The Anatomy of Ghosts by Andrew Taylor

Author:Andrew Taylor [Taylor, Andrew]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Mystery, Thriller, Historical
ISBN: 9781410436658
Publisher: Hyperion
Published: 2010-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

In the evening Whichcote laid a coin at one end of the mantelpiece. At the other end of Mrs. Phear’s mantelpiece stood a lighted candle, the only one in the room. It was still light outside, and a small creature rustled among the leaves of a pear tree espaliered against the rear wall of the garden. Whichcote laid another coin on the mantelpiece, an inch apart from the first. It had been a long day, and he felt flat and weary.

“There will be more,” he said. “This is merely an earnest of what is to come.”

“Have you enough for your creditors?” Mrs. Phear asked.

“There is never enough for those vultures, ma’am. But thank you.”

He laid another coin on the mantelpiece, this one on top of the first, and then placed a fourth on top of the second. Slowly the columns of gold grew taller. In total, the money amounted to a down payment of ten guineas. For Mrs. Phear, he knew, such a sum could bridge the difference between genteel poverty and a genteel competence.

“We have made up some lost ground,” he said. “But there is more. Can we contrive another dinner before the end of term?”

“It is always the girl that takes the time. The next committee meeting at the Magdalene Hospital is not until the end of the month. It would not be easy to arrange before then.”

“It is a pity. They are ready for another one. Or most of them are. And young Chiddingley burns to be an Apostle, and for that we need a girl.”

“There’s one way.” Mrs. Phear stared out of the window. “What if we use the same one? Only Mr. Archdale saw her.”

“But I thought we decided that the less they knew the better, and if we use one of them more than once—”

“That is true as a general principle. In this case, however, there is much to recommend a relaxation of the rule. This girl is a discreet little chit, I fancy. She handled Mr. Archdale very well last night.”

“What was her name again?”

“Molly Price. She’s no great beauty, I know, but she looks well enough for the part.”

“A flower waiting to be plucked,” Whichcote said drily.

“Think of the convenience of the thing—there is always trouble and risk in recruiting a new one. Also, it takes time. But if it’s Price again, I can simply tell them at the Magdalene that I have hopes of another lady who’s in want of a girl to train up into service.”

“Still, it increases the danger, does it not? If the Price girl talks—”

“You may leave all that to me. I will answer for her discretion. Besides, there is nothing she can say that would be believed.” Mrs. Phear’s voice sharpened. “Pray, sir, pass me the money. I do not like to put temptation in the way of servants.”

He scraped the guineas into the palm of his left hand and brought them to her. “Very well,” he said. “I will talk to the Apostles in the next day or two and give you a date.

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