'Money? I bit my lip. 'I bet Joey liked that, all right.

'S. Lucca sighed. 'Your brother does not always choose his . . . companions wisely.

'Not like you? I squeezed his hand and felt him return the gesture. 'Im sorry I doubted him, Lucca. Hes a good man. A clever one too.

We stood to one side to let a woman with a black-covered perambulator the size of a costermongers trolley cart get by. From somewhere deep inside I heard the baby babbling to itself.

I watched her bump down the street.

'Well, we know one thing now: Ilyas been looking for Robbie and I reckon Joey gave the game away, not deliberate, though. Thats why the Monseigneur sent that note to my grandmother. I thought about the economy of that paper and the single word scrawled across it. She knew what it meant immediately. It wasnt only Sam Collins who knew how to use shorthand.

I hugged the bag to my chest. 'Joey truly seemed to care for David. He helped him smuggle Robbie onto the train, remember? Hes not part of this, Im sure of it.

'But your brother has been unwise. Lucca picked at the leather stitching on his gloves. 'That poor child. It would be best if his father took him away, as soon as possible. They must vanish together, its the only way. Have you heard anything a reply to your letter?

I shook my head. 'Robbies safe as possible at The Palace. And Peggys there round the clock now with him, Ive made sure of that. It can only be a matter of time. I hoped my answer came out more confident than I felt. I counted back. The letter (letters) had gone off, three, no, four days ago now. A thought struck me then.

'Does Misha know anything about David Robbies father?

'I asked him that. He did not. Its not so surprising your brothers world is full of people who come and go. Artists, performers from the dance halls, the theatres, the ballet as you know. David is a singer, yes?

'A ballad singer. I thought about his soft low voice and remembered the way hed cupped my hands in his as we talked. I felt my palms tingle.

Lucca shrugged. 'As Misha says, Joseph has many friends. He always did, Fannella.

Bartholomew waits. I ran those words around in my head again. By the sound of them he had a share of enemies too.

I brought a hand to the neck of my coat and felt for the chain with the ring and the Christopher under the collar of my dress. For some reason, as long as they were there, I knew my brother was safe. Some of Nanny Pecks superstitious old blarney must have rubbed off on me after all, I thought.

Wed be turning into Salmon Lane in a moment. Despite the letters, despite what Misha said about Ilya, there was still something that plucked at my brain like a crow turning over a bit of rotten meat in a gutter.

From my membrance of things and Id had a lot of champagne that evening so it wasnt all clear Ilya Vershinin was tall, but he was also slender and graceful in the way of a dancer. The man with the cloak and the hawk-head cane was built like a navvy. There was something, though something Sam had told me. I ran our conversation through my head again. I didnt need Pitman to bring it back. I saw Sams inky finger trace down the page of squiggles and I heard his voice reading it to me.

Ilya Vershinin is the most remarkable performer of our age. He inhabits the spirit of any character he plays. His mastery of physical transition has been compared to a kind of magic.

There! He was an actor as well as a dancer.

It was him, I was suddenly sure of it. Ilya Vershinin was the man in the theatre that time and up on the roof at Pearmans Yard. And hed murdered Old Peter and those two little ones. He was searching for Robbie it was obvious now.

Luccas voice cut my thoughts. 'Well go to the alleyway at the back. Ill walk you to the yard gate, Fannella, but then I have to go to the workshop. Im late already.

I glanced up. 'The scenery? You wont be there alone, will you?

Lucca shook his head. 'There will be many at work tonight. Monday night is important for The Gaudy the sets must be right and the paint will need a day to dry.

I nodded. 'Danny reckoned on a late night. What about your friend?

Lucca grinned and the good side of his face burned. 'Misha will be waiting for me, Fannella, whatever time I return.

We dipped off Salmon Lane and turned into the passages that connected the yards behind the houses. A little way along we paused in a bricked-up doorway, listening out to see if we were followed. There was nothing.

Lucca leaned out to check and then he took my hand.

'Come. There is no one.

When we reached the gate at the back of The Palace I squeezed his hand. 'Look out for yourself, Lucca. Dont take risks. When you get to The Gaudy, youll find someone called Amit hanging around near my office you wont miss him. Can you give him a message, please? Tell him Im fine and the letters are fine.

He frowned as I rattled on. 'And tell him hes to stay close to you, no matter how late you work this evening. Then hes to escort you to your door, like youve just done for me. After that hes to come back here. You got that?

'S, but- 'No buts, Lucca. I want you safe. Amit Das is a mute so dont expect a reply.

I watched until he rounded the corner at the end of the passage and then I pushed open the gate. A black cat out for a ramble flattened itself against the sooty wall for a moment so it was difficult to make out brick from fur. Then it gave itself away blinking up at me with fog-lamp eyes. It slipped round my ankles and darted out into the alleyway. Nanny Peck always reckoned it was lucky when a black cat crossed your path. As I headed across the yard to the rooms in the basement I hoped she was right.

I didnt come down here. It was the brothers territory, although Peggy had clearly made herself at home.

As usual the door swung open. These days I wasnt even surprised.

Tan Seng bowed and moved aside as I walked into the kitchen. Copper pans sitting along a dresser against one wall gleamed in the glow from the black range on the other. The air smelt of spice and soap. I wondered if it had always been like this down here, even in my grandmothers days. I suspected it had and for some reason the thought was comforting. For all the filth up top, it was good to think that there was always some order somewhere. I was glad Id inherited the brothers along with The Palace.

I nodded at Tan Seng and walked to the stairs leading to the hallway above. From behind I caught the grating of bolts being drawn and then the soft slap of his slippers as he followed me up.

Crossing the black and white tiles to the hall table, I pulled off my gloves and tossed them into a painted Chinese bowl under the painting. I started to unbutton my coat and Tan Seng shuffled forward to help. He folded the coat over his arm, bowed again and cleared his throat.

He pointed at the stairs.

'The Lady has a visitor.

Chapter Twenty-five.

I was surprised, Ill admit it. But even with his back turned, a coil of plaited blonde hair piled on the top of his head and grey skirts sweeping the floorboards, Id know my brother anywhere. The air was thick with that floral cologne he used.

He was standing in front of Jacobins cage.

'Joey?

He span about swiftly. Of an instant I caught a wary look in his eyes before he masked it.

'You inherited everything, I see, little sister? He turned back to the cage, holding up a finger to taunt the bird. He scraped a nail along the bars, careful to avoid Jacobins nutcracker beak.

'Dont! It gets him all het up and when hes like that hes vicious.

It was too late anyway.

'Pretty girl, pretty girl, pretty girl. The bleedin parrot was off, plucking grey feathers from its chest and bobbing up and down on its perch.

'I wonder who he means? Joey smiled at me now. He walked over to the couch between the parlours two tall narrow windows and sat down heavily. I noted that his travel coat and a bonnet with a muslin veil were laid out on the bolsters next to him.

'Well? Is that it, Kitty? A warning about the parrot? Anyone would have thought you werent pleased to see me.

I raced across the room and wrapped my arms around his shoulders, planting kisses on both his cheeks and his forehead. 'Of course Im pleased. How could you think otherwise?

Tell truth, when Tan Seng pointed at the stairs a little voice went off in my head suggesting that David Lennox might be up there waiting for me.

I pulled my brother tighter. 'How long you been here?

'Not long. He folded his arms around my shoulders. I could feel him taking in great draughts of me. His back moved under my fingers as he breathed deep. It was as if he didnt want to let go.

Eventually he released me and pointed at a china service laid out on a side table. 'Ive been here long enough for Lok to bring some tea. I confess I was surprised to find the brothers still here. I see youve made some changes. Quite the dainty residence now, isnt it? Shall I be mother?

'No! I jumped up and went over to the table. 'Ill do it. For some reason what hed just said didnt seem decent. Joey grinned and I realised he was playing a game, teasing me like he did when we were small.

Ill tell you one thing, though, if I didnt know better I wouldnt have taken him for a man under all that gear. He looked like a proper bit of frock. It was only when he spoke that something didnt ring quite true, but even then you might have thought him to be a woman with a naturally low voice, or maybe an enlivened throat.

Joey looked down at his neat, French-cut dress and smoothed out the skirts.

'I . . . I dont, as a general rule, travel like this. I think you should know that.

I wasnt sure what to say. I arranged the cups on the saucers and poured in the milk.

'Its not for me to say how you go about, is it, Joey? As long as youre comfortable.

He snorted. 'Thats not the word Id use. Back in Paris, Im among friends, but here on the streets . . .

I quizzed at him.

'Its a disguise, Kitty, the best I could think of at short notice. It was a risk, but I had to take it. Come over here.

He stood and went to the hearth. An old mirror crackled over and spotted with age leaned out from the wall. It was so heavy that the top two corners were suspended from hooks in the ceiling. It must have been there for years. I was of a mind to replace it.

I set down the jug and went to stand next to him. On account of the heat, the mercury under the glass had bloomed into a mass of twisted shapes. Joeys reflected face was half-covered by coral-like fingers that bubbled through the surface.

'Do you see, Kitty?

I looked from his face to mine in the mirror, and despite the flaws in the glass I saw.

'In Paris so many of my friends remarked on it, especially after that night. You and I, Kitty, we can be very alike. I knew I could use that, if I needed to.

'And you need to now?

He nodded.

'You want people round here to think Im you?

He nodded again. 'Its safer that way. I . . . Im not supposed to be here. The message you brought to Paris was clear enough.

'Bartholomew waits? She, our grandmother, told me to tell you that. Only she didnt say what it meant.

Joey moved away from the glass and went back to the couch. 'Its best that you dont, Kitty, believe me.

'Well, this is just like old times, isnt it? I whipped around and gave him the arrow. 'You dont know about half the things Ive done on your account and all because of secrets and shadows. I think I deserve a proper answer. What have you got yourself into now, Joseph Peck?

'Its not something Ive got myself into now.

I flinched as he mimicked my voice and I heard the difference between my coarse Limehouse and his smooth English. He glanced up and his cool blue eyes softened.

'Look, its not something new, Kitty, its an old . . . complication. You dont need to know any more and Im certainly not going to tell you, so leave it. Its for the best.

He pushed at some loose hairs, forcing the pins that kept the coil in place tighter into his scalp.

'Wheres that tea, then? Im dry as a nuns quim.

Despite myself, I laughed. 'You better not let Lucca hear you talking like that.

Joey grinned. 'Hes an old woman and hes not here. So where is it?

I knew my brother of old. It was clear I wasnt going to get any more out of him. I poured two cups and added three spoonfuls of sugar to one of them before handing it to him. Then I took mine and sat down cross-legged on the rug in front of the couch. The stiff folds of my skirts peaked and then collapsed gently about me as the fabric settled.

'You got my letter and the note?

Joey nodded, stirring the tea around and around. 'Thats why Im here. He didnt look at me direct as he spoke. The spoon went around again.

'Robbies here with you at The Palace?

'Peggys upstairs with him. You remember her?

'Fancy Worrows girl? Pretty, dark nice smile. About your age or thereabouts.

'Thats her. Shes been good to me since you . . . Shes been almost like a sister. Peggys good with kids too, better than me. I got her to look after Robbie over at her place at first. I didnt think anything of it. Then, when . . . everything started up, I asked her to come here to care for him. It was safer. I told her it was because I felt bad about farming him out. She doesnt know the real reason.

I paused and scanned Joeys face. 'Robbies . . . special, isnt he?

Joey put down his tea cup and saucer. 'Im sorry, Kitty. I thought it would be safe, but I was wrong. When you arrived in Paris it seemed so obvious. We thought it was the best thing to do. It wont be for much longer. Well take him from you and . . . theyll realise soon enough that hes gone. It will be over.

We?

'Is David . . . David Lennox here too?

Joey shook his head. 'Not until Monday. It wasnt wise to travel together and there are still . . . affairs in Paris that need attending to before they can take ship to America.

'Davids coming for Robbie? God forgive me, I felt something flutter under my bodice as I said his name again. I felt in my pocket for his kerchief and caught the point embroidered with the 'D between my finger and thumb as Joey continued.