Deliverance: A Justice Belstrang Mystery by John Pilkington (top 10 most read books in the world .TXT) 📗

hour outside the inn, Parry smoking his pipe while I told my tale. In truth, I may have been somewhat loose-tongued: I was in a far better humour, for Leucippus was now back in the stable, unharmed; it was a joyful reunion. Standing under the starlit sky, I gave the sergeant a brief summary of what I knew. As he took it in, I found my gaze wandering upwards, to where the Great Comet still blazed; it was fainter now, perhaps further off.

‘By God, sir…’ Parry took his pipe from his mouth, and exhaled. ‘I wish Justice March had told me this, before we set out. I’d have brought more men with me.’

‘I believe we’ll be adequate to the task,’ I replied.

‘We’ll have to be. As you’ve said, it’s a matter of treason - far beyond the warrants I’ve been given.’

‘I know,’ I said. ‘But I’m not without powers. Give me Russell, unarmed and guarded, and I’ll do the rest.’

Now, reflecting on our conversation in the cool of the morning, I wondered briefly whether I had done aright: Parry was taut, and seeing his humour his constables were silent. Yet they carried poniards and horse-pistols, and the sergeant himself was permitted to bear a sword. Between us I felt sure we could deal with any threat. As for Russell… I recalled the man’s cold stare the last time we spoke, and girded myself.

We were at Cricklepit soon enough, where all appeared as normal, with the mill-wheel turning and chimneys smoking. Having dismounted as planned, we walked in a line towards the furnace-house. Soon a workman appeared, then another, to stop in alarm at the sight of armed men approaching. As we drew closer, one of them turned and called to his fellows within. I looked to Parry, who to my relief remained calm.

‘Is he one of those men?’ he asked me. And when I shook my head, he called aloud for Tobias Russell to show himself. But instead, the remaining foundrymen emerged from the building, to stand in a silent group.

‘Where is the master?’ Parry strode forward, the rest of us close behind. At sight of pistols the Cricklepit men drew back, until one was bold enough to give answer.

‘He’s not here,’ he said, spreading his hands.

‘Is that so? Well, we’ll make a search,’ the sergeant said. ‘But when I find him – which I will do, if it takes me a week - I’ll arrest you for impeding an officer of the law.’ And when the man blinked in alarm, he added: ‘It means I’d have to take you back with me to Gloucester. A long journey… and a long time to be away from your work, and your family.’

The foundryman swallowed, glancing at the constables – whereupon his gaze fell upon me, at which he stiffened.

‘You remember me?’ I said, taking a step forward to stand beside Parry. ‘I’ve business with Master Russell again – though of a different nature.’

But my thoughts were racing. Russell, of course, would have had news of our arrival: the man had eyes in Lydney and everywhere else within miles. Had he fled, or was he merely staying out of sight? I spoke briefly to Parry, who gave no reaction. Instead, signalling to me to stay back, he drew close to the foundryman and, to my surprise, put an arm about his shoulder. Soon he had drawn him aside, the two of them speaking low. Finally he sent the man back to his fellows with a friendly slap on the back, and rejoined the rest of us.

‘Russell’s away,’ he announced. ‘But I know where he is.’

‘Well, that was neatly done,’ I said. ‘How did you get him to talk so readily?’

Parry wore a wry look. ‘I told him no charge would be brought against him, or any of the other men. There might even be a reward – you, a former justice, would petition the Mountfords for it. And I told him that if he gave me the intelligence I needed, he would be made foundry-master. His name’s Lowman – I told him he’d not be such a low man after Russell was taken.’

‘I’m impressed,’ I said, putting on a wry look of my own. ‘Though I may not be able to produce the reward you’ve promised, let alone see Master Lowman promoted.’

‘I’ll leave that to you, sir,’ Parry returned. ‘Now let’s attend to the business in hand, shall we?’

‘Gladly,’ I said. ‘So, where will we find Russell?’

‘It’s not far, my informant says,’ came the answer. ‘He’s at a small foundry upriver, owned by one Jonas Willett… do you know it?’

***

This time, our approach took on a very different character. Leading the horses, we walked upriver until we reached the Newerne stream. Parry then ordered the mounts to be tethered whereupon, having taken directions from me, the party advanced cautiously along the woodland path. For some reason I heard no sounds of axes that morning, which made me even more watchful; it was as if the entire forest knew of our presence.

Moreover, I was mighty puzzled. Jonas Willett was no friend of Russell… I well recalled his surly remarks, when I had treated him and his son at The Comfort. It seemed most unlikely that Russell would take refuge at the Willett foundry… hence, could we be certain that the man Lowman had spoken the truth? Was it merely evasion, a delaying tactic to allow his master to escape? Russell must have guessed that a substantial arresting party would not be sent without cause - and likely feared that his own liberty was under threat.

The answers to those questions would come soon enough – yet in ways that confound me as I recall the matter. After many years on the magistrate’s bench, I believed I could tell truth from falsehood: now I see that a man must learn, to