Read Online TW08 The Dracula Caper NEW by Simon Hawke - Free Book Online
Authors: Simon Hawke
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Grayson.
"No, I would not say so," Wilde said. "A bit pale, perhaps, but then she was very fair complected."
"Yes, that would follow," Grayson said. "It seems that she was quite anemic. You would not, by any chance, happen to know if she was a bleeder?"
"Not to my knowledge,” Wilde said.
"Apparently she was keeping company with a certain young man," Grayson said. He consulted his notepad. "A Mr. Hesketh.”
"Tony Hesketh?" Lord Douglas said. surprised.
"Yes, that is the name." said Grayson. "You know the young man?"
"Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I do." said Douglas. Grayson noticed Wilde give Douglas a sidelong look. "I am surprised to hear that he was keeping company with
. . . an actress."
"Friend of yours. Rosie?" said Wilde, a touch too casually.
"I haven't seen him for some time," said Douglas.
"It seems that no one has," said Grayson. "Any idea where I might find him, Lord Douglas?"
Douglas gave an elaborate shrug. "The last time I saw Tony, he was otherwise engaged. Not with an
actress. I
mean." He said "actress" as if it were a distasteful word. "He was with a dark, Mediterranean looking gentleman."
"Mediterranean?" said Grayson. "Could you describe him?"
"Tall, slim, black hair, swarthy. but in an elegant sort of way," said Douglas.
"Well mannered and well dressed. A man of obvious means. He was foreign, a titled gentleman. He was a very striking looking man. I remember he wore a top hat and an opera cape. I do not recall his name."
"When exactly was this, Lord Douglas?" Grayson said. "Oh, I can't be sure," said Douglas. "Two weeks ago, perhaps'! Maybe three."
"And where was this?"
"Why, at the Lyceum," Douglas said.
"You would not, by any chance, happen to know where I could reach this gentleman'?" Grayson said.
"Haven't the faintest," Douglas said.
"Well, if you should happen to see him again, or Mr. Hesketh, perhaps you'd be kind enough to let me know," Grayson said, Douglas shrugged.
"Something tells me, Inspector Grayson, that this matter is not entirely routine, as you put it." said Wilde. "Do you suspect some sort of foul play in this young woman's death?"
"I am merely making inquiries, Mr. Wilde."
"I see. Well, Bram Stoker would be your man, then. He manages all of Henry Irving's affairs and he is the Lyceum Theatre's mother hen."
"I see. Well, thank you for your help," said Grayson. "And if you see either of those gentlemen again, I should very much like to speak with them."
"So would I, Inspector," Wilde said, glancing curiously at Douglas.
Grayson was glad to leave. Wilde seemed likeable enough, despite his nature, but he did not care much for the coterie surrounding him, particularly the young Lord Douglas. It was, felt Grayson, a dangerous association, especially given the character of the boy's father.
His thoughts would prove prophetic. Within a year, the Marquess of Queensberry, outraged by his son's relationship with the notorious Wilde, would accuse Wilde of being a sodomite. And Wilde, urged on by the irresponsible Douglas, would ignore the entreaties of his friends and commit the greatest mistake of his life by suing Queensberry for libel, thereby placing the burden of proof for the accusation upon Queensberry's counsel, who would come to trial prepared to bring forward a number of young men to testify that Wilde had committed "indecencies" with them. Wilde would drop the suit on the third day of the trial on the advice of his counsel, but by then it would be too late. Like many artists who were ignorant of the subtler realities of life, Wilde never understood the importance of the distinction between what was widely known and more or less ignored in certain social circles and what was legally proven in a courtroom, where it could not be ignored. On the same day he dropped the suit; Wilde would be arrested and eventually sentenced to two years of hard labor. He would serve the full sentence and upon his release, would be shunned by the society that had once lionized
"No, I would not say so," Wilde said. "A bit pale, perhaps, but then she was very fair complected."
"Yes, that would follow," Grayson said. "It seems that she was quite anemic. You would not, by any chance, happen to know if she was a bleeder?"
"Not to my knowledge,” Wilde said.
"Apparently she was keeping company with a certain young man," Grayson said. He consulted his notepad. "A Mr. Hesketh.”
"Tony Hesketh?" Lord Douglas said. surprised.
"Yes, that is the name." said Grayson. "You know the young man?"
"Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I do." said Douglas. Grayson noticed Wilde give Douglas a sidelong look. "I am surprised to hear that he was keeping company with
. . . an actress."
"Friend of yours. Rosie?" said Wilde, a touch too casually.
"I haven't seen him for some time," said Douglas.
"It seems that no one has," said Grayson. "Any idea where I might find him, Lord Douglas?"
Douglas gave an elaborate shrug. "The last time I saw Tony, he was otherwise engaged. Not with an
actress. I
mean." He said "actress" as if it were a distasteful word. "He was with a dark, Mediterranean looking gentleman."
"Mediterranean?" said Grayson. "Could you describe him?"
"Tall, slim, black hair, swarthy. but in an elegant sort of way," said Douglas.
"Well mannered and well dressed. A man of obvious means. He was foreign, a titled gentleman. He was a very striking looking man. I remember he wore a top hat and an opera cape. I do not recall his name."
"When exactly was this, Lord Douglas?" Grayson said. "Oh, I can't be sure," said Douglas. "Two weeks ago, perhaps'! Maybe three."
"And where was this?"
"Why, at the Lyceum," Douglas said.
"You would not, by any chance, happen to know where I could reach this gentleman'?" Grayson said.
"Haven't the faintest," Douglas said.
"Well, if you should happen to see him again, or Mr. Hesketh, perhaps you'd be kind enough to let me know," Grayson said, Douglas shrugged.
"Something tells me, Inspector Grayson, that this matter is not entirely routine, as you put it." said Wilde. "Do you suspect some sort of foul play in this young woman's death?"
"I am merely making inquiries, Mr. Wilde."
"I see. Well, Bram Stoker would be your man, then. He manages all of Henry Irving's affairs and he is the Lyceum Theatre's mother hen."
"I see. Well, thank you for your help," said Grayson. "And if you see either of those gentlemen again, I should very much like to speak with them."
"So would I, Inspector," Wilde said, glancing curiously at Douglas.
Grayson was glad to leave. Wilde seemed likeable enough, despite his nature, but he did not care much for the coterie surrounding him, particularly the young Lord Douglas. It was, felt Grayson, a dangerous association, especially given the character of the boy's father.
His thoughts would prove prophetic. Within a year, the Marquess of Queensberry, outraged by his son's relationship with the notorious Wilde, would accuse Wilde of being a sodomite. And Wilde, urged on by the irresponsible Douglas, would ignore the entreaties of his friends and commit the greatest mistake of his life by suing Queensberry for libel, thereby placing the burden of proof for the accusation upon Queensberry's counsel, who would come to trial prepared to bring forward a number of young men to testify that Wilde had committed "indecencies" with them. Wilde would drop the suit on the third day of the trial on the advice of his counsel, but by then it would be too late. Like many artists who were ignorant of the subtler realities of life, Wilde never understood the importance of the distinction between what was widely known and more or less ignored in certain social circles and what was legally proven in a courtroom, where it could not be ignored. On the same day he dropped the suit; Wilde would be arrested and eventually sentenced to two years of hard labor. He would serve the full sentence and upon his release, would be shunned by the society that had once lionized
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