Peter tilted his head and squinted, and then, a smile appeared on his face.
“Your Grace, you look rather peculiar. Are you attempting to fit in with us commoners? It ain’t working.”
“I thought that was him. See Morris, I ain’t no simpleton.”
Peter raised an eyebrow at his compatriot, and Seth recalled their uneasy banter from the last time. These two were not friends, but if he remembered correctly, they were not exactly the worst of the bunch, either.
“And you must be Miss Keating then,” Morris said with a grin as he took in Winnie. “You could have fit right in at Elton’s flophouse. He likes them commonplace girls after all, and handsome enough you surely are. Looking for employment to pay the ransom?”
Seth took a step toward Winnifred as if to shield her from this verbal assault, but he found she didn’t need it.
“How do you know us?” she demanded. Peter shook his head.
“You think all we do is sit in this here hovel all day? No. We were at Vauxhall Gardens, and you surely got yourself in the suds there.”
Seth glanced past them into the house. “So then, you know why we are here. We want to speak to Elton directly about the release of our siblings.”
Morris frowned. “Ain’t he made arrangements already? Peter, ain’t we gonna go to Vauxhall Gardens to get rid of them aristocrats finally? They’ve been doing my head in with their constant whining anyhow. I’m just glad I don’t have to see ‘em this week.”
Seth’s heartbeat sped up. So, they were alive. They’d been correct. Beside him, Winnie squeezed his hand at this realization.
“Where are our siblings?” She demanded. To her shock, Peter shoved Morris with such force, the man stumbled backward and crashed into some furniture out of their line of sight.
“Gadzooks, Morris, you insufferable puff guts. Elton will have your head for this.”
A mumble sounded from Morris, but Seth couldn’t make out the words.
“Where are our siblings?” Seth repeated Winnie’s question. The man’s head spun around, and he glowered at Seth. “I ain’t telling you a thing. Do you think I’m stupid? No. Elton provides my bread and butter, without him, I ain’t got nothing.’
Seth’s fingers curled around the little pouch in his pocket that contained his gold coins. He considered the man before him. Would he perhaps be susceptible to a bribe? He was sure Morris would be, but Peter?
“Can you at least tell us where we can find Elton? Please? Where does he live?”
Peter’s eyes grew wide at Winnifred’s question. “Lady, you must think me a goose cap. If I tell you that, I’d have to run for my life. I could never show my face here in St. Giles again. Nor anywhere in London.”
Seth swallowed.
“And this, I take it, would be a bad thing for you?”
Peter turned his head. “What’re ye trying to say?”
“I mean, leaving London and getting away from this life. Would that be a bad thing? If you could go anywhere, start over?”
Peter blinked and stepped out into the street. He shut the door behind him where Morris’ feet were visible on the floor.
“I take it ye got a proposition for me?”
Seth let go of Winnifred’s hand and nodded.
“I do. How much would it take to leave London and start fresh?”
Peter shrugged. “How much you got? I can see you fiddling with your pocket.”
Seth swallowed and reproached himself for having been so overt. Having no other choice, he pulled out the pouch and handed it to Peter. He peeked inside and shook his head as a grin appeared on his face.
“This will do me nicely, Your Grace.” He glanced behind himself and shut the door all the way.
“Well, what exactly do you want in exchange?”
