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indeed!” James said in revelation.
    “An attack from above would indicate why two men, supposedly on alert as guards would have been able to be subdued without the opportunity to fight back in any way.”
    Though not intended at all James again received an image of the carving of the Devil, and he saw it swoop down on the men and he heard their screams as it slashed wildly at them. He shuddered.
    “Cold?” Edwards asked.
    “Yes, I think a quick walk around a couple more streets and I will be on my way home.”
    “I’ll stay with you until you get to the river and then I’ll say goodnight.”
    They walked a little more through more of the smaller lanes and alleys and then across larger streets and into the area of Ushers Quay. They came across many dogs, cats and pigs but none that looked likely to be their savage beast. They interrupted a few men using the services of street walkers and woke a few who were passed out drunk. They came out along the banks of the black Liffey and looked at some of the ships moored for the night. They teetered slowly.
    “Of course it’s always possible that it is some kind of animal not native to this land,” Edwards said nodding towards the ships. “It could have come in as a stowaway on a one of those and no one would have a clue as to what it was if they say it.”
    “That’s true,” James nodded, “but I hope it’s not right. At the moment, I like the idea that it might be a hungry wolf that has made its way into the city.”
    “Well, I still think that is what makes most sense,” Edwards agreed.
    “The trouble is that sense doesn’t hold much sway when people are afraid,” James said. They walked along the quays in thought and said goodnight at Essex Bridge.
     

Chapter 11
     
    The lock of the cell door clanked and the hinges sang with a high whine when the guard brought in the bread that morning. He handed it out to the queuing women one by one but when it came to Kate’s turn, he stopped,
    “None for you today,” he said and nudged her out of the way. The woman next in line stopped as though unsure what she should do.
    “Why, what did I do?” Kate cried out.
    “You didn’t do nothin you stupid cow, you’re getting out this mornin’,” he said to and he poked the breakfast at the next woman in line who took it happily now that she knew she wasn’t betraying anyone.
    “How come?” Kate asked, but she regretted asking as quickly as it left her mouth.
    “Who cares missy, don’t question it,” the guard said with a half-smile.
    It was sunny though very cold when she was let out at just after 9 o’ clock. She had lost the coat she had been wearing when the Parish Watch hauled her in and the clothes she wore were so damp from the cell and her sweat that a chill ran through her almost at once and she felt that she was going to be coming down with a cold before the day was out. She looked about but there was no one she knew waiting for her, she hadn’t expected there to be. She saw the huge blacksmith from the corner pass by carrying heavy bags of various metal items. He didn’t look back at her, and she was able to study the scar on his face in the bright sunlight as he passed by.
     
    She began to walk briskly towards her lodgings when a carriage pulled up to block her path. She looked up annoyed, and the door swung open.
    “In you come out of that cold” Mr Edwards said to her smiling. She knew him, and she jumped in straight away sitting across from him. He gave her a blanket, and she wrapped it around her.
    “You got me out?” she asked looking at him and shivering. He nodded.
    “I have been busy for a few weeks, but when I went to the House you were nowhere to be found, they told me you were in Newgate.”
    “Thanks,” she said, “I couldn’t take much more of that place.”
    “I shouldn’t imagine you could, you look and smell terrible,” Edwards said with a look almost of revulsion on his face. She knew how she looked and how she