‘You need to present a respectable appearance before you return to that hostel. You will tell Miss Harringey that you were both the victims of a practical joke. I told her I was your brother, therefore it will seem perfectly in order for me to escort you back. Now to the problem of Daisy. I gather from Becket that you do not wish to have anything to do with her.’

Rose raised her eyebrows. ‘Of course not. How can you even ask such a question? She put my life at risk. I could have choked on that gag.’

‘Nonetheless, you might still be choking on that gag if she had not severely burnt her wrists in helping you to escape. Becket has sent for the doctor. You did thank her, I hope?’

‘I did not know her wrists were burnt,’ said Rose. ‘I will see that she is amply compensated when my parents return.’

‘Money solves everything, heh? And how will you explain the reason why Daisy must be paid?’

‘They will be so glad that I am rid of her, they will pay anything.’

‘You are at fault, you know.’

‘How, sir?’

‘You chose to step outside your class and befriend an ex-chorus girl from the East End. It amused you to do so. You educated her and introduced her to a better way of life and now you want to throw her back again like some toy that had failed to work.’

‘That is not the way it was. We were friends.’

‘A friendship easily broken.’

Rose’s lip trembled. ‘I have suffered an ordeal, I am abominably hungry, and yet all you can do is rail at me over a servant.’

‘Aha! So Daisy is nothing more than a servant. I suggest we have her up here and ask her to explain what drew her back to her old haunts.’

Harry rang the bell. ‘Becket, fetch Miss Daisy. Is the doctor coming?’

‘He will be here shortly.’

A few moments later, Daisy was led into the parlour. ‘None of us has eaten, Becket,’ said Harry. ‘A late luncheon, I think, after the doctor has left. Pray take a seat, Miss Levine.’

Daisy sat down on the edge of a chair and Rose turned her head away.

‘I am interested to know what took you back to your old neighbourhood,’ said Harry gently. ‘First, some brandy for Miss Levine, Becket. She is looking extremely pale.’

He waited until Daisy took several sips of brandy.

‘Now,’ he prompted her.

Daisy gave a dry sob, like a weary child. Rose turned her head and looked at her, at the white face and the bound wrists.