A Christmas Odyssey (5 page)

Squeaky hesitated with his hand on the brass knocker. He was furious with himself for being such a coward. He had never been in awe of anyone when he was a businessman, selling women to those who wanted or needed to buy. He had despised them and was perfectly happy that they should know it. It was a straight exchange: money for the use of a woman.

Well, maybe it was not quite that simple, but
close enough. There were never any questions of honor or embarrassment in it. Violence, now and again, of course. People needed to be kept to their side of the arrangement. They tended to slip out of it if you allowed them to. Let yourself be taken advantage of once and it would happen again and again.

“Are you going to knock, or stand there holding that thing?” Crow asked peevishly.

Squeaky picked it up and let it fall with a hard bang.

“Now look what you made me do!” he accused, turning to glare at Crow.

The door swung open, revealing a calm-faced butler.

“Good afternoon, gentlemen. How may I be of service to you?”

Squeaky swallowed and nearly choked.

“We would like to speak to Mr. Henry Rathbone, if you please,” Crow answered, while Squeaky tried to collect himself and regain his composure.

The butler blinked and looked confused.

“Mr. Rathbone asked Mr. Robinson here to perform a service for him,” Crow continued. “We have come to report our findings so far, and see what Mr. Rathbone would like us to do next.”

“Indeed?”

The butler still seemed uncomfortable. It was hardly surprising. Squeaky was lean and snaggletoothed, and had long gray hair falling onto his collar. Crow had a charming smile with far too many teeth. His hair was black as soot, as was his bedraggled coat with its flapping tails. And—simply because he had had no time to return home and put it down—he still had his doctor’s Gladstone bag with him.

Squeaky drew in his breath to try a better explanation.

Perhaps because of the length of time they had been on the step, Henry Rathbone appeared in the hall behind the butler. He recognized Squeaky immediately.

“Ah, Mr. Robinson. You have some news?” He looked at Crow. “I am afraid I do not know you, sir, but if you are a friend of Mr. Robinson, then you are welcome.”

“Crow. Doctor, or almost,” Crow said a little sheepishly. There was a note of longing in his voice, as if the “almost” had cost him more than he wanted to admit.

“Henry Rathbone. How do you do, sir? Please come inside. Have you eaten? If not, I can offer
you toast, a very agreeable Belgian pâté, or Brie, and perhaps some apple tart and cream. Hot or cold, as you prefer.”

Crow could not keep the smile from lighting his face.

Squeaky wanted that supper so badly he could taste it in his mouth already. Guilt at the news he brought overwhelmed him, but only for a couple of seconds.

“Thank you, Mr. Rathbone,” he replied quickly, just in case Crow had any other ideas. “That would be very nice indeed.” He took a step forward into the hall as the butler pulled the door wider to let him pass.

They sat next to the fire in the sitting room. Squeaky was fascinated first by the number of books in the cases in the walls, and then by the delicate beauty of the two small paintings hung over the mantel. Both were seascapes with an almost luminous quality to the water. He felt Rathbone’s eyes on him as he stared, and then the heat of embarrassment burned up his face.

“Boningtons,” Henry said quietly. “They’ve always held a particular appeal for me. I’m glad you like them.”

“Yes.” Squeaky had no idea what else to say. He
was even more out of his depth than he had expected to be, and it made him highly uncomfortable. Suddenly he did not know what to do with his hands, or feet.

Crow cleared his throat and stared at Squeaky.

Henry looked at him, waiting.

Squeaky plunged in. Better to get it over with. “Thing is,” he began tentatively. “Thing is … we found word of Mr. Wentworth.”

Henry leaned forward eagerly. “You did? Already? That’s a most excellent start.”

Squeaky felt the sweat prickle on his skin. He was making a complete pig’s ear of this. He didn’t even mean to be deceptive, except for the best of reasons, and here he was doing it. Respectability had put him out of practice of saying anything the way he meant it.

“Thing is,” he began again. “His father’s right, he’s picked up with some very bad company indeed. Woman called Sadie, a real bad lot. Seems he’s lost his wits over her. Got tangled up with a rival, and now there in’t anything daft enough or bad enough he won’t do to impress her. Even damn near killed someone.”

He drew in a deep breath. “Mr. Rathbone, he in’t going to come back as long as she’ll give ’im
the sort of attention he wants, an’ she’s playin’ him off against this other young fool, clear as day to anyone with eyes in their heads. It’s a world you don’t know, sir, an’ don’t want to.”

Henry looked sad, but not surprised. “I see,” he said quietly. “It seems to be as bad as his father feared.” He looked across at Crow. “Do I assume that you agree, Doctor?”

Crow blushed, not for the question, but for the courtesy title to which he had no right. He faced him squarely. “Yes sir. I’m afraid he’s sunk to the kind of place people don’t come back from. It isn’t just the drinking, although that’ll get to you in time. It’s the violence. It seems this young woman thrives on it. The sight and smell of blood excites her, the idea that men will kill each other over her.”

“Are you saying that we shouldn’t try?” Henry asked him.

Squeaky drew in his breath to tell him that that was exactly what they were saying, then he saw Crow’s face and changed his mind.

“Yes sir,” Crow answered gravely. “It’s the man’s own heart that’s keeping him there. I … I suppose if we can find him, we could tell him that his father wants him back, but I don’t think it’ll make any difference. I’d say, sir, that he’s best not
to know what’s become of his son. What he imagines would be bad, but once you’ve seen something for real, there’s no escaping it ever. There’s things you don’t want to see.”

“Lots of things,” Henry agreed. “But that is not a reason to turn away. Perhaps if we could persuade Lucien that there is a way back, then …”

Squeaky leaned forward. “He doesn’t want to come back! There’s no one keeping him there except himself. Crow’s right, Mr. Rathbone.”

“I suppose he is,” Henry murmured. “But I have given Mr. Wentworth my promise. If you would be kind enough to tell me the best direction in which to begin, I shall do so. And perhaps any other advice …”

Squeaky could not bear it. This man was a babe in the woods. He had not the faintest idea what he was dealing with. He would be robbed and probably killed within the first couple of hours.

“You can’t,” he said simply. “You’d be done over an’ left in the gutter. Maybe even knifed, ’specially if Lucien knows you’re after him. I can’t let you … sir.”

“I am not doing it from choice, Mr. Robinson,”
Henry replied gently. “I have promised an old friend that I will do all I can. I have not yet done that. Please, give me whatever advice you have, and allow me to reimburse you for the trouble you have taken so far, and any expense you may have incurred.”

“We didn’t go to any expense,” Squeaky said with an honesty he knew he would regret later. He saw Henry’s disbelief in his eyes. “I relieved one or two gentlemen of their wrongful earnings,” Squeaky explained without a flicker. “Used ’em to buy a little information. And no trouble neither. So you don’t owe us at all.” He made to rise to his feet, but Crow did not follow him, so he sat back down again. “And a very good supper too,” he added.

Crow took a deep breath, as if to steady himself, then he spoke quickly.

“If you’re determined to go an’ see for yourself, then I’ll
come with you. I know the way better than you do.”

Squeaky cursed himself. He should have seen that coming. He knew Henry Rathbone was a fool, but he should have realized that Crow was too.

“You neither of you know a damn thing!” he said furiously. “Like sending kittens into a dogfight! I’ll come with you.” He wanted to add a whole lot more, but there didn’t seem to be any point, and every time he opened his mouth he got himself into more trouble.

“Thank you, Mr. Robinson,” Henry said with a beautiful smile.

T
he three of them set out a short while later. This time they took a hansom at Henry Rathbone’s expense, and alighted in Oxford Street.

Once they had agreed that they were all going, they had discussed practical plans over tea and fruitcake. Since they were now aware of the kind of woman they were looking for, and her name, as well as that of her other lover, Niccolo, they had clear places to start.

“Off Oxford Street,” Squeaky said knowingly. “Nothing cheap. This woman likes money an’ class. No fun in getting a couple o’ drunkards rolling around on the floor. You can see that anywhere.”

Henry winced.

Squeaky saw it. “You sure you want to find this Lucien?”

“I am,” Henry replied, his voice low.

Crow said nothing, but he was clearly unhappy. He did not argue with Henry. Possibly he even understood, in his own way.

Squeaky rose to his feet. “Then we’ll get started.”

They went to one public house after another, following the trail of those who had seen or heard of Sadie, or the names Lucien and Niccolo. The songs were ever bawdier as the night went on. In the galleries above the makeshift stages, prostitutes stalked up and down until they attracted the attention of a customer. Then they disappeared into one of the many side rooms provided for the purpose.

There was much drink flowing, mostly whisky and gin. And, with the right request, and accompanied by the right money, laudanum, opium, and various other, stronger substances such as cocaine were available to enhance the vividness of the experience, or to block out a grief that might intrude upon pleasure.

Henry Rathbone masked his distaste, but it was obvious that it was with great difficulty. Then as the evening wore on, Squeaky saw in his eyes a look that he knew was pity.

Crow asked questions, but Squeaky realized how acutely he was watching the people he saw, understanding the pasty skins, the scabs no paint or powder could disguise. A feeling of hopelessness settled over him.

It was near Piccadilly, in a narrow, gaslit old music hall, toward morning, when they met Bessie. She was perhaps fourteen or fifteen. It was hard to tell because she was thin and narrow-chested, but her skin was still blemishless and had some natural color. She was fetching and carrying drinks to people for the barman, who was pouring out and taking money as fast as he could. Bessie wove her way through the crowd with a certain grace, but in spite of her air of innocence, she seemed quite capable of giving back as good as she received in any exchange. One man who ventured to touch her caught a full glass of cider in his lap. He leapt to his feet in fury, to much laughter and jeering from those around him.

“Yer lookin’ fer Lucien?” she said in answer to Henry’s question. “ ’E in’t ’ere no more. Gone after that Sadie.” The expression on her face was not so much disgust as a weary kind of sorrow. “Yer’d think a man like that’d know better, wouldn’t yer?”

“You know him?” Henry said quickly.

She shrugged a thin shoulder in an oddly adult gesture. “Talked with ’im some. Listened to ’im, more like. See’d ’ow ’is face lit up when ’e told us about ’er. Think she was like Christmas come. More like bleedin’ ’alloween, if you ask me. Let the devils out that night, din’t they? God knows wot yer’ll meet with.” Then her face was wistful. “But she were pretty, in a mad sort o’ way.”

“Do you know where they went?” Henry asked her. “I am a friend of his father’s, and I would dearly like to give him a message.”

She shook her head. “I can guess, sort o’,” she admitted. “I in’t never been there meself, but I ’eard.” She hesitated.

“What?” Crow asked quickly.

“I dunno.” She snatched the tray on which she carried the glasses and pushed her way back into the crowd.

Crow swore under his breath.

“Do you think she knows something?” Henry asked dubiously. “She’s only a child.”

Squeaky got up off his seat and forced his way between two men with glasses full of whisky. One slopped over and he swore with low, sustained fury. Squeaky ignored them, and the group of
painted women beyond them, flirting desperately. A man and a woman in a red dress argued over the price of opium, another two over cocaine. Squeaky caught up with Bessie again as she neared the barman.

“What were you going to say about Lucien?” he demanded. “You know where we could look.” He wondered whether to offer her money, or if it would insult her. She certainly must need it, but those who were the most desperate were also at times the most easily insulted. “We need your help,” he finished. If she asked for money, he would give it to her—Henry Rathbone’s money, of course.

She looked him up and down, her lips pursed. “ ’E won’t go with yer,” she told him.

“I know that,” he replied. “But Mr. Rathbone don’t. He’s … a bit innocent, like. He won’t stop until he finds out for himself.”