Death in the Peerless Pool by Deryn Lake

Author:Deryn Lake [Deryn Lake]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Publisher: Severn House Publishers
Published: 2014-08-22T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

When William Kemp, jeweller and renowned citizen of London, had taken on the task of turning a dangerous swimming pond into one of the capital’s most enchanting hubs of leisure, he had overlooked nothing at all. As well as building himself a charming home and various structures in which to house the different baths and changing rooms, he had also created a lodge close to the main gates to act as both office and ticket bureau. And it was to a tiny salon contained therein, as delightfully furnished as if it were a genuine lodgekeeper’s dwelling, that John was shown when he arrived at the Peerless Pool later that morning. Mr Kemp himself was on duty and had personally ushered the Apothecary on to the premises.

‘You seem very busy,’ John had commented, running an eye over the line of people waiting to show their subscription tickets as they passed through the entrance.

Agile as the dancing master he resembled, William had spun on his heel. ‘It was just as Mr Fielding said. When we reopened for business after the murder, patrons formed a veritable queue. Indeed, the Fish Pond has been so crowded since that I have been forced to obtain more rods. The human race will never cease to surprise me.’

‘There is certainly an unpleasantly morbid streak lurking in us all,’ John answered as he went into the lodge.

‘Alas, how true. Now, you wish to see Tobias Wills? Nothing wrong, I trust?’

John shook his head soothingly. ‘No. I am merely clearing up one or two points and hoping to jog his memory a little.’

Mr Kemp looked relieved. ‘I’m glad to hear it. A sound man is Toby.’

‘Have you known him long?’

‘Only about a year. But please be assured that in that time he has shown his worth. Why, it was he who helped you get the body up, if you remember.’

‘How could I forget?’ John answered, and wondered, as he had several times already, why it was that Toby had lied about how he knew the gender of the murder victim. But the ex-soldier’s face as he marched into the room military-style, then stood rigidly at attention, gave nothing away, and the Apothecary mentally paled at the thought of the task lying ahead of him.

He adopted a pleasant approach. ‘Toby, you will never know how grateful we all were for your help on that terrible day when the dead woman was found.’

The old soldier gave him a contemptuous glance. ‘Well, scant reward I’ve had for my pains and that’s a fact. I’ve been accused of being a liar by practically everybody, including yourself.’

John changed tack as swiftly as the wind at sea. ‘As you now accuse me.’

‘What do you mean?’

Half the size of the powerfully built Toby, John none the less brought his face to within an inch of the other man’s. ‘Because you know as well as I do I never mentioned that the body at the bottom of the Fish Pond was that of a woman. And no bluff or bluster on your part is going to make a ha’p’orth of difference on that score.

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