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Boatman.’
    His boys all rose eagerly and filed out into the alley, laughing and whistling in anticipation of a good night out. Hoping no one had noticed, I started to follow.
    â€˜Nah, not you, Cat,’ said Syd gently, hooking me by the arm as he spotted me trying to blend in with the crowd. ‘You know the Boatman is no place for a respectable girl. I’ll walk you ’ome.’
    I too was feeling thirsty after a long hot day. Surely just a very little drink of something would do no harm? Why did I always have to miss out on the fun? ‘But Syd, if I stick with you, I’d be all right,’ I protested.
    â€˜Nah, Kitten.’
    â€˜Why not? Have you got a girlfriend waiting for you or something? Are you too embarrassed to be seen with me in your company?’
    He shook his head. ‘Leave it. Let’s not argue now. I’m off soon – I don’t want to part from you with a quarrel.’
    I subsided. Perhaps Nick wouldn’t be so strict about not letting girls join the gang while Syd was away? Maybe I’d only have to wait a few days?
    Syd patted my wrist. ‘I’ve asked Nick to keep an eye on you while I’m gone – to make sure you don’t do anythink stupid.’
    What was Syd now? A mind-reader?
    â€˜No, Syd, I won’t.’
    â€˜Stay out of trouble, won’t you?’
    â€˜I’ll try.’
    â€˜And when trouble finds you out – ’ I laughed: he knew me too well to think I’d have a problem-free summer ‘ – don’t forget that any of me boys are sworn to protect you. You can call on any of ’em, night or day.’
    â€˜Stop fussing, you old woman, you,’ I chided.
    We had arrived at the back door to the theatre. Syd squeezed my hand once and let it go.
    â€˜Goodbye, Cat.’
    â€˜Goodbye, Syd.’ I felt strangely bereft, realizing that the straw-haired giant before me, my most faithful friend, was leaving me for the first time ever. So much was changing. Unbidden, a tear broke free and escaped down my cheek.
    â€˜Sorry,’ I sniffed, embarrassed to show my weakness. I didn’t want anyone to know how scared I was, least of all Syd who had never been afraid of anything.
    â€˜Don’t be sorry, Cat, never be sorry.’ He reached out to wipe the tear away. There was astrange look in his blue eyes. Suddenly, he bent forward, gave me a quick kiss on the lips, turned tail and left.
    * A gentleman is born, not made.

SCENE 3 – EXEUNT OMNES
    The next time I saw Syd was on the morning of his departure. Both of us avoided each other’s eye as we mingled with the crowd that had gathered to see him off. My lips felt as if they were still burning – my cheeks certainly were – though I tried to behave as normal. Syd moved among his friends, shaking hands, cracking jokes, but something about the set of his shoulders told me that he was acutely aware of my presence wherever I was standing. We knew each other too well, having been together for as long as I could remember: both of us realized that everything had changed with that kiss. Today was the first time more than a square mile would come between us. His decision to leave London had stripped off the cosy covers of our relationship, leaving me shivering in the cold light of day as I took stock of where we had reached.
    â€˜All right, Cat? Look after yourself,’ Syd said, reaching me last.
    â€˜I will.’
    â€˜I hope the move to the new theatre goes well.’
    â€˜Thanks.’
    I risked raising my gaze to his face. His eyes were saying much more than his words, but he gave me a perfunctory shake of the hand before climbing up on the carriage beside Mick Bailey, his manager. Part of me ached for a hug; part of me was glad he’d left it at that.
    With a flick of the whip, Syd bowled off west in Bailey’s high two-wheeler to the cheers of the people of Covent Garden.
    â€˜Punch ’em to kingdom