Free The Repentant Rake by Edward Marston Page A

of the body? No, Tom. He must have some link
with Baynard's Castle ward. I feel it in my bones. And the killer must know the
area as well. He picked a good spot to hide the body. And a good time.'
        'When
nobody was about.'
        'Nobody
who remembers seeing anything, that is.'
        'Ah.'
        'We
must try again tomorrow.'
        'Yes.'
        Jonathan
gave him a farewell wave and turned into Addle Hill. With his dog back at his
heels, Warburton continued on towards his own house. It had been a
disappointing day and Jonathan was glad to be home again. When he entered, Sarah
was coming downstairs, having just put the two boys to bed. Smiling a welcome,
she gave him a kiss on the cheek.
        'I
told them you'd be back in time to read to them.'
        'In a
moment,' he said, going into the kitchen.
        'You
look exhausted, Jonathan.'
        'Annoyed
more than anything else.'
        'Why?'
        'Oh,
it's not fair to bring my troubles home,' he said, dredging up a smile. 'The
problem will keep until morning then I'll start all over again.'
        'Is
it to do with that dead body you found?'
        'Yes.'
        'I thought
you found out a name.'
        'I
did' he agreed, 'but that's all I found out. The address I was given was false.
For some reason, the young man wanted to cover his tracks. All I know is that
he wore expensive shoes and dressed like a gentleman. He might even be a
courtier. That's not a world I know - or want to know - much about, Sarah.'
         'You've been to Court,' she said with pride. 'You've spoken to His Majesty.'
        He
wrinkled his nose. 'Not with any pleasure, my love. When he saw fit to employ
me, I had to obey the King but I was never comfortable in his presence. If the
dead man was a courtier, I'll leave it to others to find out more about him.
I'll not venture down to Westminster again. It's a vile place.'
        Sarah
said nothing but her mind was working. While her husband went off to read to
his sons from the Bible, she prepared his supper. So rarely did he talk about
his work at home that she knew this case held a special interest for him. She
wanted to help. When he finally came back to the kitchen, she made a
suggestion.
        'What
about that friend of yours, Jonathan?'
        'Friend?'
        'Mr
Redmayne.'
        'He's
not really a friend, Sarah.'
        'Come
now,' she said reprovingly. 'You know that you like him. You and he worked well
together in the past so don't pretend you have no time for him.'
        'What
can Mr Redmayne do?'
        'See
if the dead man really did go to Court.'
        'How
could he find out? Mr Redmayne is no courtier.'
        'No,'
she said. 'But his brother Henry is. I've heard you mention him.'
        Jonathan
pondered. His wife had made a valuable suggestion. It was an idea that would
never have crossed his own mind because he had so many reservations about his
occasional partnership with Christopher Redmayne. But it was perhaps a way to
secure indirect access to Court. When everything else had failed, it might be
worth a try. He fought hard to overcome his prejudices.
        'Thank
you, Sarah,' he said at length. 'I'll go and see Mr Redmayne tomorrow.'
    ----
        

Chapter
Five
        
        Christopher
Redmayne was distressed by his visit to Bedford Street and vowed to help his
stricken brother in every possible way. At the same time, however, he could not
neglect the work in which he was engaged, marking, as it did a major advance in
his career. It was not merely the first commission to come his way as a result
of a property he had already designed, it was also the first to allow him a
free hand in the choice of builder. Earlier clients had reserved the right to
select their own men and this had sometimes created problems. The builder
foisted on him by Jasper Hartwell, for example, had been able but obstructive
and though the house he built was substantially the one