Julius and the Soulcatcher (29 page)

Monday 22nd January 1838

10:34 AM

Julius ran down the stairs and fell into the corridor outside the kitchen tumbling across the floor and out the door. He sprinted out of the stable yard and only stopped in the parklands, when he was sure he was not being chased. Everything was white and still and silent. The snow began to fall, cascading dots of white, matching the white mist from his heavy breaths.

He had got it all wrong.

Tock said the ‘house of animals', Higgins. Not the ‘Animal House'.

Lord Bloomingbury was hiding Tock in his vast house of animals. Was Tock going to give him a soulcatcher in exchange? Was Clara going to be the host—a servant with no family?

Julius ran to the Surrey Zoological Gardens. At the ticket booth he paid his shilling and bolted to the Animal House. There was a chain across the door with a sign saying ‘Closed for maintenance'. Julius ducked under it and burst through the door. It was full of constables.

‘It's not the Animal House,' he blurted out. ‘It's the “house of animals”—Tock's hiding in Lord Bloomingbury's house.'

‘What are you talking about?' said Abberline.

‘I went there to invite my mother home for tea,' said Julius. ‘But she wasn't there. Lord Bloomingbury's kidnapped her. He's going let a soulcatcher seed her, if he hasn't already.'

‘Julius, slow down,' said a steady voice.

Julius spun around to see Mr Flynn and Darwin. ‘Tock's hiding at in Walworth House,' he said. ‘He has Clara.'

‘That's impossible,' said Darwin. ‘His Lordship knows how dangerous the soulcatcher is. I've discussed my theories with him a dozen times. He's seen what the soulcatcher did to Skinner.'

‘Bloomingbury's the Governor of Bedlam. He could have been the one who got the soulcatcher cuttings from Skinner and gave them to Tock,' said Julius.

‘It can't be,' said Darwin. ‘The man's beyond reproach. He's President of the Royal Society and
countless other boards and charities, for goodness sake. He's the confidential advisor to the Queen and—'

‘That's just it,' said Julius. ‘No one would suspect him. No one would search his house.'

‘You're right about that,' said Abberline. ‘If anyone's above the law it's Lord “High and Mighty” Bloomingbury.'

‘But Mama's somewhere in Walworth House,' said Julius. ‘You could search his house on suspicion of—'

‘There's certain people a constable knows not to interfere with,' said Abberline. He hung his head. ‘And His Lordship is top of the list.'

‘It's the boy's mother, we're talking about, Abberline,' said Mr Flynn.

‘I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do,' he said.

Julius turned to Darwin. There was no time to argue with Abberline. ‘You and Mrs Trevelyan will call on Bloomingbury.'

‘Why would we do that?' said Darwin.

‘To keep him occupied,' said Julius. ‘While Mr Flynn and I search the house.'

‘Good idea,' said Mr Flynn. ‘I'll send a cabbie to the academy with a note for her.'

A hansom cab came to a halt at the end of Kennington Road and Mrs Trevelyan climbed out waving her umbrella in greeting. The snow had stopped but the crispness of the air made her cheeks glow.

‘Mrs Trevelyan,' said Mr Flynn.

‘Mr Flynn,' she replied, as Emily climbed out behind her.

‘Thank you for coming,' said Mr Flynn.

‘Say nothing of it, Mr Flynn,' she said. Her white teeth sparkled as she smiled. ‘If poor Clara is in difficulties I will play my part. You can be sure of that.'

‘I'm 'ere too, Mr Flynn,' said Emily.

‘No, Emily, we'll take care of this,' said Mr Flynn. ‘Go back to the academy and wait for us.'

‘But I—'

‘Now, Emily,' said Mr Flynn. ‘Do as I say. Take the cab home. That's my final word on the matter.'

Emily's chin quivered with indignation.

‘Let her come, Mr Flynn,' said Julius. ‘She loves Clara.'

Mr Flynn peered down at Julius. He was by met by something unshakable in Julius's eyes.

‘Er…hmm…very well,' said Mr Flynn. ‘Don't make me regret it, Emily.'

‘You won't, Mr Flynn,' she said.

But he and Darwin were already striding for the cover of some fir trees. Mrs Trevelyan picked up her skirts and followed.

Julius waited for Emily to thank him.

‘I suppose you fink we're even now?' she said.

‘I'm sorry, Emily,' said Julius. ‘I didn't mean what I said last night.'

Emily let out an exaggerated sigh and marched away through the snow, treading in Mrs Trevelyan's footprints.

‘All right, all right,' she said. ‘Don't go all soppy, 'iggins. It weren't naffing to begin wiv.'

Julius ran after her. He wished he could give her a hug.

Mrs Trevelyan nestled close to Mr Flynn in the cold as he pointed to the grand entrance of Walworth House and explained the plan.

‘Call at the front door,' he said. ‘Ask for His Lordship and don't take any refusals. Demand to speak to him if you have to. Keep him talking while we search the house.'

‘I'll tell him I wish to take my girls to see his menagerie,' she said. ‘Mr Darwin can introduce me to him.' She pecked a kiss on Mr Flynn's cheek, and took Darwin's arm. ‘Come, noble knight. Lead us into battle,' she said.

‘Yes, indeed,' said Darwin, and they scrunched through the snow to the front door.

Julius, Emily and Mr Flynn went in through the back door and up the stairs.

The corridor was empty.

Julius, Emily and Mr Flynn listened. Far away, wings flapped and something squawked. Emily flicked her head to the side and stepped out onto the thick carpet. She put her ear to the first door. Julius did the same. There were sounds from within. Emily opened the door a crack. A scratchy chattering noise seeped out.

‘It's upside-down fings,' whispered Emily.

Julius looked around the door. The room was full of bats the size of cats. They were hanging from the chandelier and the tops of the picture frames. Every so often one of them twitched or wiggled as if dreaming bat dreams. The furniture and carpet was covered in guano.

Each of the rooms they looked in contained at least one species of mammal, bird or reptile. At one of the doors near the grand entrance Emily listened longer than usual.

‘Mrs Trevelyan's in there,' she whispered. ‘She's talking up a storm.'

‘Is Bloomingbury there too?' whispered Julius.

‘Yeah. She's asking 'im all about animals and fair flirting the ears off the old geeza.'

Julius, Emily and Mr Flynn climbed the central staircase where squirrel-sized monkeys played nervously while a python watched.

At the library, they stopped. ‘There's someone moving around in there,' Emily whispered.

‘Clara?' said Julius.

‘I don't know,' said Emily. ‘It sounds like pages of a book crackling when they're being turned.'

Julius reached out to turn the handle.

‘Wait,' whispered Mr Flynn. ‘I'll go first.'

He straightened his top hat and opened the door.

Julius rushed in after him but stopped when he saw Edward Rapple sitting on a chair, trying to prise the armadillo out of its ball. Benjamin Baines was standing at the table, examining the large books with a magnifying glass. Parrots squawked from the chandelier above. Both men stared at Mr Flynn, their still-bruised and swollen faces frozen in astonishment.

‘I didn't know that you were interested in flora and fauna,' said Mr Flynn.

‘Always keen to expand my horizons, Mr Flynn,' said Baines, trying to disguise his surprise. ‘We are planning a little trip, as it happens.'

Rapple pushed the armadillo off his lap. It bounced across the carpet, still in a ball, and Rapple's hand casually rose to the opening in his brown overcoat.

‘Let's cut through the preliminaries, gentlemen,' said Mr Flynn.

‘I'm not sure I follow,' said Baines. His hand hovered over his side pocket.

‘You can tell us where Tock is,' said Mr Flynn. ‘Or I can throw you both out the window. I'd prefer not to
exert myself, if it's all the same to you.'

‘And we wouldn't wish you to, would we, Mr Rapple.' said Baines.

‘No. We wouldn't want it on our conscience, would we, Mr Baines.' said Rapple. ‘I have enough trouble sleeping as it is.'

Rapple's fingers disappeared into the folds of his overcoat as a door opened.

Mr Tock walked in. ‘Nearly ready for—' He stopped and his broad smile turned into a gape when he saw Mr Flynn, Julius and Emily. He hastily closed the door behind him.

It took him barely half a second to collect himself.

‘Why, it's our young friends…and Charlie,' he said. ‘Is it? Is it?'

Mr Flynn flicked a warning look at Rapple whose hand stopped halfway into his coat.

‘You are full of surprises. You are. You are,' said Tock to Julius. ‘You must tell me what you did with Abigail's claw. We can't find it anywhere.'

‘Shut up and listen, Tock,' said Mr Flynn. ‘We've come for Clara Higgins. Hand her over now, or I'll pull your head off and throw it out the window.'

‘Dear me,' said Tock. ‘You're a forthright fellow, aren't you? Aren't you?' He turned to Rapple and Baines, his smile closing into a stern slit. ‘Mr Rapple. Mr Baines. Get rid of these people once and for all,' he said. ‘All of them.'

‘Yes, Mr Tock, sir,' said Baines. ‘Right away, sir.'

Mr Tock pushed the door and was gone, slamming it shut behind him.

A machete wheeled through the air, missing Mr Flynn's nose by a quarter of an inch. It embedded itself in the spine of a book on the bookshelf.

Rapple pulled another machete from his coat. Julius reached for the nearest bookshelf and pulled out a large volume.

‘Mr Flynn,' he called out and flung the book to him.

Mr Flynn held the book up in front of him like a shield. The second machete stuck firmly in its cover.

Baines pulled out a meat cleaver and came at Mr Flynn's flank.

Emily plucked a porcelain figurine from a bookshelf and threw it. The ornament smashed against Baines's elbow, giving Mr Flynn a second to pull the machete from the book. He kicked over a table, sending large volumes cascading over Baines. Then he threw the shield book at Rapple.

It hit him squarely on his nose, making him cry out in pain. In two steps, Mr Flynn was within striking distance. He punched Rapple, sending him tumbling backwards, crying out oaths as he went.

Julius saw Baines rise up with a meat cleaver like an angry phoenix. Emily threw a book at him but he knocked it aside and made for her.

‘Not so fast,' said Mr Flynn.

Baines turned to see the machete flying towards him. He ducked and swung the cleaver at Mr Flynn's head. But the champion boxer was too quick. He dodged the blade and it cut into the edge of the table, sticking there. Mr Flynn drove his fist into Baines's jaw. Julius heard the bone crack.

Baines wailed like a wounded bloodhound and staggered back. He slammed against the window, shattering the glass, and fell through it.

‘Mr Baines,' called out Rapple.

‘Quick,' said Julius, pushing open the door Tock had gone through. ‘We have to find Clara.'

Julius took one last look at the library before following Emily and Mr Flynn after Tock. All that could be seen of Baines was his bloody hand clasping the window frame and Rapple leaning across the glass-strewn windowsill clutching his friend's collar to stop him from falling two storeys down to the snow.

Julius slammed the door behind him. Tock was gone.

‘What's that smell?' said Mr Flynn.

Emily was already at the bookcase, prodding and pressing the books. ‘The secret door's frough 'ere somewhere,' she said.

Julius remembered which book it was. He tilted back a small green volume and felt a click under his fingers.

The bookcase opened like a door. The stench of open graves flooded over them.

Emily put her hand over her nose. ‘Smells like 'e's collecting whale offal,' she said.

Julius looked at a stone stairway, winding down into the gloom. ‘Bloomingbury wanted us to go down here,' he said.

‘Let's not disappoint him, then,' said Mr Flynn.

Julius, Emily and Mr Flynn climbed down. The air grew warmer the further they went.

The stairway stopped at a wooden door. ‘There's water sloshing around,' said Julius. ‘It's like something very large is having a bath.'

He opened the door far enough for one eye to peek through.

‘What is it?' whispered Mr Flynn.

‘It seems we've found where His Lordship keeps the crocodiles.'

CHAPTER 25