‘What proof d’you have of all this, you disgusting ruffian?’ demanded Nelly. Emma seemed lost for words.

‘Aha!… the gent said yer might ask such a thing. In the event I was to disclose certain information.’

‘Out with it then!’ Emma had recovered, and her tongue lashed him sharply.

The fellow went on in hurried voice, not caring much for the turn of atmosphere. He remembered all the Justice had told him concerning the origins of the one called Molly. ‘Old Sal Tanner found the infant near the jail where Emma Grady was kept afore being despatched on the ocean voyage,’ he revealed, adding that the information ‘came straight from the mouth of the old salt who wet-nursed the abandoned girl-child’.

All the while he was speaking, Emma had her hand clutched to her heart, for his every word only served to confirm what she suspected – that she and Marlow were indeed Molly’s parents. If there had been any vestige of doubt remaining, it vanished when the fellow stretched out his arm and opened his fist. There, nestling amongst the calluses of his thick, grubby fingers was a tiny, delicate timepiece. ‘I’m to deliver this,’ said the fellow, ‘with the information that the young woman in question wore it round her neck even as a child. ’Tweren’t stolen! It belonged to the child… right from the start.’ Here he deliberately paused before going on in a cunning voice, ‘Afore that, it belonged to your good self… this ’ere timepiece… an’ the girl-child with it.’

Nelly had seen how his words were affecting Emma, Emma who had been so poorly, and she was incensed by it all. ‘You blaggart!’ she snapped, pushing at the fellow and threatening to tumble him out of the front door.

‘No… leave him, Nelly.’ The tears were flowing down Emma’s face as she stepped up to look more closely at the piece of gold. It should have been twenty pieces of silver, she thought. Even without the fellow mentioning the name of the one who had sent him, Emma knew it by heart. It could be none other than Caleb Crowther. He was the one who had betrayed her all those years ago. He was betraying her now. He was an evil man!

With tender reverence, Emma collected the tiny piece into her hand. ‘Where are the children?’ she asked, and in such a chilling manner that the fellow stepped back a pace. ‘What does he want?… Justice Crowther!’

‘’Ere!’ He was suddenly trembling, his eyes protruding with fear. ‘I ain’t said no name! Yer didn’t get no name from me!’ He was gabbling now, the words careering one over the other. ‘Yer to cancel a certain court case that comes up shortly!… Drop all charges an’ put an end to it once an’ fer all. That’s what the gent said… If yer wants ter clap eyes on them brats while they’re still alive, that is.’ He backed away, his message delivered and his every nerve-ending urging him to make a hasty retreat. ‘That’s it! That’s it… I ain’t saying another word,’ he yelled, turning about and ready to run. Suddenly he was kicking and struggling. Pinned fast by two sturdy arms – Mick Darcy’s arms.