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“You decided?” she o, and he bore the mark of the Brethren”

He tutted “My brother bore the heraldic syned ere children, as do I It is the entleman’s club Shame Joseph proved to be an unworthy member But one must take no prisoners when one is on a mission”

The implication he had killed his brother roused confusion Would the witness not have noticed one man had a stoop?

Bradley’s e in the cellar Perhaps she ue down there, push him in and lock the door

“I thought you kept your prisoners in the cellar”

“The cellar? Ah, you speak of Layton’s little idea to strike fear into those who couldn’t pay” Mr Bradley sst the rats, crying and whiine hi down the lane when he realised Layton had left the door open If only Vale or Farrow had found the courage to visit Bow Street” He gave an indolent wave “But they never do”

This man was the devil incarnate

Was he not reht catch him and try him for his crimes?

“Whatever your cunning plan, your obvious stoopa hunched figure enter this building There cannot be many well-dressed men in London with your affliction”

Mr Bradley’s ed his shoulders, cracked his neck and manipulated his distorted body in weird ways Finally, he rolled his head frorow comfortable in this new position

“What affliction ht, his back raht “As Paine so eloquently said, tyranny is not easily conquered”

Chapter Twenty

The ee in Isaac Bradley’s copy of Vathek did not contain the usual words of warning There wasn’t one page marked with ominous threats—there were thirty The scholarMr Beckford’s fictional tale looking for ways to deliver his es

“Bradley is as devious as the devil”

“It is not like you to make assumptions,” Wycliff said froic says that Mr Bradley had an interest in the book That does not mean he is the mastermind behind these wicked deeds”