Page 12 of A Sense of Turmoil
‘What promises, Remus? Why must you always be so obscure?’
Ask the countess if you really don’t know. As to the Flemings, they have something to hide. You should protect your earl from them.
‘What are they hiding and how on earth am I supposed to protect Luke? I am his employee, in case it had escaped your erratic notice.’
You are not the only earthly being I am obliged to watch over, you know.
Flora chuckled. ‘A convenient excuse since I cannot prove otherwise. But if you are being truthful for once, then I hope your other charges get better service since you have told me precious little and have only succeeded in worrying me.’
There’s no need to be insulting.Remus turned up his translucent nose.
‘Sorry, Remus. Tell me why I should be wary of the Flemings.’
I don’t know everything, do I? I’ve told you before, I can only give warnings, not reasons for them. My lords and masters clearly imagine that you can handle the situation, otherwise they wouldn’t have had me drop everything and come to put you on your guard.
‘Who are your lords and masters? Am I acquainted with them?’
They know who you are and seem to think you have promise. Goodness knows why.
‘Now who’s being insulting?’
Remus produced a sling from out of nowhere and twirled it around his head. She felt the air stirring as it whooshed past her face.
‘What are you doing?’
Practising my sling shot. The games are next week and I’m the defending champion.
Flora shook her head, sometimes wondering if Remus was an exotic figment of her imagination. But even she wasn’t that inventive. She turned her thoughts to the ambiguous warning that he had just issued, aware from experience that he was indeed never wrong but unwilling to make that admission. He was already far too full of himself. ‘George Fleming probably decided that Luke would make a good husband for his sister, and is doing all he can to promote the match. If he likes her, I don’t understand why your superiors object. Everything was apparently in order in Boston and as far as I am aware, Luke doesn’t have any reason to disapprove of their efforts on his behalf.’
As far as you are aware.
‘Anyway, even if I did know why I am supposed to warn Luke, he wouldn’t listen to me. He doesn’t believe in my abilities, such as they are.’
Remus sighed.If I wasn’t so thick-skinned, I would take that as an insult. I don’t have to go to the trouble of helping you. It takes a great deal of effort to join you in your universe and I’d prefer to save my energy for the games.
‘I haven’t actually told Luke about you. He already thinks I’m three-farthings short of a shilling when I predict something but can’t explain how I know. I suppose one can’t blame him. After all, his parents consulted a clairvoyant before embarking on their fateful journey to Boston and were told they would be safe. It’s enough to turn the most dedicated of spiritualists into unbelievers.’
Clairvoyants. Pah!Remus made a dismissive motion with one luminous hand. Charlatans. Amateurs, the lot of them. Just be wary of the Flemings, that’s what I’m supposed to warn you about. The rest will become apparent, I expect. Eventually.
‘I thought you might have come last time to warn me about my mother’s visit.’
Remus wore a brightly-coloured toga and lifted the shoulder that it bared.Your father is always scheming. I can’t keep up with his machinations. But you have the measure of him and the financial independence to do as you please, although I don’t suppose you will indulge in anything the slightest bit risqué.
‘Perish the thought,’ Flora said, grinning.
Remus tutted.So human.
‘And why is that such a bad thing?’
Because, my dear, when you get to be where I am, you can’t experience pleasures of the flesh, more’s the pity. It is far better to regret being impulsive during one’s short life than it is to regret the things that one did not do in the centuries that follow.
‘You’re in a profound mood today, Remus,’ Flora said, amused.
Just trying to dispense a little other-worldly advice, much thanks I get for it.He cocked his shadowy head to one side.Must go. The final contestants are at the Coliseum and the crowd are baying for blood. Bear in mind my caution about the Flemings. You are sufficiently inventive to think of ways to warn the earl without involving me. Toodle-oo.’
‘My regards to Romulus,’ she said mischievously.
Remus hissed at the mention of his brother’s name, waved his lustrous fingers and faded from view.
