Sovay by Celia Rees Page A

who stood round cheering and clapping. They made no move to help her. The Captain was the kind of man who could charm any woman; even Ma Pierce was not immune. It was clear that she was enjoying his attentions, despite her loud protests.
    He sang as he danced her across the room and back again.
    ‘ Roses and lilies her cheeks disclose,
    But her ripe lips are more sweet than those.
    Press her,
    Caress her
    With blisses,
    Her kisses
    Dissolve us in pleasure, and sweet repose.’
    It was an air Sovay recognised, from The Beggar’s Opera , and she joined in the laughter to hear it sung to such a one and by a real highwayman.
    ‘Desist, you rogue!’ Ma Pierce cuffed him as she finally struggled out of his embrace, careful to adjust her wig. ‘Be off and take your doxy with you.’
    The Captain swept off his hat to her and bowed low before conducting Sovay out of the door. When they were outside, he put his arm round her, to protect her from the mill and press of people. Sovay was aware of his closeness, the faint scent about him of leather and horses. He turned to her, his face close, and began to sing again, quietly this time, more slowly, so the words gained significance.
    ‘ Roses and lilies her cheeks disclose,
    But her ripe lips are more sweet than those.’
    As he sang, he drew one gloved finger down her cheek and across her lips. Quickly, before she had time to think what he was doing, he kissed her hard on the mouth. Nobody looked or even noticed; on these streets embracing couples were a common sight. She knew that she ought to struggle, but did not. The kiss belonged to the Sovay who held up stagecoaches and did outrageous things. She would step out of her at the same time as she shed the whore’s clothing and put on respectability with her own dress. Besides, the kiss thrilled her far more than any caress that she had ever received from Mr James Gilmore.
    Greenwood let her go and smiled down at her, one eyebrow raised.
    ‘You are better at that than I would have imagined. You are full of surprises, Miss Sovay.’
    With that he hailed a chair and sent her off to Soho Square. The Captain had a good voice: a powerful tenor, sweet and pure. All the way back, as the chairmen wove their way through the crowded streets, she could hear his singing: Press her, Caress her . . . That was the tune she could not get out of her head.

    Her reverie was broken by a tiny sound followed by a slight draught of cold air. Sovay’s heart beat hard and she opened her eyes to see a dark shape, a shadow within a shadow, detach itself from the heavy drapery of the curtain and glide with silent stealth across the room. Sovay was suddenly fully awake. As she did not believe in ghosts, this had to be a burglar set to steal from her. He was dressed entirely in black and could move with no noise at all. Only the gleam of his eyes showed as he moved to the bureau, easing open drawer after drawer.
    He failed in his search and turned, looking around as though wondering where to search next. That is when he must have caught a movement from the bed. He came towards Sovay, hand outstretched, as if to stifle any noise she might make.
    ‘I will not scream, or cry out,’ she said in a low voice, ‘but I have pistols under the covers and I will not hesitate to use them.’
    ‘Don’t shoot. I mean you no harm but don’t make no noise, I beg of you.’ The boy advanced cautiously. ‘ He’s downstairs and he won’t hesitate to kill the both of us if you do.’
    ‘Who’s downstairs?’ Sovay held the guns so he could see them.
    ‘Ne’er you mind. Best you don’t know, but he’s a holy terror.’ The boy broke off. ‘Miss Sovay, isn’t it?’ He reached up and pulled off the knitted hat that he’d rolled down over his face. ‘You was at Ma Pierce’s with the Captain. It’s Toby. Toby White. Although they don’t call me that there. It was my dress you borrowed.’
    He looked away from her and his pale face flushed, as if he was shamed