Stone's Fall

It all ended, apparently, because she began to make eyes at one of Nevison's young colleagues, and started telling him how cruel and abusive were her employers. How they beat her, half starved her . . . This was a mistake, as the young man was devoted to the family, and told them what she was saying. Then everything came out, and she was dismissed immediately. But she had lasted in the job for nearly a year, and it apparently took some time for them all to recover from the experience. The last they heard was that she had ensnared this man Cort. How she managed that Mrs Nevinson did not know, although she suspected that elaborate tales of their brutality had some influence on the matter. She said that, in her opinion, Cort would regret his foolishness very rapidly.

A pity he had not written this earlier, I thought. I remember that my mood was one of calm, of relief, even. I dismissed her from my mind forever, folded the letters carefully and ate my breakfast, thinking instead of Macintyre and his torpedo. When I was done, I prepared to make my way to his workshop, where I fully intended to spend the entire day.

Then there was a knock on the door, and Longman walked in.

'You got my message?' I asked.

'Yes, I did. Mrs Longman spent the night there, and was happy to help. The poor girl. She is a very sweet child, really, and devoted to her father. It's a great shame.'

'And has Macintyre sobered up?'

'Yes, and gone to keep an appointment with Cort. How he manages it considering how drunk he was I don't know. He must have the constitution of an elephant. He wouldn't be stopped. He said he had promised, that he kept his word even if others didn't. That's partly what I've come to see you about, in fact. I'm afraid I've just had a very distressing interview with Mr Cort.'

'Why?'

'I came across him this morning. Cort, that is. And he was in a very bad way. He looked quite murderous, I've never seen him looking so angry. He was really very offensive. I asked him how he was, you know how you do . . .'

'Yes, yes,' I said. 'Please get on. I am a little preoccupied this morning.'

'Oh, indeed. Indeed. Well, you see, he snapped at me and told me to leave him alone. He knew all about me, and I was lucky he didn't hit me, there in the street. He was shouting, you know. Made quite a scene.'

'What was it about?'

'I have no idea. I was too insulted to ask. I became very angry and walked away, and he just stood in the middle of the street, screaming abuse at my back. That I was a nasty, malevolent gossip, and much worse. I can tell you, I was shocked by his behaviour.'

He looked it too; merely recalling the incident made him shake and grow pale.

'He didn't even give a hint what he was talking about?'

'No. But he was particularly rude about you.'

'Oh.'

'He said that if he ever cast eyes on you again, he was going to kill you. So I thought I'd better warn you.'

'Well, I'm sure he didn't mean it.'

'I very much hope not. But he looked perfectly capable of it. We know he can be violent, and if you'd seen the look on his face . . .'

She'd done it, I knew it. She'd told him. It was all too easy to imagine how much she'd enjoyed it. I felt an overwhelming tide of guilt sweep over me at the thought of that poor, tormented man, and how I had not only increased his anguish, but enjoyed doing so, seen myself almost as meting out deserved punishment. I had been Louise's instrument, but I had become like her also. The realisation made me grow cold and numb; I tried to shake it off with a gratuitous, insulting concern for the man I had so wounded.

'You didn't try to stop him? Reason with him?'

'Of course I did! But he was completely deranged. If you'd seen him . . .'

'So you have said.'

'He frightened me quite a bit, I don't mind telling you.'

'Well, what do we do? I think we need to call on Dr Marangoni again.'

'I've done that! Of course, that was the first thing that came into my mind. I told him to meet us at the palazzo. I'm fairly certain that's where Cort was going.'

'Really?'

'Yes. Perhaps we should go there as well. Will you accompany me? I also sent a message to Drennan. He's the sort who's good in a crisis. I think Cort might need to be restrained, stopped from doing himself harm.'

And we left, as quickly as possible once I had prepared myself. I took a stout walking stick with me, I think because Longman had alarmed me with the thought of a murderous Cort. We walked through the rabbit warren of streets and passageways; I wish I could say we ran, but Longman was quite incapable of it. I was glad he was with me, even though his barely concealed pleasure at the possibility of some sort of scene irritated me. He had lived in Venice for years, and knew every street; for about the first time in my stay, I arrived at my destination without getting lost. Two workmen were standing outside the gate, which was closed. Drennan was also there, pushing against the door. He looked slightly concerned, which was alarming. Drennan never looked concerned about anything.