'Where's your old man then?'
'You mean my dad?'
'The one who won't let you out of his sight.'
'He's a long way away.'
'So he can't stop you having a bit of fun?'
She tweaked his ear and Gareth felt his blood rise.
'I can do what I like tonight. There's no one to stop me.'
She bent down. 'What you got here then?'
He felt her hands on the money pouch ... then further down.'
'Ooh. You are a lusty lad.'
Gareth felt as if he would explode.
'You can have it if you like.'
Her hand switched from his groin to his pouch.
'I'll see you later, Big Boy.'
Harry waited for the girl to leave.
'How much you going to pay her, boyo?'
'I don't know,' Gareth blushed. 'Perhaps she'll do it for nothing.'
'Don't be daft. They don't get paid for working here. They use the rooms upstairs. That's how they get their money.'
'What do you think I should pay?'
'For one like that …' Harry considered the point. 'Not more than a penny ... a penny farthing at the very most.'
'I've got more.'
'If you've got more, give it to David for safekeeping or you'll lose it. While you're on the job another girl will come in and go through your clothes.'
'I could keep them on.'
'If you do that, she'll go through 'em while you're screwing her.'
Gareth sorted through the money in his pouch. Master Baret was paying him four pence a day and had given him an advance of sixpence.'
'How long will I get for a penny?'
'As long as it takes, boyo.'
'Say I want to do it more than once?'
'Then you'll have to pay for it. They're not running a charity here. You've not come to the Little Sisters of Mercy for a bowl of soup and a free haircut.'
Gareth left three pence in his pouch and handed the rest to David. He was wondering if he should have kept more when a group of men entered. They were dressed in the uniforms of the Earl of Salisbury. Harry gave them a hostile stare.
'What those sods doing here?'
'Trying to take the place over,' someone said.
'What's the matter ... don't they like the tarts at the Crown?'
'They're trying to force us out. They know we're on Duke Humphrey's side. The Earl of Salisbury is a Beaufort.'
'You don't have to bloody tell me that, boyo.' Harry stood up. 'Hey. You lads. Why don't you find yourselves a proper lord? Duke Humphrey needs more men.'