The Repentant Rake

    'I can afford them, sir.'

    'Even when you lose heavily at cards?' said Christopher. 'That was why you resented Gabriel Cheever. He took a small fortune from your purse and then he discarded your friendship like an empty bottle.' Lunn shuddered at the reminder. 'I suggest to you that you got your revenge on Gabriel and stole his diary so that you could recoup some of the money that you had lost. Is that what happened?' Lunn's head sank to his chest and he sat down again. 'How many blackmail demands have you sent?'

    'None.'

    'None at all? Then who has been sending them?'

    'You tell me, Mr Redmayne,' said Lunn, looking up at him. 'I want to know.'

    'We think that you are involved somehow.'

    'Oh, it's true. I am involved.'

    'To what extent?' said Jonathan.

    'I am the latest victim,' he explained picking up one of the letters from the table. 'If you came in search of proof, here it is. A blackmail demand for five hundred guineas. Even I would not be stupid enough to send a letter to myself.'

    Christopher suddenly felt very uneasy. He did not dare to look at Jonathan.

    'I think that we owe you an apology, Mr Lunn,' he said at length.

    Lunn waved the apology away. 'You were only doing what you felt was right,' he said wearily. 'And it's a relief to know that somebody is trying to catch this devil. When I got his letter this morning, I all but collapsed with the shock.'

    'Was anything sent with the letter?'

    'Not this time.'

    'This time?'

    'I figure largely in Gabriel's diary, it seems,' confessed Lunn. 'If I do not pay five hundred guineas, an account of my exploits will be printed and distributed throughout London. It's too hideous to contemplate. No man knew my weaknesses better than Gabriel. He was in a position to crucify me.'

    'You must accept some of the blame, sir,' Jonathan pointed out.

    'Why?'

    'You could not be blackmailed over vices you did not have.'

    'Save me from the fellow's morality, Mr Redmayne,' said Lunn angrily.

    'I was only offering an opinion, sir.'

    'This may not be the most appropriate time, Mr Bale,' said Christopher tactfully. 'Mr Lunn,' he continued 'the other victims were kind enough to let me peruse their letters so that I could compare the handwriting. Would you please extend the same privilege to me?'

    'To you, Mr Redmayne,' said Lunn, eyeing Jonathan, 'but not to Mr Bale.'

    'Thank you.'

    Christopher took the proffered letter and read it quickly. It was couched in the same terse language as the other missives and written by the person who sent the original letter to his brother. He gave it back to Lunn.

    'I can see why you did not wish to receive visitors today.'

    'While this is hanging over me, I'll not show my face in the streets.'

    'Do not be cowed by it.'

    'Now I understand why Henry was so loath to venture out with me,' said Lunn, 'and why Sir Marcus refused even to let me in. And Peter Wickens is a victim, too?'

    'We called on him last night.'

    'Is he going to pay up?'

    'I advised strongly against it, Mr Lunn.'

    'Why?'

    'Sir Marcus handed over a thousand guineas,' said Christopher, 'and thought he was free of danger. But a second demand for that amount has now come.'

    'Death and damnation!' cried Lunn. 'The villain has us by the throat.'

    'I fancy that we have loosened his grip slightly.'

    'Is there any hope of catching him?'

    'Every hope,' said Christopher, 'especially if you lend your assistance.'

    'What can I do?'

    'Tell us more about your friendship with Gabriel Cheever. Why did he turn his back on everybody? Why did he renounce the life that he was living? You must have some idea, Mr Lunn,' he suggested. 'What prompted this repentance of his?'

    Arriving back in Knightrider Street, Susan Cheever was surprised to learn that Lucy had been out for a walk. Wherever she had been, it had given her a lift. Lucy's cheeks had some colour back in them and she seemed more at peace with herself. It was the first time her eyes were not red-rimmed from crying. When they sat down to dine together, Susan was able to have a proper conversation with her.

    'Where did you go, Lucy?' she asked.

    'For a walk.'

    'In which direction?'

    'Oh, up towards the ruins of St Paul's. I took no notice of where we were going,' said Lucy. 'I simply went where Anna led me and enjoyed it.'

    'The fresh air was obviously good for you.'

    'I needed to get out of the house.' She chewed some food and swallowed it before speaking again. 'But what about you, Susan?' she said. 'You told me there was nothing wrong with Mr Redmayne but, in that case, why did he send his servant for you like that?'

    'Jacob came of his own volition.'

    'Why?'

    'He felt that Mr Redmayne might want to talk to me.'

    Lucy smiled. 'I might have told you that.'

    'Jacob was sent to summon Mr Bale and being so close to Knightrider Street, came on here to ask for me.'

    'Was Mr Redmayne pleased to see you?'

    'I think so.'

    'And were you glad to see him?'

    'Very glad' confessed Susan. 'But I did not come to London to visit anyone else, Lucy. I'm here at your invitation and you must call on me whenever you wish. It was pleasant to go to Fetter Lane again but I am back now and at your command.'

    'I have no commands, Susan.'

    'Then I'll just sit with you and offer comfort.'

    'Thank you.'

    They ate in silence for a while. Susan was desperate to tell her about the attack on Christopher, partly for the pleasure of talking about him again but mainly in order to impress upon Lucy that he was taking perilous risks on her behalf. Christopher had advised against it lest it upset Lucy and the advice had seemed sound at the time. Watching her sister-in-law now, however, Susan wondered if she might broach the topic. If Lucy had recovered enough to venture out for a walk, she could surely cope with some distressing news, especially as it might engage her sympathies. Susan plunged in.

    'There was more to it than that, Lucy,' she said.

    'To what?'

    'My visit this morning. Mr Redmayne has been injured.'

    'Injured?' echoed Lucy. 'How badly?'

    Susan described the state he was in when she arrived at his house. When she talked about the attack, she mentioned that both Christopher and Jonathan Bale were convinced that the would-be killer was the same man who had murdered Gabriel. It opened fresh wounds for Lucy and she began to sob. At first, Susan thought she had made an error of judgement, but her sister-in-law soon recovered and brushed away her tears. She looked at Susan.

    'Why is Mr Redmayne doing this for us?' she said.

    'He sees it as a kind of mission, Lucy.'

    'Even though his own life is in danger?'

    'He is a strong man. He fought off the attacker.'

    'Gabriel was strong yet he was unable to do that.'

    'Perhaps he had more than one man to fight against.' Susan paused before returning to a familiar request. 'It would help so much if we knew where the murder took place,' she said. 'Gabriel was not killed in this house or there would have been signs of disturbance. He was out somewhere.'

    'Yes,' murmured Lucy.

    'And you know where he was.'

    'I might guess.'

    'Where was it, Lucy?'