Page 29 of Dark Tidings on the Thames
“Very well, indeed,” Kara assured her. “Let’s get you settled there. You can tell us what’s worrying you and we will do what we can to be sure you stay safe.”
The girl thought it over. “Very well. If we can walk, I’ll go.”
Niall took up her baskets for her and they set off. It didn’t take long to reach the tavern, one of the best-known spots in Covent Garden. The place was filled, as it was most nights. When Kara entered, the barman spotted her. Looking about the taproom, he jerked his head toward the table tucked back by the door to the courtyard. It often went unoccupied, as it could not be seen from the entry.
Kara headed for it, flashing Morris a grateful smile. Jeanette filed after her as Niall brought up the rear. The barman leaned toward them as they passed. “You’ll be wanting some o’ Bruce’s buns?”
“I was afraid they would have been long gone by now,” Kara answered.
“He’s back in the kitchen, makin’ extra, as we went through somany, what with the coroner’s inquest held here.” Morris grinned at her. “I hear we’ve you to thank for that.”
Kara shrugged. “I just mentioned that you had the space and the experience.”
“An inquest is always good for business. We’ll send out a fresh batch of buns for your table.”
They took their seats as the barmaid brought by three pints, then circled back with a plate of freshly baked buns. Niall set the baskets down in front of the back door. “It’s starting on to rain,” he said. “No one will be using the courtyard.”
Jeanette looked down at the pint and the food, then stared up at Kara. “How does a lady like you chance to be known at the Screaming Eagle?”
Kara shrugged. “The Eagle is famous for welcoming all sorts.”
“To business, now,” said Niall. “Jeanette, we want to help you, and we are hoping you can help us. We want the truth about Miss Foulger’s killer to be discovered. No one wants an innocent man to be convicted and a killer to go free.”
Jeanette shivered and took a long drink.
“We’ve heard from Lily, and from another as well, that a young gentleman might be the one who was frightening Glynn Foulger.”
“Lily told us you might know who he is,” Kara added.
“And you say he is now frightening you?” Niall asked.
The girl glanced around, but none of the tavern’s patrons were paying them any mind. “Yes.” Her voice lowered. “I’m afraid. I’ve stayed away from my own rooms and I switched spots with Helen, hopin’ he wouldn’t find me.”
“Let’s start at the beginning,” Kara suggested. “You are—were—friends with Glynn Foulger?”
“We werefriendly, perhaps, more than friends.” Jeanette sighed. “She were a good woman and more than good to us night girls. She always kept some of her best blooms back for us, so we weren’t alwaysleft with the last pick or the wilted blossoms.” She shook her head. “And her specials…”
“Lily told us about her special arrangements,” Kara told her. “They must have been beautiful.”
“Saints, the price I could get from one of her specials,” Jeanette said. “I had got one from her the very night she died.” She blinked. “I can scarce believe it was the last one.” She swallowed and was quiet a moment. “Those specials got quite a reputation amongst the young nobs. Glynn was right smart about it, though. She wouldn’t make many, and because they were scarce, it kept the interest high. She would only make them for the girls she liked, too. That put off more than a few of the flower sellers, I tell ye.”
“Tell us about the gentleman,” Niall said. “Young, red haired, and spotty is all we’ve heard.”
“Aye. That’s all true enough. But ye don’t have to spend more than a bit of time with him to see that he’s dicked in his nob.” She shook her head. “He’s awkward, that one. Like, he don’t quite know how to act. I think he gets fixed on somethin’ in his head and he can’t let it go. When we ran up against him, I think he had decided that he was of an age and circumstance that what he needed was a mistress.”
Kara blinked, but Niall nodded. “Ah, he saw the other young men his age starting to pursue the highflyers and paying to keep them.”
“Aye, and he set out to do the same. Except it didn’t go so well for him.”
“The stars of the demimondaine not being traditionally enamored of spotty, awkward young men,” said Niall.
“He got it in his head to woo a certain one o’ them. Gave her gifts, wrote her poems, caterwauled beneath her window, like a cat.”
“She shunned him?” Kara asked.
“She kept the gifts, and she strung him along for a bit, but then she sent him on his way. Or she tried to.”
“He didn’t abandon his pursuit?” asked Kara.
