Persuasion in the Pantry [Maid for More #1]

Chapter 30: A Woman's Prerogative -Part 1

Emma's mouth hung open and a fly ventured inside, cleverly escaping before she spoke again. "You want to see Marm? You know she 'aint gonna be too pleased with yer. And nope, it got burnt off when some dodgie poncer made me dash up a chimney stack"

Mina nodded. "I know it's not the best idea but I gotta try. You still working with her crew?"

"Yeah," Emma confessed. "I left the Dodge not long ago. I'm back wit Marm , she treats us a'right. I mean, good enuf. Ya know... ya gotta do what's right for you. If somthin' ain't feel right then it probly ain't right."

Mina had to agree. Despite a lack of formal education, she rarely heard better sense than from her thieving friends.

Abruptly, Emma pulled her close and whispered secretively. "Listen, Mina, this 'aint bout what went on down near the G'rden the other week? When you got snitched by that tosser- I mean coppa!"

"She meant tosser!" Antonia yelled out

Minna immediately thought that was her first impression of Dra'gaan too.

Emma made a quick apologetic face. "You haven't gone square on us 'ave yer?"

"How do you know about that?" Mina asked quietly hoping the others didn't hear anything.

"We know you're chasing around with dem Bow Street bobbies. Em had us tail ya afta she saw ya wid that coppa bloke," the overcoat wearing child mentioned casually. "But I'm guessin' that's why ya still need us."

"Geez, you guys do know everything!" Mina exclaimed.

"Anything that's worth somethin' to someone." Emma smiled proudly with blackened teeth.

Marco determined that he had waited long enough and landed with a precise jump from the overhead shaft before straightening menacingly. Emma eyed him up and down, not buying into his costumed appearance. "Who's the stiff?" she asked blatantly.

Mina turned to glance at Marco standing rigid, like a practiced soldier and chuckled. "He needs our help."

"Does he now?" Antonia sat up straight, roving her eyes and thankfully not her hands all over the Captain.

"Yes, he does." Marco's voice reverberated deeply through the alcove. He glanced around at the dishevelled surroundings scattered with makeshift care. Burlap sacks lay strewn between various filthy rags and people just as filthy, who sat huddled around a small burning fire in an empty oil can.

He had of course seen the slums in Madrid as well as a number of other continents but had not taken the time to converse with the inmates. It often served as a source of cutthroat mercenaries and pickpockets but he had perhaps failed to note that they were also just people, trying to make their way in a difficult world. As he had hovered above awaiting the correct moment to descend, he had the time to appreciate the little world from which Mina no doubt had emerged. It was an interesting, eye-opening image and he once again found himself grateful to not be in his cousin's shoes. Crown Prince Alfonso XII was much better equipped to deal with the tenuous politics surrounding the division of wealth and power that choked too many countries.

Mina ignored the Captain glaring at her friends and continued with renewed haste. "Please, Em, if you know where Marm is, can you take me there now?"

"Course I can!" Emma piped up smiling again. "She's moved since you last worked for 'er. Doin' real well for 'erself."

"Really?!" Mina's face lit up with interest as she followed her friend.

The young boy draped in the heavy coat eyed Marco cautiously. Clearly Mina's protector, he stepped in between the trio as they exited up a ladder. "You there," he looked up superciliously at the Captain's dominating height before he could make it to the first rung. "Don't you dare try n' hurt our Mina, yer hear?!"