The Passionate Friends. Meg Alexander
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see no other way of obtaining your necessary purchases,” came the sarcastic reply.
“And I may take the carriage?”
“I suppose so. At least you will be there and back more quickly than you were the other day. You must watch this habit of dawdling, Judith. It cannot please your husband.”
Judith felt a tiny spurt of rebellion. Was everything she did now to be directed to that desirable end? Her face grew wooden. She’d buy those last items as quickly as possible. Then she’d pay a visit to Mount Street. Perhaps it was folly. She suspected that it was, but at that moment she longed to be with those who loved her.
With Bessie in attendance, she hurried through her shopping, paying scant attention to the items on her list. It was done at last, and glancing at the clock in Bond Street she discovered that she had at least an hour of freedom before her absence would be remarked as being unduly long. It was a bitter disappointment to discover that Perry and Elizabeth were away from home, and that Prudence had been ordered to rest that day.
“Lord Wentworth will see you, ma’am. At present he is speaking to the doctor, but if you would care to wait…?”
The butler opened the door to the small salon, but Judith shook her head.
“I won’t disturb him. Pray give my regards to Lady Wentworth. I will call again at a more convenient time.”
She turned away, and was about to leave when Dan threw open the library door, and hurried towards her.
“I thought I heard your voice, Judith, don’t run away. Come and talk to me!”
She hesitated, looking doubtful, but he gave her a reassuring smile.
“Don’t worry! I intend to keep my word. I shall say nothing to distress you.”
He had disturbing news, but at Sebastian’s insistence he knew that he must keep it to himself.
The Bow Street Runner had followed the Reverend Truscott to his destination in “The Rookery”. When the preacher left he’d knocked at the same door on the pretext of discovering the whereabouts of a well-known fence, but the man who opened it had sent him on his way.
“Best peddle your wares elsewhere,” he’d snarled. “There’s plenty as will buy your gew-gaws at the drinking shop, and no questions asked.”
The Runner retired to consider his next move. It was soon decided when the man left the hovel with a woman on each arm. He followed them for several yards, and turned in behind them at the drinking shop.
They didn’t suspect him, he was sure of it. After all, the man himself had suggested the place as the ideal spot to pursue his supposed nefarious activities.
Smiling pleasantly, he settled himself close by the tattered trio, and received a slight nod of acknowledgement in reply.
He’d been hoping to engage them in conversation, but the older woman was already quarrelling with the owner.
“No more credit, Nellie. If you ain’t got blunt you’ll get no drink from me—”
“Shut your face!” The woman slammed a coin down on the counter. “There’s plenty more where that came from. Now give me a bottle!”
The man bit the coin, and whistled in surprise.
“Come into money, have you? Where’s the body?”
The woman ignored him. Picking up the bottle, she returned to her companions. The three of them soon emptied it, and bought another.
The Runner waited. At the rate they were drinking they would soon begin to talk more freely. He had underestimated their capacity, though the older woman had been far from sober when she’d entered the place. Even so, a third bottle was half-empty before she set it down, wiped her lips, and subsided into helpless giggles.
“It wuz ’is face!” she explained to her companions. “Proud as Lucifer, ’e is, but we’ve got ’im now.”
“And not before time!” the man agreed. “That devil done you wrong, my lass.”
The Runner was puzzled. Had the woman been younger he’d have drawn the obvious conclusion, but this raddled creature must be in her sixties. He eyed her closely. There was something about her features which struck a chord…the nose, perhaps, or the sunken eyes?
From what little he’d seen of the Reverend Truscott’s face he couldn’t be sure, but his suspicions grew.
“You’ll know us next time,” the younger woman snapped. “Wot you starin at?”
“Just looking about me. I’ll move on. Ain’t nobody here who’s likely to be of use to me…” He scowled and left them.
His report to Sebastian had been succinct, and it roused fresh hope in Dan.
“It does seem that he gave them money,” he said eagerly. “Why would he do that?”
“There could be a number of reasons…charity among them.”
“But it isn’t his parish,” Dan protested. “Why would he go so far? He seemed to know the place well, or so the Runner said. And how was he able to walk there unmolested? Your man warned me against attempting it.”
“You forget that the Reverend Truscott is a man of the cloth. That alone is sufficient to protect him.”
Dan sniffed. “He was so heavily muffled that he might have been anyone.”
“Perhaps he’s known in the district,” Sebastian said gravely.
“Perhaps he is.” Dan’s voice was full of meaning. “Well, I’m not satisfied, for one. Your own man thought there was something strange. Did he not mention a certain resemblance in the woman?”
“And what of that? Even supposing that it’s true, we have no proof. It was merely an impression…”
“It ain’t very savoury, though.” Perry had been listening with interest. “St Giles is the worst sink in London. It wouldn’t be the place I’d want to find my relatives…”
“The man can’t be blamed for his connections,” Sebastian said firmly.
“But, Seb, only thieves and vagabonds live in ‘The Rookery’. You know its reputation. As for the women…”
“Again, I say we have no proof. The Runner may be mistaken. Truscott’s visit may have been no more than a simple act of Christian charity.”
“You sound more like Frederick every day,” Perry told him in disgust. “Next thing you’ll be following our elder brother into Government.”
“Not so!” Sebastian laughed and shook his head. “And, Perry, he did well enough for you. Without his help you might have lost Elizabeth.”
“I know it. I have much to thank him for. He surprised me then, you know. I thought him a model of rectitude, but he moved fast when there was danger.”
“And I shall do the same.”
Dan’s face cleared. “Then you won’t let it go?”
“No! I won’t let it go.” Sebastian looked at his adopted son. “Prudence and Elizabeth are troubled and I won’t have my wife upset at a time like this.”
“Shall you tell them anything?”
“Only that our enquiries are going forward.”
“Then I may not tell Elizabeth of the Runner’s findings.”
“Certainly not. We have discovered only that the Reverend Truscott paid a visit to a squalid part of London. All the rest is merely surmise. Would that satisfy Elizabeth?”
Perry smiled at his brother. “How well you know her! She is afraid of nothing. Not even your famous Runner would stop her if she set her mind upon entering