Fugitive From the Grave

by Edward Marston

  ‘Could you hazard a guess as to their ages?’

  ‘Their leader would be around your age, Mr Skillen, but the other two were older.’

  ‘Miss Granville told me that they were both uncouth whereas their leader was clearly educated. Do you agree?’

  ‘Yes, I do.’

  ‘Would you recognise any of them again?’

  ‘I don’t think so, sir. They wore hats and masks.’

  ‘What about their horses?’

  ‘They weren’t so easy to disguise. I might be able to pick one of them out because it was ridden by their leader. It was a black stallion with a white blaze.’

  ‘Then you can start looking for it right here in the city,’ advised Paul, ‘because their leader lives in Bath. The chances are that his two accomplices do as well.’

  Cosgrove was startled. ‘How do you know that?’

  ‘We have evidence of the leader’s presence.’

  ‘Then you’d best keep clear of him, sir.’

  ‘On the contrary,’ said Paul, ‘I’m looking forward to meeting him one day. I’ve a score to settle with him.’

  ‘He’s a hard man, sir. For all his educated voice and manners, he’s as ruthless as the others.’

  ‘Yet he spared you, didn’t he?’

  ‘I was lucky. People who try to fight back often get punished for doing so. Last year a guard was shot dead.’

  ‘You have a dangerous profession.’

  Cosgrove smiled. ‘I’m not complaining.’

  ‘Mr Teale said that he often employs you.’

  ‘That’s right, sir. I work at the theatre from time to time, looking out for pickpockets and making sure everyone behaves themselves. I get to see all the plays free. That’s a bonus.’

  ‘I’m sure you’ll enjoy As You Like It.’

  ‘How is Miss Granville? Has she recovered from the shock yet?’

  ‘Oh, yes. She’s rehearsing at this very moment.’

  ‘That’s good to hear, Mr Skillen.’

  ‘Nobody is more relieved than me,’ said Paul. ‘Since I won’t be needed as a bodyguard every hour of the day, I can start looking for the highwaymen who robbed your coach.’

  Cosgrove was eager. ‘Count on me, if you need help, Mr Skillen.’

  ‘I’ll bear that offer in mind.’

  The visit to the engineering works had been a revelation. They’d not only learnt a great deal about George Parry’s career, they’d been forced to look at his daughter in a slightly different way. As soon as they’d met her, both of them had warmed to Clemency, but Geoffrey Taylor had been highly critical of her. It now transpired that her father had not been the only person who felt betrayed by her choice of husband.

  They returned to the gallery to discuss the latest development with Gully Ackford. The latter was not surprised.

  ‘I had a feeling there was another side to the story,’ he said.

  ‘Mr Taylor was very bitter,’ recalled Huckvale.

  ‘Yes,’ said Peter, ‘it would have suited him to have her as his daughter-in-law. He and Mr Parry would have been drawn closer. Mr Taylor clearly idolised the man.’

  ‘I’d like to see that bridge he talked about.’

  ‘It’s a long way to go, Jem.’

  ‘And what was that place Mr Taylor mentioned?’

  ‘Ironbridge – it’s in Shropshire. Mr Parry drew a lot of inspiration from Abraham Darby, the man who built it. He visited Ironbridge and Coalbrookdale, where the castings were made.’

  ‘Give me wood and stone any day,’ grumbled Ackford. ‘They’ve served us well for centuries. Coming back to what you learnt this morning,’ he went on, ‘what are you going to do about it?’

  ‘What would you do, Gully?’ asked Peter.

  ‘Nothing.’

  ‘Nothing at all?’

  ‘I don’t see the point. It all happened years ago and is none of our business. If you challenge Mrs van Emden about it, you’ll simply upset her. Your only interest should be her father, not some discarded suitor.’

  ‘One thing is explained,’ said Peter. ‘When Mr Taylor’s name was mentioned yesterday by Mr Darwood, she was not keen to talk about him.’

  ‘Now we know why,’ said Huckvale.

  ‘We have contradictory opinions here. Mr Darwood, who was a close friend of Mr Parry, obviously likes his daughter and has no qualms about the decision she made with regard to a husband. Mr Taylor, on the other hand, paints her as a scheming woman with no concern for the feelings of other people.’

  ‘That’s not how I see her.’

  ‘Nor me, Jem.’

  ‘But she’s obviously been avoiding Mr Taylor,’ said Ackford. ‘He had close ties with her father. When she first came to London, she ought to have gone straight to him for help.’

  ‘It would have been too embarrassing for her,’ said Peter.

  ‘So what are you going to do?’

  ‘I’ll do what any sensible husband should do, Gully.’

  ‘And what’s that?’

  ‘I’ll confide in my wife. Charlotte needs to know what we discovered this morning.’

  ‘I’ve just thought of something,’ said Huckvale, blurting out the words before he could stop himself. The others looked at him. ‘We’ve all wondered who sent that message to Mrs van Emden, telling her about her father’s death.’

  ‘Go on,’ encouraged Peter.

  ‘It must have been someone who hated her.’

  ‘I don’t think it was Mr Taylor, if that’s what you’re about to suggest, Jem. It’s just not in his character.’

  ‘What about his son? He’s the one with the real grudge.’

  Chevy Ruddock was a dedicated, public-spirited officer, but William Filbert had lost the sense of duty that had impelled him to join the foot patrol. When he took Filbert to the churchyard, all that Ruddock heard from the old man were grunts of discontent.

  ‘I hate places like this,’ he said. ‘They give me the shakes.’

  ‘It may not be for long, Bill.’

  ‘Two minutes is long enough for me. The sight of all these gravestones reminds me that I’ll need one myself very soon.’

  ‘You’ve years left in you yet,’ said Ruddock, ‘and you won’t have to stare at the gravestones. They’ll be invisible in the dead of night.’

  ‘Then how are we supposed to see the bodysnatchers?’

  ‘We’ll hear them, Bill. Spades make a lot of noise.’

  ‘Where will we be hiding?’

  ‘Over there in that shed.’

  Filbert squinted at the rickety shed and let out a snort of contempt. It was the reaction that Ruddock had expected. His companion was known for his habit of moaning at every assignment he was given. There would be a loud protest when he actually put his head inside the shed and inhaled its stench. Notwithstanding the man’s defects, however, Ruddock was happy to be working alongside him again. He’d always learnt from the experienced Filbert and knew that the older man would not shirk a fight.

  ‘It was my suggestion, you know,’ he said.

  ‘Mr Yeomans told me it was his.’

  ‘I thought of it first.’

  ‘You’re an honest man, Chevy. I’d rather believe you.’

  ‘Thank you, Bill.’

  ‘You have to watch them – him and Mr Hale. They always steal ideas and pretend they were theirs in the first place. I’m not saying your plan will work, mind you, but – if it does – Mr Kirkwood ought to be told that you thought of it first.’

  ‘The chief magistrate won’t pay attention to me.’

  ‘Then you’ll have to make him,’ said the other. ‘Let’s go across to that shed and see what it’s like inside.’

  ‘I have to warn you about a nasty smell.’

  Filbert bridled. ‘Are you telling me that I stink a bit?’

  ‘No, I’m warning you about the shed. It reeks in there.’

  ‘Then I’ll have to bring my pipe and baccy with me. The best way to get rid of a nasty smell is to make a
nice one. You see?’ said Filbert with a throaty chuckle. ‘You’re not the only one who has good ideas.’

  It was during a break for refreshment that Hannah had her first proper conversation with Elinor Ingram. When they’d spoken earlier, they had, for the most part, been using words set down for them by William Shakespeare. This time they could rely on their own.

  ‘I thought you should know that I was reluctant to accept a role in this production,’ said Elinor, with an air of deference. ‘We’ve had misunderstandings in the past that I deeply regret, and I didn’t wish to discountenance you by turning up unannounced in the cast.’

  ‘That was very considerate of you,’ said Hannah, guardedly.

  ‘What changed my mind was the fact that I had the opportunity to play opposite someone whose talent I revere. I always gain so much from you, Miss Granville. It’s an education as well as a pleasure.’

  ‘That’s very kind of you to say so.’

  ‘I can speak for the whole cast.’

  ‘I’d rather you just spoke for yourself,’ said Hannah, with a slight edge. ‘And flattery is quite unnecessary. I know my qualities.’

  ‘Then let me just say this: because I’m aware of your attitude towards me, I promise that I will keep well out of your way throughout our time together. If I can make a small contribution to the success of this production, I’ll be thrilled to do so, but that is all I ask.’

  There was a quiet sincerity in her voice that impressed Hannah. She’d always regarded the woman as designing and highly competitive. Had she changed since they’d last met? It did seem possible.

  ‘One last thing,’ said Elinor, looking her in the eye, ‘and you don’t have to make an instant decision. In view of what’s happened between us, you might still wish that you’d prefer me to disappear. If that is the case, I’ll withdraw at once, but I’d hate to let Mr Teale down. He has faith in me and may find it difficult to hire an adequate replacement. But your feelings are paramount here, Miss Granville. If my presence offends you in any way, then it is better that I surrender Celia to someone else.’ She glanced towards the manager. ‘It will mean that I can never work for Mr Teale again, I daresay, but … I’ll survive somehow.’

  Pursing her lips, she gave a little shrug, then walked away.

  Hannah was utterly bewildered.

  Charlotte Skillen had spent so much time firing questions at her guest that she began to feel she was violating the laws of hospitality, and that it would be better for Clemency to volunteer information instead of having it extracted from her. Since it was a fine, warm day, Charlotte took her into the garden and showed her around.

  ‘I love the artful way that it’s been arranged,’ said Clemency. ‘It’s a feast for the eye and that secret bower is delightful.’

  ‘It’s where I sit and read – if ever I get the chance, that is.’

  ‘Did your husband design the garden?’

  ‘Oh, no,’ said Charlotte, with a laugh, ‘Peter never has time to do anything like that. What you see is what I somehow dreamt up.’

  ‘I’m very impressed.’

  ‘I did borrow ideas from friends, Clemency, especially when it came to the choice of flowers and shrubs. My aim was to make the garden seem much bigger than it actually is.’

  ‘You’ve succeeded.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  They strolled around the flower beds once more and discussed the merits of various trees. Clemency seemed well informed on the subject. She stopped abruptly and turned to more personal matters.

  ‘How did you first meet your husband?’ she asked.

  ‘It was at a ball,’ replied Charlotte. ‘I noticed what an excellent dancer Peter was, and he was kind enough to admire my skills as well. He was charming. I longed for an opportunity to meet him again. When it came, however, I was in for a disappointment.’

  ‘Why was that?’

  ‘He no longer danced as well. In fact, he was hopeless.’

  ‘What had happened to him?’

  ‘Nothing at all,’ said Charlotte, laughing. ‘What I hadn’t realised was that the man I saw on the second occasion was not Peter at all. It was his twin brother, Paul. It’s almost impossible to tell them apart.’

  ‘Can you do so now?’

  ‘Oh, yes, I’d never confuse them. At the time, it was different. Both Peter and Paul took an interest in me and I was never quite sure which of them was actually wooing me. In the end, I chose Peter.’

  ‘I think you made the right choice, Charlotte. You and he seem to be ideally suited. I like to think the same may be said of Jan and me.’

  ‘You always sound so happy when you talk of your husband.’

  ‘Oh, I am.’

  ‘In order to marry him, you must have spurned a lot of suitors here in London. Had you turned down any other proposals?’

  ‘I’d rather not say,’ replied the other, turning away. ‘I think I’d like to go back indoors now, if you don’t mind.’

  Charlotte was shocked by her sudden anger.

  The summons from Bow Street made the Runners respond promptly. When they got to Kirkwood’s office, they learnt that he was still in court, giving them time to speculate on why they’d been called on. Yeomans had brought the report given to him earlier. The door opened and Kirkwood strutted in, sitting at his desk as if lowering himself onto a throne.

  ‘Do you know what happened last night?’ he asked.

  Hale smiled ingratiatingly. ‘We hope that you slept well, sir.’

  ‘The wonder is that I slept at all. I see that you’ve returned my report,’ he said, gazing at the document. ‘I can now add a postscript.’

  ‘What is it, sir?’

  ‘Last night, no less than three graves were robbed in London. That means three families have had their grief intensified and three circles of friends are in despair. You failed them again.’

  ‘We were not on duty last night, sir,’ said Yeomans.

  ‘The bodysnatchers knew that. We failed those three families.’

  ‘It’s not our fault, sir. We don’t have enough men at our disposal. There are just too many churches in London and too many people dying. However,’ he went on, deciding to reveal their plan as a means of defence, ‘we’ve set a trap for these night-time monsters.’

  ‘It was Micah’s brainwave,’ said Hale.

  Yeomans beamed. ‘I have them from time to time.’

  ‘I hadn’t noticed,’ said Kirkwood, sourly. ‘What is this trap?’

  ‘We’ve chosen St Saviour’s church in Tottenham as our first location. If the venture is crowned with success, there’ll be lots of others.’

  He went on to describe what they’d done. Kirkwood was at first horrified by the notion, fearing that they’d bring the Archbishop of Canterbury down upon their heads. When he heard that they would not take part in any form of a funeral service, his doubts slowly fell away. Yeomans pointed out an additional benefit.

  ‘We may only catch two of them the first time,’ he conceded, ‘but they’ll know others in the same trade, so I’ll be able to beat a list of names out of them – names of villains who dig up dead bodies and names of anatomists who pay them to do it.’

  ‘It does sound promising,’ admitted Kirkwood.

  ‘Two of our best men will be on duty tonight, sir,’ said Hale. ‘Ruddock and Filbert are ideal for this kind of work.’

  ‘Would that be Chevy Ruddock?’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  ‘I remember him helping to foil an escape bid here in Bow Street. He’s a young man to watch. I applaud your choice of him.’

  ‘I had thought to lie concealed in that churchyard myself,’ said Yeomans, annoyed at the praise showered on Ruddock, ‘but my old bones don’t like the cold night air. I’ll come into my own when I interrogate the captives.’

  ‘Well, you seem to have taken positive steps for once.’

  ‘Thank you, sir,’ said the other.

  ‘The moment you catch anybody, I wish to be informed. And I’
ll also be interested to hear how Ruddock conducted himself in that churchyard. Young men of such promise deserve to be rewarded for their good deeds. Don’t you agree?’

  Yeomans could only manage a low gurgle.

  Paul had been scouring the city. When he’d spoken to Cosgrove, he’d gone in search of the woman whose diamond brooch had been stolen during the ambush. In the course of the first stage of their journey, she’d told Hannah where she’d be staying in Bath, so Paul was able to find her, hand over her brooch and receive her gushing thanks. He refused to say how the jewellery had come into his possession, merely that he had recovered it. She was delighted and offered him a reward that he declined to take.

  He spent the rest of the morning perambulating around the more fashionable part of the city, believing that the highwayman was a Regency buck whose expensive tastes were supported by his criminal activities. He also looked for a black stallion with a white blaze, but saw none being ridden by the kind of person he was after. Acting on Hannah’s description of the man, he came across several possible contenders, but none who gave him that tingle of recognition. Eventually, he walked back to the hotel where he found Hannah in a state of indecision.

  ‘Something extraordinary has happened,’ she said.

  ‘Yes,’ he said, gallantly. ‘I met you.’

  ‘Listen to me, Paul. This is serious.’

  ‘Are you saying my adoration of Hannah Granville is not serious?’

  She squeezed him hard. ‘Listen, will you?’

  Hannah sat him down on the sofa and stood over him. She told him about her strange encounter with Elinor Ingram. He was at once amazed and amused.

  ‘I can’t believe it, my love,’ he said. ‘When you try to have that woman flung out of the cast, your demand is refused. After you’ve agreed to accept the manager’s judgement, Miss Ingram comes to you and offers to go of her own accord. In other words, I needn’t have bothered to have that awkward conversation with Mr Teale.’ His brow corrugated. ‘Do you think that he put her up to it?’