up from the floor. 'Are you alright?'
She nodded as he handed her over to her mother.
'Thank you,' the woman said, pulling the girl close, hugging her.
Winterburne patted the child on her head and then set off after the horseman. People were still in his way as they resumed their journeys, the excitement now over. He ran down the narrow street as fast as he could, but this time it was he who was giving chase in the direction that the horse had travelled. There was no sign of the rider, however, and he could also no longer hear the hooves hitting the ground.
The houses to his left and right continued on with no breaks or side turns and it wasn't long before he had reached the junction with South Street, opposite the warehouses that perched on the edge of the docks. He looked up and down the street, but there was no trace of either the horse or the rider. People carried on their business as if no one had even passed that way. His heart still pounded, and his breath came with difficulty.
A man walked into his vision and Winterburne grabbed him by the collar.
'Did you see the horse?' he asked, breathless. 'Did you see the rider?'
The man looked up and down the street but gave him a blank look, replying with a shrug.
'Never mind,' Winterburne said, releasing him from his grip. The man walked off and continued on his journey along South Street.
The exertion had caught up with Winterburne and he bent over, placing his hands on his knees, breathing deeply. After a few seconds, and a few more deep breaths, he stood upright and put his hands on his hips.
'What is going on?' he said.
The rider had come for him, he thought, and had been interested only in him. Clearly, someone had reached the conclusion that the investigation was getting too close for their comfort.
Winterburne stood upright and after another deep breath, started the long trudge back to Headquarters.
25
Afternoon had breezed into evening as Winterburne held the pie up to his nose and breathed in the delicious aroma carried by the swirling steam. It was still hot, and the crispy, light brown crust looked good. It would certainly make a good late meal and, without doubt, better than he would usually have to eat.
'I made it for you.' Alyssa smiled at him. 'To say thank you.'
'For what?'
'For being so good with Luke.'
'It's really not necessary.' The metal pie dish was burning Winterburne's hands and he dropped it down onto the Watch House kitchen table. He blew the tips of his fingers.
'But you've been so kind,' Alyssa said. 'It's the least I could do. Luke hasn't stopped talking about you since you reprimanded him. I think he really likes you.'
Winterburne smiled back.
'He's really excited about learning to read,' Alyssa beamed at him. 'I haven't seem him like that with anyone since before...'
Alyssa's words trailed off but Winterburne guessed what she had been about to say. Highport was a tough place to live and having to bring up a child on your own, without the support of a husband, must have been difficult for her.
'Well,' he said, 'maybe I see just a little bit of me in your son when I was his age. I was lucky enough to have someone take me under their wing when I had very little going for me. I often wonder how things might have turned out if I hadn't been so lucky.'
'But I heard that you were a Lord of the Empire,' Alyssa said.
'That is true. But I do not use the title.'
'Even so, you must have had a very privileged childhood.'
Winterburne smiled. 'Not really,' he said. 'It was challenging in its own way.'
'Surely, you had everything you needed as a boy?' Alyssa said. 'Your own teacher? Anything your heart desired?'
'It was not always that way.'
'I would be interested to hear that story.' Alyssa blushed, lowering her eyes. 'Perhaps you might tell me some day?'
It had been a long time since Winterburne had even spoken to a woman, except on Watch business, let alone one that he felt he might be able to share his life story with.
'Perhaps,' he said. 'One day.'
Winterburne heard a bump from the corridor. It was the familiar sound of the handle of the front door hitting the wall as it opened to its full extent. Laughter followed close behind as more than one member of the Watch returned to the Headquarters. That's not the best of timing, he thought.
The kitchen door opened and Sergeant Moore walked through, still laughing, followed moments later by Watchman Roland. They immediately fell silent as they saw Winterburne and the woman together. A look of shock crossed their face and then it faded to amusement before finally their eyes fell upon the pie.
'Look at that baby,' Moore said, his eyes opening wide, and he headed towards the cupboard. He opened the door and pulled out two plates, handing one to Roland. 'Let's get some of this down us.'
'And what makes you think it is for you?' Winterburne looked across at the men, who stopped in mid-handover.
'It's fine, Captain,' Alyssa said. 'I can easily make you another.'
Moore and Roland glanced at each other and Winterburne noted the look on their faces that they had not even bothered to try to hide.
Moore sat down at the table and grabbed a knife. He was joined by Roland, who licked his lips, his eyes fixed on the pie-dish. They took turns in cutting out segments, whilst Winterburne and the woman watched as the two men devoured their feast.
'Men,' Alyssa said, 'they're all the same.' She turned to look at Winterburne. 'I should be going. I'm sure you three must have things to talk about.'
'I'm sure you are right,' Winterburne replied. He frowned at the two men but they were oblivious to his stare, not having looked up from spooning the contents of the pie into their mouths.
Winterburne held open the door for the woman to leave and as he closed the kitchen door behind him he could heard the two men sniggering. They reached the end of the corridor and Winterburne stepped in front of Alyssa, holding the door open for her. Alyssa stood on tip-toes and kissed Winterburne on the cheek. He reached up with his hand and touched the spot where Alyssa's lips had been.
'I'll see you soon, then,' Alyssa said, as she walked out of the Watch House.
Winterburne watched, mesmerised by the woman as she walked across the road. Then, a thought occurred to him.
'Alyssa!' he called. 'Just a moment!' He jogged the few steps to where the woman stood. 'I was wondering,' he said, 'would you like to accompany me to the Emperor's Feast Ball?'
Alyssa's eyes opened wide in surprise and she raised her hands to her mouth. 'The Ball?' she gasped. 'Honestly?'
'Yes,' Winterburne nodded. 'I've been invited, and I wondered...'
'I always dreamed...I never thought I...' Alyssa's face was full of excitement. 'I would love to come, Captain.'
'Please, my name is Thomas. Call me Thomas.'
'Thank you, Thomas,' Alyssa answered, 'it would be an honour.' Then, the smile left Alyssa's face and she grew sad.
'What's wrong?' Winterburne asked.
'But I have nothing to wear. I wouldn't want to let you down.'
Winterburne looked at the woman and he could see the look of disappointment in her eyes. Surely there must be a way to fix that. He thought for a moment as he juggled options. 'I think I might just be able to arrange something,' he said. 'Leave it with me. You have to trust me, though.'
'Oh,' Alyssa replied. 'I do.'
oOo
Winterburne threw open the kitchen door. The two men were still sitting at the table, stuffing pie into their mouths. They looked up, and the broadest of grins crossed their lips simultaneously. They watched him cross the kitchen and take a plate of his own from the cupboard. Then, he grabbed a large spoon and sat down next to them. The pastry crumbled as the spoon cut through the crust and he dropped several scoops onto the plate.
The two men still watched Winterburne, frozen motionless in mid-chew. They glanced at him, at each other, and then their eyes fell back on him.
Winter
burne plunged his spoon into some of the pie and lifted it towards his mouth. Just as the spoon reached its destination he stopped. 'Don't start,' he said.
Moore, still with a smirk on his face, finished chewing and swallowed. 'I'd be careful if I were you, Sir.'
'About what?'
Moore looked across the table to Roland, and winked.
'Well,' Moore said, 'you've heard what they say about the Vawdrey woman, surely?'
Winterburne pushed the pie into his mouth and began to chew. He shook his head. 'No. What about her?' he asked, with his mouth half full.
'Well, Sir,' Moore said, 'they don't call her the Black Widow Spider for no reason.'
Winterburne looked down at the plate and took another mouthful. He was being well and truly roasted, he realised that, but at least the pie was worth it.
'That's right,' Moore continued, lifting his fingers to the sides of his mouth in an impression of a pair of fangs. 'Once she gets her teeth into you, you're a goner, Sir.'
Winterburne remained silent as he chewed the meat. It was good quality, at least, tender, and so far he had found no gristle. This must have cost Alyssa quite a lot of money. He would have to repay her. 'Have either of you worked out what meat this is?' It was as much an attempt to get the men off the subject of Alyssa, than any real attempt to work out the contents of the pie.
'No,' Roland replied, 'but it's good.'
'It is,' Moore said, 'but to be honest, I prefer to know what it is that I'm eating.'
'I never asked.' Winterburne frowned and looked over the table towards the two men. 'It didn't seem the polite thing to do.'
'So it could be anything?' The look on Moore's face suggested that he wished he hadn't started to eat.
'You're happy to eat any old crap from the market,' Roland said. 'You have no idea where any of that's been.'
'That's not the point,' Moore replied. 'She's a Vawdrey. Her child has his grubby paws into everything. He must have learned that from someone.'
'Shut up and get it down you,' Winterburne said. 'Just be grateful that someone cared enough to spend time on making it for you.'
The two Watchmen looked at each other in surprise. 'For who, Sir?' they both said at the same time.
'It wasn't made for us,' Moore said.
Winterburne looked at both of them in turn. 'Shut it,' he said.
The three men continued to chew in silence and before long the pie dish was empty.
Moore was the first one to speak. 'Seriously, though Sir, be careful. Look what happened to the last Master Vawdrey.'
Winterburne had finished chewing by now and had heard enough. 'I looked it up, Sergeant. Her husband drowned in a fishing accident.'
'Well that's the official story of course,' Moore said. 'I heard that he killed himself before she strangled him with her affections.' Moore and Roland laughed together.
Winterburne pushed his plate away and leaned back from the table. 'That's enough, lads,' he said, 'there's no need to be unkind.'
'I'm not meaning to be unkind,' Moore chuckled, 'but I'll wager she'll be asking you to wed her before the year's out.'
'What?' Winterburne replied. 'Don't be ridiculous, I barely know the woman!'
'You mark my words,' Moore said, 'wait and see.' He winked at Roland, who smiled back at him. 'All the signs are there.'
'And you're an expert with the ladies all of a sudden?' Winterburne said.
Moore stayed silent, Roland laughed.
All three men put down their utensils and leaned on the table. Their tongues running over their teeth looking for any stray pieces of meat that may have stuck there.
Moore let out a long belch. 'Oops!' he said. 'Better out than in!'
Winterburne shook his head.
'I don't mean anything,' Moore said, 'about the Vawdrey woman, I mean. It's just a bit of fun, Sir. No harm meant.'
'Oh, so it's a bit of fun you want, is it Sergeant?' It was Winterburne's turn to break into a smile. 'I have a great job for you two.'
'Don't worry, Sir,' Roland said, 'we already planned on washing the dishes.'
Winterburne laughed. 'No, it's not that,' he said, 'I expected you to do