Cat Among the Pigeons by Julia Golding Read Free Book Online Page A

luxury.’ This was very true but need he rub it in? ‘Come on then, follow me and keep quiet. I’ll take you up by the backstairs.’
    Quickly checking that no one was watching,the flunkey marched me across the black-and-white tiled foyer, through a swing door and into the servants’ hall. Ignoring the shocked looks of the off-duty footmen, he led me up to the second floor.
    â€˜He’s in the billiard room,’ the footman explained as we walked quickly along the carpeted hallway to a door at the end of the corridor.
    â€˜The messenger from Drury Lane, sir,’ he announced, ushering me in.
    The first thing I noticed on entering the room was a great expanse of green cloth scattered with shiny balls. The second was Mr Kingston Hawkins crouching over the table at the far side, holding a long cue. He took aim and struck a white ball hard. It collided with a black one and sent it rocketing into the pocket directly in front of me.
    â€˜Well, well,’ said Hawkins, standing to take a chalk from the edge of the table and rubbing the end of his cue. ‘This sure is an unexpected bonus. That, gentlemen, is the little liar I mentioned. Youcan leave us, Michael. I’ll send for you when we’ve finished our business together.’
    â€˜Very good, sir.’ The footman bowed.
    The door clicked shut behind him. Out of the shadowy fog of tobacco smoke emerged four or five other gentlemen. A second billiard player approached the table, cue in hand.
    â€˜Good shot, Hawkins,’ he said. ‘I see you’ve not lost your touch while you’ve been away.’
    â€˜Indeed not.’ They seemed to be talking about more than just billiards. I stood with bowed head, wondering what would happen next.
    â€˜You’ve brought me the tickets?’ Hawkins asked, closing in on me around the table.
    â€˜Yes, sir.’ I held them out and was cross to see my hand was trembling.
    â€˜Good.’ His eyes were fixed on my face. He reached out to take the tickets but then, at the last moment, changed direction and seized my hand in his fist. His palm felt strong and hot to the touch. He pulled me towards him, the tickets waving between us like a fan. ‘Intriguing, ain’t it,gentlemen? She pretended my boy was dead to stop me getting him back. That’s theft when you think about it. She’s kinda young to be so evil.’
    Me – evil! Well, that was rich coming from him. I looked up into his fierce blue eyes and was stunned to see that he really believed what he was saying.
    A man stepped into the light from my right. He was in clerical dress and wore a white wig square over a face with a bulbous nose. Taking a monocle from his pocket, he peered at me short-sightedly.
    â€˜Interesting, Hawkins, very interesting. It’s the riff-raff of her sort that are sapping the very marrow of our empire – attacking property rights like a canker in a once healthy body, undermining our very constitution. Left to run riot, you get the kind of nonsense we see in France – kings humbled, butchers and bakers raised up in their place.’
    â€˜Good grief, Dr Juniper!’ said the other man with a cue. ‘You make her sound very dangerous.All I see is a scruffy urchin wondering when she’s going to get her tip for carrying her message. Hardly a portent of the millennium!’
    â€˜Ah, that’s where you’re wrong, Ferdinand, quite wrong,’ said the doctor.
    â€˜Yes,’ said Mr Hawkins with an exultant smile, ‘let’s have a better look at the creature.’ He let go of my wrist and seized me by the waist. Before I knew it, I was standing on the billiard table directly under the candelabra.
    â€˜Mind the cloth!’ protested Ferdinand, not at all bothered on my account but staring in concern at my muddy boots.
    â€˜Let me down!’ I said, adding reluctantly, ‘Please!’
    â€˜No, no, not until we’ve finished,