The Parliament of Blood by Justin Richards Read Free Book Online Page A

company slowly dispersed. A couple of the actors nodded to Liz as they walked past, heading for the front of the theatre. The rest disappeared backstage.
    Malvern put his hand gently on Marie’s arm. ‘Could you spare me a moment longer, do you think?’ he asked.
    â€˜Of course I can. Anything for you, Henry.’
    Malvern led her to the edge of the stage and helped herdown into the auditorium. Then he nodded towards where Liz was still sitting. ‘There’s someone I’d like you to meet.’

    Charlie had been looking at carriages all day. He’d seen dozens of them, but none with the sort of pattern that Eddie had mentioned on the door. He did feel that he was getting close, though. Nellie the porter’s daughter at Waterloo had told him she thought she saw the carriage picking up at the station the previous day. Or maybe setting down.
    â€˜It was smoggy,’ she admitted. ‘Didn’t see too well. Just, like, the shape of it. There was something on the door, but the driver got shirty when I got close.’ She sniffed. ‘I was hoping for a tip. Carry a bag or something. But he put his whip up to me so I hoofed it.’
    â€˜Where did it go?’ Charlie asked.
    She shrugged. ‘Towards Charing Cross, so far as I could tell.’
    There was a lamplighter called Nick at Charing Cross who was about the same age as Charlie and used to be at the workhouse, before he upped and left. Charlie saw him sometimes, round the town. And yes, he reckoned he’d seen the carriage with the pattern on the door.
    â€˜Try down Albernum Street,’ he said. ‘You know, round the back of the posh clubs and that, up west. I’ve seen it there a couple of times, I’m sure, when I’ve been covering for Josiah Cooper.’ The lad grinned, showing off brokenteeth. ‘You’d better be getting back though or Pearce’ll have you.’
    â€˜He won’t know,’ Charlie said. ‘He never checks who’s in and who’s out.’
    â€˜That John Remick still there?’ Nick asked. When Charlie nodded, the lamplighter’s grin got wider. ‘He’ll tell Pearce. Or duff you up himself.’
    Charlie swallowed. Remick was a nasty piece of work who’d thump the smaller kids just to hear them squeal. With Pearce the workhouse master, Remick was helpful and polite. With any of the other kids, he was a violent bully. Which was probably why Pearce liked him. Remick kept the children in order better than Pearce himself ever could.
    Despite his anxiety about being late back and incurring the fist of John Remick or the strap of Master Pearce, or both, Charlie decided to take a diversion and walk down Albernum Street. It was a mile away, so it took him a while. The cold damp evening was heavy with fog, and the lamps were vague glows in the hazy air.
    Albernum Street ran parallel to a larger road where there were several imposing town houses and a couple of gentlemen’s clubs. Charlie didn’t really know the area. But he remembered the street as one he’d hidden in from a policeman when he was trying to make a living lifting watches and wallets. He’d not been any good at it and almost got caught more times than he could recall. Not like Eddie, Charlie thought as he turned into the narrow street – now Eddie could lift anything from anyone andthey’d not know for ages. Soft and quick as a butterfly, were Eddie’s fingers …
    There was a carriage at the side of the street. The fog was so deep here that Charlie nearly walked into it. The dark outline loomed out of the gathering night, and he stepped off the pavement quickly. His heart was beating faster as he peered through the gloom. He could see the door handle, but no design. Just a cab. He sighed with disappointment and walked quickly on.
    There was another cab further along, outside the back of one of the clubs. Maybe gentlemen used the rear exit if they