The Wanton Angel by Edward Marston

Author:Edward Marston [Marston, Edward]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Mystery, Historical
ISBN: 9780312203917
Google: OK7SAgAAQBAJ
Amazon: B00GQDQF6S
Goodreads: 595699
Publisher: St Martins Pr
Published: 1999-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

When Nicholas Bracewell finally reached the Queen’s Head, he found the company in a buoyant mood. The stage had been erected, properties had been set out and the actors were chatting happily in groups. Nicholas was given a mocking cheer when he appeared. Usually the first to arrive, he was now the straggler in the party. Lawrence Firethorn sought to rub the message home.

‘Ah, Nick!’ he said good-humouredly, ‘so you have risen from your bed at last, have you? You are unconscionably late, dear heart. It is not like you to put the caresses of a lady before the needs of your company. Why the delay?’

‘I will tell you in private.’

‘Secrets, eh? I long to hear them.’

Nicholas drew him aside to break the sad tidings. He explained that the delay was forced upon him. When the body of Sylvester Pryde was uncovered, constables were summoned and the crime reported. Nicholas supervised the transfer of the corpse to the morgue before giving a sworn statement to the coroner. It was only then that he was able to hurry to the Queen’s Head.

Firethorn was thunderstruck by the news.

‘God in heaven!’ he murmured. ‘This is a tragedy!’

‘We must decide what to do,’ said Nicholas quietly. ‘My advice would be to cancel this morning’s rehearsal so that we may appraise the situation. Black Antonio needs little enough attention. We have performed the play so often that we could do so at a moment’s notice without any rehearsal.’

‘Yes,’ agreed Firethorn. ‘We need time to think.’

‘Let me speak to the company. They will have to be told sooner or later and I would rather they heard it from my lips. In any case,’ he added, ‘they will be able to help me.’

‘In what way?’

‘Someone must have seen Sylvester leave here last night. They can give me some idea of what time that was. I had already returned to Bankside so I have no knowledge of his movements. Sylvester Pryde was a good friend to us. I will track down his killer,’ he vowed, ‘and the trail starts here.’

‘We will all want to follow that trail, Nick,’ said the other vehemently. ‘The culprit must be made to pay for this hideous crime. He has not only murdered Sylvester. He has killed our new playhouse stone dead.’

‘That may not be so.’

‘But Sylvester was our intermediary.’

‘The loan is secured and the terms agreed.’

‘Might not our benefactor wish to withdraw the money?’ said Firethorn anxiously. ‘His only reason for helping us was his friendship with Sylvester. That can no longer exist.’

Nicholas was calm. ‘Let us not race to meet a problem that may not exist,’ he said. ‘Two things must be done as soon as possible. We must find this guardian angel of ours and acquaint him with this terrible event. My hope is that he will want the playhouse to be as much a theatre as a memorial to Sylvester Pryde. Our loan may still be safe.’

‘You spoke of two things, Nick.’

‘I did.’

‘What is the other?’

‘We must keep up the spirits of the company,’ said Nicholas.

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