The Sign of the Gallows by Susanna Calkins

Author:Susanna Calkins [Calkins, Susanna]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781448304691
Publisher: Severn House Publishers
Published: 2020-08-31T23:00:00+00:00

FIFTEEN

On Thursday morning, just after eight o’clock, the hired carriage came rattling down Fleet Street, stopping in front of Master Aubrey’s shop. Lucy, with the printer’s help, had packed her bag with many favourite pieces that were easy to sell. A selection of recipes, true accounts, sermons and, of course, murder ballads that she would trade. She had also brought along a small selection of nicer bound books that she might sell to the scholars’ shop that Master Aubrey had told her about. Peeking in her pocket, she also made sure that she had a few extra coins, because she was not sure how many of the books desired by Professor Wallace and Miss de Witte might be available for purchase. Lastly, she checked that she had brought along Master Aubrey’s special printed seal to ensure that booksellers knew that she was authentic. ‘Do not lose that,’ he said sternly.

When the carriage pulled up, Adam hopped out to help her in. They sat together facing Master Hargrave, who held up a bound legal tract. ‘I’ve been looking forward to reading the legal opinions of Sir Timothy Littleton for some time now. A longish journey to Hoddesdon will be just the trick. Or it will help me sleep along the journey.’

Within the half hour, they had left the confines of London and were moving into more open spaces along the well-travelled road. At first, Lucy looked excitedly through the window, as this was not a direction she had journeyed before, but after a while the terrain became less varied. Tall leafless trees, animals foraging for food, the occasional pocket of homes and farms, a church or two. There were also many graves – the headstones a keen reminder of how far the plague had stretched in that dreadful godless year. She shivered at the memory.

‘Are you cold, Lucy?’ Adam asked. He pulled out some blankets from a box and, without waiting for her assent, tucked one around her. ‘The driver said the route can get chilly this time of year.’

Lucy pulled the blanket around her. It smelled slightly of horses, but she was grateful for the additional warmth. As they jolted along, Master Hargrave put aside the treatise and rested his head back, soon lolling to sleep. Lucy pulled out the messages that Mistress Wallace had given her – exchanges between her husband and Miss de Witte – as well as the Babington cipher.

‘See this mark, and this one here?’ she said, pointing to a couple of the symbols. ‘I believe that this one is the sign of the gallows, and this one is the sign of the Devil.’

‘Yes, I concur,’ Adam said, after carefully comparing the symbols. He glanced at Lucy. ‘You have been so dogged in your pursuit of this truth. Is that the constable’s influence on you?’

‘You have been dogged as well. Agreeing to accompany me to Hoddesdon,’ she said. Then, more hurriedly, she added. ‘The idea that a murderer could go free, when we might have a clue to his identity, is not something that I can easily swallow.

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