The Mermaid in the Basement (11 page)

“Yes, Lady Trent, I’ll see to it. Don’t yer be worryin’ about the boy now,” Danny had responded.

That left Dora and her mother, and the two women were weeping most of the time. Dora had cried over and over, “It can’t be! I’ll never believe it!” as if saying it would make it so. As for her mother, Serafina stayed very close to her. Finally the doctor came, and Serafina had called him aside. “You’re going to have to give my mother and my sister something to make them sleep. I’d give them opium if I had any.”

Dr.Maddox had said quickly, “I’ve got something just about as good.”

He had given her a bottle containing some sort of clear liquid.“You be very careful with this, Lady Trent. It’s very powerful. Just a couple of drops in a glass of water will do it.”

“Thank you, Dr. Maddox.”

“What about yourself?”

“I don’t need anything, thank you. I need a clear head.”

“Well, you’ve always had that, Serafina, ever since you were a child. I’ll keep in close touch with you. Send for me if you need me.”

“Thank you, Doctor.”

The day passed slowly, creeping by, it seemed, on leaden boots, until finally, late in the afternoon, Ellie entered, her eyes big. “Lady Trent, there’s a man to see you.”

“Man? What man, Ellie?”

“’E said ’is name is Tremayne.”

Serafina straightened. “Bring him in here.” She had been in the library thinking, trying to find a way to help Clive, and her nerves were stretched thin.When Tremayne entered the room, she was struck by his handsome features. He was tall, at least six feet she guessed, with an athletic figure. He had removed his hat, and his glossy black hair seemed, to her, as black as anything in nature.His eyes were a startling shade of blue, and he had a wedge-shaped face with a slight cleft in his chin.

“My name is Dylan Tremayne, Viscountess. I’ve come about your brother, Clive.”

Serafina noted the Welsh accent and asked, “How do you know Clive?”

“I’m part of the Shakespearean Company putting on
Hamlet
at the Old Vic.”

Instantly Serafina grew angry. “You’re a friend of that actress Clive had been seeing—the one he’s accused of murdering?”

“I knew he had been seeing Katherine Fairfield, and as a matter of fact, Lady Trent, I tried to discourage him.”

Serafina stared at the man.He was possibly the finest-looking man she had ever seen—but he was an actor. “You’re part of the crowd that has led my brother astray. I don’t know why you’re here.”

“I’ve just come from visiting him.”

She was amazed. “They wouldn’t let anyone in. Father tried to see him earlier.”

“He doesn’t know the ways of the world, I’m afraid.”

“Why would they let you in?” Serafina demanded.

“It wasn’t too hard really. I simply told the jailer I was giving legal advice, and they took me for his lawyer.”

“Isn’t that a crime?”

Dylan shook his head and smiled slightly. “I didn’t say I was a lawyer.

I just said I was going to give him legal advice, which I did. It was the same advice you would give, I think.”

“How is he, Mr. Tremayne?”

“He’s in poor condition. I came because I believe you could use your influence to get him transferred to a more . . . amiable place of incarceration. A better cell, I mean.”

“I don’t have any influence.”

“I think your mother does. Clive tells me she’s a friend of the wife of Superintendent Winters. He has great influence.”

Instantly, Serafina said, “That’s true. I hadn’t thought of that.” She forced herself to say, “Thank you, Mr. Tremayne. I’ll see that it’s done.”

Tremayne hesitated, then said, “I came for another reason,Viscountess.”

“And what could that be?” Serafina found herself disliking the man.

She had a low opinion of the theatre. She did not attend herself, but of course the newspapers usually flaunted the escapades and character flaws of actors and actresses.

“I don’t know exactly how to say this. I’ve been practicing a speech all the way, but no matter how I say it, you’re going to find it difficult to accept.”

“Why don’t you just say it and let me decide if I find it difficult.”

Dylan was aware of her displeasure, but he took a deep breath, then said, “I don’t know how you feel about things like this, but after I left your brother, I began to feel strongly that God wanted me to do something to help him.”

Serafina stiffened her back, and her eyes narrowed. “God told you that? He spoke personally to you, did He?”

“Well, of course, not in an audible voice as He spoke to Moses on the mountain, but a strong feeling I had—”

“Mr. Tremayne, I do not trust feelings. I trust evidence, and feelings are not going to get my brother out of prison, nor are they going to discover who the real murderer actually is. That would require intelligence and mental ability.” She hesitated, then said, “Of which I am not sure you have a plentiful supply.”

“Well”—Dylan allowed himself a very slight smile—“you’re right about that. I’ve never been called a genius, but I do know that God is real, and I feel very strongly that He wants me to be a help in some way.”

“I thank you for going to see my brother, and I appreciate your bringing us the news that he needs better accommodations, but that’s all I will require of you. I will see to my brother myself.”

A flash of anger showed in Dylan’s eyes, but he swallowed hard and said, “The only way that I can see with my limited intellect to help your brother is to find the woman he stayed with.”

“Well, you figured that out all by yourself,” Serafina said caustically. “That’s exactly what I intend to do.”

“It’s help you’ll be needing for that.”

“I’m perfectly capable of asking questions, intelligent questions.”

“You intend to go down to the Seven Dials and ask questions?”

“It’s exactly what I intend to do.”

“That could be very dangerous, Lady Trent.”

“I’m not afraid. Now if you’ll excuse me, I wish you’d go.”

Dylan hesitated, but saw that it was useless to speak. He bowed his head and said not another word. As soon as he turned and left the room, Serafina felt a moment’s satisfaction.

“The very idea that God told him! Just the sort of romantic notion I can’t abide!” She immediately went to change her clothes. “I don’t know that much about that side of town or that lifestyle, but I know they are human beings, and I know that money will answer most things. So I’ll take money with me, and I’ll find someone who will help me. I’ll find that woman!”

As Serafina stepped out of the carriage, she said, “You wait here for me, Albert.”

Albert Givins had stepped down to assist her out.“Lady Trent, I don’t think you should go into this part of town. It ain’t exactly wot you are used to. It ain’t decent for you.”

“Don’t worry about me, Albert. You just wait right here.”

She turned away, ignoring Albert’s scowl of displeasure, and moved down the street. She had tied her hair back severely, and her dress was the plainest one she had, made of grey-blue, undecorated material. She still wore an opal necklace—a gift from her father—and a sapphire ring on her right hand.

She had never visited the Seven Dials district of London, and now she felt somewhat intimidated. It was a little after five and growing dark,.Many other people were on the streets, but they were people such as she had seen only at a distance. Some were idling in doorways, others peddling matches, bootlaces, and odds and ends.More than once she saw rough-looking men whom she suspected of being criminals. They looked like pickpockets and cutpurses. She passed by a woman, obviously a prostitute, looking tired and drab. She was terribly unattractive, with hair full of knots and teeth stained and chipped. Several gaps showed, and Serafina wondered,
Why
would any man go to a woman like that? They must be totally depraved.

The street seemed to narrow, and she walked more slowly. Water dripped off rotting eaves, and the stones beneath her feet were slimy. Doors hung crooked, and most of them were closed fast. People moved ahead of her and behind her like shadows, and as she turned the corner, she was aware of a man lying in the gutter. Her heart seemed to skip a beat, for he seemed to be dead, but he could be only drunk. The smells of rot and decay were everywhere, and fright began to touch Serafina’s nerves. She hesitated and forced herself to walk more slowly. She found herself amidst a warren of alleys and passageways that all looked grim.

She saw a big, hulking man standing with his back against the wall watching her.He did not speak, but his eyes were fixed on her. She stopped and asked him, “Excuse me. I’m looking for someone.”

“Is that right?” His voice was coarse, and he moved away from the building and came to stand before her. “Who might that be, missy?”

“I don’t know her name.”

“You don’t know ’er name? Why do you want ’er? Yer not a copper, I take it.”

“No, of course not. I have a very personal reason.”

The man wore dirty, shapeless trousers and a jacket so old and covered with dirt that it was hard to tell its original colour. He had a broad face; a scar trailed down from his eyebrow and disappeared into his dirty collar. There was a brutality about him and a force that Serafina could sense.“This woman I’m looking for has blonde hair, and she’s very tall.”

“Wot kind of woman is that? Yer don’t know ’er name?”

“No.”

“That’s all yer know—she’s tall and got fair hair? That ain’t much for a man to go on.”

“I’ll be willing to pay liberally if you could help me find her.”

“Is she a lissy?”

“Lissy? What do you mean by lissy?”

“Is she a whore?” he asked bluntly.

Serafina flushed. “Yes, she is.”

“And do yer know how many of ’er kind there is in London? More than yer can count.”

“I don’t think there can be that many.”

“Maybe all of ’em ain’t full-time. Some of ’em works in the sweatshops,” he said. “They don’t make enough to get by so they goes out at night and takes a man to get more money, don’t yer see.Maybe I can help you though. Come along with me.We’ll talk about it.”He moved forward and took her arm. Suddenly the fear that had been lurking in her heart seemed to swell. “Please, turn me loose.”

“Come on now, sweet’art.Me an’ you will ’ave a nice little talk.”

Serafina tried to pull away, but the man’s strength was frightening. He was dragging her toward a door, and she began to call out. “Turn me loose! Help, someone!”

“They ain’t no one to ’elp you. Come on in. I ain’t going to ’urt you. I’ve taken a fancy to that ring on yer finger.We’ll work out something.”

Serafina struggled with all her might, but she might have been a child. The man’s fingers dug into her arms, and she struck out at him, but he merely laughed at the feebleness of the blow. “That ain’t no way for a lady to act. I’ll teach you better manners than that.”

“Turn her loose, George.”

The voice seemed to come from nowhere, and the big man suddenly whirled, not releasing his grip. “Wot’s that you say?”

Serafina twisted her head around and saw Dylan Tremayne standing there. She didn’t like the man, but suddenly he was like a harbor for her. “Help me, Mr. Tremayne!” she begged.

“I said turn her loose, George.”

“An’ ’ow do yer know my name?”

“Oh, I know a lot about you, George. I know you did a stretch for robbing the Bentley house. That was a few years ago. Didn’t improve your manners any.”

The man called George suddenly released her, and his hand went into his pocket. He withdrew his hand and opened a knife and said, “On your way.We don’t need yer ’elp ’ere.”

“Now, George, let’s not have any difficulty.” Dylan stepped forward. His eyes were fixed on the big man. “The lady’s coming with me, so let’s not have any trouble.”

“Trouble? I’ll give you trouble!” George suddenly pushed Serafina aside, and she stumbled and almost fell. She saw him lunge forward, a bulking, menacing figure with the knife out in front. She did not see the blow, but she heard it, a muffled thud, and suddenly the man called George stopped as if he had run into a wall. She saw Tremayne reach out, grab his wrist, and twist it in a strange fashion so that the knife fell.He picked it up quickly and in one swift movement held it at George’s throat. “You want to continue this, George, or do you want to go along like a good fellow?”

George’s face was clear in the fading light. Sweat was on his forehead, and his eyes were bugging out. “I don’t know ’oo yer are,” he said. “Yer must be a copper.”

“Nothing so dignified as that, I am. Just be on your way, or do you want to continue this . . . discussion?”

The big man took a step backward, glared hard at Dylan, and said, “This ain’t over.”

“I trust it is. Good night, George.”

Serafina watched the big man twirl and step inside the door. She turned to Dylan and said, “Sir, I must thank you.”

“Are you all right, Viscountess?”

“Yes, I am, but it’s a good thing you came along.”

“I think I’d better take you back to your carriage. There are others like George in this part of town.”

“Thank you.”He turned, and she walked silently beside him. Serafina tried to think of something to say, but the scene had drained her of logical thought. She was a woman who was in command of herself always, but she had stepped into a part of the world in which she was totally out of step with reality. She did not say a word until finally they reached the carriage, and Albert jumped down.