Jack the Ripper – A Love Story ( Excerpt 96 ) – Malcolm Marsh

Jack the Ripper – A Love Story ( Excerpt 96 )

Saturday arrived, all too soon, I had sent McGinty out on an errand to get a nice bunch of flowers for Mrs Abberline. Given the invitation, I felt that it was the very least that I could do. Once he had returned with what I hoped was an acceptable gift, I set out for their home. They too lived in the Residential part of Whitechapel, so it was only a short walk to theirs.

The walk would allow me to clear my head and get my thoughts in order. It would not do, to get to relaxed and say the wrong thing. In the presence of Abberline I always had to study my words in case they were taken too literally.

I arrived at their door, took a deep breath and knocked on their door. It was immediately opened by a smiling Abberline. ‘Welcome Jack! do come in, we don’t stand on formalities here, your timing is impeccable, the Wife is just about to served dinner.’ My welcome was surprisingly warm.

I followed him through to the dining room, and Mrs Abberline joined us from the kitchen, I presented her with the flowers I had bought, her face literally lit up, I knew I had done the right thing. ‘You should invite people around more often, Fred Abberline, if I’m to receive flowers like this? Abberline looked slightly embarrassed, but said, ‘ Jack, this is my wife, Elizabeth.

‘Lizzie will be fine, we are all friends here, and I have heard so much about you Doctor and all the good you do for the poor people of Whitechapel. Mrs Abberline like her husband had a slight accent, I made a guess that she was probably Dorset born and bred too. She, was a chubby little woman with sparkling eyes and a ready smile, within moments I felt quite at ease in her presence.