A Fatal Freedom (31 page)

As she returned downstairs, he studied her simple but well-made jacket, blouse and skirt and her black straw boater.

‘Will I do?’ she asked.

He gave her a quick nod. ‘Excellent. I thank you. I have a hansom cab waiting outside.’ He opened the front door.

As soon as they were in motion, Ursula turned to her companion.

‘Now, Thomas, please tell me what this is all about.’

He sat for a moment, uncharacteristically hesitant, then drew a piece of paper from a pocket. ‘I have just returned from Leeds. I found your letter waiting for me and also this …’ He offered the paper to Ursula.

‘Dear Joe,’ she read and looked at him enquiringly. He was tapping his fingers irritably on the side of the cab as traffic slowed their progress. She looked again at the piece of paper. It was written in a childish hand, the letters carefully formed.

Dear Joe,

For old times sake, help me. I thought I was going to be in heaven instead I am in hell. If you don’t rescue me, I am finished. Flat 4, Albemarle Mansions, Marylebone Road. Come as soon as you can,

Your Millie.

‘Millie?’

‘She’s Alice Peters’ maid.’ Thomas looked at the tangle of traffic that had brought them to a full stop outside Victoria station. ‘When Joshua Peters first hired me to follow his wife, I, well, I have to admit I used her to find out Mrs Peters’ movements.’ His voice was tight, embarrassed. ‘She knew me then as Joe Banks. When I turned up with Mrs Trenchard to interview the staff after Peters’ death, Millie nearly ruined my standing by blurting out that I could not be Thomas Jackman. Took some explaining, I can tell you.’

‘But she knew where to write to you?’

He nodded. ‘Last time I saw her, I gave her my card; told her to get in touch if she ever needed my assistance. Before I was called away north, she seemed to have left the Peters’ house. Sam, the boy who runs all the errands, said he thought she had a fancy man.’

‘Did you think that likely?’

He fiddled with his policeman’s helmet. ‘She’s a bit of a flighty thing. Flighty but ambitious. Wants to get somewhere in the world.’

‘And you reckon she’s been seduced into some sort of situation she can’t handle?’

He looked grateful for her understanding. ‘That’s about the size of it.’

Ursula looked again at the letter. ‘There’s no date. Do you know when she wrote it?’’

‘Postmark was the day before yesterday. So I hope we’ll be in time.’

‘In time?’ The hansom jerked forward and picked up speed. ‘And why are you wearing a policeman’s uniform. Are you going to arrest someone?’

‘Could be the easiest way out.’

Ursula’s mind was spinning. She was no stranger to girls who found themselves exploited by ruthless men. Hadn’t she fallen foul of one such herself? Had poor Millie been promised marriage? Had she thought she was gaining respectability and a secure future?

‘What do you want me to do, Thomas?’

He smiled. ‘That’s the girl, knew I could count on you. No need for you to say anything after we arrive, just take your cue from me.’

‘You don’t really know what you’re going to find.’ It was not a question.

‘Had to deal with any number of situations when I was a bobby. Reckon it won’t be anything I haven’t dealt with before.’

‘None of them attractive situations?’

‘Not as far as Millie is concerned.’

‘Are you armed?’ It seemed unlikely, there was hardly room for the man inside the uniform, let alone a gun.

‘I’m hoping it’s not that sort of affair. Millie is not the kind of girl to go for the rough stuff.’

Was that a guarantee of anything? Ursula wanted to ask more questions but the cab had stopped.

‘’Ere yer are, orficer, Albemarle Mansions.’

‘Thank you, cabbie. Please wait while we carry out Her Majesty’s business.’

‘I’ll do that, orficer.’

Thomas helped her down. The apartment building appeared to be a solid, respectable place in a dark red brick. Many of the white windowsills bore window boxes with brightly coloured geraniums. Net curtains guarded privacy.

Thomas slipped a hand under Ursula’s elbow and ushered her towards the entrance. Inside, cream paint was in need of a new coat and a spiky green plant, looking sad and unloved, was the only decoration in the silent foyer. ‘Now, remember, whatever we find, you leave things to me.’

Ursula’s heart was thumping. The investigator’s gravity, his uncertainty about what could be facing them, was unsettling. Unconsciously levity took over. ‘Right you are, officer.’

‘Look, whatever we find, it’s going to be serious. I have no right to involve you but I need female assistance and I know you are resourceful and courageous.’

Ursula was touched. ‘Thomas, I’m sorry, it was nerves.’

‘You with nerves? Never!’

She gave him a brief smile and together they climbed stairs sporting a worn carpet. On the first floor landing were two doors. More cream paint needed new coats but the brass number plates bearing a ‘1’ and a ‘2’ were well polished.

As they approached the second floor, sounds of someone screeching reached them. Thomas gave Ursula a brief look and adjusted his uniform jacket. The screeching came from flat No. 4. As Thomas raised his hand to knock, the screeching changed to an agonised crying. He rapped hard.

‘Open up in the name of the law!’

Through the door, Ursula heard a hard slap and a male voice shouting, ‘Damn you.’

The crying stopped abruptly and in the sudden silence, Thomas rapped again and repeated his command.

‘Make yourself scarce, Bee,’ said the same voice. ‘Guy, open the door before it’s beaten down.’

The lock was turned and the door opened a crack. Ursula could just see an eye surveying them from inside. Thomas pushed hard and entered, and she followed him.

A tiny hall led through an arch into a living room dominated by gold-framed mirrors and couches upholstered in scarlet velvet. A baroque side table was laden with a cold collation. Beside it stood a wine cellar containing several bottles of champagne.

Awaiting them stood a large, well-dressed man, his grey silk cravat hanging open over a half-buttoned shirt. The man who had opened the door scrambled over to the other side of the room, drawing a checked jacket over a bare chest. Crushing herself against a tallboy, a young woman tried to draw a negligee around her flimsy underwear, but not before Ursula had noticed a nasty bruise on her upper arm. A red mark on her cheek betrayed where the slap had landed. Large eyes were full of tears and blonde hair hung undressed in tangles.

‘And what may you be doing disturbing innocent citizens in private premises, may I ask?’ The tall man’s voice was both insolent and confident.

Ursula saw the girl fix her gaze on Thomas. Her eyes widened and she raised a trembling hand to her mouth. A memory of Thomas saying how Millie had blurted out his assumed name at the Peters’ house came to Ursula. She marched over to the girl, gave her a stern look and said, ‘If you know what’s good for you, you’ll keep your mouth closed, miss.’

‘I have information that prostitution is operating on these premises,’ Thomas said with official solemnity.

Ursula heard another girl give a little gasp. She was cowering in the corner of a couch. Dressed in a bustier with a tiny tulle skirt barely covering her buttocks, Ursula saw with amazement that black silk stockings sported a sequined and embroidered silver snake that curved round her legs, a hooded head decorating each foot.

‘Bee, I told you to make yourself scarce,’ the tall man hissed at her.

‘Too late, sir. I’ve seen all I need,’ said Thomas. He marched over to the first girl. ‘Millie Dowd, I arrest you under subsection thirteen of the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1885 for running a house of ill repute.’ With difficulty he extracted a pair of handcuffs from his trouser pocket and reached for the girl’s hands.

‘Sir,’ said Ursula quickly. ‘Miss Dowd needs to clothe herself.’

‘She seems to have been happy enough to appear like that in front of these gentlemen. Give her the coat.’

So that was why he’d wanted her to bring it! With great reluctance, Ursula held it out. After a moment, the girl slipped her arms into the sleeves. It was too big for her but the collar stood up framing her face in an attractive way.

‘Now look here …’ the tall man started.

‘You cannot arrest Millie, I mean Miss Dowd,’ the smaller man blurted. The girl with the extraordinary stockings was snivelling.

The tall man held up his cigar in a supercilious manner. ‘As I was saying, before my friend here interrupted …’

‘Oh, I say, Hector!’

‘No, you do not say, Guy. I am trying to inform this useless hunk of humanity who imagines he has some authority over us, who I am.’ He turned back to Thomas. ‘You are addressing Sir Hector Rutland; the Chief Constable is a good friend of mine and he would be appalled to hear what you are attempting to put over on us this evening.’

Thomas squared his shoulders, took hold of Millie’s wrists and fastened the cuffs on them. He handled her roughly and Ursula noticed he did not look at the girl.

The man called Guy tried again. ‘You can’t go behaving like this. Miss Dowd has done nothing against the law.’

‘It is against the law for two women to occupy the same premises with the aim of selling their favours. It becomes a brothel,’ said Thomas severely.

‘But …’ squawked Bee, raising a tear-stained face.

‘Millie Dowd,’ Thomas overrode her. ‘Transport awaits. You will be taken to Marylebone Police Station, where you will be held until tomorrow’s court sits. You can then persuade your case before the magistrate.’

‘Hector, do something,’ said Guy.

‘Do you intend to arrest us all?’ said Sir Hector. ‘I warn you I shall be sending a note to the Chief Constable first thing in the morning.’

‘By all means, sir,’ said Thomas. ‘But it will not be necessary to arrest anyone other than Millie Dowd, since we understand she is the main occupant of the property.’

‘It’s outrageous,’ squawked Guy. ‘Do something, Hector,’ he repeated.

But the tall man leant against the mantelpiece and drew on his cigar. ‘I don’t think there’s anything to be done at this time,’ he drawled. ‘You must fulfil your duty, officer.’

‘Thank you, sir. Come on, miss. You keep hold of her left arm, Miss Culpepper, and I’ll take the right. Quick march.’

‘Don’t think this is the end of the matter,’ Sir Hector said. ‘I’ll be posting bail tomorrow morning and applying to the Chief Constable for your dismissal from the force.’ He moved across, slipped a finger under the girl’s chin and forced her to look him in the face. ‘Millie, you will be back here tomorrow, no doubt a wiser girl.’ The voice was silkily sinister and the girl closed her eyes and whimpered.

‘Quick march,’ repeated Thomas stolidly.

As they left, Sir Hector was heard to say: ‘The bitch needed a lesson and now she’s getting it. I was tiring of her protestations.’

The door closed behind them and Millie’s whimpering turned to sobbing. Forcing her down the stairs, Ursula and Thomas got her out of the building and into the waiting cab.

* * *

The three of them were squeezed tightly together. Millie’s sobbing gave way to a series of shivers as the cabbie called down, ‘Same destination as what you told me, orficer?’

‘You have it, cabbie,’ said Thomas. He released the top buttons of his uniform and gave a sigh of relief. ‘Thank God for that. I’d have expired if I had to spend another minute stuffed into this jacket. He squirmed for room as he tried to access a pocket. ‘Now, then, Millie, hold out your hands.’ She stared at him without moving. It was as though she thought he intended to produce a truncheon and whack her one.

Ursula lifted the handcuffed wrists and held them out to Thomas. He applied the key. ‘There you are. Now you’re a free woman again.’

Millie gave a hiccup. ‘You mean, I’m not arrested?’

‘Of course not. Didn’t you send me a letter asking to be rescued from your new life?’ His voice was softer now.

Ursula felt a long shiver run through the girl. ‘And you’re not a policeman?’

‘You know I’m not, Millie. I told you, I left the force and these days I’m a private investigator.’

‘And not above pretending to be someone what you ain’t!’ From somewhere Millie had found a spark of spirit. She turned to Ursula. ‘And I suppose you don’t work in a prison?’

‘She’s an old friend who kindly agreed to help with your rescue.’

‘An old friend of his?’ Millie tipped her head towards Thomas. ‘Then I don’t suppose you’re any better than you should be.’

‘You should wash your mouth out,’ Thomas said quietly.

Millie tried to shrink back and tears welled up.

‘I’ve led an up and down sort of life,’ Ursula said cheerfully. ‘You’ll learn that, however bad things seem at the time, there can always be a better day around the corner. Look at this evening: you were despairing of getting away from those awful men and, all of sudden, there’s Thomas whisking you off in a hansom, with Hector and Guy, whoever they may be, unable to lift a finger.’

‘They’ll be after me, I know they will.’ Millie sounded genuinely afraid. ‘Where are you taking me?’

‘You’ll see,’ said Thomas.

‘It had better be somewhere safe.’ Away from Albemarle Mansions, she had perked up amazingly.

‘It’s somewhere those pillocks who had you will never think of looking in a lifetime of evil living. What were you thinking of, Millie, setting up store with them?’

‘Sir Hector made it all sound so great. He said I was the most beautiful girl he’d ever met.’

‘Friend of Joshua Peters, was he?’

She nodded. ‘After the mistress ran away, Mr Peters would ask men friends round of an evening. He’d tell Mrs Firestone to lay out a cold buffet then say the staff needn’t be on duty any more. Except he’d ask me to serve drinks and talk prettily to his friends, like as if I was his hostess.’ Pride was in her voice.

‘And you wore your mistress’s gowns?’ suggested Thomas.

‘Well, I had to look nice, didn’t I? And she’d left them behind, like she didn’t want them anymore.’ She looked down at her negligee, peeking out from Ursula’s coat. ‘I took them with me. Now, I suppose I’ve lost them.’ She was silent for a moment. ‘Anyway, him and me was getting close. He said I knew how to make a man feel good.’ There was a touch of pride in her voice.