If there had been some element of appeal in Mr Crowther’s glance, she chose to ignore it and did not check her young charge, thinking, as many did, that a little liveliness would do Mr Crowther no harm, but sat by the fire with her sewing and smiled as she listened to the retelling of the opera.
Susan Thornleigh knew enough to realise it had been a great indulgence in her guardian to let her attend the opera with Rachel and Mrs Service and himself, and perhaps suspected she should not let herself be as obviously excited as she was, but the joy of an audience and pleasure in having something to tell was too intoxicating. Her natural abilities as musician and actress made her retelling more interesting than monologues from little girls usually are, and the palpable joy with which she told Crowther the whole argument of the entertainment was so innocent and wholehearted, to hold her back would have been an unnatural cruelty.
‘Then Fléance – Signor Manzerotti, you know . . .’ She pulled herself up straight, opened her eyes wide and set her shoulders down and at an angle. The effect was so like Manzerotti, Crowther could not help smiling. ‘He is convinced he must leave Indomida – that’s Miss Marin.’ Now she pointed her chin upwards and fluttered her eyelashes, her hands clasped and raised. Again, it was uncanny. Crowther was surprised into a dry bark of laughter which made Susan skip with pleasure before taking up her story. ‘Indomida does not know why Fléance is become so cold and is very upset, and it is just after that, they sing the duet! You heard it yesterday – Mrs Westerman told us you did.’ He nodded, and Susan began to hum the tune. ‘Oh, it is so beautiful, isn’t it, Rachel, dear?’
Miss Trench nodded and said dreamily, ‘They had to encore it twice, Mr Crowther, and even the composer was given his own “bravo!” The roses on stage! Oh it was heaven, and such noise in the theatre, I thought the ceiling would go flying off! In truth, if the performers had not left the stage, I think that we would be applauding still. I certainly should.’
‘Did the composer seem pleased?’ Crowther asked.
Susan shrugged and replied, ‘Not really. Just a little embarrassed, I think. Some people are shy like that.’ Lady Thornleigh put the composer from her mind with a brutal simplicity. ‘Then there was another ballet, which was very nice, I thought, except one of the dancers danced like this.’ She put her arms out in front of her and performed a few steps with a strange halting diffidence, looking about her as she did as if trying to copy the invisible performers around her. ‘However, she was at the back, so didn’t spoil it much.’
Crowther did not comment, though he saw Mrs Service look up from her work with an eyebrow raised and caught Susan shrugging an apology while mouthing, ‘But it’s true!’ across the room.
He hid his own smile to ask, ‘And how did you enjoy the rest of the opera, Susan?’
‘Oh, it was very pleasant, I think. Though mostly in the old style. Graves said Mr Bywater saved all his originality for the duet. That is where he is now – Graves, I mean – supervising the printing of the duet to go on sale in the shop tomorrow. He’ll sell thousands! Everyone will want it. Everyone was talking about it at church today, weren’t they, Rachel? Even people who weren’t there.’ Susan shook her head at the madness of the world, then continued, ‘Though
I
don’t need the music, I can remember it all anyway. And Manzerotti sang, “
Sia fatta la pace
”, his favourite aria. He sings it every time he performs, you know, and it was quite wonderful.’ She hummed a little, then exclaimed, ‘But we must show you what happens in the end! There is a sea battle and a very funny bit where Manzerotti is chased round the stage by the Furies. Rachel, I shall be Manzerotti and you must be Miss Marin because that is not so hard. All you have to do is clasp your hands and blink as if you have dust in your eyes.’
Crowther missed the retelling of the Third Act however, as it was at that moment Mrs Westerman came in to join them.
‘You see, Crowther?’ she said. ‘We are the best entertained household in London.’ She looked at Rachel and Susan playing Manzerotti and Marin in front of the proscenium arch of the fireplace. ‘All of the luminaries of the theatre and music world come to us here in the shape of Lady Thornleigh.’
That young lady grinned up frankly at Harriet then swept a theatrical bow to her. ‘Madam, I thank you.’
Rachel put her arm around Susan’s shoulders, her good humour apparently dissipated by the arrival of her sister. ‘Come along, dear heart. Let us see what mischief the young gentlemen are about and leave Harriet and Mr Crowther to talk over unpleasant things.’
Mrs Service began to put away her work.
‘An excellent plan, Miss Trench,’ she agreed. ‘Then let us set Susan to work at her keyboard and see how many of last night’s arias she can pull out of the air.’
Before Susan could be shepherded from the room, however, Harriet put up a hand.
‘Susan, Rachel! One moment, my loves. You said something about being allowed to visit the performers at the endof the evening?’
Susan turned on her heel at once. ‘Oh yes! And you told us we must tell Mr Crowther about it too.’ She flew back to her stage in front of the fireplace, ignoring the slight frown of Mrs Service. ‘Well, everyone was just standing around being awfully polite to each other as people do. The King had left – he seems like a nice man, though he must be terribly worried about America. Then Mr Harwood came in and beckoned Manzerotti and Bywater and Miss Marin over to him.’ She took a couple of steps over to her right, then with a frown crooked her finger at some imaginary artists, looking very serious. ‘Rachel and I guessed that he was telling them about Mr Fitzraven, didn’t we?’ Rachel nodded sombrely. ‘From where I was standing,’ Susan went on, ‘I could see Miss Marin best. She did this.’
The little girl actually went pale, and staggered slightly. Crowther found himself on his feet ready to take her arm. She grinned, enchanted at having fooled him.
‘Come, Mr Crowther, stand here on my right. You are now Mr Bywater. Miss Marin clutched onto his arm and sort of half-fell on him for a second. Mr Bywater was facing forward still and his lips got all bunched up. He looked a bit like a confused herring.’ She dropped Crowther’s arm and took a smart step to her left. ‘Manzerotti just went very still – like when he got turned into a statue at the end of Act Three – and all the others just started talking. I thought Miss Marin’s maid was going to lead her away, but after a few seconds she straightened up again and started talking to Lord Sandwich. I like him. He knows a lot about music for a naval man.’
She smiled round at the adults watching her, expecting more of their praise, but each seemed lost in his or her own thoughts.
‘Then Mr Harwood came and made a bow to Rachel and said he hoped Mrs Westerman and Mr Crowther would be successful again in their efforts for justice. And I said I hoped you would be too, for although I was not fond of Mr Fitzraven, no one should be thrown in the river like that.’
Harriet, who was standing with her arms folded, apparently lost in an examination of the carpet at her feet, said, ‘And what did Rachel say?’
Susan looked at her with a frank smile. ‘Why, nothing. You just curtsied, did you not?’
The young woman nodded.
‘And she did so very neatly – you need not be ashamed of her, Mrs Westerman. Three times in ten when I curtsy I still catch my slipper on my petticoat.’
No one offered any remark to that.
‘There! Did I help?’
‘Yes, Lady Thornleigh,’ said Crowther. ‘You certainly did.’
‘Good,’ she said, snatching up Rachel’s hand and dragging her towards the doorway where Mrs Service was still waiting for them. ‘I like to be of help.’
Harriet took the seat Rachel had just left, and they had the room to themselves.
‘It seems,’ Harriet said after a few moments, ‘that Miss Marin was worth the trouble of her hiring. If the congregation of St James’s is anything to measure by, all of London is enraptured. Do you think her reaction to Fitzraven’s death is suggestive?’
Crowther tented his fingers. ‘You think she too might be a spy? Though of course we have as yet no reason to believe Palmer’s suspicions of Fitzraven to be accurate.’ He seemed lost in contemplation of his cuffs, though Harriet knew wherever he directed his gaze at such moments, he saw nothing. The strange chemical stains that often appeared round his wrists were testament to that. He continued: ‘I pity Fitzraven. From what we have learned of him, this would be the sort of day to make him very happy.’ He reached into his pocket and produced a piece of paper. ‘I have had an interesting note this morning from our friend Justice Pither. He gives us his full authority, and a great deal of thanks, and would be delighted if we can – and I must quote him here – “perform those duties due to the dead man from which pressure of other business under his jurisdiction keep him”.’
He passed the note to Harriet and she read it, wincing. ‘That is an ugly phrase, “duties due”. Strange man, Justice Pither. I wonder that he cannot hear his own awkwardness. However, I presume he means he would like us to find him a killer if we can.’
‘Note also,’ with his long fingers Crowther tapped at the significant passage in the paper Harriet held, ‘he reminds us that a considerable award is available to those who bring such black-hearted villains to the King’s Justice.’
Harriet put the note aside and half-smiled at the floor in front of her.
‘Very well then, Crowther. It seems Mr Palmer has managed to arrange authority for us through whatever means. I feel sorry for Mr Pither to be used so, but I suppose we are in the service of a greater good. Let us see what we can do. What do you suggest?’
Crowther returned to his examination of his fingertips, saying, ‘Graves said Fitzraven had lodgings in a house in Great Swallow Street. I suggest we go there and see if there is anything which might suggest that Palmer’s suspicions are well-grounded.’
‘Crowther,’ Harriet said slowly, ‘I have been thinking more about Mr Palmer and whether, by engaging us to act in this way, he hopes I will continue to press James for what he learned from the agent aboard the
Marquis.
Might that not be his primary motive?’
‘I cannot say, though I believe that when a man like Mr Palmer, however frank his demeanour, says he has three reasons for a course of action, he in all probability has four or five,’ Crowther replied. Upstairs, the faint song of Susan’s harpsichord began. The notes seemed to tumble through the ceiling rose and dance like dust motes in sunlight around them. ‘However, I do not think any additional motive he has renders the reasons he stated invalid.’
There was a laugh from above. Harriet recognised the voice of her sister. Her hand lay on the arm of one of the elegant but functional chairs that were dotted about the room. Under her fingers the wood seemed to change from gilt into the smooth timbers of a ship’s gunwale, and the scattered brightness of the instrument playing over their heads became the sound of water rippling under the bow on one of those blessed days where the wind is generous, though the sea is calm. It had been on such a day in the East Indies when her husband’s ship and the merchantman she shadowed had been attacked by a privateer. The attempt would never have been made against a ship of His Majesty’s Navy, had not the crew of the privateer received intelligence of the coming of the ship, and the wealth of the merchantman she accompanied. It had allowed them to take advantage of the play of coast and prevailing wind, and the engagement had been sharp. Three members of James’s crew had never been ashore again. It was one of the crew of the merchantman who had betrayed them. Harriet had seen the man hung and felt no qualm at his death.
‘I hate spies, Crowther. The fact that Fitzraven seems to have been a prying, sneaking little man makes me suspect him strongly.’
‘We should bear in mind that the most successful of their breed are more likely to wear a charming and honest face.’
That was the last moment when it occurred to Harriet that she still had time to withdraw. She could picture the scene upstairs – Lady Susan entertaining the younger children with Rachel, and Mrs Service at their side – and wondered to herself if she might join them, might be free and easy, and foul neither her mind nor her reputation with further association with violent death. Then she thought of her husband and felt, with a sensation like sand running through her hands, that her days of ease were perhaps in any case over. She might join the party upstairs, but at present she would only bring darkness with her.
Let Palmer make use of her, then.
III.3
J
OCASTA, SAM AND Boyo made a breakfast from the strips of bacon the boy found in the crock, and it did Jocasta some good to watch him cooking the meat with such a tender care, humming to himself over the fire. When the first knock at the door came and a thin man in a tatty overcoat arrived to have his cards read, Sam skipped out to clean their cuttles at the pump, and when there was a gap in the flow of people coming to be told what they already knew and bite their thumbnails over it, he set the kettle to boil over the fire and brewed a dish of tea for her. She sat back in her seat to drink it, and nodded to him to get some into himself too. It had been an ordinary morning. Three girls coming to ask if they should marry, an older woman wanting to know if her husband was getting too friendly with their neighbour’s wife, and the thin man who’d been told if he handed ten pounds to a friend of his to hold he’d have fifteen before the end of the year. The girls would marry, though two were tying themselves to lazy fools if the cards were right, the woman was unjust, and the man would have less trouble if he just threw his money into the Thames today and have done. But while the cards had told stories to each of them in their usual way, they had not ceased teasing at Jocasta. At the centre of every spread she laid out, she saw that house in Salisbu Street. Now she set down her tea and sniffed, pulling the box towards her. Sam sat up with interest and watched her lay out the cards cross-fashion.