D. Wilson - The First Horseman

‘I cannot do that,’ I said. ‘I must seek this fellow out and talk with him.’

Ned’s eyes opened wide and he almost dropped his glass. ‘I trust you are jesting,’ he gasped.

‘I fear not.’

I told him about the inconsistencies surrounding Robert’s death, the inconclusive evidence given to the coroner, my visit to Hemmings and my conversation with Lizzie. ‘It was she who — very reluctantly — advised me to make contact with Doggett,’ I concluded. ‘She suggested you might provide an introduction. But now you tell me that he is working for the Seagraves, as their agent of vengeance.’

Ned set down his empty glass on the hearth, covered his face with his hands and shook his head. ‘Oh, Thomas, Thomas, Thomas. What a labyrinth you have wandered into.’

‘Exactly, and as in a labyrinth there is a point at which return to the beginning is impossible, so I must now go on.’

‘Pray God you do not lose your way.’ He sighed. ‘When we came to Southwark, Jed and I, we were shocked by what we discovered. We seemed to have fallen into a melting pot where all the seven great sins were stirred together. It is not the place I would wish to introduce an honest gentleman like yourself.’

‘Yet you have survived,’ I urged.

‘Oh, aye. We have been accepted because those who hold sway there think we have talents to offer. I have taught Jed something of my medical skills and, in a place like Southwark, we lack not for patients. But those who venture there for their own private reasons are like to find themselves covered in leeches — and not for the sake of their health.’

‘Are you saying you won’t introduce me to Doggett?’

He shook his head and sighed again. ‘I know not what to do for the best. My instinct tells me to advise you to meddle no further.’

‘But — ’

He held up a hand. ‘I know — you feel you cannot disentangle yourself. You may be right. But how to proceed…’ He stirred one of the embers with his foot.

‘Perhaps we can make enquiries without involving Doggett,’ I suggested.

‘That is what you most certainly cannot do. He will know of your presence within the hour. He does not like strangers asking questions.’

‘Then I must go firm-footed into the Dogs’ kennel and risk getting bitten.’

‘Not so hasty; this wants careful thinking.’ He stared at me long and hard, the reflected firelight giving his eyes a glow of added intensity. ‘What exactly is it that you are hoping to discover?’

‘Simply what Doggett knows of a professional assassin, possibly foreign, who is an expert with handguns. There cannot be many such.’

‘Doggett is certainly the one man who will know the answer to that question. Lizzie was right about that. But what if the murderer you seek is someone to whom he has extended his protection?’

‘Then, I suppose, he will tell me nothing.’

‘More likely he will prevent you asking questions — for ever.’

‘Lizzie said I should not risk my life trying to find out who killed Robert.’

‘You would do well to heed her. She is wise and has learned her wisdom the hard way.’ Ned paused. ‘However if we must pursue this matter — and I do say “if” — we must take a more oblique approach. Perhaps I should go to Doggett in the first instance.’

‘I would not want you to take risks on my behalf.’

‘Oh, Doggett will not harm me. I nursed his favourite doxy through a fever.’

‘But if he has been commissioned by the Seagraves to kill me?’

‘We would have to keep your name out of our enquiries — at least until we knew the lie of the land.’

‘Do you think that possible?’

Ned shrugged, his rubicund features quite bereft of their usual bonhomie. ‘If Doggett felt I was deceiving him… making a fool of him…’ He drew a finger across his throat. ‘As soon as I broach the business he will have his hounds out, sniffing for information. One way or another he will have the truth ere long.’

‘Then we will have to trust him. Surely, even a man like Doggett would not want to shield a cowardly assassin, would he?’

‘If he has been paid to protect your quarry, yes. If he feels more loyalty to one of his own kind than to a stranger, yes. If he scents some financial advantage in helping you, then, just possibly, no.’

We both fell silent. It was a long time before Ned spoke again. ‘I can see only one faint glimmer of hope in the situation.’

‘What is that?’

‘Doggett has no love of foreigners. If the man you seek came from across the water to ply his trade in Doggett’s territory, Doggett would be most offended and might be persuaded to cooperate. But then, of course,’ he observed mournfully, ‘we don’t know that your assassin is an alien.’

After another lengthy silence, Ned rose to take his leave. ‘Let me see what I can find out,’ he said, with his hand on the door latch.

‘Very well,’ I agreed, ‘but don’t be long. Our killer may already have left London.’

‘In which case you have nothing to worry about,’ he replied, with an encouraging smile.

But worry I did and another night passed in mixed wakefulness and bad dreams.

In fact my impatience was not long stretched. The following afternoon Jed appeared in my shop. His message was simple: ‘Ned wants you to come straightway. He said to bring a full purse and a discreet weapon.’

The November weather had turned foul. We took the narrower lanes between Bread Street and East Cheap but rain and sleet lashed us as we emerged into Grass Street, passed the impressive frontages of rich men’s houses and jogged on down Fish Street Hill. Huddled in our cloaks and hoods, we made haste for the protection of the bridge, thankful only that the rain had washed the stench of Fish Wharf out of the air. Reaching St Swithun’s House, we dismounted and hurried indoors. Ned met us in the ground-floor chamber he shared with Jed.

‘His Grace, Lord Doggett, has graciously consented to receive us,’ he said, with an uncharacteristic note of scorn in his voice.

‘Good,’ I responded. ‘When do we go?’

‘Directly. Doggett is planning to be away from town and has commanded our presence before he leaves. It would not be wise to keep him waiting. But first there are one or two points I must make. The first is that I have not mentioned your name; you are simply a wealthy merchant in need of some discreet service, for which you are prepared to pay handsomely.’

‘That’s true enough.’

‘There’s more: I have given my word that you are not an intelligencer for the beaks.’

‘Beaks?’

‘Magistrates. They sometimes send spies among us. ’Tis a hazardous occupation; the wretches tend not to survive more than a few days. Doggett boasts that he can smell them.’

‘I can satisfy him on that score.’

‘Third, your audience will cost you five sovereigns of the latest coinage, unclipped, paid in advance.’

I nodded.

‘Finally, I am to warn you that if Doggett comes to believe that you are not being straight with him, that you are concealing anything, or that you are in any way trying to trick him, then…’

‘Yes?’

‘His exact words were “Tell your friend not to make any plans for tomorrow.” If these conditions are not agreeable to you, Doggett says you may leave and he will have no interest in you. If you accept his conditions, then you will be entering a binding contract and must accept whatever consequences follow.’

‘I am ready for that,’ I said.

Ned walked to the door and threw it open. ‘Then let us go and may Mary and all the saints preserve us.’

Beneath my breath I muttered a heartfelt ‘Amen.’