I whistle. “Special permits?”

“Of course.” Then he blanches, as though in aftershock to my comments, cocks his head like he’s heard the rumble of an approaching storm.

“If you will excuse me.”

And I swear he starts singing, shrilly and out of tune, hurrying to his cabin and trailing his handkerchief like a little white flag.

ф

In good weather, you can see London all the way from the mouth of the Thames. Not a plume, exactly, more like a dark mist. Some of it is the factory chimneys, though the mist is darkest near the ground. Poppy stands next to me at the railing, staring at the mist ahead. I can see him make the sign of the cross.

He blushes when I laugh.

“Is it like they say it is?” he asks me shyly. “Gomorrah? A den of thieves?”

“It’s a city. The biggest in Europe.”

“But the Smoke.”

“It’s where the sinners live. The workers, the paupers. Good people live in the country. Bad people there.

“It’s like everywhere else,” I add a little later. “Only more so.”

ф

We head for the Tobacco Dock. There are cheers when the captain announces that the men are to take the night off. Even the cabin boy looks happy at the news. He is afraid of this Gomorrah, this den of thieves. But he wants to explore it too. I look forward to showing him around, talking some of his fear out of him, showing him that people are people, even here, when the captain takes me aside.

“Stay. I have special orders for you,” he announces quietly.

We haggle over it for the better part of an hour. Then the sum he names gets so large I begin to worry he will withdraw the offer. I am pleased, of course, but also afraid.

What grave felony must the man be up to if he is willing to pay a dozen gulden just for my standing around?

DELIVERY

DELIVERY

Do you think it’s midnight yet?”

“How would I know? I haven’t seen a single working clock in the entire city.” Thomas adds, thoughtfully: “They’ll have the time on the ship though, and nobody’s stirred.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“This is a steamer, built for the open sea. They need a clock to take readings. Otherwise it’d be impossible to navigate. And there is no way on and off other than that plank.”

“You know about boats.”

“Ships. I grew up near the sea. Hush now, the watchman is coming back.”