A Victorian Tale Part 15

Chapter 15 (Hellacre) Diana looked across at Inspector Kent and Hope as their carriage rumbled out of central London northwest towards the Luthor manor. She was sitting opposite him, next to Lord Wayne, who had a rather possessive arm around her shoulders. Captain White had sanctioned PCs Olsen, Ross, Grayson and a Sergeant by the name of Jones to accompany them. These men had worked with Kent on the Blue Fields affair and were loyal and trustworthy, the Captain had insisted; they were now following behind in a smaller equipage. The rain had stopped and the clouds had dispersed, leaving a cold, silver moon in the night sky. The streets of London were wet and muddy after the downpour and there was a biting chill in the air. Kent had his glasses back on and was priming the pistols he had taken up from headquarters with a grim look in the pale light of the lamps from the carriage.   Diana asked, "Do you expect to use them?" He looked up. "One hopes never to have to use firearms unless if pushed." Wayne queried, "Ever killed anyone Kent?" Kent replied coolly, "Once, and I have resolved to try to never kill again. There are ways to maim without taking a man's life. I am a believer in letting the law decide on a man's fate, not my arbitrary firing of a gun." "That's a rather naive view of the world. The law can be an ass at times. Justice is not always mete out. Look at Luthor. He has his tentacles in parts of the judiciary; someone like him would be hard to bring to trial........." "So, what do you propose? We take a shot at him from behind?" Wayne shrugged. "I am not advocating anything but if Luthor gets taken out you won't find anyone in England mourning him too much......" "My lord, I have rules to follow. It is my duty to protect and serve not pass out death and judgement. My Captain suggests we wait until the guests have left the mansion and then go in. Luthor will not be able to deny us entry as we have just means to search the mansion and question him. We have the element of surprise on our side. I do not believe he would expect us to descend en masse at this time of night." Hope said quietly, "There is a secret passageway underground.......it was used by the smugglers during the Napoleonic Wars......it leads straight into the cellar." Kent looked pensive. "That may give us the advantage........If we let Jones lead the constables to the front.......we four can go in from beneath." Hope looked eager. "It'll keep Luthor distracted whilst we find Mercy......I know every nook and cranny of the mansion.....Luthor has evidence of his dealings in a strongbox in his bedroom......if you can get to that, you'll have evidence to hang him ten times over....." Wayne remarked, "That sounds plausible. How well trained are those men of yours, Kent?" "Jones is very experienced. The constables are brave and loyal. They can handle themselves very well." The Earl nodded. "Good. Are they all armed?" "They have cutlasses." Wayne moved his arm from around Diana and drew a long case from under the seating. He opened it and produced a Japanese saber. Hope looked at it with the appreciative eye of a connoisseur. "Very nice, Lord Wayne."   "Thank you, Miss Graves. You can carry this, since you are so adept with it." He threw her a dagger that sat with the sword. Diana folded her arms. "What do I get?" Her betrothed looked at her amused. "You want something?" "I think it would be reasonable to defend myself." He gave her a gold top ebony cane that he had carried to compliment his coat tails and hat earlier that night. Diana looked at it unimpressed. "So, I get a stick?" He pulled the gold head from the body and out came a light weight rapier. "Is this better?" She took it with an impressed look. "You are full of surprises, Bruce." Kent cocked his head at her. "Don't tell me. You know how to handle a blade as well?" She put the blade back in the cane. "I was taught to fence from the age of six. It was part of my education as was learning my Latin and French vocabulary." The Earl smiled. "As was mine." He and Diana began to exchange memories of their different fencing masters; and words like forte on forte, feinting in high carte and thrusting in a low tierce were exchanged, as Kent look at them gravely. Hope, who knew what they were talking about smiled, but then turned to look at Kent's profile. He had gone quiet and had put his pistols away in his jacket pocket and was looking outside. She could not see his entire expression but she sensed his feeling of suddenly not belonging. It was something she felt for a lot of her own life. She frowned and deliberately asked loudly, "Can you fence, Inspector?'' Diana suddenly stopped mid sentence and looked over at them. "Me? No. My childhood education was a bit more, er, practical," he shrugged. Diana looked apologetic. "I am sorry, Cla....I mean, Inspector......It was rude of us to go on and on." Wayne drawled, "I'm sure Kent didn't take any offence, my dear. He was probably bringing in the harvest when you learnt to parry and reposte......." Diana frowned at Wayne's obvious dig at Kent's background. She was saved giving a cutting reply by a voice from above in the box. "My lord! We're approaching the mansion." The Earl looked out the window. Sure enough in the distance he could see the winding road leading up to the mansion. He halted the carriage. The wagon pulling the policemen stopped too. They all alighted onto the road. The Earl instructed the drivers of the carriage and wagon to take a side lane and conceal themselves. "We should walk from here." Kent agreed. He beckoned the Sergeant and constables to him. "Men, we have come up with a plan. Jones will take you three to the house, whilst Hope here will lead us via a secret way....." Olsen spoke up. "I don't know, sir. Is that wise? We shouldn't split the group. And what is that?" He pointed to the Earl's sword almost with a hint of irritation." They are civilians not police. They should not be allowed to go off......" Kent interrupted, "They will be with me. I will take full responsibility for them." Jones said, "That's good enough for me. The Inspector's always been careful and it isn't your place to question him, Olsen. Pipe down and get yourself ready with Grayson and Ross." Olsen said rigidly, "Yes, sir." Jones looked at Kent. "You'll be wanting us to keep Luthor occupied then?" "Yes." He looked at his watch. "It is near three am. We need to synchronize ourselves. Miss Graves, how long will it take to traverse the passageway?" Hope replied, "Fifteen minutes." "Right. I think you men should go in at three thirty. We'll enter the house then." "Right you are, sir." "Take no unnecessary risks, John," he warned as the man joined the others; he waved in the affirmative and the group began their way up the side of the hill to wait in the bushes until the time came to move in. Hope indicated a diverse path that seemed to lead down into a ravine. The way was muddy and slippery and the women's hems and shoes were soon caked with mud. They soon came to a thicket that seemed to cover the side of a knoll. Hope pushed aside the branches and a wooden door covered in ivy appeared. She turned the iron handle and darkness opened like an abyss before them. Hope reached instinctively and produced a lantern. She had matches in her pocket and was able to light their way.                                                                    It was half past three when the Sergeant led his men to the front door of the Luthor mansion. As expected, the guests had all gone home and the mansion looked quiet and most of its windows darkened. He knocked loudly. A burly man on night patrol of the grounds appeared with a lantern. "Halt! Who goes there?" Jones turned and looked at the man. "The London Metropolitan Police." The man looked suspiciously at them. "How did you get up here?" "Never you mind. We are here on the Queen's business. So keep your nose out of it!" snapped Olsen. Jones gave Olsen a warning look. He said calmly, "Let us do our jobs, man. Keep out of the way." The man stepped back and grumbled something unintelligible. Jones continued to rap on the door; it took a few minutes before a sleepy looking porter appeared. The man stiffened when he saw the police uniforms. "What can I do for you gentlemen?" "We would like a word with your master." "But, but Lord Luthor is asleep....." "My good man, we are from the Met and we are here to ask the Earl a few questions. You can either call him or we will enter this house at will....'' The porter bowed in alarm. "Y-yes...sir...Come in....I'll get the Earl......" The porter turned up a lamp on the wall of the foyer and let the men assemble in the middle of the room. "Wait here, please. Lord Luthor will be here soon......" The porter vanished up the staircase. Jones folded his arms and whistled softly. He had visited the house before with Kent. Ross and Grayson had not. They looked at the ceiling and mirror and flooring with awe. A full five minutes passed and no one seemed to be coming down. "What the devil is taking them so long?" Olsen said, "Maybe Luthor is fleeing." "Why should he flee?" "If he has that woman's sister imprisoned or even if she is dead......he'll be implicated...or...he could be trying to hide evidence......." Jones scowled. "We'll see about that! Ross, come with me. Olsen, you and Grayson stay here." Olsen nodded and watched his two colleagues go up. He looked at Grayson and shrugged, "Well, it's just you and me." Grayson tapped his feet impatiently. "I don't like this, James. Someting ain't right. It's too quiet. There was a bleeding ball here......you telling me all the servants have gone to bed? Nah, I don't think so. I think we should go with the Sarge....." Olsen said crossly, "He told us to wait here. And so we will!" ''You can kick your heels here.....I'm going." Grayson made a move towards the stairs. "Dick!" Grayson turned. "What?" The blade of a cutlass gleamed and embedded itself in Grayson's chest. Grayson's eyes bulged in shock. He clutched at the cutlass and blood stained his lips. Olsen thrusted it deeper. Grayson slithered to the floor, his breath gurgling until it came to a stop. Olsen pulled the cutlass out and wiped the blood on his dead colleague's coat. He smiled and went up the stairs.