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can surely see herself home for once. She is not a child, and you will not be long after her. I dare say you value your position at Smock Alley, do you not, Miss Francis?’
    I cast Hester a pained look. ‘Hurry straight home. I won’t be long.’
    ‘I’ll wait for you . . .’ she began, but I shook my head, knowing there was no way I could refuse. I had evaded his attentions before and believed myself capable of doing so again. ‘Go home, or Mama will be worried. I shall follow shortly.’
    She nodded, then put down her head and ran, hating to be alone in the dark. I offered my employer a bleak nod of assent and climbed into the carriage beside him.

Four
‘. . . our little arrangement’
    If I had hoped that he would indeed conduct the conversation there and then, before releasing me to my supper and bed, then I was fooling myself. Daly snapped the reins and set off at a brisk trot, heading away from the town centre.
    ‘Where are you taking me?’ I asked, struggling to hide the tremor in my voice.
    ‘Somewhere I can have your undivided attention.’
    ‘I would rather you take me home at once,’ I insisted, furious at my own stupidity at climbing into the carriage with him, but had I not done so, he could as easily have dismissed me on the spot. And with nowhere to go now that Crow Street had closed, where else could I find employment to feed my family, and pay for the physician needed by Mama? Besides which, I had signed articles with Daly. There would be huge penalties to pay if I left, or if he dismissed me for insubordination, and I was already in hock to him. ‘Surely, whatever the problem is, it can wait till morning?’
    His rumble of laughter was chilling. I clasped my hands tightly in my lap and sent up a silent prayer.
    It was not answered. The horse clipped along at a pace that precluded any hope of my jumping out. The night was black and silent, save for the rustle of leaves, the creak of branches in the wind. We were soon far from the busy thoroughfare, and I could tell by the sound of the horse’s hooves we were now on unmade country roads rather than cobbles. Where was he taking me? Panic was clawing at my insides, rapidly turning to cold terror. The journey felt as if it had taken hours, although it was probably no more than twenty minutes or so.
    When he finally stopped the vehicle I made a valiant attempt to escape but he leapt upon me, pinning me down with the weight of his body.
    ‘You’re the very worst sort of tease, do you know that?’ he snarled, ripping my gown at the neck in his eagerness to paw at my breasts. I screamed, although instinctively aware there was no one to hear me, let alone come to my rescue.
    ‘I swear I am not,’ I cried. ‘I have begged you time and again to stop pestering me. Please let me go. I don’t want this. Let me be.’
    He wasn’t listening. He thrust a hand into the warmth of my bosom and squeezed it hard. Then he was pushing up my skirts, his fingers exploring my private parts, and in my shock and horror I knew all was lost. When he finally shoved his member into me, the pain was hideous. I was quite certain he was ripping me apart. And he kept on thrusting, over and over again, panting and gasping, and all the while grinning his squint-eyed leer at me. I was sobbing, screaming, fighting him with every ounce of my strength, but it wasn’t enough. My efforts were feeble by comparison with his lust.
    When he was done with me, he thrust me aside, a sobbing heap in the corner of the carriage. Then he calmly adjusted his clothing, clicked on the reins and drove home at a much more steady pace.
    By the time we had reached the door of my lodgings I had my gown in some sort of order. I was so desperately afraid of upsetting Mama were she to see me in this state that I’d even managed to stop crying, determined to regain control of my emotions. He flung open the door and I was only too eager to depart. Even then, at the moment of my release, he gave me yet