by Peter Oxley
I nodded. “You two always been close?”
“I suppose. After a fashion. Spending these past weeks away from Mother has helped.” She smiled. “I used to be so jealous of him, you know. Hated him for the fact that he was lined up to inherit everything while I’d just be a thing to be cared for, assuming I wasn’t married off.”
“Most people I know would kill for that kind of future,” I said. “Forgive me if I don’t burst into tears of sympathy.”
She laughed. “I love how honest you are. But I knew loads of girls who were quite happy with that fate. I have always wanted something more. I suppose it’s Mother’s fault really. I want to achieve something, to be someone noteworthy.”
“What like?”
“I quite like the idea of building on Ada Lovelace’s legacy. There is so much potential in the idea of the Analytical Engine. Imagine if there was a machine that was capable of answering any question you asked.”
“Such as?”
“Anything you like. Mathematical problems, train timetables, weather forecasts, industrial applications…”
“Don’t you have books for that?”
“Well, yes, but what if you had the knowledge of every library in the world all contained within one machine, ready for any question you could possibly ask?”
“Sounds pretty fanciful to me,” I said. I looked out of the window. “Anyway, time to wake up sleeping beauty: we’re about to arrive.”
It was a misty early morning as we reached Portsmouth’s dockside, our carriage pulling up at a scene straight from a battlefield. Crates, boxes and equipment were strewn everywhere, puddles of blood and gore showing where people or demons had fallen. Probably a dozen or so demon corpses were piled up against a wall, although I couldn’t see any human bodies.
A number of men and women stood around, held back by Peelers and a handful of soldiers. “What happened here?” asked Joshua in horror.
I opened the carriage door. “Let’s find out,” I said, stepping down to the slick cobbles.
I walked over to the soldier who seemed to be doing most of the organising. “Oi, you,” I said. “What the Hell happened here?”
“You need to move on, Miss,” he said. “We are still clearing up the site and this is no place for civilians.”
“We ain’t civilians, mate,” I said. “I’m Kate Thatcher.”
“Of course you are Miss,” he said. “And I’m Prince-bloody-Albert. I still need you to move on, though.”
He ushered us away and I looked around, feeling the eyes of Lexie and Joshua on me. I fixed on the bodies of the demons and my heart started to beat fast. “First things first,” I said. “We need to see if there’s anyone here who we recognise.”
Joshua and Lexie ran to keep up with me. “Do you think Mr Potts could be…?” asked Joshua.
“Hopefully not, but only one way to find out,” I said.
No one tried to stop us as we peered at the creatures, trying to match what was left of their faces to what we could remember of Gus and how he’d looked that other evening. After a few moments I let out a sigh of relief. “He’s not here,” I said.
Lexie nodded. “So what now?”
I glanced at the soldiers, hoping to see Albert or another friendly face. A passing Private paused and did a double-take as he saw me, and that was all the invitation I needed.
“Hello, darlin’,” I said, treating him to a big, friendly smile, “I know you, don’t I?”
He saluted me, which made me like him even more, and then nodded, a slight redness to his cheeks. “Yes, ma’am. Battle of Greenwich: I helped escort you and Mr Potts from the battlefield.”
“Yeah, that’s right,” I smiled, “so how’s it been going?”
“Busy, ma’am,” he said, looking around to check that his officers hadn’t noticed him chatting.
“So what’s been going on here then?” I asked. “Found my mate Gus yet?”
He opened and shut his mouth and looked around again.
“Come on,” I said, taking a step towards him and dropping my voice a little. “We’re all on the same side here. You never know, I might be able to help.”
“Well,” he said, and then took a deep breath, dropping his voice to match mine, “there was some big set-to here, with a huge crowd of demons attacking a load of folks, all claws and teeth and the like. Luckily the Witchfinder General turned up to help fight them off.” He nodded over to the far side of the docks where a group of people were gathered. I squinted and could make out the dark figure of Morley, the strange man who’d as good as hounded us out of Nottingham the other week.
“Lucky he was around, eh?” I said, more to myself than anyone.
“Yeah,” said the Private slowly.
“Don’t suppose any of the demons were caught, or maybe gave themselves up?” I asked.
He gestured around us. “Some were killed but, as far as we can tell, more managed to escape. There’s word of them heading north: I think that’s probably where we’re headed next.”
“Makes sense,” I said. “I think I might have a quick word with that Witchfinder General and thank him for his hard work, or something like that.”
“Are you sure, ma’am?” he asked. “Only he don’t seem like the friendliest gigglemug in the world, you know?”
“Don’t worry about me,” I smiled. “Me and him are old friends.”
I strode over to Morley, with Joshua and Lexie again running after me. When we were halfway there the Witchfinder rose to his feet and stared at me intently.
“Two can play that game, mate,” I muttered and set my face into a hard stare.
“Miss Thatcher, I presume,” he said as we got near. “We did not really have the pleasure back in Nottingham, but I would recognise your face anywhere. I am not acquainted with your young friends though…?”
“Never mind them,” I said, before they did anything stupid like introduce themselves. “Just thought I’d come over and find out what happened ’ere last night.”
“We stopped some demon scum attacking a group of innocents,” he said proudly. “Made sure that they could not hurt anyone again.”
I looked around us. “How many demons were there?”
“At least 100, maybe more. They’re now either dead or scattered to the four winds.”
The group around him was no more than 20 people at best. “What, just 20 of you beat back a 100-odd demons? I’m very impressed.”
“There were more of us last night,” he said. “I managed to muster up a group that out-matched them in numbers, spirit and determination.”
“A lynch mob, you mean?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Call it what you will. We are on the side of light and justice.”
Something felt odd. “So you managed to get together a big mob at just the right time to stop a load of demons attacking a group of folks? That would have taken ages, surely? So you must have known the demons were going to be here?”
He smiled at me in a way that made me want to punch him on the nose.
“How did you know?” I asked when it was clear he wasn’t going to say anything else.
“I have sources and I have my methods,” he said.
“Yeah, Gus told me about your methods. How many people did you torture to find out?”
“Does it matter? The information was correct. By the by, how is Mr Potts?”
I tried to maintain my best poker face. “He’s fine.”
“Is he with you, perchance?”
“Not right now, no.”
He stared into my eyes as though he was trying to look into my brain. “You see, I picked up from our meeting in Nottingham that he was somewhat well disposed to the demons, at least through his association with your friend N’yotsu. I had hoped that that was as far as it went, though; he seemed to be a decent man at heart.”
“What do you mean?” I asked slowly.
He stepped towards me and I resisted the urge to move away. “The strangest thing happened la
st night. One of the demons, a particularly fierce-looking beast and apparently the ringleader, confronted me. It knew my name and who I was.” He smiled, but his eyes were still as cold as ever. “Now, I have quite the reputation for being effective, but this area is new to me and I did not expect my fame to spread this far so quickly. Of course, the demon could have been to Nottingham or somewhere else I have worked, but…” His eyes seemed to be digging right to the back of my skull and it was all I could do to keep calm. It was a battle to keep my breathing under control, although I fancied he knew that my heart was beating like it was going to burst out of my chest.
“The demon knew me, and I felt like I knew it too. There was something very familiar about its voice and the way it talked. When I looked hard enough, when we were face to face in the field of battle… well, it was the strangest thing. It seemed to wear Mr Potts’ face, under that demonic facade, and it wielded a sword that bore a striking resemblance to the one your friend uses. A sword that I had thought was unique…”
“Very interesting,” I said, trying to sound almost bored, although I doubted I fooled him for a second. “And what happened to this demon?”
“It got away. I believe they are headed north: we plan to accompany the army now that we are satisfied that the demons have left this town.”
“Good idea,” I said, turning to look back at the soldiers.
He grabbed my arm and said: “Miss Thatcher,” in a low voice.
I glared down. “If you value the use of that hand,” I said, “you’ll let go right now.”
He did as he was told and stepped back, holding up his hands. “I meant no offence, so please forgive me for my presumptuousness. I have to say, though: if you know anything that can help us in our battle against the demons, you would do well to share it. We are on the same side, after all.”
I looked at him, studying his long, stern face for any signs that I could trust him. I failed. “Are we really?” I said slowly. “Maybe. Maybe we are on the same side, but I can’t forget the way you tried to set a whole city against us. If that’s how you treat your friends, well…”
“You were harbouring a demon,” he said. “Do not forget: your so-called friend N’yotsu is the cause of all the madness infecting our world.”
“He did not—”
“Once a demon, always a demon. A leopard cannot change its spots, eh? Or should that be a demon cannot change its horns?”
We followed the soldiers northeast but were met at Guildford by a grim-looking Albert. “Captain Pearce,” I smiled. “Whatever is the matter?”
“Trouble,” he said. “You’re needed back in London. Now.”
“Why? What’s happened?”
“I’m not at liberty to tell you at the moment. There are others in London who will explain. But I need you to come with us right now.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Albert, what’s this all about?”
“Please, Kate,” he said. “I have my orders. Don’t make this any harder than it already is.”
Chapter 15
I spent the journey feeling like a criminal being escorted to prison, but with no idea what I was supposed to have done. Captain Pearce and the other soldiers completely ignored me and I was in no mood for small talk with Joshua and Lexie, so the road back to London was a long and miserable one.
I stared out the window and wracked my brains for anything I had done wrong that could make them treat me this way. At one point, as we slowed to let a drove of sheep pass by, I thought about opening the door and making a run for it but stopped myself; it would be worse to be dragged back in chains, and might make me look guilty of whatever it was they thought I’d done. At least this way I could go into London with my head held high.
We pulled up outside 24 Whitehall to be met by yet another group of soldiers. As the carriage stopped, Captain Pearce appeared at the door and helped me down. “If you’ll come with me Miss Thatcher,” he said.
“Do I have a choice?” I asked. “What’s going on, Albert?”
“They agreed I could escort you,” he said. “As a favour. Please, just come with me.”
I opened my mouth to snap back at him but then stopped myself. I could feel the eyes of Joshua and Lexie on me and wanted to show them I could be strong and sensible in spite of everything.
Inside the building was chaos, with orderlies, soldiers and Peelers running in all directions while officers and important looking people in suits shouted instructions. As I entered the front room, everyone went quiet for a moment as they stopped to look at me.
“What they all staring at?” I asked. “Why do I feel like I’ve killed the Queen or something?”
Pearce took my arm. “This way,” he said, leading me down towards Max’s lab.
“I know where I’m going,” I said, and then paused. “Has something happened to Max? Or N’yotsu?” I looked up at him but he stared straight ahead, not letting any emotion show on his face. Tears threatened to rise up in my eyes and I fought them back with a wave of anger; the amount of times I had fought at his side, and this was the way I was treated. But I wouldn’t show any weakness—not even to Albert.
Rather than being taken to Max’s lab or the room where N’yotsu was being treated, I was instead led to a small windowless chamber that had always been used as a mess room for the soldiers guarding us. The usual clutter had been pushed away into the corners, leaving just a table and a couple of chairs in the middle. Pearce turned to leave. “Someone will be with you shortly,” he said, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the floor.
“Where are the others?” I asked.
“Lexie and Joshua have been taken to another room for questioning,” he said.
“Questioning? About what?”
“Someone will be with you as soon as possible,” he said, maddening me by still refusing to make eye contact. Before I could say anything else he left the room, shutting the door behind him.
I paced the floor for a few moments, trying to calm down enough to think of my next move. I found myself facing the door and opened it, a bit surprised to find it unlocked but not surprised to see a soldier standing outside.
“Back inside please, Miss,” said the Private, who I didn’t recognise, firmly pulling the door shut.
“What if I need a drink?” I shouted. “Or the privy?”
“Just wait a few minutes please Miss,” came the reply from the other side of the door.
I paced the room for ages, occasionally amusing myself by shouting at the guard outside. When I finally heard someone coming down the corridor I quickly sat down in the chair facing the door, folding my arms in an attempt to look unconcerned and innocent, yet impatient and annoyed at how I’d been treated.
A tall man walked into the room and sat opposite me, placing a pile of papers on the desk in between us. I stared at him with raised eyebrows as he arranged them into neat piles and then shuffled through them, occasionally glancing at one or other. He was built like a stick, with the sort of body that came from too much worry rather than not enough food. He was probably in his fifties and had a long, drooping moustache that hid his mouth, the fringes of which flapped slightly as he breathed.
“And you are?” I asked when I couldn’t stand the silence any longer.
He looked up at me as if he hadn’t even realised I was there. “My apologies, I have not had sufficient time to prepare but I did not want you to be forced to sit here and wait on your own for much longer.” He took off his glasses. “I am sorry, my manners… I am Detective Inspector Simmonds of Scotland Yard. And you are Miss Kate Thatcher, correct?”
“That’s right,” I said slowly.
“Good,” he said. “I wanted to ask you some questions about a few matters, and also about your friends.”
“Which ones?”
He looked at a piece of paper. “Mr Augustus Potts, Mr Maxwell Potts and Mr… ah… N’yotsu.”
“What about them?”
He looked at me for a few long seconds. “All in good time.
Now, if you would not mind—”
“Where’s Captain Pearce?” I interrupted.
“Elsewhere,” he said. “You will see him soon enough. Now, if we could—”
“I want to see him now.”
He sighed and put down a sheet of paper. “I am afraid that is not possible. He should not have escorted you here, given that you two have associations going back a few years, but we had little choice.”
“Associations?” I snorted. “What are you saying?”
“That the two of you are friends and comrades. Is that not the case?” I shrugged and he continued. “Having him escort you here put him in a difficult position, given that he was under orders not to divulge to you the reason for your summons. That would put a strain on any friendship, so please do not hold it against him. The reasons will become clear soon enough, but for the moment I would like to ask you a few questions, if I may?”
I shrugged. “I suppose so.”
“Very good.” He balanced his pince-nez on his nose and picked up the sheet of paper. “When was the last time you saw Mr Augustus Potts?”
“About a week or so ago,” I said. “Over at Nonsuch. When I was with Captain Pearce and a load of other soldiers. Haven’t seen him since. That was why I was on the road, to try to find him.”
“And you have had no contact with him since?”
“Nope.”
“And when was the last time you saw Mr N’yotsu?”
“It’s just N’yotsu. No ‘mister’. It was a couple of days ago, before I set off for Portsmouth with Joshua and Lexie, the other two who were with me before your men split us up.”
“And how did he seem when you left him?”
“Weak, poorly, sick. At death’s door. He was with the doctor.”
“Ah yes: Dr… Smith? Tell me about him. How long have you known him?”
“Dunno. A few weeks. When we got back from Sheffield.”
“Who exactly assigned him to the role of Mr Maxwell Potts’ physician?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Dr Jenkins was his physic when we left to go up north. Something must have happened when we were away, as we came back and Dr Jenkins was gone, Dr Smith was there instead. Max seemed fine with it and I never had the chance to check the hows and whys of everything, given what else was going on.”