Page 17 of The Artisan and the Duke
David waved off the man’s concern. “Don’t let me hold up your wedded bliss. I was just on my way to see a man about a job. All the best to both of you,” he said with a grin and a wave.
Gregory watched the young man dash away. “So, he knew you were a girl?” There was a question in Gregory’s eyes that he held back, but Jules saw it all the same.
“We’ve known each other since we were children. Of course, he knew I was a girl. He apprenticed with my father, and my father swore him to secrecy. We’ve been good friends for years, and that’s simply all there is to it,” Jules said with a shrug.
Gregory nodded and said, “Well, we had better start making enquiries before people start buying us wedding gifts.”
Jules chuckled and agreed, “Right. Carrying around all that linen could be quite tiresome.” She nodded towards the next street over. “I know a lady who worked at the factory. She was not there when the fire started, but she had gotten off earlier in the day. She might be able to tell us something.”
Gregory had to agree that it was a good bet. “Then let us go see her,” he said, and they swiftly set off towards the woman’s house.
Like most of the other houses in the area, it was more house in name than reality. Gregory wondered if there was a landlord behind this that could be brought to justice over the conditions as Jules knocked on the door.
The door swung open, and a redheaded woman stared at them for a moment. “I’m sorry. Do I know you?” There was a thick Irish accent in the woman’s words.
“Margaret, it’s me. Jules,” Jules said with a grin.
Recognition dawned on the woman’s face as she brought her hands up to clap against her cheeks. “Didnae know you a bit. You look every inch the lass now. Your mother must be swelling in her heart at the sight of ye,” Margaret exclaimed.
Jules laughed. “She is,” Jules agreed. “We actually were hoping we could talk to you about the fire.” Margaret gave Gregory a suspicious glance. Jules intervened, “Forgive me for my rudeness. This is Gregory Townsend, my betrothed.”
“You don’t say?” Margaret exclaimed as she shook her head. “Come in; come in.” The woman waved them into her house.
Gregory and Jules were guided over to sit on a very well-worn seat just big enough for the two of them. Margaret clasped her hands together in front of her with a pleased look on her face. Jules tried again, “Margaret, do you remember anything odd about the shift before the fire broke out?”
The woman took a deep breath. “I’ve thought about that a lot lately. I keep wondering if something happened to Marcus,” she said sadly. “He was a horrible man most of the time, but he gave us work.”
“When was the last time you saw him? The boys and I were discussing this as well the other day,” Jules said thoughtfully. “No one could remember seeing him past the morning before the fire.”
Margaret nodded, “Aye, I saw him about lunchtime. He was in a state, though.”
“A state?” Gregory asked for clarification.
Margaret repeated, “Yes, quite a state. He was sick I believe. He looked awful.”
“Do you know if he left?” Jules asked feeling certain that something was missing, and if she could just grasp it then perhaps everything else would come into focus.
There was a pause as Margaret thought. Finally, she nodded slowly, “I do think he did. I saw him by the back entrance a little before the end of the shift. I never did see him at shift change. That’s normally when he leaves for the night.”
“So, he left early,” Gregory said quietly.
Jules added, “And he was sick or distraught.”
“I do wish the law would look into it, but they don’t care about those children who died. They could burn this whole section of the city down, and no one would blink an eye,” Margaret seethed. “I’m sorry, lass. I just keep thinking about the wee ones and their mums. The heartache of losing a little one too soon is such that it would be a mercy to cut out their hearts altogether.”
Jules reached over and gave Margaret’s hand a squeeze. Jules remembered when Margaret’s own baby had died. The woman had been so consumed with grief that Jules’ mother had brought her food and sat with Margaret to ensure that she ate it.
Gregory said softly, “I hate to press, but I think we should go. We have much to do yet.”
“Oh my, yes,” Margaret agreed, which surprised Jules until the woman continued enthusiastically, “setting up a household takes a good bit of planning.”
Jules forced a smile. “Yes, we’ve been a bit overwhelmed,” Jules said far more truthfully than she would ever admit to.
“If you need anything, just give me a yell,” Margaret said warmly. “It’s the least I can do.”
***
“Let’s go check the lots around the factory,” Jules said softly once they were out on the street. “If something were wrong with the man, he might not have made it far. With all the commotion, his body could still be there.”
