The Hyde Park Headsman - Anne Griffin Perry [122]
“I’ll look at them later.” Jack made as if to walk past him. “I must go and write a note to Superintendent Pitt.”
“I think he may already be aware of your misadventure, sir,” the butler said gravely.
“There is no way he could,” Jack replied, continuing on towards the door. “I did not tell the man who came to help us anything except that I lived not far away. It was too dark for him to have recognized me, even if he were minded to tell anyone, which he wouldn’t.”
The butler cleared his throat and set the newspapers down on the edge of the table. “I am sorry to say, sir, but you are mistaken in him. It is headlined in several of the newspapers this morning, most especially the Times. Mr. Uttley has written a very critical piece about the police force, I am afraid.”
“What?” Jack strode back and seized the top newspaper, holding it up to stare at it in horror. “This is absurd! How could Uttley possibly have known in time to have written this? In fact, how could he have known at all?”
“I’m sure I don’t know, sir. Do you still wish to send a note to Superintendent Pitt, sir?”
“Yes—no.” Jack sat down again hard, scratching his chair legs on the polished wooden floor. “This is damnable!”
Before Emily could reply there was a knock on the door and the maid opened it. “Superintendent Pitt is here to see you, sir. Shall I tell him as you’re in, sir?”
“Yes. Yes of course I’m in,” Jack said angrily. “Get him another cup and some more tea. And some fish, if he wants it.”
“Yes sir.”
Pitt came in almost as soon as she had withdrawn. He looked tired and profoundly worried.
“Are you all right?” he said quickly, looking from one to the other of them. “What happened? Why in Hell’s name didn’t you tell me last night?”
Emily swallowed hard and looked away.
“Sit down.” Jack pointed to a third chair not far from the table. “There’s more tea coming. Would you like something to eat? Smoked haddock? Eggs?”
“No thank you,” Pitt dismissed the offer totally, but accepted the seat.
Jack continued talking. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t tell anyone last night,” he explained. “We came straight home and went to bed. No one knows but the servants.” He smiled in self-mockery. “One cannot keep much from them, especially when one is covered with bruises and limping around like the Ancient of Days. But I was going to send you a note just now, when Jenkins brought in the newspapers and said it was all over the front pages. I’m damned if I know how.”
“What happened?” Pitt asked wearily.
In careful and very precise detail, and without interruption from Emily, Jack recounted the events of the previous evening from the time he and Emily had left the reception until they had reached their home and closed the door on the street, with its sudden, inexplicable violence and fear.
The maid had brought a further cup and Emily had poured the tea, which Pitt sipped as he listened. Finally he put it down and regarded Jack with furrowed brows.
“Are you sure you haven’t forgotten anything?”
Jack looked at Emily.
“Nothing,” she replied. “That is exactly what happened.”
“Who was the man who came to your rescue?” Pitt looked from one to the other.
“I don’t know,” Emily said quickly. “I didn’t ask his name, nor did I give him mine.”
“Would you know him if you were to meet him again?”
“Possibly.” This time it was Jack who answered. “I’m not certain. The street was very ill-lit and I was considerably shaken. Added to which he was not dressed as one customarily meets someone.”
“How were you dressed?”
“Evening clothes, black and white.” Jack shrugged. “I did not have an overcoat because the evening was very mild.” He glanced at Emily. “Emily was in a deep green gown, but she did have a cloak, one with a hood, which she had up over her head”
“Could he have recognized you?” Pitt asked her thoughtfully.
Emily shook her head. “I’ve never met him before, so far as I can think. Anyway, why should he recognize me? I’m not running for Parliament.” She shook her head even more vehemently. “No, no, I was on the ground some of the time, and while he was helping