Come the Fear by Chris Nickson Page B

servant for the Cates family. They dismissed her because she was pregnant. I’ve talked to her mother. The lass didn’t go home after that. There’s a brother lives in Queen Charlotte’s Court. John, you go up there and talk to him. Rob, do you know either of the Cates boys?’
    â€˜I know William best.’
    â€˜I talked to Ben Cates. It seemed straightforward enough, but when you have a chance, talk to William. See what you can find out about the girl.’
    â€˜Yes, boss.’
    â€˜How do you know it’s the same girl?’ the deputy asked. ‘There was precious little left of her.’
    â€˜Lucy Wendell was pregnant and she had a harelip.’ He shrugged. ‘I doubt we’d find two round here like that who’ve gone missing. Don’t let on to anyone that she’s dead yet, though. I want to find out what happened to her.’ The Constable stood, ready to leave. ‘Anything else?’
    He made his way down Marsh Lane, Mary on one arm, Emily on the other. This was always the proudest moment of his week, walking to church with the pair of them. He’d put on his good suit, and the women wore dresses sponged clean and bright. They hunched into their coats to keep off the dampness but he kept his face to the drizzle, feeling it fresh on his skin and combing it into his hair with his fingers.
    On Kirkgate rich and poor lived cheek by jowl, in houses that had been grand back when James was king or in sad wrecks of dwellings that let in the weather. St Peter’s stood set back from the press of them; the old, dark stone church towered over them all. Nottingham smiled wryly at the way people lowered their voices to a respectful whisper as soon as they entered the lych gate. He just hoped he’d stay awake during Reverend Cookson’s sermon. For a man supposedly filled with the spirit of God he droned worse than an insect.
    He’d never been one for believing, and since Rose’s death the year before the prayers seemed like nothing more than empty words that hung on the wind before blowing away. He came because he had to, because his position demanded that he be seen here. He exchanged greetings with aldermen and merchants, bowed to the mayor and received a wink as they made their way to the pew. Mary sat quietly, years of faith behind her, but Emily shifted restlessly on the seat, willing the time to tick away to afternoon when she’d see her young man. Young love, always eager, he thought, and reached out to take his wife’s hand. He relished her joy and solemnity, every shade of her moods.
    â€˜You stayed awake for most of the sermon,’ she said approvingly as they filed back out into the daylight. The morning had cleared, bringing patches of blue sky to the west.
    â€˜Not by choice,’ Nottingham complained. ‘How long did he talk?’
    â€˜He turned the glass twice, so a little over an hour,’ Mary told him.
    He sighed. ‘And it’s nothing he couldn’t have said in ten minutes.’
    â€˜Richard!’ she hissed, nudging him with her elbow as he raised his hat politely to Mrs Atkinson, the alderman’s wife. Emily was deep in conversation with her friends, talk punctuated by the sweetness of girlish giggles.
    â€˜Let’s go home,’ he said. ‘She’ll follow when she’s ready. She still has to get herself ready for Rob.’
    â€˜She loves him, you know,’ Mary told him as they walked down the street, skirting around the stinking puddles and pools.
    â€˜Are you sure?’ he asked, surprised.
    She looked at him in astonishment.
    â€˜I’m her mother, of course I’m sure. She’d marry him tomorrow if he asked.’
    â€˜Let’s hope he doesn’t, then,’ he said. ‘They’ve only known each other a few months.’
    â€˜Sometimes you can tell in a few days, you know. You seemed certain enough as soon as you knew me.’
    He grunted,