Angus kicked a rock aside. Back to working at Mr. Mann’s shop. He’d been down to the ship to see Miss Jennings off.
“I wish I’d had a chance to take your photograph, Angus,” she said, as the porter carried her trunks aboard the steamship bound for St. Michael. “Not only would you make an interesting subject, but you’d have a memento of my visit. Nevertheless, here is a little something to thank you for your help.” She pressed a book into his hands.
He’d thanked her and waved goodbye as she boarded. Her tiny blond head and neat brown bonnet were instantly absorbed by the crowd.
It was beginning to look as though he’d be stuck working in Mr. Mann’s shop for the rest of his life. He flicked through the book. No, he had no further interest in being a photographer. It would be nice to have a camera, to take pictures of things of interest, but not to make a living from it. After the events of the past weeks he was more determined than ever to become a Mountie. Not only were the police required to track down murderers and pickpockets and patrol the cribs and the gambling halls, to be on guard against the use of vile language and loose morality, but they had to watch out for spies and foreign agitators too.
Roland was leaning up against a building when Angus rounded the corner. “Afternoon, my boy,” the magician said.
“Thought you’d been evicted,” Angus said.
“Decided my work here is done. Time to take my leave. My boat’s leaving shortly.”
“You said you wanted to be my friend. But you only wanted to hurt my mother and Mr. Walker.” Angus walked away.
Roland fell into step beside him. “I misjudged. The Savoy wasn’t a centre of the Scottish independence movement. No harm done.”
“No harm! A man is dead. And no one will ever be held accountable.”
“You mean Stewart. His real name, by the way, was the somewhat mundane John Green. We live in perilous times, son. Perilous times call for bold action. The Americans are growing in strength. About to go to war with Spain. They’ll have their eye on Canada next and after that, what? The British colonies in the Caribbean that’s what. What would you have us do? Put Green in jail for thirty days? Expel him from the territory? The Mounties here, they have no strength.”
“Not kill him,” Angus sputtered. “And everyone who might be associated with him.”
“Say goodbye to your mother for me. I did enjoy working at her place.”
Angus walked away. Behind him, Roland called out, “You forgot something.”
The magician was holding a quarter between his thumb and forefinger, grinning.
Angus headed back to Mr. Mann’s shop.