Chapter 20: Some Answers, but More Questions

“What on earth are you doing here, Callum?” I said.

“On account of the letter you sent MI5 regarding a quasi-Prussian Hussar. We have been checking upon him and discovered he’s a wrong ‘un.”
Callum’s gaze lingered on the torn sleeve of my tunic, ripped by the crossbow bolt. “I gather you have already found he is an imposter...”

“Was an imposter. His body is in a room upstairs, along with that of Captain Hutton of the Fourth Light Dragoons.”

“Talking of bodies, I found one of your men lying in a drainage ditch with a broken neck. I doubt he fell and broke it.” Callum said.
Truman swore. “God’s blood! That’s probably Titmus. I best go and collect the poor fellow, Colonel.”
I nodded. “Yes. Please see to it, Corporal. Meantime I will show Captain Keane the two bodies upstairs.”

Callum took his time viewing the scene.
“Your story is that after blowing the door open you entered the room and found Captain Hutton dying of wounds inflicted by the assassin, who himself was killed by Hutton?”

“That is what happened...”

“Although both bodies have slit throats, and the wounds to the body of the assassin seem to be caused by a knife rather than by the sword held in the gallant Captain’s hand.” He pointed at the crossbow bolt embedded in Erzählenmann’s thigh. “And how did that happen?”
I shrugged. “I have no idea. I found the scene as described after gaining entry to the room. Captain Hutton expired in my arms, thankful he had foiled a dastardly attempt on the life of our future Queen.”
Callum laughed. “You are not addressing a court martial, Jack. Never mind the official version, just give me the truth.”
After I related the complete, true, story Callum clapped me on the shoulder.

“You should be the man to receive all the plaudits and praise. Scaling a tower, grappling with a man armed with a crossbow, and narrowly escaping death.”

I explained Captain Hutton’s circumstances, and how my version of events would ensure Mrs Hutton and her children would have some recompense for the loss of her husband.

“You are more than decent, Jack. Will the corporal support your version of events?”
“Yes, Truman is a good man. It was he who had the idea, and the skill, to blow the door off its hinges. His plan was not entirely successful, but the explosion distracted Wilhelm Erzählenmann, and allowed me to get my knife from my boot and into his gut.”
Callum chuckled. “Wilhelm Erzählenmann! Is that the name he used? He was mocking us, Jack. Translated to English his name becomes William Tell man – the fellow who could shoot the eye from a fly with a crossbow.”

“Captain Hutton was suspicious of him because of his accent,”I said, “but I thought he might not be Prussian because of his sense of humour.”

“Prussians do have a sense of humour, as indeed do all Germans. It may be more ribald and earthier than ours, and they are not so enamoured with puns as are you English – which to my mind is no bad thing.

“So what is his real name? Captain Hutton suspected him to be a Volga German.”
“Hutton was right about his nationality, which is why MI5 and MI6 think him in the pay of Igor Vladimir Andreyevich Stuart-Stroganov, or at least the people who are backing him. As for his name – we have no idea, Jack. He is known as The Wraith or The Phantom in Russian. He is an assassin for hire, and we, that is MI5 and MI6, are unsure just who has contracted him, or exactly what for.”

“Appleby convinced me the plot was for Erz – or whatever his name - to kidnap Princess Alexandrina and then carry her off to Russia, where she would have been wed to Prince Igor, etc. But being in this room with a quiver full of bolts, and in crossbow range of the Royal Party on the dais, throws doubts on that theory.”

“Appleby’s conjecture is one of many being floated by the Home Office, including the ‘Wicked Uncle’ scenario. M5 and MI6 think the Organisation, who have used The Phantom’s services many times before, may have contracted him to foment riots, revolt, and rebellion. Their plan appears to be to cause a run on the Bank of England, and other banks, leading to the financial collapse of many enterprises. The Organisation would then buy up these bankrupt companies and have their associates in England manage them. Having the ownership of the majority of the wealth making industries in the Realm, the Organisation would soon hold great influence in Parliament, which would be used for their own, nefarious, purposes.”

A shiver of apprehension speared my body. The Organisation, a collective of rich, powerful, and influential men, had introduced Satan’s Breath – or White Lady as it is more familiarly known – into the continent, and were hell bent on adding Britain to their markets. Thanks to the insidious appeal of White Lady the Organisation were establishing a hold on the levers of power in most of the continental countries.

“You mention The Phantom had a quiver full of crossbow bolts, Jack. He was a marksman with the weapon, why would he need so many when one would have sufficed to hit Princess Alexandrina, if she was the target?”
He paused in thought. “Who else was on the dais?”
I gave Callum the details of those attending the Loyal Address in the grounds of Tewkesbury Abbey.

“The Duchess of Kent was seated in the middle of the stage, flanked by my wife and Baroness Louise Lehzen, and with Captain Botham standing directly behind her chair. Princess Alexandrina was on her right, flanked by my two daughters as her maidens- in- waiting. The Abbot of Tewkesbury Abbey was seated to her right. The Bishop of Gloucester was seated to the left of the Duchess. The Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire is indisposed, and his deputy, Brigadier Israel Richardson, was seated to the left of the Bishop. Sir John Conroy was standing on the far left of the platform.”

Callum turned over this information in his head while I stared at him – an unpleasant thought nudging at my mind.

“There is a linked group of four people; the Duchess, her daughter Princess Alexandrina, Sir John Conroy, and the Baroness Lehzen,” said Callum. “But the death of the princess would only lead to her cousin George of Cumberland becoming the Heir Apparent, and the others in the party are of no political significance. The two churchmen are linked – but their deaths would only inflame feelings against Roman Catholics, which could lead to riots but is unlikely to lead to revolt. Brigadier Richardson is a former John Company army man; I doubt he has any enemies – other than in India.”
Callum paused, as if unwilling to continue – so I said what he feared to utter.