Lady Lightfingers by Janet Woods Read Free Book Online Page A

as he could tell the slums had not sucked either her or her children completely into its social maw yet.
    â€˜I would offer you tea, but we have none.’
    â€˜I’m not thirsty, Mrs Laws. I’m here because the information Celia gave me about you piqued my interest. I wanted to reassure you that your daughter will not be in any danger in my company.’
    The woman gave her daughter a searching look. ‘Celia has a vivid imagination and she is prone to exaggeration.’
    â€˜I’ve noticed.’
    â€˜What do you want with her?’
    Thomas didn’t really know. It was unlike him to become involved in the life of those he observed. ‘I might be able to help you to better yourself.’
    She shrugged. ‘I would prefer my independence than be under an obligation to any man.’
    â€˜I want nothing from you. Let us be frank with one another. It seems to me that you and your children have nowhere to go but down. Celia is on the brink of womanhood. She’s got a good brain on her and already has quite a bag of tricks at her disposal; most of them dishonest, for even begging is illegal. She’s also an accomplished liar.’
    Celia gasped.
    â€˜I can only guess at how you are able to support your children, Mrs Laws, but if Celia is any indication they haven’t got much of a future. I’m not without influence. Perhaps if I were to inform the parish of your circumstances—’
    â€˜They would give me a place in a workhouse and deprive me of my children. They would then be worse off because they’d be hired out to anyone who would offer for them, and would be at the mercy of people who didn’t care what happened to them. Have you seen the children starving, or frozen to death on the streets? I don’t want that to happen to my children.’
    â€˜And if anything happens to you?’
    She avoided his eyes. ‘Celia is better educated than most, and she’s old enough and sensible enough to care for Lottie.’
    â€˜So are you, my dear, but you can’t earn enough to afford decent lodging.’
    Celia put an arm around her mother and gazed fiercely at him. ‘Was it your intention to insult us when you came here?’
    â€˜Hush, Celia. Mr Hambert has never been in the position we’re in, while I have the advantage of being familiar with his. He’s attempting to educate himself under the guise of educating us . . . is that not so, Mr Hambert?’
    Thomas squirmed at the resounding put-down. That’s exactly what he’d done. How could he have been so patronizing? ‘You’re right, Mrs Laws. I’m not usually so crass, and I hope you will forgive me, and come and have tea with me tomorrow. As Celia so rightly reminded me, that’s why I came here . . . to meet you, and invite you.’
    Would misplaced pride make her refuse the offer of a free meal, though?
    The woman gazed down at her dress and sighed, but said nothing of her poverty. ‘Afternoon tea . . . it’s been a long time . . . yes, I think I’d enjoy that.’
    â€˜I’ll get along home, then.’ Flustered, he stood up too quickly and banged his head on the roof.
    Celia smothered a laugh.
    When Thomas told James of the invitation his nephew flopped into a chair, looking clearly astounded. ‘You’ve invited a family of thieves to tea? Good Lord, Uncle . . . whatever next? The people in the square won’t appreciate your home becoming a meeting place for such people.’
    Thomas ignored the suggestion. Bedford Square was mostly inhabited by artisans, writers and scholarly people like himself. Some took in lodgers to help pay the rent. ‘You’ll like Celia when you meet her. Her mother is unusual in that she was a teacher in a church school before she fell on hard times.’
    â€˜A likely story.’
    â€˜James, you’re being much too cynical. Please reserve your judgement until after you’ve