expression in his eyes as if seeing a world quite different from the poorly furnished kitchen with damp staining the walls and cracked windowpanes. ‘Our family home is in Devon. Freddie had just come down from Cambridge and, for whatever reason, he got involved with some undesirables. Despite the efforts of the preventive officers, smuggling still goes on along the coast and probably always will. Freddie was caught aiding the gang to unload their illicit cargo onto the beach.’

‘What happened then?’ Essie asked anxiously. She could almost smell the salty air and hear the waves crashing on the shingle as the boat laden with contraband was hauled ashore.

‘Freddie escaped and came home, but the revenue officers followed him. I did what anyone would do when their younger brother was in trouble and I said he was doing my bidding. I thought, quite wrongly, that my privileged position could keep me out of trouble.’

‘But you said he’s in Italy. I don’t understand why you were punished instead of him.’

‘We were both put on bail, but I knew that Freddie would admit his culpability and I arranged for him to leave the country. I stood trial and I was punished for my stupidity and arrogance. It was too late to tell the truth and that’s why I’m here now, paving the way for freedom for both myself and Freddie.’

‘But your brother is guilty and he’s escaped punishment. That doesn’t seem fair.’

‘Freddie was young and stupid, but he’s no criminal. You would do the same for a brother if you had one, I’m sure.’

Essie’s eyes filled with tears. Memories of long ago flooded back on a tide of emotion – a smiling face, a playful tug at her hair, a paper poke filled with shards of toffee, a piggyback when her little legs were too tired to walk another step – the older brother ousted from the family home when she was a small child. She gulped and swallowed, turning away so that Raven would not see her tears.

‘What’s the matter?’ he demanded. ‘What have I said to upset you?’

Chapter Three

The need to tell him was too strong. It was a forbidden subject as far as her father was concerned, but love did not fade away on command, and she had loved George. She had hero-worshipped her elder brother, who had alternately teased and spoiled her, but the feeling ran deep. ‘I have a brother, too,’ she murmured, half-afraid to speak his name in case Pa should hear.

‘You have a brother? Where is this fellow? He ought to be taking care of you now.’

‘I should have said that I had a brother, but George left home when I was very young. Pa won’t allow his name to be spoken, and he blames George for my mother’s death. He says he broke her heart and that’s why she died.’ Essie wiped her eyes on her apron. ‘But I know that’s not true. She died of the fever that she caught from me. I am to blame for her death, not George.’

‘That’s ridiculous, Essie. You couldn’t help being ill, and you certainly weren’t responsible for your mother’s death.’

‘I try to believe that, but George left anyway.’

‘To lose your mother and your brother at such a young age must have been hard for you to bear.’

‘It was – it still is – which is why I will help you. Just tell me what to do, and I’ll try my hardest to help you and your brother.’

Next morning Raven gave Essie the money for a cab and she walked to Commercial Road, waiting until she was safely out of sight of prying eyes before she hailed a passing hansom. The cabby looked askance when she gave him the address and demanded to see her money, but the sight of a silver shilling was enough to convince him that she could pay her way.

‘Hop in, but I hope you know what you’re doing, miss. The toffs don’t take kindly to the likes of you knocking on their door, begging for work.’

‘Drive on, please.’ Essie picked up her skirts and climbed in with as much dignity as she could muster. The cab pulled away from the kerb and she settled down to enjoy the luxury of being driven through the city, but the cabby’s words still rankled, and she was beginning to feel apprehensive, especially when they reached the exclusive world of the West End.

The elegant terraced house in Hill Street was as far removed from Essie’s home in White’s Rents as was possible: both were constructed of bricks and mortar with slate roofs, but here the similarity ended. There were no beggars hanging around in doorways or ragged urchins picking pockets. The street sweepers were hard at work keeping the thoroughfare free from the horse dung, straw and the general detritus that buried the East End roads beneath layers of filth. Maidservants wearing black dresses, spotless white aprons and white mobcaps, were busy buffing up the brass door furniture and shaking dusters out of upstairs windows. Even the air Essie breathed seemed different in this part of London, although the smell of fresh paint and polish did not quite mask the stench from the river on a hot summer day. It was like entering another world and Essie’s hand shook as she raised the gleaming doorknocker and let it fall. Moments later the door was opened by a liveried footman.

He looked her up and down. ‘Tradesman’s entrance is down the area steps.’

She put her foot over the threshold as he was about to close the door. ‘You don’t understand. I am expected. Please tell Lady Alice that Essie Chapman is here.’

He hesitated for a moment, but then he relented and stood aside. ‘You’d better come in. Wait there and don’t move.’ He stalked off, leaving her standing in the marble-tiled vestibule. Shallow steps led into a wide entrance hall with a grand staircase sweeping up to a galleried first floor. From the outside the house did not look enormous, but inside it seemed vast and magnificent. Scantily clad marble statues in artistic poses graced the hall, and frosty-eyed dignitaries stared down at Essie from oil paintings in ornate gilt frames. Long mirrors reflected the dancing prisms of light from crystal chandeliers, and slender plant stands supported urns filled with exotic flowers. Essie felt dwarfed and out of place amongst such opulence and grandeur. She was beginning to think that her offer to help Raven had been a huge mistake, and was about to make her escape when the footman reappeared.

‘Lady Alice will see you in the morning parlour.’

Essie followed him across the black and white tiled floor, stifling a sudden childish impulse to slide on the polished marble as if skating on ice. She managed to restrain herself and was ushered into the morning parlour. If she had been unsure of her welcome her doubts were immediately dispelled when Lady Alice rose from her seat by the window.

‘How good of you to come, Essie. I realise this must be difficult for you. You must be in need of refreshment after that tedious journey from the other side of the city.’ She turned to the footman who was still standing stiffly to attention in the doorway. ‘Bring coffee and cake for Miss Chapman, Fielding.’

‘Yes, my lady.’ Fielding remained stony-faced as he bowed and backed out of the room, closing the door behind him.

‘Now we may speak freely.’ Lady Alice’s smile was replaced by a serious expression, and she motioned Essie to take a seat. ‘I have two appointments today, both of them on Raven’s behalf. The first one is with his lawyer, and the second with his bank. All of this is strictly between you and me, and my servants know nothing of what is going on, and it must be kept that way.’

‘How do I fit in, my lady?’ Essie asked anxiously. ‘I’m sure my presence here must raise questions.’

‘I’ve thought of that. I used to employ a sewing woman but she retired recently. Her eyesight had been failing for some time and her work was quite unacceptable. The sewing room is upstairs on the third floor.’ Lady Alice paused, giving Essie a searching look. ‘You can sew, I suppose?’

‘I can darn a sock, my lady. I can mend a tear, but I can’t do anything fancy.’

‘That will suffice. It’s only the servants’ uniforms that occasionally need a stitch or two, and I don’t really know what Moffatt did all day, but she seemed to keep busy.’

‘I see,’ Essie said slowly, although she was not convinced. ‘Won’t the servants think it’s odd that you’re employing someone like me to do a bit of mending?’

‘It doesn’t matter what they think, the main thing is that they don’t find out the real reason for your being here. I trust you not to gossip, Essie.’

‘I wouldn’t dream of it, my lady. But is that all I have to do?’

‘Your main task will be to take the information I gather to Raven. It might be in the form of documents for him to sign, or written notes from me, but secrecy is the most important thing.’ She broke off at the sound of approaching footsteps and the rattle of cups and saucers. Forgetting that she was a guest in Lady Alice’s house, Essie jumped up to open the door. A young maidservant staggered into the room carrying a tray laden with crockery and a silver coffee set. Fielding was close behind bearing a cake stand, and it was obvious from the superior expression on his face that he was above helping the girl, who was little more than a skinny child.

‘That’s far too heavy for a girl like you.’ Essie took the tray from her and placed it on a rosewood tea table next to the cake stand. She glared at Fielding, but he remained aloof and impassive.

The maid’s pale eyes filled with tears and her lips trembled. ‘Please, miss. That’s my job.’

‘I’m a servant here, too,’ Essie said boldly. ‘Lady Alice has just taken me on to work in the sewing room, so it’s all right if I give you a hand.’ She turned to Fielding. ‘You might have helped her.’

‘Sit down, Essie,’ Lady Alice said in a bored tone. ‘And Fielding, that child should be working below stairs. I expect better from you.’

Fielding bowed and backed towards the door. ‘Be careful, Miss Chapman,’ he said in an undertone. ‘I’ve got your mark, and yours, too, Dixon.’

‘What is going on?’ Lady Alice demanded angrily.

Fielding stood to attention. ‘My apologies for Dixon, my lady. I’ll report her behaviour to Mrs Dent. She’ll deal with the girl.’

‘It wasn’t her fault,’ Essie protested. ‘This man is a bully.’

‘That’s enough.’ Lady Alice said coldly. ‘If anyone is to speak to my housekeeper it will be me. Tell Mrs Dent I want to have a word with her, Fielding.’ She dismissed him with a wave of her hand and he shooed Dixon out of the room, closing the door behind them.

Essie had a feeling that Fielding would make the poor child suffer, but there was nothing she could do to protect Dixon from his wrath.

‘That young man needs a lesson in manners. This would never have happened if I hadn’t sent my butler to the country house.’ Lady Alice picked up the coffee pot. ‘I won’t allow bullying in any shape or form amongst my servants, but you would be wise to hold your tongue, Essie. You need to be invisible as far as the rest of my staff are concerned.’

‘Yes, my lady. I’m sorry.’

Lady Alice reached up to tug on a silk-tasselled bell pull. ‘I’ll send for someone to show you where to go and give you instructions, Essie. You can say that you’re a distant relative of Moffatt’s, and it was she who recommended you. There’s no need to elaborate, just try not to offend Mrs Dent when you meet her. I can’t afford to have a rebellion in the servants’ hall.’

Essie glanced longingly at the tiny cakes and pastries that were arranged so prettily on the cake stand, but she did not like to take one, and Lady Alice had apparently forgotten about food. Essie had barely sat down again when a maid answered her summons.

‘Take Miss Chapman to the sewing room, Morrison. She’ll be replacing Miss Moffatt.’

‘Yes, my lady.’ Morrison eyed Essie curiously. ‘Follow me, miss.’

The sewing room on the third floor of the town house overlooked the garden and the mews. Flies wandered tiredly up and down the glass panes, as if giving up all hope of escaping from their prison. Dust had settled on the work table and the seat of the upright wooden chair where Essie was to sit. The small space was hot and stuffy and she opened the window, releasing the captive insects. A waft of fresh air filled the room with the smell of the stables mingled with the scent of flowers from the well-tended beds below. A gardener was scything the grass into a velvety lawn, and in the small back yard a housemaid was beating a rug as if punishing it for disobedience. The household seemed to run on well-oiled wheels and Essie felt like an interloper. Morrison had been less than friendly and Fielding had been suspicious of her from the start, and now he held a grudge against her. Life in Hill Street was not going to be easy.

She turned with a start as the door opened and a middle-aged woman dressed in black bombazine entered the room. Even the smallest movement was accompanied by the jingling of a large bunch of keys attached to a chatelaine at her waist. She looked Essie up and down.

‘I am Mrs Dent, Lady Alice’s housekeeper.’

Remembering her manners, Essie bobbed a curtsey. ‘Good morning, ma’am.’

A shadow of a smile flickered across the housekeeper’s even features. Her smooth skin was unrelieved by laughter lines or furrows on her brow, but it was obvious from her shrewd expression that she missed nothing, and her firm chin suggested a steadiness of purpose and a stubborn nature. She placed a bundle of cloth on the table. ‘These garments need mending. I hope you’re more competent than poor Miss Moffatt. She should have retired years ago.’

‘I’ll do my best, ma’am.’

‘I hope so.’ Mrs Dent folded her arms, head on one side. ‘I gather you won’t be living in.’

‘No, ma’am. I’ll return home when I’ve finished my duties here.’

‘And where is home?’

Essie realised that she was being gently cross-examined and she did not want to give too much away. ‘I live in Limehouse, Mrs Dent.’

‘That’s a long way to travel each day. Why would you do that?’

‘My pa injured himself in a fall,’ Essie said truthfully. ‘I have to go home to look after him, and we need the money.’

‘I see.’ Mrs Dent turned as if to leave the room, but she paused in the doorway. ‘You won’t earn very much here. I wouldn’t have thought it worth your while. The cab fare would be very expensive, more than you could hope to make for a few hours’ work.’

‘I walk part of the way and then I catch a bus,’ Essie said, improvising wildly. She had no idea how much the fare would be, but it sounded reasonable and it seemed to convince Mrs Dent, who smiled vaguely and left, closing the door quietly.

Left to her own devices, Essie found needles and thread in a chest of drawers and a pair of scissors, and she settled down to work. Sewing was not her most favoured occupation, but it was easier than working the river in all weathers. It was the silence that was hardest to bear, used as she was to the constant noise both at home and at work. The house in Hill Street might have been deserted for all the sounds that could be heard on the third floor. No doubt the kitchen was buzzing with activity and chatter, but even the birdsong was muted at this level and the neighbours might have been a million miles away, not yelling and bawling at each other at the tops of their voices, as they did at home. If there were babies in the nurseries their nannies kept them from crying, and older children must be fully occupied in their school rooms, or perhaps taken out for long walks in Hyde Park by their tutors and governesses. Essie found herself in a different world – one where she did not feel at all comfortable.

She had no idea of the time, but judging by the position of the sun, it was well past noon and she was feeling hungry. The memory of the cake stand, laden with dainties, came back to haunt her and she wished that she had had the forethought to tuck one in her pocket before Morrison spirited her away. If this was how things were Up West, Essie decided that she preferred the rough and tumble, privation and poverty of the East End. At least you knew where you were with Miss Flower – you could smell her bucket of pure a mile off, but she always had a kind word and a smile. Josser the tosher was also less than fragrant, but he would give you his last farthing, if he had one, and Ben would be wondering where she was. Essie tried to forget her rumbling belly and stitched away, storing all her experiences up to tell Ben when she saw him next.

A timid tap on the door brought her back to earth and she jumped, pricking her finger and yelping as a tiny bead of blood broke surface. ‘Come in,’ she murmured.

Dixon put her head round the door. ‘I brought you some grub, miss. I think they must have forgot you below stairs.’ She glanced over her shoulder as if to ensure that the coast was clear before slipping into the room. She had her apron folded into a bundle, from which she produced a chunk of bread and a couple of slices of ham. ‘I managed to nick this off the kitchen table.’ She put her hand in her pocket and took out an apple and a piece of cheese. ‘Sorry it ain’t much, but you was kind to me earlier. No one has ever stood up for me before, so I wanted to do something for you.’

‘You are very kind, Dixon.’ Essie stared at the girl, frowning. ‘I can’t keep calling you that. I’m Essie – what’s your name?’

‘It’s Sadie, Miss Essie.’

‘Just Essie will do nicely.’ Essie gazed at the food and her mouth watered. ‘I hope this won’t get you into trouble downstairs.’

‘I’m used to it, miss. I gets the blame for everything from sour milk to Mr Fielding losing money on the horses. He’s a one for betting, is Mr Fielding, but he don’t tell Mrs Dent how he spends his afternoons off, or where he goes to on a Sunday when everyone else attends church.’

‘Where does he go?’ Essie made an effort to keep a straight face, but Sadie’s childish prattle made her want to laugh, if only for the sheer relief of speaking to someone friendly.

‘He’s sweet on Iris Morrison,’ Sadie whispered. ‘Only don’t tell no one I said so. Iris will lose her job if Mrs Dent finds out they’re stepping out together, but Mr Fielding will deny it and Morrison will get the sack. It ain’t fair, but that’s how it is.’

This was too much for Essie and she chuckled. ‘I’m sorry, I know it’s not funny, but I was beginning to think that everyone here was stuck up and unapproachable. You are a breath of fresh air.’

Sadie’s pale blue eyes widened. ‘I ain’t never been called that before, either.’ She was suddenly alert, like a small animal that sensed a fox was on the prowl. ‘I got to go or I’ll be in even more bother. I was supposed to be scouring out the pans in the scullery.’

‘Well, I’m truly grateful for the food,’ Essie said earnestly. ‘But you mustn’t risk your job for me, Sadie, dear. I’ll brave the servants’ hall later on and make myself known to everyone. I’m sure someone will tell me what I’m supposed to do about meals.’

‘Cook is all right, miss. But she gets a bit upset when she burns things, and then you got to watch out for flying pans, and she can’t half swear when she’s in a state. Mr Barton ain’t here at the moment, but he’s a stickler for behaviour and clean fingernails. The kitchen maids are a funny lot. Sometimes they’re friendly and at other times they’re scratching each other’s eyes out like a lot of alley cats.’

‘It sounds a dreadful place to work,’ Essie said thoughtfully. ‘Can’t you go home to your family?’

‘Ain’t got one, miss. I was raised in the Foundling Home. There’s lots of us kids around. I suppose I’m lucky to have a roof over me head and three meals a day. It could be worse.’ She backed out onto the landing and her footsteps grew fainter as she raced towards the back stairs.

Having eaten every last scrap of food, Essie worked with renewed energy, and by late afternoon she had almost finished the pile of mending. Her back ached and her fingers were sore, having pricked them on the needle more times than she could remember, but there was a certain satisfaction in seeing the neatly patched and darned garments ready for wear. She had almost forgotten the reason for her being in Hill Street when Lady Alice breezed into the room.

‘I didn’t send for you, Essie, because it would arouse curiosity in the servants’ hall. I want you to be as inconspicuous as possible.’

‘I understand, my lady. Have you anything for me?’

Lady Alice nodded and handed her a sealed document. ‘Give this to Raven and tell him that the money is deposited in the bank. He knows which one, and I’ve arranged another meeting with his lawyer tomorrow at eleven o’clock, but this time he has to attend without me.’

‘I’ll tell him that, my lady.’

‘Good. We’re trusting you, Essie. This is extremely important – you might say a matter of life and death – so nothing must go wrong. Do you understand?’

‘Yes, my lady.’

‘Then I’ll say no more.’ Lady Alice took a leather purse from her reticule and placed it on the table. ‘There’s enough money to pay your cab fares. I’ll expect you here after Raven’s appointment with his lawyer. It’s not safe for me to be seen with him, so you will take my place. Go now and I’ll see you tomorrow.’

Essie walked part of the way, but it was hot and she grew weary of being jostled on the crowded pavements. Eventually she hailed a cab, alighting in Fore Street, and made her way along the wharves, hoping to bump into Ben. She owed him an explanation, but that might prove difficult without giving away her new position in Hill Street. She was deep in thought when she was accosted by Diggory Tyce. He loomed out of the shadow of a large crane.

‘So, you’ve returned to us, Essie Chapman. Where’ve you been all day? I believe Riley has been looking for you.’

‘It’s none of your business, Mr Tyce.’ Essie tried to sidestep him but Diggory Tyce was a big man and nimble for his size. He grabbed her by the arm.

‘Don’t try to humbug me, miss. I know there’s something going on. I saw the man you brought ashore the other night. What has that father of yours got you into now?’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ Essie struggled but he only tightened his grip on her arm. ‘Let me go or I’ll scream.’ She looked for a familiar face, but it was unusually quiet for the time of day.

He leaned over so that his face was close to hers. ‘Give us a kiss, little girl. I’ve a fancy for you and now your dad is out of action there’s no one to stand up for you.’

‘That’s where you’re wrong.’ Ben came striding towards them, his hands clenched into fists. ‘Let her go, guvnor.’

‘Or what?’ Diggory demanded, grinning. ‘You depend on me for your livelihood, boy. You’re bound over to me for another year and I can make or break you, so go away and leave me to enjoy meself for a change.’

Essie wrenched her arm free. ‘You’re a disgrace, Diggory Tyce. Leave Ben out of this, but my pa will hear of it, you may depend on that. He won’t be laid up for ever and then you’d best watch out.’

Diggory backed away, his face contorted with rage. ‘You little slut. You toss your head and you’re all smiles when you want something, but you don’t want to give anything in return. There’s a name for girls like you.’

Ben took a step towards him but Essie held him back. ‘No, Ben. Don’t get into bother because of me. I can take care of myself.’

Reluctantly Ben dropped his hands to his sides. ‘I’ll see you safely home, Essie.’

‘No, you won’t. There’s still work to do and you work for me.’ Diggory turned on his heel and stomped away in the direction of the wharfinger’s office. ‘You’ll be sorry for this, Essie Chapman.’

She shook her head. ‘He’s a brute. I wonder I didn’t see it before, but he’s never behaved like that until now.’

‘I’m sorry, Essie. I should have flattened him while I had the chance.’ Ben shoved his hands in his pockets, shoulders hunched as if he carried the weight of the world on them. ‘But he’s right. I’m bound to him until I finish my apprenticeship. Sometimes I wish I’d gone to sea or joined the army.’

‘Let’s walk on. I don’t want to give him the chance to tell you off for shirking.’ Essie tucked her hand in the crook of his arm. ‘If you had done any of those things it would have been my loss, Ben. I really appreciate what you did just now.’

‘I just made it worse.’

‘No, you didn’t. He might have gone further if you hadn’t intervened, and I’m grateful.’

He came to a halt at the top of the steps leading down to the foreshore, where mudlarks were picking over the detritus left by the ebb tide. ‘Where have you been all day? Riley asked me where you were and I didn’t know what to say. Your boat is still where you left it, so I knew you weren’t working on the river.’

‘I can’t tell you, Ben. I went on an errand for someone, that’s all I can say, but I’m going home now.’ She backed away. ‘But first I’d better go and make peace with Riley.’ She hurried off before he had a chance to question her further. Keeping a secret from her friends was not going to be easy, and she could only hope that Raven would finish his business quickly and leave them in peace.

Riley looked up as she entered his office, but his grim expression was not encouraging. ‘Nice of you to call in, Miss Chapman. I suppose you know that I’ve been looking for you all day?’

‘Yes, and I’m truly sorry, Mr Riley. I had work in a different part of the city.’

‘I thought you were a good girl, Essie. There’s only one sort of occupation that springs to mind.’

‘I don’t have to explain myself to you.’

‘Then you won’t care that I’ve found someone else to do the work that I’d normally put your way. You let me down, Essie Chapman, and your pa will hear about this. I dare say you’ve been keeping company with some young fellow who’s taken your fancy, but be warned it’ll bring you nothing but trouble. You may think you’re pretty, with your big hazel eyes and your long dark curls, but you girls are all the same, trollops at heart, leading men on.’

‘You have a very poor opinion of woman, Mr Riley. Maybe you were crossed in love or something, but I’m a respectable girl and I don’t have to stand here and listen to your insults.’

‘Get out of my office and don’t come knocking on my door when you’re desperate for employment, because you’re finished. Now clear off before I throw you out.’

Chapter Four

Essie did not dare tell her father what had happened in the wharfinger’s office, and she did not mention Diggory Tyce. Pa might have his faults, but he would be furious if he knew that she had been accosted in the street, and even in his weakened condition he might go roaring off, ready for a fight. There were some things that were better kept secret, and this was one of them.

She did not see Raven until next morning. He came downstairs looking tired but purposeful. ‘I’ll leave by the back door,’ he said firmly when she had given him Lady Alice’s message. ‘Give me a couple of minutes and then you go out as if you were going about your daily business. I’ll have a cab waiting at the far end of Fore Street.’

‘What are you two talking about?’ Jacob limped into the kitchen. ‘What’s going on between you?’

‘Nothing, Pa,’ Essie said hastily. ‘Mr Raven has found me employment in a big house Up West. The money will keep us going until you’re fit enough to return to work.’

Jacob glared at Raven, lowering his brow in a scowl. ‘I won’t have you taking advantage of my daughter, sir.’

‘I promise you that there’s nothing untoward in my dealings with Miss Chapman.’ Raven dropped a leather pouch onto the kitchen table with a clink of coins. ‘You’ll be well recompensed, Chapman. I always pay my debts.’

Jacob snatched up the money before Essie had a chance to make a move. ‘Pa, I’ll need some of that,’ she protested.

‘You abandoned me in favour of your new friends. I can manage very well on my own.’ Jacob tucked the pouch into his pocket and returned to the front parlour, slamming the door behind him.

Essie sighed. ‘He’ll spend all of it in the Grapes, treating his friends to rum punch.’

‘You don’t have to put up with a life like this,’ Raven said earnestly. ‘I’m sure my cousin would take you on permanently, should you wish to leave Limehouse.’

‘This is my home. The river and the people round here are part of me and this is where I belong.’

‘It’s a shame to have such a limited outlook at your age. There’s a whole world out there, if you chose to embrace it.’

Essie placed her teacup in the stone sink. ‘Maybe I ought to commit a crime so that I get transported to Australia like you. Would that broaden my horizon, Mr Raven?’

‘I wouldn’t go so far as that,’ he said, laughing. ‘But you’re a pretty young woman and you’re bright. You deserve more than this.’

Essie had a sudden vision of herself married to Ben, living in rented rooms further down the street with a new baby arriving like clockwork every year. It was the fate of most women in Limehouse – either that or working until they dropped with exhaustion, starvation or succumbing to one of the many diseases that were rife amongst the poor.

‘Isn’t it time we were gone?’ she said briskly. ‘The sooner you get your affairs sorted out the sooner you can return to your goldmine and leave us all in peace.’

Essie sat in the clerk’s office waiting for Raven to emerge. The clock on the wall opposite ticked noisily, accompanied by the scratching of the clerk’s pen as he wrote laboriously, the tip of his tongue clamped between two rows of yellowed teeth. Essie shifted her position on the hard seat of the wooden chair, which was not designed for comfort. Every so often the clerk sniffed and gave her a sideways glance before returning to the ledger in front of him. The sound of a door opening and closing followed by footsteps made them both sit up.

Raven strode past Essie. ‘Come along. It’s time to go.’

She leaped to her feet and followed him out of the building into Lincoln’s Inn. ‘What happened?’ she demanded. ‘Where are we going now?’

He walked on until they were in the relative seclusion of the sunlit gardens, and he came to a halt. Taking a document from his inside pocket he placed it in her hand. ‘Take this to Hill Street and give it to Lady Alice in person.’

Essie tucked it into her reticule. ‘I will, of course, but can you tell me what this is all about?’

He shook his head. ‘Remember that I’m an escaped convict and aiding me is a crime, so the less you know, the better, for your own sake.’

‘But you were just standing up for your brother. You’re the injured party because you took his punishment. I still don’t understand why you did that.’

‘If it were your brother, George, who had got himself in a fix, wouldn’t you do your utmost to help him?’

‘Yes, of course, but surely you’ve suffered enough?’

Raven smiled a charming, crooked smile that made him look infinitely more approachable and gave him an almost boyish appearance. ‘I’m tough – I can take hardship and come out on top. I’ve made a fortune in Australia and I intend to share it with those nearest and dearest to me. By investing wisely I’ll have something to come home to when I’m a free man, but what I really want is to appeal against the sentence in the hope of acquittal.’

‘You’re taking a terrible risk.’

‘The ship that brought me here is due to sail tomorrow and I’ll be leaving then. My mission is accomplished, almost.’

‘Almost?’

He held up his hand to hail a passing cab. ‘You ask too many questions. Take this to Alice and soon you’ll be rid of me.’ He bundled her into the cab, barely waiting for it to stop. ‘Hill Street, cabby.’

Lady Alice took the sealed document from Essie. ‘You’ve done well, thank you.’

‘Am I finished here now, my lady?’

‘I think we’d best wait until my cousin is safely on board ship and on his way back to Australia before we make any rash decisions. The sooner he leaves the better for all of us.’

Essie hesitated, waiting for further instructions. ‘Shall I continue to work in the sewing room, my lady?’

Lady Alice broke the seal and studied the contents, frowning. ‘Yes, continue as you did yesterday. I don’t want the servants to suspect anything. You’d best keep to your room and I’ll have Dixon bring your meals to you. I don’t want a whispering game to start in the servants’ hall.’

‘Yes, my lady.’ Realising that she had been dismissed, Essie left Lady Alice poring over the document. She closed the door and was making for the back stairs when she bumped into Sadie.

‘Oh, you’ve come back,’ Sadie cried joyfully. ‘They was laying bets below stairs that you wouldn’t last another day.’

‘I don’t know why,’ Essie said warily. ‘It’s quite an easy, pleasant sort of job.’

‘Mrs Dent told Cook that she didn’t think you was the sort who would settle down to such mundane tasks. She said you was probably flighty and good-looking girls was always trouble.’

‘I don’t know whether to be annoyed or flattered,’ Essie laughed, but the memory of Diggory Tyce’s attempt to kiss her had haunted her dreams and she had awakened that morning feeling sick and angry.

‘You won’t say nothing, will you?’ Sadie asked anxiously. ‘I’ll get me ears boxed for certain if you tell on me.’

‘Don’t worry, I won’t say a word. Anyway, Lady Alice said you were to bring me my meals so I won’t be mixing with the servants below stairs.’

Sadie’s eyes rounded in surprise and her mouth dropped open. ‘Lawks, who would have thought it? She don’t normally interfere with the running of things – Mrs Dent does that. Her majesty below stairs won’t be best pleased.’

Essie left Sadie standing at the foot of the narrow staircase, muttering to herself. There was enough intrigue going on without involving the servants in Hill Street, and she doubted if Sadie could resist the temptation to pass on a juicy piece of gossip sparked off by a careless word.

There was a fresh pile of mending in the sewing room and Essie set to work with a will. At least she could enjoy the peace and quiet up here above the trees tops, although she had a feeling that a storm was brewing. There was no particular reason for alarm but Essie had seen the expression of Lady Alice’s face when she read the document, and it was one of puzzlement followed by a tightening of the lips and a furrowed brow.

When the sun was high in the sky at midday Sadie arrived with a bowl of soup and a chunk of bread. After a brief greeting she disappeared again, returning minutes later with a tea tray. ‘Her ladyship said you was to be treated well.’ She dumped the tray on the table with an expressive sigh. ‘You ought to be a fly on the wall in the kitchen, miss. They don’t know who you are or where you came from, and it’s driving them all mad. Mr Fielding is the worst. He says you’re up to no good and her ladyship should be warned, and then Mrs Dent told him to hold his tongue and he didn’t like that one bit. Then Cook stood up for him and she got a mouthful from Mrs Dent, because she won’t take cheek from no one. It’s better than a trip to the circus down there.’

Essie tasted the soup. ‘Tell Cook the soup is delicious, but don’t say anything else, Sadie. I’ll get on with my work and you must try to keep out of trouble.’

Sadie tapped the side of her nose, winking and grinning. ‘I ain’t enjoyed meself so much since the matron at the Foundling Hospital got bit on the bum by her pet dog. It clung on for dear life, and it served her right for beating it with a cane just the same as she whacked us nippers whenever she felt like it. You only had to look at her the wrong way and she’d get that stinger off the wall and come at you with her face all screwed up with rage, and the tips of her ears flaming red.’ Sadie left the room and Essie could hear her giggling all the way to the stairs.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, but Essie was restless and the afternoon dragged. Curiosity as to the information she had passed on to Lady Alice was nagging at her like a sore tooth, but she knew she would have to wait until she had a chance to speak to Raven, although there was no guarantee that he would tell her anything. She longed to know more about Freddie and his exile in Italy, and Raven himself was a mystery that she found both intriguing and exasperating.

Sadie brought her a cup of tea late in the afternoon. She was more subdued this time, having been in trouble with Cook for breaking a plate, the cost of which would be deducted from her wages that quarter, which meant that she had worked for almost nothing. ‘I’d rather have a beating.’ Sadie’s bottom lip quivered and her eyes filled with tears. ‘I was going to buy meself a pair of boots with me wages. I saw a pair in the popshop in Shepherd Market. They was red leather with little heels what would have made me look taller, and that would make me look more grown up. If people thought I was older they’d treat me better.’

‘Red leather,’ Essie said thoughtfully. ‘Not very practical for work, Sadie. I doubt if Mrs Dent would approve.’

‘But I would look like a princess. I’d only wear them for best, and I’d keep them in a box under me bed so that I could take them out at night and put them on. I bet I could move light as a fairy in them boots, and no one would laugh at me.’

‘I don’t doubt it,’ Essie said, smiling. ‘I’m sure you’ll get your red boots once day.’ She drank the rapidly cooling tea and handed the cup to Sadie, who was gazing out of the window with a rapt expression on her small features as if she was in a delightful daydream. ‘Ahem,’ Essie cleared her throat in an attempt to bring Sadie back to the present. ‘I need to speak to her ladyship before I go home. Do you know where I might find her?’

Sadie blinked and stared at her as if she had just awakened from a nap. ‘I took a tray of tea to the drawing room before I come up here. But you can’t go barging in on her – it ain’t done. You have to go through Mrs Dent.’

Essie reached for her bonnet and shawl. ‘Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.’

Essie knocked on the drawing-room door and waited impatiently. She had finished her work and was eager to get away from the stultifying atmosphere of the house in Hill Street, where the servants seemed to rule supreme, leaving Lady Alice vulnerable and alone. When there was no reply Essie opened the door and stepped inside, but the sight that met her eyes made her come to a halt. For a moment it was not clear if her ladyship was enjoying the advances of the man who held her in his arms, or if she was struggling to get free.

‘Oh, excuse me. I’m sorry.’ Essie was about to retreat, but a cry from Lady Alice made her stand her ground. ‘Are you all right, my lady?’

‘Give me that document, Henry.’ Lady Alice held out her hand. ‘Give it to me this instant. It has nothing to do with you.’

He tossed at her. ‘Take it, Alice.’ He turned to Essie. ‘Who the devil are you?’ The man, who was dressed like a gentleman even if he was not behaving like one, advanced on Essie with a grim look on his handsome features. ‘How dare you burst into her ladyship’s drawing room like this? Get out of here.’

‘No, wait.’ Lady Alice clutched the piece of parchment in her hands. ‘Sir Henry was just leaving. I need to speak to you, Chapman.’ Her pale cheeks flushed with colour as she fixed him with a steady look. ‘You were mistaken in your assumption, Henry. I am not in the least bit interested in what you have to offer or your threat to expose my cousin.’

‘We’ll see about that, Alice.’

‘You have my answer, and now I want you to leave.’

He bowed, but it was a mocking gesture. ‘My lady.’ He strode past Essie, giving her a thunderous look as he left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Essie rushed forward to support Lady Alice, who had paled suddenly and was swaying on her feet as if about to faint. ‘Are you all right, my lady?’

‘I just need a minute.’ Alice sank down on the sofa, fanning herself with her hand. ‘Sir Henry Bearwood is not the sort of man to cross.’

‘Men are all the same, if you ask me,’ Essie said boldly. ‘Diggory Tyce is another one. They think they can take liberties and get away with it.’

‘Quite so,’ Lady Alice said vaguely. ‘But this is quite different.’ She raised her hand to her forehead and closed her eyes as if in pain.

Essie glanced around and spotted a table laden with decanters and crystal glasses. This seemed to be the right time for a tot of something stronger than tea, and she picked one at random, pulled out the stopper and sniffed. Pa only drank brandy on special occasions, but this was purely medicinal and she poured a small measure into a goblet and pressed it into Lady Alice’s cold hand. ‘Sip this, ma’am. It will make you feel better.’

‘Thank you, Essie. I’ll be fine in a moment. He caught me unawares, and unfortunately he saw the paper from the solicitor’s office.’ Lady Alice sipped the brandy and colour flooded her thin cheeks. ‘I don’t know how much he read, but it was enough to alert him to the fact that Raven is in the country. If only I’d had the sense to set light to it and turn it to ash.’

‘He had no right to read your private correspondence, my lady. He’s no gentleman.’

A faint smile curved Lady Alice’s lips. ‘Sir Henry is one of the richest men in England, so he behaves as he pleases and gets away with it, or at least that’s what he thinks.’

‘But you don’t like him.’

‘I used to find him amusing and he can be very charming, but I enjoy my life. I don’t need a man to make it complete, but Henry isn’t the sort of man to take no for an answer.’

‘My pa has his faults, but he would kill any man who took advantage of me.’

‘My father died several years ago, and my only male relatives are Raven and Freddie. I can take care of myself, or so I thought, but Henry Bearwood is another matter.’

‘Do you want me to tell Raven, my lady? He’ll come to your aid, I know he will.’

A smile flitted across Lady Alice’s face and she swallowed another mouthful of brandy. ‘I can normally handle Sir Henry, but this is a different matter altogether. You must go now and warn Raven to be extra careful. You mustn’t come here again unless it’s absolutely vital. I don’t think Henry would stoop so low as to have my movements watched, but he’s a very determined man.’

‘He must love you very much,’ Essie said thoughtfully.

‘He loves my pedigree more than he loves me. His family fortune was made in the sugar trade and that means it was founded on the misery of others. I abhor slavery, as any sane person must.’

‘Surely he doesn’t have slaves now.’

‘Of course not, but Henry has a reputation with women, and I don’t intend to be one of his conquests. The fact is that he’s reached the age of thirty-five, he’s decided to settle down and he wants a son and heir to carry on the family name. That is where I come in, or at least that’s what he wants.’

‘But you don’t?’

Lady Alice shook her head, holding out her empty glass. ‘I do not. Anyway, I shouldn’t be telling you all this. Pour me another drink and go home. Warn Raven that Sir Henry knows that he plans to appeal, although I doubt if Henry will do anything about it. Tell Raven I said bon voyage. I won’t see him again until he returns a free man, and I hope still to be a free woman.’

Essie added another small measure of brandy to the glass and placed it on a table by the sofa. ‘Will you be all right?’

‘Of course. I’m used to looking after myself, Essie. Get along home and thank you for everything you’ve done.’

Essie arrived home to find Raven and her father seated in the front parlour sharing a jug of ale. Raven looked up and smiled. ‘How did my cousin take the news?’

Baffled, Essie stared at him. ‘What news?’

‘I don’t suppose she would have shared it with you, come to that. Did she give you a message for me?’

‘She said to say bon voyage, whatever that means. She won’t be coming here and I’m not to return to Hill Street.’

‘Such goings-on,’ Jacob said crossly. ‘You should know your place, Esther. It’s here in White’s Rents with the rest of us. I need you to help me on the river, so don’t get ideas above your station.’

‘Hold on a minute, Jacob.’ Raven fixed Essie with a penetrating look. ‘Why the sudden change, Essie? Not that I think there will be any need for you to continue to work for Alice, but I can see you’re disturbed. What is it?’

‘Nonsense!’ Jacob reached for the jug and refilled his glass. ‘Girls like to make a fuss about things. That’s what they do, leaving it to us men to sort out the mess they make.’

‘I’m going to put the kettle on.’ Essie curbed her tongue with difficulty. Sometimes Pa was impossible to deal with, and this was one of them. She went into the kitchen and slipped off her shawl, placing it on the back of a chair before taking off her bonnet. She was hot and thirsty after walking the length of Fore Street and Lady Alice’s predicament was still fresh in her mind. She picked up a bucket and opened the back door, intent on visiting the communal pump, when Raven emerged from the parlour. He took in the situation with a single glance.

‘Give that to me and I’ll fetch the water for you.’

‘No, certainly not. You mustn’t be seen outside. You know that.’

He pulled up a chair and sat down at the table. ‘All right. Now tell me what’s happened to upset you? Have the servants been difficult? I can’t imagine that Alice would have said anything untoward.’

Essie was silent for a moment, wondering how much to tell him. ‘Do you know Sir Henry Bearwood?’

‘He’s not the sort of man I’d associate with normally, but how do you know him?’

‘I don’t. It’s just that he was trying to take advantage of Lady Alice and she was having none of it.’

‘The devil he was! But on the other hand I’d like to meet the man who could get the better of my cousin.’ Raven’s smile faded. ‘What are you trying to tell me?’

‘I’m not supposed to say anything,’ Essie said slowly.

‘But you’re dying to tell me, so out with it.’

‘Lady Alice wants you to leave the country as soon as possible and you’re not to try to see her.’

‘That wasn’t what you were going to say. You’re hiding something. What is it?’

Essie noted his set expression and the hard lines of his jaw and she knew that he was not about to give up until he knew the truth. ‘Sir Henry was making a nuisance of himself, if you know what I mean. He wants to marry Lady Alice and she isn’t interested, but he saw the document you sent her.’

Raven stood up abruptly, pushing back the chair so that it almost toppled over. ‘I’ll soon sort him out.’

‘No, you mustn’t,’ Essie cried anxiously. ‘I shouldn’t have told you about him. Lady Alice will be furious with me, and you’ll only get yourself into trouble. She doesn’t think he’ll let on that you’re here.’ She clutched Raven’s arm and she could feel his muscles tensed beneath the sleeve of his well-cut jacket. ‘Please sit down. I’ll go and fetch some water and make a pot of tea.’

His grim laughter echoed round the small kitchen. ‘Tea – the panacea for all ills.’

‘I think Lady Alice can take care of herself,’ Essie said firmly. ‘She was clear about one thing, and that was for you to keep away from Hill Street. You’ve only got another day and then you’ll be on your way back to Australia.’

‘I came home to make things better for my family and I don’t intend to leave Alice in a fix. She’s risked a lot helping me and I’m going to sort out Bearwood for once and all.’ He stood up and made for the back door, pushing past Essie as he stepped outside into the back yard.

Essie hurried after him. ‘Please stop. You’ll only make more trouble this way.’

He shook off her restraining hand. ‘Don’t interfere, Essie. You’ve done your bit, now go indoors and look after your father.’

Essie knew that nothing she could say or do would prevent him from seeking out Sir Henry Bearwood, and she wished with all her heart that she had said nothing. Lady Alice must have known that this was how Raven would react, and now Raven was heading for trouble. Essie clenched her hands at her sides, inwardly fuming at her own stupidity. Nothing good could come of this. She toyed with the idea of rushing over to Hill Street to warn Lady Alice, but that was not the answer. She bent down to pick up the bucket and headed out of the yard to the pump. A cup of tea would not solve her problems, but making it would give her something to do.

Time seemed to have stood still as Essie waited for Raven to return. She occupied herself as best she could with household chores. She made her father a simple supper of bread and cheese, but the ale he had drunk combined with a dose of laudanum sent him to sleep soon afterwards and Essie was left to wait and worry on her own. Outside the business of the street went on as usual with the constant sound of raised voices, hurried footsteps and the ever-present background noise of the river traffic. Hoots, sirens, bells and the grinding of cranes still at work unloading vessels moored alongside the wharfs went on all day and for most of the night.

The light faded and Essie paced the floor, accompanied by the rhythmic snores emanating from her father’s slack lips. He had drunk a copious amount of ale and had taken a hefty dose of laudanum before falling into a stupor. She lit a candle and placed it in the window, but still there was no word from Raven. In an attempt to calm her nerves she opened the front door and stood on the step, but retreated quickly. Late at night it was not a good idea to loiter in the street and she went to sit in the kitchen and wait.

The candle had burned down and Essie was about to go to her room when she heard a scrabbling sound on the front door. ‘Who’s there?’ she demanded nervously.

Chapter Five

Essie wrenched the door open and stepped aside as Raven practically fell into the room supported on either side by Lady Alice and Sadie.

‘What happened?’ Essie demanded, closing the door and bolting it. There did not seem to be anyone following them, but she was taking no chances. ‘What happened?’ She picked up the candlestick and in its flickering light she saw a dark stain that look suspiciously like blood on Raven’s jacket. ‘Take him through to the kitchen,’ she said, glancing anxiously at her father, who had slept through everything so far; disturbing him was the last thing she wanted.

‘I’m all right,’ Raven whispered. ‘I can make it on my own.’

‘Stop talking and save your strength.’ Lady Alice steered him towards the kitchen, but Sadie appeared to be flagging and Essie took her place. Together they managed to get him onto a chair at the table and, combining their efforts, they relieved him of his jacket.

‘He’s bleeding to death,’ Sadie cried, collapsing onto another chair. ‘I can’t stand the sight of blood. I’ve come over faint.’

‘Make yourself useful,’ Essie said sharply. ‘There’s a bowl in the cupboard – fill it with water from the kettle and pass me that towel.’

Sadie jumped to her feet, seemingly forgetting that she was about to faint and obeyed Essie’s instructions without another word.

‘It’s just a scratch. Stop fussing.’ Raven tried to get up but sank back on the chair, his face pale beneath his tan.

‘Stop talking,’ Lady Alice said firmly. ‘I’m going to ease your shirt off, Raven. I need to take a look at that wound.’

‘So you’re a nurse now, are you?’ Raven’s lips curved in a wry smile, but he winced as she peeled the blood-soaked cotton away from the gaping hole in his left shoulder.

Essie could see by Lady’s Alice’s expression that she was revolted by the sight of blood, and she stepped forward. ‘I’ve dealt with a good number of injuries. Maybe I can help.’ Essie held the candle closer so that she could examine the wound. ‘He was shot?’ She turned to Lady Alice, eyebrows raised.

‘It’s all right, Essie. I’ll deal with this. It wouldn’t have happened if Raven hadn’t come barging into my house,’ Lady Alice said bitterly. ‘I was dealing with Henry. He’d been drinking and was getting amorous, but Raven had to act like a hero.’

‘He was drunk,’ Raven murmured.

‘I had taken Papa’s duelling pistol from its case, although I had no intention of shooting Bearwood. I just wanted to show him that I meant what I said. Henry tried to take it from me and it went off. Papa always said it had a hair trigger and that proves it.’ Lady Alice took the cloth and bathed the wound, ignoring Raven’s protests. ‘Bearwood was about to leave when you came bursting in like a knight of old, and you took the bullet, which otherwise would have merely made a hole in the door. It serves you right for interfering.’ She frowned anxiously. ‘It’s bleeding faster. What should I do?’

Essie folded the towel and pressed it on the injured shoulder. ‘We have to stop the blood flowing by pressing on the wound.’

‘I am going to faint now,’ Sadie said weakly and collapsed onto the floor.

‘We should fetch a doctor.’ Lady Alice stood back, clasping her blood-stained hands together. ‘Is he going to die?’

‘Not if I can help it.’ Essie jerked her head in the direction of the cupboard. ‘There’s an old sheet that we can tear into strips. We need to bind the wound as tightly as we can.’

Lady Alice stepped over Sadie’s prostrate figure and returned seconds later with the neatly folded sheet. ‘Trust you to complicate things, Raven. Henry would have gone peacefully. Now he’ll tell everyone that you’re in London, if he hasn’t done so already.’

‘I have to get on board ship for all our sakes.’ Raven’s head lolled to one side and his eyes closed.

‘He’s passed out. That’s good because we can bandage his shoulder without him struggling.’ Essie took the strips of cloth from Lady Alice and proceeded to wind them round Raven’s torso. ‘I’m not very good at this, but it will have to do until we can get him to a doctor.’

‘He has to be on the Santa Gabriella tonight.’ Lady Alice sank down on the nearest chair. ‘Sir Henry might notify the authorities and the police will be looking for Raven.’

Sadie scrambled to her feet. ‘What happened?’

‘You fainted,’ Essie said tersely. ‘Sit down and take deep breaths. You’ll be fine and we need your help.’

‘What do you propose?’ Lady Alice demanded warily. ‘We don’t want to involve anyone else.’

‘It’ll be low tide. If we can get Raven down the steps to the foreshore I can row him out to the ship. I’ve done it before and it should be slack water now, so the current will take me downstream. We just have to get him to my boat.’

‘How do we do that without being seen?’ Lady Alice demanded.

‘There are plenty of drunken men staggering around the streets of Limehouse every night,’ Essie said drily. ‘And we haven’t much choice. Help me get his jacket on and we’d better set off as soon as he regains consciousness.’

Raven was weak from loss of blood but he was able to walk, albeit slowly, and Sadie danced on ahead clearing the way and poking fun at Raven, telling the other drunks that he was her dad who had been boozing in the pub all day, and they were taking him home. Essie had been wary about drawing attention to themselves, but oddly enough it seemed to work, and Sadie was in her element. Negotiating the steep, slippery steps proved to be more difficult and it was a considerable drop to the stony foreshore. As they hesitated on the wharf Essie was beginning to think that their efforts had been in vain when she spotted Ben walking towards them. At first she was inclined to hide behind Raven, but she could see the outline of the ship anchored in Limehouse Reach, and she knew it was only a matter of time before the vessel sailed. She left Lady Alice and Sadie supporting Raven, who was drifting in and out of consciousness, and she hurried to meet Ben.

‘I’m glad it’s you,’ she said breathlessly. ‘We’re in desperate need of help.’

He took in the scene with a single glance. ‘Who are these people?’

Essie could see that he was not going to be fobbed off with fairy tales and she gave him a brief outline of the events since she had brought Raven ashore.

‘Well, I’ll be damned. What have you got yourself into, Essie? You could end up in jail for this.’

‘I know that, Ben. I didn’t choose to be involved and I wouldn’t have been if Pa hadn’t had the accident. Anyway, it’s too late now and I simply have to get Raven on board the Santa Gabriella.’

‘What about the woman and the kid? Are they going, too?’

‘No, but we must move quickly. Will you carry him down the steps? It’s our only chance.’

He hesitated, as if weighing up the consequences of such an action, and then he nodded. ‘All right. I’d offer to row him out to the ship, but I’m working.’

‘I just need to get him into my boat. I can manage after that.’

‘I’ll have words with your pa, Essie. I saw him walking to the Grapes earlier today and he wasn’t even limping. I reckon he’s fit enough to return to work, but it suits him to loaf around the house, drinking ale.’ He walked off and Essie hurried after him.

‘I’ve got you, cully.’ Ben hoisted Raven over his shoulders like a sack of coal and descended the steep steps, disappearing into the darkness.

‘I’ll see he gets safely on board,’ Essie said hastily. ‘You’d best go home.’

‘I’m coming with you.’ Lady Alice hitched up her skirts and made her way down the steep stone stairs until all that could be seen of her was the tip of the ostrich feathers waving from the crown of her bonnet. Essie followed with a reckless disregard for safety and Sadie was close behind. It was very dark on this unlit part of the foreshore and the river looked eerily calm and menacing. Ben helped Raven into the boat and steadied it as Lady Alice climbed in to sit beside him, followed less elegantly by Sadie, who landed in a heap.

‘You ought to go home, my lady,’ Essie said urgently. ‘I’ll make sure he reaches the ship safely.’

Lady Alice’s face was a pale oval, her eyes dark shadows in the dim light. ‘No, I won’t rest until I know that he’s being looked after properly. I want to see the captain and pay him well.’

‘And I got to stick with her ladyship. I ain’t staying here on me own and that’s for certain,’ Sadie added, although there was a tremor in her voice and she sounded close to tears.

‘You’d best get going,’ Ben said urgently. ‘The tide is on the turn and if you delay the ship might sail without him.’

Essie reached up to kiss him on the cheek. ‘Thank you, Ben. I’m very grateful.’

‘I’ll call round when I finish, just to make sure you’re all right.’

‘I will be. Don’t worry about me.’

‘Let’s get this boat into the water.’ Ben untied the painter and Essie helped him drag the boat to the water’s edge. ‘Get in and I’ll give you a push.’

Essie bundled up her skirts and leaped on board, settling quickly and taking up the oars as she had done on countless occasions when she was with her father. She began to row, heading into Limehouse Reach and using every last ounce of strength in an attempt to reach the Santa Gabriella, but the small, overloaded craft was low in the water and the wake created by a passing paddle steamer spilled over the gunwales, leaving them ankle-deep and in imminent danger of sinking. Essie hailed the Gabriella and a rope ladder was flung over the side, but getting Raven on board was no mean feat. He managed to haul himself painfully step by step until willing hands reached out to drag him on board. Lady Alice followed but Sadie cowered in the rapidly sinking boat, refusing to move.

‘I can’t swim. I’ll fall in and get drowned,’ she moaned, covering her face with her hands.

‘We’ll both drown if we stay here,’ Essie said urgently. ‘I can’t bail out fast enough so you’d better grab the ladder and jump for it.’

Sadie dropped her hands, gazing at Essie in horror. ‘I can’t.’

‘Yes, you can, and if you don’t go now it’ll be too late.’ Essie reached out to grasp the ladder. ‘Hold on to me. We’ll go together.’

Sadie clutched her round the waist and Essie took a deep breath. ‘Now!’ she cried, clinging onto the rope with both hands as the boat sank beneath them. Shouts from above encouraged her to hold tight and they were hauled up the side of the ship, inch by inch until they were dragged over the side. Essie landed on the deck with Sadie falling on top of her.

‘Pa will kill me,’ Essie murmured.

When she opened her eyes she was lying on a narrow wooden bunk in a tiny cabin. A lantern hung from the ceiling and it swayed to and fro with the movement of the ship.

‘Are you all right, miss?’ Sadie jumped to her feet and leaned over Essie, peering into her face. ‘You fainted dead away.’

Essie raised herself on her elbow. ‘What’s happening? Are they going to put us ashore?’ She looked down at her bare arm and realised that beneath the coarse blanket she was stark naked. Sadie was wrapped in what looked like a sheet. ‘Where are my clothes?’

Sadie sank back on the chair, which appeared to be the only other item of furniture in the cabin. ‘I undressed you, miss. Our duds were soaked and they’ve taken them away to dry.’

‘But we must get off this vessel at the first opportunity,’ Essie said urgently. She sat up, wrapping the coarse blanket around her. ‘I have to go home and look after Pa. Where is Lady Alice? What does she say to all this?’

Sadie shook her head. ‘I dunno, miss. I was put in here with you and I’ve been sitting here for ages, waiting for you to wake up, and I’m frozen.’

‘Give me your sheet.’ Essie swung her legs over the side of the bunk. ‘You can have the blanket.’

Reluctantly, Sadie unwrapped the cotton sheet and handed it to Essie, snatching the blanket to cover her bare flesh. ‘What are you going to do?’

‘I’m going to find someone who can give me some answers. You’d better wait here.’ Essie opened the door and stepped outside into a narrow passage. She could feel the engine pulsating beneath the deck as her bare feet padded along the corridor to the next cabin. She knocked on the door.

‘Who’s there?’

Essie breathed a sigh of relief as she recognised Lady Alice’s cultured tones. ‘It’s me, my lady. Essie Chapman.’

The door opened and Lady Alice stood aside to let her in. She was wearing a man’s velvet dressing robe and her long blonde hair hung loosely about her shoulders. ‘Are you all right, Essie? I was afraid you had injured yourself.’

‘I’ve got a sore head, but that’s all. I want my clothes and I must get home before Pa wakes up.’

‘I’m going to find the captain and order him to put us ashore, but first I need to make certain that Raven is being cared for. You can come with me because I don’t want to wander round this ship on my own and in a state of undress. It’s highly improper.’

The sudden desire to laugh took Essie by surprise. They were in a dire situation, having aided a felon to escape the law, very nearly drowning in the attempt, and now they were on a ship, bound for heaven knows where. It was utterly ridiculous, but she could see the funny side even if they were in serious trouble. ‘I’m sorry, my lady. I know I shouldn’t find it amusing.’

Lady Alice stared at her, frowning. ‘No, it most certainly isn’t the least bit comical. Raven might die from blood loss, and I’ve put myself beyond the law by helping him to escape. I don’t know what I was thinking.’

‘You said you wanted to pay the captain to look after him, my lady. Did you lose the money when my boat sank?’

A slow smile curved Lady Alice’s lips. ‘I had it concealed around my waist.’ She moved to the bunk and drew back the coverlet to reveal two large leather pouches. ‘These are filled with gold. If I’d gone overboard I would have sunk to the bottom of the river.’

‘Were you going to give it all to the captain?’

‘Don’t be so naïve, Esther. Of course not – I’ll treat him generously, but this is for Freddie. He sent word some time ago that he’s ill and in desperate need, and this will help him in more ways than one. He’ll be able to hire a good lawyer to plead his case and he’ll be able to live well until he’s free to return home.’

‘But it’s Raven’s money, isn’t it?’

‘Yes, it’s a small part of his fortune. His solicitor, Watkin Gilfoyle, has invested the rest and no doubt taken a large fee for representing Raven and Freddie, but then he’s the best solicitor in London.’

‘And will he continue to plead their case, even though they’re absent?’

‘Of course he will. That’s what he’s paid for. Anyway, I’m going to find the captain. I want a word with that gentleman.’ Lady Alice opened the door and, wrapping the robe more tightly around her slender figure, she marched along the passage, knocked and entered a cabin at the far end without waiting for a response.

Essie hurried after her. Wearing nothing but a thin sheet made her feel vulnerable and extremely uncomfortable, but she forgot her own problems when she saw Raven prostrate on a bunk with a strange man standing over him.

‘How is he, Capitano Falco?’ Lady Alice asked anxiously.

‘I am not a doctor, my lady. All I can say is that he is a strong man, and I have seen worse injuries. By the time we reach Brindisi he should be able to leave the ship.’ He spoke perfect English, with a strong accent that Essie found very attractive, and with his dark good looks he had the romantic appeal of a corsair.

‘But you will put us ashore as soon as possible, Capitano.’ Lady Alice gave him a direct look. ‘And we need our clothes, whether or not they are dry.’

‘Alas, I cannot put into port along the river, my lady. If what you said is true, the authorities will have been alerted and the police will be looking for him. We make our way full speed to the Channel where we will be safe.’

‘But you must allow me to go ashore,’ Lady Alice protested. ‘I will be missed and you will be accused of kidnapping me and my maid, not to mention this poor girl.’ She waved her hand in Essie’s direction. ‘Her father will be distraught.’

Falco shrugged his shoulders. ‘Perhaps you should have thought of that before you boarded my ship, my lady. I am not responsible for you or your companions. Now, please go back to your cabin. Your clothes will be returned to you when they are dry.’

For a moment Essie thought that Lady Alice was going to argue, but she merely nodded and walked out of the cabin with her head held high. ‘Come with me, Esther. I know where I’m not wanted.’ She marched out and headed for her own cabin, swaying with the movement of the ship as it met the opposition of the incoming tide.

‘What are we to do?’ Essie asked anxiously.

‘Come inside and close the door.’ Lady Alice slumped down on the bunk. ‘There must be a place where Capitano Falco could put us ashore. I refuse to accept his decision, but perhaps a little tact and a few charming smiles might do the trick.’

‘Pa won’t notice I’m missing until morning, but I’m afraid he will call a constable and report me as lost, stolen or strayed – like a pet dog.’ An irrepressible giggle bubbled to the surface and Essie covered her mouth with her hand. ‘I’m sorry – I know it isn’t funny, but our predicament is so unbelievable that any minute I think I might wake up and find it was all a dream.’

‘A nightmare, more like.’ Lady Alice ran her hand through her hair. ‘I really don’t understand you, Esther. This isn’t at all funny – I haven’t got a hairbrush or a mirror, let alone a change of clothes. When I’m dressed I’ll speak to the captain again, and this time I’ll back my demands with money. It never fails to work; everyone has a price.’

Next morning, seated in the small saloon where the captain and officers ate and took their brief moments of leisure, Lady Alice was even more downcast. Sadie seemed to be the only one of them who was enjoying the experience, and she chattered endlessly until Lady Alice silenced her with a searing glance. Sadie subsided, eyeing her mistress nervously, and Essie felt sorry for her. None of them had had a good night’s sleep, and, as there was not a spare cabin for Sadie, she had slept on the floor in Essie’s cabin. Her groans and the sound of thuds as she turned over and bumped herself on the bulkhead had kept Essie awake until the small hours, and even then she had slept fitfully. The movement of the vessel and the rhythmic throbbing of the engine created an alien environment, and she could not help worrying about Raven, whose life might hang in the balance. Captain Falco had insisted that he would be cared for by the first mate, who had a smattering of medical knowledge, but Essie had met the man at supper and she was not impressed. She had come across many seafarers during her days on the river, and the officers and crew of the Santa Gabriella were more like her idea of Barbary pirates than a disciplined bunch of professional mariners.

Lady Alice toyed with a slice of stale bread and rancid butter. ‘If this is their daily fare no wonder the crew look like rabid dogs. What possessed Raven to hire the captain’s services is beyond me.’ She pushed her plate away and sipped her coffee, pulling a face. ‘This is so strong it tastes like tar. Maybe it’s what they use to caulk the ship, but it’s filthy stuff. Just wait until I get a chance to speak to Falco. I’ll tell him what I think of him and his vessel.’

‘And what is that, my lady?’ Captain Falco strolled into the saloon and pulled up a chair. ‘You wish to speak to me?’

Essie shifted uncomfortably in her seat, wondering exactly how much he had heard of Lady Alice’s candid opinion, and Sadie shrank into a corner, eyeing the master of the ship as if she expected him to rant and rave, even though he appeared to be mildly amused. Lady Alice’s cheeks flushed rosily but she met his quizzical look with a defiant stare.

‘Yes, Capitano. I could complain about the food and this disgusting brew you call coffee, but as we will only be on board for a short while, I will refrain from doing so. However, I demand to be put ashore at the first possible opportunity. Keeping us here amounts to kidnapping and that is against the law here, as I am certain it must be in Italy.’

‘You boarded my vessel of your own free will, my lady,’ Captain Falco said smoothly. ‘As to the food, I can only say that the crew have never complained.’

‘They wouldn’t dare,’ Lady Alice countered. ‘And as to the accommodation, I am speechless.’

Captain Falco rose to his feet. ‘Then that is the end of our conversation. Now if you will excuse me I have work to do.’

‘Just a moment,’ Essie said boldly. ‘You’ve ignored my lady’s request, which is perfectly reasonable. Circumstances forced us to come on board, and the least you could do is to set us back on dry land as soon as possible.’

His wolfish smile revealed canine teeth that looked suspiciously like fangs. ‘And your wish will be granted – in a week or so, when we reach Brindisi.’

‘But that’s ridiculous,’ Lady Alice protested. ‘I don’t want to go to Italy. For one thing, I haven’t any clothes to wear, and for another, I will be missed. The police will already be looking for me.’

‘They won’t find you unless they hire a faster ship than the Santa Gabriella.’ Falco bowed and backed out of the small saloon, still smiling.

‘He thinks this is a joke,’ Lady Alice said angrily.

‘Maybe Raven can help,’ Essie suggested. ‘Surely getting him better is the most important thing to do now. I’ve never sailed as far as the estuary, but I know it’s a long way off.’

‘You’re right.’ Lady Alice rose to her feet. ‘Come with me, Esther. I might need your help.’

‘What about me?’ Sadie asked anxiously.

‘You could give our cabin a clean.’ Essie stood up, swaying with the movement of the ship as she gained her balance. ‘It looks as if we might be on board for some time yet.’

‘Not if I can help it.’ Lady Alice steadied herself by grasping the door handle. ‘Come along, Esther. Don’t dawdle.’

Raven was propped up on grubby pillows and fully conscious. He looked pale, and dark circles underlined his eyes, but he was awake and alert. There was no sign of the man who had been assigned to tend to his needs and last night’s bloodied dressings had been left to congeal in an enamel bowl.

‘How are you feeling?’ Lady Alice glanced round the cabin, wrinkling her small nose. ‘It smells foul in here.’

‘I’m all right, Alice. You needn’t worry about me. I’d get up, but I’m not dressed.’

She laid her hand on his forehead. ‘You feel cool enough. Thank heavens for that, at least.’

‘I’m sore but I don’t seem to have a fever. I’ll rise as soon as Hooper returns my clothes.’

‘Esther, I want you to examine the wound,’ Lady Alice said imperiously. ‘You’ll have to do the necessary. I’m sure you’re a born nurse, whereas I am not.’

Essie edged past her, but she hesitated, eyeing Raven warily. ‘Do you mind?’

‘No, go ahead,’ he said, closing his eyes. ‘I suppose you’ll do as you wish, whatever I say.’

His grudging attitude was uncalled for and unfair. Essie folded her arms, glaring at him. ‘You are a very ungrateful man. If it weren’t for me you might be in prison at this moment instead of lying there like a lord, while the rest of us are virtual prisoners on this rusty old bucket of a ship.’

His eyes opened and he stared at her in surprise. ‘Well now, so you can stand up for yourself, Essie Chapman. I was beginning to think that your father had bullied the spirit out of you.’

‘Stop fidgeting or this might hurt.’ Essie unwound the bandage and eased off the blood-soaked pad.

‘I’m going to my cabin,’ Lady Alice said, backing out of the door. ‘Call the girl in if you need assistance, Esther.’

‘Alice never could stand the sight of blood,’ Raven said with a wry smile. ‘Do your worst, Essie. I can take it.’

Hooper, the first mate, had left a pile of torn cotton sheeting, presumably intending to change the dressing at some point. Essie did not think the material looked too clean, but there was no alternative. She worked quickly and was relieved to find that the bleeding had stopped and there was, as yet, no sign of putrefaction.

‘It looks as if you’ve been lucky,’ she said as she secured the bandage in position. ‘But you must rest or you might start bleeding again.’

‘I need to see Falco. I want you and my cousin put ashore as soon as possible.’

Essie met his gaze with a steady look. ‘He says he won’t put into port until we reach Brindisi. Was that your plan?’

‘For myself, yes, but I didn’t know that Alice and her maid would be on board, let alone you, Essie. You helped me, and for that I’m grateful, but I didn’t intend for you to become so involved. This is my business.’

She piled the soiled dressings into the bowl. ‘It’s become mine as well, and short of jumping overboard I don’t see how we’re going to get ashore.’

His eyes lit with a smile. ‘Don’t do that, you might drown and then I’d feel really guilty.’

‘I’m serious, Raven.’ Until this moment Essie had never called him by name, but the time for observing the rules of etiquette was past, and she faced him angrily. ‘You seem to think this is a joke, and I can see the funny side of most things, but this has gone too far. You must make the captain put into port before we leave England.’

His smile faded. ‘You’re right. Send Falco to me. I’ll put an end to this charade.’

Chapter Six

They disembarked in Brindisi after what seemed like a lifetime on board the Santa Gabriella. Despite Raven’s alternate pleas and attempts at bribery, Captain Falco had refused to put ashore in England. Lady Alice had tried everything from tears and tantrums to mild seduction, all of which were ignored, leaving them no alternative but to accept their fate.

If she were to be truthful, Essie had enjoyed some aspects of life at sea. The sunrises and sunsets over the water had been magical and she had seen dolphins playing in the bow waves, a sight that filled her with joy despite the dire conditions on board. The sanitary arrangements left everything to be desired and the food was awful, but, for the most part, the crew were friendly and cheerful, and Captain Falco was not only an entertaining host but was also a talented singer with a beautiful tenor voice that could move Essie to tears. Lady Alice was frequently at loggerheads with him, but even she had to resort to her crumpled handkerchief when the captain came to the end of a particularly passionate rendition of a love song.

The voyage had ended now and it was good to step onto dry land at last. Essie breathed in the scents of Italy. The tantalising aroma of cooking floated on the gentle breeze, mingling with the scent of wild thyme and marjoram from the surrounding countryside, and Essie’s mouth watered at the thought of good food. The air was surprisingly sweet and clean, even allowing for the fact that they were still in the docks and vast catches of fish were being landed nearby, but the heat was stifling, and Essie was in desperate need of a change of clothes. Lady Alice looked pale and tired, probably due to the fact that she had never stopped moaning about her lack of wardrobe and the insanitary conditions on board ship, where fresh water was too precious a commodity to waste on laundering clothes.

‘Find us a hotel, Raven.’ Lady Alice stood on the quay wall, refusing to move. She glanced round, shaking her head. ‘I doubt if they have any decent shops in a place like this, but I must have new garments. We’re all in desperate need of a bath, including you.’

‘I look a hundred times worse than any of you ladies,’ Raven said gallantly. ‘Hooper tried to get the blood out of my jacket, but nothing can disguise the damage.’

‘Yes, you look quite disreputable, so please go and find somewhere for us to stay.’

‘But we are supposed to be looking for the monastery, Alice. The sooner we find Freddie, the better.’

Essie laid her hand on Raven’s sleeve. ‘Another day or two isn’t going to make any difference, and we do look like a band of didicoys.’

A reluctant smile curved his lips. ‘You’re right, of course. I’ll make enquiries in the dock office. They’re bound to know everything. Wait here and I’ll be as quick as I can.’

‘I’m hungry.’ Sadie clutched her belly, which was rumbling loud enough for all to hear.

‘I’m sure we’ll eat soon,’ Essie said vaguely as she watched Raven stride off with a feeling of relief. Her most pressing need was to have food that wasn’t boiled to a pulp or mouldy, and then the luxury of a tin tub filled with warm water and a bar of soap seemed like heaven on earth. Worries about her father and what was happening at home had long since taken second place to the act of survival, but relief was within her grasp and she experienced a surge of optimism. How she was going to get home was another matter, and one that she pushed to the back of her mind. Damp, cloudy London seemed a million miles away from the brilliant sunlight and blue skies of Italy.

Minutes later Raven returned with news that he had found an inn that could cater for their immediate needs and it was only a short walk from the harbour. Lady Alice fanned herself with her hand. ‘Aren’t there any cabs in this place? It’s far too hot to walk any distance.’

‘It’s half a mile at most, Alice. Surely you can manage that?’

‘Just think how nice it will be when we get there,’ Essie said with an encouraging smile. ‘Maybe we could find someone to wash our clothes. They’ll dry quickly in this heat.’

Lady Alice seemed about to argue when Captain Falco joined them. ‘How may I help you, my lady? You look a little perplexed.’

‘My cousin wants me to walk to the inn.’

Captain Falco’s dark eyes gleamed with amusement, but he put his head on one side, giving her a sympathetic smile. ‘Perhaps it would help if you took my arm, my lady. I have business with the landlord. I will make sure that you are given the respect due to an English lady.’

Essie held her breath, half expecting Lady Alice to brush his offer aside, but she seemed to revive a little and she laid her hand on his arm.

‘Thank you, Captain. You are a gentleman.’ Lady Alice shot a resentful look at Raven. ‘Captain Falco understands a lady’s sensibilities.’

Raven shrugged and walked on. ‘Come along, Essie. You too, Sadie. Or do I have to carry you both?’

Essie and Sadie fell into step behind him, leaving Captain Falco to assist Lady Alice.

The inn was a squat, square building, whitewashed and cool-looking beneath a terracotta-tiled roof. Hens pecked busily in the dust and goats roamed around freely, looking for anything remotely edible. The cockerel stalked about, fixing his beady eye on each of them in turn, and it seemed to Essie that he was eyeing the feathers on Lady Alice’s bonnet with suspicion, perhaps seeing them as a possible rival. Lady Alice herself was visibly wilting in the unaccustomed heat, but Captain Falco was being very solicitous, and his undivided attention seemed to please her. They were met in the doorway by the landlord, who bowed and smiled, welcoming them with gestures as if he were performing in a pantomime. He then embraced Captain Falco, speaking to him in rapid Italian. Essie had picked up a few words from the crew, but not enough to understand what he was saying.

Captain Falco slapped their host on the back. ‘Giacomo welcomes you all to his humble hostelry,’ he said grandly. ‘Unfortunately he does not speak English, but you will find him very accommodating.’

Lady Alice was suddenly all smiles. ‘Thank you so much, Capitano. You’ve been very kind, but we must not detain you. I’m sure you have much more important things to do than looking after us.’

‘There is nothing more important than taking care of a beautiful lady,’ Captain Falco said, taking her hand and raising it to his lips. ‘We will be in port for several days and I hope to see you again.’

Essie glanced at Sadie, who was watching open-mouthed. ‘Perhaps we ought to see our rooms,’ she suggested tentatively. Raven was looking bored and frankly sceptical and she was afraid he might say something to offend the captain, and then they would lose the help of the only person who spoke English fluently. She tapped Lady Alice on the shoulder. ‘You should go inside, my lady. The sun will ruin your complexion.’

‘Indeed it will.’ Lady Alice clicked her fingers to attract the landlord’s attention. ‘I want a bath tub filled with hot water, my good man. And I need the services of a dressmaker who can work quickly.’

The landlord turned to the captain, shrugging and holding his hands palm upwards with a bemused look on his plump face. Captain Falco drew him aside and after a brief conversation the landlord went indoors shouting orders to his employees.

‘Come along Alice,’ Raven said impatiently. ‘You’ve caused enough of a stir amongst these good people. Let’s go inside and I’ll order a meal.’

‘Bath first, food later.’ Lady Alice marched into the inn, her fatigue apparently forgotten, and Essie hurried after her with Sadie following close behind.

The interior was dark but surprisingly cool, and a flustered maid led them up a narrow wooden staircase to the first floor. The rooms were small, clean and sparsely furnished but after enduring the confines of a tiny cabin for over a week it seemed like heaven to Essie, even though she still had to share with Sadie. There were two beds, set against opposite walls with a chest of drawers beneath a window that overlooked the harbour. A rag rug was the only splash of colour in the room where everything was white, including the bedspreads.

‘I wonder if Lady Alice has got her bath,’ Sadie said, grinning. ‘I hope she lets us use it because I know I smell something chronic.’

‘Me, too.’ Essie sat down on the bed and took off her boots, wriggling her toes. ‘I think Lady Alice is used to getting her own way. She’s probably got a dressmaker in her room as we speak, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she had a new gown by this evening.’

‘I feel like a ragbag.’ Sadie glanced down at her grimy skirt with its frayed hem and a small tear where she had caught it on a nail. ‘Mrs Dent wouldn’t approve at all.’

‘Stay here,’ Essie said firmly. ‘I’ll go and speak to her ladyship. I know she said we could have new clothes, but I need to remind her.’ Essie left the room and marched along the corridor to knock on Lady Alice’s door.

‘Enter.’

Essie opened the door and stepped into the room, which was larger than the one she shared with Sadie. It was furnished with a brass bedstead, covered with a multi-coloured patchwork quilt, a painted wooden washstand and a clothes press. A large window overlooked countryside and distant hills. A bathtub had been placed in the centre of the floor and it was already half full.

‘Unbutton my gown, Essie. I can’t reach.’ Lady Alice stood stiffly to attention while Essie undid the tiny, fabric-covered fastenings. ‘I believe I have a dressmaker coming shortly.’ Lady Alice glanced over her shoulder. ‘Maybe she can do something for you and the girl as well. I can’t be seen with servants who look as though they’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards.’

‘I’m not your servant, my lady.’

‘You work for me, don’t you?’

‘That was different. I was helping you and Raven, and I became embroiled in your affairs, but it wasn’t my choice to be here.’

‘Nor mine, come to that.’ Lady Alice stepped out of her gown. ‘You can unlace me while you’re here. What did you want, anyway?’

‘It was to ask if we might have the bath water after you, and I was going to remind you that both Sadie and I are desperate for new clothes.’

Lady Alice turned to face her and her petulant expression melted into a charming smile. ‘Of course you may have the bath after me, in fact I insist upon it. I just hope they have some decent soap because I have a sensitive skin. As to clothes, if this woman is any good with her needle we will all have new gowns, although Sadie’s will be suitable for a child of her age, and mine will be grander than yours, which is only fitting.’

Essie threw back her head and laughed. ‘You are priceless, my lady. Here we are, miles from home, on the run from the law, which makes us equals, but you still think you’re better than us.’

Apparently unabashed, Lady Alice raised a delicate eyebrow. ‘And I am, naturally. My late father was the Earl of Dawlish and we can trace our family tree back to William the Conqueror. Your papa is a boatman.’

‘And you can’t dress yourself without someone to help you. Maybe there’s a lesson to be learned there somewhere.’

Lady Alice recoiled and for a brief moment her smile faded, then a gurgle of laughter escaped her lips. ‘All right, Essie. Given our situation perhaps we are equals, but that will change when we get back to England.’

‘When we return home we will probably be thrown into jail.’

‘But I will have a better cell, and I can afford to hire a good lawyer.’

Essie was saved from replying by a knock on the door and she went to open it. A flustered maidservant stepped into the room carrying a ewer filled with steaming water, which she emptied into the tub. She bobbed a curtsey and hurried from the room.

‘Enjoy your bath, my lady, and please don’t allow the water to get cold.’ Essie left the room, chuckling to herself. Title or no title, money or lack of it, they were sisters under the skin.

It was only later, when she was bathed and had washed the salt from her hair, that the reality of her situation came crashing in on Essie. She was alone in her room, sitting on the bed, wrapped in a skimpy towel, when she had a sudden vision of her father pacing the floor at home. He would be wondering what had happened to her, or more likely, he was in the bar at the Grapes, drowning his sorrows in rum punch. Then there was Ben. She could not begin to imagine what he must be thinking, but one thing was for certain, Ben would be distressed by her sudden disappearance. The boat had sunk, and Pa would be out of a job – but there was nothing she could do about it now. Her fate and Sadie’s seemed to be inextricably tangled up with that of Raven and Lady Alice, and there was nothing to be done other than to see the adventure through to the bitter end. Essie combed her hair, staring out of the window at the sun-bleached scene. During the sea voyage Captain Falco had provided them with necessities from a seemingly limitless supply of combs, hairbrushes and hand mirrors, which led Essie to suspect that they were not the first female passengers he had entertained on the Santa Gabriella. If he had produced a gown or two it would not have come as a surprise.

Essie jumped at the sound of someone tapping on the door. ‘Come in.’

The maid who had supplied the bath water entered the room, this time carrying a bundle of garments. She dropped them on Sadie’s bed. ‘Capitano Falco.’ She stood, arms akimbo, eyeing Essie curiously.

‘Capitano Falco?’ Essie repeated dazedly.

‘Sì, Capitano Falco.’ The maid nodded, pointing at the clothes and then at Essie.

‘For me?’ Essie studied the young woman’s face, liking what she saw. Olive-skinned and dark-eyed with glossy black hair and plump cheeks, the maid was handsome rather than beautiful, and she was obviously curious. ‘Grazie,’ Essie said, recalling the word from her attempts to converse with the crew of the Santa Gabriella.

A wide smile almost split the young woman’s face in two. ‘Prego.’

Essie seized the opportunity to introduce herself. ‘I am Essie,’ she said, indicating herself with a hand gesture. ‘Essie.’

‘Filomena.’

Essie smiled and held out her hand. ‘Buon giorno, Filomena.’

‘Buon giorno, Essie.’

They shook hands solemnly and then, as if by mutual consent, they broke down in giggles. Filomena was still laughing as she left the room, and Essie let the towel fall to the floor as she stood up to examine the clothes. No doubt the captain had conjured them up from somewhere; she had complete confidence in his ability to handle any situation, having seen him as master of the ship and its crew. But Captain Falco aside, the thought of wearing clean clothes was almost too much to bear without shouting for joy. There were two cotton print gowns, both well-worn and faded from many washes, but spotlessly clean. One was smaller and that would be suitable for Sadie, and the other, when slipped over Essie’s head, was a near-perfect fit. Essie could not help wondering if Captain Falco had chosen the dresses himself and she felt the blood rush to her cheeks. It was one thing for a man to be gallant and charming as the captain was, when in a good mood, but quite another for a gentleman to gauge a woman’s size by merely looking at her. However, the dress was cool and comfortable, and for that she could only be grateful. What it looked like was another matter, as there was no mirror in the room, but that was the least of her worries. What to do next was more important.

Essie had just tied the sash about her waist when Sadie burst into the room, pink-cheeked and smiling.

‘Oh, my,’ she said, coming to a sudden halt. ‘You do look pretty, Essie. That dress really suits you.’ Her eyes lit up as she spotted the garment left on her bed. ‘And there’s one for me, too. I ain’t had a new frock since I started working in Hill Street.’ She allowed the towel to drop to the floor, exposing her skinny body still dripping wetly after her bath, which Essie was certain must have been cold and scummy. Such details did not seem to bother Sadie and she slipped the simple shift over her head. ‘Ain’t this just the prettiest thing you ever did see?’

Essie nodded wordlessly. The summery garment suited Sadie’s childish form, and with her damp golden hair curling wildly around her shoulders she looked like a water sprite who had risen from the deep to dance and twirl in the sunlight. For the first time Essie saw a hint of beauty yet to make its stamp on a young face and figure, and more importantly, Sadie was happy and excited. Essie gave her a hug. ‘You look very nice.’

‘I feel good,’ Sadie said, beaming. ‘I almost forgot – Lady Alice wants you.’

Essie left Sadie combing the tangles from her hair, and she went knock on Lady Alice’s door, entering when she heard a muffled response. ‘You wanted me, my lady?’

‘Look at me. Who does he think I am?’ Lady Alice stood stiffly to attention, holding her arms out like a scarecrow. ‘This is the ugliest gown I have ever seen and the material is cheap. I wouldn’t dress a servant in this.’ She looked Essie up and down. ‘Your gown isn’t much better, but then you’re a—’ she broke off, blushing. ‘I mean, you don’t have a position to keep up.’

‘It’s all right,’ Essie said, shrugging. ‘You don’t have to explain, but it’s not too bad. At least it’s clean and tidy.’

Lady Alice held out the skimpy skirt. ‘It’s a peasant’s dress. I expect Captain Falco thinks it’s funny – well, it isn’t. I won’t leave this room looking like a serving wench.’

‘I dare say these garments were hard to come by.’ Essie eyed Lady Alice critically. ‘Our own clothes should be ready soon. They’ll dry quickly in this heat and you’ve sent for a dressmaker, so it’s just a matter of time and you’ll feel like yourself again.’

‘Stop being sensible, Esther.’ Lady Alice threw up her hands. ‘I can’t face Falco looking like this, and I’m hungry. I need food, so you’ll have to go downstairs and order something to be sent to my room. I intend to remain here until my clothes are dry.’

‘Of course I’ll do that, but first I need to know what is to become of me. I’m here by accident, as are you, I suppose. But I want to return to London. My pa will be frantic with worry.’

‘Neither of us intended to travel to Italy, but now I’m here I want to make sure that Freddie is all right. At least I’ll see that he gets the money that Raven intended him to have.’

‘Where does that leave me, my lady? I haven’t a penny to my name.’

Lady Alice sat down suddenly. She reached for her hairbrush and began using it with a faraway expression on her face. ‘I should be in my home in Devonshire, walking my dogs on the cliff top and meeting up with old friends. Dinner parties, soirées, card games, dancing and listening to beautiful music with like-minded people. Instead of which I am here in a poky little room with a bath full of disgusting dirty water, and I’m wearing a gown that is unfit for the lowest menial in my employ.’

Essie’s patience was stretched to its limit. ‘Yes, my lady, but that doesn’t answer my question. If you intend to remain in Italy will you pay my passage home, and Sadie’s, too? Assuming that there is a ship in the harbour that might be sailing for England.’

‘You can’t abandon me,’ Lady Alice protested. ‘I cannot travel in the company of gentlemen without a female companion.’

‘But Raven is your cousin. Isn’t that respectable enough?’

‘No, it is not. You must see this through with me, and Sadie is my maid, so naturally she will remain with me.’ Lady Alice narrowed her eyes, gazing speculatively at Essie. ‘I will make it worth your while, but only if you promise not to leave me in the lurch.’

Essie thought quickly. She did not relish the thought of travelling home on her own, and it was not every day that a girl from Limehouse was given the opportunity to see a bit of the world. ‘All right,’ she said slowly. ‘But I need to send a message to my father, letting him know that I am safe.’

‘I’m sure Raven could organise that. Do I have your word that you won’t abandon me?’

‘I promise to stay with you until we return home.’

Lady Alice uttered a sigh of relief. ‘Thank you. Now, please, do as I asked and fetch me something to eat or I might faint from lack of nourishment.’

Essie collected Sadie on her way downstairs and they found Raven and Falco seated at one of the large pine tables, which was spread with a selection of foreign-looking cheeses, sliced sausage, bowls of glistening black olives and crusty loaves. Green and black grapes spilled over the side of a terracotta platter, which was filled with oranges, lemons and purple figs.

‘Come and join us,’ Raven said, raising a glass of red wine to them. ‘Where is my cousin?’

‘Lady Alice would like to eat in her room,’ Essie said tactfully. She turned to Captain Falco. ‘Maybe you could ask the maid to take her something?’

‘Why won’t she leave her room? She was not so shy on board my ship.’

Essie could see that he already knew the answer and was enjoying Lady Alice’s dilemma. Perhaps he had deliberately chosen the ugly gown, although Essie could not think why he would want to humiliate Lady Alice. ‘I think you know why, Captain.’

He rose to his feet. ‘We can’t have the beautiful lady eating on her own. Leave it to me.’

‘Can’t you do something?’ Essie demanded, glaring at Raven, who was refilling his glass from a carafe.

‘Alice can look after herself. It’s time she met someone who could get the better of her in an argument. Sit down, both of you, and eat. The food is very good indeed.’

Sadie had been eyeing the food hungrily and she threw herself down on the bench, making a grab for a chunk of sausage and a slice of bread. Essie hesitated, wondering if she ought to go to Lady Alice’s aid, but she decided against it and took a seat beside Sadie.

Minutes later Falco reappeared, rubbing the side of his face. ‘That lady is a wild cat.’

‘I warned you,’ Raven said smugly. ‘You’re lucky to have escaped with a slapped face. Alice has claws and she’s not afraid to use them when she’s really angry.’

Falco resumed his place at table. ‘I’ve sent Filomena upstairs with a tray of food. Perhaps her ladyship will be in a better humour when she’s had something to eat.’

Raven shook his head. ‘You’ll learn, my friend.’

‘I am ready to take on the challenge. There isn’t a woman alive who can resist Enrico Falco when he sets out to charm.’

Essie gave him a withering glance. ‘You think a lot of yourself, Captain. Maybe you’ve met your match.’

He shrugged, smiled and raised his glass to her. ‘We will find out on our way to the monastery. I am to be your guide.’

‘We’re going to a monastery?’ Essie looked to Raven for confirmation.

‘My purpose for coming here was to see Freddie. I want to make certain that he’s being treated well and that he has everything he needs.’ Raven downed the last of his drink and stood up. ‘I’m going to have a word with Alice. We’ll be leaving early in the morning, but she can remain here if she doesn’t feel like travelling on.’

‘What happens then?’ Essie asked anxiously. ‘Will we return to England?’

‘That’s a decision my cousin has to make.’ Raven headed for the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Essie turned to Falco. ‘What does he mean by that?’

‘Don’t ask me, I am merely the captain of the ship. Raven hired my vessel to take him to London and back to Australia, with a stop here in my native Puglia.’

Essie stared at him nonplussed. ‘But Lady Alice lives in England. We have to return home.’

‘That is for Lady Alice to decide.’

Essie leaned across the table. ‘Are you telling me that we will be taken to Australia, whether we like it or not?’

Captain Falco shrugged, holding his hands palms facing upwards. ‘Who knows?’

Chapter Seven

The journey along the coast to the monastery was undertaken on sure-footed donkeys with Falco at the head of the small procession, followed by Raven and Lady Alice, who was still in a sulk and refusing to speak to anyone. Her argument with Raven had resounded throughout the inn. Essie had been able to make out the odd word, but it was obvious that her ladyship was not happy.

‘What’s happening?’ Sadie asked, drawing her donkey alongside Essie’s as the path widened. ‘Why is everyone so cross?’

‘It’s probably the heat,’ Essie said vaguely.

‘But the captain said he was taking us to Australia. It’s on the other side of the world, where convicts go. That can’t be right.’

‘Yes, he did, but Lady Alice wants to return to London, and I’m sure she’ll make alternative arrangements for us as well as for herself.’

‘I want to go home,’ Sadie whispered. ‘It’s too hot here and I don’t like the food. I miss London.’

‘I suppose I do, too. Although it is beautiful here and the sea is such a wonderful colour, and the air is fresh and clean, but London is home.’

‘Stop chatting and keep up, or you’ll get left behind.’ Raven turned in the saddle, beckoning to them. ‘That goes for you, too, Alice. And you can take that look off your face. We’re not school children now, and you can’t expect to have everything your way.’

Lady Alice responded by urging her sturdy little animal to a trot so that she passed Raven and was second in line to Falco. She glanced over her shoulder. ‘The same to you, Raven. If you think you can ride roughshod over me, you’re very much mistaken.’

Essie and Sadie exchanged knowing looks and encouraged their donkeys to walk on a little faster.

It was midday and the sun blazed down from a clear sky that was so blue it hurt Essie’s eyes to look into its azure depths. There was not a cloud in sight and silence was broken only by the sound of the donkeys’ hoofs on the hard-baked ground, and the gentle swish of the waves on the shore. The tussocky grass was burned brown in places, but clumps of pink and white rockrose and blue bellflowers had managed to survive, adding welcome bursts of colour to the sun-bleached landscape. It was hard going on the rough terrain, even riding animals that were used to such conditions, but the sight of the monastery perched high on the cliff top, gleaming golden white in the sunshine, was more than welcome. The donkeys seemed to realise that rest and shade were near and they raised their heads and quickened their pace.

As they drew nearer Essie was confused to see that half the building appeared to have collapsed into the sea, but a plume of white smoke rose high into the sky, confirming that what remained of the monastery was inhabited. An olive grove straddled the hillside and trees studded with bright yellow lemons softened the harshness of the landscape. As they neared the high stone walls there were goats tethered by the roadside, munching on anything within their reach, and hens scratched in the reddish brown soil of the open courtyard.

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