He smiled fondly at her and reflected on the difference between Charlotte and Hannah. Before she’d married Peter, he’d courted Charlotte assiduously and was disappointed when she’d chosen his brother instead. He soon came to accept that Peter had attributes that would make him an ideal husband for her, and that Charlotte was not perhaps the right woman for him. Hannah, however, clearly was. Living with her was a continuing adventure that comprised long periods of elation offset by her sudden outbursts and wild demands. He could never have discussed an investigation calmly and sensibly with her as he’d just done with Charlotte. Hearing about other people’s problems held no appeal for Hannah. She was too obsessed with her own immediate needs. It didn’t prevent him from loving her but there were times – and this was one of them – when a conversation with Charlotte was a positive tonic.

‘You have a gift for listening,’ he told her.

‘I like to know what’s going on, Paul.’

‘I always feel refreshed after talking to you.’

‘The feeling is mutual,’ she said, smiling. ‘By the way, have you seen the reward that’s being offered?’

‘Yes, I have.’

‘It would be nice to have a share of that.’

‘Why settle for a share?’ he asked with a grin. ‘We want all of it.’

Harry Scattergood had decided to make them wait. He didn’t wish them to think that he was desperate to get his hands on the money. In deceiving Alfred Hale, he’d passed the first test. The Runner knew what Scattergood looked like because he’d seen him locked up as a result of being caught by the Skillen brothers. Hale simply didn’t recognise him as the man he’d once seen behind bars. What had really convinced the Runner was Scattergood’s claim to have been outside the theatre when the murder occurred. Having been there the following night, he’d picked up the information that the Prince Regent had been guarded by two Runners and assumed, correctly, that they must have been Yeomans and Hale. That had put the seal on his credibility.

Secure in his disguise, he returned to the Peacock Inn. Yeomans and Hale were there, waiting impatiently. Seeing him enter, Hale nudged his companion. Yeomans got to his feet and confronted Scattergood.

‘So, you are Mr Clearwater, are you?’

‘Yes, I am.’

‘And you claim to have been at the theatre on the night in question?’

‘It’s not a claim,’ said Scattergood, indignantly. ‘It’s the plain, unvarnished truth. If you don’t believe me, I’ll speak to the chief magistrate instead.’

Yeomans drew himself up. ‘Do you know who I am?’

‘I assume that you’re Mr Yeomans. You and Mr Hale were acting as bodyguards to the Prince Regent that night. I remember the two of you clearing the rest of us out of the way.’

‘That’s true,’ Hale interjected.