A Home Full of Hope by Fenella J Miller

Author:Fenella J Miller [Miller, Fenella J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Boldwood Books

12

WHITECHAPEL, MAY 1849

‘I wish you to accompany me to Ascot. Do you have civilian garments that will pass muster at such a place?’ Inspector Burgess enquired of Alfie.

‘I do, sir. I ain’t going to look out of place amongst the toffs.’

The inspector smiled. ‘You’ll have to keep your trap shut or improve your diction, Nightingale.’

‘I can do that, Inspector Burgess. I can assure you that I can speak as well as the next man if needs be.’ Alfie hoped his attempt at sounding grand would be enough to satisfy his new superior.

‘Excellent. Remain in your lodgings for now. You are on secondment to me, not permanently transferred. Get home and change then present yourself at Waterloo Station. We shall be catching the midday train, so you had better hurry if you are not to miss it.’

It were a bloody long way from Scotland Yard back to Leman Street and then almost as far to get back to the station. It was as if the inspector had deliberately set out to make life difficult for him – this message could have been left with the sergeant and saved a great deal of time and expense.

No point in moaning – he’d better do as he was bid if he wanted to join the CID after this excursion. He’d never been to a racecourse of any sort. It were a pastime for the rich, not folk like him. God knows why the inspector wanted him in plain clothes. There must be something going on where a uniformed constable couldn’t be employed.

He asked the jarvey to wait for him whilst he changed. If he hadn’t had the foresight to do so he would have missed the train. As it was, he was obliged to dodge past the ticket collector and leap on the train without having first purchased a ticket. Now all he had to do was make his way down the platform on the next halt until he discovered the inspector. It were likely he would be in first class, certainly not in third where he were now.

First class, for the gents, would be at the front of the train and he’d jumped on at the back. He would have to get out at the next stop and hope he could reach the required carriage before the train pulled out again. The inspector would think he’d missed the train – nothing he could do about that now.

He was ready and had the door open before the train was stationary. A guard saw him racing along the platform and ran ahead to open the door to a first-class carriage. ‘Here you are, sir, not the first gentleman to have had to change carriages.’

Alfie nodded but had the sense to keep his trap shut. The door banged behind him. This compartment were empty – too much to hope he’d get in the right one first off. At the next station he hadn’t far to go as the inspector were in the adjacent compartment. Instead of greeting him with a scowl, he laughed.

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