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Juliana rankled me somewhat – as if I did not share that concern, or indeed, have far more, for I had loved Juliana for a long time and there was nothing I would do to hurt her. I had committed a terrible deed to protect her and nothing Kane could do would ever match that, for all that my actions of that dreadful night had to remain secret for fear of being misunderstood.
    Kane sighed and then smiled, warm and open, reachingforward and squeezing my arm. ‘Thank you. That is a mighty relief. I am very glad to have met you, Dr Thomas Bond. I can see why Juliana relies on you so much. You are a good man.’
    Once back in my house I went straight to my study and poured a large brandy before sitting at my desk and staring at the envelopes: pockets of history waiting to be retold. In truth I wanted to burn them immediately, and I racked my brain for ways I could do this and have a valid explanation to give to Kane but I found none. Instead, I opened the bottom drawer and threw them inside – but still I felt their presence –
Harrington’s
presence – too close to me and knew I would not be able to work in peace at my desk with them inside it. I swallowed the brandy before taking the package into the second bedroom and forcing it under the mattress, as far in as I could reach. I closed the door and calmed myself.
    I could forget them now. I had no desire to read their contents. Harrington had been a murderer of women and that is what the pages would tell me, nothing more. There would be no talk of monsters. Of
Upirs
.
    Even if there was, I did not want to read it: I would not unlock the door to that insanity again. The past was done and I would not allow Edward Kane to bring back the ghost of Harrington to taunt me. My hands were still trembling and I drank another brandy before going to bed, but even then I did not sleep easily, for my dreams were tormented with flashes of memory. When I woke, I knew I had to get the letters out of my house. I would lock them in a drawer in my office at the hospital. I would not have them near me.
    I felt calmer after that. The world was still steady. I was a sane man.

8

Colney Hatch Lunatic Asylum. 1893
Aaron Kosminski
    Assessment
    The patient’s condition continues to deteriorate. His agitations have increased quite dramatically over a period of six months. His illness presents in the form of delusions that are paranoid in nature and he sleeps little.
    The patient has a fixation with the river. His rants when in the grip of his delusions are difficult to analyse as anything other than the result of a confused mind. When questioned as to what is disturbing him, he says ‘It is not in the river. It did not go in the river.’ He repeats this statement several times, each time with increasing anxiety. Occasionally, he mentions blood. Were he a less pathetic and obviously terrified individual I would have concerns that he has an unknown violent past, but I conclude that he is suffering some form of disease of the mind.
    He continues to refuse to wash unless forced by nurses while restrained, and he resists human contact.

9

The
Times

Saturday, February 14, 1897

MURDER IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE
    As was briefly reported in The Times of yesterday, a shocking murder was committed on the London and South-Western Railway on Thursday night. Up to yesterday evening no arrests had been made…
    …The deceased apparently sat with her back to the engine. Her assailant probably first hit her a blow on the forehead, partially stunning her. She must have then grappled with the man, for splashes of blood were found on the opposite side of the carriage, and her umbrella was found broken. It was supposed that the murderer then swung round and inflicted a second blow on the left side of the head, smashing in her skull and killing her. She was then pushed under the seat, and when found was lying on her back with her legs across the floor of the carriage.
The
Daily Mail

Tuesday, February 16, 1897
    Any