To Be Beside. Page 4

  Chapter 4 –Saturday October 30th 1841 after dark

  Sylvanus left the club and managed to traverse a couple of lanes west before turning south toward the ocean. The twittens were dark and silent at this time of night apart from the odd cat. It felt a dangerous place where vagabonds could lurk on every corner. As he turned into a larger passage a side door suddenly opened beside him and a wench came hurrying out bumping into him and almost knocking him to the ground in her haste to rush past him in the direction he had come in.

  He continued, thinking no more as he heard her steps disappear behind him until a blood curdling scream led him to turn on a sixpence and see the wench drop to the floor and a dark cloaked person standing over her turned and ran in the opposite direction to where Sylvanus was heading.

  Quickly Sylvanus rushed to her aid and immediately could see even in the shadowy darkness that her white bodice was covered in blood from what seemed to be a wound in her left breast. She seemed to have been stabbed and left to die.

  Quickly he cradled her in his arms calling ‘police police,’ at the top of his voice as he watched her trembling lips wracked with pain and the inevitability of death. She fought one last time to speak.

  ‘Shhaa… she gasped before her body went limp in his arms starling upwards into the dark night sky.

  It was but a minute before the next passer happened on the scene. Sylvanus sitting in shock with the wench still cradled in his arms.

  ‘Get the police for Gods sake, and a Doctor.’ shouted Sylvanus.

  ‘Police, Police.’ cried the passer by and sped off to the East in the direction of the new Town Hall and police station.

  All Sylvanus could do was to hold her and to hope that this beautiful lady would survive and recover from her injury. He prayed for her as he studied her exquisite face which seemed to show she was losing its fight for life. Her thick cloak had fallen open as she tumbled to reveal a maids costume with white lace trimmed apron over a lace up bodice. On her head containing her tresses was a matching white lace trimmed cap.

  Sylvanus was still slumped over the body when the police arrived minutes later blowing whistles. There were two uniformed officers and another gentleman.

  ‘This gentleman is a Doctor Sir, please allow him to assist the lady.’ said one of the policemen.

  ‘I think she is dead officer. I can feel the warmth leaving her body through the gaping hole in her chest.’

  Sylvanus carefully placed the body down on the brick walkway and stood with his cloak and shirt stained by her blood.

  They looked as the doctor pronounced his verdict.

  ‘I am afraid she has already passed. Stabbed probably through the heart.’ said the Doctor.

  Sylvanus wept at the prospect of being there but unable to help her in her last dying moments.

  ‘If you will wait here Doctor we will take this gentleman back to the police station and send a stretcher to collect her body.’

  The Doctor nodded in agreement.

  As they walked toward the station Sylvanus made conversation.

  ‘My; I have only been in Brighton one night and already have fallen in love, seen wild animals and witnessed a murder. What kind of place is this?’

  ‘It is a very nice town usually Sir but like every town there is a share of unlawfulness.

  Here’s the station. Would you like a cup of tea while we take a few details form you?’

  ‘Yes please; to calm my nerve a little. It is a very nice police station I would say.’ said Sylvanus staring up at the classical columns and proportions of the majestic building.

  ‘Thank you Sir. It was purpose built as part of the new Town Hall and in the latest architectural style. There is also a very sound Jail house and cells in the basement.’

  ‘Well I hope never to visit those but I am sure they are very comfortable.’

  ‘Comfort is not really their prime purpose but I am sure you would be welcome.’

  The two officers led Sylvanus into a room with just a single table and sat him down. With a pad and pen at the ready they started to ask for details of his evening.

  ‘Now Sir can you tell us exactly what you saw.’

  ‘Well I was just returning to my hotel after an evening out.’

  ‘Where had you been Sir?’

  ‘At the Mannequin club for a meal and the show. Very pleasant it was too.’

  ‘And I imagine they can confirm your attendance.’

  ‘Yes I imagine so – table 7.’

  ‘If you don’t mind me saying so you were perhaps leaving rather earlier than most single gentlemen leave that club.’ added one of the policemen.

  ‘I was keen to have a nightcap with an acquaintance I had made last evening in the hotel.’

  ‘And who might that be Sir?’

  ‘The barmaid Annie at the Imperial hotel.’

  The policemen looked at each other.

  ‘That’s interesting Sir. It is not the first time her name has been mentioned in this establishment today.’

  Sylvanus looked confused.

  ‘Yes she is a sweet girl and I wondered if she had word of her father who is rather unwell.’

  The policeman rapidly changed the subject back to the factual.

  ‘Then what happened Sir? When you left the club.’

  ‘I walked down a couple of lanes and had just turned south.’

  ‘Why didn’t you take a cab like most gentlemen would at that time of night? The streets can be dangerous for a solitary gentleman Sir.’

  ‘I was in a carefree mood and wanted to take a glimpse of the sea before bed and maybe throw a few pebbles in for good luck.’

  The officers looked at each other again and continued to document the interview.

  ‘So you turned south Sir and then what?’

  ‘Soon I was alerted to a dark coloured side door opening beside me and a lady came rushing out stumbling into me and almost knocked me to the ground in her haste. She continued in the direction from which I had come for a good few running steps before letting out a dreadful scream.’

  ‘There is no way that she may have impaled herself on something about your person when she collided with you is there. Perhaps a dagger or sword?’

  ‘No Sir, I carried nothing, and it was a good few seconds after the collision before I heard her scream.

  As I turned round I saw her slump to the ground at the feet of a person in a dark cloak.

  The person then ran off away from me and I raced to her assistance.’

  ‘Can you describe the person? Height build eye colour etcetera.’

  ‘They would have been a similar height to me, It was very dark so difficult to make out features. Their cloak hood was over their head. I imagine they were approximately medium build but they ran rather fast from the scene of the crime. They did not run like an older gentleman.’

  ‘So it was someone broadly like you who wore a cape like you.’

  ‘Yes that is the best description I can offer.’

  ‘I rushed to the girl and tried to make her comfortable. She tried to speak but almost nothing much came out, just a sssHar sound as the breath left her body and then she was gone. Staring.

  Dead.’

  ‘Did you know the lady?’

  ‘No but I have to say there was something familiar about her. I recognized her from somewhere.’

  ‘Ah here’s you tea now.

  Why don’t you just drink it slowly and relax a little and see if there is anything else you can remember before we wind up this interview.’

  Sylvanus sipped the tea gratefully.

 

  Sylvanus checked his watch. Pulling it out of his shirt pocket stained in blood brought back the terror of the evening. It was five to midnight and he was never going to see Annie that evening. How strange the police had heard Annie’s name apparently mentioned today. Sylvanus hoped that Annie was well and not mixed up in criminal activity.

  Within ten minutes the tea was gone and the officers retur
ned.

  ‘So do you have anything else to tell us?’

  ‘No I don’t think so.’

  ‘Well in that case where can we contact you in case we have further questions?’

  ‘Room 223 in the Imperial Hotel.’

  ‘And how long do you plan on staying there Sir.’

  ‘Well I have no precise leaving date but probably for the rest of the week. Then I will probably return to my Apartments in Pimlico, London.’

  ‘We would ask you to inform us first Sir, before you leave the town because you are the only witness so far and your statement could be crucial.’

  ‘Certainly officer.’

  ‘Would you like us to call you a cab?’

  ‘Oh that would be good I may still make it back by midnight.’

  ‘Why is that Sir?’

  ‘Well I was hoping to see Annie.’

  Once again the officers exchanged glances but said nothing.

  Sylvanus arrived back at the hotel some 5 minutes after midnight and there was still no sign of Annie just a man tidying up the empty bar. He hoped he had not given his beloved Annie the impression that he spent the evening with a dancer from the Mannequin club.

  Sylvanus collected his keys downheartedly from the reception.

  ‘223 please’

  ‘Are you alright Sir?’ remarked the receptionist spotting his bloodstained clothing.

  ‘Yes I imagine so. I just witnessed the murder of a poor wench in the Lanes and could not save her. She was cradled in my arms as she passed away stabbed for no reason.’

  ‘Oh dear I am so sorry to hear that Sir. Brighton is not usually renowned for these kind of things.’

  ‘I am sure but I am still rather in shock. Could you send up a gin to my room to help me sleep?’

  ‘Certainly Sir. Gin to 223 it is.’

  Sylvanus was soon in his room once again staring into the dark seascape. This time his thoughts were with the dying woman and with the missing Annie. How he craved it to be her when the knock on the door came with his gin.

  ‘Your nightcap Sir.’

  Sadly it was the same man who was tidying the bar.

  ‘Thank you young Sir. Here is something for your trouble. You don’t know Annie do you?’

  ‘No Sir sorry Sir it is my first night, I was only taken on today.’

  ‘Oh that’s alright sorry to trouble you.’