Mairelon the Magician
Page 22
"Get back, Kim," Mairelon said sharply, as though he had
just remembered her and was not at all pleased to find her
standing next to him
Nothing loath, Kim backed up a few paces and looked
191
around A large canvas bag lay on the ground a few feet
away She stared at it with a sinking feeling, then went over
and picked it up It was much heavier than she expected, and
she frowned as she tugged at the strings If it wasn't another
platter, what was it? She got it open at last, looked inside,
and made a strangled noise
"What's that?" Mairelon asked, looking up "Another plat-
ter?"
"No," Kirn said "It's two of them "
"Two of them?" Mairelon stood and came over to her He
took the sack and put his left hand inside for a moment, then
shook his head "And both fakes Well, at least now we know
who was responsible for making them "
"We do?" said Kirn
"Well, nearly It has to have been either Fenton or the man
who shot him," Mairelon said "One of them brought that
bag here, and who would have two false platters except the
man who's been making them?"
"You do," Kirn pointed out "Or you did until just now
Now you've got four "
"Yes, well, that's different. We've been collecting them, not
making them "
"Why couldn't Fenton do that, too?"
Mairelon sighed 'True It doesn't seem likely, but it's pos-
sible " He stared into the trees for a moment, then shook his
head again. "There's no help for it I shall have to send you
back to get Hunch "
"WW? No' I ain't goin'l" Kirn barely stopped herself from
shrieking Leave Mairelon alone for over an hour with a dead
body and a killer lurking in the woods, more than likely?
Leave without having any idea what Fenton had been
doing—or what Mairelon was going to do next? Leave now,
and have to pry the story out of Mairelon later?
"I'm afraid you must," Mairelon said "In case you had for-
192
gotten, there is a man around with a pistol Once he's had
time to reload, he'll probably recover his courage, and when
he does I would like to have Hunch—and the shotgun—near
at hand "
"Then you better go to the wagon yourself," Kirn advised
"It ain't goin' to take an hour for the cove to reload, and it'd
take that long just for me to walk back "
True," Mairelon conceded He frowned down at the bag
"I don't like leaving bodies lying around, but I can't very well
march up to the door of Brammgham Place and explain mat-
ters, can i"
Kirn stared at him, amazed that he would even consider
such a foolish action "With the Runners after you'' Not
hardly i"
"Yes, there's that, too," Mairelon said absently He was still
frowning "Well, let's finish here first, and then decide " He
handed the canvas sack back to Kirn "Hold this "
Feeling a bit bewildered, Kirn took the sack and watched as
Mairelon returned to Fenton's corpse Her bewilderment
deepened when Mairelon began going through Fenton's
pockets with the bnsk professionalism of a London cutpurse
He ignored Fenton's handkerchief, shook his head over a gold
snuffbox and an expensive-looking pair of gloves hidden in-
side Fenton's waistcoat, and frowned at a note he found in
Fenton's jacket Then, to Kirn's complete confusion, he began
patting Fenton's sides and pulling at the hems of his clothes
"What are you doin' that for?" Kim demanded at last
"I'm checking for—ahi" Mairelon stopped and took a pen-
knife from his pocket Carefully, he made a slit along the left
seam of Fenton's waistcoat; a moment later, he pulled a
folded paper From inside the lining
"Well, well," Mairelon said, shaking the paper open "What
have we here?"
193
"How should t know?" Kirn said "How did you know to
look for it there, anyways?"
"It's a trick the Frenchies used now and then when they had
something important to send," Mairelon said "If it comes to
that, it's a trick I've used myself a time or two well, well."
"Well what?" Kirn said crossly "What's it say?"
"Unless someone else finds out about this and gets there
before we do, which seems unlikely, I believe we have dis-
covered the location of the Saltash Platter at last," Mairelon
said with great satisfaction He refolded the paper and tucked
it into an inner pocket, then rose, dusting his hands
"You mean he really was makin' those fakes?" Kirn asked,
feeling a tittle chagrined
"Probably, but it doesn't matter much any more The im-
portant thing is that Fenton knew where the real platter is,
and now we do, too."
"Then we can leave?"
"Not just yet, my dear," said a new voice "Particularly not
if your friend's most recent statement is true I have a great
deal of interest in the Saltash Platter, you see "
Kim whirled and felt the blood drain from her face "Dan
Laverhami" she said
Dan was standing next to one of the tall, grey-barked trees
that lined the avenue He held a pearl-handled pistol in each
hand, and beside him stood Jack Slower, similarly armed
Jack's eyes were fixed wanly on Mairelon, and as Laverham
stepped into the avenue he said, "Be careful, Mr Laverhami
That there's the frog-maker I told you about"
"Really " Dan smiled "Richard Mernll, I assume?"
"The same," Maireton said, inclining his head "May I in-
quire how you guessed?"
"Oh, come, now There aren't many first-class wizards
who'd be out chasing after the Saltash Set You're far ,too well
behaved to be one of the Sons of the whatever, and I am
194
familiar with Lord St Clair's appearance Who else could you
be?"
"You are uncommonly well informed," Mairelon observed.
"It is necessary, in my business," Dan replied "Don't try
any spells, by the by After Jack told me his little tale, 1
prepared a few odds and ends especially to take care of that
sort of impromptu effort You wouldn't have a chance " He
gave Mairelon a long, appraising look that made Kim feel
cold inside, then said in quite another tone, "Move over by
Kim "
Without comment, Mairelon did so Dan Laverham took
two steps forward and glanced down at the body "James Fen-
ton Dear me, how dreadful And just when I thought he was
finally going to be of some use to me, after all Well, it can't
be helped By the way, why did you kill him?"
"I didn't," Mairelon said
"How interesting," Dan said "Jack, go get that bag from
K-im, there's a good fellow, and see what's in it Then 1 think
we had all better be going You can't depend on amateurs to
do the sensible thing, whoever shot Fenton might decide to
come back and take a shot or two at us, and that would never
do Assuming, of course, that Mr Merrill is telling us the
truth "
Jack stuck one of his pistols into hi
s belt and swaggered
over to Kim Silently she handed him the sack If she hadn't
been so scared, she would have enjoyed the way his expres-
sion changed when he opened the bag and saw what was
inside
"It's two of them wicher cheats, Mr Laverham!" Slower
said. "That there frog-maker's gone and doubled the thingi"
"Bring it here," Dan commanded
Slower did so, eyeing Mairelon nervously the whole time,
as if he thought the magician might make twins of himself if
he were not watched carefully Dan felt around inside for a
195
moment, just as Mairelon had, then shook his head. "They're
forgeries- Fenton was probably hoping to pass one of them
off as the real thing Leave them."
Slower gaped at Dan in disbelief. "Leave them? But they're
silver."
"I said, leave them," Dan said sharply. "I don't need any
more complications. This—" he gave Fenton's body a casual
kick, "—is more than enough."
The canvas sack hit the ground with a thud and a clatter,
"Very good," said Dan. "Now, drag our late friend back into
the woods a little, where he won't be so likely to be noticed.
I don't want him found until we're well on our way back to
London.
"I see you were acquainted with the late Mr Fenton," Mair-
elon said as Jack Stower, glowering, complied with Dan's
commands.
"James was one of my least reliable men," Dan said. "I was
positively looking forward to disposing of him myself, if I'd
realized he was getting ideas above his station, I'd have done
so long before this." He gave the canvas sack a disapproving
look
"Then Fenton was the one who made all the fakes'" Kirn
said before she could stop herself,
"All the fakes? You mean there are others besides these?"
Dan gave the sack a look that should have made it crumble to
dust on the spot- "My, but he was ambitious Or perhaps
greedy is the proper word; under the circumstances, it's diffi-
cult to be sure. it was James, all right. His eldest brother is a
silversmith,"
"The black sheep of 'is family; they're mostly respectable
tradesmen,'" Mairelon murmured "I should have asked
Hunch for details."
"Speaking of platters, I think it's time you told me where
196
the real one is," Dan said pleasantly. "It's what f came for,
after all "
"I'm afraid your Mr. Fenton didn't say," Mairelon said with
equal affability.
"I don't care whether he told you where he put it or simply
gestured so eloquently that the knowledge sprang into your
mind unbidden," Dan said dryly "I want to know the location
of the Saltash Platter. I'm sure you don't need a list of the
various painful things I could do to your young companion to
make you talk."
"Quite so," Mairelon said in the gentle tone he used only
when he was particularly angry. Kirn glanced apprehensively
at Dan, but he seemed oblivious to Mairelon's reaction, and
Kim realized with a sense of shock that Dan did not know
Mairelon at alt. She was so used to taking for granted that
Dan Laverham knew everyone and everything better than she
did that she barely heard Mairelon continue, "It's somewhere
in the druid lodge. I'm afraid he wasn't any more specific than
that, but a little searching should turn it up without too much
difficulty. The place isn't that large."
"Very good," said Dan. "Jack! Leave that and come along."
He gestured with one of his pistols. "That way, Mr. Men-ill,
and not too fast- Follow him a little to the side, Kirn."
"What d'you want them for?" Jack demanded, emerging
from the woods with a sour expression. "Pop them and leave
them with the other cove."
"You have no imagination," Dan responded "Get that sack
out of Sight and meet us at the carriage. And don't linger, I
won't wait for you."
As they started up the avenue in the direction Dan had
indicated. Kirn glanced back and saw Jack glare after Dan.
He bent and grabbed the open end of the sack, and, with a
strong heave, sent it flying into the trees before he ran to
catch up with Laverham-
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TWENTY
'^•w^' r^ an Laverham directed them down the tree-
JR^^^ L7 lined avenue and along a bndle path to a
f r wooden gate in the hedge Kim, remembering
how difficult getting through the hedge had been, gave Mair-
elon a reproachful look as Stower opened the gate and waved
them through Mairelon did not seem to notice, he was
studying Stower in a way that made Kim very nervous After
ail, Dan was still behind them with a pair of guns
To Kirn's relief, Maireton did nothing to annoy Dan, and
they reached the lane with no more than a few dark looks
from Jack Stower A closed carnage waited near the roadside,
the driver's perch occupied by a figure muffled in a shabby,
ill-fitting coat that, to Kirn's experienced eye, had the inde-
finable aura of the London back streets The horses were
placidly chewing wisps of grass, and Mairelon gave them the
same long, considering look he had just given Jack
"Beni" Dan called as he came through the gate "We have
another stop or two to make Mr Mernll will give you the
direction
Mairelon glanced back over his shoulder at Dan Dan
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smiled very slightly and lifted one of his pistols a fraction of
an inch "And they will be clear and without any deliberately
misleading bits Won't they, Mr Mernib"
"Of course " Mairelon inclined his head, then turned and
went forward to speak with the coachman Dan kept his
eyes—and his pistol—fixed on them as he waved Jack for-
ward with his other hand
"I think you had better nde with Ben," Dan told him "Put
the guns under your coat, we don't want to attract attention "
"You ain't nding in there with two of 'em'" Jack protested
"What if they Jump you?"
"A point," said Dan, showing no signs of concern "Have
the goodness to hold your gun on Mr Mernll while I see to
it that they won't"
Jack nodded with unnecessary force He stepped forward
and pointed both of his pistols at Maireton's stomach Dan
looked at him, nodded, and turned to Kim "I trust you will
not attempt to do anything foolish in the next few minutes,"
he said "It would have most unpleasant consequences "
Kim didn't trust her voice, so she nodded Dan smiled col-
dly and set his nght-hand pistol on the step of the carnage
"This will only take a moment," he said, putting his hand in
his pocket He withdrew it almost immediately, and when he
uncurled his fingers, Kim saw two balls resting in his palm
One was a silver sphere, covered with tiny vines and fruit,
that would have ht comfortably in the circle of Kim's thumb
and forefinger The other was a small, faceted crystal the size
of her thumbnail
Behind her, Kim heard a sharp intake of breath from Mair-
elon Dan looked past her and said, "I see you recognize
these, Mr Mernll I hope that means you will be sensible
enough not to interfere The pieces of the Saltash Set are
temperamental to work with when they aren't together "
Without waiting for a response, Dan stretched his hand
199
toward Kirn and began murmuring sharp, crystalline words.
They hung in the air, twisting over and under and around
each other like the streets of London, making an intangible
net between Kirn and Dan. Kim shuddered and took an invol-
untary step backward. Dan Laverham raised his left hand and
made a complicated gesture, his voice rising as he did so. The
invisible web of words swirled and swept forward, settling
around Kim. She froze, waiting for it to do whatever it was
meant to,
Dan gestured again, commandingly, and shouted a final
phrase. The two spheres began to glow with a clear, silver
light. Kim felt the razor-edged words close in, but the air
between her and the spell was full of a strong, sweet, smoky
scent, and the net of magic could not touch her. She swayed,
light-headed with relief, and the spell swayed with her, main-
taining its fractional distance.
"There," Dan said. He sounded breathless, as if he had
been running, but he spoke in a tone of great satisfaction- He