The Scent of Death by Andrew Taylor

Author:Andrew Taylor [Andrew Taylor]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2014-09-21T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Forty-Six

When I returned to Warren Street in the evening of the following day, Josiah told me that his master begged me to join him and the other gentlemen in the library if I was at leisure.

I found the Judge sitting at the table with Townley beside him. The Captain stood on the hearthrug with his back to an imaginary fire. Noak stood, hands clasped in front of him, near the door. He bowed slightly as I entered and closed the door for me.

‘The very man,’ Mr Wintour said, flexing his fingers as if the joints were aching. ‘Pray sit down, sir, and give us the benefit of your advice.’

‘Ah yes,’ cried Townley, smiling at me. ‘We may depend on you, Mr Savill, for sound sense. I’m sure Captain Wintour values your opinion too.’

The Captain said nothing but he bowed to me.

‘My son is determined to go to Mount George,’ the Judge went on. ‘I confess I am not entirely happy about it in my own mind. But Mr Townley has come up with a most excellent notion, that Mr Noak should accompany him. Is it not a good plan, sir? Looking at it in the round, I cannot see a single flaw to it.’

‘I can’t deprive Mr Townley of Noak’s services, sir,’ the Captain said, grim-faced. ‘Besides the journey may be uncomfortable, perhaps even hazardous at times.’

‘Exactly so! That’s why Mr Noak should accompany you.’ Mr Wintour beamed at the clerk. ‘I know Mr Noak will prove equal to everything.’

I coughed. ‘This is a remarkable coincidence,’ I said to the room at large.

The four of them looked at me.

‘How so?’ Townley said.

‘Because I had made up my mind to talk to Captain Wintour about this myself. About his projected journey.’

The Captain said to no one in particular, ‘I am capable of managing my own affairs, I think.’ He stopped. For a moment I thought he would fly into a passion. But then he added, quite calmly, ‘I’m going. There’s nothing more to be said about the matter.’

‘All I wanted, sir, was to ask whether you would permit me to accompany you for at least some of the way.’

‘You?’ said the Judge, the Captain and Townley in a ragged chorus. Only Noak was silent.

Townley took a step towards me. ‘Surely your position as a civilian, sir, as an official of His Majesty’s Government—?’

‘Permit me to explain.’ I turned to the Judge. ‘I’ve a great deal of leave accrued to me. I find the summer heat of the city uncomfortable, sir, and I’m persuaded that going to the country for a week or two would do me the world of good. It would be a tonic. And there’s the additional advantage that it would enable me to mix business with pleasure.’

‘Business, sir?’ Townley interrupted. ‘What business?’

I said nothing for a moment, time enough for him to realize that both his question and his manner were impertinent.

‘I beg your pardon, sir,’ he went on. ‘I spoke out of turn.’

‘There’s no particular secret about it,’ I said, addressing Mr Wintour.

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