Hungerford. Under the scrutiny of an avidly curious Mrs. Albright, Jeanne pulled up the board in her room and removed the suit of clothing that Sutcliff had worn when he murdered Middleton.
Leaving Jeanne at the boarding house, Pomeroy, Sir Montague, and I went to the Sudbury School, found Sutcliff, and, to Rutledge's great fury, arrested him.
Sutcliff fought, but Pomeroy, tall and muscular, was practiced at bringing down culprits. 'Now then,' he said, locking his great arms around Sutcliff to the delight of the boys looking on. 'It's a wicked murderer you are. A nice reward I'll get for this conviction.'
The other boys, led by Timson, shouted with glee that their tormenting prefect had been taken, until Rutledge bellowed them all to silence.
I left them with the magistrate and went back to Hungerford to fetch Jeanne Lanier. She waited for me in the tawdry parlor with its shabby furniture, where I had spoken to her before.
The day had darkened, and the room was lit with a sconces that flickered in the gloom.
Jeanne's face had lost its animation. Her lips were white, her eyelids dark. 'It is done?' She spoke the words tiredly.
'Yes,' I said.
She let out her breath. 'Good.'
We stood in the center of the room, facing each other. I still carried the paper Denis had given me inside my pocket. It felt heavy to me, knowledge that burned.
Jeanne stepped close to me. 'I want to thank you, Captain, for your promise to not have me arrested. It was good of you.'
I was not certain I wanted any more thanks. Rutledge bellowing at me at the school had actually seemed refreshing. 'You had the best evidence,' I said. 'You might have made it to France had I not told Denis to stop you. Do not thank me.'
She made a small shrug. 'If I had reached France, what then? I believe you would have found the means to arrest Frederick sooner or later. But what would have become of me?'
'I believe you will endure very nicely,' I said.
I had great belief in this woman's resilience. She felt frightened and alone at present, but I knew she would soon wrap another gentleman around her finger.
Her worried look left her, and she flashed me a smile. 'Touche, Captain. You have seen my true colors, peeked beyond my facade. Can you forgive me that?'
I hadn't forgotten the afternoon I'd spent here in her company, and how she'd made me feel-amusing, intelligent, wanted.
'I believe I can forgive you,' I said.
Humor glinted in her eyes. 'You are too kind.' She hesitated. 'You may think me a fool, but I wonder whether, when all this is over, you might condescend to receive me as a friend.' Her voice softened, and she sounded almost shy. 'Indeed, I believe we might have many interesting conversations together.'
My lips parted as I gazed at her in astonishment. Her smile was hopeful, her eyes warm. She was asking, if I was not mistaken, whether I'd be willing to be the next gentleman whom she wrapped around her finger.
I certainly did not mind such a wish coming from a lady as pretty as she, but I had to wonder why.
'Madam, you know I am not a wealthy man,' I began.
'No,' she admitted. 'But I have met your friends, Mr. Grenville and Mr. Denis. They are powerful gentlemen.'
I raised my brows. 'You are saying you wish me to ask Grenville or Denis to pay for the keeping of you on my behalf?'
'Yes,' she said. She flushed. 'I know it is most irregular, but that is what I wish, Captain Lacey.'
'You amaze me,' I said softly. 'Though I understand that you must survive. Like Marianne.'
'It is not only that. I have seen enough of men, Captain, to know when one is worth much. And so I make bold to propose such a thing to you.'
My heart beat hard. I hardly knew what to say. She flattered me, but at the same time, I knew she made her living by flattering. She was lovely, she could soothe me, and I would be ten times a fool to accept her.
I wished that I had the wherewithal to be so foolish.
I touched her cheek. 'I am sorry,' I said. 'I would that circumstances were different.'
She looked at me a moment longer, then gave her head a shake, conceding defeat. 'As am I.'
'You are resilient,' I stated again. 'You will fare well.'
She gave me a rueful smile, the practiced courtesan vanishing for a moment. 'You have much faith in me, Captain.' She touched the lapel of my coat. 'Thank you.'
'Thank you,' I told her. I raised her hand to my lips, and then the carriage that would return us to London rattled to a halt at the end of the lane, and we made to depart.
Chapter Twenty
A few days later, Grenville felt well enough to join me and Pomeroy in the tavern in Pall Mall that we often frequented.
'We'll get a conviction,' Pomeroy said, his blond hair slick with the evening's rain. 'Sutcliff's papa is rich enough to buy them off, but Sir Montague is a stickler. He'll push it through.'
'We can hope so,' Grenville said dubiously. He was much stronger, but he moved slowly and flinched simply lifting his tankard of ale. He had visited Marianne earlier that day, and from the pinched lines about his mouth, I understood that the encounter had not gone well.
Pomeroy, oblivious to such things, rambled on. 'Why should a rich cove's son like that swindle and blackmail and murder, eh Captain? He's got everything handed to him on gold plates.'
I sipped my ale, which was rich and warm against the March rain outside. 'Because his father wouldn't give him the gold plates,' I answered. 'Kept him on a meager allowance and refused to let him come into the business until he grew up a little. Sutcliff told me himself he'd wanted to prove to his father that he could make money on his own and be as ruthless as any nobleman.'
'Rich gents,' Pomeroy said derisively. 'Me own dad never had nothing, so I took the king's shilling. I didn't need to prove nothing.'
I had run away from home to the army, as well, though I'd gone with Brandon to receive an officer's commission. In my heart, I'd wanted to prove myself better than my father. I hated to think that I understood Frederick Sutcliff all too well.
Grenville lifted his brows. 'My father kept me on a strict allowance as a lad. He was generous with gifts, but not such a fool as to give me enough money with which to make an idiot of myself. Funnily enough, I never resorted to blackmail and other crimes to supplement my income.'
'Yes, sir, but you're not wrong in the head.' Pomeroy tapped his forehead. 'That Sutcliff chap is a bit crazed.'
'I'd feel sorry for him,' Grenville said. He put his hand to his torso and winced. 'Except for this bit of a hole in my middle. Perhaps I'll make it a fashion, a knife slit in coat and waistcoat, a hairsbreadth shy of the heart and lungs.'
Pomeroy guffawed, but I knew Grenville's anger. It had been too close.
Pomeroy drained his glass and wiped his mouth. 'Well, young Sutcliff is for it. The father will probably get him transported instead of hanged, but that's the rich for you. Now, it's back to Bow Street for me, though I'll walk slowly and see how many criminals I can catch in the act.'
He chuckled, touched his forelock to us, and left the tavern. I had no doubt that he'd arrest several unlucky pickpockets and prostitutes along the way.
'To think,' Grenville said, absently turning his tankard. 'That I thought a post at a boys' school would be restful and unexciting.' He shook his head. 'More fool I.'
'I have come to appreciate the quiet of Grimpen Lane,' I said, smiling a little.
He did not return the smile. 'Marianne,' he began in a low voice, 'will not tell me why she traveled to
