Paul got downstairs to find Peter fast asleep in a chair. The night porter, a grizzled old man, told him that his brother had arrived much earlier in a state of urgency.
‘At first, I thought it was you, Mr Skillen,’ said the porter, looking from one to the other. ‘I can’t tell the two of you apart. When I told the other Mr Skillen that you were perfectly safe, he breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t want to disturb you, so he wrote a letter and I slipped it under your door.’
‘Thank you,’ said Paul. ‘You did the right thing.’ He looked down at his brother. ‘He’s ridden all the way from London to help me. I feel cruel, having to wake him up.’
He touched Peter’s shoulder gently and it was enough to bring him awake. Screwing up his eyes until he got used to the light, he then noticed the bandaging around his brother’s hand.
‘What happened?’ he asked.
‘I had a spot of bother.’
‘It felt like much more than that. It’s the reason I came.’
‘You’re more than welcome,’ said Paul, embracing him, ‘and your journey is not in vain. There’s unfinished business. Three villains are already in custody, but there are two more to be apprehended.’
Peter yawned. ‘If I can stay awake, I’ll be glad to help.’
‘Do you have any weapons?’
‘I have two pistols and a sword.’
‘That’s all we’ll need,’ said Paul, putting an arm around his shoulders to lead him out. ‘Let’s find our horses. I’ll explain everything on the way.’
Roderick Cosgrove had been well rewarded. When he became aware that Paul was watching his house, he arranged for one of the highwaymen to creep up behind him. They’d delivered Paul to their leader and had each been given money for their efforts. The two of them had spent the evening drinking, before going on to a brothel where even more alcohol had flowed. In the early hours of the morning, they’d staggered drunkenly back to Cosgrove’s house and fallen asleep in chairs.
They were awakened by a thunderous knocking on the front door. Since the lone female servant was too frightened to respond to the summons, Cosgrove dragged himself to his feet and lumbered along the passageway. Opening the door and prepared to send the caller on his way with some ripe language, he was astonished to see Paul standing there.
‘How did you get here?’ he asked, quaking. ‘You should still be tied up in that cellar.’
‘So it was you who helped to put me there,’ said Paul. ‘I thought as much. You’re a confederate of those highwaymen.’
‘That’s not true.’
‘I’ve come to arrest you, Cosgrove.’
‘You’ve no reason to do so, Mr Skillen.’
‘I have every reason.’
Cosgrove reacted like lightning. He first tried to slam the door, but Paul managed to get his foot in the way. Swinging around, Cosgrove ran down the passageway, went into the room where he’d been sleeping and locked it behind him. His accomplice was still only half-awake.
‘What’s happening, Roddy?’ he asked.
‘Get up!’ yelled Cosgrove, yanking him to his feet. ‘We have to get out of here fast.’ There was pounding on the door. ‘Come on!’
The two of them ran to the rear of the house and out through the back door only to discover that Peter was waiting for them with two pistols cocked. They came to a sudden halt.
‘How the devil did you get here?’ asked Cosgrove. ‘It’s magic.’
‘Not really,’ said Peter. ‘My brother will explain.’
They heard a loud noise as the locked door was shattered. Paul came sauntering out into the tiny garden. The two prisoners were utterly bewildered.
‘Which one of you is Paul Skillen?’ asked Cosgrove, spluttering.
‘You’ll find out at the trial,’ said Peter.
A week later, everything had returned to something akin to normal. The smoke of recent events had finally cleared. Rehearsals were going so well that Hannah felt safe enough to send Paul back to London, after extracting a promise that he’d return for the first night of As You Like It. On his journey back home, Paul was carrying newspaper accounts of his exploits in arresting three notorious highwaymen and their accomplices. Having collected handsome rewards for the capture of the gang, he and Peter had now returned to their work at the gallery. They were there with Huckvale when Jan van Emden called on them.
‘My first duty is to pay you for your services,’ he said, handing over the money. ‘It’s twice the amount agreed with Clemency because you gave us so much help.’
‘We’re very happy that we were able to find her father,’ said Huckvale. ‘How is he now?’
‘He’s so much better after the ministrations of Charlotte and Clemency. Between them, they’ve worked wonders.’
‘And you’ve persuaded him to go to Amsterdam with you,’ said Peter. ‘That was a real achievement.’
‘It’s only until he’s fully recovered,’ said the Dutchman. ‘My father-in-law’s ambition is to return to England to resume his work. We’ve been in touch with Geoffrey Taylor and he’s agreed to join forces with Mr Parry to develop his latest invention.’
‘Does he have the money to invest in the project?’
‘Yes, he does,’ said van Emden. ‘I’m helping to finance his work.’
‘Then you could stand to make a lot of money,’ said Paul. ‘Peter and Jem have seen this steam engine of his. They say it has potential.’
‘It has great potential,’ agreed Huckvale.
‘Mr Parry just needs time and money to make some refinements,’ said Peter. ‘He must be gratified by your interest in the project.’
‘It’s more a case of duty than interest,’ admitted van Emden. ‘It’s something I feel that I have to do. Privately, I have considerable doubts. Let us be honest, shall we? Mr Parry is talking about a steam locomotive that will carry hundreds of passengers large distances at speed.’ He shook his head with incredulity. ‘It will never happen.’
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About the Author
EDWARD MARSTON has written well over a hundred books, including some non-fiction. He is best known for his hugely successful Railway Detective series and he also writes the Bow Street Rivals series featuring twin detectives set during the Regency, as well as the Home Front Detective series.
edwardmarston.com
By Edward Marston
THE BOW STREET RIVALS SERIES
Shadow of the Hangman • Steps to the Gallows
Date with the Executioner • Fugitive from the Grave
THE RAILWAY DETECTIVE SERIES
The Railway Detective • The Excursion Train • The Railway Viaduct
The Iron Horse • Murder on the Brighton Express
The Silver Locomotive Mystery • Railway to the Grave • Blood on the Line
The Stationmaster’s Farewell • Peril on the Royal Train
A Ticket to Oblivion • Timetable of Death • Signal for Vengeance
The Circus Train Conspiracy • A Christmas Railway Mystery
Points of Danger
Inspector Colbeck’s Casebook
THE RESTORATION SERIES
The King’s Evil • The Amorous Nightingale • The Repentant Rake
The Frost Fair • The Parliament House • The Painted Lady
THE BRACEWELL MYSTERIES
The Queen’s Head • The Merry Devils • The Trip to Jerusalem
The Nine Giants • The Mad Cou
rtesan • The Silent Woman
The Roaring Boy • The Laughing Hangman
The Fair Maid of Bohemia • The Wanton Angel
The Devil’s Apprentice • The Bawdy Basket
The Vagabond Clown • The Counterfeit Crank
The Malevolent Comedy • The Princess of Denmark
THE HOME FRONT DETECTIVE SERIES
A Bespoke Murder • Instrument of Slaughter • Five Dead Canaries
Deeds of Darkness • Dance of Death • The Enemy Within • Under Attack
THE CAPTAIN RAWSON SERIES
Soldier of Fortune • Drums of War • Fire and Sword
Under Siege • A Very Murdering Battle
Copyright
Allison & Busby Limited
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First published in Great Britain by Allison & Busby in 2018.
This ebook edition published in Great Britain by Allison & Busby in 2018.
Copyright © 2018 by EDWARD MARSTON
The moral right of the author is hereby asserted
in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All characters and events in this publication other than those clearly in the public domain are fictitious and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent buyer.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from
the British Library.
ISBN 978-0-7490-2281-5
Fugitive From the Grave Page 29