The town was far from the village and took a while to get there. The smell of the town hit them before they saw it. It was rowdy as ever, as the lower town was where marketing of the lower class happened. Then the upper town connected to the main city, where the nobles stayed. His mother stood out like a sour thumb. She was overdressed for the location, but she knew where she was going enough to steer her way through the people, finding her way to a much cleaner part of the lower town. Though she wanted to stop, Walter had plans to meet with Mr Jodanham. He knew his mother had taught him that he needed to inform the household before making an appearance, but he wanted to go unannounced. He felt it good for his confidence when delivering his orders. He remembered the look on the lady's face. With that picture in mind, he braced himself. After all, he had no one left to fear, not even society.
"Ma, let's go to upper town instead,” he said.
"Mother!” she corrected him, “Walter, you know how expensive things are in the upper town. Clothes are bought in silver there. Here we can buy anything in copper and iron,” she protested.
"I have been paid, Mother. Let’s go,” he led them ahead regardless. Upper town was much cleaner and more organized than lower town. His mother had been here in another life and led them toward a popular market. It was loud but not as rowdy as lower town.
"You both go. I’ll be back,” he said, handing them five gold coins. His mother’s eyes grew into large green pearls at the sight of the coins.
"You were paid...in gold?" she asked and he nodded, leaving them to it.
Walter was already quite familiar with the route to Mr Jodanham's townhome and found it easy to make his way there. Knocking on the door, he waited till the lanky butler stood before him with a frown on his face.
“You again; the master is busy with guests,”
“Move; I don't have the time to listen to you,” Walter slipped into the house.
Before the man could process what had happened and rush after Walter's figure; he had made it into the formal sitting room. Walter paused as he noticed the guests that the butler had mentioned. A nobleman garbed in a sharp suit and a loudly dressed lady; who Walter could see despite the heavy make-up, her natural beauty, sat in a discussion.
Mr Jodanham, who was bowed in an explanation, paused at the sight of Walter; causing the attention of the room to shift to Walter, who seemed to be unaware of the stares. He stared down at Mr Jodanham. Something about this man irritated him. What? He could not put a finger on it.
“What...” Mr Jodanham started to say.
“Forgive me, sir, I tried...” the butler tried to explain.
“I don't have time and neither should you,” Walter said. He always prided himself someone who knew his place. But he could not shake the feeling of power that rushes through him when doing the lady's work. Yes, he knew his place quite well and standing there he knew who was who to fear; Lady Wickshire first, then others.
“Do you have it?” he asked Mr Jodanham.
“Well, I was about to …,” Mr Jodanham felt the temperature of the room sink.
“Let's talk,” Walter said. Mr Jodanham looked at the nobleman and lady and bowed deeply.
“Forgive me, my lord, my lady, I will only be a minute,” Mr Jodanham led Walter away up to his study.
“Look, boy, you can't show up when you please. One should know his place!” Mr Jodanham spun and raged the moment the door closed.
“Do you know of the headmistress of Courtkruff ladies academy?” Walter cut him off. The question caused the round man to pause.
“You have instructions; everyone in her confidence, friends and all, how they are related to the minute detail and how they make contact,”
“The lady asked this?”
“Would I come, if not?” Walter asked.
“I will see to it,”
“Are you done with the first job?”
“Yes, just one moment. But...does the lady want this immediately?” Mr Jodanham asked.
“Why?”
“No reason. I just felt that if I had more time, I could do a much more impressive job... if it could be delayed....at least till this night.... even though I'm quite busy … I could..”
“What are you busy with this night?”
“Oh, nothing much; the lady's work comes first. Time is the essence. I will see to some lords and then..”
“Who?” Walter asked, making Mr Jodanham pause. Walter knew not to ask, but he did not trust this man and was sure he was up to something. He had no intention of leaving the document with him for one more minute than needed.
“This is someone you do not know of, so there is no need to ...”
“There is a need. Requesting to keep the document till you have met with some people is a clear sign that something is wrong. Who do you intend to see this night?”
“Just Lord Morge and some others you don't know.....it is nothing suspicious, I assure you. No need to let the lady know of it.... but... if you....” Mr Jodanham started to say.
“I will wait downstairs for the document,” Walter said and walked away. Going down, he found the lord and lady had yet to leave. It seemed whatever they came for was not simple; else they would have left; seeing how rude Mr Jodanham was just a while ago.
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“What do you do, boy?” the nobleman asked.
“I am yet to find out myself,” Walter answered.
“A man that does not know what he does is beyond simple,” the nobleman said.
“A simple man does not do beyond what he knows” Walter answered, causing the nobleman to nod and the lady, to stifle a smile.
“Then, I’m curious as to what is beyond you,” the nobleman said. He found this boy curious in every way.
“I never agreed to be a simple man,” Walter answered. The nobleman believed every word he said. Very few people of the lower class had this kind of education displayed by the boy, or the confidence to say those words. He was sure someone was behind this boy, making him confident, making him without fear.
Mr Jodanham rushed down and handed the document to Walter, who was still standing in the sitting room. Walter looked down at it. He did not know if this was what was asked of Mr Jodanham, but he had no intention to let Mr Jodanham relax, so he took his time to flip through the pages.
“Let's hope you worked to impress,” Walter said, glancing at the now sweating Mr Jodanham. Giving a little bow that was no different than a nod to the nobleman and lady, he left the townhome.
Walking outside, the smell of the town air hit him and he felt a weight overwhelm him. He only gave Mr Jodanham one instruction. He did not ask anything about the Mclears. For some reason, he just did not feel like it. It didn't feel right. Of course, it did not help that he mistrusted Mr Jodanham too much. Getting on his horse, he made his way to the city. Passing through the threshold, he saw before him a more luxurious and cleaner setting. The buildings in this area were expensive, as they were built with great care and grandeur to reflect the importance of their owners. There were not as many people as in the lower and upper towns, but there was still quite the number of them. The people here carried themselves better, as they considered themselves respected and important people of society, that he had the illusion that he could almost see under their nose.
He only had one reason to come here. He knew that people like the Mclears, though not nobility;
would live in this area. He wanted to find out as much as he could from the servants and maids here. People underestimated the lower class. They were the ones who cleaned, washed and followed around their masters, hearing everything that happened in the home. They were the keepers of all sorts of societal secrets and scandals. He needed to find his way to where the workers of the Mclears home congregated.
He had been to the city once before. His father had taken him to see the Yorkleire butler; who had helped his father get the job he was doing to date. They had met the old man in a corner street, off the clothing district. He made his way there after paying for his horse to be secured for him. He did not expect to see this butler again, but this corner was a sales area. Only the servants went there. Things sold ranged from trinkets to clothing. He found his way to a corner where one could sit and have a drink.
“Can I join you?” he asked the man who was drunkenly swinging his head. Without waiting for an answer, he sat. There were three people including himself, who sat at that table.
“Interested in some diamonds?” the other man sitting across from him asked.
“Diamonds?” Walter raised a brow.
“Yes. Y'look like someone to buy it well, see?” the man answered. Walter could tell this man did not work in any of the households from his accent. Even though the maids were not educated, most of them were well-spoken; especially those servants that worked directly with their masters. Taking a closer look at the man before him, Walter noticed he was dirtier than most in the city. Even the drunk beside him could boast of his scent. The man before him had soot all over his skin and clothes.
“Are they real?” he indulged him. He had intended to come several times, till those around knew his face enough to share some secrets. Maybe he would even make friends with someone that worked in the Mclears household.
“I’ll tell you a lil' som'ting. They be real diamonds. Mclears' diamonds, if I bet me remaining teeth well,” the man said with a lowered voice.
“Stolen then?” Walter frowned. What were the odds?
“Naw, just pick'em up; them be to blame for no looking well at them shiny things. I'm Barney,” the man introduced.
“Can I see them?” Walter asked ignoring the man's introduction. Barney took out his other hand from under the table and opened it. In his hands was a cloth. In it, were a few diamonds, Walter counted thirteen in total. There were tiny, but still a lot of diamonds. unlike the man before him that had never seen diamonds before and was trying his luck, he had seen them rested on the necks of ladies back at the academy. As it was never close by he was not sure.
“How can the Mclears be this careless?” Walter whispered in suspicion and feigned shock.
“If y'ask me, they be in a hurry,” Barney whispered, coming closer. The smell of his breath hit Walter, causing him to frown deeper, but Barney did not notice this.
“A hurry?” Walter asked.
“There be some word in town. I'll tell you if you buy the diamonds,”
“How much?”
“200 silver,”
“One gold coin,”
“I’ll take it. But, you can't take it back if it be fake,” Barney smiled sinisterly. Walter couldn't care less if the diamonds were fake; he needed the information. Though to him, it was a little too expensive, he knew the lady was generous and would pay him if he did his job right. Opening his pouch, he took out a gold coin. Dirty Barney tied the diamond in a dirty cloth and exchanged it for the gold coin from Walter. Licking his lips, he stared at the gold coin as though it was a deity descended.
“Tell me,” Walter said softly, keeping away the diamonds in his shirt.
“There be some whispers of the Mclears moving for night. Large carts in the thick o' night. Like ghosts, them say,”
“Carts? Moving them where?”
“To the Townsdale land in lower town fields. Where they be come from, Nobody know. Like ghosts, they be,”
“The Townsdale land? I've heard of it. Hasn't it been retrieved since the Townsdales were executed?”
“Everybody know that the land be under the town guards. In day, there be many guards. But for night, all them guards leave, then them ghost carts start t'come,”
“Then, how did you get in? How did you know it is the Mclears moving at night?”
“Get in? No. It be at the outer field that I see them diamonds. Just warning you, friend. If they be fake, you be already pay for'em. Hehe,” the man laughed.
“The outer fields? How?” Walter asked, ignoring the warning.
“When I be work for the Townsdales, I bury me coppers on that field so my dastard of a brother no get'em. That old thing be fire me before I take'em, so I watch every night. Since the guards be there, I watch'em well. The ghost carts be enter and leave twenty minutes before the guards come back,”
“When do the guards leave?” Walter asked.
“Ten minutes before the quarter morning strike,”
“You are sure it is the Mclears that enter at night?”
“The Nayl street blacksmith's third son be see them crest,”
Walter paused in his seat for a bit. Could it be this easy? His mother once spoke that there were times when one need do nothing and the holy lady just placed what they needed in their hands. Could it really be this easy?
“I'll be leaving now. Enjoy the gold coin,” Walter nodded at the man and left calmly. Though his steps were slow and steady, his chest was drumming to the tune of his racing heart.
This was a big find. He was not sure if this was the information the lady needed, but this was big. He was not sure if he should tell her or investigate first but he definitely knew she would be pleased. Riding his horse away from the city, he made his way to Upper town, where he had left his mother and sister. Arriving, he found them waiting.
“What took so long, Walter? We've been waiting for quite some time,” his mother asked getting on her horse.
“Nothing much, just work. Let's go,” he led the way as they made their way back home. On the way back, Amie went on about her new clothes and new shoes. She rattled on thanking Walter in between sentences. His mother kept shushing Amie as it was unladylike to talk so long on something so small. Still, her voice betrayed her and exposed how excited she was. She still did not fall out of character, making sure to maintain her calm and graceful exterior.