Page 80 of My Gentleman Spy
Chapter Thirty-Three
Will woke with a start.He had been reading a book in his study after supper and had dozedoff.
His ear was ringing. If a platoon of Scottish pipers had been playing in the room it could not have beenlouder.
Something was terriblywrong.
Some people were gifted with premonitions that warned them of danger, for Will it was his left ear. Whenever someone he cared about was close to danger a sudden high-pitched ringing wouldbegin.
He had thought as a young man that he was going mad when it first began to happen. Heading home from a late afternoon stroll in the park with his sisters, the noise had filled his head. He stopped, shaking his head in a vain attempt to drive the maddening soundaway.
His sisters Caroline and Eve had continued walking along the street, oblivious to his absence. They had gone no more than five yards ahead of him, when out of a nearby lane, a daring food-pad had emerged and attempted to violently relieve Caroline of her reticule. The would-be thief had received several swift thumps to the head from Will for his trouble and been handed over to theauthorities.
It was only when the ringing happened a second time that Will began to see a possible link. Over the years he had learned not to ignore the obvious message from thegods.
“But who?” hesaid.
He pulled out his pocket watch from his waistcoat. It was after the hour of eleven. Who did he know that could be out on the streets of London at this ungodly hour and finding themselves in mortaldanger?
A cold chill crossed hisheart.
Hattie.
She was of the habit of leaving the house early and then returning late. He had not seen her since the previousnight.
Opening the top drawer of his desk he withdrew his trusty cudgel and pistol. He checked the pistol. It wasloaded.
In his left hand he held the thick cudgel, his weapon of choice for dealing with the vile scum who preyed on theinnocent.
It had a comforting heaviness about it and fitted his grip perfectly. From the years he had walked the dark streets of Paris, he knew it would allow him to hold off most assailants. Those who offered a fight with a knife or bare fists were no match for such a deftly wielded bluntweapon.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs he found Mr. Little in thefoyer.
“Has Miss Hattie returned home this evening?” heasked.
“No Mr. Saunders. She did say she would be late tonight. She was going to see her friends, the Mayford family after she finished at St. John’s. Mrs. Mayford is slowly dying from the consumption. Hattie has been very worried about her,” replied Mr.Little.
“Do you have anaddress?”
The butler shook his head. “No, just PlumtreeStreet.”
Seeing Mrs. Little approaching up from the lower kitchen stairs, Will stifled the curse he was about to utter. Hattie could be anywhere in the filthy maze of overcrowded houses in Plumtree Street. It would be near impossible to find her if anything hadhappened.
He had just put on his greatcoat and was heading for the front door, when Mrs. Little stoppedhim.
“Oh, thank god,” she huffed, reaching the top of thestairs.
Behind her trailed a young man, no more than sixteen. He was dressed in filthy clothes. Will shifted the cudgel in his hand, ready to use it ifnecessary.
“This is Joshua Mayford. He is a friend of Miss Hattie. She is in thegarden.”
Will raced for the stairs. The others followed closebehind.
“Over there,” said Joshua, as they stepped out into thegarden.
As his eyes became accustomed to the dark, Will was able to see a shape leaning doubled over against the high brick wall at the back of the garden. When Mr. Little arrived holding up a lit lantern Will caught his first look atHattie.
Her face was a bloodiedmess.
