Chapter Twenty-one

A noose is offered

‘So do you know who did it?’ Fitzroy’s voice snapped like a whip.

Fitzroy had summoned me only moments after the séance ended, which was just as well as my comment had not gone down well with my cellmates.

A moment after the words had left my mouth Martha Lake had broken the circle and stood up. ‘If no one is going to take this seriously. I do not see why I should stay sitting on this filthy floor,’ she had said. With the circle broken, Angela had thrown herself to the floor and writhed a bit. I had been impressed by the performance; Eunice even more so.

‘Look what you have done!’ she’d exclaimed at me, rather than Martha who had actually broken the circle. ‘She told you how dangerous it was for someone to interrupt her when she was in a trance.’

‘I don’t recall –’ I began.

‘Totally thoughtless,’ echoed the usually passive Jasmine, then looking at Mary. ‘What do you think we should do for the poor woman?’

‘You’re not going to tell me you believe any of this nonsense, are you?’ said Martha, who was now seated on the bench.

‘I think, as we do not know exactly what is happening,’ said Mary calmly, ‘that we leave Miss Blackwood alone unless she looks to me in danger of harming herself.’

‘But she may be beset by spirits!’ said Eunice, who appeared to have embraced the situation most fully.

‘Nah,’ said Abigail. ‘It’s all an act, isn’t it? Bet she was hoping one of us would ‘fess up.’

‘Do you think so?’ asked Mary. ‘An interesting plan if not a successful one.’

‘But why should she do such a thing?’ whispered Jasmine.

‘’Cause like the rest of us she wants out of this bleedin’ place,’ said Abigail.

At this moment Mark, followed by another two policemen bearing the evening bowls of slop, had arrived to escort me to see Fitzroy once more. The first thing I noticed on entering Fitzroy’s office was that there was no sign of food. My stomach growled loudly.

‘So do you know who did it?’

I opened my mouth to respond, but Fitzroy held up his hand. ‘Be careful what you say,’ he added. ‘Time has run out and whoever you name I shall more than likely put a noose around their neck. This business needs to be ended.’

I closed my mouth.

Fitzroy’s face darkened. ‘Come on, Euphemia, don’t go squeamish on me now. You always knew where this was leading.’

‘I am uncomfortable about the idea that someone might meet their end on my word,’ I said. ‘Doesn’t there need to be evidence?’

‘That can be sorted,’ said Fitzroy dismissively.

I tried to feel surprise, but failed. I was all too familiar with Fitzroy’s methods. ‘I spotted your person – your woman,’ I said stalling for time.

‘I would have been disappointed if you hadn’t. Now, stop stalling and tell me who you believe did this?’

‘Wilks or Maisie?’

‘Are they different?’ Fitzroy’s voice carried a note of surprise rarely heard from the spy.

‘I don’t know,’ I said honestly. ‘For all I know they could have all conspired together.’

Fitzroy sighed. ‘Kill the lot and let God sort them out?’ He saw my shocked face. ‘It’s a quote, Euphemia. Not what I am intending to do.’

‘Why the sudden urgency?’

‘Your admirer, Muller. He got you the best lawyer in London. There is no way I can keep you under lock and key without charging you, so I am forced to let you all go on bail. Though whether the others have the material wealth to post bail I have no idea.’

‘I am sorry,’ I said contritely, ‘but I could hardly tell him what was really going on, could I?’

Fitzroy rubbed his hand over his face. ‘No, I suppose not, but this has left me in a bad position. I am needed abroad. The Balkans have broken out. I fear Wilks’s death will need to go unanswered.’

A silence hung between us.

‘I could continue to look into this,’ I said eventually.

‘I could not possibly ask you to do this. Even if poor little Maisie was killed on your watch.’

‘I have already agreed,’ I said.

‘Hmm.’

‘I have discovered where Aggie lived. Not at the store but in a boarding house and that she received an unexpected letter on the morning of the march that made her change her plans.’

‘Who on earth told you that?’

‘Richenda. She did a little detective work on her own before her husband removed her from town.’

‘Richenda, what a surprise,’ said the spy. ‘I take it you still did not tell her about me?’

‘Of course not,’ I said wearily. ‘It was her idea to investigate. She comments she had observed me doing this previously and that it looked rather jolly.’

‘Well, she has certainly done better than you. Perhaps I should have left her in the cell.’

‘I did try to provoke a fight,’ I said. ‘Abigail almost stabbed me.’

‘I doubt that,’ said Fitzroy shortly. ‘What did Bertram unearth? I assume you had him on the trail as well?’

‘That I have yet to learn, but Hans did tell me the name of Wilks’s closest friends.’

‘Did he indeed? And why did he do that?’

I ignored his comment and related the names. ‘I’ve heard of Blake, of course,’ said the spy, ‘but nothing that would suggest he might be involved. I will pass the other names on to Edward, but I do not hope out much hope. Such men, even if involved, will ensure they have got good alibis. Still, we can put a watch on them for future activity. We live in interesting times.’ He gave a swift smile and then said sharply, ‘Why do you think Hans did this for you?’

‘He said he had become aware that I had certain connections.’

‘And what did you say?’

‘Nothing,’ I responded. ‘I thought it would be dangerous for both of us – Hans and I – for me to do so.’

‘Hans is proving to be somewhat dangerous himself,’ muttered Fitzroy. He paced away from me. ‘The stockings,’ he said suddenly. ‘We were a pair short. One of the pairs was also of distinctly superior quality. Several were torn and stretched, but this may have been caused during the protest.’

‘March,’ I corrected.

Fitzroy waved my comment aside. ‘I do not like to leave untidy ends. I am half minded to choose one of your companions at random if you will not give me a name.’

‘That would be crossing a line, even for you,’ I responded sharply.

Fitzroy turned and walked up to me. Right up to me. He came so close it felt uncomfortable, but I would no more have stepped back than I would have turned my back on a tiger. ‘You have no idea of what lines I am prepared to cross,’ he said coldly, ‘when the necessity arises.’

‘Let me try and find the solution,’ I said, aware I was now practically begging to do a task only a few minutes earlier I would have done a great deal to avoid.

‘I shall have to leave in three days, no longer. I will release you and your cellmates on bail. I will ensure all of them are free, and you shall have your time to choose one. Or I shall pick one for you.’

‘I need more information,’ I said quickly. ‘Addresses and the like.’

Fitzroy indicated a file on his desk. ‘You can take that. You will be going straight to the bail hearing and not back to the cell.’

‘You had it ready for me!’

‘Of course,’ said the spy, and called for me to be taken before the judge.