“Wot are ye doing ’ere?” Lizzie asked in a whisper. She held a blanket and seemed to be in the middle of straightening the pallets and clothing items lying about. She looked as pretty as she ever had, though she was just as thin, and her face was streaked with dust. But she had those big brown eyes that made Joshua feel warm inside.
“I’ve come to rescue you,” he said, puffing out his chest so he’d look a bit bigger.
“Come to get me killed, more like. Joshua Baker, go ’ome before Ferryman finds ye ’ere and kills ye. ’E’d like nothing better. All night and morning ’e’s been raving about yer sister Vi and the vile things ’e’ll do to ’er when ’e ’as ’er.”
“He won’t have her,” Joshua said, “and he won’t have you either. King and I are taking you away.”
“King?” Joshua pointed to the window, and Lizzie dropped the blanket and crossed the room to peer out. She ducked back in quickly. “That man is King?”
“He’s our new publican. He used to be a nob—maybe he still is a nob—and he has a safe place for you to go.”
But Lizzie shook her head, her limp brown hair rising and falling with the force of her movements. “There’s nowhere Ferryman won’t find me, and when ’e does, ’e’ll kill me.”
“Ferryman won’t find you in Mayfair. You’ll be safe, Lizzie. I promise. I told you I’d get you out of here, and I will.”
A pair of feet came into view, and King said, “A little help, please.”
Lizzie stepped back as Joshua helped guide King’s legs into the window. He landed inside with a thud that made Lizzie look over her shoulder at the door then rose to his feet a bit unsteadily. “You must be Miss, er—” He looked at Joshua.
“Lizzie,” Joshua supplied.
“I was hoping you’d provide a surname.”
“What’s that?”
“Never mind. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Lizzie. Ready to go?”
Lizzie gaped at him. “Ye’ve come for me?”
“None other. Master Joshua says you are in danger from Ferryman. I know a safe place you can go.”
“She doesn’t think anywhere is safe,” Joshua said. “But tell her what you told me.”
King nodded. “I have a distant cousin in Mayfair. He has a big house and lots of servants to clean it. He will take you in as a maid. You can hide there, and Ferryman will never find you.”
“Why would ’e do that, sir?” Lizzie asked. “Take me in, that is.”
“Because if he doesn’t, I’ll threaten to show up on his doorstep, and right now I ampersona non grata.”
“Wot?”
“It means he’ll be happy to have you as a maid, but we should go now. Before anyone discovers we’re here.”
Even as he said the words, the door to the room began to open. Joshua rushed toward it and pushed it closed again. “Lizzie, wot’s this?” the woman on the other side demanded.
Lizzie’s eyes were wide with fear, but Joshua gestured for her to speak. “I’m changing clothes. Give me a moment,” she said.
“Like I care to see yer skinny arse. Open up.”
“Just a minute!”
King strode across the room and reached above Joshua’s head, closing the door completely. “Give me something heavy to brace it,” he said to Lizzie.
“Lizzie?” said the woman on the other side of the door. “Who’s in there with ye?”
“Oh, no!” Lizzie wasn’t moving, so Joshua grabbed an old, broken stove and heaved it to the door.
King slid it against the door and dusted his hands off. “It’s now or never, Miss Lizzie.”
