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Chapter One

LONDON 1848

AUTUMN

Finding one person in a city of nearly two million was a formidable task It helped if that person's behavior was predictable and he could usually be found in a tavern or gin shop Still, it wouldn't be easy

Leo, where are you? Miss Ae wheels rattled along the cobbled street Poor, wild, troubled Leo Some people, when faced with intolerable circumstances, si and dependable brother At this point he was probably beyond all hope of repair

"We'll find hilanced at the Gypsy who sat opposite her As usual, Merripen showed no expression

One could be forgiven for assuuarded, in fact, that even after living with the Hathaway family for fifteen years, he still hadn't told anyone his first name They had known him simply as Merripen ever since he had been found, battered and unconscious, beside a creek that ran through their property

When Merripen had awakened to discover himself surrounded by curious Hathaways, he had reacted violently It had taken their co that he would make his injuries worse, he must lie still Amelia's father had deduced the boy was the survivor of a Gypsy hunt, a brutal practice in which local landowners rode out on horseback with guns and clubs to rid their properties of Romany encampments

"The lad was probably left for dead," Mr Hathaway had reentleman, he had disapproved of violence in any form "I'm afraid it will be difficult to coone by now"

"May we keep hierly, no doubt envisioning the wild boy (who had bared his teeth at her like a trapped wolverine) as an entertaining new pet

Mr Hathaway had s as he chooses But I doubt he will reer than a week or so Romany Gypsies—the Rom, they call the under one roof too long It makes them feel imprisoned"

However, Merripen had stayed He had started out as a sularrate into a man of robust and powerful proportions It was difficult to say exactly what Merripen was: not quite a fah he worked in various capacities for the Hathaways, acting as a driver and jack-of-all-trades, he also ate at the family table whenever he chose, and occupied a bedrooe

Now that Leo had gone er, there was no question that Merripen would help find him

It was hardly proper for Ao unaccoe of twenty-six, she considered herself beyond any need of chaperonage

"We shall begin by elio," she said "Churches, hborhoods are naturally out of the question"