Maureen Jennings - Nights Child (A Detective Murdoch Mystery)

CONTENTS

For Iden as always, and this one for
Peter Outerbridge, the best Murdoch imaginable

William Shakespeare, The Rape of Lucrece

She hadnt liked Leonard Sims one bit. He was sly and spiteful, never missing an opportunity to make a jibe at her expense. In spite of her resolve not to, shed often been reduced to tears and hed laughed at her in triumph.

See. Youve got the backbone of a slug. You feel like one too.

No one cared enough to protect her from his unrelenting cruelty, but perhaps they didnt even notice. That was the more likely explanation, and she was used to not being noticed. So when she understood that Leonard Sims was dead, she was glad at first. Serves him right, she thought. Hed pushed just once too often. But then she had to go with them when they carried the body in a chest down to the frozen lake. They needed a cab to get there and at first none came by because it was late and the snow was thick and blowing in everybodys face. The cabbie hadnt wanted to take them, said his horse was tired and he was on his way to the stables.

This poor girl has got to visit her old aunt who lives near the shore. You can see how perishing she is. Open your heart.

The cabbie agreed when they paid him double the usual fare.

They didnt bother to tell her what they were doing and, of course, she didnt ask. After the cabbie left, she had to stand there, in her too-thin coat, shivering with cold, to keep lookout. She was so afraid, she was actually whimpering, but the swirling snow blotted up the sounds as the two men vanished into the darkness.

They hauled the chest across the lake to where a short promontory thrust out from the shore. Here they must have shoved it under the overhang. It took them almost ten minutes to trudge there and back through the knee-high snow and they both cursed the weather.

Never mind. When the ice melts, the bloody thing will sink to the bottom and never be found. Goodbye, Sins , and they had both laughed at the joke.

M iss Amy Slade was seated at her desk, surveying her class. For the moment, the room was quiet, the only sound was of chalk moving on slate boards. By rights the children should have been writing in notebooks, but Miss Slade had taken spare slates from the lower standards and used them for rough work. Then you dont have to worry about perfection, which as we know doesnt exist, she told her pupils. She caught the eye of Emmanuel Hart and frowned at him.

How many times must I remind you, Emmanuel? The mind is like a muscle and must be exercised else it grow flabby and inert.

The boy bent his head immediately to the task of long division. He was a big boy, too old to still be in the fourth standard, but he had missed a lot of school and his reading and writing was barely at the level of the younger children. In a different classroom he would have been either the bully or the butt of ridicule. Not here. Miss Slade, without ever resorting to the cane, ran a tight, disciplined ship. She was strict about what she called the rules of order, which shed established on the first day of the term. No talking when there was work to be done; only one voice at a time when there was a question-and-answer period; absolutely no tormenting of other children. Any infraction of these rules and the offending child, almost always one of the boys, was sent to the Desk of Thoughtfulness, which was right under her nose. Here he had to sit and reflect on his behaviour while all around him the class enjoyed the games and competitions that Miss Slade used to liven up her lessons. Learning should be the most fun you ever have, she told her pupils. And so she made it. On her desk was a large jar full of brightly coloured boiled sweets. The winner of the competition could choose one. But it was not just the succulent bribery of raspberry drops that won the childrens devotion, even though that helped a great deal. What they came to respect most was Miss Slades justice. She dispensed praise and occasional scoldings with an absolutely even hand whether it was to a hopeless case like Emmanuel Hart or to Mary, the clever, exquisitely dressed daughter of Councillor Blong. One or two of the girls, already too prissy to be saved, disliked and mistrusted her, but the others loved her.

This was Miss Slades third year of teaching at Sackville Street School and her fourth placement. Although her pupils didnt know it, her contract was precarious. She was far too radical a teacher for the boards taste, and if she hadnt consistently produced such excellent results, she would have been dismissed long ago.

She waited a moment longer, enjoying the put, put sound of the chalk on the slates. Then she clapped her hands.

Excellent. There is nothing quite as fine as the silence of the intelligent mind at work. What is it that makes so much noise? Hands up if you know the answer.

Every arm shot up, hands waving like fronds.

Good. I would expect you to know the answer to that as I have said it innumerable times. Who hasnt answered a question lately? Benjamin Fisher, you.

The skinny boys face lit up. The most noise in the brain comes from the rattle of empty thoughts, Miss Slade.

Yes, of course. You can get a sweet later. Now, wipe off your slates, everybody, and put them in your desks.

There was a little flurry of activity, desk lids lifted, as the children did as she asked.

Monitors, open the windows wide, if you please.

Florence Birrell and Emmanuel Hart got up promptly and went to push up the window sashes. Cold air poured into the classroom, which was hot and stuffy. The large oil heater in the centre of the room dried out the air. The girls who were sitting closest to the windows wrapped their arms in their pinafores for warmth while the boys remained stoic.

Good! Stand beside your desks, everybody, and assume your positions for cultivation of the chest.

The children stood in the aisles, their heels pressed together, toes turned out at an angle.

Remember now, your weight must be forward on the balls of your feet. Let me see. Rise up.

One or two of the boys deliberately lost their balance, which gave them an excuse to flail their arms and grab on to the desk beside them.

George Strongithorn, stop that. You will sit out the exercise in the Desk of Thoughtfulness if you misbehave again. You are quite capable of standing on your toes. All right, children, you may assume your correct position once more.

Miss Slade began to walk up and down, inspecting her pupils. She had her cane pointer in her hand but not to whack at any child, merely to correct.

Benjamins older sister, Agnes Fisher, who was directly in front of the open window, shivered violently. She was wearing only a thin cotton jersey underneath her pinafore.

Agnes, come to the front. Its warmer out of the air.

Miss Slade faced the class. Now, all together. Inhaleand exhale as you say the word far . Whispers please. Farrr .

There was a soft sighing throughout the room.

Twice more. Joseph, for goodness sake, your mouth should be closed, not catching flies.

A giggle ran through the ranks.

Miss Slade, whose chest was well cultivated, lead the way. Inhale through the right nostril only. And exhale through the left nostril.

Henry Woolway had a bad cold and blew out some snot as he exhaled. He wiped it away with his sleeve. Without comment Miss Slade handed him a clean handkerchief from her pocket.