‘What will you tell Dorothea?’
‘As little as possible.’
‘She must be told that he’s dead, Nick, and she’s bound to ask the cause.’
‘I want to spare her as much pain as I can.’
‘Dorothea is stronger than you think,’ said Anne. ‘We talked for hours while you were away. She spoke about her childhood, such as it was. It’s been a very hard life for her. Only someone with strength and courage could have come through it.’
‘If she spoke so freely, she must have trusted you.’
‘I think she does, Nick. Why?’
‘It might be better if you were to tell her about Hywel.’
‘Teach me what to say and I’ll gladly take on the office.’
‘Thank you,’ said Nicholas, leaning forward to kiss her on the forehead. ‘You’ll do it better than I could manage. While you comfort Dorothea here, I can try to pick up a trail that leads us to the killer.’ He glanced upwards. ‘How long will she sleep?’
‘Who knows? She said she’d not stir from this room until she knew what happened to Hywel, but she fell asleep in the chair so we put her to bed.’
‘Did she tell you anything about Bridewell?’
‘A great deal, Nick. Her time in that workhouse has marked her for life.’
Anne told him what she had learnt about the way that the institution was run and how Dorothea Tate had suffered at the hands of her keepers. Nicholas listened intently to the description of what had happened at the feast to which the girl had been unwillingly dragged. It was clear that she had given Anne a much more detailed account.
‘She never mentioned Master Olgrave to us,’ he said.
‘He’s a ruthless man, Nick, even more so than his partner.’
‘We’ll need to look at both of them in time.’
‘Start with Ralph Olgrave,’ advised Anne. ‘He committed the greater crime against Dorothea. He had her brought to his room one night. Master Beechcroft only had the girl whipped. His partner robbed her of her virtue.’
Nicholas was shocked. ‘Dorothea was raped?’
‘It left her feeling so ashamed, Nick. She broke down when she told me.’
‘Ralph Olgrave will be called to account for this,’ he promised. ‘Their contract with the city authorities gives them such wide powers inside Bridewell that they think that they can get away with anything. We’ll have to show them otherwise.’
‘Go carefully. They are dangerous men.’
‘Dangerous but cowardly, Anne. It is easy to strike at people who are defenceless. Only cowards do that. We’ll see how much courage they have when they meet someone on equal terms. Joseph Beechcroft and Ralph Olgrave have a shock awaiting them.’ He rose from the chair. ‘I’ll back to Owen and acquaint him with what I’ve heard.’
‘Shall I speak to Dorothea when she wakes?’
‘If you would. All you need to say is this.’
Before he could instruct her, however, there was a tap on the door and Dorothea came into the room. She rushed across to Nicholas and looked up hopefully at him.
‘Did you find Hywel?’ she asked.
‘Yes,’ he replied, quietly. ‘I fear that we did.’
Dorothea read his expression and tried to hold back tears. Anne immediately put a comforting arm around the girl’s shoulders. Tightening her jaw and bunching her fists, Dorothea looked up at Nicholas.
‘Tell me the truth,’ she insisted. ‘I can bear to hear it. How did he die?’
Chapter Eight
Most people would protest if they found themselves suddenly interrupted on the Day of Rest, but Henry Cleaton could not have been more welcoming. The visitors were invited into his parlour and given refreshment. Cleaton was a man who did not always conform to the rules of his profession. His appearance set him completely apart from his fellow lawyers. With his shock of red hair and his rubicund cheeks, he might have been a farmer and he had a stocky frame that hinted at long years of manual labour. There was also a genial quality about him that flew in the face of the lawyer’s traditional caution. Meeting him again after a lapse of time, Nicholas Bracewell was reminded of the new landlord at the Queen’s Head. Henry Cleaton had the same willingness to please.
‘We are sorry to trouble you at home,’ said Nicholas, ‘but we need advice.’
‘Then you were wise to call here,’ said Cleaton, indicating the room. ‘It is far tidier than my office and much more comfortable. As for disturbing me, think no more of it. I am glad of your company. Since my wife died and my children moved away, it can be very lonely on a Sunday afternoon.’
‘We are not imposing, then?’
‘Not at all, Nicholas. The case interests me. When Owen called on me yesterday, my ears pricked up at the mention of Bridewell. You are trying to find a young man who was recently imprisoned there, I believe.’
‘We found him,’ said Elias. ‘On a slab at the morgue.’
‘Dear me! How did that come to pass?’
‘With your help, we mean to find out.’
‘Did he die a natural death?’
‘No,’ said Nicholas. ‘His skull had been cracked open. Thus it stands.’
He related the salient facts as swiftly and dispassionately as he could. Elias felt obliged to make comments from time to time but it was Nicholas who controlled the narrative. Cleaton was intrigued by all that he heard.
‘Murder, rape, mismanagement,’ he said. ‘These are serious charges.’
‘One can certainly be nailed to the door of Bridewell,’ asserted Nicholas, ‘and that’s the violation of Dorothea Tate. The girl is not given to lies.’
‘But she is, alas. Did you not tell me that she was the accomplice to a counterfeit crank? That’s blatant dishonesty. The first thing she told you was that she and this Hywel Rees were brother and sister. Forgive me, Nicholas,’ said Cleaton, ‘but this girl is plainly seasoned in deceit.’
‘She would not deceive us about a thing like this.’
‘How do you know?’
‘I’d stake every penny I have on it, Master Cleaton.’
‘Your loyalty is admirable and, since you’ve met Dorothea Tate, I’ll have to trust your judgement. No court would do so, however. Ralph Olgrave is an upright citizen. For a vagrant like this girl to accuse him of rape would be a waste of breath.’
Elias was roused. ‘Are you saying that he’s allowed to get off scot-free?’ he demanded. ‘That he can deflower any maid at will and face no consequence? That’s not justice, Master Cleaton.’
‘It’s the way the law functions and you must beware of that.’
‘In short,’ said Nicholas, ‘we need more evidence.’
‘Nothing less than a confession would satisfy a court, and I doubt that Master Olgrave will be minded to oblige you with one. Seek other ways to bring him down.’
‘Will you give us some guidance in the matter?’
‘I’ll do more than that. I’ll work with you to unmask these rogues.’
‘We’ve no proof that either was involved in the murder,’ Nicholas reminded him. ‘And even if they were, I doubt that they would have struck the fatal blows themselves. Confederates would have been hired.’
‘Yes,’ said Elias. ‘Alehouse ruffians that would kill their own mothers for a fee.’
Cleaton pondered. He had met both men when dealing with a case that concerned their friend, Frank Quilter. In the course of the investigation, the lawyer had got to know Nicholas particularly well and come to respect him highly. It was the reason he had admitted them to his home at such a time. Unless the matter was serious, Nicholas would never have ventured to disturb him like that.
‘Why are you doing this?’ he asked.
‘Does a lawyer need to be told that?’ said Nicholas with surprise. ‘Crimes have been committed. Rank injustice has occurred. Prompt action is required, Master Cleaton.’
‘Yes, but why do you have to instigate it? These young people have been cruelly abused, but it is not your duty to fight on their behalf. Until a week or so ago, they were total strangers to you.’