Page 2 of The Lady’s No Angel

“Don’t be silly. Ladies don’t whistle,” she said curtly. “Now, listen. You want work, is that right?”

He blinked at her and then straightened, narrowing his eyes. “If it weren’t you, who were it?”

“Who was it,” she corrected.

“That’s what I asked.” He looked at her in consternation and she sighed.

“Very well. Yes, it was me. Yes, I will teach you how, but only if you listen to me and do as I ask.”

The lad folded his skinny arms. He was perhaps ten years old, grubby beyond belief, but otherwise healthy and relatively well nourished. His father had been neglectful, but not cruel.

“All right,” he said, a suspicious glint in his eyes. “I’m listening.”

“Before I tell you, I need to know if you’re trustworthy. I need to know you are the sort of boy I can depend on, who won’t run away crying if we get into a fix, but who will stand beside me and help us out of that fix.”

His eyes widened. “Bleedin’ hell, lady, what is it you want me for? I ain’t a coward, but I ain’t no fingersmith neither.”

Angel rolled her eyes. “Do I look like I’m in need of a thief?”

The boy made a great show of standing back and looking her up and down. “I can’t rightly say what you look like, miss, but I reckon it’s trouble.”

Angel smiled. “Well, there, my young fellow, you would be right.”

Having sorted Toby out and given him coin enough to accomplish the tasks she’d set him, Angel hurried back through the village. Taking the alley that led to the back of the baker’s shop, she waited by the wall of an untidy yard until she saw a young woman come out. She was older than Angel, though not by as much as she looked, for her features were tired and careworn. Pity stabbed at Angel’s heart.

“Milly,” she called in a low whisper.

The woman looked around, her eyes widening as she saw Angel.

“Miss Angelica?” Glancing over her shoulder, Milly set down the pail of dirty water she carried and hurried over.

Angel marked the bruise on the girl’s cheek and scowled. “Mr Twort?” she guessed, fury burning in her blood.

Milly shook her head. “No, Mrs Twort,” she said with a wry smile. “I wouldn’t put it past Miss Sarah neither, though she’s too lazy to make the effort.”

“I’m so sorry,” Angel said, guilt twisting in her gut. She leaned against the brick wall, cursing her feckless father for spending money like water with no thought for the future. Milly had been her and her mother’s lady’s maid, but they’d been forced to let her go. Not that Papa had turned off his valet. It was down to her and Mama to economise.

Little Valentine was Milly’s home, though, and she didn’t want to leave so she’d taken the only work she could find, hoping something better would come along. It hadn’t.

“Ain’t your fault, miss,” Milly said with a shrug. “’Tis fate, that’s all.”

“Well, your luck is about to change, Milly, and mine too. How do you fancy giving all this up and working for me?”

Milly brightened at once, her eyes alight with relief. “Oh, Miss Angelica, have you got yourself a beau?”

Angel snorted. “No, not that, but I have something a good deal better. A fortune, only… I need a bit of help in getting my hands on it. Will you help me, Milly?”

Milly paled, her work-roughened hand going to her throat. “Dreams won’t pay our bills, miss, pretty as they might be.”

Angel shook her head, stepping closer and grasping Milly’s arm. “It’s not a dream, Milly. My Pops left me something of great value, but I must find it first. When I do, I’ll make sure you are the finest lady’s maid in all of England.”

Milly’s lips twitched. “Ah, grand as a duchess, eh?”

Angel caught her breath, hope lifting her spirits. “As near as makes no difference, or you could do something else if you wanted. Open a shop—whatever you want.”

Looking around, Milly glanced at the back of the bakery, where Mrs Twort’s strident voice escaped the open door. The young woman sighed. “She’s looking for me. Found sommat new to bother about, I dare say.” Turning back to Angel, Milly met her gaze, her expression sombre. “I’ll come,” she said, and hurried back inside.

Little Valentine, East Sussex, 3rd April 1816