In Debt To The Earl. Elizabeth Rolls

      ‘Well, now there’s the devil to pay.’ Fitch came out of the bedroom and cast a disgusted glance at the door. He stalked to the fire and held out his hands to the blaze. ‘You sure his nibs don’t want a roll?’

      ‘A—’ Lucy swallowed. ‘A roll. Is that like a trick?’

      He nodded. ‘Yeah. You has a quick roll, or turns a trick.’

      Lucy stowed the information away. More knowledge unsuitable for the drawing room. But she wasn’t in a safe, protected drawing room.

      ‘He’s just looking for my father,’ she said. If he’d wanted anything else, there had been nothing to stop him taking it. Although there had been nothing to stop her grandmother’s cat killing a mouse instantly, either.

      ‘Might get some rhino from him,’ Fitch suggested. ‘Since you reckoned as he owes your pa money, he could pay you some on account like.’

      Lucy shook her head, flushing at the thought of begging from his lordship. ‘No.’ Anger rose again. ‘He lied about that. Papa owes him money. And—’ she clenched her fists ‘—he lied about his name. He isn’t Mr Remington at all. He’s Lord Cambourne—an earl.’

      ‘Ah.’ Fitch scowled. ‘Makes more sense, him comin’ back, then.’ He didn’t push it, apparently accepting that a fellow already owed money was an unlikely touch.

      ‘Well, that leaves yer fiddle,’ he said. ‘Did well enough today.’ He hesitated. ‘Lu, you know I’d never flam a mark while you’re playing the fiddle, don’t you?’

      She blinked. ‘Of course I know that. You promised. Why do you ask?’

      He shrugged. ‘No reason. Just thinkin’. S’long’s you know.’

      Memory tugged. ‘Did you hear what Lord Cambourne said?’

      He scowled. ‘Heard that. He said it loud enough.’

      She reached out and touched his hand. ‘I told him you’d promised. That you wouldn’t do that. It will be all right, Fitch. As long as I can earn enough for this week, once she sees Lord Cambourne isn’t calling all the time, she’ll realise I’m not his...his—’

      ‘Dollymop,’ Fitch supplied. He looked sceptical. ‘Yeah. Drop the rent right back, she will. Being as how she’s so generous an’ all. Look, you want me to go away? The old bitch realises I’m sleeping here, it’ll be another three shillings.’

      ‘No. Don’t go.’ Knowing that she wasn’t completely alone at night allowed her to sleep better. And she knew that he was off the streets, safe for a few hours.

      He cocked his head. ‘You sure?’

      ‘Yes. Are you still hungry?’ She changed the subject. ‘Have some bread and cheese.’

      He cut bread and a chunk of cheese to go with it, passed them to her, then cut some for himself. Munching, he crouched down by the fire. ‘Least you flammed some coal outta her for the extra rent,’ he said through a mouthful. ‘With that an’ what his nibs bought you’ll starve all nice an’ cosy.’

      She grimaced. A thought occurred to her. ‘Fitch?’

      ‘Yeah?’

      ‘Do you know someone called Kilby?’

      He went utterly still, wariness in every line. ‘Where’d you hear that name?’

      ‘Lord Cambourne, and I think Papa knows him.’

      There was a moment’s silence. ‘Don’t go askin’ no questions about Kilby,’ Fitch said at last. ‘Better if you’d never heard the name. Safer.’ He swallowed his mouthful. ‘His nibs asks again, tell him you don’t know nothin’. Safer,’ he repeated.

      * * *

      Kilby was still at his desk when Jig reported to him, but Jig noted with relief that, far from drumming his fingers, the man was eating.

      ‘Jig. What have you got for me?’ Kilby bit into a chicken leg.

      ‘Still no sign of Hensleigh, guv,’ Jig said, trying not to stare at the rest of the chicken.’ His stomach rumbled.

      ‘Girl might be covering for him.’ Kilby spoke through a mouthful.

      Jig shook his head. ‘Don’ reckon, guv. Sounds like she ain’t got no money an’ the gent come a-calling tonight.’

      ‘Did he now?’ Kilby set the half-eaten chicken leg back on the platter. ‘Anything on him?’

      Jig swallowed spit. God, that chicken smelled good. ‘Got a name—Remington.’

      Kilby’s hand froze halfway to the tankard. ‘Remington?’

      ‘Yeah. Struck me, too,’ Jig said. ‘But it ain’t him, guv.’ Like he wouldn’t reckernise a bloke he’d helped beat bloody? Weren’t blind, or dicked in the nob, was he?

      ‘No. Of course not.’ Kilby took a swallow from the tankard. ‘You can describe the fellow?’

      Jig nodded. ‘Tall. Taller’n me. Well set-up cove. Moves like ’e’d strip to advantage. Real easy on ’is feet. Dark hair. Dresses like quality. Not real bang-up new, but quality.’

      ‘Probably tupping the girl.’ Kilby sighed. ‘Pity.’

      ‘Woman owns the lodgings reckons that’s the way of it,’ Jig said. ‘Been flapping her mouth all over. But I ain’t so sure.’

      Kilby stared over the rim of the tankard. ‘And what engenders this extraordinary optimism, Jig?’

      Allowing that he didn’t understand any of them breakteeth words, Jig got the idea. ‘Well, you wanted me to find out why young Fitch’s earnings was down.’

      ‘Yes?’

      ‘So, I seen ’im hangin’ round a lad playin’ the fiddle. Right crowd there was.’

      ‘So Fitch should have had easy pickings.’ Kilby’s fingers drummed in such a way that Jig reckoned Fitch had better watch out for himself. ‘The little rat’s holding out on me, is that it?’

      ‘Not ezackly, guv.’ Jig went on. ‘Far’s I could tell, he weren’t picking pockets at all.’

       ‘What?’

      ‘No. Just makin’ sure no one else helped theirselves to the takin’s.’

      Kilby sat back. ‘Maybe we’d better have a word to this lad with a fiddle.’

      ‘Well, now,’ Jig said, ‘funny you should say that, guv. I ain’t sure it is a lad—’

      ‘What? You said—’

      ‘Reckon it’s the girl. Hensleigh’s girl, playin’ for pennies. And—’

      ‘And why would she be doing that—’ Kilby said, looking interested.

      ‘If she’s givin’ rides to a toff,’ Jig finished. ‘It don’t make sense.’

      ‘No,’ Kilby said. ‘It doesn’t. Get word to Fitch that I want his takings up. Nothing else. No word of this. And he’s to be given a couple of night jobs.’

      ‘An’ the toff? You want me to find out more?’

      ‘No. Keep an eye on the girl.’ Kilby’s eyes bored into him. ‘I don’t have to tell you that she is to remain untouched, do I?’

      * * *

      The party at Aldwick House was in full swing when James arrived. He ran into his host in the first of the open salons.

      ‘Ah, Cambourne.’ Viscount Aldwick held out his hand to James. ‘Didn’t see you in the reception line.’

      James shook his hand. ‘My apologies to you