Chapter 5 #2
“Mungo, you’ll go with these foolish men who don’t know a good man when he’s before them.
There’s nothing for it but to do that. Help will arrive shortly.
Nothing silly now, Mungo,” Mr. Greedy cautioned him as Mavis ran off down the road at a speed with Miss Downing on her heels. “We’ll have you home by nightfall.”
He glimpsed a slender ankle covered in serviceable wool as Miss Downing’s skirts flicked up before returning his eyes to the constable before him.
“Be warned, he has the backing of some powerful men, so you’ll not want to harm a single red hair on his head,” Mr. Peeky added.
It humbled Mungo that these two elderly gentlemen would stand up for him. But then, this was Crabbett Close. He doubted there was another street like it in London.
“I’ll be all right. You both go back inside now.”
“He’s a criminal and will be dealt with as such,” the constable said, not intimidated by the show of loyalty by the men.
“What’s your name?” Mungo demanded.
“Constable Clutterbuck.”
“A right mouthful,” Mr. Peeky said.
“You watch your mouth!”
“That will do, thank you, gentlemen,” Mungo said before they all ended up inside the carriage too.
Constable Clutterbuck glared as he produced a set of cuffs.
This had to be that man’s doing. There was no one else who had reason to have him arrested. Who was he that he could get Mungo arrested when he’d been the one at fault?
“They’re putting him in chains!”
“It’s all right now, Miss Alvin,” Mungo said as he turned to watch her hurry out her front door. “You go on back inside,” he added as the cold iron snapped around his wrists.
She didn’t do as he asked and instead tucked something into his pocket, which he thought was likely food.
Clemmie Acton appeared next, stomping right up to Constable Clutterbuck and jabbing a finger in his face. “Our Mungo is a good man. What’s the meaning of this?”
Mungo bit back a sigh.
“Back away. I’m here on official business, and this here is a criminal.”
“Criminal, is it?” Mr. Douglas snapped. A crowd of locals was now forming. “I think not. This man is not capable of something criminal. He’s good and kind. Why, just yesterday, he helped my grandson locate the shoe Chester had taken to the park!”
“I don’t care about no bleeding shoe!” Constable Clutterbuck was getting angry now.
“He helped carry my logs in on Tuesday!” Mrs. Greedy called from her doorstep.
“Hurry it along, Constable, or the entire street will appear, and you’ll be in a power of trouble,” Mungo said, moving toward the carriage. “They’re not above forming a human barricade to stop you from taking me.”
He knew Bram would come and had no doubt that they would fight until he was released, but there was no need to involve the entire street in this, or all of them would end up behind bars, and they’d not fare as well as he would without their drams of alcohol and layers of blankets in this weather.
“You take care with him, Constable Buttercluck!!” someone shouted.
“Clutterbuck!” the man bellowed back, correcting them as he pushed Mungo toward the waiting carriage.
The moment Mungo was inside, the door slammed and the lock snapped shut.
“You’ll be back before nightfall!” Mr. Greedy called after him as the carriage lurched forward and rattled down the street.
As the carriage passed it, Mungo saw that Number 11 Crabbett Close was already in an uproar. The front door stood wide open, Miss Downing hovering on the step, looking anxious, and then Bram burst outside, followed by Leo.
“Stop!” Bram roared, but the carriage didn’t so much as slow.
Mungo caught sight of his friend’s face, rage tightening every line, and he almost pitied whoever stood between Bram and getting Mungo home again. Almost.
Bram was a good man, steady and fair… until someone he loved was in danger. Then he became something else entirely, a force of nature who wouldn’t rest until justice was served.
They’d watched each other’s backs for years, first while traveling the world, and later when Bram took on the brood of nieces and nephews fate had given him. His friend would now deploy that same fierce loyalty on Mungo’s behalf.
He couldn’t pretend he was innocent in all things.
He and Bram had done plenty on their travels that wouldn’t stand up to scrutiny, and Mungo had done worse before they’d ever met.
But he had never hurt anyone without cause.
The bastard had deserved Mungo’s fist in his face for attacking that woman.
He’d known he was a nobleman and had foolishly given out his name to the bastard.
The trip wasn’t long, and he kept his eye on the city while thoughts ran through his head. They would put him in a cell and lock the door.
Mungo shuddered at the thought. Just being in here was making him tense.
The carriage door opened after they’d rolled to a stop a short distance later, and he was told to get out, which he did.
“Inside with you now,” Constable Clutterbuck ordered.
“I’d like to know who laid the charges against me.”
“We’re busy, so you’ll speak to someone when there is time.”
“Not too busy to collect an innocent man from his home, on trumped-up charges. Makes me wonder how much money was exchanged and who was behind it.”
“I’m an officer of the law!” Constable Clutterbuck roared. “How dare you suggest I’d take a bribe.”
Mungo didn’t speak again. He’d enraged the man enough for now.
They led him through to the rear of the building and toward a cell. Every muscle in his body reacted as he watched the constable produce a set of keys and unlock it.
You can do this. Bram will come.
“Hold out your hands.”
Mungo fought the need to throw the man to the ground and run as his hands were released.
“Get inside.”
“Please.” Mungo forced the word out of his dry throat.
“Now.” The man pushed him.
“Touch me again, and I will break your fingers. To hell with the consequences.” The growled words had the intended effect, as the constable stepped back from him.
“Make yourself comfortable in your new accommodations,” he added from a safe distance as Mungo stepped inside.
“Be ready for hell to rain down on you, Constable. My only advice would be, try not to antagonize them too much, or you’ll be looking for another job by day’s end.”
The man cursed and then slammed the door shut. Mungo heard keys in the lock, and then he was alone in the small, cramped cell in the dark, with icy tendrils of fear slowly filling his body.