Death in the Dark Walk Read Online Free

beautiful blind gaze was too much for him and he drew down her lids.
    â€˜Your Master trained you well,’ Samuel remarked quietly.
    â€˜What do you mean?’
    â€˜You’ve no fear of the dead.’
    John shook his head, his blank face not revealing his seething emotions. ‘He taught me that they can do no harm. He said only the living are capable of that.’
    The friends stared at one another sombrely and then a distant sound broke into their consciousness. Judging by the reaction of the crowd, the constable was approaching, and John thankfully stepped aside as two men came into his line of vision, one quite small and black-haired, the other very lively and loud.
    Without saying a word, the dark one knelt by the body, drew back the cloth and made a quick and expert examination. There was something about the way he set about the task that made the Apothecary think that here was no ordinary constable, chosen reluctantly by rote to fulfil the office for a year. It seemed to John Rawlings that Mr Tyers, the Proprietor of Vaux Hall, had, perhaps in order to protect the reputation of his Pleasure Gardens, sent a rider to Bow Street; that he was now watching one of Mr Henry Fielding’s expert Thief Takers, ‘all men of known and approved fidelity and intrepidity’, latterly nicknamed the Beak Runners – so called after Henry’s half-brother John, who had succeeded him as Metropolitan Magistrate.
    The man stood up and shook his head at his companion who promptly turned to look John squarely in the face, his bright eyes suddenly hard as flint.
    â€˜Was it you, Sir, who found the body of the murdered woman?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜And can you tell me who you are?’
    â€˜I’m John Rawlings, apothecary, of number two Nassau Street.’
    â€˜I see. And how did you come to discover her?’
    â€˜I was looking for my friend here. We became separated after the lighting of the Cascade. I had just reached The Dark Walk when I heard a scream. I waited a moment lest it was simply a lovers’ tiff, then heard the sound of a thud. It was that which made me decide to investigate.’
    â€˜And what did you find exactly?’
    â€˜Nothing at first, it really was damnably dark. And then I glimpsed someone who ran away as I approached.’
    â€˜Did you behold the person clearly enough to know them again?’
    â€˜No, it was too black. I could only make out a pair of breeches and a flash of blue coat.’
    John reached into his pocket to fetch out the piece of torn brocade but was cut short by the dark fellow who asked abruptly, ‘Why did you not go in pursuit, Sir?’
    â€˜Because I fell over the dead girl, landed lying in the grass beside her, in fact. I am a trained apothecary and as dedicated to saving life as a physician, therefore my instinct was to help her for I did not know whether she might merely be stunned.’
    Mr Fielding’s men exchanged a glance but said nothing. ‘By the time I discovered she was dead,’ John went on, ‘I knew it would be hopeless to search. Her killer would have rejoined the crowd. It would have been like looking for a needle in a haystack.’
    â€˜Ah!’ said the dark man, and gave him a long hard stare which left John in no doubt that his story was not altogether believed.
    â€˜The young couple there can vouch for me,’ he added, just a shade too quickly. And pointed at the hovering pair whom he had sent to get assistance.
    â€˜We most certainly saw him,’ the girl put in at once.
    â€˜Kneeling by the body?’
    â€˜Just getting up.’
    â€˜Ah,’ said the Beak Runner again, and the Apothecary was filled with dread, realising that he was under suspicion of murder.
    â€˜I had nothing to do with her death,’ he protested vehemently, dropping his lids, aware that his eyes would reveal how nervous he felt even though his features remained composed. ‘I did not