Walking outside, the smell of the town air hit him and he felt a weight overwhelm him. He only gave Mr. Jodanham one instruction. He did not ask anything about the Mclears. For some reason he just did not feel like it. It didn"t feel right. Of course it did not help that he mistrusted Mr. Jodanham too much. Getting on his horse, he made his way to the city. Pa.s.sing through the threshold, he saw before him a much wealthier and cleaner setting. The buildings in this area were expensive, as they were built with great care and grandure to reflect the importance of it"s owners. There were not as much people as the lower and upper town, but there was still a lot of people around as it would not be a city if otherwise. But the people here carried themselves high, as they considered themselves respected and important people of society.He only had one reason to come here. He knew that people like the Mclears, though not n.o.bility, would live in this area. He wanted to find out as much as he could from the servants and maids here. People underestimated the lower cla.s.s.
They were the ones who cleaned, washed and followed around their masters, hearing everything that happened in the home. They were the keepers of all sorts of societal secrets and scandals. He needed to find his way to where the workers of the Mclears home congregated.
He had been to the city once before. His father had taken him to see the Yorkleire butler; who had helped his father get the job he was doing till date. They had met the old man in a corner street off the clothing district.
He made his way there after paying for his horse to be secured for him. He did not expect to see this butler again, but this corner was a sales area. Only the servants went there. Things sold ranged from trinkets to clothing. He found his way to a corner were one could sit and have a drink.
"Can I join you?" he asked the man who was drunkenly swinging his head. Without waiting for an answer, he sat. There were three people including himself who sat on that table.
"Interested in some diamonds?" the other man sitting across him asked.
"Diamonds?" Walter raised a brow.
"Yes. Y"look like someone to buy it well, see?" the man answered. Walter could tell this man did not work in any of the households from his accent. Even though the maids were not educated, most of them were well spoken. Especially those servants that worked directly with their masters. Taking a closer look at the man before him, Walter noticed he was dirtier than most in the city. Even the drunk beside him could boast of his scent. The man before him had sooth all over his skin and clothes.
"Are they real?" he indulged him. His intention was to come several times, till those around knew his face enough to share some secrets. Maybe he would even make friends with someone that worked in the Mclears household.
"I"ll tell you a lil" som"ting. They be real diamonds. Mclears" diamonds, if I bet me remaining teeth well." the man said with a lowered voice.
"Stolen then?" Walter frowned. What were the odds?
"Naw. Just pick"em up. Them be to blame for no looking well at them shiny things. I"m Barney." the man introduced.
"Can I see them?" Walter asked ignoring the man"s introduction. Barney took out his other hand from under the table and opened it. In his hands was a cloth. In it, were a few diamonds, Walter counted thirteen in total. There were tiny, but still a lot of diamonds.
"How can the Mclears be this careless?" Walter whispered in suspicion and feigned shock.
"If y"ask me, they be in a hurry." Barney whispered, coming closer. The smell of his breath hit Walter, causing him to cringe, but Barney did not notice this.
"A hurry? To where?" Walter asked.
"There be some word in town. I"ll tell you if you buy the diamonds."
"How much?"
"200 silver."
"One gold coin."
"I"ll take it. But, you can"t take it back if it be fake." Barney smiled sinisterly. Walter couldn"t care less if the diamonds were fake; he needed the information. Though to him, it was a little too expensive, he knew the lady was generous and would pay him if he did his job right.
Opening his pouch, he took out a gold coin. Dirty Barney tied the diamond in a dirty cloth and exchanged it for the gold coin from Walter. Licking his lips, he stared at the gold coin as though it was a deity descended.
"Tell me." Walter said softly, keeping away the diamonds in his shirt.
"There be some whispers of the Mclears moving for night. Large carts in the thick of night. Like ghosts, them say."
"Carts? Moving them where?"
"To the Townsdale land in lower town fields. Where they be come from? No body know. Like ghosts, they be."
"The Townsdale land? I"ve heard of it. Hasn"t it closed since the Townsdales were all executed?"
"Everybody know that the land be under the town guards. In day, there be many guards. But for night, all them guards leave, then them ghost carts start t"come."
"Then, how did you get in? How did you know it is the Mclears moving at night?"
"Get in? No. It be at the outer field that I see them diamonds. Just warning you, friend. If they be fake, you be already pay for"em. Hehe." the man laughed.
"The outer field? How?" Walter asked, ignoring the warning.
"When I be work for the Townsdales, I bury my coppers on the field. Since the guards be there, I watch"em well. The ghost carts be enter and leave twenty minutes before the guards come back."
"When do the guards leave?" Walter asked.
"Ten minutes before the quarter morning strike."
"You are sure it is the Mclears that enter at night?"
"The Nayl street blacksmith"s third son be see them crest."
"I"ll be leaving now. Enjoy the gold coin." Walter said and left calmly.
Though his steps were slow and steady, his chest was drumming to the tune of his racing heart. This was a big find. He was not sure if this was the information the lady needed, but this was big. He was not sure if he should tell her or investigate first. Riding his horse away from the city, he made his way to Upper town, where he had left his mother and sister. Arriving, he found them waiting.
"What took so long, Walter? We"ve been waiting for quite some time." his mother asked getting on her horse.
"Nothing much, just work. Let"s go." he led the way as they made their way back home. On the way back, Amie went on about her new clothes and new shoes. She rattled on thanking Walter in between sentences. His mother kept shushing Amie as it was unladylike to talk so long on something so small. Still, her voice betrayed her and exposed how excited she was. She still did not fall out of character, making sure to maintain her calm and graceful exterior.
Walter, on the other hand, could not hear them at all. He wondered how to approach the problem at hand. He needed to inform Her Ladyship of what he had just found out. Yet he felt he should go ahead and act quickly without asking. Reaching home, he dismounted and entered the house slowly. The day was still bright and it made him contemplate trying to meet Lady Wickshire, but he had not received any order to meet her, apart from night time.
Thinking to that point, he knew he would be too late to enter the Townsdale land by then. He did not have to wonder long, a letter came for him.