‘We don’t,’ replied Jack in all seriousness. ‘I’m afraid this tavern isn’t known for its high standards. The water was likely taken from the Thames – and who knows what’s dumped in there!’

Akiko grimaced. ‘Well … at least it was warm this time.’

‘That’s what worries me!’ said Jack, triggering another shudder of revulsion from Akiko.

She perched herself on the edge of the bed and began vigorously drying her hair with a cloth. Then she noticed the locket in Yori’s hand and smiled at Jack. ‘Your sister’s very pretty,’ she observed. When he didn’t smile back, she added, ‘Jack, I know you’re disappointed not to have found Jess yet, but there’s every chance she’s still alive – and you’ve got a picture of her now. Perhaps we can show the locket to some of the Limehouse locals and see if they recognize her? They might know where she is.’

‘It’s certainly worth a try,’ said Jack, although privately he thought the task ahead of them insurmountable. London was a big place, some two hundred thousand citizens, and he realized they probably had a greater chance of finding a needle in a haystack than finding Jess. ‘If only Mrs Winters hadn’t gone mad!’ he mumbled to himself.

Yori looked at Jack, his brow furrowed. ‘Mrs Winters didn’t strike me as mad, though … more scared.’

Jack frowned. ‘Scared? Of what?’

Yori shrugged. ‘I don’t know. But she was going on about a red wolf. Maybe she has nightmares of the plague? Or perhaps it’s just living in that hellhole Bedlam. Whatever the reason, she was definitely scared of something.’

‘Or someone,’ said Akiko darkly.

Jack exchanged a worried look with his friends. ‘Do you think Jess is in trouble?’

‘I pray not,’ said Yori, his hands coming together, ‘but it might explain her abrupt depart–’

All of a sudden the door burst open again and Rose bustled into the bedroom. She dumped two packs on to the bed with a triumphant flourish.

‘You’re in luck!’ she announced. ‘That old battleaxe at the Mermaid Inn still had your belongings.’

Jack and the others stared in astonishment at their missing packs. He’d honestly expected the authorities to have confiscated them after their arrest.

‘Well, don’t all thank me at once,’ said Rose, planting her hands indignantly on her hips. ‘It took some doing, I can tell you. I had to sweet-talk that runt of a serving boy before I found out where his landlady had hidden them. She was planning to sell the contents at tomorrow’s market.’

‘Thanks,’ said Jack quickly, searching his pack. His hand soon touched the familiar oilskin binding of his father’s logbook and he breathed a deep sigh of relief. At least the rutter was back in his possession.

‘Cost me a half-crown to bribe him, though …’ and Rose held out her hand and beckoned with her fingers.