Charley's eyes found there were far more interesting things to look at than the mischief of Scal's small charges. There were a few missing tiles in the roof and holes in the siding of the next ramshackle building where one might have crawled through, if that could be reached. She didn't figure the little ones for such magic, not unless Scal had set them to it before the urchin knocked.

With all the ideas the young woman had about what Charley could've done, it seemed fit that the ol' maid was used to doing them herself. And that would make Scal's whole routine nothing more than one urchin calling out another for copy-catting their whole act. That was a thing the urchin could have respected, anyway, all it took was Scal calling dibs and she'd walk.

"En't s'posed ta be lookin', yeah?" Charley told Scal, drawing her mouth pointedly. She gave her shoulders a shrug as well, willing to be as helpless as Scal wanted from the start. Just as well as anyone, the urchin knew that honesty was bad policy in the slums, something she had been quickly reminded of by the young woman's opposition. Now it was her turn to learn how easily that could turn right around with a vengeance.

Charley filled her empty pockets, letting her thumbs hang out of them to gesture with her words. "I'll jes stay here, guardin' the door like. Give you some time to wrangle the young'uns an' set 'em straight."

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