‘Frank, would you and your sister spare me a few minutes? There’s something I need your help with.’
Lord Francis looked surprised. ‘But I already told you my father’s interested in supporting your work.’
‘It’s not that,’ I said, blushing that he had immediately leapt to the conclusion that I was after a handout. ‘No, it’s about your sister’s friend. It’s urgent. He’s in danger.’
I saw that Lord Francis understood what I meant. But Pedro was naturally intrigued.
‘What’s going on, Cat? Which friend’s this?’ he asked scanning our faces.
Lord Francis did not enlighten him. ‘You’d better come home with me now, Cat. Our father will be out and Mother’s still in the country. I should be able to smuggle you in unobserved.’
‘Thank you. Pedro, could you let Johnny know I delivered his parcel safely for him?’
‘Absolutely not, Cat. I’m coming with you. You can’t wander the streets on your own when it’s getting dark,’ said Pedro firmly.
‘I’m not on my own; I’m with Frank.’
‘And what good will he be in a scrape? You need someone who knows their way around.’ Pedro looked at me with a glint of anger in his eyes at my rebuff. I could tell that the bad feelings between us aroused by our recent confrontation in Mr Sheridan’s office were rearing their ugly head again.
‘No, I don’t need your help, Pedro,’ I repeated.
‘But Cat, Pedro’s right: a young lady should not wander the streets on her own and you will need someone to escort you home,’ said Lord Francis, oblivious to the undercurrents passing between Pedro and me.
This was all going wrong. The last thing I wanted was Pedro to hear about Johnny’s real identity. They were both as bad as Marchmont, using the excuse of my sex to force unwanted company on me. ‘I’m not a parcel to be handed between you,’ I protested.
‘Typical Cat! Too proud for her own good,’ said Pedro as if I wasn’t there. ‘Of course I have to come; she knows it really.’
‘Good,’ said Lord Francis, ‘because I won’t be able to slip out again to bring her home.’
‘Will you two stop it!’ I snapped at them, stamping my foot in anger. ‘I was finding my way around London on my own before you’ (I turned to the duke’s son) ‘were breeched and when you’ (I glared at Pedro) ‘were still baking under your hot African sun. I can look after myself.’
Pedro and Lord Francis smiled in understanding at each other, driving me further into a fury.
‘Stop treating me like an empty-headed fool! I can decide what’s best myself!’
‘Well, Cat, let us say that I have invited Pedro as my guest. If you still want to come, you will just have to put up with his company,’ said Lord Francis with a wink at Pedro.
I was now sorely tempted to give up the whole idea of appealing to Lord Francis and Lady Elizabeth for help. Perhaps I should just go back to the theatre and tell Johnny to make a run for it. But what was he to do for money to fund his escape? On balance, I realised that I trusted Johnny less to look after himself than I mistrusted Pedro.
‘I still wish to come,’ I replied sullenly.
‘In that case, you won’t object if I ask you to accompany my friend back to the theatre then, Cat?’
I shook my head. Having lost the more important battle of keeping Pedro out of the secret, I was not going to kick up a fuss about the journey home.
‘Shall we go?’ The chimney sweep lord offered me his arm and we headed west for Grosvenor Square.
ACT IV
SCENE 1 . . . FRIENDS
The back entrance to the Duke of Avon’s London residence smelt heavily of horse. The stables in the mews were close and from the slushy trails in the snow, it appeared that the horses were frequently employed.
‘Wait a moment,’ said Lord Francis, disappearing into a stall. ‘I’ll just get changed.’
Pedro and I shivered by the pump in the back yard, trying to look inconspicuous. Snow still fell. Pedro’s short black hair was frosted with flakes. He looked more than ever like an exotic bird out of place in cold, wintry London. He noticed me looking.
‘What’s the matter?’ he asked. ‘Why are you staring at me like that?’
‘I was just thinking how strange it is that you’re here.’
‘I wasn’t going to let you come on your own.’
‘No, not here here, I mean here in London.’
He shrugged. ‘Is it that strange? All sorts of queer folk wash up here. London sucks us in and spits us out to sink or swim as we can.’
It was time to test him out, before Lord Francis came back.
‘You know what we said about the diamond?’
Pedro looked suddenly shifty. His eyes left my face to gaze at the icy pump handle. ‘What about it?’
‘I understand you need money, Pedro, but you’d not do anything to get it, would you? There are some things you wouldn’t do?’
‘Many things. What do you take me for, Cat?’
‘You wouldn’t send a man to his death, would you?’ I asked.
‘Not unless he deserved it. What’s this to do with the diamond?’
‘Nothing. It’s just that there’s something other than a diamond hidden in Drury Lane at the moment.’
Lord Francis reappeared from the stable dressed in his usual smart clothes, though his face and hands were still an unlordly sooty shade. He flipped a coin to the stable boy, who followed with his old garments.
‘Put them away for me, Jenkins,’ he said.
‘Right you are, sir,’ said Jenkins with a toothy grin.