blood . . .' Shocked. 'I had no notion that he was
ill.'
'He was not ill. Captain Marles has been murdered. He was
found late last night in an alley off Broad Street in the Point.'
'Murdered? In God's name – how?'
'His throat was cut.' The marine officer leaned over the
square table that stood against the wall, took up a quill pen,
dipped it in the small silver well, and: 'May I have your name,
Lieutenant?'
'Yes. Certainly. I am Lieutenant James Hayter RN,
commanding the Hawk cutter, ten guns.'
The officer made a mark on a list, and laid the pen aside.
'You had business with Captain Marles? This morning?'
'Yes – yes.' Distractedly. 'The Point, you say? What in
God's name was he doing there, at night?'
'You know the district?'
'It is notorious.'
'What was your business with Captain Marles?'
'Eh? Oh – Admiralty business.' His hand at the back of his
neck. 'What a dreadful thing . . . a dreadful thing.' He turned
away distractedly.
'If you please, Lieutenant – what was that business, exact?'
Turning to look at him: 'Well, Colonel . . . I am not at
liberty to divulge it. Admiralty business, of a confidential
nature.'
'You will divulge it to me, if you please. I am charged with
the investigation of all of the circumstances surrounding the
captain's death.'
'Then you must enquire at the Admiralty, you know,
Colonel. I cannot help you. I may not. – Had Captain Marles
any family, d'y'know? A wife?'
'He was widowed, I believe. I must ask you again – insist –
that you tell me your business with him, Mr Hayter. It may
have a bearing on what has happened.'
'How so?'
'The captain's coat had been torn open at an inner pocket.
An empty packet, which had itself been torn open, lay beside
the corpse. It is thought documents was removed from the
packet. In his effects, found in his bedroom, Captain Marles
left a list of names, including your own, and that of Admiral
Hollister. Do you happen to know if those stolen documents
related to your business with him? Had you had sight of
them?'
'Aye, I did have sight of them.'
'It is nearly certain that he was killed for those documents,
Lieutenant.'
'Yes, yes, your assumption is correct, I think.' Nodding.
'How very shocking.'
'Well?'
James looked at him, then made his back straight. 'All I am
able to tell you, Colonel, is that the business upon which poor
Captain Marles and I were engaged was under the direct
instruction of the First Lord himself. The documents bore
his signature and seal.'
'I see.' Gravely. 'Then I must go to Admiral Hollister.'
'He can tell you nothing.'
'What? Nothing? How d'y'know that?'
'Because he was not party to the business. Captain Marles
merely sought the admiral's consent to my release from the
Channel Fleet. I am not even certain that he had visited the
admiral before – this sad event. In truth I think that probably
he had not, else the admiral would have done so.'
'Done so?'
'Forgive me, I am a little distracted. Would have released
me, d'y'see. If Captain Marles had asked him.'
'Yes, I am not quite clear. Why should Admiral Hollister
release you – supposing Captain Marles had seen him –
without he was told the reason?'
'Captain Marles was acting in the name of the First Lord.
Not even so powerful a sea officer as Admiral Hollister may
gainsay that authority, I think.' A thought came to him now,
and he drew in a sharp breath. 'The documents! If Captain
Marles had not had his interview with Admiral Hollister,
then without the documents I am . . . I must go to London!'
'Nay, Lieutenant, you must remain at Portsmouth until I
have concluded my inquiries.'
'Why? I am not material to your inquiry, when I have been
living aboard my cutter, far out at Spithead, these last three
days. By the by, Colonel, should not such inquiry be
conducted by the local magistrate and his constables?'
'The magistrate is conducting his own inquiry.' The
colonel looked at James, and frowned. 'However, he has not
sufficient runners to be effective
ill.'
'He was not ill. Captain Marles has been murdered. He was
found late last night in an alley off Broad Street in the Point.'
'Murdered? In God's name – how?'
'His throat was cut.' The marine officer leaned over the
square table that stood against the wall, took up a quill pen,
dipped it in the small silver well, and: 'May I have your name,
Lieutenant?'
'Yes. Certainly. I am Lieutenant James Hayter RN,
commanding the Hawk cutter, ten guns.'
The officer made a mark on a list, and laid the pen aside.
'You had business with Captain Marles? This morning?'
'Yes – yes.' Distractedly. 'The Point, you say? What in
God's name was he doing there, at night?'
'You know the district?'
'It is notorious.'
'What was your business with Captain Marles?'
'Eh? Oh – Admiralty business.' His hand at the back of his
neck. 'What a dreadful thing . . . a dreadful thing.' He turned
away distractedly.
'If you please, Lieutenant – what was that business, exact?'
Turning to look at him: 'Well, Colonel . . . I am not at
liberty to divulge it. Admiralty business, of a confidential
nature.'
'You will divulge it to me, if you please. I am charged with
the investigation of all of the circumstances surrounding the
captain's death.'
'Then you must enquire at the Admiralty, you know,
Colonel. I cannot help you. I may not. – Had Captain Marles
any family, d'y'know? A wife?'
'He was widowed, I believe. I must ask you again – insist –
that you tell me your business with him, Mr Hayter. It may
have a bearing on what has happened.'
'How so?'
'The captain's coat had been torn open at an inner pocket.
An empty packet, which had itself been torn open, lay beside
the corpse. It is thought documents was removed from the
packet. In his effects, found in his bedroom, Captain Marles
left a list of names, including your own, and that of Admiral
Hollister. Do you happen to know if those stolen documents
related to your business with him? Had you had sight of
them?'
'Aye, I did have sight of them.'
'It is nearly certain that he was killed for those documents,
Lieutenant.'
'Yes, yes, your assumption is correct, I think.' Nodding.
'How very shocking.'
'Well?'
James looked at him, then made his back straight. 'All I am
able to tell you, Colonel, is that the business upon which poor
Captain Marles and I were engaged was under the direct
instruction of the First Lord himself. The documents bore
his signature and seal.'
'I see.' Gravely. 'Then I must go to Admiral Hollister.'
'He can tell you nothing.'
'What? Nothing? How d'y'know that?'
'Because he was not party to the business. Captain Marles
merely sought the admiral's consent to my release from the
Channel Fleet. I am not even certain that he had visited the
admiral before – this sad event. In truth I think that probably
he had not, else the admiral would have done so.'
'Done so?'
'Forgive me, I am a little distracted. Would have released
me, d'y'see. If Captain Marles had asked him.'
'Yes, I am not quite clear. Why should Admiral Hollister
release you – supposing Captain Marles had seen him –
without he was told the reason?'
'Captain Marles was acting in the name of the First Lord.
Not even so powerful a sea officer as Admiral Hollister may
gainsay that authority, I think.' A thought came to him now,
and he drew in a sharp breath. 'The documents! If Captain
Marles had not had his interview with Admiral Hollister,
then without the documents I am . . . I must go to London!'
'Nay, Lieutenant, you must remain at Portsmouth until I
have concluded my inquiries.'
'Why? I am not material to your inquiry, when I have been
living aboard my cutter, far out at Spithead, these last three
days. By the by, Colonel, should not such inquiry be
conducted by the local magistrate and his constables?'
'The magistrate is conducting his own inquiry.' The
colonel looked at James, and frowned. 'However, he has not
sufficient runners to be effective
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