Chapter 4: The undoing

Brighton strode along Bow street with Ned and Sergeant Smythe, his step keeping in military time with theirs. Hove turned his head briefly to stare at a Black Maria, after a little while he spoke.

"So this fits the pattern then Holmes, what say you?"

Ned grimaced, "I say we wait and examine the evidence Hove, it is better to act once one is more fully informed." Holmes cocked an eyebrow, "Would you not agree?"

"Ah, yes of course. Quite right!" Hove replied. He then glanced downward as if to check his attire.

Smythe spoke up, "Just a couple of hundred yards now gents, do you want me with the two of you while you 'andle our naked lady?"

For once Holmes chuckled, "Not necessary my friend, we shall not be as you say handling her." Ned coughed, and paused for a second, "I am sure that Hove can conduct that interview himself. I shall concentrate on Fortescue. I presume he is still with you?"

Before the Sergeant could reply in the affirmative, Brighton protested.

"By myself. Good lord, alone with a naked madwoman! A bit irregular Ned, even for you."

"Irregular but necessary. In this case very necessary."

"Well I'll be jiggered!" said Brighton.

"No, Mr 'Ove. I assure you the constable will do all 'e can to help you prevent that. Or my name ain't Smythe!"

This time Ned laughed aloud, "Capital, then we are all decided."

The trio arrived at and then ascended the steps of Bow police station, oddly Hove had lost his precise timing and lingered a step or two behind the others.

As Brighton entered the station it was clear that arrangements were already in place.

"PC Johnson, if you could h'escort Mr 'Ove there to the lady; I will take Mr 'Olmes to his Reverend."

"This way Mr Hove," Albert Johnson shook his head, "A rum thing if ever I saw one. We can't get her to wear even one thing; diddeys and crinkum-crankum flapping around for all to gander. Not right it isn't! Not what a constable should be asked to see ... Not at all."

Hove nodded in quiet consideration and then he asked a question. "Would you mind awfully if we had a look through the peep-hole first?" Brighton swallowed hard, "So I can get some idea of what lies ahead."

The constable nodded; when they reached the cell he drew back the slide and peeked through in advance of Hove. "Oh, you are lucky she seems to be quiet at the moment, not doing much other than playing with her muff."

Brighton grimaced, his eyes widened a little at the sight. "Excellent, well that is a relief ... Of sorts."

The door swung open to reveal a wretched woman sprawled most unsuitably in the far right corner of the cell. With a vague awareness she looked up without ceasing her delicate finger-play.

"Have you brought her? She asked, "Is she here for me?"

Hove looked at Albert, but the constable merely shrugged.

"I'm sorry, whom did you expect us to bring with us?" asked Brighton, trying to keep his eyes steady and fixed on the woman's face.

"Jessie! My Jessica ... My lovely daughter ... My lover." The woman cackled and drove two ringed fingers deep into her slack cunny.

Hove blinked, "Shut the door if you would Bert," he gasped. "No, no - you stay in here with me. We have to interview her."

"Interview that," the constable spat," That ain't no woman, no mother. You heard what she said as well as I did."

Hove turned and looked at the constable with a wary eye. "That constable is, whatever else, a human being and we will conduct our duty." Brighton drew breath, "Agreed?"

The pale constable nodded, he was still unable to hide his contempt. He shut the cell door.

"So how have you been keeping old chap?" asked Holmes.

"Well I suppose, they treat me kindly here. Considering my sins..." The reverend shook his head, his white hair exploded into a mop, "Is there any progress ... Anything at all?"

Holmes struck a match and applied it to the bowl of his meerschaum. He puffed contentedly. "Progress..." He lifted his pipe from his mouth and studied the stem, "Some, but early days. I start to understand the issues involved."

Forty visibly slumped, "I had hope of more."

"All will become apparent. It may do so sooner with your assistance." said Ned.

"Anything. I will do anything to assist with righting this wrong."

Holmes nodded, and knocked out his pipe against the heel of his boot. "Good, then I would like you to meet a fellow inmate. A woman. I must warn you she is in considerable distress."

"Distress? I am sorry," Forty paled, "Does this have something to do with me. With - my..."

"Yes," said Holmes, "I fear it may Forty."

Forty raised his hands to his head and attempted to smooth his ragged hair, then he wiped away the tears from his eyes. He sighed.

"Take me to this lost soul."

Holmes nodded, rose and tapped three times on the cell door. A minute later they stood on the outside of a similar cell; three taps rang out again. Hove opened the door and smiled broadly at Holmes. "Thank the lord!" Brighton's face fell, when he spied the reverend,"I say Ned, are you sure?"

Saying nothing, Ned entered the cell and Fortescue followed him dutifully.

"What is this!" roared the woman, "I need no salvation. I need quim! Get me my Jessica's cunny. I want my girl."

"Oh no," said Forty, "Mrs Newcombe - what, what has become of you?"

"You know this wanton bunter?" asked Johnson.

"This is no unfortunate woman constable. This is an upstanding member of my flock. And yet, I have brought her to ... This!

Holmes snaked a supportive arm around Forty. "My friend, I think your collar stud may calm her. If I may?"

Forty blinked, and with a soul-wrenching sigh he unpinned the stud and dropped it into Ned's extended palm.

"Well done. That is the first step complete." said Ned. He then walked towards the ungainly woman. "Mrs Newcombe? See what I have here ... It is from Jessica."

Emily immediately stopped her now frantic fingering, she ignored the splaying of her legs however and left them obscenely akimbo.

"Jessica?" she said, eyeing the twinkling stud.

Ned just nodded and handed it to her. Briefly as if caressing her, he stroked her left hand twice and then withdrew. He walked back to Forty and dropped something in his hand, "Fair exchange?" he asked.

Forty nodded, and then together he and Ned went to leave the cell. Ned paused and whispered in Brighton's ear. "Watch her. Watch her like a hawk my friend and be ready."

"For what?" asked Hove. His only reply was the closing of the cell door.

Nancy walked at a steady pace. She knew two things, firstly she was fully aware that Mr 'Olmes would not approve, secondly she had no way to avoid breaking his instruction. Something was pulling her though, drawing her through the damp streets. Whatever it was she was blissfully unaware of. But it was interesting, curious. Soon she arrived in the street she sought, she looked at the sign on the street corner 'Frampton Street NW8'. She glanced down the road. One of the houses in the mews seemed to stand out, almost glow.

The young woman walked towards the house, and then up the steps. She went to lift the ring of the knocker, but before she could the door swung open. Nancy gazed dumfounded at the unknown woman.

"Ah, you must be Nancy. We have been expecting you." Sybil smiled, and swung her right arm in an arc signalling that the girl should enter. "Just go straight ahead, all is prepared."

Hesitantly Nancy walked towards the opened double-doors ahead of her. In the middle of the room in front of her stood a young girl. She was quite naked. Her nipples were quite erect. Nance stopped walking and turned on her heel, she stood nose-to-nose with Sybil.

"I can't. This is ... I'm not..."

Sybil said nothing, she simply took a pin from her hair. Nancy watched the hair swirl around the girl's face; she stepped out and went to walk past, and then it glinted, it shimmered. Nance could not make out what it was, but it was beautiful; fear was itself banished and desire returned. Without knowing how, Nancy found herself standing in front of the unnamed girl. Without thought she extended a hand and touched the youngster's face. "So very young ... An innocent."

Sybil laughed unkindly, "Young for sure, but her innocence is waning rather than waxing." she nodded at Jessica, "Show her your new skills."

Jessica knelt and swept up Nance's heavy skirt and petticoats. Her hand glided up Nancy's twitching leg to the gusset of the woman's bloomers. In a second they were the other side of the silk, pressing, exploring. Nancy shuddered.

"This is so wrong..." breathed Nance.

"But so very right, soon you will be fully initiated. Is that not the case?"

Sybil's hands grasped Nancy's bubbies and kneaded them generously.

"Oh yes..." sighed Nancy.

Brighton was unsure of what to do now, not that it was entirely new to him; Ned's instructions were often frustratingly opaque. He scratched his head and turned to Johnson, shrugging. Both of them watched the woman twirl the collar stud, the twinkling gem did have an odd power. Suddenly Hove averted his eyes; he was becoming entranced, it took him some effort to resist the green light although he was now aware of its dangers.

"Johnson! Do not look at the glow. Anywhere but not at the glow."

Johnson's voice was dream-like. " Sir, if you say so," he stopped speaking, and shook his head seeking to clear it. "What was it we were waiting for anyways Mr Hove? She seems much calmer now, she isn't even..."