than a whisper.
The urchin appeared like an apparition from the darkness, moving cautiously toward her. Sophie’s chest ached at the fear etched on his thin features.
“I won’t hurt you, child. I promise.” She held out her hand encouragingly.
“I’ve come to return your bracelet, miss.” His voice shook. “My sister said it were wrong of me to take it, and I must give it back.” He held out a trembling hand. The gold cuff nestled in his dirty palm, gleaming softly in the glow of the lamps from the coach.
Sophie sank to her knees, so powerful was the rush of relief and gratitude pouring through her veins. It took a moment to find her voice. “That was very good of you, my dear. How did you find me?”
“My sister said to watch all the places the swells went to. She said I must look until I find you.” The boy drifted closer, but still remained just out of reach.
“Your sister must be very clever.”
“Aye, my lady. The smartest and the prettiest that ever was. She takes care of me since my ma died. She said it was wrong to steal, even though my pa don’t think so.”
“Your fa…pa tells you to steal?”
“Aye. If I don’t, he beats me.”
Sophie clenched her teeth shut to prevent a very rude word from escaping her lips. It took her a moment to regain her self-control.
“And how long have you been stealing?”
“Ever since my ma died last spring. She would never let my pa put me on the street, even though sometimes he beat her fierce.”
“Oh, God,” she breathed. She couldn’t imagine her own father lifting a hand against her—against anyone. He had been the kindest man she had ever known.
The boy shuffled from foot to foot, a portrait of abject misery. Sophie had not a lingering shred of doubt she must help him. But how?
The damp from the cobblestones began to penetrate both her cloak and her gown, and she could see the boy begin to shiver in the chill of the October night. She came to her feet slowly so as not to frighten him away.
“My name’s Sophie. What’s yours?”
“I remember, my lady.” His beautifully shaped mouth trembled into a tentative smile. “Mine’s Toby.”
“Well, Toby, it’s a pleasure to meet you. You are very good to return my bracelet, and I want to give you some money for your trouble. Won’t you step into my carriage for a few minutes? It’s much warmer in there.”
He jerked away, his huge eyes growing even wider in alarm. “You be taking me to the constable!”
“I promise I only want to help you and your sister. Cross my heart and hope to die.” She drew a cross over her chest, feeling her own heart racing with nervous anticipation.
Toby examined her doubtfully, but, after a few moments, crept back to her. She reached out her hand once more. Hesitantly, he put his grubby little fingers in hers, and Sophie exhaled an anxious breath, casting a silent prayer of thanks heavenward.
“Is anything wrong, miss?”
Both Sophie and Toby jumped as James rounded the side of the coach. If she hadn’t been holding his hand so firmly, the boy would have bolted. She tightened her fingers in a reassuring grip.
“Everything is fine, James. This young man has found my—er—coral bracelet, and wished to return it to me.”
The entire household knew Sophie’s reticule and bracelet had been stolen, alerted to the fact by Lady Eleanor’s talkative dresser.
“Come with me, Toby. We must get you out of this cold.”
Under the startled gaze of both the footman and Lady Eleanor’s coachman, Sophie towed the reluctant child round the other side of the carriage and led him to the steps.
“Good Lord, miss, surely you ain’t…”
Sophie silenced the coachman’s protest with a glare. Toby searched her face, his pointed little chin quivering in doubt. She brushed his matted blond hair back from his forehead.
“Don’t worry, Toby. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Shaking her head at James’s offer of help, she boosted the little boy into the
The urchin appeared like an apparition from the darkness, moving cautiously toward her. Sophie’s chest ached at the fear etched on his thin features.
“I won’t hurt you, child. I promise.” She held out her hand encouragingly.
“I’ve come to return your bracelet, miss.” His voice shook. “My sister said it were wrong of me to take it, and I must give it back.” He held out a trembling hand. The gold cuff nestled in his dirty palm, gleaming softly in the glow of the lamps from the coach.
Sophie sank to her knees, so powerful was the rush of relief and gratitude pouring through her veins. It took a moment to find her voice. “That was very good of you, my dear. How did you find me?”
“My sister said to watch all the places the swells went to. She said I must look until I find you.” The boy drifted closer, but still remained just out of reach.
“Your sister must be very clever.”
“Aye, my lady. The smartest and the prettiest that ever was. She takes care of me since my ma died. She said it was wrong to steal, even though my pa don’t think so.”
“Your fa…pa tells you to steal?”
“Aye. If I don’t, he beats me.”
Sophie clenched her teeth shut to prevent a very rude word from escaping her lips. It took her a moment to regain her self-control.
“And how long have you been stealing?”
“Ever since my ma died last spring. She would never let my pa put me on the street, even though sometimes he beat her fierce.”
“Oh, God,” she breathed. She couldn’t imagine her own father lifting a hand against her—against anyone. He had been the kindest man she had ever known.
The boy shuffled from foot to foot, a portrait of abject misery. Sophie had not a lingering shred of doubt she must help him. But how?
The damp from the cobblestones began to penetrate both her cloak and her gown, and she could see the boy begin to shiver in the chill of the October night. She came to her feet slowly so as not to frighten him away.
“My name’s Sophie. What’s yours?”
“I remember, my lady.” His beautifully shaped mouth trembled into a tentative smile. “Mine’s Toby.”
“Well, Toby, it’s a pleasure to meet you. You are very good to return my bracelet, and I want to give you some money for your trouble. Won’t you step into my carriage for a few minutes? It’s much warmer in there.”
He jerked away, his huge eyes growing even wider in alarm. “You be taking me to the constable!”
“I promise I only want to help you and your sister. Cross my heart and hope to die.” She drew a cross over her chest, feeling her own heart racing with nervous anticipation.
Toby examined her doubtfully, but, after a few moments, crept back to her. She reached out her hand once more. Hesitantly, he put his grubby little fingers in hers, and Sophie exhaled an anxious breath, casting a silent prayer of thanks heavenward.
“Is anything wrong, miss?”
Both Sophie and Toby jumped as James rounded the side of the coach. If she hadn’t been holding his hand so firmly, the boy would have bolted. She tightened her fingers in a reassuring grip.
“Everything is fine, James. This young man has found my—er—coral bracelet, and wished to return it to me.”
The entire household knew Sophie’s reticule and bracelet had been stolen, alerted to the fact by Lady Eleanor’s talkative dresser.
“Come with me, Toby. We must get you out of this cold.”
Under the startled gaze of both the footman and Lady Eleanor’s coachman, Sophie towed the reluctant child round the other side of the carriage and led him to the steps.
“Good Lord, miss, surely you ain’t…”
Sophie silenced the coachman’s protest with a glare. Toby searched her face, his pointed little chin quivering in doubt. She brushed his matted blond hair back from his forehead.
“Don’t worry, Toby. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Shaking her head at James’s offer of help, she boosted the little boy into the
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