Free The Amorous Nightingale by Edward Marston Page A

poking his ribs with an affectionate
finger. 'She brought a lusty son into the world over a fortnight ago. There'll
be even more work from Mrs Calcart from now on.'
        'That
sounds like bad news.'
        'Not
to me,' she said brightly. Sarah folded her arms and became serious. 'I've been
thinking about what you said earlier.'
        'Earlier?'
        'That
meeting you had with Mary Hibbert.'
        'Yes,'
he admitted, 'it's been preying on my mind as well.'
        'Oh?
Why?'
        'Because
I feel I was rather stern with her. Without cause. I tried to be friendly but
my words were somehow tinged with disapproval. Why deceive myself?' he asked
with a shrug. 'I do disapprove of what she's doing. There's no denying
that. But it doesn't give me the right to condemn her.'
        'That
was my view as well.'
        'I'm
sorry I spoke out of turn to Mary.'
        'She's
still very young.'
        'Young
and vulnerable.'
        'You
should have been more considerate.'
        'Should
I?'
        'More
understanding.'
        'About
what?'
        'Her
situation. This position she managed to secure. Most people would think that
Mary Hibbert has done very well for herself.'
        'I'm
not one of them, Sarah.'
        'There
you go again!' she teased. 'Running the girl down.'
        'I'm
worried about her, that's all. Deeply worried. Daniel Hibbert was a good friend
of mine. Any child of his can call on me for help.'
        'But
that's not what Mary did.'
        'More's
the pity!'
        'Aren't
you forgetting something?' she said quietly. 'When the Plague ravaged the city,
she lost two parents in a matter of weeks. Think on that, Jonathan. Yet she
never complained or asked for sympathy. Mary and her younger brother kept struggling
on. She did all she could to improve herself and her hard work finally paid
off. Look what she's achieved. A place in the household of a famous actress.'
        He
was cynical. 'Famous or infamous?'
        'Don't
be so harsh.'
        'I'm
only being honest, Sarah. You think that Mary Hibbert has made something of
herself but I shudder at what's happened. Her parents raised her to lead a life
full of Christian endeavour, and where has it ended? In the playhouse! That
veritable hell-hole. That public sewer called The King's Theatre.'
        'Can
it really be so bad?'
        'Worse
than I dare to describe.'
        'But
you said that Mary had not been corrupted.'
        'Not
as yet.'
        'You
told me how friendly and open she still was.'
        'That's
true,' he conceded. 'She had no airs and graces. Nor did I catch any hint of
coarsening. It was a pleasure to talk to her.'
        'It's
a pity you didn't give her the same pleasure,' chided his wife, putting a gentle
hand on his arm. 'You mean well, Jonathan, I know, but your strictures can be a
little daunting at times.'
        'Someone
has to speak out.'
        'There
are voices enough to do that.'
        'Mine
will always be one of them.'
        'Even
when you're talking to an innocent girl? What harm has she done? What crime has
she committed?' She watched him carefully. 'I'll warrant that Mary has kept her innocence, hasn't she? Did you find time to notice that about her?'
        Jonathan
pondered. 'Yes, Sarah,' he said at length. 'I did.'
        'And?'
        'Mary
Hibbert has not been polluted.'
        'Then
why read her a sermon?'
        'I've
been feeling guilty about that ever since.'
        'So
you should.'
        'Yet
the girl needed to be warned.'
        'Against
what?'
        'The
dangers that surround her.'
        Sarah
gave him a hug. 'You spy dangers everywhere,' she said fondly. 'It comes from
being a constable. You may claim that you never bring your work across that
threshhold but it's not true. It follows you wherever you go. You're always on
duty. You can't help being what you are, Jonathan, and I love you for it.'
        'There's
some consolation,