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The Gentlemans Book of Secrets
$ gentleman ga(e me a "ook% once# )e was old% and soon to die#
& saw to that
myself# & think *now that & look "ack on it+ that he was
not a "ad man# &m almostsorry that & killed him#
& grew !p in the alleyways that r!n off from Gin ,ane#
&ts hard to think of it% as &
sit here looking o!t from my rooms across the sea at Brighton%
not so (ery far from
where the rince of .ales has "!ilt his famo!s a(ilion# & am
/!ite the ,ady% now%
and no-one who sees me walking o!t on the romenade in my widows
weeds% with
my maid mily trotting "ehind me% co!ld do!"t that & am
"ecome a person of !ality#
)e stopped me% one foggy night% not far from Gin ,ane% and &
was near freeing to
death# & knew what he wanted% of co!rse# &(e li(ed that
way since & was a little maid%
& knew no other way# There was something in his face% e(en
in the shadows% that made
me hesitate# B!t & was cold and h!ngry% and & went with
him to his grand town ho!se%
on Berkeley S/!are#&t was warm in his "edroom% with a fire
"!rning and the lamps already lit# )e m!st
not ha(e "een a"sent from the ho!se for (ery long# o do!"t he
had gone o!t% '!st to
find a girl like me% to pass away a lonely e(ening# )e co!ghed%
sometimes% "!t said
little#
.hen he was done with me% he fell asleep lightly% as old men do#
& tho!ght & wo!ld
ease myself o!t from !nder him% "!t he had not paid me yet# The
room was warm and
the "ed was soft# & mo(ed my leg to stop it from going n!m"%
and he woke !p#
3!r eyes met% and & saw a world of knowing in his look#
4$ glass of wine5 he said% and rose from the "ed#
.ell% & ne(er say no# & sat "y the fire% wrapped in the
eiderdown% sipping the dark
li/!id#
)e need not think that he wo!ld get me dr!nk% and fail to pay
me# & can hold my
drink as well as any man# The room was f!ll of rich treas!res
and trinkets# &f it was
drinking witho!t payment% he wo!ld "e !nconscio!s "efore &
was# $nd there was
plenty in that room that wo!ld fit into my pockets% "efore &
left#
& sipped% and waited# )e sighed#
4Thank yo!5 he said#
& was s!rprised% "!t wary# o-one e(er said Thank 6o! to me
"efore% for doing
what & do#
4&d like to gi(e yo! something5 he said#
This was more like it#)e went to the ca"inet in the corner% and
came "ack with a small leather "ag 7 no% a
"ook# $ book# - .hat was he going to do% write me a note of
credit8
& "egan to feel angry#
4This is the most precio!s thing & own5 he said% softly#
4B!t its no !se to me% now#
& am not long for this world#5 )e sighed again# 4&
tho!ght to p!"lish what & ha(e
written here% and destroy the people who destroyed my life% "!t
now 7 take it# &ts
yo!rs# 6o! can destroy them% and make yo!r fort!ne while yo! do
it#5
& saw red% then% & can tell yo!# 9o""ing me off with an
old leather "ook# & e:pect to
"e paid properly# $nd anyway% & cannot read# There is no
schooling in the alleyways
off Gin ,ane#
& took the "ook from him% and weighed it in my hands#)e
sighed again% and t!rned to the fire#
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S!ddenly f!rio!s% & picked !p the glass decanter% and hit
him% hard% across the "ack
of his sk!ll#
)e did not "reathe#
& tho!ght for a while% and then & decided to proceed
with ca!tion# The ho!se was
silent% "!t there m!st "e ser(ants# & had to do this
properly#
3!t in the corridor there were other doors# & knew that none
of these co!ld "elongto a ser(ant% so & tried one% /!ietly% and
fo!nd myself in a ladys s!ite of rooms# $ha;
So the old dog was married# She looked down at me from her
portrait% /!ite yo!ng
and pretty% and & wondered where she was#
ot here% anyway#
Becoming "old% & opened the armoire% and e:amined her
clothes# (erything% e(en
her "oots% wo!ld fit me# & cast aro!nd for a "ag to stash
(al!a"les in% as & made my
escape#
Then & knew & was "eing watched#
The girl stood in the shadows% pale and trem"ling# & raised
the candle and glared#
$ maid#
4Come here5 & commanded#She came#
4.here is yo!r
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4This "ook%
4The 'o!rnal of Charles% =!ke of Scaris"rooke% and his ,ast
Testament# Tonight &ha(e m!rdered my wife% ,ady &sa"ella%
and her "ody is hidden in a (at in the wine
cellar# & ha(e sent all the ser(ants away% sa(e one% and she
is a simple girl who will
ca!se me no tro!"le# & shall not li(e long% and ha(e few
needs% now% that cannot easily
"e catered for "y this girl#5
She stopped then% and o!r eyes met#
4=id he -85
She shook her head (igoro!sly#
$h# ot to his taste% then#
So% the old man was a m!rderer# )e had come o!t to Gin ,ane% and
fo!nd me#
9ancy that# & felt "etter a"o!t the clothes and the 'ewels
already#
4Go on#54She is dead "eca!se she deser(es to "e# Before she
"ecame ill% her lo(er was ,ord
$(enstall% the famo!s Tory eer# & hope that whoe(er finds
this "ook will make !se of
this information to em"arrass him% p!"licly and financially% for
& am a nota"le .hig
and it will "e s!spected that my wife was simply my tool% my
de(oted spy% who fed
me information a"o!t his intentions and political am"itions% so
that & was often a"le to
thwart him in the )o!se#5
mily pa!sed again#
Blackmail# &ntrig!e#
These were things & !nderstood# & nodded at her#
4=o not regret her passing% Reader# The ,ady &sa"ella was
marked for =eath
already#
