Jane’s eyes met Thérèse’s in a look of horror. It seemed impossible that her errand had brought her into such sudden and unexpected peril. Despite what Alex had said to her about Spitalfields, it had never occurred to her that she might be in any physical danger. It was daylight and there were plenty of people about, and although she had felt uncomfortable in this unfamiliar environment, she had not for a moment thought that there might be those who saw her as a prize, a means of gaining some money…All her thoughts had been concentrated on the interview with Thérèse and the necessity of convincing her to meet Simon again, rather than the hazards that might lie along the way. Now, she realised that she had been naïve and foolish in the extreme.

‘I suppose you have brought your jackals with you!’ Thérèse was saying furiously. ‘How dare you use me to further your dirty little plans! I have told you I shall have no part in your filthy games!’

The gentleman gave her a look of admiration. ‘Spoken like a true noblewoman, my dear, a true aristocrat! I ain’t offended! Truth to tell, you had your chance to share in my good fortune! I’ve accepted that you ain’t interested, but you’ll pay your dues like the rest and keep your mouth shut!’

Thérèse said a rude and idiomatic phrase, the meaning of which Jane could only guess at. Samways was still holding her arm, and now he dragged her over to the wooden chair, thrusting her down on to it.

‘I’ve plenty of time, my dear, but have you? Wouldn’t you rather be restored to the bosom of your family?’

Tears stung Jane’s eyes. She had only herself to blame for getting into such a ridiculous and dangerous situation.

‘I do not understand you, sir!’ she said, scrubbing angrily at her eyes. ‘This is tantamount to kidnap!’

‘No, no, my dear!’ Samways swung a chair round and straddled it, resting his arms along the back. ‘I have no intention of kidnap or abduction! This is a business transaction-I will keep you here safe until your family can reclaim you!’

‘At a price!’ Jane said furiously.

Samways shrugged expansively. ‘It costs to keep a young lady safe in these parts! You ask the high-and-mighty French missie there!’ He nodded at Thérèse, who was standing irresolute, biting her lip. ‘She pays me to keep her from the brothels and the whorehouses, which-’ He thrust his face close to Jane’s ‘…is where you’ll be if your loved ones don’t come through with the cash!’

For a moment Jane stared at him, her eyes bright with fury. She was enraged to find herself in such a position of weakness, but there was a strong practical streak in her as well. Common sense suggested that it was in Samways’s interests to keep her unhurt whilst he extracted a ransom. She knew her family would pay. Therefore it was sensible to make the process as painless as possible-and face the consequences once she was free. For a moment Alex’s face swam before her eyes. She could picture his anger, the black brows drawn with fury, the blistering words that would be heaped on her head.

‘I am Miss Jane Verey of Portman Square,’ she said haughtily. ‘If you approach my brother, Lord Verey, he will see to it that you are…rewarded…for restoring me to him unharmed.’

Samways was out of his chair even before she had finished speaking, rubbing his hands together in anticipation of rich pickings. The sister of a lord! Even better than he had imagined!

‘Don’t go getting any ideas, now,’ he warned, pausing at the door. ‘Dolbottle and Henty are watching the house and will persuade you against leaving. If your brother is fond of you, Miss Verey, I reckon you should be home by nightfall!’

‘If we are not to go out, you had best fetch the medicine for Madame de Beaurain,’ Jane said crossly. ‘I do not see why she should suffer unnecessarily!’

Fortunately, Samways seemed much amused by this. ‘Medicine for the Frenchies! Yes, milady!’

There was a silence after he had gone out. Madame de Beaurain was asleep and snoring softly. Thérèse moved across to the window and looked out into the street.

‘He spoke the truth. His men are everywhere.’ Her blue gaze lingered thoughtfully on Jane. ‘That was very wise, Miss Verey. You have more sense than most of your contemporaries, who would be having the vapours by now!’

‘Thank you,’ Jane said coolly. ‘Please call me Jane.’

There was a hint of amusement in Thérèse’s gaze. ‘And you must call me Thérèse. I am sorry that a compassionate errand has put you in such an awkward position, Jane.’

Jane’s hazel eyes were bright as they rested on Thérèse’s face. ‘What did that unpleasant man mean when he said that you paid him to keep you out of the brothels?’

A hint of colour stole into Thérèse’s cheeks. ‘Just that,’ she said shortly. ‘Mr Samways is a business man, a man of many and varied interests! One of them is the ownership of a number of whorehouses. I did not care to be amongst his women, Jane, though he offered me the privilege of being his own mistress! So instead I pay him so that I need not be a whore! A neat reversal, n’est ce pas?’

Jane was momentarily silenced. ‘But what…could he…?’

‘Oh, yes,’ Thérèse said drily, ‘he could! He runs this neighbourhood, Jane, and everyone must contribute in some way!’

She sat down and stoically started to stitch the hem of the taffeta dress. Jane stared at her. After a moment Thérèse looked up and gave her a faint smile.

‘Does my sang-froid offend you, dear Jane? But you see, it is the way of the world! It is simply that you are usually protected from its harsh realities! Have no fear, Samways will quickly find your family, they will pay handsomely for you and you will be on your way home! A storm in a tea cup!’

‘I am not offended,’ Jane said, not entirely truthfully. ‘If you will pass me the underskirt, Thérèse, I shall occupy myself in helping you. I am not so neat a seamstress as you, but if you give me the bits that do not show…’

There was reluctant admiration in Thérèse’s eyes as she pushed the skirt across to Jane.

For a while they sewed in silence, but after a little, Jane said, ‘Perhaps you could tell me a little of yourself, Thérèse, to pass the time. I could chatter but I would prefer to hear about you, if you do not mind…’

Thérèse laughed. ‘Very well, Jane. Would you like the tale of my life? It starts in gilded luxury in Blois, where I was the pampered only child of the Vicomte and Vicomtesse de Beaurain. I had wardrobes of pretty clothes and servants at my beck and call. I remember nothing of those days for when I was still a baby my father was guillotined and we were forced to flee abroad. We went by night, running away, hiding like thieves…We came to England, where my mother worked for years as a teacher of French and later took in sewing when her health began to fail.’ She cast a swift, affectionate look across at the humped figure in the bed. ‘I did not go to school-my mother taught me until I was old enough to work, telling me all the time that I should try to better my position and remember whose daughter I was. What I remember is nothing of richness and luxury and everything of poverty and struggle.’ Despite the words her face was serene, untroubled.

‘Then I became French governess to a family in Kent…’ Thérèse shrugged a little. ‘It is the old story. I was young and the master of the house was old and importunate and the mistress unable to believe that he was resistible…I was turned off without a reference and for my next governess role I was obliged to take a job further down the social scale with a Cit who wished his daughters to become little ladies…’ Another shrug. ‘I have no time for rank and fortune-how could I, given my own circumstances? What value has rank been to me, the penniless daughter of a French nobleman? But these people were not even pleasant-petty, small-minded…In the end they dismissed me because they said they found my manner too high and mighty, but really they were uncomfortable to have a servant higher born than they. So I came back to London and took to sewing, like my mother.’ She bit her thread with sudden violence. ‘My mother’s health was deteriorating. It was that that prompted me to contact the Huntingtons and ask for help. Nothing else would have induced me to beg, for I am too proud.’ She met Jane’s eyes and smiled a little. ‘I know it is my besetting sin! Anyway, we received a grudging invitation to visit. Have you met the family, Jane? They are as proud as we, stiff and unbending, and they were not warm to their French cousins. Well, it would never have worked…I cannot be a poor relation-I would rather earn an honest wage. And so there was talk of ingratitude and pride, and we came back and took a room here. My mother became too ill to work and her medicine costs much, but we manage.’

‘And then, a few weeks ago, you went to Lady Aston’s masquerade,’ Jane said softly. Thérèse put down her sewing slowly. There was suddenly a distant look in her eyes. ‘Yes. Oh, Jane, it was a beautiful dress, that one. I have worked for years with silks and velvets, and never felt tempted, but that dress…The old Duchess-’ she gave a naughty smile ‘-I fear she could not do it justice. As soon as I saw it coming together under my hands I had to have it! I tried it on…and then I thought, why not? No one would know…so I ran up a domino as well and went to the masquerade. I had heard the Duchess mention it. And-’ she shrugged ‘-the rest you know.’

‘You danced with Simon,’ Jane said thoughtfully. ‘I saw the two of you. You looked very happy.’

Thérèse evaded her eyes. ‘I was enjoying myself. It was like a fairytale and the deception added spice to it all! Just for once…’ She shook her head. ‘Oh, I cannot say that I was mingling with my equals, in a place I was meant to be, for fate has decreed otherwise! But it was lovely. Then that toad of a man tried to importune me and your brother came to my aid…’ Her voice trailed away.