‘This is my friend Kate Martin, Nellie.’ Peregrine kissed Charlie and placed him back on the floor. ‘Kate’s father is my head of chambers, Ivy.’

‘Pleased to meet you, Miss Martin.’ Ivy glanced anxiously round the shabby room. ‘You must excuse us. I haven’t had time to tidy up.’

‘You have lovely children, Mrs Harris.’ Kate smiled down at the small girls who were seated cross-legged on the floor.

‘They’re twins, miss.’ Nellie ruffled the hair of the nearest child. ‘This here is Polly and the naughty one is Emma.’

‘Leave the lady alone, Nellie,’ Ivy said wearily. ‘She don’t want to hear all that.’

‘It’s all right, Mrs Harris. I like children.’ Kate picked Charlie up and gave him a hug, but she set him down again when the smell from his soiled nappy assaulted her nostrils.

‘Where are the others, Ivy?’ Perry sat down in the chair opposite Ivy, leaning towards her with a sympathetic smile. ‘Are they out working?’

Ivy nodded. ‘Frankie cleans gents’ shoes. May and Jimmy sell matches and bootlaces outside the station. They bring in just about enough to keep us fed each day, but it’s hard to manage without Ted. You don’t think they’ll put him in prison, do you, Perry?’

‘I have to be honest with you. What he did isn’t in doubt, but I’ll put his case to the magistrate tomorrow, and I’ll do my very best to see that he gets off as lightly as possible. He broke the law, Ivy, and there’s no getting away from it.’

‘Even though all the others help themselves to things all the time?’

‘Ted got caught and it’s only a matter of time before others suffer the same fate.’ Perry put his hand in his pocket and took out a leather pouch, which he placed in Ivy’s lap. ‘This will help tide you over for the time being.’

Ivy shook her head. ‘I can’t take your money. It ain’t right.’

‘We’re family, my dear. You would do the same for me if the circumstances were reversed.’

‘That’s never going to happen, but ta ever so. I don’t know what we would have done without you.’

Perry rose to his feet. ‘You won’t have to worry about that. I can help and I will to the best of my ability. I just hope that Frankie isn’t dipping pockets or anything stupid, otherwise he’ll end up in prison, too.’

Ivy shook her head. ‘He’s a good boy. My nippers know the difference between right and wrong. It’s just that Ted had been laid off for two weeks and we was desperate, that’s why he did what he did.’ She shot a glance in Kate’s direction. ‘You ain’t said nothing. I bet you’re standing there all prim and proper, judging us and thinking we brought it on ourselves.’