‘I’m certain that he didn’t, Paul. He’s determined to keep her, as you found out. No manager wishes to be left in the lurch. If she walks out, he has to begin a search all over again.’
‘He won’t be very pleased with Miss Ingram.’
‘He’ll never forgive her.’
‘Then it’s an astonishing act of self-sacrifice on her part.’
‘I’m not convinced of that.’
‘In that case, accept her offer and bid her farewell.’
‘Don’t be so hasty.’
‘I’ve remembered everything you told me about that woman,’ he said. ‘She stirred up trouble whenever you worked together. She deceived you, lied to you, reviled you behind your back and – you once hinted to me – she stole away a man who’d taken an interest in you.’
She flicked a hand. ‘That was years ago,’ she said, scornfully, ‘and I never really cared for him. I was glad to see him go.’
‘Elinor Ingram is your enemy. Get rid of her.’
‘I’m very tempted to do that, Paul.’
‘Why do you hesitate?’
Breaking away, Hannah walked around the room and was deep in thought for a while. When she finally came back to him, she introduced some new information.
‘I spoke to one of the other actresses,’ she said.
‘What did she tell you?’
‘Elinor has been very ill. She was unable to work for over six months. That’s an eternity for anyone in this profession, Paul. Our careers onstage are short enough as it is. Every minute counts. To be forced to watch others thrive while you suffer is a form of purgatory. Part of me,’ she confessed, ‘was glad to hear the bad tidings, but another part scolded me for my lack of feeling. That woman is lucky to be alive.’
‘I still believe that you should let her go.’
‘I’m thinking of the trouble it would cause Mr Teale.’
‘You didn’t care about that when you demanded he got rid of her.’
‘My attitude has softened.’
‘You’ve got what you want, Hannah. Seize it with both hands.’
‘It feels so … cruel.’
‘What’s got into you?’ he asked. ‘I’ve never seen you dithering like this before. Why can’t you make a simple decision?’
She looked helpless. ‘I don’t know …’
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Peter Skillen returned home to learn that Clemency van Emden had withdrawn to her room with a show of temper, leaving Charlotte alone for once. While puzzled by the behaviour of their guest, he was pleased to be able to talk freely to his wife. She explained what had happened in the garden and feared that she’d lost Clemency’s friendship.
‘It wasn’t your fault,’ said Peter. ‘How were you to know that you’d touched on a sensitive subject?’
‘Clemency asked me how I met you and I told her. It seemed only natural that I’d ask about her courtship.’
‘I can tell you something about that. Before she met her future husband, she’d been very close to a young man named Neville Taylor.’ Charlotte’s eyes widened. ‘Yes, it was Mr Taylor’s son.’
‘How close were they?’
‘According to his father, Clemency had more or less accepted a proposal from him. He’s still embittered at the way his son was cast uncaringly aside.’
‘I can’t believe that Clemency behaved like that.’
‘I’m only quoting Mr Taylor.’
‘She’s such a caring person.’
‘He believes that she should have obeyed her father. In refusing to do so, she contributed towards his death.’
‘But, in spite of everything, she loved him.’
‘Taylor told us that she had blood on her hands.’
‘Clemency can’t be held entirely responsible for what happened to her father. He was no angel, Peter. In a bid to prevent her marrying someone to whom he objected, he put her under immense pressure.’
‘If she already had a suitor, his attitude is understandable. Marriage into the Taylor family would have been of advantage to Mr Parry. He must have felt embarrassed when she rejected Neville Taylor in favour of a complete stranger from a foreign country.’
‘My sympathies are still with her.’
‘It would have soured his relationship with Geoffrey Taylor.’
‘Yet, according to Mr Darwood, it was Mr Taylor who wanted to set up a fund to help Clemency’s father.’
‘That’s true. He still had the highest opinion of Mr Parry’s skill as an engineer.’
‘What sort of man was Mr Taylor?’
‘He struck me as a decent, honest, hard-working person who’d built a successful business over the years. He was perfectly pleasant until Clemency’s name came into the conversation.’
‘What are you going to do – question her about Mr Taylor’s son?’
‘No, Charlotte,’ he said. ‘In view of the way she reacted to you earlier on, I’m going to keep well clear of her. I need more detail of what actually happened.’
‘How can you possibly get that?’
‘I’m hoping that Jem can do it for me. I’ve ask him to find Neville Taylor.’
‘Does he have an address?’
‘No, but he was very clever. The first thing we noticed when we found the engineering works was that the company trades as Geoffrey Taylor and Son. Neville is also an engineer. As we left the premises,’ said Peter, ‘Jem took the trouble to ask one of the employees where the son might be found. It transpires that he’s supervising a project somewhere in Southwark. Jem will find him.’
Herein I see that thou lovest me not with the full weight that I lovest thee.
In the role of Celia, Elinor Ingram delivered the line with true feeling as if sending a personal message to Hannah Granville’s Rosalind. The second scene of As You Like It brought the two of them together to discuss the banishment of Duke Senior, Rosalind’s father. Many of the lines had a double meaning for the two actresses that nobody else would even notice. After brooding on her decision, Hannah had eventually given her sworn rival the benefit of the doubt and allowed her to remain part of the company. Elinor was profoundly grateful, rewarding Hannah by keeping out of her way when they were not actually playing a scene together and giving her best when they did. As time went on, Hannah felt more and more at ease. She was reassured that her decision had been the right one for the company. While she would never call the other woman a friend of hers, she no longer treated Elinor as an arch-enemy.
The rehearsal was followed by a discussion of costumes and Hannah was delighted with the designs she was shown. Before she was ready to leave, Vernon Teale took her aside.
‘I do apologise for not speaking earlier,’ he said, ‘but, as you saw, my hands have been full. My wife and I would like to invite you and Mr Skillen to join us for dinner.’
‘Thank you. We’ll be delighted to accept.’
‘Excellent.’
‘We look forward to meeting Mrs Teale.’
‘She’s been begging for the opportunity to meet you. My wife is one of your most ardent admirers and will talk endlessly about the plays in which she’s seen you in London.’
They arranged a time when she and Paul should arrive. Since the manager’s house was within walking distance of the theatre, it would only take a matter of minutes to get there. Her pleasure was mingled with relief at the fact that Teale had made no reference at all to her demand to evict a member of the cast. She’d been forced to accept his ruling on the matter and he’d responded by pretending that the argument had never taken place. That suited her. Harmony had been restored and she was confident that her stay in Bath would now be a pleasurable one.
Paul was less optimistic. He had lingering doubts about Hannah’s decision to allow Elinor Ingram to stay in the company, but had not dared to criticise it. His advice had been ignored and he had to accept that with good grace. In any case, a potentially troublesome actress like Elinor was not their major problem; the highwayman occupied that position. Of his presence
in Bath, there could be no question. He’d returned Hannah’s valise with a note of apology and sent her a gift stolen from one of the other passengers in the coach. What his next step would be was a matter for speculation, but there would definitely be one. Paul was certain of that. He was still not persuaded, however, that the man was bold enough to turn up at the restaurant where Hannah was most likely to dine, and contrive to brush past her. On reflection, he was glad that he’d been unable to catch up with the couple who’d left the restaurant on the previous day.
Having walked around the city that morning, he chose to ride that afternoon, covering more ground and therefore seeing more people from his elevated position. Everyone seemed to be on display in Bath, strolling through the parks and gardens or being driven in a range of vehicles that allowed them to preen in public. When he first set out, he was more interested in horses than in their riders. A man could easily disguise himself, but a black stallion with a white blaze did not have that option. The first animal that had the necessary colouring was ridden by an elderly man with a paunch hanging over the front of the saddle. No sooner had Paul dismissed him as a suspect than another black horse came into view, its head marked with a vivid white blaze. A tall, lean man with a dark complexion was in the saddle. Close to Paul’s age, he had the same bearing. He demanded more scrutiny.
After letting him ride past, he pulled on the reins to turn his own mount in a circle, then followed the man from a discreet distance. His pursuit was short-lived. Coming towards him within minutes was an almost identical horse with a rider even taller, leaner and darker of hue. Which one was he to follow? And how many others would he meet who might possibly be the man he sought? Bath seemed to be chock-full of such individuals. Unable to trail them all, Paul eventually abandoned the notion of tracking any of them.
It was time to give up and return to Hannah.
Because he was so short, slight and youthful, people tended to disregard Jem Huckvale, not realising how strong he was or how assertive he could be when occasion demanded. Equipped only with the information that Neville Taylor was working beside the river in Southwark, he began an intensive search of the area. After an hour in the saddle, he found the man at the rear of a large house, watching his men drain the bottom of the garden before creating a barrier to keep out the water in future. They’d erected some iron scaffolding and were using a steam-driven pump. Had he not been there for a purpose, Huckvale would have enjoyed watching the men at work. Instead, he approached their employer. Neville Taylor looked like a younger version of his father, with the same distinctive profile and the same air of self-possession.
When Huckvale introduced himself, he could see from the way Taylor looked at him that the man didn’t take him seriously. He’d been schooled in what to say by Peter Skillen, so he pressed on, raising his voice for effect.
‘I’ve brought news that may be of interest to you, sir,’ he said.
‘What news is that?’
‘It seems that George Parry has died.’
‘I’m sad to hear that,’ said Taylor, ‘but not, alas, surprised. My father and Mr Parry were close at one time. When is the funeral?’
‘It may already have taken place, sir, but there is a problem. We don’t know where and when the service took place. I work for private detectives hired to find out the truth of the matter.’
‘I can’t understand why there’s any confusion.’
‘It’s too complicated to explain, sir,’ said Huckvale. ‘The simple fact is that his daughter has come all the way from Amsterdam to pay her respects at his grave and is unable to find where it is.’
Taylor was interested. ‘Clemency is back in London?’
‘She’ll be here until we know what happened to her father.’
‘Do you have access to her, Mr Huckvale?’
‘Yes, sir, she’s staying at the home of one of the people for whom I work. Mrs van Emden is being well looked after.’
‘Is her husband with her?’
‘He was unable to come.’
‘I see,’ said Taylor, thoughtfully. ‘Is she in good health?’
‘She’s in very good health, sir, but her mind is troubled. You can imagine the shock she had when she was unable to find Mr Parry’s last resting place. Mrs van Emden was even more upset by something she learnt from Mr Darwood, an old friend of her father’s.’
‘And what was that?’
‘I don’t need to tell you how she and Mr Parry fell out. She longed to be reconciled with him and wrote many letters. They never reached him, according to Mr Darwood.’
‘Were they lost at sea, then?’
‘No, sir,’ said Huckvale. ‘Somebody prevented Mr Parry from seeing them. As it was, he’d been writing to his daughter to say that he’d forgiven her, but she never received his letters either.’
Taylor was outraged. ‘Some villain intercepted them?’
‘So it appears.’
‘Who was the rogue?’
‘We don’t yet know, Mr Taylor. It was someone bent on keeping father and daughter apart. We’ll keep searching until we find him.’
‘Thank you for telling me all this,’ said Taylor. ‘I had no idea that Clemency – Mrs van Emden – was here in London. It is years since we met and she may have forgotten me completely, but please give her my regards in any case. I hope that she soon finds out the truth of what actually happened to Mr Parry. As an engineer, he had few equals,’ he went on, pointing a finger. ‘That pump over there was his invention. It makes our job so much easier.’
‘Do you have any message for Mrs van Emden, sir?’
Taylor was about to say something, then thought better of it.
‘My warmest regards will suffice,’ he said, quietly.
They stared into the open grave at the church of St Anne’s and felt a twinge of guilt. In spite of the way they’d ordered their foot patrols to keep a special eye on the city’s churchyards, three had been robbed during the night. This one – at the very heart of Westminster – was the scene of the most daring crime because St Anne’s was no isolated church where bodysnatchers could work with relative safety. It was in a populous district where some people would always be abroad at night.
‘How did they get away with it, Micah?’ asked Hale.
‘They worked quickly and quietly.’
‘Somebody should still have seen or heard what was going on.’
‘It rained heavily last night,’ said Yeomans. ‘Anyone out and about would have been more interested in hurrying home than in looking into a churchyard. There’s another consideration, Alfred. Make allowance for people’s fears. Many of them are scared to go anywhere near a place like this at night. They think that ghosts will rise up out of the earth.’
‘One of them did rise up, so to speak. They sold the body for a profit. Surgeons pay well.’
‘We must stamp the trade out somehow.’
‘I agree,’ said Hale. ‘Whenever I think of my own funeral, I’m terrified that someone will dig me up and take me off to be cut into little pieces.’
‘You wouldn’t know a thing about it.’
‘My wife and children would. I’d hate them to suffer that way.’
‘Then make sure you stay alive until the law is changed to allow the use of cast iron coffins. That will deter the ghouls who make their living by ripping corpses out of the ground.’
‘Mr Kirkwood told us that this was one of three graves plundered last night. The bodysnatchers go on and on unchecked. How many coffins will be unearthed tonight, I wonder?’
‘We know of one that will escape – St Saviour’s.’
‘But we don’t know that it will attract any interest, Micah.’
‘Sooner or later, they will come,’ said Yeomans. ‘Once they get the smell of death in their nostrils, they can’t stay away.’
‘But there’s no corpse being buried in St Saviour’s. It’s just a coffin with stones in.’
‘That will be enough to bait the trap. Let’s go and
see the other two churchyards that were robbed last night. It’s the work of the ungodly,’ he went on, lapsing into homiletic mode, ‘and they must be struck down by the righteous.’
Charlotte Skillen was still worried. Clemency was a guest in the house and therefore entitled to the utmost consideration. Charlotte blamed herself for speaking out of turn and causing the upset. At the same time, she was bound to wonder why her innocent question had provoked such a reaction. It had certainly revealed an unexpected aspect of Clemency’s character. Evidently, there were things in her past that she wished to keep hidden.
When Clemency finally came down from her room, Charlotte took care to keep the conversation on neutral subjects. For her part, Clemency didn’t refer to what had occurred earlier in the garden. Chatting happily, she acted as if nothing untoward had happened. They adjourned to the drawing room and sat down.
‘You lead such an adventurous life,’ said Clemency. ‘I envy you.’
‘There’s nothing to envy.’
‘Yes, there is. You must be the only woman in London engaged in solving crimes or hunting for missing persons.’
‘Some of our friends think that I’m mad. They believe that what I do is both dangerous and unladylike.’
‘It’s also very important.’
‘We are there for anyone to hire,’ said Charlotte. ‘It means that we face new challenges all the time. We’re never sure who will knock on the door of the gallery in search of help.’
‘I’m so glad I found my way there.’
‘So are we. Peter thinks that your father might still be alive.’
‘Yes, I know.’
‘Doesn’t that possibility excite you?’
‘It does and it doesn’t, Charlotte. I’d hate to meet him in the wretched state that’s been described to me. He was such a proud man. Now that he’s lost everything, I’m sure that he wouldn’t wish me to see him again.’
‘But he hasn’t lost everything, Clemency.’
‘Yes, he has.’
‘He’s regained a daughter he loves,’ said Charlotte. ‘No matter what his condition, any father would be glad to do that.’
Fugitive From the Grave Page 18
