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“Do you want me to talk to Old Bill?” Graeme asked Tilly. “I’m sure I could square things away. Convince him to let you go.”
Panic flashed across her features. Her gaze darted about, as if she were seeking an avenue of escape.
Graeme held up a quick hand. “It’s all right. I won’t do anything that would get you in trouble.”
“He’d kill me if I let ye even come near him. ’Sides, I’m his best boy. He won’t let me go till he’s ready.” She blew out a disgusted breath. “And I can’t get Charlie out on my own. Ol’ Bill put him in, and Matron says I’m too young to take him out.”
Graeme extracted his billfold. “Let’s try this. Forget Bill and what you owe him. Pay the matron your brother’s fees, and tell her that the Kendrick family will vouch for the both of you. If you need me to go to the orphanage, I will do that, too.”
Tilly jerked a bit. Then she frowned thoughtfully down at her lap, clearly thinking through all the possibilities.
“That might work,” she finally said. Her sharp gaze fastened on Graeme. “And ye’ll not be askin’ me to pay ye back?”
“Consider it a charitable donation to the orphanage from the Kendrick family.”
In a twinkling, the pound notes disappeared up Tilly’s sleeve.
“Do you have a bolt hole?” Graeme asked.
When the girl clammed up again, he smiled at her. “I don’t need to know where it is. Just that you have someplace safe to stay.”
Safe was a relative term in Tilly’s world. Children like her usually had secret hiding places, sometimes little more than a corner in an old cellar. Somewhere the adults couldn’t reach them.
Tilly scoffed. “Course I have a bolt hole.”
“All right.” Graeme opened the door of the carriage. “You can go.”
Sabrina grabbed Tilly’s sleeve. “That’s it?” she said to Graeme. “We’re just going to let her go?”
Tilly glared at her. “Ye promised.”
Sabrina’s sweet countenance pulled tight with dismay. “I promised to help you, Tilly. Letting you go back to that horrible man is not helping you.”
The girl darted another panicked look around the street. “I gots to, miss, or Ol’ Bill will make me pay.”
Graeme gently pulled Sabrina’s hand from Tilly’s sleeve. “It’s the best thing for her at the moment. And we can’t hold her against her wishes.”
“Damn right,” Tilly said.
“Och, lassie. Not in front of a lady,” Angus said.
Sabrina flapped a hand. “I don’t care about her language. I care about her safety.”
“I can takes care of myself, never you fear, miss.”
“Dammit to hell,” Sabrina muttered.
Despite the fraught situation, Graeme had to choke back a laugh.
“Tilly, do you know how to write?” Sabrina asked.
“Course I do. I ain’t no dummy.”
“I assume you know where the Kendricks live, on Heriot Row? I’m staying there for a little while. If you need help, send me a message. I mean it, Tilly.”
“Sabrina,” Graeme started to warn.
“Or send a message to Mr. Kendrick or Mr. MacDonald,” she hastily added.
