“If I get this education, then I could be of more help to ye?” she replied.
Clever girl.
“You could achieve a great many things.”
“And maybe work with ye and Mr. Brodie? That could be worth the aggravation of learnin’ how to speak proper and act like a lady like Miss Lenore told me.”
Aggravation. I had to agree with her, however…
We made our way to the alcove on the street below.
I had Mr. Cavendish summon a cab for her, with instructions for the driver that he was to take her directly to Sussex Square with no stops along the way— not that I didn’t trust her, and there would be extra fare in it for him when they arrived. I was confident that my sister would see the matter taken care of.
With Lily safely departed, Brodie was off as well, to see someone— the man in German Town who claimed to have seen Soropkin.
Before Brodie could object, I had Mr. Cavendish summon another cab. There was someone I wanted to see. It might very well be important.
Mr. Brimley was most accommodating when I arrived and made my request.
“The woman lives in Stepney. She lost her husband last year and the boy has done his best to support the family since.” He shook his head.
“A dreadful accident. One of the worst I’ve ever seen, and the lad needed far more care than I could provide.”
I then asked if he thought I might visit with the boy, that it might be important to our investigation since Dr. Bennett was able to help the boy.
“Mr. Brodie already paid a visit and took a few boxes of food to help them get by until the boy can return to work.” He eyed me sharply. “Did he tell you to come here?”
I wouldn’t lie to him, as he had become a good friend and most important to our inquiry cases.
“I thought so,” he answered his own question when I was hesitant. “He worries for you, miss. After that first case.”
“That was very near two years ago and I am quite well recovered, as you know. However, I might be able to help him with this.”
“I’ll probably regret this, what with his temper, most particularly where you are concerned…”
He shook his head.
“You are too bold for your own good, miss. I don’t know of another woman who would take it upon herself to help solve a murder case. And I suppose you don’t want me to mention this to Mr. Brodie.”
That would happen soon enough, if I was to learn anything with the visit. If not, then it didn’t matter.
The boy, Ethan, his mother and two sisters lived in a flat on Leman street, in Stepney, near the sugar refinery. In spite of his young age at twelve years, Ethan had worked in the warehouse next to the refinery, loading sacks of sugar daily onto wagons that then made deliveries across the city. Until a dreadful accident.
In spite of that poor East End of London, their flat, when we arrived, was spotlessly clean with work tables set up for Ethan’s mother and sisters. They took in needlework for some of the better shops in order to make ends meet.
Mr. Brimley introduced me upon our arrival. It seems that he had been there before to check up on the boy after Dr. Bennett saved his life.
Ethan’s mother, Agnes, was surprisingly young, perhaps only a few years older than myself, although her features were careworn. Still, there was a warm smile for Mr. Brimley, and a courteous nod toward myself.
He had brought brown bread sweetened with molasses, a bottle of medication for Ethan to help him sleep at night, and fresh bandages.
My introduction to Ethan was most unsettling, and something I would not forget.
He had been injured in a fire at the refinery where he had gone with one of the workers to pick up a load of sugar. There was a fire in the refinery that quickly spread.
Ethan had been unable to escape. Trapped by the fire, he had been badly burned on his hands and face as he tried to help put out the fire. He was bandaged about both hands, with more bandages about his head. He was also bandaged about the middle of his body.
“The doctor said that in time there won’t hardly be any scars to his face,” Mr. Brimley whispered. “He used skin from the lad’s back to replace the burnt skin on his face. I’ve heard of it, but never known of it here in England.
