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at her. She pointed along the street, where the little thief – for it was a very small one, Jamie saw – was running and dodging between the passers-by with the sinuous dexterity of a snake. The culprit was too fast for Mrs Miller’s companion to catch, but he was heading in Jamie’s direction.
    Without further thought, Jamie looked right and left, then pushed his way across the street, narrowly missing the huge front foot of an elephant lumbering by. Its handler shouted imprecations after him, but Jamie ignored that. He reached the other side just as the thief came charging towards him. Pretending to be walking along like everyone else, Jamie didn’t so much as look at the child until he was almost next to him. Then his arm shot out and grabbed the skinniest little wrist he’d ever come across. The thief was pulled to a standstill, his feet practically leaving the ground at such an abrupt halt, and gave an involuntary gasp.
    ‘Aahh!’
    Jamie stared into enormous brown eyes, where fear and defiance warred. To his surprise, he realised they were very feminine eyes, with long silky lashes, as was the rest of the dainty face. So, a girl thief. Why am I not surprised? Everyone had to survive here; girls as well as boys were sent out to work. But thieving? That was an unusual occupation for a little girl.
    He held out his hand and said in English. ‘Give me the bag.’ Even if, as he was fairly certain, the girl didn’t understand his words, there was no mistaking his meaning. She glanced wildly around, as if searching for some kind of escape route and he felt her trembling. They both knew that if she gave it to him, she’d be admitting to theft which probably carried a death sentence here, if not mutilation at the very least. Jamie felt his insides constrict at this possibility. She was so young, she looked no more than six or seven. And she’d probably been ordered to do this by someone else.
    Swallowing hard, the girl reluctantly dropped the bag into his outstretched hand, then tried to wriggle out of his hold. Jamie shook his head. ‘Not so fast.’ Threading his free hand through the strings of Mrs Miller’s bag, he dug in his pocket and came up with a silver coin. He held it up in front of the startled girl’s face and scowled at her. ‘Don’t ever do this again, understand?’ He nodded at the bag, then shook his head emphatically. Then he flipped her the coin, which she caught with swift dexterity, and let go of her arm. With a final, confused look at his face, as if she couldn’t believe what had just happened, she took off and melted into the crowd.
    Jamie straightened up and turned to head towards Mrs Miller. He met her, with her companion trailing some way behind her, halfway to where he’d last seen them and held out the bag with a bow. ‘Yours I believe?’
    ‘I … yes, thank you, but how …?’
    ‘I was walking along on the other side of the road and saw what happened. I intercepted the thief.’ Jamie shrugged. ‘Got away though.’ He purposely avoided the word ‘she’. Mrs Miller didn’t need to know she’d been robbed by a girl.
    ‘A shame,’ she said, although he noticed she gave him a long, considering look. ‘Would have been good to catch him and perhaps guide him into a worthier occupation. Really, they seem to start them on a criminal career from infancy now.’
    ‘I’ll try to keep that in mind next time. If there is a next time,’ Jamie drawled. ‘I doubt it was the child’s fault though. It’s the people who use little ones for their own nefarious purposes who should be punished, if you ask me.’
    ‘Yes, of course. That’s what I meant.’
    The man had joined them now and he nodded at Jamie. ‘Thank you for your help, Mr, er …?’
    ‘Kinross.’ Jamie sketched a small bow.
    ‘Mr Kinross, we’re obliged to you.’ The man bowed back. ‘William Miller, at your service.’ Jamie must have looked confused, because Miller added, ‘The lady’s stepson.’