Page 20 of Her Majesty's Necromancer
"So why didn't you tell me this when you returned last night?"
"I didn't think I had to keep my maid informed of ministry business, since it doesn't concern her."
"Of course it does. If it concerns you—and Seth and Gus—then it concerns me. Besides, I want to help in any way I can."
"You have enough to do here, Charlie. There's no need for you to do more."
I wasn't sure whether I ought to be offended or pleased. Was he trying to protect me or shut me out? "Being your maid is all well and good, but I'd like to do more, on occasion. If Seth and Gus can, then why not me?"
He backed away, but I moved into the open doorway so he couldn't close the door. "You're not ready to do more, Charlie."
"I disagree," I said tightly. "I am ready. I can defend myself, if necessary, and an extra set of eyes might be handy from time to time. Not to mention my necromancy would be useful."
"You wish to use it," he said flatly. "In public view."
"In private, and only when other avenues are closed to us."
He seemed to consider this for a moment, then he said, "I thought you didn't like your power."
"It's not something I wish to advertise, but I've had time to accept it now. I'm not as horrified at myself as I used to be. My father—Anselm Holloway—made me feel little better than a creature from the marshes, but you…you and the others here at Lichfield helped me to see that I'm not something to be abhorred."
"You are certainly not that," he said quietly.
"Then you will let me help?"
"Unlikely."
"Lincoln!"
"That's enough, Charlie," he growled. "Go and change out of your wet clothes. I'll see you later for training."
"Very well, but I would like to point out that it's unfair that you are allowed to be involved in my affairs and I can't be involved in yours."
"I don't understand."
"I know you're trying to find my mother through the orphanages. We could cover more in faster time if we worked together. Or am I not allowed to search for my own mother because it's taboo ministry business?"
"It will be if it becomes too dangerous for you."
I blinked rapidly at him. "But she's my mother." It sounded pathetic—small—and I wished I could take it back as soon as I’d said it. He was probably right in that others might try to use her necromancy too, if they knew about it, just as Frankenstein had tried to use me. But who else knew about her—or me, for that matter? There was unlikely to be any danger now.
"You admonish me for trying to keep you safe?" he asked quietly.
"Frankenstein is gone, and Holloway is in jail. Nobody else who knows or, I suspect, cares what I can do."
"We cannot know that for certain. For now, I'd like you to be careful." He went to shut the door, and this time I backed out. There was no point arguing with him anymore.
His words had reminded me of the man I'd seen get off the omnibus—the same man who'd watched me as I left the orphanage. It was probably just a coincidence, however. Nothing untoward had happened, and he'd not even approached me.
I changed my clothes and returned to the kitchen for soup. Poor Gus was still out in the rain, watching Jimmy and Pete, and since I'd been given the day off, Seth acted as scullery maid and washed the dishes.
"You had a morning off yesterday," he complained as he collected bowls. "Why did he give you an entire day today?"
"I'm not sure." I handed him my bowl and gave him a sweet smile. It didn't work and he stormed out of the kitchen like a boy who'd been scolded by his mother.
"Death be gettin' soft, now there's a woman in the house," Cook said.
"Fitzroy, soft?" I laughed. "Hardly. Come and play cards with me until it's time for training to begin."
