The Frost Fair

Martin Crenlowe or Sir Humphrey Godden?'

    'To both of them.'

    Jonathan talked about his visit to the goldsmith and his second encounter with the man at the coffee house that morning. Neither man had struck him as the ideal friends on whom someone like Henry Redmayne could rely. He also had the feeling that both of them were holding back certain details about the evening they spent at the Elephant.

    'I was puzzled,' he said. 'They spoke harshly of Captain Harvest yet they had been ready to share a meal with him.'

    'One of them actually paid for it, Jonathan.'

    'How do you know?'

    'Because Henry did not have the money to do so,' said Christopher, 'and I'm certain that the captain did not settle his own bill. He boasted to me about it.'

    'You've met him, then?'

    Christopher took up the narrative again and explained how difficult it had been to find the elusive soldier. His estimate of the man tallied with Jonathan's own but he had learned things that the constable had not. A more rounded picture of the captain emerged.

    'Did you think him capable of murder?' said Jonathan.

    'Yes,' replied Christopher. 'More than capable.'

    'That was Mr Crenlowe's view as well. Sir Humphrey Godden disagreed.'

    'I'd back the goldsmith's judgement.'

    'I'd trust neither.'

    'Captain Harvest did not have a kind word to say about them.'

    'Coming back to this evening,' said Jonathan, pleased that his visitor had now stopped shivering. 'Did you not realise that you were being followed?'

    'My mind was on other things.'

    'Were there no witnesses to the attack?'

    'It was dark, Jonathan. People were hurrying home. Nobody stopped to see a hand helping me into the water. It was a long drop,' he explained. 'Had the river still been frozen, I might have broken my neck on the ice. As it was, I all but drowned.'

    'I still do not see why you were set on, Mr Redmayne.' 'I do,' said Christopher, 'and I found it oddly reassuring.'

    Jonathan gaped. 'Reassuring? When someone tries to kill you?'

    'It means that I'm on the right track, after all. This was no random assault. Had it been a thief, he'd have snatched my purse before pitching me into the water. I was followed for a reason, Jonathan. Someone knows that I'm on his trail.'

    'Who?'

    'In all probability, it was the man who did kill the fencing master.'

    Jonathan was sceptical. 'That's not the conclusion I'd reach.'

    'You still think that my brother is guilty,' said Christopher, almost exultant. 'But my dip in the Thames taught me one thing, if nothing else. Someone is trying to prevent me from finding out the truth about the murder. Henry is clearly innocent.'

    'I hope, for both your sakes, that he is.'

    'But you remain unconvinced.'

    'I need more persuasion,' said Jonathan. 'Do you think that your brother would consent to see me in Newgate? It would help if I could talk to him myself.'

    'Henry is not in the most receptive mood.'

    'Then he'd turn me away?'

    'He's hardly in a position to do that,' said Christopher, 'and any visit breaks up the boredom of being locked away. On the other hand, alas, Henry does not share the high opinion that I have of you. He inhabits a different world and knows that you are hostile to it. However,' he decided, 'there's no harm in trying. Leave it to me.'

    'You'll ask him?'

    'When I visit the prison tomorrow.'

    'Did you see him today?' Christopher nodded. 'How did you find him?'

    'Close to desperation,' replied the other, recalling Henry's confession about the appeal of suicide. 'But I think that I managed to restore his spirits. When he hears about my swim in the river, he'll be even more heartened. The real killer has shown his hand. We know that he's still in London.'

    It was curious. The more the evening progressed, the more drawn she became to him. Determined to dislike the man, Susan Cheever had found him unremarkable on first acquaintance and patently uninterested in her. Jack Cardinal's attention was fixed firmly on his mother and he deferred to her wishes at every point. Susan thought that the old woman was exploiting him but he did not seem to mind, and she doted on him. Mrs Cardinal never stopped telling the others around the table how devoted her son was. His management of the estate was also praised. Brilliana Serle had been responsible for the seating arrangements so she made sure that her sister was next to Cardinal. Her own seat was directly opposite them, so that she could keep them under observation and feed each of them pleasing titbits of information about the other. Susan was relieved to see that Cardinal found it as unsettling as she did.

    Brilliana was not the only person who was watching the couple. When she was not listing her various ailments in order to reap communal sympathy, Mrs Cardinal kept a watchful eye on Susan and on her son's response to her proximity. Eventually, she leaned in Susan's direction.

    'Do you prefer the town or the country, Miss Cheever?'

    'I like both, Mrs Cardinal,' replied Susan.

    'You live close to Northampton, I hear.'

    'It's the nearest town but it is tiny by comparison with London.'

    'Is there much society there?'

    'No,' said Brilliana before he sister could answer. 'Neither the county nor the town can provide fitting company for people of quality. That's why I came south in search of a husband,' she added, tossing an affectionate glance at Serle. 'Since I've been here, I've come to see Northamptonshire as nothing short of barbarous.'

    Susan was roused. 'That's unjust, Brilliana.'

    'I was only too glad to escape.'

    'Well, I have fonder memories. It's a beautiful county and we had many good friends there. I still regard it as my home.'

    'Quite rightly so, Miss Cheever,' said Cardinal. 'None of us can choose our place of birth but we owe it a loyalty nevertheless. As it happens, I once rode through your county on my way to Leicestershire, and I agree with you. It has great charm.'

    'That's what I feel,' decided Serle.

    'Nobody asked for your opinion, Lancelot,' scolded his wife.

    'But I had the same impression as Jack.'

    'That's neither here nor there.'

    'I think it is, Brilliana,' said Susan, enjoying the chance to put her sister on the defensive. 'You may pour scorn on the county of your birth but three of us at least can sing its praises.'

    'Will you be returning home soon, Miss Cheever?' asked Mrs Cardinal.

    'No, not for a while.'

    'Did you not wish to be with your father?'

    'I preferred to stay here, Mrs Cardinal.'

    Serle beamed. 'And we are delighted to have you, sister-in-law.'

    'Thank you, Lancelot.'

    'I understand that you have a house in London,' said Cardinal.

    'Yes,' replied Susan. 'Father and I live there when he has business in the city. If Parliament is not sitting, he retreats to his estate.'

    'Do you like London?'