Paul Lawrence - The Sweet Smell of Decay

‘Aye, but there is a piece of evidence which we did not have at the time, which explains the nature of the disagreement. It was not an ordinary disagreement.’ Dowling looked at me and winked again. I didn’t wink back. I hoped he knew what he was doing.

‘Enlighten us.’ The judge put his chin in his hand, looking curious.

‘After Hewitt was killed I went to his house with some of my men, on Mr Lytle’s instruction.’

‘On what authority?’ the Attorney General stood up and barked.

‘Mr Attorney General, kindly be quiet unless I ask you to speak,’ the judge shouted, furious. The Attorney General sat down angrily and buried his head in his shoulders. ‘Now, Mr Dowling. Upon whose authority?’

‘My apologies, My Lord. I spoke in error. It was Mr Lytle’s suggestion . We entered the house on the authority of His Majesty.’

‘There.’ The judge waved a hand at the Attorney General. ‘Are you satisfied?’

The Attorney General slumped back in his seat.

‘We were looking for some evidence that explained why Matthew Hewitt should have been so distressed by our attentions that he sent two men to kill Mr Lytle.’

The court responded with a series of ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’. This was the first revelation that did not result in everyone looking at me as if I were Satan’s bag carrier.

‘And why, pray, did Matthew Hewitt send two men to kill Mr Lytle?’

‘We found letters at Hewitt’s house, various documents. Of no great importance of themselves. However, they indicated that Matthew Hewitt had changed his name a few years previously.’

‘Changed his name from what?’ The judge demanded, incredulous. The Attorney General stopped picking at his fingernails and raised his head in interest too.

‘Venner,’ replied Dowling.

Venner! So Matthew Hewitt was Matthew Venner? A relation. Dowling was implying that Hewitt was associated with the Thomas Venner revolt! Then Hewitt was a Fifth Monarchist too, and therein lay his relationship with Keeling. This explained how it was that Keeling had told me that Hewitt had unleashed his dogs upon me. The two of them were connected!

‘You have lost me, Mr Dowling.’ The judge shook his head in confusion. ‘You are looking at me as if you have presented me with a barrel of cream, and I have no idea why.’

‘Lord Keeling was a Baptist, as was William Ormonde. Lord Keeling remained fanatical even after the Restoration whilst Ormonde did not. Keeling backed Venner’s Revolt and Ormonde threatened to expose him. Keeling killed Ormonde’s daughter so that he would remain quiet — for Ormonde has two daughters. However, John Giles had learnt of Hewitt’s involvement, probably through his wife, and was blackmailing him. Keeling killed John Giles to protect Hewitt. Hewitt sent two men to kill Mr Lytle, because he threatened to expose the whole affair anyway.’

The court fell silent. Everyone looked at the judge, who looked confused. We sat like this for at least a minute. The judge cast an eye about the court, anxious not to be seen to make a fool of himself. ‘You mean Venner sent two men to kill Mr Lytle?’

‘Aye, sir,’ Dowling nodded. ‘His manservant has ’fessed all.’

‘And I suppose William Ormonde will testify accordingly?’

‘Yes, My Lord. Now that Keeling is dead William Ormonde is able to speak without fear.’

The judge still looked bemused. He turned to the Attorney General as if he genuinely sought his views. ‘Mr Attorney General, do you know anything about this at all?’

The Attorney General stood up with a weary expression on his face, wondering perhaps if he still had a career. ‘My Lord, all I can say is that this testimony is at odds with the testimony of Mr William Hill. I have no knowledge of all that Mr Dowling sets before us and, indeed, were he not in the employ of His Majesty then I would find his testimony incredible.’ He sat down and flicked his quill to one side.

‘I agree, sir. Mr Dowling, I will need to see all of this testimony you refer to.’

‘Of course, My Lord. I have it with me today.’

‘Very well, pray continue.’

‘The men that Hewitt sent to kill Mr Lytle failed. Unfortunate for Hewitt I think, for once Mr Lytle had taken him prisoner, Keeling must have feared that he would talk.’

‘Mr William Hill testifies that he witnessed the accused kill Matthew Hewitt then sever his tongue with a knife and nail it to a …’ he rifled through some papers ‘… trapdoor.’

Dowling arched his eyebrows and sighed deeply. ‘Mr Hill lies, My Lord. Soldiers killed Matthew Hewitt, soldiers sent by Keeling. These same soldiers attempted to abduct us both besides, until we were rescued by men I know that live in Alsatia.’

‘Whose testimony do you have to substantiate that?’

‘Just mine and Mr Lytle’s I fear,’ Dowling grimaced, ‘for none from that part of London would ever come here to testify.’

The judge muttered unhappily.

‘Though I fancy we may be able to find the bones of the soldiers that killed Hewitt if I be permitted to search for them.’

‘I see.’ The judge still looked most bemused. ‘And then I suppose that Lord Keeling pursued Mr Lytle to Bride’s to kill him, and the accused was forced to defend himself. Hence the plea.’

‘Yes, My Lord.’

‘Mr Dowling, what evidence do you have of that? Mr Hill says he saw the accused plunge a knife into Keeling’s ribs.’

‘Sir, I have testimony from several of the soldiers that escorted Mr Hill to St Bride’s and from those that prepared the body for burial. The only knife discovered at the scene remained clenched in Lord Keeling’s fist. They had to drop a stone on his fingers to free it. Between his ribs he had half a walking cane.’

The judge eyed the Attorney General with open contempt, yet refrained from asking him his opinion another time. The Attorney General appeared to be beyond caring.

‘How do you explain that the accused desecrated the grave of Jane Keeling?’ the judge asked at last. ‘I may safely assume that whatever fantastic story you are about to tell me is well documented?’

‘Certainly, My Lord.’ Dowling scratched his head, rubbed his cheeks with his palms and stretched. ‘First I must tell you that he informed me in advance that he was going to desecrate the grave. I did not approve, but neither did I stop him.’

‘True,’ I said aloud, without meaning to. ‘That he advised me not to do it.’

‘Then why did you?’ the judge asked me directly.

I blinked, and then slowly stood. None pulled me back down. Dowling smiled back encouragingly. The Attorney General looked at me out of the corner of his eye, but looked away again just as quickly.

‘Sir, we were convinced that Matthew Hewitt had killed both Anne and John Giles. Yet Hill kept insisting that I go to Epsom. When I did go to Epsom, then I was directed by Mary Ormonde to visit Beth Johnson.’

‘The same Elizabeth Johnson?’ the judge asked.

‘I suppose,’ I affirmed, ‘and she did not tell me that Jane Keeling was with child, as Hill claimed, but she did say that she took her own life and she had a letter affirming it.’

‘Did you see this letter?’

‘No, sir. But she directed me to the house of Dr John Stow, who told me that she had been with child. From that I presumed Keeling had killed Anne Giles out of revenge, and when I related my idea to William Hill then he assured me that I was correct and that he had heard rumours to that effect besides.’

‘So why did you desecrate a grave, Mr Lytle?’ the judge demanded, incredulous.

‘Because I did not believe the story. It was so easy to discover, and Hill had insisted so absolutely that I go to Epsom, that I doubted the veracity of it. Yet what if it were true?’