The Diamond of Drury Lane Read Online Free PDF Page B

that nice to ’ear. I tell you what, if you give me a kiss, I’ll let him go.’ He puckered uphis ugly fat lips and waited. His gang all laughed as if Billy was the sharpest wit in London.
    ‘Kiss my a ** e, you toad! I’ll smack you in the face if you don’t let him go this instant!’
    ‘Ooo! I am scared!’ Billy said in a mock whine. ‘The little cat will get out her claws, will she? ’Elp, boys, I’m terrified.’
    His cronies sniggered again. One with a sharp nose like the snout of a ferret made a meowing sound behind me, plunging them into fresh paroxysms of mirth.
    ‘I’m warning you!’ I said, taking a step towards Billy. I did not know what I was going to do, but anger was driving me recklessly on, like a runaway horse pulling a carriage downhill.
    But at least my rage produced one good effect: Billy released his hold on Pedro and swaggered towards me as if he owned the whole market and everything in it . . . including me. ‘Or what? Are you askin’ for a beatin’? ’Cause I’ll give you one, even though you are a girl. Mind you, you’re no lady, so it don’t count.’ He gave me an evil grin, displaying his row of blackened teeth. ‘You’re just a daggle-tail’oo can speak like a duchess when it suits but can’t wash off the stink of the gutter no matter ’ow you pretend to your fine friends in the theatre.’
    ‘A daggle-tail cat!’ repeated Ferret-features with an appreciative chuckle.
    I was searching for a suitably tart response when Pedro scrambled to stand between me and Billy, his fists raised.
    ‘Don’t you dare touch her!’ he challenged.
    Even I had to admit, my champion’s threat was not very impressive. He looked as if one stout blow would knock him to kingdom come. But I appreciated his courage all the same.
    ‘Or what, Blackie?’ jeered Billy. ‘You want a gob-full of claret too, eh?’
    ‘Leave him out of this!’ I said angrily.
    Billy flicked a contemptuous look at Pedro. ‘Wot ya think, boys? Our Cat ’ere ’as fallen for ’is dusky charms.’ Billy pushed Pedro aside and tucked me under his sweaty armpit. ‘We can’t ’ave our English girls messin’ with no African slave boys, can we now?’
    I struggled to free myself from his arm but hecontinued to tow me away. If I didn’t do something quickly, he would bring his boys in against Pedro in a lynch mob. There was nothing the London youth liked better than a bit of foreigner-bashing. I had to think of something to draw their fire away from him.
    But the African wasn’t helping. ‘I’m no slave!’ declared Pedro proudly, standing up erect.
    ‘Let me go, you fathead!’ I protested, punching Billy ineffectually in the ribs to get him to release me. ‘Back off, Billy
Boil
!’
    Billy winced. He did indeed have the misfortune to have a large inflamed spot on the end of his nose. I had not realised that he was so sensitive about it . . . if I had, I would have employed the insult sooner. He shoved me roughly away, on to the cobbles, and called me a name that you do not hear in polite company. He then aimed a kick at me.
    ‘Run!’ I yelled at Pedro as I picked myself up and made a dash for home. I did not even look round to see if he was following. I had done my best by distracting Billy; Pedro would have to relyon his own wit for the rest. At least in part the trick had worked, for I could hear the thunder of footsteps on my heels: Billy and his boys were after me. I leapfrogged over a grocer’s stall, spilling a crate of apples in my passage through. A boy cursed behind me as he fell to the ground, feet forced from under him by the green ammunition I had let loose.
    ‘Come back ’ere, you vandal!’ shouted the unfortunate owner of the stall, but I was not fool enough to obey him.
    Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Pedro running parallel, chased by two of Billy’s thugs. He was outstripping them easily and appeared to stand a better chance of getting home in one piece than I did. I could hear the