Page 48 of The Cursed Writer
‘I know the feeling, Mr St John,’ Harry replied, with a self-deprecating smile. ‘Most of the time, I surprise myself.’
‘I am sorry, Miss Moss. I refuse to let you go under such circumstances.’
John Archer was standing beside the fireplace in the drawing room, his forehead knotted in the kind of forbidding frown Harry was more used to seeing from her father. ‘I am sorry to disappoint you, sir, but both Mr Holmes and I are quite firm on the matter. There will be no settlement of your account, no payment needed. Our services come for free and that is the end of it.’
Archer appealed to Oliver. ‘Come now, Fortescue, surely you can make her see reason. I am deeply indebted to her – to you both – for everything you have done here. Please allow me to compensate you accordingly.’
Oliver shook his head. ‘It is not my business. I do my best to help where needed, but I am not in the employ of Sherlock Holmes.’
‘I have never heard of such a thing,’ Archer exclaimed, throwing his hands up. ‘It is a ridiculous way to operate abusiness. However do you make any money, if you never charge your clients?’
Harry smiled. ‘As you will know from Mr Holmes’ published adventures, the fees he charges are discretionary. In your case, there is no charge.’
‘Preposterous!’ Archer exploded.
Oliver took a step forward. ‘Might I make a suggestion? Miss Moss has certain charitable concerns in which she takes an interest.’ He fixed Harry with a meaningful look. ‘Perhaps a donation to one of those deserving cases might be appropriate. The Brighton charity, perhaps?’
It took Harry several seconds to catch his meaning but the moment she understood she had to admit it was an excellent idea. The difficulty lay in persuading Cecily to accept help but she did not have to know where the money had come from. ‘That could work,’ she said, looking at Archer. ‘If you agree.’
He nodded. ‘I am always happy to support worthwhile causes. Shall we say £200?’
Harry swallowed a gulp of surprise. It was more than she dared hope for, enough to see Cecily settled in a good house away from the slums of Circus Street, with plenty left over for food and living expenses for at least a year. ‘That is very generous. Thank you.’
‘On the contrary, Miss Moss, it is a small price to pay for all you have done for us here. You both have my undying thanks, as does Mr Holmes. Although I am beginning to suspect his role is rather exaggerated in the accounts I have read.’ His eyes twinkled as he regarded Harry. ‘Perhaps even the greatest detective is only as good as his assistant, eh, Miss Moss.’
Harry couldn’t quite hide her smile. ‘I couldn’t possibly say, Mr Archer.’
17
The newspapers were full of the narcotics ring that had been uncovered and smashed in rural Cambridgeshire. The story dominated the headlines for several days, revealing how the gang had smuggled drugs in from the coast, using ancient waterways to move their deadly cargo around. The ringleader was named as Ishmael Bloom, although Scotland Yard confirmed he’d had many accomplices, most of whom had been rounded up. No mention was made of Thrumwell Manor, nor of the famous author Philip St John’s strange illness, for which Harry was grateful. She knew from Oliver that the tobacco Eliza had given them had indeed been laced with tincture of Ergot. It seemed she and Donaldson would be going to prison for a long time, if found guilty at trial.
It was more than a week later that Harry received another letter from Beth. They met, as before, at the Mother Red Cap, and Harry discovered she was beginning to develop a taste for mild.
‘So what have you got for me?’ she asked, once she and Beth were seated at a table.
The other woman took a long draught of her drink. ‘Firstly, Polly Spender is a wet drip. I don’t know who she’s more scared of – her old man, the gang she’s fallen in with or me.’
Harry eyed her with some disapproval. ‘I hope it’s not you. You were supposed to persuade her to talk, not scare her half to death.’
Beth rolled her eyes. ‘Who said I done that? I didn’t say that, did I? I just pointed out that the girl is terrified of her own shadow.’ She sniffed. ‘Luckily for you, I made that work in our favour. It turns out she did plant that jewellery under your friend’s pillow but get this – she was told to by the housekeeper.’
The housekeeper who had links with Mrs Haverford’s Bureau of Excellence. Why did everything keep coming back to that, Harry wondered. ‘Does Polly know who told the housekeeper to do it?’
‘That’s where your luck ran out. She did mention there was a right to-do when Mildred got released from prison – a lot of people got angry, she said.’ Beth paused to gaze at Harry. ‘She didn’t name any names but I got the sense she meant the sort of people you don’t want angry with you. It was obvious she knew more but she clammed up like an oyster. That means she was more scared of them and what they might do if they found out she blabbed, than she was of me and what I was threatening to do if she didn’t blab.’
‘Beth!’ Harry exclaimed. ‘What were you threatening to do?’
‘Keep your hair on,’ Beth grumbled, casting a sour look around to see if anyone had noticed. ‘I told her I’d put the word out, make it tricky for her to get another job. And she said, it was already tricky. The housekeeper at the Finchem place refused to give her a reference, see. Polly said she might have to go into the family business instead.’
Harry considered the information. It was curious that Polly had been refused a reference from Lady Finchem – PercyFinchem, in particular, had thought highly of the girl. ‘What’s the family business?’
‘Picking pockets,’ Beth said. ‘But she’ll be no good at that. She’s too scared – the mark would notice her before she got fingers anywhere near their pocket. But she might be useful to us in the future. For information.’
‘Us?’ Harry stared at her, amused at her impudence.
The woman shrugged. ‘You said there might be more work for me, if I done all right with Polly. Seems to me I done a good job.’
Harry could not deny it; Beth had done exactly what she had asked of her. She placed four shillings on the table. ‘Fair enough. Here’s the rest of your payment, plus a little more for expenses.’
