‘Stop, yer little fool!’ she yelled now, her breath feeling cut off at its root and her steps already beginning to slow to a painful trot. ‘It’s a lady as wants ter talk ter you… Emma Grady as was, who’s Emma Tanner now. She only wants to help you!’ When she realized that the two ragamuffins were long gone, she repeated bad-temperedly, ‘Wants to help you, she does… though Lord knows why. After the merry dance you’ve led me, you ungrateful urchin… I’d not cross the bloody road to help you, I wouldn’t!’ Yet she knew that her words were no more than hot air and frustration because now, after seeing how terrified the young woman was, and how she was foraging for the discarded bits of Christmas trees, and also that she was heavy with child, Nelly was as anxious as Emma to find her and do what she could to make her sorry lot that much easier. But she wouldn’t find her again today. Not today. Maybe not ever again, now that the poor creature had the measure of her. She would be more on her guard than ever now, and that was a fact.

Despondent, Nelly gave up the chase and turned away, feeling both irritated and decidedly uncomfortable from the effects of her short burst at running. She promised herself that, now she was in her forties and a bit longer in the tooth than during her wilder days, chasing vagabonds would definitely not be one of her future activities. All the same, she would dearly have loved to talk with that young woman, if only to assure her that she had no reason to fear either herself or Emma, who, in Nelly’s opinion, was one of God’s chosen angels. ‘Though she can be a real terror if she puts her mind to it,’ she promptly reminded herself with a chuckle. ‘And Lord only knows what she’ll say when she sees me looking like something out of a shipwreck, with me hair bedraggled and me skirt stinking to high heaven of rotten eggs!’ Anticipating a healthy exchange of words between herself and Emma, she promptly climbed into the nearest carriage and instructed the bemused driver, ‘Park Street, my good fellow… and be quick about it!’ When he appeared to hold his nose at the rich and unpleasant smell that wafted up his nostrils, she fell back into the seat, quietly chuckling. By God, when that young vagabond was finally brought to account for what happened today – and she would, of that Nelly was determined – she’d get the sharp end of Nelly’s tongue and that was a fact! Still and all, even though Nelly had thoroughly enjoyed herself, there were serious issues here. She hoped the unfortunate young woman had not been too frightened by all the attention, nor pushed too far to her limit. After all, she had another little soul tripping along beside her, and the added burden of being heavy with child. On top of which, the pair of ragamuffins looked as starved as scarecrows, and couldn’t have two penn’orth of strength between them. ‘Ah, but they gave you a good run for your money, Nelly my gal, that they did,’ she laughed, throwing a cutting look to the driver when he turned to regard this strange and smelly passenger. ‘You look where you’re bleeding well going!’ she told him. ‘Ain’t you never seen a lady afore?’