Page 73 of Dark Tidings on the Thames
“We will get the scabby arse,” Rob called.
Niall inched to the side as they made the slight turn onto King Street. He peered at the wagon ahead of them. Royston still hung on. It slowed as King Street gave way to the north side of Covent Garden.
“Bollocks, there he goes.” Niall ducked as Royston dropped off his slowing wagon and looked back. “Don’t let him see you.”
“He’ll be heading into the garden,” Rob said grimly.
“We’ll get him. Get ready to jump… now!”
They hit the roughened cobblestones and ducked behind a meat cart, watching as Royston sauntered deeper into one of the narrower lanes. “He thinks he’s lost us,” Niall said. “You follow him. Don’t let him see you. I’ll try to circle around and get in front of him. Then we’ll have him.”
Nodding, Rob set out after Royston, taking his time and pretending interest in the wares the vendors were offering.
Niall moved quickly, weaving into the chaos and putting some distance between him and the winding lane Royston was following. The market flew by, the air rich with dozens of different scents and echoing with calls of “Buy my fish, fresh caught this morning!” and “Lemons! Bright as the sun!”
Judging that he’d passed Royston, Niall slowed a bit and moved to intersect the man’s lane again. He stepped past a coffee seller’s stall and casually glanced up the lane, only to curse and brace himself as Royston came barreling toward him, with Rob hot on his heels.
Royston spotted him. The man tried to stop, but slipped in a pile of manure, his arms windmilling as he tried to steer away from Niall. Slipping and sliding, he crashed into a vegetable cart. A pack of dirty urchins jeered, then raced in to snatch up the cabbages that rolled in every direction. Niall went down, too, as he dodged to avoid stepping on one of the street kids. The vendor screamed outrage, insults, and demands, but Royston merely grabbed on, used the man to steady himself, then took off, heading for the clearer streets at the edge of the market.
Niall gave chase again, but Rob was seized by the vendor. “Somebody has to pay!” the man shouted.
On the run, Niall leaned down to grab a rolling cabbage, then another.Damn. Royston was heading for a hack waiting at the end of Southampton Street. The bastard was going to reach it before Niall caught him.
Pausing, Niall drew back and threw a cabbage with all of his might. His aim was true. It struck Royston in the back of his head, causing him to lose his balance, stumble, and knock into the side of the hack. He recovered quickly, though, grabbing the handle and screaming at the driver to go. He scrambled inside as the hack took off.
Niall threw the second cabbage in frustration. It bounced off the back of the vehicle as Niall was left, watching it go, taking Royston with it.
*
Kara watched Bethwith a worried eye when the men came back with the news that Royston had eluded them.
“That bastard,” Gyda raged. “The hubris of him, trying to take her right out from under our noses. That’s it! We are all staying at Lake Nemi until Royston is caught. We cannot risk leaving Beth alone.”
Emelia agreed, pledging to make room. Kara knew Gyda was right about protecting Beth. She also knew staying here was not the long-term answer, but she was too tired to argue.
“Beth, it looked like he said something to you, just before he let you go and ran.” Niall gave the girl a curious look. “What was it? What did he say?”
“He called me a name,” Beth answered with the same eerie calm she’d worn like a mantle since they had seen Lily’s body.
“What name?” asked Gyda.
Beth screwed her face into a scowl and lowered her voice into adeep snarl. “‘Wicked virago! Just like her. I knew it. Worse than the others!’”
“That’s what he said to you?” Kara asked faintly.
“Exactly what he said,” Beth assured her. “I’m not likely to forget it.”
“Nor are any of us,” Kara agreed.
Jeanette entered the parlor carrying a silver tray. “There’s a note been delivered.Cor!It’s been franked by a lord!” She stared down at the vellum in awe. Emelia reached for it, but Jeanette paused. “It’s markedNiall, Kara, or Gyda.”
“Let’s have it, then,” Gyda said.
Jeanette glanced over at Kara. She nodded, and the maid bent to allow Gyda to take up the note.
“It’s from Stayme,” Gyda said. “He didn’t know exactly where we would be, so he sent the same notice to several spots. He’s found a bit of information on Royston.” She frowned over the note. “The man was raised in Sussex by a gentleman farmer. There was some sort of scandal with the mother. She disappeared and the boys were left with the father. Years later, the daughter of one of his tenants was found dead in mysterious circumstances. There were whispers that Royston was involved. Months later, when a village girl was drowned, the local populace again blamed him. His father was magistrate, so the death was ruled a suicide, but it was thought prudent to send Royston away. He was packed off to Cumbria to act as a supervisor in a bobbin mill.”
“So he always has a kernel of truth in his stories,” Niall mused. “But he’s not an owner of either of the mills he claims.”
