The knock came again, followed by Henry’s voice. “Audrey?”
“Henry.” She pulled open the door and almost sagged in relief at the sight of his face.
“What? What is it?” he asked.
“Matron. She was here and the conversation was odd. So odd.” She ran a hand across her forehead as he came towards her.
“Did she invite herself in?”
Audrey scoffed. “Invite herself? She was here waiting in the dark when I arrived.”
Henry watched her face and then took her hand and sat her on the sofa beside him. “Audrey, steer clear of her. I don’t know if she’s behind this, but I talked to Cuthbert. The entries we found that seemed unclear, they were her entries. Her handwriting. He didn’t even know what they were for.”
Audrey frowned. “Matron? Matron might be behind all this? That’s unlikely. She’s very regimented.”
“I spoke to Cuthbert today and the entries for bakery goods and vegetables are fake. I’m convinced of it. They are hiding something else. But what? I have no clue. I will speak to Matron tomorrow.” He stood. “Lock the door behind me.”
Henry walked down the small pathway from the cottage, heading back to the workhouse. The ledger in the bag on his shoulder was heavy. He adjusted it. He had been surprised by his talk with Cuthbert. He knew nothing of the entries, but Elspeth had.
Maybe there was some perfectly good reason for the entries, but he would ask her all the same. He moved along the long hallway that led back to the main entrance and noticed all the gaslights were turned off. He turned to look behind him and then back to where he was heading, but there was no one.
He was becoming paranoid. He needed to stop thinking there was a phantom behind every dark corner. He picked up his pace, moving more swiftly down the hallway. Just as he was about to make the doorway to the courtyard, something heavy slammed into his stomach.
He dropped the bag he was carrying as he doubled over in pain. It slid across the floor. He tried to catch his breath. Who had just attacked him? Footsteps came towards him, closer and closer. Tensing, Henry kept with one hand against the wall, and at the last moment, he swung his fist in the direction of the footsteps.
Someone grunted and recoiled. Henry grimaced. Take that, bastard!
He looked around the dark hallway and saw his bag a few feet away. He moved to pick
it up, but the figure came from behind and grabbed him about the neck. He elbowed the figure to knock him off, and the man dropped his hold on Henry.
Henry turned around, fists ready, but the figure was also ready. His attacker slammed his fist into Henry’s face. Henry fell to his knees, dizzy, and heard the sound of footsteps running down the hallway. He tried to stand but fell against the wall. His bag was nowhere to be seen, and his face was throbbing. His stomach hurt badly as he groped his way down the hallway and back to Audrey’s cottage.
He slumped against the doorway as he knocked on the door. It was dark inside, and he heard her call out, asking who was there.
“It’s me, Henry.”
Audrey opened the door and admitted him inside. “What’s wrong? What happened?” she said, standing before him in her white nightgown. He closed his eyes and swayed, unable to form words. “Henry!” She came towards him and helped support him as they made their way to the sofa.
“I was leaving and someone attacked me.”
She left him for a minute and returned to him holding the washcloth. “Here. To help with the swelling.”
He took the washcloth gratefully. “At least I got one punch in, but the bastard took my bag.”
“He took your bag?” Her eyes widened. “The ledger!”
Henry shook his head. “None of this makes any sense. None of it. Marguerite’s names in a diary, which we know are dead inmates. False cause of death and all cremated with no bodies to dig up, and now strange entries in the accounts ledgers.”
“The entries in the ledger. The money was going out. Someone was paying for something and hiding it. What are they hiding?” Audrey wondered aloud.
“What is Matron hiding?” he asked specifically.
“Could they be legitimate? She was purchasing these items for inmates?”
He placed the cool washcloth on his face and winced at the sting. “That is what she will say. But we both know the truth. Those entries will unlock everything. Once we know the real reason for the entries, all will be known.”
She agreed and looked at the mantle clock. “It’s so late. You shouldn’t travel just yet. Why don’t you spend the night? The sofa is comfortable. Let me get you a blanket.”