Spoiler's Prey by Robin Blake

Author:Robin Blake [Blake, Robin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Severn House
Published: 2024-06-04T00:00:00+00:00

SEVENTEEN

At half past eight, after an early breakfast, I walked once more with Elizabeth to take some fresh air down beside the lake. The hearing was due to begin at ten o’clock, giving us time to stroll along the western path. As the sun broke through, the dark lake water sparkled beside us. Ducks and ducklings paddled about, upending themselves from time to time to pluck food from the bed of the lake. A heron flapped attentively from one peninsula to the next. Further out on the deeper water fisher boats bobbed in the light breeze.

‘Hey! What are those two doing?’ asked Elizabeth, pointing further along the path. ‘Not dancing, surely.’

About two hundred yards ahead of us the path was overshadowed by a great elm. Beneath it, Elizabeth had seen the same two figures as I had noticed on my first morning in Ingolside. Now, as then, they had laid their hats on the ground and were dodging around each other on their toes, while pummeling the air between them.

‘You are quite right, they are not dancing,’ I said. ‘They are fighting, or rather sparring. You have heard about the great boxing bout to be held on Saturday?’

‘Only a little. Miss Hart is excited, I think, though she will not admit it. And Mr Holloway too, in his bluff way.’

‘The big man is one of the fighters, Johnson by name. The other is Quexton, his trainer.’

‘Quexton? You told me he came here to prevent enclosures.’

‘He leads a double life. He is partly the agitator against the removal of popular custom and right, and partly a boxer’s trainer. Quexton in my opinion is the real reason why John Lavenham came here.’

‘Because?’

‘Remember you said the tenants might find someone to read their leases if they could get their hands on them? That is Quexton. His reputation came before him and Lumsden knew he was a man capable of reading old documents and exposing his lies.’

‘So he sent for an experienced forger to create new documents.’

‘Yes.’

‘It is very opportune that a prize fight was to be staged here, wasn’t it? From Quexton’s point of view.’

‘I suppose he arranged for Charlie Johnson to meet the Ripon fighter as part of his scheme. It gives him a pretext for being here.’

‘Well, I am glad Johnson is training hard. From his name, his opponent’s strength must be alarming. The Rockbreaker.’

‘I have had a word with Johnson,’ I said. ‘He claims he can outmatch the Rockbreaker. And you know it is just a name. He is called that not because he can break rocks with his fists, but only to strike awe.’

Elizabeth laughed.

‘I know that, Titus. In my opinion it is only cockfighting but bigger, and without the feathers.’

We drew nearer to the two men. Seeing us approach, Quexton spoke a word to the fighter and, breaking away, approached us. He used his neckerchief to mop the sweat from his face.

‘Mr Cragg,’ he said. ‘I am happy to see you.’

His eye glanced at Elizabeth, betraying the surprised admiration that was usual in men looking on her for the first time.

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