Read Online The Trial of Marie Montrecourt by Kay Patrick - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kay Patrick
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corner of one of the shelves.
“Keep your nose out, bitch.” She could feel the heat from his breath as he bent close. Then the figure rapidly disappeared through the door and was lost in the gloom of Market Alley. Marie lay winded for a moment, too shocked to move. She heard a groan and managed to struggle to her feet.
“Daphne?”
Her head was throbbing as she hung on to a bookcase for support. Through the open curtain, she could see wreckage. Books were scattered everywhere, shelves were overturned and, in the middle of the debris, a figure lay huddled on the floor.
“Daphne!”
Marie stumbled over to her friend as Daphne rolled onto her back. She’d been savagely beaten about the head and her face was barely recognisable. It was a mess of blood and broken bone. Marie pushed her fist into her mouth to stop herself from crying out.
Daphne tried to speak but her mouth was so swollen that she could barely form the words. A paraffin lamp had been knocked over and a small tongue of flame had caught at some torn paper. The flame was growing stronger as it fed on the dry parchment, but Marie was too intent on helping Daphne to notice.
“Who did this?” She was struggling to find the Sal Volatile that she always carried with her. “Who was it? Was it a thief?”
Daphne’s attempt at a reply ended in a grimace, but she managed to shake her head. It was the crackle of the flames that made Marie look behind her. The backroom was filling with smoke. With a sudden whoosh, the flames shot high into the air.
Marie screamed. “We have to get out! Daphne, we have to get out of here!” But all her friend could do was lie still; she was too damaged to move. Marie attempted to pull Daphne towards the curtain, but she couldn’t shift her. She was too small and not strong enough.
“Stand up. Please, Daphne,” she begged. “Please stand up. We have got to get out of here.”
With an effort, Daphne managed to drag herself upright. She was soon on her knees again, but Marie quickly caught her and started to pull her to the front of the shop.
“Go. Leave me. Look after yourself,” Daphne managed to say.
“No.” She wouldn’t abandon Daphne, not a second time. “Come on. Keep going. Keep going.”
A flicker of flame caught at Marie’s dress. With a whimper of fear, she let her friend go, frantically beating the fire out with her hands. Daphne attempted to crawl along the floor by herself, but her face creased with pain. The flames had crept into the front of the shop now, leaping in an arc towards the ceiling. Marie was quickly beside Daphne again, urging her on.
“Nearly there. We’re nearly there. Come on, Daphne. Please, please keep moving.”
Her words ended in a cough as the acrid smoke entered her lungs. The heat was intolerable and her eyes were stinging. Then, a cold rush of air hit her. They were outside. They’d made it; they’d reached the safety of the alleyway.
A crowd had begun to gather. Someone had sent for the fire brigade, but Marie was only hazily aware of what was happening. A man was bending over the inert form of Daphne.
“He’s a doctor,” someone said.
The fire brigade arrived but the alley was too narrow for them to get close enough, and the crowd was in their way. Everybody was hustled out onto the main street. Daphne was carried off by the doctor. He placed her into a hansom cab and climbed on board with her.
A woman asked Marie if she was all right. She didn’t reply. She had to stay with Daphne and go with her to wherever she was being taken. Just as she reached the cab, however, it drove off. The doctor hadn’t seen her.
“Daphne.” She tried to run after the hansom but she was too weak. She stumbled. Someone tried to help her but she brushed them aside. She didn’t hear the policeman demanding her name and address. A man said, “She’s from the Minton’s lodging house in Devonshire Place.”
That was it; she must get back to Devonshire Place. The Mintons would
“Keep your nose out, bitch.” She could feel the heat from his breath as he bent close. Then the figure rapidly disappeared through the door and was lost in the gloom of Market Alley. Marie lay winded for a moment, too shocked to move. She heard a groan and managed to struggle to her feet.
“Daphne?”
Her head was throbbing as she hung on to a bookcase for support. Through the open curtain, she could see wreckage. Books were scattered everywhere, shelves were overturned and, in the middle of the debris, a figure lay huddled on the floor.
“Daphne!”
Marie stumbled over to her friend as Daphne rolled onto her back. She’d been savagely beaten about the head and her face was barely recognisable. It was a mess of blood and broken bone. Marie pushed her fist into her mouth to stop herself from crying out.
Daphne tried to speak but her mouth was so swollen that she could barely form the words. A paraffin lamp had been knocked over and a small tongue of flame had caught at some torn paper. The flame was growing stronger as it fed on the dry parchment, but Marie was too intent on helping Daphne to notice.
“Who did this?” She was struggling to find the Sal Volatile that she always carried with her. “Who was it? Was it a thief?”
Daphne’s attempt at a reply ended in a grimace, but she managed to shake her head. It was the crackle of the flames that made Marie look behind her. The backroom was filling with smoke. With a sudden whoosh, the flames shot high into the air.
Marie screamed. “We have to get out! Daphne, we have to get out of here!” But all her friend could do was lie still; she was too damaged to move. Marie attempted to pull Daphne towards the curtain, but she couldn’t shift her. She was too small and not strong enough.
“Stand up. Please, Daphne,” she begged. “Please stand up. We have got to get out of here.”
With an effort, Daphne managed to drag herself upright. She was soon on her knees again, but Marie quickly caught her and started to pull her to the front of the shop.
“Go. Leave me. Look after yourself,” Daphne managed to say.
“No.” She wouldn’t abandon Daphne, not a second time. “Come on. Keep going. Keep going.”
A flicker of flame caught at Marie’s dress. With a whimper of fear, she let her friend go, frantically beating the fire out with her hands. Daphne attempted to crawl along the floor by herself, but her face creased with pain. The flames had crept into the front of the shop now, leaping in an arc towards the ceiling. Marie was quickly beside Daphne again, urging her on.
“Nearly there. We’re nearly there. Come on, Daphne. Please, please keep moving.”
Her words ended in a cough as the acrid smoke entered her lungs. The heat was intolerable and her eyes were stinging. Then, a cold rush of air hit her. They were outside. They’d made it; they’d reached the safety of the alleyway.
A crowd had begun to gather. Someone had sent for the fire brigade, but Marie was only hazily aware of what was happening. A man was bending over the inert form of Daphne.
“He’s a doctor,” someone said.
The fire brigade arrived but the alley was too narrow for them to get close enough, and the crowd was in their way. Everybody was hustled out onto the main street. Daphne was carried off by the doctor. He placed her into a hansom cab and climbed on board with her.
A woman asked Marie if she was all right. She didn’t reply. She had to stay with Daphne and go with her to wherever she was being taken. Just as she reached the cab, however, it drove off. The doctor hadn’t seen her.
“Daphne.” She tried to run after the hansom but she was too weak. She stumbled. Someone tried to help her but she brushed them aside. She didn’t hear the policeman demanding her name and address. A man said, “She’s from the Minton’s lodging house in Devonshire Place.”
That was it; she must get back to Devonshire Place. The Mintons would
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