Stories of Adelwreth

A Mason Safe

Wood curls formed satisfyingly as James Mason glided the plane over the beam. He had to take off another millimetre or two, then it would fit perfectly. He was oblivious to the sounds of hammering, sawing, and cutting in the background. Things had been different since that midnight fair—since the day he had met the butcher. Maggy was wonderful, but he couldn’t see her that much anymore.

 “You better watch out Jimmy,” Donkin had said in that alley. “Less than respectable people have been asking around for a certain Catonby Mason. Best keep your name off the streets.”

He planed until the construction line was barely visible, then fitted the beam to the desk he was building. It fit in neatly above where the drawers would go. Now he needed to make some joints. He marked out the excess and held it to the legs of the table beside him. This is going to be perfect. He thought about Maggy. She knew they had to be discrete. The butcher also understood the importance of keeping their relationship secret. 

A whistle blew intensely. Jimmy set down his tools and looked at his pocket watch. Twenty-five past five. Only eleven more hours until he could see his beloved Maggy. They had to meet in alleys when the bustle of the city was at its height, only spending a few moments together at a time. Jimmy wondered how long they would be able to carry on like this. He knew that the Scrussian and Donkin were investigating the situation themselves.

“Manone!” he heard someone call.

“They made a contract with the caps to try and find you, Jimmy,” Donkin had said in that alley. “But we’ve got your cap covered, we’ll find out who they are and who they are working for.”

“Manone, are you daydreaming or something?” A hand landed on Jimmy’s shoulder and he spun about. “Some men are here, asking to see you.”

Jimmy snapped out of his thoughts. Manone—that was the name he gave to his employers.

“Yes sir, sorry sir, was just thinking of something, and, counted some hours,” Jimmy said, then smiled.

“Well, that desk there coming together nicely, hope it’s going tuh come out like tuh other one heh?” the man chuckled. The man’s whole belly jiggled along, then the man lit a cigar and puffed at it as he guided Jimmy to the alleyway. 

Jimmy found it odd, but he wasn’t frightened. That old friend—the hand that squeezed his throat—hadn’t visited him in years. He surveyed the emptying factory. Amidst the commotion, he saw the familiar sight of a man putting a cap on his head. Donkin always had someone keep watch and a few brawlers nearby.

“Ah gentlemen, this is tuh lovely gentleman who made that beautiful desk that had the Market Square buzzing.” The man smiled and stretched out his arms as if to embrace everyone.

“Thank you Mr Thannis,” said a man who was wearing a waistcoat and spectacles. Neat, knowledgable, some sort of scholar, thought Jimmy.

“We would like to speak to Mr Manone alone, please,” said the other man who smelled of liquor, yet who had neatly combed hair, and wore an ironed button shirt and polished shoes. He lit a cigarette and that is when Jimmy saw the precision of the man’s hands. Definitely a doctor.

Mr Thannis dropped his arms, gave a confused glance at them all, a worried look to Jimmy and said, “Would you perhaps like to speak in tuh office heh?”

“Out here is fine, thank you, Boss,” replied Jimmy quickly and with assurance. Thannis looked astonished, then smiled. He knew nothing of the three capped brawlers at the edge of the alley nor of the five caps armed with batons behind the crates a few metres back. He knew, however, that Jimmy wasn’t feeling threatened by these men. 

The two men watched Thannis enter the factory, then walked over to the far wall. The scholar took a notebook from his pocket and the doctor scanned up down the alley. He gestured something with three fingers to the scholar and then something else while looking at the crates. 

These guys are professionals, Jimmy thought.

“Mr Manone,” began the scholar, “forgive the intrusion, I am Ricard Bleuamar and this is my associate, Doctor Glen Podark. By now you should have heard about the attacks in the city? A lady of the night…” 

“Prostitute,” interjected the doctor.

“The Maynard boy and Canley Whinox.” The scholar paused and looked at Jimmy.

Jimmy knew the girl, the one they said was the prostitute. He and Maggy had been exchanging letters through her—it was Donkin’s idea. His friend returned… slightly, at the back of his mind, he could feel the hand crawling over his shoulder.

“There was a small piece of a letter, torn, and the ink on it smudged, but we could make out a name, Mason, and another J. Manone.”

Jimmy stood there, he put his hand in his pocket and gripped the pocket watch. He felt the ticking of it, it clicked slowly and steadily. It calmed him. It made him think of Maggy.

“So Mr Manone,” said the doctor, throwing the cigarette on the ground and stepping on it.

“We would like to know why your name may have been on that piece of paper.”

Jimmy’s friend slightly tightened his grip on his shoulder. He rubbed at it, then put a hand over his mouth.

“Well, Miss Ann visited me sometimes, I know it’s frowned upon, but a poor man has needs you know, but, I mean, it’s nothing illegal right?”

“No, not here, not yet, if I had it my way it would have been,” said the doctor. “Did she ever mention anything about a person called Mason?”

Jimmy put his hand to the back of his neck, trying to drive away his friend.

“Hmmm… no, not that I can recall, I mean, we didn’t really talk that much, you know. As far as I know anyway, all the Masons are dead.”

The doctor and the scholar looked at each other.

Jimmy continued. “Well, I think about fifteen years back there was some trouble at their estate if I can recall…” He looked up as if trying to recall— “think there was some beasts that ransacked the place… wolves or something.”

“Well that’s just the thing, Mr Manone, the youngest boy was never found and now, well, the same claw marks, the same bite marks were found on the latest victims. The other thing that troubles us, is now the Masons’ opposition to governance is being targeted,” the doctor said.

“I don’t understand?” said Jimmy.

“Well, Miss Whinnox and the Maynard boy were together, and Ann also visited the Maynard Manor from time to time,” said the scholar.

Jimmy could see in their eyes that they were telling the truth—he could see that they had a sincere conviction to find the creature and James Mason.

“So do you think this Mason has a pet that kills people on his command?” asked Jimmy. The doctor and scholar looked at each other—they seemed to deliberate together without words. The scholar started to speak.

“No, Mr Manone. We have reason to believe that the Mason boy is the creature.”

“Like a werewolf?” Jimmy laughed.

“Precisely,” said the doctor—he meant it wasn’t something to laugh at.

Jimmy grew cold.

That night, long ago…

“Alright,” Jimmy said, breaking himself from the trance. “Well, you’ll need stakes if you are going to hunt it, right?”

The doctor and scholar exchanged glances.

“I’ll have them ready in a jiffy. Come by in an hour or two, I’ll have them ready for you, two each? An Adel a piece.”

“Sure,” said the doctor hesitantly.

Jimmy nodded at the brawlers at the end of the alley. They disappeared out into Peasant’s Way. He bade Ricard and Glen farewell and entered the Furniture Factory.

Werewolves were fantasy creatures, surely they weren’t real, but… that night. He paused and recollected those events. It was possible. He ran away after that. Coming to Adelwreth, no one had paid attention to a dusty little kid, no one except Old Man Greg. He had taken him in, shown him how to live off the streets, which alleys to sleep in, how to pocket something at the market, and how to pocket something from someone. He had made lifelong friends—true friends. These friends didn’t take it in a bad way when he had left the caps. Sure, he left them some money at the end of each week when he got his salary, but they were true friends regardless. He took the wood for the legs of the desk and started working, sawing and planing away at them until they were sharp pegs.

***

Donkin came by later and the two of them wandered through the streets, talking about old times and what the caps were up to nowadays. Donkin laughed at the idea of a werewolf, but he didn’t know about Jimmy’s story. They never spoke about what happened to a kid before they joined the caps. It wasn’t necessary. You were a new person once you joined. They spent Glen and Ricard’s Adels at Lütz tavern, took part in a bar fight and stumbled out into the night. They walked down to the harbour, looking at the lighthouse in the distance. Its beacon shone proudly in the night sky. 

“I’m going to marry her,” said Jimmy.

Donkin laughed and hugged him.

“You know, before that, you will have to get a different legal name.”

“Manone. Those two the clowns, by the way?” said Jimmy, then had a sip of beer. Donkin got serious.

“Nah, we’re getting close though. The Scrussian arranged a meeting.”

“Good. High and broad?” asked Jimmy.

“Fifth, heart of pitch,” replied Donkin.

Jimmy passed him the bottle as they turned towards the rocks on the shore. They spoke in caps-talk for a bit, then just sat for the longest time, listening to the waves and watching the ocean roar.

***

Maggy was pleased to see Jimmy. She could hardly contain her excitement, running up to him and jumping into his arms.

“Hi’yall cappins,” she whispered softly.

“Hi there ma’am,” he replied.

“Yeh stayin’ safe Jimmy Mason?” she asked, straightening his jacket.

“Well, as safe as I can be,” he answered. “Maggy, two men came to see me yesterday, they think there is a werewolf out on the loose.”

“A wayerwoolf?!” she exclaimed. “Now Jimmy Mason, y’all knows better than to tell a lie like that to your dearest little lady?”

“I know Maggy, it seems a bit far fetched, but, there is something I need to tell you.” He looked her in the eyes—those deep, kind eyes. “When I was little, sometime in the winter, I was upstairs in my room and then I heard screams, I heard fabric being torn, I heard my brothers running up the stairs. There was gunfire. My eldest sister hid me in the safe. There were more screams, growling and more fabric being torn—” She put a finger to his lips.

“Jimmy, I’m sawry darlin’.”

“Donkin says the Scrussian is close to whoever is looking to hurt us,” he said, looking towards the crowd of hustling men and woman, eager to get to their jobs. The busyness started to dwindle. “Best get going Miss Parsons,” he said softly.

She hugged him and said “Just git yerself here safely next week, Jimmy Mason. Papa says he misses you, sends his regards and all that.” She kissed him deeply. “Now, y’all cappins, y’all’s stay safe or I’ll take yeh out myself, understood?” She walked off into the busy street.

He looked at his pocket watch. One hundred and sixty-eight hours until they see each other again. Five minutes they can add to their time together.

“Yes ma’am,” he said.

She turned just before the end of the alley.

“Yeh know Jimmy, yeh git yerself a cleared name and my papa might let yeh marry me.”

“Already on it, ma’am,” he chuckled and they parted ways.

***

A few days later, arriving for his shift at the furniture factory, Mr Thannis escorted Jimmy into the back alley again. Ricard and Glen were waiting.

“Well, it wasn’t a werewolf,” said the doctor, “but the stakes were put to good use.” He reeked of liquor.

Jimmy stood there, he didn’t see brawlers yet.

“And it wasn’t the Mason boy either,” continued the scholar. Jimmy, still standing there, was confused.

“So… what are you saying?”

“Well, Manorell Maynard confessed. He didn’t agree with the way the Masons ran the place. Let’s just say he was responsible for those attacks and the attacks that occurred recently.”

“And this is relevant to me… why?” asked Jimmy. The doctor lit a cigarette, Bleuamar took something from his pocket and said:

“Mr Thule extended his desire to sponsor the Mason boy when found, to attend the Adelwreth College. He would be around your age, wouldn’t he?”

Jimmy squinted. Where were the caps? Where was Donkin? “There is no record of a Manone ever being born in this city, or on any ship’s guest log.”

Something must have happened to the Scrussian… something must have happened to the caps.

“Mr Mason, it’s alright,” said the scholar. “We just want to let you know everything is going to be alright. Maynard had henchmen that were looking for you. A bunch of them got caught a few nights ago—they had bad business with the caps. Big fight broke out.”

The doctor took over.

“Even the inspector was in Maynard’s pocket. Luckily, he isn’t a good assassin.”

Jimmy noticed slight twitching in the doctor’s shoulder, possibly from a wound—that was probably also why the doctor stank of liquor but seemed perfectly sober. “Anyway, the good Constable Constable kept the lot locked up even after the inspector ordered him to release them. So, Mr Mason—” Bleuamar handed him the envelope with Thule’s seal—“all we want to know is… why the letter with your name and Manone on it? Why was it in the hands of Ann?”

Jimmy accepted the envelope and replied absent-mindedly.

“It was a letter… I had written. If I just hadn’t been James Catonby Mason, we could have been married already.”

The two looked at each other, extended Mr Thule’s hospitality and bade him farewell. Immediately, Jimmy set off towards Market Square. He had to do it that day, he couldn’t wait another ninety-three hours to see her. Men looked at him strangely. 

A police officer blew his whistle. He laughed and ran as fast as he could.

Fifth Street, Fourth Street, Third Street.

He darted into the Market Square looking for the jewellery shop. He paced past the glass windows of the storefronts until he found it. He ran inside and started looking for an engagement ring.

The policeman stumbled in a few seconds after him, panting and out of breath.

“Why were you running, sir?”

“I need to propose,” answered Jimmy. “Now stop peskin’ young men and go do your job!” he chuckled, then pointed at a silver band with a flaming motif and a single diamond at the top. “This one.” The jeweller put on his spectacles and inspected the ring.

“Ah,” he said. “Good choice, ten Adels.” Jimmy reached into his pocket. It was all he had left, but he happily paid it in full.

Things were starting to go right… everything was going right.

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