Chapter 109

Tristan whirled to the see the child staring at them with wide wary eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “That was appallingly rude of us. Please, eat your meal.” He managed a relatively normal, reassuring tone, but inside he wanted to scream.

Ollie picked up a macaroon half-heartedly and nibbled the edge of it, watching them carefully. He had carefully portioned the food, and appeared to have only eaten half of it.

Sam went and sat beside Ollie and gave him a huge smile. “Well, Ollie, my friend. We need to talk.”

Tristan sat on the bed and watched Sam with the boy. He was wonderful with him. He immediately put him at ease, and his accent changed slightly, losing the cut diction that he used when they were together so that he sounded a little more like someone from the market.

“Do you have family?” he asked him.

“Just a brother. He’s only ten.”

“Does he work the gents, too?”

Ollie nodded and put the macaroon down half-eaten.

“I used to work the gents like you do.”