Chapter 18 #3
‘Of course.’ The answer jumped to Gwen’s lips far too quickly.
‘No. I don’t know. That doesn’t matter now.
We have other concerns.’ She frowned. ‘We can’t exactly walk into Augusta’s office and accuse her of pimping, or start yelling out names of missing girls in the hope they’re there. We’ll have to be more subtle.’
‘I’ve been thinking the same thing, and I don’t want to make accusations, but I don’t see anything wrong with telling her we know what her man has been doing. If she doesn’t know, then she might be grateful to be told,’ Jenny said.
Gwen twisted her fingers around each other.
‘I’ve been racking my brains ever since I heard, but I don’t believe anything sordid is taking place at the chop house.
We know that Augusta has other premises, and we know that she has ambitions to create an opium establishment to rival her husband’s.
It makes perfect sense that if she is selling our tincture to her patrons, there will be other pleasures for sale as well. ’
‘And we know the tincture has the power to enhance certain sensations,’ Jenny added.
‘Which is why she was so keen to get hold of it. I expect she sells it to the men so that they will enjoy themselves even more,’ Gwen replied, rolling her eyes.
‘We need to find where her other premises are. I don’t suppose you have any idea, do you?’ Jenny asked.
Gwen pursed her lips. ‘No, but I’m sure I can find out.’ She lifted her head defiantly and gave Jenny a bold look. ‘You don’t have to be involved. I will go to the chop house myself tomorrow, and see what I can discover.’
‘I can come with you. You don’t have to go alone,’ Jenny told her.
‘It’s probably best if I do.’ Gwen smiled nervously. ‘But if for any reason I don’t return, you will know where I went and you can tell my husband where to look.’
Her eyes grew distant, and her mouth softened. ‘Tell my friend, too. His name is Mr Parry and he’s staying at Godwin’s Hotel. If anything happens to me, please send a message to him as well. He’d like to know that I tried and where he could investigate.’
Jenny wondered if Gwen was aware of the change that came over her when she mentioned this intriguing man. She was half tempted to go to his hotel and see what was so special about him that he could make a sensible woman in her forties glow like a debutante.
‘Gwen, nothing will harm you,’ she said briskly, hoping she was correct. ‘But I will wait for a message from you. If I don’t hear from you by six o’clock tomorrow night, I’ll go to the hotel myself and ask Mr Parry for help.’
Gwen swallowed and gave a watery smile.
‘I should go. Archibald will be wondering where I am. I told him I had left a handkerchief in the pew, and it doesn’t take very long to walk to and from St Mark’s.’
She walked away, then turned back. ‘Oh, I had a thought that I wanted to share with you. It’s about something personal to you, so please forgive me for intruding.’
‘If it’s about Miriam then I don’t want to hear it and I won’t forgive you,’ Jenny said sternly.
‘It isn’t. I have no interest in what you indulge in.
’ Gwen’s mouth twitched. ‘This is about your inheritance. I don’t believe, from what you’ve told me of your father, that he was poor when he died.
The money must be somewhere. I think your uncle might have invested it in his business when he first bought the pharmacy. Has he mentioned that to you ever?’
Whatever Jenny had been expecting, it hadn’t been that. It made perfect sense, though.
‘My uncle has never spoken of it,’ she admitted. ‘My parents would have trusted him to invest my inheritance carefully. Where better than somewhere that would also be to his advantage?’
‘I agree, and if it is tied into his business, then it should be doing very well, and your dividends should be quite high. I don’t think you see as much of that profit as you should.’
Jenny frowned. Gwen was right. The pharmacies were very busy, and even if the cost of ingredients and the supplies had risen, they must be doing well.
‘My uncle gives me a home. I think it’s fair that he uses the money my parents would have used to raise me,’ she said, trying to keep doubt from spilling into her words.
‘Do you think it’s fair that he doesn’t even pay you a housekeeper’s wage?’ Gwen asked, a hint of indignation in her voice.
Jenny grinned. ‘You really are a completely different woman to the one I first met.’
Gwen stared at her. ‘I am not sure whether I like that notion. It’s nothing to do with me, but in your shoes, I would consult a solicitor who will be able to help untangle the amount of money from your inheritance.
If you do wish to set up a home with your …
friend, then that’s your best chance of being able to afford it. ’
They parted with an agreement that Gwen would send word that she was back safely from the chop house, and they would then meet to discuss what she had discovered.
Jenny walked home and spent the rest of the afternoon talking with Uncle Conrad.
They passed the time pleasantly, Jenny completing a jigsaw and Conrad reading the newspapers, but once or twice she caught herself wondering about what Gwen had said, and whether he had been entirely fair with her.
It was something to consider once she had solved the other problems.