Frost Fair by Edward Marston Page B

was invited in, given a drink by Jacob and taken immediately into his friend's confidence.
        'I hoped that you'd come,' said Christopher.
        'Did you?'
        'I need your assistance.'
        'What can I do, Mr Redmayne?'
        'Two things,' explained the architect. 'Firstly, you can help me to drive out some of the demons that have been inside my skull since my brother was arrested. Secondly, you can trust my judgement.'
        'Your judgement?'
        'I firmly believe that Henry is innocent.'
        'Any brother would feel like that,' said Jonathan cautiously. 'But you have to accept that there must be substantial evidence against him for an arrest to be made.'
        'I know what that evidence is.'
        'Do you?'
        'I visited Henry this morning in Newgate.'
        'How was he?'
        'Still overwhelmed by the turn of events.'
        'Prison comes as a terrible shock for a gentleman.' 'It comes as a shock for anyone, Jonathan,' said the other. 'I saw some of the filthy cells in which the prisoners are kept. I'd not house animals in conditions like that.'
        'Newgate is better than some of the other gaols.'
        'Then they should be pulled down and rebuilt. Even criminals have the right to be treated as human beings. If I'd designed Newgate, I wouldn't spend all that money on a beautiful exterior that none of the prisoners can see. I'd make sure they had clean water, proper drains and larger windows to let in more light and air. Yes,' said Christopher, 'and there'd be far more single cells to allow a degree of privacy.'
        'Privacy costs a lot of money in prison,' said Jonathan.
        "That's what Henry has found. He's already spent everything in his purse. Luckily, I was able to replenish his funds.'
        'Were you able to speak to him alone?'
        'Yes, I was. Thanks to a bribe.'
        'Did he plead his innocence?'
        'No,' said Christopher, shaking his head, 'that was the strange thing.'
        Jonathan was astonished. 'He confessed to the murder?'
        'Not exactly. What Henry admitted was the possibility that he might have been guilty of killing Jeronimo Maldini. He was not entirely certain.'
        'He must have been. Either he stabbed the victim or he did not.'
        "There was more than just stabbing involved,' Christopher reminded him. "The body was dropped into the freezing water of the Thames and that's one charge that could never be laid at Henry's door.'
        'Why not?'
        'Because he was too drunk to walk properly, let alone carry a dead body.'
        'I thought that drink might be involved,' said Jonathan ruefully.
        'Henry's eternal weakness, I fear. One of them, anyway,' added Christopher sadly, 'for my brother is liberal in his choice of vices.'
        'They appear to have caught up with him at last, Mr Redmayne.'
        'Newgate has certainly been a sobering experience for him.'
        Christopher was standing behind the table on which his latest architectural drawing was set out. Lying on top of it was a piece of paper that he used to make some jottings. He picked it up to glance at what he had written.
        'What's convinced you that your brother is innocent?' asked Jonathan.
        'His account of what happened.'
        'It sounds as if he's very confused.'
        'Henry is completely bewildered.'
        'Rumour has it that he and the murder victim were arch enemies.'
        'They were certainly not the best of friends. Thus it stands,' said Christopher, keen to rehearse the facts for his own benefit as much as for that of his visitor. 'Henry was enjoying the pleasures of the town one evening when he happened to cross the path of Signor Maldini. There was a violent argument - in front of witnesses - during which my brother became so incensed that he threatened to kill the man.'
        'Is he in the habit of issuing such threats?'
        'No, Jonathan, that's what makes