‘What’s this?’ Joe raised himself to a sitting position. ‘What were you thinking of, Annie?’

‘It seems stupid now that we’re all living together at Warren House,’ Annie said guiltily. ‘But until the trouble with Monks I had been quite happy living on my own. I had proved that I could support myself by entertaining people with my playing, and it made me feel less of a burden.’

‘I’m sure you were never a burden to anyone, Annie.’ Kate gazed at her in dismay. ‘Why would you think that?’

‘Our father was killed in a duel. He had dishonoured a gambling debt and the man he had cheated called him out. Pa was killed by a single bullet.’

‘How dreadful.’ Kate laid a sympathetic hand on Annie’s thin shoulder. ‘How old were you then?’

‘I was ten and Joe was thirteen. Mama had always been delicate and she never recovered from the shock. The family disowned her and we had to live on a small allowance from a trust fund.’

‘I enlisted as a drummer boy,’ Joseph said, sighing. ‘I only earned a little but I sent most of my wages home.’

‘But why didn’t Harry or his mother do something?’ Kate demanded angrily. ‘I thought Lady Lyndon was a kind woman.’

Annie raised her brother’s hand to her cheek. ‘Lady Lyndon is only related to us by marriage, Kate. Harry was away at school and then at university, so he knew nothing of our plight, and Mama would have died rather than beg the family for help.’

‘It’s obvious who you take after,’ Joseph said with a wry smile. ‘But it’s true, Kate. Our mother died of a fever and I was too far away to do anything to help. Annie sent me word that she was doing well, and I had no reason to disbelieve her. But I did write to Harry and I asked him to keep an eye on my sister.’

‘The rest you know,’ Annie added softly. ‘Harry tried to persuade me to move into the house in Finsbury Circus, but I hardly knew Lady Lyndon, and I didn’t want to be the poor blind relative living on charity. It all seems rather silly now.’

‘At least Harry showed some sense of responsibility and honour,’ Kate said proudly. ‘I need to find him, Joe. Have you any idea where he might have gone?’

Joe shook his head. ‘Not really. He said he was looking for someone, but I wasn’t in a fit state to press him on the subject. He promised to come back for me and I’m sure he’ll keep his word.’

‘I wish I knew why he had gone away like that,’ Kate said slowly. ‘Did he give any reason for leaving, Joe?’