Page 25 of The Last Necromancer
"Have an appointment to keep?"
I gave him a withering glare. His expression didn't change from his usual bland one.
"I returned to Clerkenwell today," he said. "I spoke to your friends."
"They're not my friends."
After a moment he said, "I'm glad you realize that. They were quick to tell me what I wanted to know."
"You gave them money."
"Not much."
I folded the book in my arms against my chest. "And what did they tell you?"
"They told me where they think you came from before they met you mere months ago."
"How can they know where I came from?"
Again he hesitated, as if weighing up how much to tell me. "Your accent and a few words you used were more common in the Whitehall area."
"I don't have no accent." So I'd thought. Yet he'd been correct. I'd lived in Whitehall before Clerkenwell.
"I traveled to Whitehall and asked around. A boy matching your description lived there for six months or so. They thought he'd come from Finsbury. Tomorrow I'll send Gus and Seth there to find out about a child who kept his brown hair over his face to hide it." He took a step toward me and lowered his voice. "I will find out where you came from, Charlie, and I when I do, I'll discover how it is you can bring the dead back to life."
I swallowed past the lump in my throat. I couldn't look away. His gaze held me, pinning me as thoroughly as his body had done moments ago on the bed.
"Here you go," Seth said, carrying a plate of food in. Gus entered behind him.
Fitzroy stepped back and marched out the door. "Follow me. Bring the boy and his books. I see he's already in possession of the spare shirt."
I was too stunned to do anything but follow meekly. Fitzroy had not only dodged the bullet intended for him, but he'd learned more about my past than I'd have liked. And his methods were going to lead him to discover the truth. My only hope was that the further back in time he went, the slower his investigation would become. Gangs broke up, and children died or moved on. And then, of course, he would hit a wall altogether. He would be asking about a boy with hair covering his face, not a girl. My secrets were safe until I chose to reveal them.
If I chose to do so. I didn't believe his silly story about the queen's life being in danger. I certainly didn't want to reanimate the dead for him or his cause, no matter what it was. On the other hand, Lady Harcourt was his ally, in whatever scheme they had in mind, and surely such a fine noblewoman wouldn't want me to do anything wrong.
"Where are we taking him, sir?" Seth's question might as well have fallen on deaf ears. Fitzroy strode ahead, heading down two flights of stairs then swiftly along the corridor that housed the bathroom.
Gus prodded me in the back with the clean chamber pot he still held and I had to trot to keep up with Fitzroy. Finally we reached the end of the long corridor and stopped at a door.
"He's to stay in here until I give further word," Fitzroy said, opening the door.
Seth gasped. "But these are your chambers?"
I was as confused as he and Gus. Why did Fitzroy want me in there instead of the tower room?
"It's larger and more comfortable for two."
"Two, sir? Are you going to remain here?"
"He seems to be able to outwit you both too easily. I'll guard him, from now on."
Seth shuffled his feet and Gus's cheeks colored. I wondered if they would be in more trouble later or if that was the extent of it.
I hugged the book to my chest. He was right. I could trick Seth and Gus, but Fitzroy was too clever to fall for my ruses. On the other hand, he was only one man, and even he needed to sleep. He was not a machine.
He stepped aside and motioned me through the door. I entered and took in my surroundings. It was a large room with a sofa and leather armchairs at one end gathered around a fireplace, and a solid desk at the other. Paintings of country scenes hung on the dark green papered walls. A large freestanding iron candelabra was tucked into the far corner beside a bookshelf that took up almost the entire wall. It reached to the ceiling, and a ladder leaned against it. I stared at it in wonder, amazed at so many books under one roof. I hadn't realized Seth and Gus had left until the door clicked closed.
Fitzroy locked it with a key that he tucked into his waistcoat pocket. "We sleep in there." He indicated a closed door.
