Shadow of the Hangman(105)

Fallon laughed. ‘I didn’t exactly pay for them, Tom. They sort of jumped into my bag, the little rascals, and just wouldn’t get out.’ He thrust his hand into the bag again and drew out a battered newspaper. ‘I also helped myself to this in case there was any news of that committee looking into the massacre.’

‘They must listen to our demands.’

‘Captain Shortland deserves to be hanged,’ said Dagg.

‘If there’s nothing in today’s edition,’ promised Fallon, ‘I’ll steal another one each morning. We don’t want to miss the verdict, do we?’

‘No, Dermot, we don’t.’ Dagg picked up the other pistol. ‘If it’s the wrong verdict, of course, I’ll be arranging a little duel with the Home Secretary.’

‘You won’t get the chance,’ boasted O’Gara. ‘I’ll have shot him dead.’





Though he’d intended to return to the gallery by a different route, Paul Skillen nevertheless walked past the theatre and awakened his demons. He reminded himself that their estrangement arose from her concern for his safety. His response emanated from a deep-seated refusal to let anyone else take decisions about his life. The result was a stalemate. From his point of view, it was poisoned by the fact that Hannah, in such an unconscionably short time, had found a substitute for him. While she still occupied his mind, Paul had been consigned to her past without a second thought.

When he reached the gallery, he was still simmering with regret. Charlotte was talking to Gully Ackford as he entered the room. Their greeting earned only a grunt by way of acknowledgement.

‘Have you been living the life of an Irishman again?’ she asked.

‘No, thank you,’ said Paul, grimacing. ‘Most of them are almost destitute. Conditions in Ireland must be truly terrible if they’re driven to come here and live in the rookeries. They’re like so many ants in a giant anthill.’

‘So where have you been today?’

‘I’ve been doing your husband’s bidding, Charlotte, and it’s your fault. You were the one who identified Jane Holdstock. Since she was that interested in archery, she would need a bow.’

‘That’s right,’ said Ackford, taking over. ‘She’d asked me where she could buy one and I suggested a few places. Paul got the same names off me.’

‘I hadn’t realised how many people spend their leisure time in the butts,’ said Paul. ‘Now that we have so many firearms, I thought that bows and arrows were things of the past but there are clubs for archers keeping an ancient sport very much alive. Thanks to Gully, I found the shop where Mrs Holdstock went and she did indeed buy a small bow, suitable for a child, and a quiver of arrows.’

‘So she does have a nephew,’ said Charlotte in surprise.

‘I wonder if the lad realises that his aunt is also a kidnapper.’

‘What did you find out about the lady, Paul?’ asked Ackford.

‘I merely confirmed everything that you said about her, Gully. She was a handsome woman with a quiet confidence and a determination to say very little about herself. I’d love to know why.’

‘So would we all,’ added Charlotte.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Jem Huckvale popped his head into the room to tell Ackford that one of his pupils had arrived for a lesson in the boxing ring. The older man went out immediately, leaving Paul alone with Charlotte.

‘This all began when a cleaner was abducted from the Home Office,’ she said.

‘Yes, it did and the maddening thing is that we still don’t know why.’

‘Peter may do so but he’s keeping the information to himself.’

‘That means he’s bound by a solemn promise, Charlotte.’

She smiled inwardly. ‘He made several of those to me at the altar.’

‘Sometimes it’s dangerous to know too much.’

‘That’s why I never press him, Paul. He won’t break a confidence.’ She looked up at him. ‘By the way, you’ll have to be quick if you wish to see that play I recommended. Venice Preserv’d ends its run next week.’

‘I’ll … let it pass, I think.’

‘You’ll be missing a theatrical triumph.’

‘So it appears.’

‘Peter is going to be so cross when he hears what happened to me this morning,’ she said, gaily. ‘He fell madly in love with Hannah Granville. Wait until I tell him that I actually met her.’

Paul tensed. ‘Where was this?’

‘It was in a shop in Piccadilly. I went in to look at some fabrics and Miss Granville came in with this fine-looking young man. I couldn’t resist going over and telling her how much we enjoyed her performance.’