Jane Feather - Charade by Unknown (howl and other poems .TXT) 📕

upright position and much argument ensued as to who was toescort the lady.

Danielle stood tapping her foot during their deliberations andeventually said, "If you cannot make up

your minds, only open the gatesand I will find my own way. But the governor shall hear of yourdiscourtesy forthwith."

The great doors clanged open and Malcolm watched his mistress disappearinto the void of one of the most unspeakable places on earth, leavinghim to mind an hysterical family of froggies who had been forbidden tofollow the countess, and fourhigh-steppers who showed a distinctly nervous apprehension

at theexcitable attention they received from the inhabitants of the alleyoutside the jail.

The Governor of Newgate was possibly as intoxicated as his employees,Danielle decided, when she was shown into his presence. His cravat wasstained, britches and coat rumpled, and he struggled from his chairwith some difficulty at the sight of a diminutive creature who, bydress and bearing, had no place

in his realm.

"Pray be seated, sir," said Danielle. "I feel sure you will be morecomfortable. I am come to post bail for one Brigitte Roberts. She wasbrought here this morning and is not yet tried. If you will tell me thesum set by the magistrates we shall be able to deal with this matterquickly."

The governor had not the slightest idea who Brigitte Roberts might be,knew only that there were some three hundred women in his jail and howthey came and how they left was of little interest. The majority weredestined for the hangman or transportation, and those who remainedwould probably die anyway. If they had money enough to purchaseadequate food from their jailers, it would be taken from them by theirstronger fellow inmates, and if they had not, then an inadequate diet,sickness, or violence would complete the task. He stared blankly at hisvisitor.

"If you do not recall the figure, sir, then we must contrive one."Danielle reached for the purse of sovereigns in her pocket. "You willhave the child brought here and we will discuss the matter."

"I can't do that, my lady," the governor mumbled, his eyes fixed on thepurse. "We'd never find her in there."

"Then I shall find her myself. You will come with me." It was an order,not a request, and three gold sovereigns fell on the table. As hereached for them, Danielle placed her hand over the shining coins."There will be more," she said softly. "I'm sure that a suspectedpickpocket will need a considerable bail. Let us find her and settlethis business."

The coins went back into the purse and the governor licked his lipsnervously. One less prisoner would

go quite unremarked in the maelstrom and he would not be forced toaccount forthe loss. It was unlikely that this Brigitte Roberts would come totrial for months and a simple explanation that she had died of typhuswould be easily accepted. But the thought of visiting the women's wardsand cells filled him with dread. Did this unpleasantly determined younglady know what she was talking about with her blithe announcement thatshe would find the prisoner herself? If not, she would sufferconsiderable shock to

her composure. The idea pleased the befuddledgovernor, who was accustomed to reigning supreme

and in peace over hissection of hell.

"You must find her yourself," he said slyly. "I will accompany you tothe women's section, but the bail must be put up in advance." He madegreat play with a file of papers. "Ah, here it is. Brigitte . . .?"

"Roberts," Danielle supplied, prepared to play his game.

"Ah, yes," he muttered, scrutinizing a scrap of paper. "Bail is set forone hundred guineas."

Danielle counted out the sum without complaint. It was extortion butlittle enough to pay for a child's life and sanity. "No, Governor," shesaid as he made to pocket the coins. "The money remains here until Ihave the child. My chaise and coachman await me outside the gates andshould any harm befall me . . ." She left the sentence unfinished, butdrunk though he was the governor had no need of expansion. He

led theway to the female side of the prison.

There were two wards and two cells inhabited by the women sent here forevery gradation of crime; the untried mingled with those under sentenceof death in a situation of unspeakable over-crowding. Danielle reeledas the stench hit her. Half-naked women crowded against the railing attheir approach, begging

and cursing, hands thin as birds' talons thrustbetween the bars. Children tumbled and wailed, trampled underfoot astheir mothers surged toward the extraordinary sight of wealth outsidetheir cage.

There was no bedding that Danielle could see on the filth-encrustedfloor. In these surroundings the women cooked, washed, ate, and sleptin the company of their children, many of whom had first seen daylightbehind these bars and knew no other. Those who did achieve theirrelease would find themselves backagain soon enough, but on their own behalfs and not their mothers'.

Danielle thought of the rings on her fingers, the purse in her pocket,and knew that she could not go into the cage with them on her person.The governor was watching her reactions with a complacent smile.

"You!" Danielle turned imperatively to the turnkey. "You will goimmediately outside the gate and bring my coachman to me."

The turnkey looked at the governor for confirmation of the order andreceiving no sign either way obeyed. Danny tried to hide herhopelessness as she looked at the phalanx of women ranged against thebars. How was she to find a petrified twelve-year-old amongst thisferocious crowd? The smell of liquor was rank in the air—the womenmight be short of food and water for washing, but gin seemed inplentiful supply.

The jailer returned after what seemed to Danielle an eternity, but hewas accompanied by Malcolm, whose broad shoulders and impressive liveryreassured Danielle and had the hoped-for effect on the governor. "Youwill hold these for me," she said, stripping off her rings and handingthem to Malcolm, together with her purse and her cloak.