Page 54 of The Magpie Lord
At last the three of them were alone in the house.
“Right,” Crane said to Merrick. “We’re in an unspecified form of extreme trouble. I’m apparently being kept here by magical means that Mr. Day can’t do anything about. I have no idea what’s going on, he thinks he does, he’s in charge.”
“Thank you,” Stephen said. “Mr. Merrick, there are at least three warlocks coming for Lord Crane, probably four. Bad shamans. What was that word?” he added to Crane.
“Wugu.”
“Shit,” said Merrick.
“Indeed. I am outnumbered and, frankly, outmatched. I need you to go and get me some help.”
Merrick scowled. “Where, sir?”
“London. Dr. Daniel Gold’s surgery, Devonshire Street, off Oxford Street. You want Mrs. Esther Gold, but you can talk to Dr. Gold if needbe. If neither of them is there, tell his people to get Mr. Janossi. I need Esther up here urgently, with Saint and Janossi. And tell her it’s a sinkhole. Got it? Good. You’re going to have to get to the station somehow. Steal a horse. Even better, go to Nethercote and tell Miss Bell that there’s warlockry afoot, tell her to get you on the road to London. And listen, Mr. Merrick, don’t trust anyone else. Not the vicar, not the stationmaster, not my aunt, not anyone. Don’t let anyone touch you and try not to let them see you... I’m asking too much of you. This isn’t safe.”
Merrick’s eyes narrowed. “What d’you reckon’s going to happen, sir?”
“Someone may try to stop you. I don’t know who. I don’t know how hard they’ll try. They might be prepared to kill. I realise this is a lot to ask but I’m afraid we’re in a lot of trouble, and I don’t have any other way out of it.”
“What’re you going to be doing while I’m gone?”
“Trying to keep Lord Crane alive,” Stephen said. “My chances would be improved by reinforcements.”
Merrick looked at Crane, who shrugged. “You heard him.”
The manservant nodded briefly. “Right, then.”
“Be lucky,” said Crane. “And come back safe or I’ll pursue you to the tenth court of hell to shout at you.”
“You just watch your arse,” Merrick retorted. “And nobody else’s,ifyou can manage that. I’ll get some stuff and be off.Tse hue. Sir,” he added, with a nod to Stephen.
“Tse hue,” said Crane.
They gripped hands for a second. Merrick turned and ran lightly up the stairs. Crane looked after him, lips compressed.
“Was that Chinese for goodbye?” Stephen asked.
“See you again,” Crane said. “Not goodbye. How much of that was true?”
“If I could have a wish granted, it would be to have Esther here right now. I have no idea if the enemy will be looking out for Mr.Merrick, but I’m absolutely sure his chances are a lot better away from you.”
Crane took a deep breath. “Presumably, that’s true of you too. I think you should go with him, Stephen.”
“No. That ring, the Magpie Lord’s, let’s get it.”
“No, we are going to talk about this. You didn’t come here to get killed—don’t just bloody brush me off,” he added angrily as Stephen shook his head.
“It’s pointless. They’ll need to kill me anyway, don’t you see? And we’re wasting time.”
Crane looked down at him. The shaman was quivering with tension, and Crane read a flat determination in his face. He turned on his heel and led the way upstairs, two steps at a time, feet echoing on the ancient stairs, ringing through the empty house. The shorter man hurried to keep up.
“This is guesswork, you understand,” Stephen began. “And I’d be pleased to be wrong. Well. Do you recall when I arrived, almost the first thing I said was that this house reminded me of an Egyptian mummy?”
“Yes?”
“Does that ring any bells?”
Crane looked round at him as they strode towards the Long Gallery. “That chap in China. You last winter. Stripped people?”
