Ragged Rose. Dilly Court

over Cora’s hand. ‘Bennett Sharpe. How do you do, Miss Sunshine?’

      ‘It sounds so odd when you say it that way, Mr Sharpe,’ Cora said, laughing.

      Rose was accustomed to seeing strangers falling under her sister’s spell, and it was clear that Bennett was no exception, but it was getting late. ‘We have to call in at our aunt’s establishment in Old Street, and we need to get there before she locks up for the night.’

      Cora tucked her hand in the crook of Bennett’s arm. ‘I expect Rose has told you everything, Mr Sharpe. The things we get up to might be the plot of a penny dreadful, but we have to go to great lengths to keep our secret, and we couldn’t do it without Aunt Polly’s help.’

      Bennett proffered his free arm to Rose. ‘Anything that either of you can tell me will be of great value, and if you don’t want me to speak to your parents it might help if I can talk to your aunt.’

      Polly was ready for bed and did not bother to disguise the fact that their late arrival was an annoyance. Her expression hardened when she saw Bennett.

      ‘Who is this? Why have you brought a man to my house? This is unacceptable behaviour for which there is no excuse, girls.’

      ‘It’s not what you think, Aunt Polly,’ Rose said hastily. ‘Mr Sharpe is the barrister who has been hired to defend Billy. He came to the saloon tonight to talk to us, and he’s going to see us home.’

      ‘You’d better come in.’ Polly showed them into her parlour. ‘You’re very late. I was about to go to bed.’

      ‘We’re so sorry. We didn’t know we were expected to do two shows this evening.’ Cora laid a hand on her aunt’s arm. ‘Don’t be cross, Aunt Polly.’

      Polly shrugged, refusing to be pacified. ‘Your father would be horrified if he knew what you girls were up to. Quite honestly I’m beginning to regret my part in all this.’

      ‘Pa will be even more horrified if he discovers that his only son is awaiting trial for murder.’ Rose had not meant to speak so sharply, but it had been a long and exhausting day. ‘I’m sorry we’ve caused you to worry,’ she added apologetically. ‘But events have moved rapidly, and Mr Sharpe thinks we might be able to help.’

      Polly clutched her robe around her, eyeing Bennett with suspicion. ‘I suppose you’re trying to justify a huge fee, sir? We’re poor people and these girls are risking more than their reputations in an attempt to raise the money for William’s defence.’

      Bennett inclined his head. ‘As I discovered this evening, ma’am.’

      ‘I can’t talk to you now.’ Polly glared at him, refusing to be soothed by his apologetic smile. ‘It’s late and my nieces should be at home in bed. I’ll ask you to wait in the hall while they change into their street clothes, and then you may walk them home.’

      ‘I understand perfectly, ma’am. I hope you will excuse this intrusion and will allow me to call tomorrow at a more suitable hour.’

      ‘I’ll see you at noon. Don’t be late, I detest bad manners.’

      ‘I will be here on the dot, ma’am.’ Bennett left the room, closing the door behind him.

      ‘He’s trying to help us, Aunt Polly,’ Cora said mildly.

      ‘And he’s Billy’s only hope.’ Rose took off her bonnet and shawl. ‘I’m very sorry I couldn’t let you know that we would be late.’

      ‘Don’t be angry, Aunt Polly. I will cry if you scold us.’ Cora’s bottom lip trembled ominously. ‘I am so very tired.’

      Rose stepped into her plain grey gown, fumbling with the tiny buttons on the bodice in her haste to get dressed. ‘We’ll be gone in a few minutes, and tomorrow we’ll have time to talk properly to Mr Sharpe and discover exactly how he plans to help Billy. You do want to help him, don’t you, Aunt?’

      ‘Silly girl, of course I do.’ Polly moved to a side table and poured a generous tot of brandy into a glass. She collapsed onto the sofa, took a sip and sighed. ‘I doubt if I’ll sleep a wink tonight. All these comings and goings are too much for me.’ She seized one of the many fans that were scattered about the room and used it vigorously.

      Rose experienced a pang of guilt. Aunt Polly was not a young woman, and she worked hard to keep the unfortunates in her care from ending up in the workhouse. ‘You must say if our visits are too much for you. I know you are up at the crack of dawn every day.’

      ‘Are you insinuating that I’m too old to be of any use?’

      ‘No, of course she isn’t.’ Cora slipped her shawl around her shoulders. ‘You weren’t, were you, Rosie?’

      ‘Certainly not, but we don’t want to take advantage of your good nature, Aunt Polly.’ Rose moved to her aunt’s side and leaned over to brush Polly’s powdered cheek with a kiss. ‘You are a wonderful woman and we love you dearly. We couldn’t raise the money to save Billy without your help, and I know you will work your considerable charm on Mr Sharpe tomorrow. He’ll be eating out of your hand, just as the gentlemen used to when you were the toast of the London stage.’

      Polly drained her glass of the last drop. ‘It’s true. I had my devoted following, but those days are long gone.’

      ‘I’m sure you could dance all night if you chose to do so, but you’ve taken a different path, Aunt. You look after women who are in desperate need, and I admire you for that.’ Rose patted her aunt on the cheek. ‘I think you are a heroine, Aunt Polly.’

      ‘Stuff and nonsense, girl.’ Polly’s pale cheeks flooded with colour, but despite her harsh tone she was smiling. ‘We agree on one thing, and that is the need to do everything we can to clear Billy’s name.’

      ‘That’s the only reason we’re appearing on stage, and now we have to work tomorrow night as well.’

      ‘But tomorrow is Sunday,’ Polly said, patently shocked by such a notion. ‘Your father wouldn’t like that.’

      ‘I hope he won’t find out, and that’s where we need your help, Aunt. Mrs Blunt has Sunday afternoon and evening off, so Cora and I do the washing-up. If we could have Maisie to do that for us we could get away without anyone being the wiser.’

      ‘I’m not sure that I ought to collude in such behaviour, but you can have Maisie. Heaven knows, she’s not much use here. She faints if she sees a cut finger, let alone a woman in labour. On occasions we can’t get an expectant mother across the road to the Lying-In Hospital, and sometimes they simply refuse to be moved. I don’t know how she will cope when her time comes.’ Polly flapped her hands at them. ‘You girls need to hurry home. It’s very late, but at least you have a capable-looking man to see that you get there safely.’

      ‘I love you, Aunt Polly,’ Rose said, blowing her a kiss as she opened the door. ‘Come on, Cora, don’t waste time primping in the mirror. It’s too dark outside for anyone to notice you.’

      Bennett was waiting for them in the entrance hall. ‘What is this place?’ he asked, frowning. ‘I’ve heard screams coming from a room upstairs, and a baby crying.’

      ‘This is a home for fallen women,’ Cora said shyly. ‘Aunt Polly helps unfortunates who have nowhere else to turn in their time of greatest need.’

      ‘Papa thinks that we come here to help look after the poor souls.’ Rose grimaced at the sound of a fierce argument upstairs. ‘We wouldn’t be able to perform at Fancello’s were it not for Aunt Polly.’

      ‘Yes,’ Cora added. ‘We change our clothes here, and then we go on to Fancello’s. We do this in reverse on our way home.’

      ‘I’m not sure I understand why you feel the need to complicate matters in this way.’ Bennett looked from one to the other, frown lines furrowing his brow.

      ‘Because the lingering smell