Page 41 of The Magpie Lord
Stephen thought about that. “What about practice? Shamanism? Is that legal?”
“Yes, of course. Legal, acknowledged, shamans on every corner and advising the government— God, you look like a child outside a sweet shop.”
“I feel like one,” Stephen said. “No laws. You mean, like...normal?”
“Entirely normal.” Crane shrugged. “I had a fairly intense fling with a youngish and rather lovely mandarin. He took me to the odd state banquet. Nobody raised an eyebrow. Except the British contingent, the bacon-and-egg types. They didn’t like it. I expect they wrote back to England in droves. Didn’t bother me. I’d never planned to come back so I didn’t care about my reputation in England—and, actually, after twenty years in a sane country, I don’t care now. If I’m arrested Merrick will post bail and we’ll get on the next ship back to civilisation.”
“Can I come?” said Stephen, and blushed as the words left his mouth.
“By all means. The laws don’t apply to you, though, surely?”
“Yes, of course they do. Well, they absolutely would if I was arrested and sentenced. Admittedly, I don’t propose to let that happen, for witchcraft or anything else. But in theory, yes.”
The horse trotted on.
“Tell me what’s going to happen this evening,” Crane said. “Will Lady Thwaite know you’re a justiciar?”
“I don’t expect so, unless she’s heard from Miss Bell, but that seems unlikely. I’m not sure I’ll act on her tonight, incidentally. I want to get a sense of what’s going on here first. Would you mind letting her fluence you?”
“Yes, I bloody would!” said Crane with startling vehemence, jerking the reins. “I willnotbe played with like that.” He was obviously forcing down anger as he went on, “I object to having my mind invaded. That is an absolute refusal. No.”
Stephen frowned. “This is the sore point you mentioned, isn’t it? What happened?”
Crane’s mouth tightened. “Oh, we had a charming experience with one of your lot in China.” He stared up into the trees, muscles twitching over his face. “In a word, Merrick rooked a shaman at dice, and the bastard put a curse on him that made him...imbecilic. Animal. It was disgusting. He drooled and gibbered. Smeared his shit on the walls and—tsaena. It was grotesque. I thought he’d be like it forever.” He jerked his head, shaking off the memory.
Stephen’s hands were twitching with the urge to strike. On the occasions he thought of leaving his thankless, dangerous job, it was expressions like the one Crane was wearing now that made him keep on going. “How did it end?”
“I paid the shaman off. Everything we had, more or less. No choice. I tried to negotiate and he threatened to do the same thing to me. So I paid up, and he lifted the curse and went off smirking.” Crane wiped a hand over his face. “I have plenty of bad memories but Merrick grinning in the corner like an ape is... No.”
Stephen bit his lip. “And now I’m doubly ashamed of what I did last night. I won’t let anyone touch you again. You have my word.”
“Thank you.”
“Er... That said, would you be able to tolerate an attempt if I promise it won’t work?”
Crane shot him a look. “Why do you want me to?”
“Honestly, I want to find out what is going on around here. And the easiest way is to let them show us what they want.”
Crane frowned. “Is this not just a rather silly woman abusing her powers?”
“Probably, yes. But what with the jack and the haunting, I’d like to be sure of that before I act.”
“I see.” Crane turned the horses through a gate. “I don’t know. I can’t promise to behave myself.”
“Well, it’s up to you,” Stephen said. “You’ve heard my recommendation.”
“I don’t know. Oh, sod it. You’re the expert. Whatever you want. What reason should we give for your presence?”
“Oh, legal business. Vague, dull legal business. Messuage, enfeoffment, conveyancing.”
“Dull things. Right.”
“I’m going to be fairly dull myself,” Stephen said. “I plan to go unnoticed, as much as possible.”
“As you wish. But it occurs to me that Graham will have spoken to the servants when the Thwaites visited. If they listen to servants’ gossip...”
“Don’t worry about it,” Stephen said confidently. Away from Piper’s malign influence, he could feel the stronger flow tingling through his blood. “Nobody is going to think of me in those terms.”
