Chapter 20: Rape and Pillage

I was sipping tea in the kitchen before doing my afternoon chores. Ashton was wolfing down his lunch while Maria, Ann and Sarah whispered together. I glanced at the back door and the knock before standing and crossing to open it. Gregor looked at me with a grave face, “I need help.”

I gestured and let him come in and moved to pour hot water into another cup for tea. He waved that away and I turned, “what is it?”

He glanced at the ladies, “a new gang is in the city. They find a home, force their way in and rape the women and pillage the home before leaving.”

I looked at Maria and she shook her head and waved towards the door. I smiled as I went into the other room and returned with my night sticks. Once the door was closed behind us I glanced at Gregor, “have you checked all the fences?”

He nodded, “nothing and none of the informants know who they are.”

I thought as we headed towards the city and turned to change directions. I looked at Gregor, “have they killed anyone?”

He shook his head, “rape and assault and house theft.”

I nodded and smiled, “did you get your license?”

He grinned, “thanks to your recommendation.”

We walked into the stockyards and warehouse district that was for the inland merchants and he grinned, “you think they are sending it somewhere else?”

I nodded, “but there are a lot of eyes on the docks.”

He snorted, “yeah.”

The man I was looking for was raking out a corral. I gestured and held up a silver piece and he glanced around before walking to the fence, “sir?”

I snorted as I tossed the coin, “have you seen a group of ragged looking merchants shipping a lot of household goods out of the city?”

He slipped the coin into his purse and spit, “well ... over to Mr Kamlim’s there is a rough lot. Would not call them merchants, more like they is sneak thieves and back alley cutthroats.”

I smiled, “they are sending out household goods?”

He nodded, “seen a few fancy chests and tables.”

I looked at Gregor who pulled out another silver coin and tossed it to him. We walked away and after getting direction found the old warehouse and stockyard for Mr Kamlim. I grinned as I leaned against a building to watch a few rough men, “now we need to catch them in the act.”

Gregor snorted but nodded and looked around. He slipped away and was gone for an hour before returning. He handed me a warm sausage roll, “I have a few people standing by to follow and help.”

I took a bite as I watched the stockyard, “you mean some of the men that had their women raped and were beaten.”

He shrugged, “I told them if they wanted to help they could only bring wooden clubs.”

I grinned but did not say anything as we ate. A few times a man or pair of men would walk by and Gregor would gesture and they would nod. Just after it got dark and the streets emptied, the men around the warehouse went inside. They came out a few minutes later and one started leading them through the streets.

We followed and I noticed others behind us but they stayed back. We went into the part of the city with large manors and a few small estates. I held Gregor back at a corner as the group of men stopped. I nodded as they started for a manor and split up and turned, “you take the back and I will come in the front.”

I glanced at the large crowd of men trying to hide in the shadows, “you can bring your helpers in now.”

He grinned and turned to wave as I started for the front of the manor while pulling my sticks. I strode forward quickly when I heard the scream and kicked the broken door open. A man spun as I kept going and yanked out his dagger. I brought a stick down as I continued walking and slapped the dagger to the side.

My other stick lashed out and into the man’s head and he twisted as he went down. I walked over him as the crowd of men charged through the door behind me. The men in the large living room spun and the man trying to rape a woman came to his feet. The crowd crashed into them and I shook my head as I went tp pull the woman up and to the side.

She clung to me and kept crying as her attacker and the others were beaten. I looked at Gregor when he came in, “get control of them and make sure none escaped.”

He nodded as I caught a man and pulled him close, “stay with her.”

He hesitated but finally nodded and I pushed her towards him before heading towards the stairs. There were two men at the top of the stairs. They had daggers out and their faces were white. I started up and shook my head, “drop the daggers or I will let the mob have you.”