Oh Noah certainly believed he was capable of surprising people. He had often done so. Just not in a good way. But he merely nodded and returned to eating greedily.

When his plate was almost empty, he looked around and found that people were still glancing at them occasionally. He wondered if it was because Quentin was a celebrity, or because Noah himself looked so out of place and the mere sight of him was probably ruining people's appetite. When he caught a lady staring, he just stared back shamelessly until she averted her eyes.

Quentin finishes his meal and wipes his mouth with his napkin. He notices the lad staring at people and shakes his head in mute amusement. "Well this was an interesting conversation but I think I've given you enough to ponder for the next few months." Quentin lays a few notes on the table then gestures Noah outside. Once they are out front he grins down at the lad.

"I think you might surprise yourself with what you are capable of. I look forward to hearing what you come up with and as promised here you are." He hands the bit five pound notes. "Yours regardless if you remember to be here for lunch at noon in thirty days or not." He says waiting for Noah to take the money.

Noah followed the man out, though not before letting his hand slip over the bread basket and quickly stuffing a piece of bread in his pocket. Once they were outside, Noah took the money and it in his pocket quickly, looking around suspiciously. He put his hand on his pocket, just to make sure the small fortune stayed there. "I'll be here ser... Mr. North... I cannot thank you enough." And he did some little bow.

He walked away, but some men who had lurked in the shadows of an alley, watching the wealthy folk coming out of their fancy establishments, began to follow the boy.

Quentin watches the boy depart. Which means he sees the men peel out of the alleyway. With a sigh he starts to follow knowing exactly where this is going.

[CW: Sexual language and violence]

Noah walked along the main street, unaware of his pursuers approaching fast. As soon as he turned the corner to enter the network of narrow lanes and yards, not illuminated by the street lanterns of the main street, he heard hurried footsteps and turned.

He was too late. He was shoved back into the wall, hitting the back of his head against the bricks. Three shabby looking thugs surrounded him.

"Evenin' sissy. Made good money sucking cock, did ye?" said the man who held him pinned.

Another was trying to pull his hand away from his pocket. Noah struggled to keep it there with all his strenght, while he swore at his captor. But the next moment, he felt a sharp pain in his face, and the back of his head hitting the wall again. He instinctively removed his hand from his pocket, hardly aware of himself. Something warm was running down over his lips and chin. He was vaguely aware of a hand digging into his pocket, but the punch had disoriented him too much to do something about it.

Quentin walks into the alleyway and sees exactly what he expected. The poor boy being accosted by the three men. He sighs softly strides forward and grabs on by the back of the neck and squeezes hard.

"Gentlemen."

He says his low baritone voice quite menacing now.

"I will give you a single opportunity to walk away."

He increases the pressure in his fingers until the man he had a hold on cries out in pain.

"Without the money." He adds. "Before I get extremely cross with you." He was actually extremely cross already which became evident as the man he had a hold on drops to his knees scrabbling his fingers uselessly against Quentin's vice like grip.

Noah slowly became aware of what was happening. His nose was bleeding and he was crying, but the money had already been taken from his pocket. And then all of a sudden a large figure loomed behind his attackers and the man holding him let go as he was fighting Quentin's stranglehold. However, upon hearing Quentin's demand, the other two attackers sprinted away - with the money - leaving their 'friend' at Quentin's mercy.

Noah sank down, feeling terrible. "I'm sorry," he whimpered. It made blood run into his mouth and he spat it out.

Quentin watches the men flee with mild annoyance on his features. "I wouldn't be lad. Nothing you did warranted this and I will get the money back. Once I take this one." The big man shakes the smaller by the throat the fight was completely out of him. "To the constabulary he will give up his friends." Considering he was a marquis he could pull such strings quite easily and no one dare tell him that hunting down the two me who had beaten some no name gobshite wasn't worth looking into. "Are you alright? I will see you to a doctor before I handle that." He looks at his captive for a moment and then let's out a sigh. "Going to need some bloody rope." He grumbles at the inconvenience.

Noah nodded and slowly got up, though it made him dizzy. He still felt ashamed for losing the money. He pinched his nose to try and stop the bleeding. There was blood all over his jacket and shirt, as well as his face. "I'm alright..." he muttered. Feeling the back of his head, he could feel something wet though. He couldn't determine whether it was blood or just moist from the bricks. It hurt like hell.

A door opened in the alley and two fishermen, one old and one young, stepped out, the older one holding a piece of wood for a club. Noah recognized the younger one and stumbled back behind Quentin.

"Are you alright, ser?" asked the older man of Quentin.

The younger one nodded at Noah. "Up to no good again, Longbottom? There's what you get."

The name Longbottom catches Quentin's attention. An immediate suspicion as to which drunks child he was currently adopting as his charity project. He would probably have to mention to the lad not to tell his father who he had met. He decides not to bristle at the men tossing aspersions towards Noah.

"This one."

Quentin said ignoring the sailors comments.

"And two of his friends were beating the poor boy. I drove them off but they absconded with five pounds of my money."

He didn't tell the men that the money had been taken from Noah since that would have been a poor idea. He shakes the thug he still has by the back of the neck.

"There is a shilling for both of you if you take him to the constables for me." He informs the sailors. "I will see the lad to a doctor to get his head checked out. Tell them that this vagabond was harassing someone in the employ of Marquis North." Which meant the thug had been messing with the peerage. Never a good thing.