‘Aw, go on with you… there’s never been work that won’t wait.’ He sauntered towards her.

It was when Molly put her hand to the door knob with the intention of making a hurried exit that there came a slight tap on the door, after which it was swung open to reveal a matronly figure with stiff, disapproving features, and a deep scowl on her face as she glowered at Molly. ‘Go to my office,’ she said, before instantly addressing the man. ‘I do apologize. Staff have strict instructions never to intrude on a guest’s privacy.’

‘No, you’ve got it all wrong, darling. The little girlie was only doing her job.’

‘That’s perfectly all right, sir.’

‘Hey, I hope she’s not in any trouble on account of me?’

‘Please don’t concern yourself.’ The proprietor’s wife feared that a distasteful scene might be brewing. Checking first to see that Molly had reluctantly started her way down to the office, she leaned into the room, saying in a lowered voice, ‘You should consider yourself very fortunate, sir. Lately there has been a spate of stealing.’ She deliberately glanced after Molly’s retreating figure. ‘I’m thankful to say that we have tracked the culprit down.’ Her intimation left the fellow in no doubt as to who ‘the culprit’ was.

‘You don’t say?’ He was momentarily shocked, but mindful of the fact that only last night an innocent-looking whore had stripped his pockets bare. ‘It just goes to show, eh?’ he chuckled. ‘My old ma was right when she warned me never to trust a pretty face.’ Molly’s dark, smiling eyes came into his mind. ‘There’s no need for the police, surely?’

‘Don’t worry, sir. It’s our policy not to involve the police if it’s at all avoidable,’ she assured him, before closing the door.

Even before the proprietor’s wife came into sight of the office, she could hear Molly vehemently protesting her innocence. She quickened her step, fearful that the fracas might be overheard. As it was, the entire episode had cast a shameful slur on their ‘respectable’ hotel. Thieving from the guests’ bedrooms! Such a thing would damage trade badly if it were to get out. Thank goodness they had managed to nip it in the bud. It was that wretched young woman, however much she might deny it. There had been no such incidents prior to her arrival. What a fool her husband was to take the creature on without previous experience or references of any kind.

Storming into the office where her husband showed signs of believing Molly’s protests, the woman slammed shut the door. ‘I’ll thank you to keep your voice down!’ she warned Molly.

‘But I’m innocent, I tell you!’

‘You’re a thief… that’s what you are.’

‘Now, now, let’s keep calm,’ the flustered proprietor intervened. ‘This needs to be discussed quietly and sensibly.’

‘Don’t you give me that,’ his wife rounded on him viciously. ‘It was you who took her on. It speaks for itself… the thieving only started when she was put to work as a chambermaid.’