‘Why, Jack, you are flushed. Is it a fever coming on or is there another explanation?’ Bessie stood at the foot of the stairs. Her mockery contained no humour. ‘Let me guess. Could it be that you were waylaid by some trollop?’
‘It is obvious that you know where I have been. Despite your unkind insinuations, I have done nothing to reproach myself for. Miss Balmore asked me to escort her to the house of Captain Hogg’s cousin, which I did. That is all.’
‘Should you not have been escorting me? After all, it is my bed in which you lie each night, not hers.’
‘Stop this at once!’ shouted Jack, his patience snapping. ‘I will not tolerate your constant abuse of Miss Balmore. If you think I find your jealousy of her attentions to myself flattering, then you are mistaken. I find it most unappealing.’
‘I am not jealous of her. You can have the bitch for all I care!’ And then an instant later she was sobbing uncontrollably. At first Jack was glad. It served her right for being so foul about that most sublime of women. As her shoulders shook, her cheeks awash with tears, she stuttered out the word ‘sorry’ between great gulps of breath. Jack’s resolve melted and he went to her and put his arm around her shaking body. She kept repeating the word ‘sorry’.
‘Bessie, please calm yourself. I did not mean to upset you. I should have brought you back.’ She started it and he ended up feeling guilty. How did women always manage that? Jack marvelled.
A glass of wine in the parlour did the trick. Her spirits soon revived. Each had forgiven the other many times, as young lovers do.
‘So who escorted you back tonight?’
‘Mr Courtney. He was most kind.’ Why did he feel uneasy every time Bessie uttered Courtney’s name? Maybe it was the softness that crept into her voice whenever she mentioned him. The tiff that had subsided so quickly could erupt again just as swiftly.
‘As I walked back with Tyler,’ – it was bloody “Tyler” again – ‘it made me think about Bowser. One thing did become clear. The letter. It makes sense that Bowser used the letter to keep him in Newcastle. Without Tyler, the theatre would have collapsed, and Thirsk would have gained control. With Tyler, Bowser has won his battle with his rivals in the town.’
‘I can see Crindle being Bowser’s man. They come from the same mould. I agree with you, yet it does not explain why Crindle had me beaten to a pulp or why Crindle was killed. It fitted in with Courtney, but not with Bowser. Bowser could not have known I was suspicious of him because I only realised it was him two days ago! And surely Bowser would not have murdered your father just to get the letter; your father was already using it to keep Courtney here in Newcastle.’
‘I have given thought to that also. That,’ she said pointing to the table where the simple box sat as a constant reminder of what had taken place in the room, ‘contained the letter. That we definitely know. It held many letters and documents. There must have been something in the box, other than the letter, that Bowser was willing to kill for.’
‘A secret document? Another incriminating letter?’
‘Your guesses will be no different from mine. When I “accidently” opened the box and discovered the correspondence from Lady Lammondale, there were other papers in there. I briefly looked through, but none of them appeared as interesting as that letter. What I did realise was that my father kept his most important papers locked away in there.’
‘We know the box has not been forced,’ observed Jack, who picked it up and idly toyed with it in his hands. ‘Bowser must have used the key. You said something before to me about your father keeping the key around his neck.’
‘Yes, always. He was most particular about that. And it could only be seen if he disrobed.’
Jack placed the box back on the table. ‘I do not recall seeing that your father’s clothes had been disturbed. Though, in the confusion, I might not have noticed.’
‘I am positive they were not. Which only leads us to one conclusion: that my father deliberately opened the box to show Bowser something.’
‘Could he have been blackmailing Bowser in the same way that he had a hold over Courtney?’
‘That is possible, though, if he had, I doubt he would have opened the box in front of Bowser with whatever he was blackmailing him with inside. My father would have been more devious in his approach. Now that I think on it, I suspect he never showed Tyler Lady Lammondale’s actual letter, but probably quoted from it to prove he knew the contents intimately. He would not have risked losing such a precious document by flaunting it in front of his victim. The same line of reasoning would apply to Bowser. My father never conceded an advantage.’
‘So what you are saying is that your father innocently showed Bowser something in the box, without fear or hesitation. Yet this unknown paper was enough for Bowser to kill him on the spot.’
‘Yes.’
‘That is all very well but, as we do not know where or what it is, we cannot proceed. Bowser is still out of our reach. The cause is hopeless.’ Jack slumped dejectedly into the seat opposite Bessie. Only a short while ago, he was walking on air after being kissed by Catherine. Now he had been brought back down to earth. Catherine couldn’t save him from his mounting problems, though her advice to escape the town might be worth heeding. It was the sort of counsel he liked hearing because it matched his own inclination. Yet now that Catherine had kissed him, and once more shown concern for his wellbeing, it would be harder still to tear himself away. He could leave behind Bowser and Axwell – but not Catherine. And Bessie. He was fond of her, too. That he could not deny.
‘Not all is lost.’ Bessie had that determined look in her eyes, which Jack was learning to recognise as a danger signal; and the danger usually involved him.
‘We do not know what the paper is. However, we do know where it is likely to be kept.’
‘Do we?’ Jack responded cautiously. Common sense gave him the answer. It was what it might lead to that made him ask the question.
‘It must be at Bowser’s house. So we must find it.’
There was that bloody “we” again. ‘We?’ Jack reiterated.
‘Well, you. You must break in and search for it.’
This was a nightmarish suggestion. He would have a better chance of living if he volunteered to fight the whole French army single-handedly. ‘Bessie, what you propose is sheer madness. I might as well sign my own death warrant.’ His voice was rising rapidly into a frightened squeak. ‘Bowser has already killed two people, probably dozens more for all we know. He is bound to catch me. “Oh, sorry, Mr Bowser, thought I had dropped my handkerchief the last time I was here. Did not want to disturb you so I climbed in through the window. Seems I was wrong. Must have been another house. Got to rush way. Meeting someone. I bid you farewell.” That will convince him. I will be carried out of there, feet first. And that is if the Lord is being kind.’ Fear often produced a surprisingly coherent ranting.
‘Jack, Jack, calm yourself. Bowser will not be there.’
Jack paused. ‘How do you know he will not be?’
‘Because he will be here. I will invite him to call tomorrow evening.’
‘Ha!’ Jack laughed mirthlessly. ‘After last time!’
‘Exactly the reason. I will write him a note asking him to forgive me for our little misunderstanding. I will hint that maybe he will not face the same resistance this time.’
‘I can see that might attract him. But I have to say that I do not like the thought of the old goat getting his hands on you.’
‘I will keep him at arm’s length for as long as I can.’
Jack frowned. ‘And what about me? How will you explain my absence from here?’
‘I will say that I persuaded you to go drinking with Southby so that we could be alone. But you must not be too long. I want you back before Bowser goes too far. I will only be able to fend him off for so long.’
‘That will go down marvellously. I caught him last time and it ended up with him threatening me, which seems to be the favourite pastime in this town.’
‘All you have to do is make a loud noise when you come through the front door. I will do the rest. You will not have to meet him face to face.’
‘Oh, that is a comfort! I have to tell you, Bessie, that I do not like this little plan of yours. It is fraught with danger. More to the point, it is fraught with danger for me!’
‘How selfish you are, Jack. I cannot believe you are saying this. I will be in more physical danger than you. If you tarry too long, I may have to succumb to him. Just think of that!’
‘I am sorry. But I do have a few difficulties to overcome myself. Firstly, I have to get inside the house without being seen. Secondly, once inside, I do not know what to look for or where to look for it even if I knew what it was. Thirdly, someone might discover me. You may be grappling with Bowser here, but I am sure he has some other unpleasant characters frequenting his house, if Crindle is anything to go by. They might not bother to ask what I am doing there before carving me up into little pieces.’
‘Why do you continually throw obstacles in the way?’
‘Obstacles!’ He was squeaking again. ‘This is not a confounded game. Bowser and his kind kill folk. I do not intend to be his next victim.’
Bessie’s features hardened. ‘You have no choice. You are in trouble already. I dread to think what Bowser will do when your fictitious friend, Garrick, does not make his much-heralded appearance. I doubt even the return of his precious snuffbox will placate him at this late stage. And you cannot escape, because Sergeant Axwell will have you arrested the moment you try and leave the town. It is a wonder he has not put you under lock and key already. Unless we prove Bowser guilty – and very quickly – your life will not be worth a groat.’
Her addiction to home truths was as sobering as it was irritating. And she didn’t even know that he had “lost” the snuffbox. He realised that there was no way out of this ghastly situation. She was right, damn her. He had to go through with it.