Death in the Peerless Pool by Deryn Lake Read Free Book Online

further in the matter of Hannah Rankin?’
    Mr Burridge endeavoured to look genial but his eyes were unsmiling. ‘I think, gentlemen, you might be better off talking to Forbes, the man who showed you in. As Chief Warder he is fully cognisant with all that goes on. I shall send for him.’ And without further argument he picked up a small handbell and rang it.
    With an alacrity that convinced John the man had been listening at the door, Forbes appeared. ‘You summoned me, Sir.’
    â€˜Yes, my good fellow, I did. As you already know, these two gentlemen are here representing Mr Fielding of the Public Office, Bow Street. It seems that a woman resembling Hannah Rankin and wearing the uniform of this hospital met with an unfortunate accident in the Fish Pond near the Peerless Pool. They would like to ask you some questions about her.’
    â€˜Very good. Sir.’
    â€˜It was something more than an accident,’ said John forthrightly. ‘It was in fact deliberate murder.’
    He stared into Forbes’s face, looking for signs of surprise. There were none, but that, of course, could be accounted for by the fact that he had overheard the entire conversation rather than by any prior knowledge.
    The Apothecary turned to Mr Burridge. ‘May I claim your indulgence, Sir. May I speak to Mr Forbes in private?’
    The administrator looked predictably put out. ‘Well, really, I …’
    â€˜The reason is that a man does not feel as free to speak in the presence of his employer; that is a known fact and one in which Mr Fielding would bear me out.’
    â€˜Oh, very well,’ Mr Burridge replied testily, and strode from the room, fuming.
    Instantly John took his place behind the administrator’s desk and produced paper and pencil from his pocket. ‘Now, Mr Forbes, if you would be so kind as to tell me everything you known about Hannah Rankin, I’ll take a few notes.’
    â€˜I suppose,’ said Samuel practically, ‘that she hasn’t reappeared? I mean to say, we are talking about the right woman and not heading up a blind alley, aren’t we?’
    â€˜Hannah has not reported for work, if that is what you are asking, Sir.’
    â€˜When did you last see her?’ asked John.
    â€˜Not yesterday, which was her day off, but the day before. In the evening. She was going home at about eight o’clock. I called out goodnight to her but she didn’t answer, just went hurrying away.’
    â€˜How do you organise your work here?’ the Apothecary enquired, genuinely curious. ‘Are there warders present throughout the night, or do you all go off duty?’
    â€˜Most goes home, Sir. The apothecary comes round after the lunatics have been fed and doses ’em up good and strong. Then the violent ones are tied to their beds and locked in. The others are just made secure in their rooms. There are no dormitories, it being too difficult to control a group of ’em if trouble should break out.’
    â€˜How many staff remain here?’
    â€˜We have found three warders to be enough. Two men and Mother Richard. She always does night-times. She likes it, you see.’
    â€˜And who is Mother Richard?’
    â€˜The midwife. She needs the extra money for gin, being very partial to the stuff.’
    â€˜She sounds highly unsuitable to be nursing the sick.’
    â€˜Well, the lunatics ain’t exactly that, now, are they, Sir? A firm hand and a few chains are what they need.’
    â€˜I thought this place was meant to be more caring than Bedlam,’ John answered, sighing.
    â€˜It is. We don’t allow sightseers, for a start.’
    The Apothecary shook his head, not knowing how to answer. For the fact was that for an entry fee of two pence, visitors were allowed into the Bethlehem Hospital to stare at the disturbed and suffering inmates, a circumstance violently deplored by the artist William Hogarth, who had painted a