Fair and Tender Ladies (30 page)

‘I'll have the inn next door bring something over for you.'

Wade held up his wrists. ‘And untie me, perhaps?'

‘No,' the Constable answered bluntly. ‘Not yet.'

By the time Rob returned he was ready to lead the way through the yards and courts that squatted behind the houses of Briggate and the Calls. Some were respectable, homes to artisans, clean and well-kept, while others stood dirty and dank, the air heavy with the stink of decay. He tried doors, shining a lantern inside whenever he found one open, went into corners the sun might not have reached in years, and worked his way through to cramped spaces half-remembered from his youth.

Leeds went to sleep around them. They questioned the whores on Briggate whose work filled the dark hours, the girls Rob knew from covering the nights, but none of them had seen a pair of women together.

He sent Rob off to check on the others as he continued to search. The only consolation was that Mrs Wade didn't know Leeds well; she'd be hard pressed to find her way out without daylight. If God was giving him luck for once, she was still here.

The first fine, pale strands of light appeared on the horizon. He was weary, but not ready to give up yet. He'd push on until he found them, and he'd make sure the men saw him; he couldn't ask them to do anything he wouldn't undertake himself.

At the jail he peered in on Mark Wade. The man was asleep, those large hands cradled under his head like a child. Enjoy it, he thought, soon enough you'll have the rope around your neck.

Rob had settled back in the chair, eyes closed, resting while he could. The Constable sat and pictured Leeds in his head, every street, each nook and cranny, trying to picture the Wades in one of them, hiding. They had no money, they wouldn't have eaten or drunk anything more than they could scavenge. They wouldn't have dared sleep for fear of being discovered. This morning, this morning he'd have them.

‘Come on, lad,' he said finally. ‘You try out along the Calls and the warehouses again. I'll stay and hear the reports from the men.'

Rob started out on Call Brows. From there he could look down to the water and see if anyone was trying to keep out of sight. He followed the road all the way past the bend in the river, seeing nothing unusual; the only women were the ones who made their living washing clothes in the Aire.

He turned back to make his way along the Calls, ducking briefly back into each of the yards as he passed. They could be anywhere. He had a nagging feeling in his belly that they'd already fled Leeds and all this searching would be fruitless.

He moved along the street, methodical and cautious, then glanced up, worried to see a group of women standing outside Emily's school with their young daughters, all talking among themselves.

‘Is something wrong?' he asked.

‘It's still all locked up,' one of the women told him. ‘That's not like Miss Emily.'

The shutters were tight, the door closed.

‘She's probably just late,' he said with a smile. ‘You know what she's like.'

The woman kept her hand on the shoulder of a girl and looked at him steadily. ‘No, love, she went in five minute back. I saw her from me window.'

Rob's stomach lurched.

‘Have you seen two women around here this morning?' he asked urgently. ‘One of them older and big, the other younger?' He raised his voice so they'd all take notice. Some just shook their heads, then one, a mousy, timid woman at the back of the group with her hand protectively on her daughter's head, answered, ‘Aye.'

‘Where were they?'

‘Just up there.' She pointed at a passage a little further up the street. ‘I went down to t' pump and saw them.'

‘How long ago was that?'

She shrugged. ‘Quarter of an hour, mebbe.'

‘I saw them go in the school,' the first woman told him. ‘Right after Miss Emily. I were just coming out over there. Then I heard someone lock the door. That's why I was wondering.'

Jesus. They had Emily.

He took a deep breath, ready to send someone for the Constable, then his head turned quickly as he heard someone running. He saw Lucy dashing up the street, skirts flying around her ankles.

‘What is it?' he asked.

She held up a book. ‘Miss Emily left this. She was late, all at sixes and sevens with you not there.' She looked around at the women. ‘What's wrong. Where is she?'

‘Go to the jail,' he told her. ‘Bring Mr Nottingham.' There was a thud inside the building, something knocked over, a desk or a table. ‘Now!'

The men had returned in dribs and drabs. He'd no doubt that some had stopped on the way to slake their thirst. He'd despatched a few to keep an eye on the roads and sent the others to search in different parts of the city. The last four were with him, Holden and Todd among them, and he was giving them their orders when Lucy pushed the door wide and ran in, her eyes wilder than he'd ever seen them.

‘What is it?' he asked urgently.

Her words came out in a jumble. ‘She was late to school. Mr Rob is there. There's noise inside and it's all locked up.'

Oh Christ, he thought. The Wades had his daughter.

T
he Wades have her. The Wades have her. His footsteps kept the rhythm as he strode along Briggate. Lucy hurried to keep in step beside him, Holden and three more of the men close behind. At the jail he'd taken two swords, then loaded and primed a pair of pistols.

‘What are you going to do?' Lucy asked.

Without hesitation he replied, ‘I'm going to keep her alive.'

She was all he had left. Mary was dead, Rose was dead. He couldn't lose Emily. Not now, with marriage and motherhood ahead of her. He picked up his pace. At the corner of the Calls he paused a moment, directing two of the men out along Call Brows to the back of the building. ‘I want you in the yard in case they try to get out that way,' he said.

At the school he looked at the door and the closed shutters before drawing Rob aside. ‘What do you know?' he asked.

‘Emily was late. Some of the women saw her arrive. It looks as if Mrs Wade and her daughter were waiting in the entrance to one of the courts. They went in right after her and locked the door. I heard something crash down right before I sent Lucy for you.'

‘Any voices?'

Lister shook his head.

Nottingham needed to think clearly. He handed Rob a sword and one of the pistols. ‘Use it,' he ordered.

The Constable's mind was a tangle. ‘Why?' he wondered. ‘What do they want in there?'

‘Revenge?' Rob asked.

He didn't know, but it made as much sense as anything. He'd taken two of her children so she'd take his. He'd left Mrs Wade with nothing, no home, no money, so she was going to take the only thing he valued. Then he understood, as clearly as if someone had whispered it in his ear. The Wades had done the damage to the school. They'd pushed his attention to something he wanted to protect, and away from them. The woman had played him like a fiddler with an old, favourite tune.

‘That crash I heard was just behind the door, boss. They might have set up a barricade.'

‘We need to be in there.'

He had to see that Emily was still alive, to make sure nothing happened to her.

Lister shook his head. ‘We'd have to force our way in. They'd have all the time they needed.'

Nottingham tried to push the freezing fear out of his mind. The woman would want him in there; he was certain of that. She'd want him to see what she had planned. And Mrs Wade was no fool; she'd know there was no escape for her now. She had nothing to lose. He took a deep breath.

‘This is the Constable,' he shouted, his voice rising easily above the noise on the street as the women talked among themselves. ‘Let me in.'

He exchanged looks with the Rob. Moments passed slowly. His fists were clenched so tight that his knuckles were white, fingernails digging deep into his palms. He hardly dared to breathe. Finally he heard the rasp of something being dragged across the floor. It stopped then began again, a slow, desperate sound.

‘I'm going in with you, boss.'

He hesitated, then nodded. Emily was going to be Rob's wife, the mother of his child.

‘So am I.' Lucy had appeared at his side, the small knife in her hand.

‘No,' he told her.

‘I'm not scared of them.'

‘I know you're not,' he said quietly. ‘But Rob and I are going in alone.' Defiance blazed in her eyes, and he thought quickly. ‘I need you out here, to organize the women to stop them if they try to come out.' He turned to the men. ‘You know what to do. Keep everyone back. If you hear anything strange, anything at all, come in.'

They heard the key turn in the lock. He moved forward, pushed down on the handle and slowly opened the door.

The room was dim, a maze of hot shadows. He stood in the doorway, letting his gaze adjust to the gloom until he could make out Emily sitting behind her desk. Her eyes were open, pleading at him, her hands gathered in her lap, fingers clasped tight together. Mrs Wade stood behind her, a knife to the girl's throat. He picked out Sarah in the corner, her face hidden in the shadow.

‘Just you,' the woman said. ‘Not him.'

‘He's courting my daughter,' the Constable answered, and waited until she gave a brief nod. ‘What do you want?' he asked. His mouth was dry. He looked at Mrs Wade, seeing the hatred on her face.

‘You know well enough,' she answered, pulling hard on Emily's hair. He drew in his breath and clenched his fist as the girl cried out, her head yanked harshly back.

‘Let her go.' It was part order, part pleading.

‘What are you going to say next?' The words were a taunt. ‘She's done nothing?'

‘She hasn't.' He could hear the desperation in his voice. ‘You know that. You're the ones who killed people.' He glanced across at Sarah, still unmoving in the corner. ‘All of you.' The Constable paused. ‘Why?'

‘To survive,' Mrs Wade replied simply. ‘That young man, he came when we opened, and saw his sister. Mark took care of him before he could start a fuss.'

‘The girls? Why did they have to die?'

‘I needed to be rid of Jenny before you began asking too many questions. And the other one tried to leave. I couldn't allow that.' She shook her head, no more emotion in her description than a shopkeeper describing damaged stock. ‘I underestimated you, Constable. I thought you'd be as stupid as all the others I've seen. You're persistent.'

‘You like to use poison, don't you?'

‘So much less violent, and so pleasurable after they realize what they've drunk.' She smiled.

‘I'm going to give the people you murdered some justice.'

‘But not before I have mine for my son and daughter.' She laid the flat of her blade against Emily's neck. The girl flinched, scarcely daring to move. ‘What's she worth, Mr Nottingham? What's she worth to you?'

‘You're not going to go free.'

She chuckled. ‘That wasn't my question, was it? I know I'm going to hang.' She twisted Emily's hair again. ‘So one more body won't matter, will it? Or would you rather take her place?'

‘Yes.' He didn't even hesitate, but sensed Rob stiffen beside him.

‘Now that's real love, Constable, giving up your own life for your daughter.'

‘Let her go,' he said again.

‘No,' she answered. ‘Tell me, is this what you want, to sit here and have everyone watch while I slit your throat?'

‘As long as you let her live,' he replied. The blood was beating furiously in his head. The room was stifling behind the shutters but he felt chilled. The woman seemed to ponder for a long time.

‘Take off your sword and your knife,' she ordered. ‘And put down the gun.'

He did as she commanded, letting them fall to the floor.

‘Move forward.'

He took two paces towards her.

‘Stop,' she said.

He halted. Mrs Wade tugged Emily's hair, dragging her upright. The girl opened her mouth, swallowing hard, her eyes refusing to cry. The woman pushed Emily forward, the blade still against her neck.

‘Three more steps.'

He was close enough now to make out every line on her face, to see the thin sheen of sweat on his daughter's skin.

‘Now come to me.'

When they were just a pace apart Emily reached out for his hand. He grabbed it, and with one swift movement pulled her down, throwing himself on top of her. Please, he thought, Christ, please. He had to hope Rob had the brains and the speed to do something.

Time seemed to hang as he waited. Then the explosion filled the room, booming in his ears. He kept his arms tight around Emily, holding her still and praying he was keeping her safe.

Then there was a quick madness of voices as the men stormed in, shouting and yelling, a thunder of noise that slowly faded away. Very cautiously, the Constable raised his head, cradling Emily, feeling her sobbing without making a sound.

It was over. Lister had Mrs Wade under guard, his sword drawn. His shot had missed; the ball was buried high in the wall and a shower of plaster sprinkled the boards, but it had been enough. The men were already bundling Sarah away.

The woman had dropped her knife. Nottingham reached for it as he stood up, helping Emily to her feet. She clung to him, shaking, and he began to move away, his arm fast around her.

‘Bring them to the jail,' he said and turned his back on the scene. He felt drained, barely able to stand, everything gone from him. Then, before he understood what was happening, Lucy was there, running, her teeth bared, pure anger on her face. He followed her with his eyes, seeing her leap and bite down so hard on Mrs Wade's arm that the woman screamed in pain. The bottle she'd pulled from her pocket tumbled and shattered on the ground, the liquid making a small, dark puddle on the wood.