Free The Best of Sisters by Dilly Court

challenged him to a bout of fisticuffs. There was something about that him remindedEliza of Bart, or maybe it was simply being back in her old home that had made her think of him at this particular moment. Her heart contracted with the pain of missing her brother. He had promised to send for her and she knew that he would keep that promise, if he could; but there were terrible dangers at sea, she knew all about those from the mariners who came into the chandlery. She had grown up listening to seamen’s tales of storms, typhoons, ships lost and men drowned. Her throat constricted painfully and it was only when Millie tugged at her hand that she came back to earth. For a moment her imagination had taken her into wild seas, storm-tossed ships and Bart in peril of his life.
    ‘How do I know it’s all above board?’ Ted’s raised voice echoed around the sail loft as he stood glaring at Freddie.
    ‘I can assure you that I am an honest man dedicated to helping those less fortunate than myself.’
    ‘You can’t soap me, mister. I know all about you crocussers. Quacks and charlatans, the lot of you.’
    Eliza opened her mouth to protest and then thought better of it; this was not going at all to plan. She glanced anxiously at Freddie, but he was looking unperturbed.
    ‘Mr Peck, I understand your feelings, sir. And I agree that there are many unscrupulous men in my profession but I am not one of them.’
    Ted frowned, shaking his head. ‘I don’t know about that. From what you’ve just told me about Mrs Tubbs, who I thought was a good, respectable woman, I’ll have to think hard before I trust Eliza to someone else.’
    ‘I can assure you—’ began Freddie but was cut short by Ted holding up his hand.
    ‘I need time to think it over.’
    The boys had stopped working and were listening to this exchange, open-mouthed.
    Davy scrambled to his feet and came to stand by Eliza. ‘What’s going on, Liza?’
    ‘Get back to work, all of you.’ Ted turned on the apprentices with a fierce frown. ‘And you, Davy Little. This is none of your business.’
    ‘I’ll call round this evening,’ Davy whispered out of the corner of his mouth. He scuttled back to his place, sitting on the floor beside Dippy Dan, who as usual was chortling and mumbling to himself as he coated lengths of yarn with beeswax.
    ‘Of course you must talk it over with your good lady,’ Freddie said equably. ‘And, if I may, I will call upon you this evening to hear your decision. Good day to you, Mr Peck.’ As he walked past her, Freddie bent down with his lips close to Eliza’s ear. ‘Don’t worry, my dear, Freddie Prince always gets his own way in the end.’
    ‘We’d best be going too then,’ Eliza said,eyeing Ted nervously, unsure whether he was cross with her or merely put out by the strange turn of events.
    ‘Yes, yes,’ he said impatiently. ‘Get on home then, Liza. We’ll sort this out later.’
    With Millie following her like a shadow, Eliza shinned down the ladder into the shop below. She hesitated when she saw that Uncle Enoch was standing with his back to the door, arms folded across his chest, barring Freddie’s exit.
    ‘Let me pass, my good fellow. I have business to do.’
    ‘And how does it concern my niece?’
    ‘Your niece?’ Eyebrows raised, Freddie turned to Eliza. ‘Is this true?’
    Eliza nodded. ‘It’s true, but he threw me out on the street. Ted and Dolly took me into their home.’
    ‘That’s a lie!’ Enoch’s brows knotted over the top of his nose and his nostrils flared. ‘This child is a daughter of Satan and she lies. She ran away from me when I chastised her for being untruthful. I’ll say it again, mister, what is your business with my niece?’
    ‘He’s lying,’ Eliza cried. ‘Don’t believe him, Dr Prince.’
    ‘A doctor!’ Enoch’s lip curled. ‘A crocusser more like.’
    ‘I could show you my diploma from the University of Paris, but I don’t feel the need toprove myself to you,