‘Respectable men don’t marry whores,’ Caleb said, and when his friend winced, he knew he had hit on the truth. A strange sense of disappointment washed over him.

Penrose stared down at the stained and scarred table. ‘You have to understand, Caleb, in my class in society it would be total social disaster. I can’t pass her off as a suitable wife—she’s from the slums of London, labelled as soon as she opens her mouth. And then someone is bound to start nosing around her past and discover, well, you know.’

Caleb leaned forward. ‘It’s your life, Penrose, but if you have no intention of making an honest woman of her, don’t you think she has the right to know? I can see by the way she looks at you that she’s thinking of you as her saviour, the one who’s going to take her away from this life.’

Penrose’s mouth drooped. ‘I know. If it makes me a cad—’

‘It does and don’t say “but she’s just a whore”. She’s a woman and you’re going to break her heart, Will Penrose.’

‘And you’re any better?’ Penrose snapped back. ‘The whole town is already talking about you and Adelaide Greaves.’

Caleb sat back in his chair and picked up his glass. ‘Looks like I was mistaken, Penrose. That bloody Englishman is acting mighty proprietorial. “Old family friend”.’ He scoffed and reached over the bar for the concealed bottle.

Penrose tugged at his waistcoat and Caleb looked up.

Richard Barnwell stood in the doorway, perusing the room. In his linen suit and cravat, no one could have looked more out of place. His gaze swept the room, passing over Caleb and Penrose in their dark corner. It came to rest on the girls drinking lemonade at their table near the bar.

Barnwell touched his fingers to his forehead and inclined his head as Lil bustled out from behind the bar.

‘Welcome to my place, sir. What’s your fancy?’

Barnwell strolled over to the table, the girls watching him like wary sparrows in the presence of a hungry hawk. He held out his hand to Sissy.

‘Would you care to join me for a drink, young lady? Is there somewhere quiet we can go?’

Sissy smiled. ‘We have a nice quiet room upstairs, sir?’

Barnwell smiled, showing a row of neat, white teeth. ‘Lead on. What do I call you?’

The rest of conversation was lost as the door to the stairs closed behind Barnwell and Sissy.

Penrose half-rose from his seat with a strangled gasp.

Caleb pulled him down. ‘Nothing you can do, Penrose.’

Lil’s eyes narrowed and she came to the table where the men sat. She poked a finger in Penrose’s chest, her face scarlet and her eyes blazing. ‘You know the rules, Penrose. She’s not yours. If you don’t like it, then don’t bother coming ’ere.’