An Independent Woman: A Tabitha & Wolf Mystery (Tabitha & Wolf Historical Mystery Series Book 3) by Sarah F. Noel

Author:Sarah F. Noel [Noel, Sarah F.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-09-08T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Thirty minutes later, they left Angus Johnson at the inn, tucking into a pie and on his second “wee dram”. They walked back up the hill to the Royal Mile, the man tailing them always keeping a careful distance away, assuming he was unnoticed. As they walked, they discussed what Angus had told them. It was clear that Peter’s dedication to the causes espoused by the Scottish Labour Party was genuine and almost as passionate as Angus’ own. Angus had called Peter Kincaid “a loyal foot soldier,” if a little green perhaps. But what he lacked in experience, Peter made up for with a willingness to do whatever it took to fight the injustices of a system he felt had been stacked against him since conception.

“It’s interesting that Peter seems to have felt himself a victim of the vagaries of life,” Tabitha mused. “After all, someone might hear Peter’s story and draw exactly the opposite conclusion.”

“What do you mean?” Bear asked. He’d kept quiet throughout the conversation with Angus Johnson, but he’d formed his own opinion about the story the man had told. “He was the illegitimate son of a maid turned out of her home and job by the master who’d taken advantage of her. Abandoned by his mother, he grew up in an orphanage. I can see why he felt life had been unfair.”

“And yet,” Tabitha pointed out, “he was then plucked from that orphanage and given the best education possible in Scotland. He had the friendship of a wealthy man who continued to support him financially as he worked his way towards his chosen career. Indeed, he could have been Sinclair’s heir and would have worked his way from an illegitimate child born in a workhouse to inheriting enormous wealth and influence. That Sinclair did not make him his heir seems to have been almost entirely Peter’s choice. While he certainly started out life seemingly born under an unlucky star, he quickly became far more fortunate than most children, even ones starting off with a better chance in life.”

“I suppose that’s true,” Bear conceded as they continued to walk back down the hill towards where they’d left the carriage earlier. Wolf wondered what the man keeping track of them would do once they were in the carriage. From what he’d seen so far, there certainly didn’t seem to be much opportunity to find a hackney cab in the Old Town.

Tabitha began discussing the most interesting part of their conversation with Angus, but Wolf subtly indicated that the man was still behind them, albeit at a distance. “Let’s wait until we’re in the carriage,” he said.

Finally, seated and on their way back to New Town, Tabitha said, “I believe we now have an idea what Peter meant by ‘blood money’, at least.”

Wolf agreed, “It would seem to be the case. Certainly, Peter’s suspicions that Sinclair was flouting the Coal Mines Act, putting in place insufficient safety measures, continuing to employ underage boys, pressuring workers not to report

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