"Custom subs by Rareshare.me" "THE RUBY" "Ona coldandfretfulday October 1874,  ayounggirlroseearlytojoinheraunt for  breakfast,  asshehaddoneeveryday for the last two months." "HernamewasMissSallyLockhart, andwithinan hourshe was goingto kill a man." "I'm sorry Mrs Rees, I overslept." "Aunt Caroline, Aunt Caroline." "How many times must I tell you Veronica?" "Veronica is not my name." "You think I do not know my own niece?" "You must consider me very stupid." "Of course not." " You were christened Veronica?" "Yes." "But my father always called me Sally." "Sally is a servant's name." "And your father is dead." "A letter?" "For you?" "Whatever can it be?" ""Sali beware of the seven blessings"." "Marchbanks HELP YOU ?" "Chattum beware darling"" "It is a private matter." " Private?" "Excuse me." "Oh, it's Miss." "Sally." "Is Mr. Selby here?" "He's in the West India docks on business, but Mr. Higgs will look after you." "Yeah?" "What you want?" "Take Miss Lockhart up to Mr Higgs, and mind your manners." " Hey, that's mine." " Get on and do what you're told." "Forgive him, Miss He weren't caught young enough to tame" "This way, miss." "Miss." "Lockhart to see you, Mr Higgs." "Miss Lockhart." "Your father was a tragic loss." "A terrible thing the Lavinia going down like that." "What are you hanging around for?" "Well now my dear what can I do for you?" "Mr. Higgs, what was the business that took my father to the East?" "Hardly the thing to interest a young girl" "Especially as one as pretty as you." "I assure you I am interested." "H was checking a cargo..." "Meeting our agent in the East, Mr. Van Eeden." "It was all simply routine." "M Did my father ever mention a man named Marchbanks?" "Marchbanks ..." "There's a ships chandler in Rotherhithe called Marjoriebanks, but I don't recall Capt. Lockhart have anything to do with him." "Mr. Higgs ..." "Have you ever heard of something called the seven blessings?" "The seven blessings?" "What you want from me?" "I'm the wrong man ..." "totally wrong." "Mr. Higgs?" "Mr. Higgs!" "Mr. Selby." " I, I ..." " What the blazers are you doing here?" "A bad business about your father." "We were talking." "He just ... fell." "What's the old fool done to himself now?" "Dead as mutton." "What are you doing here anyway?" "I just came to see my poor father's office." "Please." "No it go?" "faint, are you?" " No." "You'd better wait in the porter's room." "You'll have to give a statement to the police." "Don't worry, I wont tell the police you killed the old Higgsy." " I didn't kill him." " Of course you killed him!" "I was looking for keyhole." "He died of fright." "Struck dead on the spot with terror." " Let's have a look at this letter of yours." " Which letter?" "Give me some credit and don't worry my ticker is in better nick than his." "Whatever bugger who wrote this wants to get himself some education." "Sally with "I"?" "C-M-A-T-T-U-M." "Must mean Chatham in Kent." "Ain't you worked that out yet?" "The name's Jim Taylor, bye the way.." "I'll keep an eye out for you." "Miss." "Lockhart?" "Shenevermeanttokill him,  but she did." "thesameas if she'dtakenagun andshothim" "Thatwasn'tall." "Withoutevenknowing, it she'd shaken the edge of a web" "Andfaraway the spider at the heart of it had awoken." "I assure you Major Marchbank, the will is in order." "Sign as a witness, Mrs. Thorpe?" "And the item in question?" "Everything will be done as your client directs." "Mr. Blyth, let's cut to business shall we?" "Mr. Marchbanks his word?" "I beg your pardon Mrs. Holland?" "Oh!" "Hold on hold on..." "Always forget my teeth indoors" "Pure ivory." "Made out east 25 years ago." "Look at the workmanship!" "When my husband was took with the cholera theses were going in the grave with him." "I whipped them out of his mouth before the shut the lid." "There's years of wear in them teeth I thought"." "Mr. Blyth, what have you got for me?" "Major Marchbanks agreed the terms as discussed" "The ruby will be deposited with Hammond and Whitgrove bankers in Winchester Street." "All legal - is it?" "The will was witnessed by myself and the major's housekeeper, Mrs. Thorpe." "She drinks, but the signature is perfectly valid." "My clerk will prepare your account." "Good day, Mrs. Holland." "Yes good day, Good day, Mr. Blyth." "Next time make sure the pot is fresh." "The last girl served me stewed tea once too often." "And you know what happened to her." "Get out!" ""City Man's sudden death heart attack blamed"" "Theonlywitnesstothis sadevent  wasmissVeronicaLockhart." "daughterofthelateCaptainLockhart, whoseowndeathinthewreck ofthe Lavinia wasreportedin thesepages last January." "You must have had some education Veronica?" "Surely you can sew or play the piano forte?" "What books have you read?" "None that I can recall immediately." "Well, what accomplishments do you have?" "Look, Ellen, Miss." "Lockhart is endeavouring to communicate through means of thought alone." "I am supposed to understand her without the intervention of language." "I'm afraid I have no accomplishments" "So even the modest goal of governess is barred to you?" "I am surprised you father should leave you so unprepared for the world." "He taught how to fire a pistol and speak Hindustani" "He said I had the best head for figures of anyone he knew." "I can read an accounts ledger as easily as a newspaper." "Possibly one of my friends could in charity can find room for a ladies companion." "Excuse me I'm looking for Foreland House." "'Morning." "You are the second person to ask me that in the past half hour." "Its just over there beyond the trees." "Mmm dismal - isn't it?" "I'm experimenting with new combinations of chemicals to find something more sensitive to record in this high contrast." "Something better than sodium you mean?" "I must be dreaming!" "A perfect beauty with knowledge of photography?" "My father was interested the subject." "Frederick Garland." "Photographic "Artist"." "Major Marchbanks?" "Come with me, quickly!" "You are Veronica?" " Lockhart?" " Sally." "My father always called me Sally." "Did he?" "a very pretty name." "Your letter said it was urgent." " Know something about the Seven Blessings ?" "The?" " Seven Blessings?" "Never heard of that." "That's not why I asked you here" "Your life is in danger." "I have a deadly enemy." "That enemy is now yours too." "It is in the house as we speak." "This will explain everything." "What it contains will shock you very deeply" "I wish I could protect you from the truth but I cannot." "She's calling for you sir." "Who is this enemy?" "Why does she hate me?" "Tell me her name, at least." "Mrs. Holland, her name is Mrs. Holland." "You have no idea how dangerous she is." "For god's sake" "Get away from here as quickly as you can." "How beautiful you are!" "Forgive me." "Not very gentlemanly major leaving a lady on here own" "You never was much of a gentleman." "I was that put out when I Blyth told me you were trying to welch on our deal." "I come all the way down here to the bloody seaside." "Which I hate." "ain't you sorry to put me to so much trouble?" "Your too late." "You'll never get hold of the ruby now." "You signed the will fair and square." "Your lawyer was a charlatan." "The will was riddled with errors." "No judge will take it seriously." "I want that ruby." "Its mine by right." "Its gone and you'll never find it." "It is over, Mrs. Holland." "You've taken everything I have." "But now, I have finally defeated you." "Well..." "Up to a point, dear." "Don't scream, Mrs. Thorpe." "I do abominate loud noises." "There was a young here." "Her name was Lockhart, Sally Lockhart." " Lockhart?" " The major gave her something." "A bag." "If you hurry, you'll still catch her." "I'm being followed." "It has an old just behind me." "She is very dangerous." "In here." "Don't move or you'll knock something over." "Don't say a word - she's coming." "You seen a young lady pass this way sir?" "Dressed in mourning clothes." "A young lady?" "You mean that remarkably pretty blond girl?" "Trust a handsome young gentleman like yourself to notice-Yes" "She's the one bless her.." "She asked for directions to The Swan, she wanted the Ramsgate coach." "Ramsgate?" "I see..." "This Swan, where might that be sir?" "left, right ... a few minutes walk and then right again." "You'd better hurry, the Ramsgate coach leaves in 5 minutes." "Thank you, sir." "I wont forget this." "Don't move." "All right - she's gone." "There was no need to flatter me." "I apologise i take it back." "Now, I see the light." "You are as ugly as she is." "So, what have you done to upset the hideous old witch?" "I wish I knew." " If you're frightened ..." " I'm not frightened." "No..." "I don't believe you are." "You must let me pay for the use of your tent." "Not everything in life must be paid for." "Thank you." "Goodbye." "I don't even know your name." "Lockhart." "Sally Lockhart." "All aboard!" "London Bridge." "All stations for London Bridge." "All aboard!" "In1856, afewmonthsbefore the outbreak of the Indian mutiny," "I,ArthurGeorgeMarchbanks," "Ihadtheoccasiontovisit  the Maharajah of Agrapur,  in company with my brother officers," "ColonelBrandon, Major Park and Capitan Lockhart." "Onthesecondevening of our visit,  theMaharajah gave a banquet in our honour." "Ihaveneverwitnessed such splendour,  butitpaledbycomparison with the magnificent Ruby of Agrapur." "I see the Ruby intrigues you, Major Marchbanks." "It was discovered in Burma six centuries ago." "and given in tribute to the princely house of Agrapur." "It is beautiful." "A fatal beauty alas, the cause of many deaths." "Only a few years ago it was stolen by a French adventurer." "who tried to escape detention by - err swallowing it." "My father had him torn open while still alive and plucked the stone, warm, from his belly." "Would you care to examine it?" "Hold it close to the light and look inside." "Somethinginitsdepthandbeauty, itsbloodredliquidfire , fascinatedmebeyondall rulesof delicacy and good manners." " Travelling alone miss?" " Yes." "I see." "You see nothing." "London Bridge ..." "My book!" "London Bridge ..." "change for Waterloo." "Been at sea long?" " One year." " What ship?" "The Lavinia." "The Lavinia went down with all hands." "Come with me No1 smoke best in Limehouse." ""Lockhart  Selby"." "I have to find "Lockhart  Selby"." "You need to sleep, my friend." "Mrs. Holland's boarding house close by." "Clean bed very cheap." "I take you there." "Lifted it right out of here hands didn't I?" "She didn't feel a thing." "Oh dear me I'd liked to have seen her face when she woke up." "Stuck up little thing!" " I showed here alright?" " A book." "Is that all?" "Interesting is it?" "Well, the young lady might find it fascinating." "If she were to read this it would be a first rate disaster." "Just as well she ain't got it then." "Do you like a nice story?" "Mr. Hopkins?" "Shall I read to you?" ""I therefore withdrawn the ruby from the bank."" ""this is the only chance I have of redeeming myself"" "and I mean you to have it. "" ""I hid it and to make doubly sure I shall conceal its hiding place in a cipher. "" ""You will find the jewel ..."" "Not much of an ending." "That's not the end " "There's a blazing' page missing!" "and she's got it!" "Now you go back and get it, and make sure she has a nasty accident" "I ain't no killer Mrs. H." "Oh!" "Didn't you know?" "There was a stabbing Kent this morning" "Only eye witness is in shock - poor soul." "Won't breath a word." "But one nod from me ... and she'll swear it was a smart young fellah in a check suit and bowler hat she saw standing over the body - with a knife in his hand." "You vicious old cow!" "Charmed I'm sure." "Now, do we understand each other - or not?" "I need opium!" "I must have a pipe." "I must have a pipe!" "If you do not get me one, the demons will kill me." "Another few days, you'll feel better" "Look at me!" "Look at me!" "Look at the state of me" "You got a brother sir?" "Yeh Nicholas." "He's my twin." "He's a man of the church." "You must find a girl called Sally Lockhart." "I have a message for her." "Mrs. Holland don't let me leave the house." "Her father was the Capitan Lockhart, of "Lockhart  Selby"." "Shipbuilders." "She's got spies everywhere." "She will know She knows everything." "No beggars here." "Go on clear off!" "Miss Lockhart, please?" "What you want her for?" "Who is your lady love short arse?" "Shut your bum and give your face a chance, Skidmore." "Who sent you?" "She'll kill me if she finds out I'm here." " Who?" " Mrs. Holland.." "You'll be alright." "Just tell me what's up." "I got your message." "We can't stay here, somebody might see us." "Come on." "I come up here to the attic when I need a bit of time alone to think" "Who is this Adelaide?" "And the opium addict, Bedwell?" "What does he know about the Seven Blessings?" "He knows something alright and has a message for you." "He's down with some evil old cow called Mrs. Holland." " Mrs. Holland.?" " You know her?" "I know she wants to kill me." " Where you been?" " Nowhere!" "Nowhere is it?" "I'll show you." "I will teach you to do not lie!" "It will be the last lesson you ever learn." "I'm gonna cut you up and I'm gonna put you down there with the other one" " then you can keep each other company." " No." "I could help it." "I'll tell you everything!" "Don't put me there, please!" "I only had time to read a few pages." "But it had something to do with my father, Marchbanks and a ruby." "But I do not see how any of it ties in" "Marchbanks never heard of the Seven blessings" "And Bedwell's never said nothing about a ruby." "Maybe there's two mysteries and they ain't connected?" "But there is a connection - me." "You and Mrs. Holland it was her pinched your book." "No." "It was a man." "She clocked your photographer was winding her up, waited till you were asleep then nicked it." " Or got this bloke to do it" " But what does she want the book for?" "Come on girl!" "Keep up!" "It's the ruby she wants." "What else can it be?" "Read us that bit of paper again." ""A place of darkness under a knotted rope. "" ""Three red lights shine clearly on the spot when the moon falls on the water "" ""Take it." "It is clearly yours by right and the laws of England. "" ""antequamhaeclegis, mortuusero, utinam ex hominum courage  tamceleritermemory m discedat. "" "There you go, he's hidden the ruby and he is telling you where it is" "Its some kind of code." "What the bloody hell does that last bit mean?" "I don't know, I don't speak Latin." "One good thing if it is the ruby Mrs. Holland wants, she ain't gonna find it without this." "My message is for Miss." "Lockhart alone." "Quite right dear." "We can't just blurt out our secrets to all and sundry." "No.." "Oh dear me you do look poorly." "Bring the pipe, Adelaide." "All this suffering, when there really is no need." "One little puff of medicine and you'll be right as rain." "Right as rain." "That's it." "Fetch me when he starts talking." "Bugger!" "Robbed?" "I do not understand." "Are there any shattered windows?" "Any other rooms disturbed?" " Anything missing?" " No, madam." "Why should this robber select you alone?" "For his attentions?" "What do you have that anyone could possibly want?" "Some papers." "Lies now, as well as ingratitude." "This whole business has been got up to make yourself the centre of attention." "Why are you smiling in that impudent fashion?" "I will not be smiled at." "I'm smiling because I am leaving." "I can't stay in this house another second." "You can't leave." "Where will you go?" "You have nobody and nothing.." "If I stay here, I will have you, which is much worse." "Good day to you Mrs. Rees." "Good afternoon." "These bills have been waiting since Easter." "Where's all the money gone?" "We have to invest in the business." "How else do you think I bought the polarizing lens?" "And the gelatine process." "Damn the gelatine process!" "If we don't sort these bills out soon there wont be a business left to run." "I don't need advice on how to run my business by some ranting puppet!" "If its about a sitting we can fit you in anytime." "I don't do babies.." " You" " You who is "you?"?" "The ugly fright from Swaleness I told you about." "Miss." "Lockhart, my sister, Rosa." "She's an actress, you'll have to forgive the vanity and hysteria." "I'm also the only person who actually earns any money in this establishment." "Something tells me you're not here for a picture?" "." "I have nowhere to live." "An old women I barely know is determined to kill me and I have no one left in the world to turn to." "Well..." "You'd better come in then." "Mr. Berry." "This calls for a celebration" "There's gin in the cupboard." "I signed the pledge in Dartmoor Mrs. Holland." "Alcohol is the cause of madness hallucinations softness of the brain and moral decay." "I think the damage is already done in your case." "I was formally very wicked, but I intend to lead the good life from now on." "Always excepting the odd murder or two." "So this was it was it?" "Nothing else?" ""A place of darkness under a knotted rope. "" "Don't make sense." "Here." "I reckon that's a riddle." "I know its a bleeding' riddle," "I just dunno what it means?" "If I didn't know the Major's writing," "I'd say that little cow had made this up to throw me off the scent." "Its our guest calling for his medicine." "I feel like Florence bleeding' Nightingale sometimes." "You'll get your reward in heaven Mrs. H." "I'll take it here on earth, thank you very much, Mr. Berry." "Just to be on the safe side." "Do you remember what the last page said?" "I kept a copy in my note book." ""A place of darkness under a knotted rope. "" ""Three red lights shine clearly on the spot when the moon pulls on the water"" "Oh its Latin." "My brother's a scholar you know?" "Only pretends to be stupid." ""Antequam haec legis ..."" ""By the time you read this," "I shall be dead. "" ""May my memory be - no, may I be as swiftly forgotten.. "" "Looks like he knew what was coming." "At least we know this Matthew Bedwell is at Mrs. Holland's." "The problem is getting at him." "Jim said he had a twin brother." "A man of the church." "Oh, be then he'll be in Crockford's Clerical dictionary." "Which of course you know intimately." "Permanently glued to it." "You can stay here as long as you like." "We'll let you pay rent if it will make you feel respectable.." "I have no money yet." "But I couldn't help overhearing before." "I could look at your books for you help sort things out." "I used to do my father's accounts." " We accept enthusiastically." "If you can make any sense of the business" "I don't suppose we will ever let you leave." "Bedwell, Bedwell, Bedwell ..." "Ah here we are!" "Reverend Nicholas Bedwell," "Born in 1842 curate of St. John's Summertown, Oxford." "That must be the man." "I shall write to him immediately." "Well come on then Are we bankrupt?" "Nearly." "But you are owed total 76 pounds and seven shillings." "If you get the money in, you can pay off most of your debt." "What you really need is somebody to find you ways of making more money." "You've hardly begun to exploit the business side." "Of course not, I'm an "artist"." "Why don't you do it?" "No I have qualifications, I'm not even 20 yet." "That's better than Fred, he'll be ten for the rest of his life." "As long as you are absolutely certain you wish to employ me." "There are no employees here, only equals." "My mother died in the siege of Lucknow." "She was holding me in her arms when she was shot." "Managed to kill the murderer before she died." "She gave her life for me." "And she was the most beautiful woman in the regiment, and the most notorious" "She could shoot better than any soldier, curse like a navvy and smoked these tiny black cheroots with an ivory cigarette holder." "The army wives were scandalized of course." "All the men loved her, but my father was the only one she ever loved." "You remember all this?" "No err ..." "I was just two years when it happened." "All I had left was a pearl handled pistol she used to save my life." "One that was stolen with the papers?" "You don't have to worry about me you know I'm quite capable of protecting myself." "Free book-keepers don't grow on trees." "If anything happened to you I'll have to pay someone." " No need to scowl at me" " I'm not scowling at you." "Your letter says you have important business Mrs. Holland." "God only knows what might be." "Straight to the point, Mr. Selby." "Well, I respect that." "I'm the same myself." "Do you know a sailor named Matthew Bedwell?" "I can't say I do." " He knows you." "And that ain't all he knows" "The schooner Lavinia, ring any bells?" "I have no time for sailor's gossip." "Then perhaps you'll have time for the Seven Blessings?" "and an oriental gentleman named Ah Ling?" " Have I got your attention now?" " Go on." "Mr. Bedwell knows things about the shipwreck you see ..." "Shocking things." "He says the only thing for it is to publish in the newspapers." "How much do you want?" "Your letter said you had important news for me Mr. Garland." "It concerns your brother." "He's in a boarding house in Wapping." "He's been there at least a week." " I knew he was alive!" "Thank God." "But why has he not contacted me himself?" " He is smoking opium." " Again?" "Thank you, I'll go fetch him this minute." "It's not that easy I'm afraid." "The boarding house belongs to a woman named Mrs. Holland, who for her own reasons is keeping your brother captive and will not give him up lightly." "The opium must have weakened his mind, she couldn't hold him otherwise There is something else." "My father drowned in the wreck of the Lavinia" "Your brother know something about it he has a message for me." "The we shall have to get him out of that wretched place and find out what it is." "I must ask you to do me a service first." "My brother has been an addict for a long time." "Cutting of the supply too quickly might well kill him" "I'm afraid you will have to buy me some opium." "I've been looking into the background of the Ruby Agruapur, and it turns out to be something of a legend." "And no one has seen it since the mutiny." "What else did you discover?" "The Maharaja was slaughtered by his own people during the uprising." "They said he was a collaborator." "At least, That's the official account." "Who knows, perhaps Marchbanks killed him?" "No I don't believe it." "It was a very sad man, but there was something gentle about him." "He wasn't capable of murdering anyone." "I see you adopt the vigorously logical approach to evidence?" "This is the place." "I photographed last year." "Madame Sheng's establishment is just a bit further on." "Don't the police know about this?" "Probably - so what?" " Opium isn't illegal." " But its so dangerous." "Mostly the poor and helpless become addicted." "Why ban it when it earns the country a fortune?" "How can you be so cynical?" "I'm not the cynical one don't you know anything about history?" "The British government cultivates opium in India then exports it to the rest of the world." "My God, when the Chinese Emperor tried to ban it a few years ago, we even went to war to make him change his mind." "That's how much the British government cares about cares about the Bedwells of this world." "Are you sure you want to go through with this?" "Good afternoon sir." "Welcome, can I help you?" "Good afternoon, Madame Sheng." "Were are not here to smoke we are here to buy." "As you wish." "How much you want?" "Sally" " Wake up!" "Thank god you're here!" "You alright ?" "You must have inhaled the smoke." "But it shouldn't have affected you like that." "It was not your first time" "I've never smoked opium in my life." "The smoke never lies" "It knows you as you know it." "I was having my nightmare." "The one I've had since I was a child" "This time it felt more real than ever." "I'm going mad The power of the smoke is beyond limit it hides the secrets of the past so well" "The sharpest eyes in the brightest daylight would never find it." "It reveals them like buried treasure." "I heard a man being killed." "Then I saw two men." "They were always like ghosts before but this time they were real." "One of them was Major Marchbanks." "He was younger, but I know it was him." "But the worst thing" "The worst thing of all is that the other was my father." "What you saw was not a dream it was a memory." "Ten, twenty, thirty, forty," "fifty." "Satisfied?" "I can't speak for my gentleman, we shall have to see how the wind blows." "You think you can tap me for money whenever the mood takes you?" "What a common turn of phrase!" "You'll upset me if you carry on like that." "You'd kill me as soon as look at me wouldn't you?" "Wait a moment Mrs. Holland." "I could use a woman with your connections" "Suppose I had a proposal." "One that was worth a lot more than blackmail money." " What are we talking about?" " Protection." "A man in my position can't be too careful." "And what position might that be?" "You're not coming it is out of the question." " Why Not?" " Because..." " I am a woman?" "I was going to point out that you have no experience in fighting." "Where as Mr. Bedwell was boxed for his university" " And what fighting have you done?" " I was fencing champion at school." "Which will be enormously useful when Mrs. Holland challenges you to a duel." "This is my battle as much as yours." "WhileFredandSallywere preparing to rescue Mr. Bedwell," "Idecidedto takealittletripthecoastand do some investigating of my own." "Yes, Jimbo!" "Is Mrs. Holland here?" "You must be Adelaide." "Matthew?" "Its me, Nicholas." "We'll have to carry him." "You can't take him she'll kill me." "He do not belong here." "Is that really you?" "Can you walk?" "We can't leave her here" " Adelaide!" "Go!" "Go" " I'll buy you some time." "Adelaide!" "Mr. Berry?" "Well now I've seen everything." "You ain't him you are but you ain't." "Don't just stand there kill him!" "Well I hope you don't intend to take communion looking like this." "I shall preach a sermon on the church of militant by way of explanation." "How is my brother?" "He's still asleep." " Ouch!" "Don't be a baby." "You'll be safe here." "She'll find me." "If I went to the bottom of the sea she'll find me and drag me back out." "Well at least she wont be able to use this." "My gun!" "Yours?" "How?" "Henry Hopkins took it." "She sent him to nick your stuff and murder you." "But only he was not the killing sort so she done him in." "She's got a knife, she sliced the last girl who was with." "I seen where she put her in the yard" "She said she would put me in next to her." "She'd do it now though." "Go to the window." "Quickly!" "Have somebody watching the office?" "A gentleman, clean shaven, fair hair, sunburned complexion quite tall." "There's hundreds of people out there, What's he wearing?" "How do I know, you idiot?" "I can't see no one." "Deliver this." "Right now." "Mrs Holland.?" "Are you sure?" " Of course I'm sure!" "What the blazers has it got to do with you?" "You read Selby's letter?" "Oh no!" "That would be dishonest." "Of course I read it." "all it said was he wanted their arrangement to start immediately" "Who is he frightened of?" "Listen, I there's something else I've got to say" "What Selby would be doing now?" "What sort of crimes can a shipping agent commit?" " Smuggling?" " Fraud." "Sinking ships and claiming insurance." "probably look what I was going to say ... you'll like this ..." "Not owners, they're agents, they only have one ship." "Surely that kind of thing is too easy to find out." "Listen, will you this is important." "You think the Lavinia was sunk on purpose?" " Why would anyone do that?" " I can tell you." "What were you going to say Jim?" "It'll keep I wanna hear this." "I know it is not what you crave but if the urge becomes too great, we have what you need." "You'd do that for me?" "I will never smoke opium again." "You're Mr. Lockhart's daughter?" "I'm sorry, he's dead.." " I know." " He drowned in the Lavinia." "He didn't drown." "He was murdered." "South China Sea is home to every kind of smuggler pirate, murderer." "Worst of all are the Triads" "Lockhart  Selby were hand in glove with all these societies" "Whole company had the stench of corruption" "Not my father." " No." "But he heard rumours." "That's why he came out to the East." "He was going to see the company agent Hendrik Van Eeden." "He trusted him." "Van Eeden had the reputation of an honest man." "Your father met him in Singapore when he came aboard with his Malaysian servant, Perak." "On the first afternoon out we saw the black junk." "Could have out sailed her easily, but the captain he doesn't." "seemed to be dawdling on purpose it was the second night it happened." "Your father was attacked in his cabin he was stabbed." "I heard him calling for help." "I heard him calling for help, when I found him he was barely alive." "He told me his murderer was the ship's captain." "And he was in the pay of a man named Ah Ling." "I knew then we was all doomed." "Ah Ling heads the most brutal gang in the South China Seas." "Did my father say anything about me?" "He told me to explain what had happened and something else." ""Keep your powder dry"." "He always said that." "It was his way of telling me to be prepared for anything." "The captain scuttled his own ship while Ah Ling men slaughtered the crew" "Nothing can wipe the cries of those dying men from my mind." "Nothing but opium." "The Triad gang that corrupted Lockhart  Selby, what was its name?" "Its called the Fan Lin society." ""Seven Blessings."" "Hey!" "Stop thief!" "Stop that man!" "There's no one in." "Aren't you the sharp one?" ""A place in the darkness under a knotted rope. "" ""Three red lights shine clearly on the spot. "" "There's a kind of sense in it but.." "damned if I can see what it is.." "I need a drink you could use one, might oil your brain." "I ain't drinking no beer." "I signed the pledge and I've got my principles." "For a thief and murderer you come across very strong on principles Mr. Berry." "Alright you can have a lemonade." "I that little maggot of a thing you call a conscience is satisfied." "." "That's stupid, that is." "If its The Turks Head, you want a head not a rope." "Lets go in." "Lemonade, for a big fellah like you?" "My son's got a very delicate stomach." "Alcohol quite upsets him." "That's a very unusual sign you've got." "Don't go with the name." "Turks Head" "Of course it does." "Turks Head is a kind of sailor's knot." "Didn't you know that?" "Well, I never did." "That explains it then." "Have one yourself love!" "Oh!" "Might as well." "I was looking for a friend of mine." "Mrs. Thorpe, the housekeeper the major Marchbanks." "Oh well you've had a wasted journey then." "She packed her bags after what happened." "Didn't you know?" "He was murdered." "Oh no!" "Where the world coming to?" "Stabbed." "A burglar they reckon." "He was a regular of mine." "Quiet sort." "Came in most days for his brandy and his newspaper." "Oh did he so?" "Is that the privy dear?" "That's the cellar." "Privy is outside." "Oh, of course it is." "Do you know?" "I think I could eat something?" "I've got some nice boiled beef." "Oh!" "Just the thing." "Bring the bag." "If she comes back, break her neck." ""A place of darkness under a knotted rope. "" "That's this cellar." ""Three red lights."" "The buoy out there in the creek, what flashes three times." ""When the moon falls on the water."" "When the tide comes in you see?" "It all fits." "Oh never mind." "That's it." "Its a box." "I was promised this a very long time ago, Mr. Berry." "I'm only taking what is rightfully mine." "Its empty!" "Its bleeding empty." "Its her!" "The Lockhart girl No one else knows its here." "I will have that ruby, Mr. Berry." "You see if I don't." "I'm owed it and i will have it." "Then I will cut her heart out and dance on it!" "Nicholas?" "Where are we going?" "I'm looking over a replacement for the Lavinia." "Not that its any of your business." "Only two in the boat, company rules." "I'm supposed to stay with him." "Get a move on will you?" "I am a busy man." "You stay here, don't move 'till I get back." "Cod fish!" "I give you one simple job." "What did I tell you?" "Stay with him all the time." "A bloody stone could understand that!" "But it was him what told me to wait." "Your a dab hand at killing people, Mr. Berry," "You ain't much at keeping them alive." "Here you are." "Ah well" "Never mind Selby." "He's in no position to ask for a refund is he?" "Do you know something, Mr. Berry?" "This is an interesting game we're in." "I wouldn't miss it for the world!" "Pictures can wait, you know?" "We don't have to do them right now." "We can't sit around moping." "We all need something to think about," "More than death and unhappiness" "Right, I can take the pictures." "But who's going to sell them?" "Have to be you." "My soul is far to fine for base commercial jousting." "You should do it." "I shall." "Soon as I'm old enough to be taken seriously." "I take you seriously." "You mean as a business women?" "As all kind of things" "Sally, I ..." "Look what I found!" " [inaudible] my love." " Yeah." " You'd like that wouldn't you?" " Yeah." "Yeh you will." "Get your hands off you rat." "Arrgh she bit me!" "Mr. Berry, get him." "Get off you big oaf!" "." "Drive on!" "They're only a few minutes ahead of us." "We can still get to Wapping before them.." "I promised to look after the poor little scrap I promised her." "Jim, we're going to get her back." " Wait for us" " Round here, you must be joking." "They'll have the shoes off my horse in a minute.." "Get out." "What's the plan?" "Oh nice tactic Wellington." " Adelaide!" "Adelaide!" "Hang on love." "Come on, kick him!" "We can get half way to Tobacco Dock." "Up old Gravel bank." "Come on, my son." "Come on." "That's him." "Mrs. Holland's after." "Hey!" "Come here!" "They're going to kill me Jim, I'm gonna die!" "Shut up no one's dying.." "Split up." "You go that way." "You're the two Mrs. Holland is looking for ain't you?" "You'll be alright with me." "We will have to find a skiff somewhere get you out down the river." "Why are you helping us?" "What's that old cow ever done for me?" "We keeps the rats down for rent." "There's an alley that leads to the river." "They wont find you there." "Just got to get you across the Wapping Wall." "We'll be safe now." " Where do we go from here?" "Don't know mate, not my problem." "Sorry mate, gotta live." "You try that again and Mr Berry will twist your head off." "He practices on chickens.." "Sometimes they run around flapping for a full 5 minutes after their heads is off.." "He'd love to see how long you'd flap about without no head.." "Adelaide do not know anything about the Ruby, you don't want her." "Oh I want her alright." "She's going to be sleeping in the yard tonight, ain't you Poppet?" "We've got your bed all ready .." "Put her down... or I'll kill you." "I thought I sorted you out." "Mr. Berry, you are losing your touch." "That's four times he's crossed my path I want him dead." "Adelaide?" "Adelaide?" "They'll be fine" "This can't go on." "Its not Adelaide Mrs. Holland wants, its me, she hates me." "I still don't know why." "I have to discover the truth about the ruby." "And there is only one way I can do it." "Opium!" "Matthew Bedwell left it behind He said he would not need it." "I have to go back into my nightmare." "I have to finish it." "Only I don't really know what to do." "I do." "Theatre people know a little about this sort of thing." "Sit down on the sofa." "There's no pipe so you'll have to breath in the fumes." "Now just breathe normally the smoke will do the rest." "I'm scared, Rose." "What if I grow to like the smoke?" "I became like poor Matthew Bedwell?" "You wont." "You were talking." "Sometimes in English but mostly, in a foreign language." "Hindustani" "I know everything, Rose." "The whole story." "I have to find the ruby." "Sally, it was a dream." "It was never was a dream." "It was always the truth, buried in my memory all along." "Wait here, there's something you have to know." "Major Marchbanks hid in a pub in Swaleness." "It was Jim who cracked the cipher." "It seems that Black Jack Armstrong does that sort of thing all the time." "in stirring tales for British lads." "Why didn't you tell me?" "He tried on the night you rescued Matthew Bedwell." "Then after that he gave it to me for safe keeping." "I think he was frightened of what it does to people." "So am I a little." "Send a message to Mrs. Holland." "Tell her to meet me at Hangman's wharf in an hour's time." "You're mad?" "At least wait for Fred No." "I have to end this." "What ever happens, you must promise not to interfere." "You killed my father." "My real father." "Major Marchbanks." "He sold me in return for a ruby, didn't he?" "The Maharaja had given the ruby to my ..." "To Captain Lockhart." "As payment for protection during the mutiny." "And Captain?" "Lockhart He left the Major guarding the Maharaja in the dark somewhere." "The residency cellars." "Marchbanks deserted his post to smoke opium." "He was an addict." "And somehow, the mutineers They mutineers got in and slaughtered the Maharaja" "I saw it all." "Lockhart knocked him down for a coward when he come back." "Then they heard you crying." "Lockhart was so disgusted and a feared at what your life might become." "He offered Marchbanks the ruby, in exchange for you.." "And he took it in a second." "His own daughter.." "in exchange for jewel." "And now, Miss," "I want that ruby." "Its what I come for - and I got a right to it" " What right?" "You have no claim over it." "Oh I got the greatest claim of all." "I was promised that ruby." "By the Maharaja himself." "You were there as well?" "Of course I was there." "The Maharaja was in love with me.." "Oh yeah..." "I might be old and ugly now." "But was beautiful once." "Everyone in northern India knew pretty Molly Edwards." "They all paid court." "But it was the Maharaja that wanted me worst of all." "He promised me the ruby if I give him what he wanted." "And I did." "I could have had a good marriage." "Good prospects and a good name." "And one night with him put pay to all that.." "And afterwards, he just laughed" "Threw me out the palace." "It was you who betrayed the Maharaja." "It was no more than he deserved." "He squealed like a pig when they cut him." "I've heard that screaming in my dreams." "Yeh and you and all those stuck up army wives would have been next if Lockhart hadn't come back." "All them hypocrites called me slut and whore behind my back" "Well?" "You know something?" "We've got a lot more in common than you'd like." "Me and you." "We was both bought for a ruby." "My father left this to me but I renounce my claim." "It has brought me nothing but death and unhappiness." "And if you want it, you can go and get it." "Its... you pretty Molly." "She'll have her ruby." "Mrs. Holland?" "Mrs. Holland?" "Mrs. Holland!" "Miss." "Lockhart ..." "Get into the carriage, I have news regarding your father.." "What news?" "Who are you?" "I was born Hendrik Van Eeden." "In the East though, I'm better known as Ah Ling." "Now go in the carriage." "Where are we going?" "The East India Docks." "I do not understand." "My ship sails with the tide." "You may come with me, alive, or you may stay here... dead." "One way or the other I must be certain that you will remain silent.." "What will happen to me if I come with you?" "Well surely I don't have to explain that." "You are not a child." "You can't be Ah Ling." "You're not Chinese." "You have my Dutch father to thank for the way I look." "But my mother was the daughter of ..." "Ling Chi," "An great and noble Chinese businessman" "Though you might call him a pirate." "My European looks and education have been a great advantage." "they have made it so much easier to set up an arrangement beneficial to Lockhart and Selby and the Seven Blessings." "Opium was the link." "The finest comes from India." "Grown under British government supervision." "There is an official stamp, a mould if you like to form the drug into little cakes." "All with her Majesty's blessing and approval." "As luck would have it I came into possession of one of those valuable stamps." "After that, it was a simple matter of adulterating premium opium with the low grade stuff from the hills of Penang." "Thus, one shipload became 3 or 4, all certificated and shipped by the British government and the reputable firm of "Lockhart  Selby"." "Alas," "Captain Lockhart's intervention gave me a great deal of trouble." "So you murdered him?" "What's one human life?" "When so much money is at stake?" "Thousands, perhaps even millions?" "But the gods have been kind." "I killed him!" "My God, Rose, he murdered so many people." "He killed my ..." "I can't call him Captain Lockhart." "He was my father ..." "We have to tell the police." "I killed a man." "How would you explain all this?" "They'll only have your word for it." "No we go now and we never look back." "You understand me, Sally?" "We've got to get out." "Did you leave anything in the carriage?" "Anything they might be able to identify?" "I shot in the heart from a few inches." "He was dead, I know he was." "There's no sign of Adelaide." "God knows what Mrs. Holland has done with her, but at least there's no new grave in the yard." "Poor little mite." "We are going to find her Jim." "Somehow, or other one day." "We're going to find her I promise you." "Of course we will find her, even if I have to turn detective myself." "Is there anything more in the paper?" "Well, the police are convinced there's a murder, but they have no body and no suspects." "That for me?" "No as it happens, its for me." "Its from Nicholas Bedwell." "I didn't know you two were corresponding.." "That's because its none of your business." "So - what do we call you now?" "Lockhart or Marchbanks?" "Whenever I hear the word 'father' I know who I think of." "And I don't know what my legal status is." "or what rubies count for in a court of law" "But I'm Sally Lockhart," "I work for a photographer and that's all anyone needs to know." "Fresh in today Miss." "My name Perak, Miss." "Lockhart." "I was your father's servant." "He said I must deliver this in person." "apologies - my journey has been long and with many difficulties." ""Look under the clock."" "What does it mean?" "Your father said you will understand." "Thank you." "AndlaterSallydid understand." "Itwastimetopayonefinal visit to her childhood home,  andforthepast,togiveup the last of its secrets." ""MydearestSally, ifyouarereadingthis the worst has happened and I am dead." "Youwillhavemuchtobear,  but you are strong and you will recover" "Thismoney,darlingisforyou" "Tenthousandpounds, my share of "Lockhart  Selby"." "Useitwisely." "YouwillchoosewellIknow" "Goodbye,mySally." "By now you will fully understand, what it means when I sign myself  'withthedeepestlove."" "Yourfather," "WilliamLockhart."" "Asshewalkedhomethat day that day, Sally swore  she would never give up the search for the missing Adelaide." "Andalthoughshehad lost her father,  hadgainedafamily." "Subtitles specially produced by Rareshare.me"