The Mystery of the Jewelled Moth

by Katherine Woodfine

  Mei, still very pale, looked pleased at this. They were in an unused warehouse, not far from the docks. There were some empty wooden crates stacked high in a corner, and the four of them quickly piled them in front of the doorway, so that anyone who looked casually through the doors would have no idea that a carriage and pair were concealed inside.

  ‘We can slip out of the side entrance. The shop is only a couple of minutes away,’ Mei explained.

  ‘What about the horses?’ asked Sophie, as Joe unhitched them from the carriage.

  ‘We’ll have to fetch them in the morning,’ said Joe. ‘Mei says this warehouse isn’t in use, so they’ll be perfectly safe until then. I’m only sorry we can’t get them some food and water. They’ve certainly earned it.’

  ‘We can come back later and bring them some,’ said Mei. ‘But let’s go now. I want to get home to Mum and Dad and see if Song is there.’

  Mei hardly dared say quite how desperate she was to get home. The thought of it made her knees weak. She took in deep lungfuls of the air, breathing in the smell of smoke and the river, as they crept through the deserted warehouse, up some stairs, and then out on to an iron walkway that ran across the street, connecting the two warehouses on either side.

  But as Lil stepped out on to the walkway, Joe pulled her suddenly back, gesturing to them all to be quiet. Below, Mei saw to her alarm that half a dozen men were going by on the street: a couple no more than boys, but the others big, tough-looking fellows. She knew at once by the swagger of their walk who they were.

  ‘The Baron’s Boys,’ Joe whispered, almost to himself. His attempt at cheerfulness had vanished: now his face was grey with fear.

  ‘What are they doing?’ whispered Lil.

  Joe shook his head. They waited until they were sure the men had passed before they slipped over the walkway in a silent row, like a game of follow-my-leader through the shadows. They stayed quiet and watchful for the rest of the short walk to China Town.

  As soon as they stepped through the door of Lim’s shop, the bell jangling behind them, Mei felt flooded with relief. The wonderful scent of home enveloped her. Mum came running out to greet them, squeezing Mei into a tight hug.

  ‘Mei! Thank goodness you’re safe. And your friends too – come through into the back room. You must be hungry and thirsty,’ she said, closing the door behind them and bolting it. ‘Some of the others are here – they want to talk to you.’

  The back room seemed much smaller than usual. To her astonishment, Mei saw that it was crammed with their friends and neighbours: Mr and Mrs Perks; Mrs Wu and her son, his arm bound up in a sling; Ah Wei; Mrs O’Leary from the baker’s. What were they all doing here – had they been having another meeting, in the middle of the night?

  ‘Where’s Song?’ demanded Dad at once.

  ‘We got separated,’ explained Lil. ‘He’s with our friend Billy. They’ll be making their way back here too, in the boat. We think they’ll be back soon.’

  ‘Did you find it? The evidence?’ Dad asked eagerly.

  Joe took out the two account books and laid them on the table. ‘It’s all in here,’ Sophie said. ‘They’re account books. We took them from a secret room at the Baron’s house. Billy and Song have another, as well as the Baron’s appointment book.’

  A whisper of amazement went round the table. The people of China Town looked at them in awe. Dad was shaking Joe’s hand, and Mei glowed with pride at what they had done.

  ‘Sit down, sit down,’ said Dad, moving people down along the table to make space as Mum set down some cups and the old blue-and-white teapot. ‘We’ve been discussing all this – and we wanted to talk to you –’

  Suddenly, there came a hammering on the shop door and a low, angry voice called: ‘Open up! We know you’re in there!’

  ‘The Baron’s Boys!’ gasped someone.

  Sophie leaped to her feet in horror. ‘They found us? But how?’

  Joe was already peering out of the kitchen window. ‘There’s a fellow in the yard. They’re all around the house!’

  Dad looked from him to the faces of the others around the table, and back again. ‘We’ll deal with this,’ he said. ‘You should get away.’

  ‘But how can we?’ asked Lil, her face pale.

  All at once, Mei knew what they should do. ‘I know a way!’ she burst out.

  Leaving the others behind in the warm back room, Lil and Sophie hurried after Mei up the steep, creaking flight of stairs. Joe seized the account books and followed. They could hear yelling behind them.

  ‘Open up this door now! Or we’ll set the place ablaze!’

  There was a crash as a window smashed in the shop. A wave of sick panic swept over Mei, but she pushed it back, and shoved open the door to Uncle Huan’s room.

  ‘We can’t hide up here!’ exclaimed Joe, looking around him in confusion. ‘They’ll find us in seconds!’

  ‘We aren’t hiding,’ said Mei, closing the door behind them. ‘We’re going up and out.’ Even as she spoke, she was pulling out the stool, and clambering up to open the window. A moment later she was out on the roof.

  ‘Hurry!’ she exclaimed.

  Downstairs, they could hear the sound of raised voices. ‘I don’t know who you’re talking about,’ Mum was saying boldly. ‘What time of night do you call this to be knocking on decent people’s doors, breaking their windows? Explain yourselves!’

  Lil was the next to spring up on the stool. Her long gown was not exactly designed for climbing, but she was tall and strong, and with Mei lending a hand from above, she quickly managed to clamber out and on to the rooftop. Sophie followed, and then Joe handed up the account books before the three girls together helped haul him up too, closing the window behind them.

  For a moment, they paused, taking in the landscape of jagged roof tiles and crooked chimney pots.

  ‘By gum . . .’ Joe found himself muttering. He had hoped never to see the East End again, but he’d certainly not expected to see it from this angle. He was struck by the unexpected beauty of it: the fragmented lines of rooftops, broken here and there by a church spire. In the far distance, the lights of the City twinkled.

  Ahead of them, Mei was already picking her way deftly along the roofs, sure-footed as a mountain pony.

  ‘How did you know about this?’ asked Lil, following her.

  ‘Song and I used to play up here sometimes, when we were little,’ she said breathlessly. ‘We weren’t supposed to, of course, but we did anyway. There’s a way we can get down – come on.’

  Joe suddenly noticed that Sophie wasn’t going anywhere. She was holding on to a chimney stack, her face pale.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ he said, hastening over.

  ‘I – I’m afraid of heights,’ she murmured. ‘Don’t tell the others.’

  Joe looked up to where the other two were already scrambling ahead. ‘All right, but you’ll have to come with me,’ he said. He took hold of one of her hands. ‘You’ve handled far worse, and that’s the truth. I’m not so keen on this either, if I’m honest. But I reckon maybe we can get through it together. Just follow me, and hang on – and whatever you do, don’t look down.’

  Grimly, Sophie unpeeled herself from the chimney stack. She was the captain, the leader of her regiment, she reminded herself: it was her job to keep her head. She couldn’t possibly give up now. Her palms were sweating as she inched cautiously along, trying not to look down. Before them, Mei went on confidently, not even hesitating when a loose tile clattered to the ground in front of her. They went along one more rooftop, and then at last it was time to descend – first down an iron ladder on to a flat roof, then down again.

  There was no sound but their footsteps.

  ‘Are they behind us?’ whispered Mei.

  Joe looked up at the rooftops. ‘No,’ he whispered back. ‘It looks like we’ve dodged them.’

  ‘What about Mum and Dad?’ said Mei in a small voice. ‘And Shen and Jian?’

  Sophie felt guilt wa
sh over her. The last thing she had wanted to do was to get the Lim family in trouble, and now they had brought the Baron’s Boys to their very door. What if they did set the shop on fire – or worse?

  ‘You ought to go back,’ she said. ‘Make sure your family are safe. We’ll be fine from here.’

  Mei shook her head. ‘No,’ she said stubbornly. ‘You don’t know the best way to go.’

  They were all very sober as they slipped and slid their way down to the ground again, and crept across a yard zig-zagged with lines of washing. They went through a broken gate and out into the alleyway. ‘Look,’ said Mei, a note of triumph creeping into her voice. ‘We’ve made it!’

  ‘That’s what you think, little girl.’

  A man with broken teeth leered down at them from the alleyway. He was carrying a piece of iron piping.

  ‘Guv’nor!’ he called out into the darkness. ‘I’ve got ’em!’

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  At Miss Veronica Whiteley’s debutante ball, the festivities were still in full swing. Many of the guests had not even arrived until just before midnight. The band had struck up a merry polka, and several groups of young people were gathered at the supper table.

  Amongst them were Mary, Phyllis, Mr Pendleton and Mr Devereaux, who were tucking into plates of lobster salad with gusto. Phyllis had been enjoying herself immensely since staging her swooning fit. Miss Rose had been quite right: as soon as she had ‘recovered’, a number of young gentlemen had hastened over to see if she was feeling well enough to consider a waltz later in the evening. The truth was, though, Phyllis preferred the company of Mr Devereaux – or Hugo, as he had insisted she must call him. He had proved himself a divine dancer, not to mention a rather good sort. Seeing her the centre of attention amongst a host of eligible young men, even Grandmama had not intervened. In fact, Phyllis saw, glancing across the room to where the Countess was holding court at another table, she looked as if she were having as much fun as Phyllis was herself.

  Only Mary looked a little unhappy.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ Phyllis whispered under her breath.

  Mary shrugged. ‘I’m probably being silly,’ she whispered back. ‘But I can’t help wondering what happened to Miss Rose and her friend. It’s been hours .’

  Phyllis bit her lip. ‘Gosh,’ she said. ‘I suppose you’re right.’

  ‘And where is Veronica, come to that?’ went on Mary. ‘I haven’t seen her for an age – nor Lord Beaucastle either. When is the big engagement announcement going to take place?’

  ‘It is rather odd . . . do you think we ought to look for them?’

  ‘Look for who?’ boomed Mr Pendleton, overhearing them.

  ‘Ssshhhh! ’ hissed Mary crossly. ‘Good heavens, Mr Pendleton, you’re awfully noisy. For Miss Rose and her friend, of course. We’re worried they might be in some sort of trouble,’ she added in a low voice.

  ‘In trouble?’ repeated Mr Devereaux. ‘But surely all that about being in danger – it must have been some sort of a joke, mustn’t it?’

  ‘I’m not so sure any more,’ said Mary seriously. She got to her feet. ‘Let’s see if we can find them.’

  The four of them left the supper table, and went through the ballroom and up the stairs into the empty hallway, where there was no one to be seen, but for a footman passing by with a tray of glasses.

  ‘Perhaps we should try outside,’ said Mary, heading for the door.

  But even before they could step out of the house, a white-clad figure came hurtling through the doorway.

  ‘Veronica! There you are! Goodness me, whatever is the matter?’

  Veronica clasped hold of Phyllis in desperation. ‘It’s Miss Rose and Miss Taylor – Lil and Sophie!’ she burst out. ‘I think they are in terrible danger! He’s gone after them – I don’t know what he’s going to do!’

  ‘Whatever do you mean?’

  ‘Who has gone after them?’

  Veronica didn’t answer any of their questions. Her eyes had suddenly lit up at the sight of Mr Pendleton. ‘You have a new carriage, don’t you, and a fine pair? You told me all about them at Mrs Balfour’s ball! Quickly – we have to go after them – now! To the East End – Limehouse. I’ll tell you everything on the way!’

  ‘To Limehouse? ’

  ‘Yes, that’s right, but we must hurry – there’s no time to lose!’

  ‘But – but Veronica – you can’t just leave your own coming-out ball!’ said Phyllis, aghast. ‘Whatever has happened, we can’t go dashing off in a carriage. Not on our own with two young gentlemen! Why, we haven’t even a proper chaperone. It would be a scandal – it would be –’

  ‘Oh shut up, Phyllis!’ stormed Veronica. ‘This is far more important than any of that. Something really terrible could be happening to Lil and Sophie – and it would be all my fault.’

  This announcement led to an explosion of questions. Then, finally, Mr Pendleton boomed out: ‘Wait a minute! You say Miss Rose is in danger?’

  ‘Yes!’ exclaimed Veronica impatiently. ‘That’s exactly what I’m saying!’

  ‘Well in that case it’s perfectly simple,’ said Pendleton. ‘We must rescue her at once. Now, where’s my carriage?’

  But no sooner had they got to the stables, than Mr Pendleton’s coachman came rushing up to them. He was holding his hat in his hands and looked most agitated.

  ‘Oh, Mr Pendleton, sir, I’m so terribly sorry, I can’t think how it happened!’

  ‘What is it, man?’ asked Pendleton, looking alarmed.

  ‘It’s your carriage, sir – it’s gone. Stolen! ’

  Sophie, Lil and Mei stood in a small, shivering group at the end of the dock. They had been herded there by the Baron’s Boys: some half a dozen men who were now standing around them in a semicircle, holding sticks and clubs. Joe had tried to put up a fight, but had suffered for it: a long trickle of blood was running down the side of his face. Now his arms were pinned back by the man with the broken teeth – Jem, the man Joe had once worked for – and another of the Baron’s boys. He looked desperately over at the three girls.

  ‘Well, well, well, so here we are again,’ said Cooper, strolling up to the girls, a smirk on his face. His eyes were gleaming with enjoyment, and he was weighing his revolver in his hands as if he was deciding what to do with it.

  ‘Watch out for her,’ he said to the Baron’s Boys, jerking his head in Lil’s direction. ‘She’s the one I have to thank for this rather nasty headache. It’s put me in something of a temper.’

  He held the revolver close to Lil’s face. ‘You know, nothing would give me greater pleasure than to pull the trigger and finish you and Miss Taylor off here and now. Your antics at Sinclair’s inconvenienced me considerably. Sadly for me though, the master has decided that he’d like to deal with you himself.’

  A murmur ran through the Baron’s Boys.

  ‘You – you mean he’s coming here?’ asked one of the men holding Joe, looking astonished.

  ‘That’s right, Mr Lee. He’s going to be paying us a visit any moment now. So you all better make sure you’re on your best behaviour,’ said Cooper, looking round meaningfully. ‘The Baron is coming.’

  The men glanced at each other, visibly surprised and nervous. ‘Just for them kids?’ Sophie heard one of them muttering. ‘But – he never turns up for no one!’

  ‘What on earth shall we do?’ whispered Lil in Sophie’s ear, taking advantage of their momentary distraction.

  ‘I don’t know,’ said Sophie desperately. ‘Could we swim for it?’ she asked, glancing across at the murky waters of the river.

  ‘We can’t leave Joe,’ said Lil. She was staring miserably at him, as he struggled helplessly in the arms of the Baron’s Boys.

  ‘No talking,’ said Cooper, looking at them both sternly. ‘Another peep, and your friends here will wish you’d never opened your mouths.’

  Sophie’s stomach twisted sharply. This had all been her idea, she realised, more guilt rising up like a s
ickness inside her. She had been the one who had said they should go to the ball; she had been the one who had wanted to find the evidence; she had been the one who had suggested creating the diversion so that Billy and Song could escape. The thought that perhaps they had got away safely with some of the evidence was the one thing she had left to cling to.

  But even that word, evidence, seemed weak and silly now – something from a childish game of playing at detectives. How could they ever have been foolish enough to think that they could really help topple a man like the Baron? He held all of the East End in the palm of his hand – and they were nothing more than a couple of shop girls. She had tried to be someone else – to emulate her father and be the captain, taking her troops bravely into battle. Yet in the end, this was where she had led them. To the edge of the docks, late at night, facing down a revolver. Beside her, Mei was weeping quietly.

  ‘He’s here!’ came a voice from the edge of the circle. The group parted at once, and beyond, Sophie caught sight of an expensive motor car pulling up. The chauffeur got out and opened the door, and then the Baron emerged. In his immaculate dress suit and neat gloves, he looked completely out of place in the murky lamplight of an East End dockside. He seemed mildly bored, like someone on his way to attend a not particularly interesting social engagement. He paid no attention whatsoever to the gaggle of Baron’s Boys, who were silent, bowing their heads respectfully. Instead, he addressed Cooper.

  ‘Good heavens, Freddie. This is all rather uncivilised, isn’t it? There’s no need to be quite so brutish. Can’t someone give that little girl a handkerchief ?’

  Without waiting for a reply, he turned abruptly to face Sophie. ‘Good evening, Miss Taylor,’ he said, sweeping her a low bow. ‘So we meet again.’