Come the Fear by Chris Nickson Read Free Book Online Page B

even more riches to himself.
    These days, though, he left most of the work to his sons, Robert and William. But from the fragments of gossip the Constable had heard, he wasn’t ready to give them their heads completely yet; he still kept a wary eye on the business.
    â€˜I’ll go and have a word with them and find out what I can for you,’ he said. ‘And how will I find you, Mrs Wendell?’
    â€˜Down on the Calls. They know me there.’
    â€˜Where they had the fire.’ He thought of the body they’d found. Could she have been the girl?
    â€˜Aye,’ she agreed sadly, ‘it were a bad business, that. Only t’ other end of the street from me an’ all. Just as well those Grants had done a flit the week before, they had three little ones.’
    â€˜I’ll go and talk to Mr Cates this afternoon,’ the Constable promised.
    â€˜Thank you.’ She stood, back carefully straight, head high.
    â€˜I have a daughter myself. I understand.’
    She gave him a short nod and left. He sat back and sighed. He’d heard the pain behind her request and understood just how much it had cost her to come and ask this favour from him. She was like so many women he knew in Leeds, strong because she had to be, relying on no one to get through life, trying desperately to keep the edges of her family from fraying apart. But there were few happy endings for the poor in this world.
    He’d go and ask his questions and find the answers. They wouldn’t give her any comfort, and she knew that as well as anyone, but she needed them anyway. Cates had seemed reasonable enough whenever they’d met. By all accounts he was a hard man but at least he wasn’t a bad one.
    The merchant was at home, working at the polished desk in his library. An expensive, full-bottomed wig had been casually thrown aside on a table, a thin dusting of powder on the wood around it. The windows were open on the garden, drawing a light breeze into the room. Nottingham saw the books packed tight on shelves along one wall, and thought how much Emily would love something like this one day.
    â€˜Constable.’ Cates rose and extended his hand. The man had grown portly in the last few years, Nottingham thought, chins fleshy and sagging into his collar and over his stock. His coat was good wool, flatteringly cut, the breeches tight around a pair of heavy thighs, his long waistcoat gaudy yellow and blue silk. ‘Sit down. What brings you here? Nothing wrong, is there?’
    â€˜No,’ the Constable answered, settling carefully on a delicate chair of fine wood, its legs thin as spindles. ‘Just a question about someone who used to be a servant here.’
    Cates snorted. ‘Lucy Wendell?’
    Nottingham nodded.
    â€˜Her mother was round here yesterday, wanting to know about the girl,’ he said brusquely. ‘I told her I’d had to dismiss her.’
    â€˜She was hoping for more. The girl seems to have vanished.’
    â€˜No surprise,’ the merchant said dismissively. ‘I’ve had dogs with more brains than her. Someone had to watch her the whole time or she’d be off in a daydream.’
    â€˜I see.’
    â€˜That wasn’t the reason I got rid of her. I could have lived with idleness, you can whip it out of them. But she was pregnant. I hadn’t noticed, what with her apron, but my wife saw it. I had her in and asked her.’ He shook his head. ‘I’m not sure she even understood what I meant. But I had to turn her out. Didn’t want the girl whelping here.’
    â€˜What did she say?’
    Cates waved his hand. ‘Cried, the way they do. But she was out that afternoon.’
    â€˜How long ago was this?’ the Constable wondered.
    â€˜A month?’ The man thought. ‘Aye, it was four weeks ago, I remember. We’d just made a big sale to Spain the day before.’
    â€˜How long did you employ her?’
    Cates