"She's not interested, child," George snapped. "Be off!" He tried to move around her, taking me with him, but I stopped him.
"I'll buy a bunch," I said, opening my reticule. "How much?"
"Emily, you shouldn't encourage her," George said. "If you buy things you don't need from these children their parents will only see it as a sign and send them out more. It's an endless circle."
"I ain't got no parents," the girl said, turning her owlish eyes on George.
He frowned down at her, his face not softening in the slightest. "Nevertheless-."
"I'll buy another bunch for my sister," I said. "How much did you say they were?"
The girl's face lit up, her eyes growing so wide they took up half her face. "A ha'penny each, kind lady." She gave me the two bunches and I gave her the money. It wasn't much and we weren't so poor that we couldn't afford the price. Nevertheless Celia probably wouldn't approve of the unnecessary expense. Hopefully she wouldn't notice my purse was a little lighter than when I'd set out.
The flower girl bobbed me a curtsy, turned her nose up at George and went on her way.
"I'd have bought them for you," Jacob said, walking beside me. "If I had any money."
The thought of a ghost handing money over to the girl was so ludicrous I laughed out loud. But Jacob apparently didn't get the joke. His face hardened then he blinked and looked away. Was he embarrassed? Had I offended him?
Oh dear. I was about to apologize when George, who I thought had been sulking, spoke. "Sorry you were forced into that," he said. "I would have got rid of her if you'd only allowed me."
"George," I said, putting as much sternness into his name as I could, "if I want to get rid of someone I will do it on my own. She was just a child and her flowers weren't expensive. I wanted to buy them."
He sighed. "You're too kind for your own good, Emily. I suppose that's part of your charm."
"Charm?" I almost burst out laughing again but I'd already offended one man so instead I said, "Thank you."
He smiled at me. "I'll walk you home."
"No," Jacob growled, "I will."
"You both can," I said and I think George understood Jacob had offered too if his "Oh" was anything to go by.
"No," Jacob said. "I want to speak to you alone."
"But he can't hear you."
"It doesn't matter. You're-." He stopped talking and walking and heaved a heavy sigh. I stopped too and George had no choice but to wait. "I just want to be alone with you," Jacob said. "To talk," he added. "It's easier without him hovering at your elbow hoping you'll trip over so he can catch you."