Confronting the Invisible: A chilling mystery set in Victorian London (Carlyle & West Victorian Mysteries Book 3) by David Field

Confronting the Invisible: A chilling mystery set in Victorian London (Carlyle & West Victorian Mysteries Book 3) by David Field

Author:David Field [Field, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sapere Books
Published: 2020-12-17T05:00:00+00:00


‘An excellent shepherd’s pie!’ Jennings enthused as he helped himself to more from the bowl in the centre of the supper table. ‘Do I detect the addition of parsley?’

‘Very well spotted,’ Adelaide said. ‘I always find that it helps to spice up what might otherwise be a bland meal. And nothing is potentially more bland than minced beef and mashed potato, even with carrots and peas mixed in before the final bake. Yet it’s ridiculously simple to make. So simple, in fact, that Matthew made this one — under my supervision, of course.’

Matthew went slightly red. ‘My mother always insisted on doing all the cooking at home, and since I have a younger sister, she got the cookery lessons while my brother and I just had to eat the consequences.’

‘All very touching,’ Carlyle commented with light sarcasm, ‘but we’re not here to learn of Matthew’s progression up the domesticity ladder.’

‘No, indeed not,’ Jennings agreed. ‘In the absence of any alternative, I suggest tomorrow evening, at around seven p.m. It’ll be dark by then, and I’m advised that it’s a new moon phase, so we’ll have the advantage of a blackened approach before we storm the place.’

‘I don’t like the sound of that,’ Matthew broke in. ‘We’re dealing with children here, not armed footpads or bullion train robbers.’

‘All the same, my men will be going in with loaded firearms, just in case,’ Jennings insisted. ‘The man in command of these children may well be armed himself, and from what we’ve learned about him he’s a very dangerous character.’

‘Then you can count me out,’ Carlyle announced loudly and firmly. ‘If any guns go off, intentionally or otherwise, the children are likely to panic and get caught in any crossfire. I don’t wish to be prising bullets from the bodies of dead youngsters.’

‘And I won’t be there either, for largely the same reasons,’ Matthew chimed in. ‘My role in life is to preserve souls, particularly young ones, and I couldn’t contemplate for one moment being a party to the sort of police “raid” that you’re planning.’

‘If my father and husband both feel like that, then you know my answer,’ Adelaide added.

Jennings shook his head in exasperation. ‘Are you suggesting that we send them a written notice of our intention to call on them — perhaps leave our calling card the previous day?’

‘Obviously not,’ Carlyle replied curtly. ‘We’re just saying that this has got to be organised differently from a “take down” of some Chinese pipe house. I suggest that Matthew and I enter softly at first, with a handful of your officers — armed, if they must be, to ensure our protection against “Mr Ross”, should he prove to be there. We explain quietly why we’re there, and that we have enough men outside to ensure their safety, then we invite them to accompany us back to Stepney. Some of them may be too ill, injured, or under-nourished, to walk back, and the weather may prove to be inclement, so perhaps you might consider having a few police coaches in attendance to convey them to their homes.



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