Edward Marston - The Frost Fair

'Very much,' he replied with a smile. 'I'm glad that you came back.'

'I feel so much better for my walk.'

'What about your headache?'

'Oh, that soon vanished, Mr Cardinal,' she said, relieved that he obviously accepted her explanation. 'Going out into the fresh air was the best thing I could have done. My little walk has refreshed me completely.'

Christopher Redmayne had stayed long enough to watch her disappear around the side of the building before he set off again. The sudden change in his fortunes had left him in a state of exhilaration. To see Susan Cheever again so soon was a miracle in itself but there had been another unforeseen blessing. As a result of staying at the mansion in the Strand, she would be able to dine with Sir Ralph Holcroft and his wife. It gave Christopher the perfect opportunity to communicate with the woman whom he believed might hold vital information that could be of direct benefit to his brother. He was tingling all over.

Having accompanied Susan back to the house, he now had to walk home alone and he did not let his feeling of joy distract him from the need to be watchful. His dip in the River Thames was still a painful memory. On the stroll back to Fetter Lane, therefore, he kept his hand on the hilt of his sword and his mind alert. It was still light and traffic was busy. When he reached Fleet Street, he had to wait until a coach and three carts had gone by before he could cross the road. Fearing that someone might lunge out of the crowd at him, he remained vigilant all the way home. No attack came but he did have an uncomfortable feeling that he was being followed. When he reached his door, therefore, he turned suddenly on his heel and stared down the street. His instinct had not betrayed him.

Christopher had been followed but it was by a friend. Jonathan Bale was hurrying towards him.

'Why did you not shout?' he asked when the constable caught up with him.

'You'd not have heard me with all the noise,' said Jonathan, as a carriage thundered past with two horsemen behind it. 'London gets more deafening every day.'

"Then let's step inside where we can hear ourselves.'

They went into the house and made for the parlour. Jacob appeared from the kitchen to take their cloaks and hats. Since the attack on his master, he insisted on wearing a dagger himself even though the likelihood of his having to use it was remote. The two men sat down in order to exchange their intelligence. Christopher felt constrained. Though he had confided everything else to his friend, he had deliberately kept his brother's involvement with Patience Holcroft to himself. It meant that he could not share the exciting news that he had finally found a means of getting in touch with the lady. Instead, he had to enthuse about his father's visit.

'It removed all trace of doubt in my mind,' he explained. 'My brother is innocent. If Henry had been guilty of that crime, my father would surely have known it.'

'How, Mr Redmayne?'

'How do you know when your sons have misbehaved?'

'Murder is rather more than misbehaviour.'

'You know what I mean, Jonathan.'

'Yes, I do,' said the other. 'As for my sons, they always look so uneasy that I can see at once if they've been up to mischief. And so can Sarah.'

'It's not quite as simple as that in this case. Henry was so confused.'

'And now?'

'He knows that he could never have killed that man.'

'What did your father think of Newgate?'

'He was horrified,' said Christopher, 'and not merely because one of his sons was being held there by mistake. The whole prison revolted him. Father is like me. He could not believe that a building with such a grand exterior could be so vile and soulless on the inside. That abiding reek turned his stomach. He looked ill when he came out again.'

'Did you visit your brother yourself?'

'Briefly. I took some more food and drink for him.'

'Were you able to mention my request?' asked Jonathan. 'I know that your brother is not fond of me but I would still like to visit him on my own. Would that be possible?'

'Only if you are ready to withstand a torrent of abuse.'

'What did he say?'

'At first, he ordered me to keep you away at all costs.'

'And then?'

'He changed his mind. Henry told me that he so hated being locked up alone in a prison cell that he'd welcome a visit from his worst enemy. Those were his exact words.'

'I see.'

'You'll have to make your own decision, Jonathan. But I'd better warn you that he was very upset when I told him that you were taking a particular interest in his case.'

'That does not surprise me.'

'Henry seems to have forgotten a previous occasion when you helped to get him out of trouble. All that he remembers is the way that you upbraided him afterwards.'

'He deserved it, Mr Redmayne.'

'Oh. I agree. But it did not endear you to him.'

'We'll never be close friends, sir.'

'He's still prickly. Your visit may be in vain.'

Jonathan pondered. 'I'd still like to go,' he said at length.

'Would you like me there with you? It might make it a little easier.'

'No, I'll go on my own. I'm used to talking to prisoners in their cells. They give things away without even realising it sometimes.' He studied the glow on Christopher's face. 'You look happy, sir. Has something else happened?'

'A pleasing encounter with a dear friend, that's all,' said Christopher evasively. 'What's really given me new heart is the discovery that the man who killed Signor Maldini is frightened enough to strike again. I have him on the run, Jonathan. It's only a question of time before I find out who he is.' He rubbed his hands. 'But you would not have called if you did not have news of your own to impart? What have you learned?'

'What we both suspected about him, Mr Redmayne.'

'About whom?' 'Captain Harvest.'

'He's entertaining company, I know, but I'd not trust him for a second.'

'Nor I,' said Jonathan. 'You met him at the Hope and Anchor. I began to wonder why he chose to spend time in a sailors' tavern when, if he'd gone elsewhere, he could have found plenty of old soldiers to talk to about his days in the army.'

'That puzzled me as well.'

'I found out why.'

'Was the gallant Captain Harvest discharged with dishonour?'

'I doubt if he ever bore arms in war. Whenever I was with him, I felt that I was being tricked. So I tried to trick him myself.'

'He'd not have expected that, Jonathan. What did you do?'

'I pretended that I had a friend who worked as a clerk in the army and told him that the man had looked through all the muster rolls without finding any trace of a Captain Harvest. The trick worked,' he said with a smile of self-congratulation. 'He believed me. When I asked him what regiment he served in, he knew that the game was up and fled on his horse. He'll not be so easy to track down again.'

Christopher was intrigued. 'If he is not Captain Harvest, who is he?'

'I do not know, Mr Redmayne, but I intend to find out.'

'Did he not try to talk his way out of it?'

'He tried and failed, sir. His eyes betrayed him.'

"This is news indeed!' said Christopher with a laugh. 'You look so honest that he never suspected that you'd dupe him. Bravo! You tricked a master trickster, Jonathan.'

"Then I let him get away.'

'That was unlike you. Well, this puts a different complexion on the whole thing. I did suggest that he might be involved in the murder but we thought he'd have no motive.'

'Mr Crenlowe believed he might be guilty.'

'Did he say why?'

'No, it was just a feeling that he had about the man.'

'Yet Sir Humphrey Godden disagreed with him.'

'Very strongly. I think that Mr Crenlowe had suspicions of Captain Harvest – or, at least, of the man who was passing himself off under that name. The murder brought those suspicions to the surface.'