Doctor Who_ The Bodysnatchers - Mark Morris [61]
Instantly Albert felt what little resolve he had evaporating. Gamely, however, he said, 'You must have taken notice of him, Jack. He was not himself this evening.'
'Who was he then?'Jack muttered dangerously.
'He was... he was the same man and yet not the same.There was a change about him. The way he looked at us, the way he moved and spoke. My fear is that he may have got wind of our plan.'
'Ha! And who has told him? You?'
'Not I! I've not breathed a word to no one.'
'Nor I. So it appears, as ever, that you're whistling in the dark, Albert, old chum.'
Though the words in themselves seemed friendlyjack's manner was not.
Albert was all too aware that should he push Jack too far, Jack would very likely knock him off the back of Ned Cockles's nag and then urge the animal to trample all over him for good measure. Nevertheless he felt compelled to add,'All the same,Jack. I fancy caution should be the order of the day.'
Jack shook his head, rain spinning off the brim of his hat. 'Here I am, trying to make you rich, and all you do to repay me is babble in my ear like a frightened old crone! Perhaps you believe this gentleman of ours has been secretly observing us at work, listening to our every exchange? Or perhaps he has a twin brother... No, wait, perhaps there's an entire army of 'em.
Perhaps they are lying in wait even as we speak, making ready to leap on us from all sides, wielding knives to cut our throats and slice out our gizzards with! Would it please you to find this to be the case,Albert? Simply to be proven right?'
'Of course not,'Albert responded miserably.'I was merely -'
'Hush'Jack growled.
At first Albert thought Jack had urged him to silence simply because he was tired of hearing his voice. Then he realised that the sound they had been following for some time, that of the slow clop of hooves and the rumble of their employer's cart over stony, uneven ground, had ceased.
Albert did not know whether to feel apprehensive or hopeful. He recalled Jack's words and suddenly pictured in his mind a dozen caped gentlemen, their faces covered, advancing upon them from all sides. He looked around nervously, but saw nothing except fog drifting across the hazy, sharp-angled surfaces of buildings.Their quarry had not led them far.They were currently pursuing him through the factory-lined streets, silent at this hour, that meandered down to the river. It was Albert's hope that their employer would meet a boat at the river's edge and set out upon it together with his cargo, thus bringing their night's adventure to an end.
'It seems we've lost him,' Albert said, trying to keep the glee from his voice.
'What should we do now?'
'Bah, you give up too easily,Albert,'Jack said.'We go forward of course.'
'But if he's waiting for us up ahead?'
'Then we shall see his cart through the fog before we get too close.'
'And if he confronts us? Demands that we should explain ourselves?'
'Then we shall do so. If it's a battle of wits he wants, Albert, I know who I shall favour.'
Jack urged the nag forward, but they had advanced no more than two dozen yards when he was tugging on the reins to halt it again. Through the murk up ahead, both Jack and Albert could see the flint outline of their employer's transport, the horse waiting patiently before a set of tall factory gates, one of which stood open. Albert began to shiver and hoped that Jack would not notice. Suddenly, a dark figure in a cape and top hat appeared through the gate, leapt nimbly up on to the driver's seat of the cart, and steered the horse through the gate and into the factory grounds.
Moments later the huge wrought-iron gate swung shut with a low clang whose echo was quickly swallowed by the fog. 'Come on, Albert,'Jack said, dismounting from the horse so swiftly that he was in danger of dragging Albert off with him. He tied the horse to the factory railings and set off at a shambling run,Albert struggling to keep up.
'Where are we going?'Albert wheezed between gasps for breath.
'Down to the river. There'll