‘Yes your Majesty, but in world diplomacy it is necessary to deal with the way things are, rather than the way we would wish them to be.’
King Victor caught his eye in the mirror and they stared at each other wordlessly for a few moments, neither man willing to give in, until the door to the carriage opened and the king’s Aide-De-Camp, a colonel in the Guards, came in. ‘Their coach is approaching, Your Majesty, they’ll be here in a couple of minutes.’
King Victor held out his hand for his uniform cap, it was a bi-corn, one of those that stuck out at the front and the back, and it had a high crown covered in feathers. It made him look like a parrot’s bum, he always thought. ‘Come on Parmesan, let’s go and play diplomacy,’ he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
The prime minister followed him out of the carriage and on to the platform. As they took their places three coaches hove into view. At a signal from the band master the band struck up the Pils-Holstein national anthem.
The coaches halted on the platform and the occupants of the first coach alighted. Two men and one woman came forward past the guard of honour, which presented arms, and halted some dozen paces from the king. Everybody stood at attention until the national anthem was finished and then Lord Parmesan stepped forward to greet them and lead them forward to the king. As lesser Royals they were presented to the king.
‘Your Majesty, may I present Grand Duke Luga von Pils-Holstein.’ He was a tall man, black haired, broad shouldered beneath his heavy overcoat. He had a stern face and King Victor noticed that his eyebrows met in the middle and turned up at the edges. It gave him a slightly “wolfish” look thought Victor. His eyes were intelligent though and as hard as bullets. King Victor shook his hand and welcomed him.
‘Grand Duchess Kayla,’ the prime minister introduced Luga’s wife. She was a striking woman, very beautiful, nearly as tall as her husband. She curtsied to Victor and as she rose, he noticed her eyes were a brilliant green like her husband’s.
‘The duke’s brother, Count Rath.’ Victor noticed he had the same wolfish look as the Grand Duke and a cold chill went down his back as he shook his hand.
‘Welcome to Albion,’ said King Victor, ‘I hope you’ll enjoy your stay in our country.’
‘Your Majesty is most gracious to invite us,’ replied Grand Duke Luga. ‘I hope it leads to a better understanding between our two countries. As a gesture of goodwill I’d like to offer you this small present.’ He turned and clicked his fingers.
From the second and third coaches in his entourage his private guard leapt down and removed a large chest from the second carriage. Four of them carried it over to Luga and placed it before the king. Luga flipped open the lid. Victor and the prime minister gasped, inside was a solid gold dining set, plates, serving bowls, cutlery, all gleaming in the weak sunshine.
‘Duke Luga, you do me an honour with such a precious gift. I accept it as a gesture of friendship between our two countries. Now, if you would like to come aboard the train, we will head back to Londum, I’m sure you must be tired after your long journey. Prime Minister, arrange to have their luggage brought aboard will you?’
‘Your Majesty.’ Parmesan nodded to the king’s servants who waved the coaches forward and along the platform to the luggage coach. As Parmesan followed the king and his guests aboard, he lingered in the corridor watching two of the duke’s guard carrying a case to the train that they wouldn’t let anyone else touch.
‘That is the Great Seal of Pils-Holstein.’ Parmesan looked around to see Count Rath also watching the guard. ‘Possession of the Seal is necessary to command the right to rule the country. Naturally it is well guarded at all times but whenever the ruler leaves the country for any length of time, the Seal travels with him.’
‘Ah, of course. I remember as we were working out the details for this visit, your people insisted on having a secure location for the Seal. That of course has been arranged, there is an underground strong-room in King James’ Palace, where you’ll be staying. I trust you will find it sufficient.’
‘I’m sure it will be most satisfactory Prime Minister.’
Parmesan and Rath followed the others into the lounge, where servants were taking the visitor’s coats.
The king said, ‘I have had compartments made ready for you so you can rest on the way to Londum, but first I thought you might like some refreshment.’ As they settled down and the servants served them tea and sandwiches, the Aide-de-Camp came in to report to the king that everyone and everything was aboard and the train was ready to go whenever the king wished.
The king gave his permission and the Royal train chugged its way slowly from the platform to make its way back to Londum.
***
There was a knock at the front door of Cobb’s house; Won Lungh opened the door to Thornton Wells.
‘Yes?’
Thornton stared at Won Lungh coolly for a moment then greeted him in perfect Cantonese. ‘Greetings honourable servant. Is your venerable Master at home?’ Thornton spoke in the traditional, formal manner, which is the custom in Canton when addressing strangers.
Won Lungh replied in the same language, amazed that this Gwailoh, this Foreign Devil, could speak his language ‘Indeed he is, honourable uncle.’ This was the respectful form of address for an older person amongst the Cantonese, even though they may not be related.
‘And who may I say is calling?’
‘My name is Thornton Wells.’
‘You honour this humble dwelling with your presence. Please to step inside revered uncle and I will inform my Master you have graced us with your presence.’
Won Lungh took Thornton’s hat and cane and went to find Cobb.
‘Thornton, good to see you,’ said Cobb as Won Lungh showed him in to Cobb’s office. ‘What brings you here?’
‘I was just passing and thought I’d pop my head in and say hello. Is Adele around?’
‘No, she’s out I’m afraid, was there anything you wanted?’
‘Amanda was thinking about having a social evening and was wondering if you and Adele would like to come along.’
‘I’ll ask her,’ said Cobb.
At that moment, the door opened and Won Lungh brought in a tray of tea things. He placed them on Cobb’s desk. ‘Thank you Won Lungh,’ said Cobb as he withdrew.
‘So that’s Won Lungh is it?’ asked Thornton.
‘Yeah, that’s him,’ replied Cobb.
‘And how do you feel about having him around the house?’
‘Well I’m not overly thrilled about it but the thing is … as long as he is around I know that I don’t have to worry about Adele. Won Lungh would die before letting anything happen to her.’
‘Well, be careful, you know what they say, “A leopard can’t change his socks”, or something like that.’
They drank tea and chatted until finally Thornton put down his cup and said, ‘Right, I must be going. Got some business to take care of then I’m taking Amanda out later, must get ready. Sound out Adele about Amanda’s social evening will you?’
‘Sure thing. Here, I’ll show you out,’ said Cobb.
Won Lungh was waiting to usher Thornton out.
Thornton said goodbye to Cobb and then switched to Cantonese to address Won Lungh, ‘I know who you are and what your background is.
‘I understand that you care for Adele as if she was your daughter. Well know this … I consider Cobb to be like a son to me. If you ever betray him or allow any harm to come to him … I will find you … and I will make you pay. Do you understand me?’ Thornton spoke calmly and smiled as he said it but the smile never reached his eyes.
‘As long as he never hurts Missee Adele …’ replied Won Lungh.
‘Don’t worry, there’s no danger of that happening.’
‘Good, then we understand each other,’ replied Won Lungh. ‘You look after your charge and I will look after mine.’ He bowed to Thornton and held out his hat and cane. As he bowed, Cobb noticed that he never took his eyes
from Thornton’s face.
Thornton took his hat and cane and Won Lungh opened the door and watched Thornton walk down the stairs to the street. On the pavement, Thornton paused and looked back up at Won Lungh. They held each other’s gaze for a moment then Thornton strode off up the street.
Cobb watched all this curiously and couldn’t resist asking, ‘What was that all about?’
‘Just exchanging pleasantries. How well you know that man?’
‘Very well.’
‘You trust him?’
‘Absolutely. Why do you ask?’
‘I see many men like him in my time … he very dangerous man. Good job for you he friend of yours.’ Then he muttered under his breath, ‘Good job for him too.’
‘In fact,’ continued Cobb, ‘if he ever comes here when I am out and gives you any instructions, you are to act on them as if they came from Adele or myself. Rest assured that he will be acting in our best interests.’
‘It will be as you say.’
***
Cobb and Adele were walking along the street, finishing off their shopping when suddenly the heavens opened and it poured down with rain. The rainfall was very heavy and they were soon soaked to the skin as neither was carrying an umbrella. They were forced to take shelter under the awning of a shop.
Even though they were out of the rain it was cold and miserable so Cobb said to Adele, ‘Let’s get some shelter, there’s a tea house down there,’ he said pointing down a side street. The two of them ran across the road. As they approached the curb there was a large puddle so Cobb took Adele by the arm and they jumped over it, onto the pavement.
As soon as their feet hit the pavement Cobb knew there was something wrong. He looked around him, the sun was shining and the ground was perfectly dry. Where they were now … it had not been raining. The two of them stood there in the sunshine, dripping rainwater onto the pavement. Cobb’s first thought was Blast! It’s happened again.
They looked around them; they seemed to be on the same street they had left. There was no one else around; apart from the two of them the street was deserted. Cobb listened but instead of the noise and bustle of a major city, all he could hear was an eerie silence.
‘Cobb ... what’s happened, where are we?’ asked Adele.
‘Er … sorry, I think I’ve done it again, I’ve jumped us to another Universe.’
‘Another Universe?’ exclaimed Adele. ‘Fantastic! How did that happen?’
‘It must have been when I took your arm and jumped over that puddle. I can’t always control it and if my mind is elsewhere, sometimes it can just … happen,’ he explained.
‘I’ve heard you talk about it but I never thought I’d get the chance to experience it for myself. Can we go exploring?’
‘Well, wait a minute, it may not be safe.’
‘Why not safe? This is Londum isn’t it? It looks like the same street that we just left.’
‘Yes, I think it is but that’s the point. Why is the street empty and why is it so quiet if we’re in the centre of Londum?’ queried Cobb. ‘Take a look down that street. Some of the windows of the houses are smashed and there’s people’s belongings strewn along the pavement, as if people were running away from something and in too much of a hurry to pick them up.’
‘Oh, I see what you mean.’ Adele looked around her nervously and edged closer to Cobb. Suddenly there was a high-pitched whistle; it seemed to be coming through the air and getting louder and closer. At the last minute Cobb remembered where he had heard that noise before, it was on the Army Artillery Ranges, where he had attended a demonstration. He put his hand on Adele’s shoulder, forced her to the floor and threw himself across her, as one of the buildings further down the street disappeared in a cloud of dust and flying debris.
Someone was shelling Londum!
He helped Adele to her feet and they dusted themselves down. ‘Sorry if I was a bit rough there, didn’t have time to explain. Londum is being attacked, that’s why there’s no one around, they must have fled the Artillery fire.’
‘What do we do?’ gasped Adele.
‘We get out of here,’ replied Cobb, grimly. He took a firm grip on Adele, closed his eyes and the next thing they both knew they were standing in the pouring rain again, in the very street they had left.
‘C’mon, let’s go home,’ muttered Cobb.
They trudged wordlessly through the rain until they found a Hansom cab to take them back to Cobb’s place. Adele was bursting with questions but Cobb didn’t speak all the way home so Adele wisely left him alone.
Later when they had dried themselves and were warming themselves before the fire that Won Lungh had lit for them, Adele finally broached the subject.
‘Cobb, what exactly happened today?’ she asked him gently.
‘I’m afraid I took you to parallel dimension, one of those Alternate Universes I told you about. I don’t know exactly how it happened, I never do, but anyway … when I was holding your arm as we jumped over that puddle, I shifted to that other Universe and I took you with me. That’s the way it can happen sometimes, when I’m in danger, when I make some sudden exertion or just sometimes when I’m not concentrating, it can happen all by itself.
‘I’m so sorry; I could have got you killed. If we had moved further down the street or arrived a few minutes later, we could have been blown to pieces.’
‘Wait a minute, I thought you said that you have no control over where you go?’
‘That’s right. I just seem to go randomly to … anywhere. From there I am able to come back to here, directly to this Universe. That I can control, when I come back. I can consciously make that happen but going … when I go, where I go, seems to be pure chance. I’ve tried forcing it to happen but that’s a very hit and miss affair, I’m not always successful at that.’
‘Well,’ replied Adele, ‘if you have no control over it then it’s not your fault we went to somewhere dangerous, is it? So you’ve nothing to blame yourself for or apologise for.’
‘But I …’
‘Right, that’s that settled then,’ she said firmly.
***
Later that day, Cobb walked into the drawing room where Adele was sitting at the dining table. In front of her, stretched out in a line about twelve inches apart from each other, were four brass candlesticks. Adele was fitting fresh candles into them. Beside the candlestick holders, on the table, lay a pile of melted candles.
‘Hello Adele.’ He kissed her. ‘What on earth are you up to?’
‘Have a guess,’ she replied.
He shrugged and said, ‘I dunno. Melting down candles to make wax? Good idea, you can never have too much wax, that’s what I always say. And if we ever get desperate we can always ... er ... make candles out of it.’
‘Very funny,’ she said. ‘Actually, I’m practising my Magick. I know I can generate enough heat to ignite small twigs so I’m just seeing what else I can do. Here, feel this candlestick,’ she said, indicating the one nearest to her.
He touched it and it just felt the normal cold of brass at room temperature. ‘By the Gods! It’s cold!’ he exclaimed. ‘How do you do it, Adele?’
‘You’re a sarky git, aren’t you? Look, the candlestick is cold, right? Now watch this.’ She put the fingers of her right hand on the nearest candlestick. Her brow furrowed slightly and she narrowed her eyes. After a moment she let out her breath and removed her hand. ‘Watch,’ she instructed Cobb.
At the nearest candlestick the candle began to melt and run down the side.
‘Touch it,’ she urged him.
He reached out and touched it then yanked his hand back as he burnt it on the brass. ‘Ow! That’s hot!’
‘Keep watching the others.’
As the candle continued to melt, his attention was drawn to the second candle in the line; it too was starting to melt. Cobb reached out to touch the candlestick and it was hot as well, very hot.
‘How are you doing that?’ he asked. ‘You haven’t even to
uched it.’
‘I know … it’s good isn’t it? Heat travels by conduction or convection, which is transmitted through contact; like putting a poker in the fire or a pot of water on the stove. But then there’s also radiation, which travels through the air, like the heat from the sun does. My Magick is making that happen here. It’s great isn’t it?’
They both sat there and watched as next the third and then the fourth candles began to melt. Cobb touched all the candlesticks; the heat had travelled from the first, to the second, third and then the fourth, all without Adele touching anything but the first candlestick. Amazing.
‘So what does this mean?’ asked Cobb. ‘Oh, I’ve got it. I send you to the pie shop because you can hold the meat pies in your hands on the way home and keep them hot.’
‘Or … I could stuff my fingers up your nostrils and set fire to your nose hairs,’ she countered.
Cobb laughed, ‘Okay, okay, you win. I know when I’m beaten. But seriously, have you figured out how that might be useful to you?’
‘Not yet, but a word of advice, if we ever have an argument … stand further than four candlesticks away from me.’
***
The man came into the room and locked the door behind him. The room was dark but he didn’t bother lighting the gas lamps, his heightened abilities included superior night vision, so he was able see quite clearly in the blackness.
He walked over to the doorway leading out on to the balcony and opened the double doors wide. His room was on the second floor and his elevated position gave him a good view out over the city. He stood there for a few moments in the cold night, drinking in the sights, sounds and smells of this unfamiliar city. Then he withdrew into the darkness of the room, leaving the balcony doors open.
He slowly undressed, enjoying the feel of the cold night air on his skin. It felt good to be free of these restraining clothes. No matter how often he wore them, they felt unnatural to him and he was always glad to be released from them. As much as he hated them, whenever possible he always removed his clothing beforehand, it saved them being destroyed unnecessarily.
The Londum Omnibus Volume One (The Londum Series Book 4) Page 27