Sick of being followed around by a certain author I could name but won't.
This is my daily journal.
Octavius insisted on seeing Sir John. Bertha sent Charley to go with us.
I reckon the man was more interested in finding out what Octavius remembered of his attack than apologizing for sending him into danger.
Sadly, Octavius has asked for his diary back.
Octavius insisted on seeing Sir John. Bertha sent Charley to go with us.
I reckon the man was more interested in finding out what Octavius remembered of his attack than apologizing for sending him into danger.
Sadly, Octavius has asked for his diary back.
George again.
Today when I got to the Bucket of Blood, I overheard Octavius pleading with Bertha to release the doctor's and nurse's families and to send the pair of them home.
He clammed up like an oyster when he saw me standing there in the doorway.
George again.
Today when I got to the Bucket of Blood, I overheard Octavius pleading with Bertha to release the doctor's and nurse's families and to send the pair of them home.
He clammed up like an oyster when he saw me standing there in the doorway.
George here.
Octavius is up and about but can't move his arm yet; it's tied in a sling. Bertha is well pleased.
The doctor and the nurse seem very relieved. The nurse asked about the possibility of finally going home. Bertha shut her up with a scowl.
George here.
Octavius is up and about but can't move his arm yet; it's tied in a sling. Bertha is well pleased.
The doctor and the nurse seem very relieved. The nurse asked about the possibility of finally going home. Bertha shut her up with a scowl.
I don't like that Sir John bloke one bit. When I told Octavius as much, he said he thought him broosk, which I worked out must mean "touched" or unhappy.
Still no sign of the escapees, which Bertha thinks is odd: "Ain't no one would dare to 'ide 'em from me!"
I don't like that Sir John bloke one bit. When I told Octavius as much, he said he thought him broosk, which I worked out must mean "touched" or unhappy.
Still no sign of the escapees, which Bertha thinks is odd: "Ain't no one would dare to 'ide 'em from me!"
George still. I was called to Sir John's house as Octavius wasn't available.
"Still sick is he? If he'd found those convicts, my wife would still be alive!"
"They'll be found all right," I said.
"How can you be so sure?"
I wanted to reply: "Because Bertha's on the case."
George still. I was called to Sir John's house as Octavius wasn't available.
"Still sick is he? If he'd found those convicts, my wife would still be alive!"
"They'll be found all right," I said.
"How can you be so sure?"
I wanted to reply: "Because Bertha's on the case."
The service was over, and Annie was fuming.
"I want to see him!" she hissed.
"You can't," I stuttered.
"Why?"
How to explain to my sister just who Bertha was? "Cause he's staying at a pub," I tried.
"So?"
"It isn't a nice pub."
Her eyes narrowed. "So?"
The service was over, and Annie was fuming.
"I want to see him!" she hissed.
"You can't," I stuttered.
"Why?"
How to explain to my sister just who Bertha was? "Cause he's staying at a pub," I tried.
"So?"
"It isn't a nice pub."
Her eyes narrowed. "So?"
"He wants to see you when you feel up to it," I told him, though honestly Octavius's pasty, sweating face looked anything but up to it.
"Sir John?" he asked. I nodded and he blinked. "Why?"
"Don't know, but he made a point of asking me at the funeral."
"He wants to see you when you feel up to it," I told him, though honestly Octavius's pasty, sweating face looked anything but up to it.
"Sir John?" he asked. I nodded and he blinked. "Why?"
"Don't know, but he made a point of asking me at the funeral."
George here still.
Today was Lady Geeson's funeral. Mr Bruff closed our offices in Gray's Inn Square for the day and insisted that all the staff attend...not that Sir John seemed much impressed.
Mr Bruff asked after Octavius. I told him he was on the mend.
George here still.
Today was Lady Geeson's funeral. Mr Bruff closed our offices in Gray's Inn Square for the day and insisted that all the staff attend...not that Sir John seemed much impressed.
Mr Bruff asked after Octavius. I told him he was on the mend.
Octavius is still weak but was able to tell us how someone snuck up behind him and knocked him out cold.
Bertha's got people all over London looking for those escapees. At last she believes they're still here.
"If I finds 'em, I'll skin 'em!" she swore.
Octavius is still weak but was able to tell us how someone snuck up behind him and knocked him out cold.
Bertha's got people all over London looking for those escapees. At last she believes they're still here.
"If I finds 'em, I'll skin 'em!" she swore.
Octavius was awake. I could have kicked myself when I told him how Lady Geeson had been slaughtered in her bed. He took the news personally.
"You did right, George," he told me as Bertha spooned him some soup, eyeing me like I'd be the next one to die.
Octavius was awake. I could have kicked myself when I told him how Lady Geeson had been slaughtered in her bed. He took the news personally.
"You did right, George," he told me as Bertha spooned him some soup, eyeing me like I'd be the next one to die.
George here. It was Octavius they found. He was alive, but only just.
One of his arms was broken, probably from when he was pushed down the shaft.
He's being looked after at Bertha's by a doctor and this nurse who are staying with him for the time being.
George here. It was Octavius they found. He was alive, but only just.
One of his arms was broken, probably from when he was pushed down the shaft.
He's being looked after at Bertha's by a doctor and this nurse who are staying with him for the time being.
George here. I heard the junior clerks' shouts of indignation in the outer office, then Charley, Bertha's henchman, burst through the door.
"They think they found 'im!" he cried.
"Think?"
"In a shaft beside the Thames Tunnel. They're fetching ladders now!"
George here. I heard the junior clerks' shouts of indignation in the outer office, then Charley, Bertha's henchman, burst through the door.
"They think they found 'im!" he cried.
"Think?"
"In a shaft beside the Thames Tunnel. They're fetching ladders now!"
"Well, I think he disappeared for affectation," said Mary. She's my wife.
I prepared myself to step between her and my sister as I saw the look of loathing in Annie's eyes.
"What did our vicar just talk about in his sermon?" I asked. "The true meaning of charity!"
"Well, I think he disappeared for affectation," said Mary. She's my wife.
I prepared myself to step between her and my sister as I saw the look of loathing in Annie's eyes.
"What did our vicar just talk about in his sermon?" I asked. "The true meaning of charity!"
George here. Mary's not happy with me. We were meant to go for a stroll in Regents Park, but instead I went to see Octavius's brother at the fish stall he works at in Old Street.
"Bertha's got every criminal in London out looking for him," he told me.
George here. Mary's not happy with me. We were meant to go for a stroll in Regents Park, but instead I went to see Octavius's brother at the fish stall he works at in Old Street.
"Bertha's got every criminal in London out looking for him," he told me.
George again. Now I'm really worried.
Instead of looking for the dog as I was told to do, I went to Brandram's Wharf for a look around.
When I found his diary there, I plucked up courage and made my way to the Bucket of Blood, where I asked to see Bertha.
George again. Now I'm really worried.
Instead of looking for the dog as I was told to do, I went to Brandram's Wharf for a look around.
When I found his diary there, I plucked up courage and made my way to the Bucket of Blood, where I asked to see Bertha.
George Crump again. Octavius hasn't shown his face yet and Mr Bruff is furious with him. I told him I was worried but he just shouted me down.
He's ordered me to take on a missing dog case, but I don't think it's right. I ought to be looking for Octavius.
George Crump again. Octavius hasn't shown his face yet and Mr Bruff is furious with him. I told him I was worried but he just shouted me down.
He's ordered me to take on a missing dog case, but I don't think it's right. I ought to be looking for Octavius.
George Crump here and I'm only writing this because everything's gone really wrong.
The night before last, those thugs broke in and slaughtered Lady Geeson in her bed. Sir John blames Mr Bruff for his bad advice.
To cap it all Octavius has disappeared.
George Crump here and I'm only writing this because everything's gone really wrong.
The night before last, those thugs broke in and slaughtered Lady Geeson in her bed. Sir John blames Mr Bruff for his bad advice.
To cap it all Octavius has disappeared.
"Go on, tell me then."
"It was a neat idea," said Octavius. "Coordinates for the planned attacks were delivered to Mrs Walsh's, leaving the diplomat entirely in the clear. But he didn't figure on dealing with Octavius Guy!"
I frowned. "I meant about Annie."
"Go on, tell me then."
"It was a neat idea," said Octavius. "Coordinates for the planned attacks were delivered to Mrs Walsh's, leaving the diplomat entirely in the clear. But he didn't figure on dealing with Octavius Guy!"
I frowned. "I meant about Annie."
His nibs turned up at church. Almost wish he hadn't.
I hate how Annie gushes over him. Looked like they were making another assignation to me.
This week's dinner's at our place, and Mary wanted to cook it. It's seven as I write this and it's still not ready.
His nibs turned up at church. Almost wish he hadn't.
I hate how Annie gushes over him. Looked like they were making another assignation to me.
This week's dinner's at our place, and Mary wanted to cook it. It's seven as I write this and it's still not ready.
Yesterday I fumed all the way back to the office. His nibs seemed so sure that the coded letters would stop, yet he persisted in explaining nothing.
"How can you know?" I asked.
"Because we saw the diplomat moving house," he replied, damn his eyes!
Yesterday I fumed all the way back to the office. His nibs seemed so sure that the coded letters would stop, yet he persisted in explaining nothing.
"How can you know?" I asked.
"Because we saw the diplomat moving house," he replied, damn his eyes!
We were at Mrs Walsh's, having just watched the movers stripping the diplomat's house.
"You will never be troubled by those letters again, or my name is not Octavius Guy!" his nibs declared.
Neither she nor I was impressed.
"Truly?"
"Truly, miss. I swear it!"
We were at Mrs Walsh's, having just watched the movers stripping the diplomat's house.
"You will never be troubled by those letters again, or my name is not Octavius Guy!" his nibs declared.
Neither she nor I was impressed.
"Truly?"
"Truly, miss. I swear it!"
His nibs seemed delighted with what he'd read in the paper. I wandered over casual-like and glanced at the headline: War In The Crimea Escalates.
"I sense you have questions, George," said he.
I wasn't about to let him get the better of me!
"Me? Course not!"
His nibs seemed delighted with what he'd read in the paper. I wandered over casual-like and glanced at the headline: War In The Crimea Escalates.
"I sense you have questions, George," said he.
I wasn't about to let him get the better of me!
"Me? Course not!"
"Are you going to let me in on what's going on?" I asked.
Octavius was again engrossed in his newspaper.
He shrugged rather annoyingly then said: "I threw the coded letter I wrote out. The rag and bone man took it. The diplomat then purloined it. See?"
"Are you going to let me in on what's going on?" I asked.
Octavius was again engrossed in his newspaper.
He shrugged rather annoyingly then said: "I threw the coded letter I wrote out. The rag and bone man took it. The diplomat then purloined it. See?"
Got to Mrs Walsh's in time for tea. I was tucking into my third scone when the knocker sounded.
Octavius jumped up to retrieve the second post. Mrs Walsh looked on helplessly as he tore open her mail.
He rushed to her writing desk and began to scribble.
Got to Mrs Walsh's in time for tea. I was tucking into my third scone when the knocker sounded.
Octavius jumped up to retrieve the second post. Mrs Walsh looked on helplessly as he tore open her mail.
He rushed to her writing desk and began to scribble.
His nibs expected me to mind the office but I went to see him at Mrs Walsh's.
He didn't seem surprised to see me. He put down the paper he was reading and rose from his chair.
"The letter won't be long in coming," he said mysteriously, tapping the front page headline.
His nibs expected me to mind the office but I went to see him at Mrs Walsh's.
He didn't seem surprised to see me. He put down the paper he was reading and rose from his chair.
"The letter won't be long in coming," he said mysteriously, tapping the front page headline.