Page 14 of Fiendish Delights
I blinked. ‘Excuse me?’
‘I’ve not had a decent hunt since Loch Arkaig. It sounds like you’re on the trail of something intriguing. Let me join you and I’ll get you what you need.’
‘You want to joinmytreasure hunt?’
He smiled easily. ‘Why not?’
Because I was trying to retrieve a kid’s toy, not locate piles of gold. ‘You might be disappointed with the results,’ I said carefully. ‘It’s not going to be a big pay off.’
‘It’s a risk I’m willing to take.’
He couldn’t say I hadn’t warned him – and anyway, I doubted he’d persuade Duchess. ‘Alright. Get me that toenail clipping and you’re in.’
Hugo looked pleased. ‘Good. Give me a couple of minutes.’ With that, he strode out of the room and after Duchess.
I caught up with them on top of the bridge where Duchess now lived. ‘I’ll upgrade your quarters,’ Hugo said. ‘Whatever you want.’
‘Candles,’ she said instantly.
‘Done.’
Duchess sensed she was on to a winning streak. ‘And the bridge should be extended so I’ve got more space.’ She spread her huge arms, gesturing at the width.
Hugo nodded. ‘That’ll take more time, but I can do it.’
‘And flowers planted along the verge by a witch who knows what they’re doing. I want them to bloom all year round.’
I sucked in a breath. That would cost a fortune. Guilt traced through my veins. ‘Hugo, I don’t think?—’
‘No problem,’ he interrupted.
Shit.
‘And,’ Duchess said, with a gleam in her eye, ‘I get to kill every third visitor who tries to cross the bridge.’
‘I’m going to have to say no to that one.’
I exhaled.
She grinned. ‘Fair enough. I was trying to see how far you’d go to spend time with girlie here.’
I stared. What?
Hugo didn’t react. ‘Do we have a deal?’
Duchess spat on the palm of her hand and extended it. Hugo didn’t hesitate: he did the same and they shook. Then he looked down at her bare feet. ‘I don’t have any nail clippers that are big enough,’ he said. ‘But I can speak to the gardener and maybe find some shears that?—’
Duchess waved him off. ‘No need.’ She lowered herself to the ground, then pulled one misshapen foot to her mouth in an extraordinarily limber display that any yoga expert would have been proud of. When she started to chew on her own toenail Ihad to look away; there were some things that nobody should have to see.
Eventually Duchess gave a grunt and spat out a long, thick, curved section of her toenail. It was yellow and crusty, and if I thought about it too much it would have made my stomach heave.
I pulled out a plastic bag I’d brought for this very purpose and quickly scooped the fraction of toenail into it. ‘Thanks, Duchess,’ I muttered.
‘I still want my parcel.’
‘I’ll call them,’ I promised.
She pointed at Hugo. ‘And you’d better come up with the goods, too.’
