"The Widow" Bertha

This unnamed Mr. "Postman", from the White Horse Hotel to South Bank Street, and then to the Northfield Manor murder case, can be regarded as an old acquaintance who has worked hard to protect Bertha secretly all the way so far.

Therefore, Bertha had no objection to Mycroft's proposal, but the young people in the firm were not very happy.

What do you mean, where did this guy come from?It wasn't their turn to protect Mrs. Thames when a stranger appeared out of the blue? !

—Mr. "Postman" has been receiving such overt and covert guarded and jealous looks all morning.

Even Ned Morrison, the most inconspicuous little accountant, couldn't help showing a strange expression when he saw Bertha had a strange bodyguard beside him.

But he is very smart, the people brought by Mrs. Thames are not his turn to speak, so Ned chooses to look away and treat the strange bodyguard as an empty person: "Madam, from today onwards, the bar in Thames is officially open."

"It's open?"

Bertha was surprised: "Mrs. Bartz's efficiency is really high."

You must know that choosing a manager is only the first step, and the next step is to purchase goods, hire helpers, etc., which are all very troublesome things.It's only been a few days, and she has already taken care of everything and chose to officially open the business.

Ned understood Bertha's subtext: "Naturally, Ma'am, you have a good eye... It's really all ready, I'm watching. And she asked 'can't catch' two days ago. They released the news, saying that the bar In the first month of opening, there was a competition every night, and whoever had the most alcohol would be free that day."

Hey guys, the marketing plan has caught up.

Business development in the Victorian era was not as good as it is today, and marketing methods are naturally not as fancy as in the 21st century.Such a small competition, and knowing how to use gang resources to release advertisements in advance, can make the bar lively every night at almost no cost, so why not do it.

"It's estimated that South Bank Street will be quite lively this month," Bertha said with a smile, "find a few of your own people to keep an eye on, in case someone makes trouble."

"Where is the need to send someone specially, madam!"

When Ned heard this, he straightened the frame of the mirror, and couldn't help complaining in disgust: "Mrs. Butts said that Mrs. Thames's family has a discount on drinking, which is great. I heard several people talking about drinking at night during the day." Well, it's a shame not to let them go. I'm afraid these drunks will drink up their place."

Bertha couldn't help laughing: "I hear what you mean, aren't you going?"

Ned: "I... can't drink much."

You don't look like you can drink.It is said that little accountant Ned not only doesn't drink, he doesn't smoke - he really doesn't look like a gang member in appearance, personality and behavior.

But Bertha liked his appearance quite a bit, and she didn't say that a gangster must be like Sykes, did she?

"You can drink as much as you want in your own place," so she smiled and comforted, "Of course, if anyone is drunk, even Sykes, they should be punished as they are, and if they are not satisfied, let them come to me directly. .”

"Yes."

Hearing what Madam said, Ned breathed a sigh of relief: When the time comes, he will discipline those gangsters, but he will be acting according to the order!

But the little accountant was still young, and although he tried his best to ignore the extra strange bodyguard, Ned couldn't help but glance at the "postman" before leaving.

Only Thomas Thames, who knew his identity, did not express any opinion on the appearance of the postman.

Ned was in charge of logistics, while Thomas Thames took care of everything externally.The important members of Jesse's gang in the past have now directly become Mrs. Thames' agent. Fortunately, Thomas has outstanding abilities, and he directly resisted the huge gang without any mistakes.

In his own words, that is "If you don't carry it yourself, should you hand over the mallet to Sykes?"

As soon as he entered the door, he saw the postman, but he was stunned for a moment, then nodded to the Holmes family, and said to Bertha reassuringly: "Madam, the pastor just came to inform us that Martha Garrison's funeral is today. afternoon."

"Okay, I'm going to change clothes now."

"Are you going in person?" Thomas asked in surprise.

"Of course," replied Bertha, "I paid for the funeral; shouldn't I give her a ride?"

"..."

It was definitely not Bertha's illusion. Hearing what she said, Thomas's handsome face showed a bit of soft emotion.

He said God in a low voice, then nodded: "I'm going to prepare the carriage now."

Bertha really didn't need to go. It was just a prostitute who died. Even Mrs. Latton didn't care, so what did it matter to her?It is said that Martha Garrison was so poor that she didn't even have the money to prepare her own coffin.

If she hadn't been the first victim of an accidental death on Mrs Thames' estate, she might have been buried in a shroud so hastily that no one cared if a prostitute died.

Not many people cared about the life and death of the poor in Whitechapel.

People died every day in the slums, and she couldn't take care of all the dead.Bertha admitted that she had given Martha Garrison a decent funeral for Mrs. Lutton's sake, but she thought it would be better... to go and see.

Since it is paid by oneself.

***

London is always cloudy and rainy. It was only cloudy when Bertha went out today, and the fine rain began to fall slowly in the afternoon.

The rain came almost in time for a funeral.

Martha Garrison's funeral was deserted. She had no friends, except the priest, and only the gang members Bertha brought.To Bertha's surprise, the vicar of Whitechapel was unexpectedly young.

He looked no more than twenty-five or six years old, and seemed to be about the same age as Bertha.

Fortunately, young is young, and the business is still very skilled.

After the short funeral, the pastor held an umbrella and walked towards Bertha together with another strange young man: "Thank you for your generosity, Mrs. Thames."

"Ma'am, this is Reverend White from Whitechapel, and this is Dr. Alan Lear, the doctor invited by Scotland Yard to conduct an autopsy on Martha Garrison," Thomas dutifully introduced, " Gentlemen, this is Mrs Thames."

doctor?

Bertha couldn't help but look more at the young man behind the pastor. She didn't expect that the autopsy doctor invited by the police would be there.

Forgive Bertha for being suspicious. The series of incidents these days have made her naturally wary of the profession of a doctor.She turned her head slightly, and said nonchalantly, "Did Dr. Alan Lear and Martha Garrison know each other before?"

"I'm sorry about her," replied Dr. Lear, "but I just happened to be passing by today."

"Just passing by?"

"He's here to visit me, ma'am," Reverend White answered with a smile.

Bertha raised an eyebrow.

This is what it means to know.

"It turned out to be a friend of Reverend White," she said.

"College classmate," Pastor White's tone was kind, and his attitude was quite accommodating, completely in line with Bertha's imagination of a clergyman. "If Martha Garrison hadn't suffered an accident, I didn't even know he had come to London."

"I didn't know you became a priest," Dr. Lear said, "You're a student of biology!"

"I studied biology to find answers to science," Pastor White replied frankly. "I changed my career to become a pastor to find answers to theology. From some perspectives, there is no difference."

"..."

Darwin's coffin is going to fly!

Forgive Bertha for not having such a high awareness. She really can't figure out what theological answers can be explored by a college student who studies biology and becomes a pastor in a slum.But that has nothing to do with her.

So Bertha just said politely: "Thank you, Pastor White."

Pastor White shook his head. He was very young, but he had a gentle face, as if he was born suitable for this job.Hearing Bertha's words, Pastor White's clear eyes showed a bit of imperceptible sadness: "It should be me thanking you, madam. You have a kind heart for investing in unrelated strangers. I will help you day and night. You prayed."

Thomas, who is a Catholic in the envelope, also said this, Bertha didn't take it to heart at all, but anyway, you are worshiping the same person, so there should be no conflict.

"Early when your office ... opened, I thought I'd have time to visit you," said Reverend White, "but I didn't expect to see you at a funeral."

Bertha raised an eyebrow.

It was Thomas beside him who nodded: "It's okay, Mrs. Thames is not Old Jessie, just get acquainted, and there is no need to come to the door."

The implication is to remind Bertha that even if she doesn't believe in any religion, she can feel free to establish a good relationship with the pastor in the neighborhood near Whitechapel.

Bertha could hear Thomas' overtones, couldn't Reverend White hear it?

He said that he prayed for him day and night, but Mrs. Thames did not respond. As a church pastor, White knew that this meant that Mrs. Thames did not believe in gods.

But the pastor didn't say much, just smiled and exchanged greetings with Bertha, and sent them away in person.

"Pastor White has been working here for a year," Thomas explained after leaving the cemetery. "He looks like a saint, but he has a clear heart. But don't worry, ma'am, this only proves that he is flexible but has a deep heart." Kind."

Being able to get such a high evaluation from Thomas proves that the pastor is indeed a good person.

"You trust him?" asked Bertha.

"It's not trustworthy," Thomas said, raising his hand to look at his watch. "Just don't have conflicts with the clergy—damn it!"

"how?"

"Several shops on the east side are waiting for me to clean up the stalls," Thomas rubbed his forehead, "Ma'am, if it's okay, I... just go ahead?"

After speaking, he glanced at the postman who was acting as an invisible man behind Bertha.

If Mr. Postman hadn't been there, Thomas would have to send Bertha back to the office safely, even if he asked the store staff to wait until tomorrow.But now that Mr. Holmes sent bodyguards over, it was convenient for his own people.

Now they don't know what the "postman" is called, but it doesn't matter.Seeing Thomas' embarrassed appearance, Bertha laughed out loud: "Hurry up and go, it's not that I don't know the way."

"I'll go first, ma'am!"

Thomas, who got the approval, turned around and left under the umbrella, watching him run away quickly, and Bertha took the last step.

But just as she stepped out of the cemetery, she saw a familiar figure standing on the side of the street——a young girl in black with a veil that couldn't hide her pretty face.

It was the incompetent Katie next to Mrs. Raton.

Bertha couldn't help raising her eyebrows. With her appearance, she was clearly here to attend the funeral.Today, only Martha Garrison was buried in the Whitechapel District. Since she was someone she knew, why didn't she show up just now?

Instead, meeting Bertha's gaze, Katie slightly restrained the mourning expression on her face, and walked forward cautiously.

"Ma'am," Katie began, "thank you for everything you do for Martha."

"...you are a few steps late, Katie," said Bertha, "Thomas is a step ahead."

The young prostitute in front of her smiled, but she couldn't hide her pale expression under the black clothes.

"I'm here to see you," she said.