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She finished with a limp hand against her forehead, and a loud sigh, then came the coup de grâce. ‘Alas . . . poor me!’
    There was a moment of silence before somebody at the back gave a piercing whistle. Somebody else shouted ‘Bravo!’ as though it was a signal.
    With tears streaming down her face Celia bowed to tumultuous applause. ‘Thank you, my dear friends; I’m humbled.’
    Thomas very much doubted it and he had to stifle the urge to roar with laughter.
    â€˜Judging by the applause there’s no need to count votes. I hereby declare Miss Celia Jane Laws the winner,’ the tumbler said. ‘Come and get your prize money, girl.’
    Celia curtseyed and smiled tragically through her tears before walking regally off the makeshift stage. She disappeared behind a curtain.
    Thomas pushed through the tide of the departing crowd and joined her. He was in time to see the tumbler handing her two shillings.
    â€˜I thought the prize was five shillings; don’t let the man cheat you,’ Thomas said.
    Her glance slid to his, eyes still wet but drying rapidly. She shrugged as she pocketed the money. ‘You don’t have to be clever to work it out, professor,’ and she indicated the tumbler. ‘This is my friend Benito. Benito, this is Professor Hambert, the man I told you about.’
    Benito smiled at him and extended a hand. ‘I’m pleased to meet you, professor. I’ll be over at St Paul’s tomorrow if you want to earn a little extra, Celia. Same time. You always go down a treat with the audience.’
    â€˜I’ll be there, Benito. How’s your wife. Has the baby been born yet?’
    He beamed a smile. ‘Just a couple of days ago, so Marie isn’t up to getting back to work yet so she’s staying with her parents till I get back. We have a son . . . His name is Gulio and he can already juggle.’
    She laughed. ‘Give him a kiss from me, then.’
    Thomas raised an eyebrow after they left. ‘Professor?’
    â€˜Well, you are, aren’t you? You’ve got lots of books.’ She slid him a sideways glance. ‘Are you very angry with me?’
    Thomas should be, but he wasn’t. In fact, he rather admired her enterprise.
    â€˜I’m sorry. I’d intended to put the watch back in your pocket that day when we talked. Then it chimed and I didn’t want you to think I’d stolen it.’
    â€˜But you had stolen it.’
    â€˜I didn’t intend to keep it, so it was only borrowed . . . but if I hadn’t taken it, somebody else would have. I only did it for fun, you know. You’re careless with your belongings. It was silly to leave your house key on the chain, and your address inside. You could have been murdered in your bed.’
    â€˜Yes . . . It was rather silly of me. I certainly won’t do it again.’ She’d turned the tables on him and made him feel as though he was in the wrong. ‘Why did you give the watch back?’
    â€˜My mother told me to. She doesn’t like me being dishonest.’ Her eyes narrowed slightly. ‘I notice you aren’t wearing it today.’
    Thomas smiled and patted his pocket. Then he patted it again. His smile fled, to be replaced by a frown. ‘I don’t believe it.’
    Pulling his watch out of her sleeve she dangled it in front of him, laughing. ‘Are you looking for this? You should secure the watch chain and sew a button on your watch pocket, one slightly bigger than the buttonhole, so it’s hard to unfasten.’
    â€˜When did you do it?’ he said, taking the watch from her.
    â€˜I lifted it when you shook hands with Benito.’
    He sighed. ‘I really don’t think I can trust you now.’
    â€˜I was showing off. I don’t usually steal from my friends. Did you like my poem, professor?’
    His inclination at the thought of it was to laugh, but she wasn’t quite a woman yet.