The Westminster Poisoner Read Online Free PDF

obliged to sit outside, then so should his fares. The vehicle lurched along the empty streets at a furious
     lick, forcing Chaloner to cling on tight or risk being tossed out. By the time he reached the tavern where Haddon was waiting,
     he was cold, tired and wet.
    ‘It is still raining, then,’ said Haddon, when the spy slipped into the seat next to him. The steward was a slight man of
     about sixty, whose baggy skin made him look as though he had once been much larger, and he wore a wig to conceal his hairless
     pate. He had a pleasant face, with laughter lines around his mouth and eyes, andhe owned a passion for dogs that verged on the obsessive. He had been appointed the previous year, when the Earl had complained
     that his current staff could no longer cope with the volume of work, and so had been granted funds to expand his retinue.
    ‘It is always raining in this godforsaken country,’ grumbled Chaloner, weariness making him irritable. ‘It makes me wish I
     was back in Spain – and the last time I was there, I was almost killed.’
    Haddon raised his eyebrows. ‘Do you realise that is the first information about yourself you have ever volunteered to me?
     The Earl must have driven you to distraction with his demands to prove Greene is the killer, because you are usually far more
     guarded.’
    Chaloner supposed he was right. He had been trained never to yield personal details, which was a considerable stumbling block
     in making new friends. It was a problem for his latest relationship, too, because Hannah Cotton was eager to learn all about
     her new lover, but he found himself reluctant to tell her what she wanted to know. Secrecy was not so important now he was
     no longer a foreign spy in a hostile country, but it was a difficult habit to break after so many years regardless.
    ‘You should go home,’ he said to Haddon. ‘I heard a rumour that the Lord of Misrule plans some sort of attack on the Earl
     soon, and you cannot defend him if you are half asleep.’
    ‘What about you?’ asked Haddon. ‘How will you find Chetwynd’s real killer after a third night spent out here? You will be
     too tired to catch a cold, let alone a murderer.’
    ‘You do not think Greene is the culprit, then?’ Chaloner asked, intrigued by Haddon’s use of ‘real’.
    ‘Of course not,’ said Haddon scornfully. ‘I have knownhim for years, and he would not harm a fly. You have talked to him – you must see the Earl is wrong about the poor fellow.’
    Chaloner nodded. ‘I thought Vine’s death would give the Earl pause for thought, but it has only convinced him that Greene
     managed to outwit me – slipped past when my attention wavered.’
    Haddon grimaced. ‘Vine was a decent soul – kind to stray dogs. Was he poisoned, too?’
    ‘Wiseman thinks so.’
    ‘Then it must be true.’ Haddon was silent for a moment. ‘After you left, I walked around Greene’s house, and learned that
     there are three different ways he can leave it, only two of which are visible by one pair of eyes. So, perhaps he
did
go to the Painted Chamber tonight without you noticing.’
    Chaloner stared at him. ‘I thought you just said he is no killer.’
    ‘I genuinely believe Greene is innocent of these heinous crimes, but I am not such a fool as to ignore facts that do not support
     my theory. Of course, there is a way to determine once and for all whether he is involved in this nasty business.’
    ‘There is?’
    ‘If Greene has indeed been out a-killing, then his coat and shoes will be wet. Agreed? It is a filthy night, and no one can
     move about without a drenching, not even if he hires a hackney. The Earl’s secretary tells me you own some skill at breaking
     into houses, so break into Greene’s. If his clothes are dry, then it means he has been nowhere, and we can abandon this ridiculous
     vigil.’
    Chaloner raised his eyebrows in surprise. It was an eminently sensible idea, and one he should have thoughtof himself. He