'Tell the girls therell be something more for them all in their packets at the end of the week, Lucca. The orchestra boys too.

'Why dont you tell them yourself? You could go out back now, or go to The Lamb later. Its where theyll be.

'I . . . I think theyll enjoy it all the more without me. I dont want them to think Im spying on them. I pushed my hand into my pocket and closed my fingers round the small, tight-wrapped package nestled under The Gaudys keys. If the half of them out there knew what I was carrying around tonight, theyd climb over their dead mothers to take it from me. I scanned the doors at the back for the hundredth time that evening.

Luccas eye narrowed. 'Surely youre not scared of them still?

I shook my head. 'This is their moment. Im not going to queen it over them. Besides, Amit doesnt take drink. It wouldnt be right.

I looked over to the curtained door leading from the hall to the office. Amit Das was standing there in the shadows. He was so still you might have taken him for a plaster decoration.

Lucca followed my gaze. 'He is still with you?

I nodded. 'Never far off. Telferman collected the letters yesterday and Amit went with him, but I asked him to come back to The Palace. Its safer having him near. And you should be careful too, Lucca. Ilya knows youre my friend. After what happened at Pearmans . . . I trailed off.

'You shouldnt worry about me, Fannella. I am always . . . resourceful. Lucca buried his chin into his collar and leaned back against the wall. He folded his arms and stared out over the punters. I was standing on his good side. I sidled a look and saw his expression harden as a couple of sleek young toffs, half cut on cheap brandy, tried to make free with two of the tray girls. They yapped and pawed like puppies, but the girls were sharp with them just like Id told them.

Lucca swore under his breath. I knew what he was thinking I thought it too every time I saw a group of tot-hunting swells. Christ, there was a time when I was flattered by that sort of attention, but now I wanted to smack their hands away, spit into their slack ham faces and tell them to sling their hooks.

But I couldnt turn them out because of what happened in the past, could I? It wouldnt be good for trade. And it wasnt just the girls poor boys were rich pickings for a certain type. We never spoke about revenge, but it occurred to me then that what hed just said about being resourceful was true.

If it came to it, Lucca Fratelli could kill a man.

I craned my neck to take in the hall again. I wasnt only standing out here to see how the new act played, but Lucca didnt know that. I hadnt told him about Joeys visit. I wanted to, but Joey reckoned the safest and simplest thing was to keep everything close between us. He couldnt forgive himself for trusting Ilya and now he couldnt sift gold from dross or tell light from dark. I suspected Joey Peck wouldnt be able to trust anyone for a long time.

Betrayal is a terrible thing.

There was only one person who knew what was happening tonight some of it and she was sitting in The Gaudys office looking after Robbie.

'Here. I released the package and delved deeper into my pocket. 'Give Professor Ruben this. I handed Lucca a sovereign. 'Tell him to buy some good stuff when theyre at The Lamb tonight not the usual turps. Theyre all to drink to Old Peter. Tell him to say "zda-rv-ye!" And then they can use the rest to celebrate.

Lucca stared at the coin in amazement. 'Theyll be there all night on this and most of tomorrow. Are you sure, Fannella?

I smiled. 'Tell them to make the most of it. Theyll be wearing the skin off the soles of their feet when we start moving the act between The Gaudy and The Carnival every night.

I watched the tasselled red curtains close over Luccas tavern on the stage. 'Youll have to paint another scene for The Carnival we cant move this one, its too much of a risk. Your Misha seen it yet?

Lucca nodded and stared at his feet.

'Didnt he like it?

He rolled a sticky discarded cork under the sole of his shoe and didnt answer. I was angry for him.

'Listen, your friend might come from the grandest company in Europe, but if he cant see that what you do here is as fine as anything The Moika prances around in front of, then hes a fool, for all his languages.

Lucca picked at his nails as I warmed up.

'Ill tell him that myself next time I see him. Youre an artist, Lucca. Ive said it before and Ill say it again, youre wasted here.

'Thats what Misha says. His voice was so low that even though he was standing right next to me I hardly heard it.

'What?

'He . . . he has asked me to go back to Paris with him to paint for The Moika.

'And what did you say?

Lucca was silent.

'Well?

'I . . . I havent given him an answer yet.

He was thinking about it! A shoal of fish flipped about in my belly. The thought of not having Lucca around was impossible. I stared at the stage. Mrs Conway was leaning down between the flares talking to Professor Ruben. Tonight the wig on her head put me in mind of a badger. She pointed at the sheet of music propped up on his piano and clapped her hands together rapidly to give him the time.

Id planned the order so that Mrs C went on after the girls, thinking that the punters might be in a more amenable state of mind, but now I wasnt so sure. I didnt want to see this. And I didnt want to think about what Lucca had just said. I turned to speak to him again, but hed gone.

Professor Ruben started to play. The jaunty tune made the punters turn expectantly towards the stage. Mrs Conway billowed in the limelight flares. The spots of rouge on her cheeks looked like an infection. She brought a fluttering hand to her breast and stepped forward.

I fled down the side to the office, slamming the door behind me just as the catcalls started up not appreciative ones.

Peggy stood up abrupt.

'Shhhh! Hes been sleeping like a lamb this evening. Even through the sailor act and the racket afterwards.

I walked over to the desk and peered down at the open trunk behind it. Robbie Lennox was curled up inside, contentedly sucking on the corner of a blanket.

'Back in Paris he was likely used to being backstage when his father performed. Perhaps its like a lullaby? Is the arm still bad?

Peggy smiled and knelt beside the trunk. She moved the knitted blanket aside. Robbie stirred, but didnt wake.

'Its much better, see? The ice made the swelling go down and the bite is healing nicely. Its still bruised, though.

I didnt want David Lennox to think I hadnt looked after his child. That was important. Any time now he and Joey would come through the door to take him away and I wanted to show him . . .

Well, I wasnt entirely sure what I wanted to show him, but I knew it was more than the fact I could look after his kid.

Joey reckoned on there being safety in a full house. The more happening around the hall, the less anyone would notice them, he said. The new act helped. It was the busiest The Gaudy had been since my last performance up in the cage.

It was getting on now, mind. If they didnt turn up within the next hour the crowd would be gone. I adjusted the neck of my blue satin, pulling it just a bit lower at the front where the lace met the dip of the collar. When I tricked out earlier that evening I told myself I was dressing to put on a good show for the punters, but that wasnt true.

Peggy straightened up and brushed her skirt down. 'I dont know why youve put him in this thing, Kit. Its not exactly comfortable. The perambulator we brought him over in is better. Why would his father, this David, want it?

I moved some papers on my desk. The less she knew the better. Ominous noises were swelling beyond the door. Through the soles of my boots I could feel the floorboards of the office shifting in time with the stamping outside.

'I . . . I suppose its because this is a good strong way to carry him. Its got leather straps.

Peggy sighed. 'If he doesnt come soon Im going to have to go. I promised Dan and I cant let him down. I havent seen him for two days now. He sent word that hed be at The Lamb with the others later and hes expecting me.

I smiled. 'You go. Youve done wonders enough, Peg.

Tell truth, I was relieved at the thought she might not be there when Joey and David arrived. She bent to tuck the blanket round Robbies arm again. When she straightened up her eyes were glassy.

'Its probably for the best. I reckon I might disgrace myself in front of his father. She rubbed her cheeks roughly with the heels of her wrists. 'Look at me now! Im soft as butter these days, but Im going to miss him something terrible. I said as much to Lok when we were packing his things together before we came over to The Gaudy this evening. Hes fond of Robbie too. She nodded at the door. 'He doesnt say much, does he, the new fixture? He didnt open his mouth when we walked here.

'Amits a mute, Peggy. He doesnt say much to anyone.

'He dont need to. Hes the size of a bull. Have you seen his hands?

I nodded. 'He used to work for my grandmother. I trust him.

She looked down at Robbie again. 'If his father never turned up, me and Dan, we would have taken him in, Kit. Two cant be much more bother than one, can it?

I almost laughed aloud at the thought of Robbie not being a bother, but the look on Peggys face made me button it. She really cared for that boy and it was a wrench for her to see him go.

She bent low and brushed a kiss on Robbies brown head. 'When we were packing his things up, we couldnt find his rabbit. I looked everywhere, but it was gone. You were mending it, werent you? Thats why you come up to get it.

My hand strayed back to my pocket. 'I . . . I think its still in my workbox.

Tell truth, I didnt like to show Peggy what had happened to Robbies toy. It was hidden in a drawer of the desk right next to her.

The office door opened and we both swung round.

Aubrey Jesmond stepped into the room. He pulled the door shut to muffle the sounds coming from the hall and raised an eyebrow. 'I think youd better run the sailor routine again, Kit the punters are tearing the place up out there. Lally Conways hiding in the yard.

It was late now. Too late.

The last of the punters had rolled down the steps of The Gaudy and into a rising fog an hour back. I went to the office door again and looked out into the hall. The lamps were still burning. Amit Das unfolded his arms and looked at me hopefully.

I shook my head.

'Not yet.

I heard the clatter of someone cleaning high in the gallery. I walked a little way out between the tables and chairs and shielded my eyes against the gaslights.

'Whos up there tonight?

A small voice came back. 'Its me, Edie Strong, Miss. I squinted. Less than six months back it had been me up there with the bucket and mop, swilling out the unmentionables. I moved deeper into the hall trying to catch sight of her wiry little body.

'Tell you what, Edie you can pack that up now. Its late and your mother will be worried. Get off home.

'You sure, Miss? Im happy to do a bit more. Its a right old state up here.

'And itll be a state tomorrow morning too, but youll be fresh on the job. Go home, Edie. Use the side, the front will be locked.

I turned and walked back to the office, the hem of my skirt catching in the sticky pools of spilled alcohol staining the boards. I paused when I was level with Amit, dug in my pocket and handed him my keys. 'When Edies gone lock the side. If you hear a knock out front, dont open up. Come and get me.

He took the keys in his paw, nodded and leaned back against The Gaudys red varnished wall.

I closed the door gently behind me. Robbie was making little snuffling sounds in his sleep now. His hand clenched and unclenched on top of the blanket. He missed his poppet.

I pulled the package from my pocket and let it fall open on the desk in front of me. The big emerald, green as a new-hatched pea, glinted in the soft light of the lamp.

I was amazed when Joey slit that cloth rabbit open. I watched, puzzled, as he forced his fingers inside, pulled a small felt bundle from its stomach and rolled the contents into his palm.

Three emeralds had been sewn into the poppet. Joey had taken two and left the third with me as a precaution. After he left The Palace he was planning on going straight to a Dutch stone dealer in the rookery by Goodmans Fields. He reckoned hed get a fair price on the smaller of the two and use part of it to pay the remaining portion of the passage on the Frisia. The rest, he said, was their future Davids and Robbies.

But there was something else in that rabbit. Joey had been rough with it when he freed the emeralds and one of its ears had come loose. I reckoned it was the one Robbie had been chewing on. When Joey handed the poppet back to me Id found a ragged strip of paper folded in two and rolled up tight inside the fraying ear.

I placed the emerald next to the lamp, smoothed the paper out over the desk top and looked at the Russian script. At the bottom there were three signatures that, at least, was clear. I recognised one of the names now it was Romanov in their writing. Misha had shown me.

When I asked Joey what the paper was he wouldnt say, but he told me it could never be parted from Robbie. That was why he left it with me. I folded it again and slipped it back into my pocket.

I closed my eyes and rested my forehead in my hands. Why werent they here?

There was a soft click and a rustling sound. I looked up.

Joey was standing with his back to me staring out into the hall through the half-open door. He was wearing a womans travel coat, cut in the French style, and the hat Id seen before, the one with the muslin veil.

'Joey! At last.

I stood as he turned from the door to face me. He drew back the veil and my heart twisted in my chest.

It wasnt Joey standing there after all, but I knew who it was.

The tall, dark-skinned woman stepped forward and held out a gloved hand.

'Not Joey, Kitty. And its not David either. Im Della, Della Lennox. Robbies mother.

Chapter Twenty-seven.

I didnt say a word. I couldnt. My mouth felt like the bottom of Jacobins cage. I stared down at the long tapering fingers in fine leather. It was the hand Id held in Paris thinking it to belong to David Lennox.

And it did, in a manner of speaking.

I dragged my eyes from the outstretched hand and looked direct into a pair of pale green eyes set in a long face, broad at the temple and narrow at the chin. It was Davids face all right, but it wasnt him.

I glanced down at the womans coat, taking in the ruffles and tucks that nipped the fabric into an unmistakable shape. Davids clothes had hung loose on his tall, spare frame, but all the while underneath it all . . .