‘You lit a fire while this child was in the chimney stack?’

‘You don’t know anything about the profession, ma’am. Give me the boy and we’ll say nothing more about it.’

Rosalind looked down into a pair of imploring brown eyes and she shook her head. ‘Certainly not. You’ve tortured this child and you aren’t fit to have him.’

‘I paid good money for the lad. He’s my property.’

Nancy began to cry and she hugged the boy in spite of his filthy clothes. ‘Don’t let him take the boy, missis.’

At that moment Meggie Brewer opened her front door. ‘Good heavens! What’s going on? Are you all right, Mrs Blanchard?’ She caught the hand of a small girl who attempted to escape into the street. ‘Go inside, Eliza.’

‘You’d best go indoors, too, Nancy,’ Rosalind said hastily. ‘Meggie will you take her, please? And this boy, too. I’m not letting him go back to this man.’

Meggie took Nancy by the hand. ‘He’s a climbing boy, ma’am.’

‘I know very well what this man makes him do and I think it’s appalling. Please take him inside.’

Meggie beckoned to the boy. ‘Come on, my handsome. You’ll be safe with us.’ She ushered her daughter and Nancy into the house and the boy followed them.

‘I own him, ma’am,’ the sweep protested loudly. ‘You’ve got no right to take him from me.’

‘How much did you pay for him?’

A sly expression crossed his face. ‘He’s cost me money, missis. The snivelling brat eats too much and wears out his clothes. I reckon I’ve spent a fortune on him since I took him on.’

‘I’m not interested in your problems, sir. Tell me how much.’ Rosalind took the purse from her reticule.

‘Five pounds would be what I need.’

‘That’s extortionate, sir.’

‘Then give me back my boy.’

Rosalind opened her purse and took out three gold sovereigns. ‘Take this and be grateful that I don’t report you to the police for child cruelty.’

‘This is robbery.’

‘You would have given his poverty-stricken parents a pittance in return for their son. You are the one who should be ashamed.’ Rosalind dropped the coins on the pavement in front of him. She had the satisfaction of seeing him grovel for the money as she entered Meggie’s house. She slammed the door and leaned against it, trembling violently.

‘Are you all right, Mrs Blanchard?’ Meggie asked anxiously. ‘You ought to sit down.’

Nancy rushed up to Rosalind and flung her arms around her. ‘I’ll help you, missis.’