Byron fell into step beside her. ‘What’s happened?’
‘Victoria Station,’ she said breathlessly. ‘You don’t want to be involved in this, Byron. Please keep out of it, for your sake if not for mine.’ She hurried on, but Byron kept pace with them.
‘I’m not giving up until you tell me what’s happened.’
‘I can’t tell you.’ Nettie broke into a run in an attempt to keep up with her father’s long strides, but she was hampered by the weight of her case.
‘Let me have that.’ Byron took it from her hand, but Robert had come to a halt as he reached the Strand, and he stood on the edge of the kerb.
‘Leave us alone, Horton.’ Robert waved frantically at a passing cab, but it passed by. ‘We have to leave London and that’s all you need to know.’
‘Now I know there’s something seriously wrong.’ Byron laid his hand on Nettie’s shoulder. ‘I’m your friend. If you’re in trouble maybe I can help.’
She shook her head. ‘I don’t think so, but thank you anyway. Please go away and forget about us. We’re leaving the country.’
‘Nettie!’ Robert turned to her, scowling. ‘What did I tell you?’
‘I’m sorry, Pa, but Byron deserves an explanation.’
‘He works for lawyers. He would feel bound to tell the police everything he knows about us.’ Robert raised his hand again and this time a hackney carriage drew to a halt at the kerb. ‘Get in, Nettie.’ He tossed the cases in after her. ‘Victoria Station, cabby.’ He leaped into the cab and slammed the door.
Nettie peered out of the window, raising her hand in a final farewell to Byron.
‘Did you have to treat him like that, Pa?’
‘Yes, I did. And I hope he doesn’t tell anyone where we’re headed, because if the police find out they’ll know we’re trying to leave the country. I wasn’t supposed to leave London.’
‘But you’re not implicated yet,’ Nettie said slowly. ‘It will take some time for the law officers to work out that you made the copies, and it’s Dexter they’re after, not you. Couldn’t we simply move to another town, as we’ve always done, and wait until all this blows over?’
‘This time it’s different, my love. Our previous moves have been to escape my creditors, and the sums owed were relatively small. The police were never involved, but once this gets out I’ll be ruined. No one will ever buy my work again.’ He leaned forward to take her hand in his. ‘But you can still go to North Wales. I’ll give you half the money that Dexter paid me, and you can start afresh with Prudence. She’s not a bad old thing when you get to know her, and she’ll look after you. I know she will.’
‘No, Pa. That’s out of the question. I’ll go wherever you go. Maybe you’ll find your work more appreciated in France. I believe they love artists there.’
‘Let’s hope so, Nettie.’
The last train had left the station some hours ago, and there was nothing they could do other than take a seat in the waiting room. According to the timetable the first train for Dover left early in the morning, and they made themselves as comfortable as was possible on hard wooden benches. One of the cleaners took pity on them and brought them cups of tea, for which Robert tipped her handsomely.
Nettie stretched out and managed to get some sleep, but it was not the most comfortable bed she had ever slept on, and when she awakened to the sound of movement outside it was a relief to stand up and ease her cramped limbs. A train had just pulled into the station, emitting great gusts of steam, and slowly the station came to life. Porters pushed their trolleys along the platform, loading and unloading the guard’s van, and bleary-eyed passengers stumbled towards the barrier, fumbling in their pockets for their tickets.
Nettie shook her father by the shoulder and he awakened with a start. ‘What time is it?’
‘I’m not sure. I can’t see the clock from here, but a train has just pulled into the station. Would it be ours?’
Robert sat up slowly, taking the silver watch from his waistcoat pocket and peering at it in the half-light. ‘It’s half-past five. Our train leaves at six. I’ll go to the ticket office and hope that it’s open.’ He stood up, adjusting his clothing and brushing his tumbled hair back from his brow. ‘Wait here, Nettie. I’ll be as quick as I can.’ He shrugged on his overcoat and made a move towards the door but it opened suddenly and Byron rushed into the waiting room, followed by Pip and Ted.
‘What the hell is this?’ Robert demanded angrily.
‘We’ve come to beg you not to involve Nettie in this, sir.’ Byron faced him with a stubborn set to his jaw. ‘We won’t stand by and see her life ruined because of something you’ve done.’
‘That’s right.’ Ted stood behind Byron, and Pip leaned against the door, preventing anyone from entering or leaving.
‘Get out of my way,’ Robert said through clenched teeth. ‘This has nothing to do with you. Nettie is my daughter and she’s a minor. She does as I say.’
‘So you’ll drag her into a life of poverty in a foreign country, will you? Is that what a good father would do?’
Nettie stepped in between them. ‘Stop this, both of you. I choose to go with my father, Byron. What sort of daughter would I be if I abandoned him now?’
‘I’d say you were being sensible.’ Ted laid his hand on her shoulder. ‘Come back with us, Nettie? We’ll sort something out between us.’
‘Ted’s right,’ Byron added earnestly. ‘You don’t have to do this.’
‘Nettie, are you going to allow these three idiots to dictate to you?’ Robert edged past Byron and Ted, but Pip folded his arms across his chest and refused to move from the doorway.
‘Stop this, all of you, and that includes you, Pa.’ Nettie reached for her cape and wrapped it around her shoulders. ‘I appreciate your concern, but I intend to see this through. I love my father and I’ll stand by him, no matter what trouble he’s in. I care for all of you, but I know what I must do, so I’m asking you to let us leave without causing a fuss.’
Byron and Ted exchanged weary glances and Pip moved away from the door.
‘Do you know what you’re letting yourself in for, Nettie?’ Byron asked in a low voice. ‘You’ll be in a foreign country, unable to speak the language, trying to eke out an existence on what your father can get for his paintings. If he can’t earn his living honestly in London, how do you think you’ll manage abroad?’
‘I’ve had enough of this,’ Robert said impatiently. ‘Don’t listen to them, Nettie. I’m going to buy our tickets and I want you to take the luggage and wait for me on the platform. Our train will be in soon.’ Robert swept past Byron and Ted, elbowing Pip out of the way as he left the waiting room.
Nettie faced them with a tremulous smile. ‘Don’t think I’m not grateful, but you must see that I have no choice. I’ve been looking after Pa since I was a child, and he needs me even more now.’
‘He’s using you, Nettie,’ Byron said urgently.
‘Maybe, but that doesn’t alter the fact that he’s my father and I have to stand by him.’
‘If you say so.’ Ted gave her a hug. ‘But I’ll miss you, Nettie. Who’s going to listen to me when I get so miserable that I feel like crying?’
‘You’ll get over her in time.’ Nettie returned the embrace. ‘You deserve someone much nicer than Pearl. I won’t forget you, Ted.’
‘We’ll