Wyrde and Wayward
Page 22
Lord Werth sighed. ‘Theo is not proposing to put it in with the Book of Werth, I hope? I had better look in on him.’
‘I am sure he would not be so foolish,’ said Lady Werth.
Gussie was not so sure, but she let the matter go. Her uncle and Theo between them would see to the curse-book’s suitable incarceration.
‘I confess myself intrigued by them,’ Gussie admitted. ‘The Book of Werth seemed a mere fact of life, like childbirth, or smallpox. That there could be two such tomes is remarkable. Where do you suppose they came from?’
‘I hardly know,’ said Lady Werth, fidgeting in her chair. ‘But I wish they had not come to us.’
‘Do you suppose there might be more?’
At this prospect, poor Lady Werth turned very white. ‘Gussie! Do not so much as whisper it! It is a terrible thought.’
And it was, for while the Book of Werth had always been temperamental, and prone to fits of indignation, the notion that it might be capable of killing anyone who happened to be within reach was so distant a possibility as to have receded beyond the reach of day-to-day anxiety. The presence of its twin did away with such comfortable notions as relative safety; Gussie thought of her own visit to the family tome only the week before, with no one but her aunt for company, and shuddered.
‘Do you think you could ice the curse-book?’ said Gussie, struck with a sudden thought.
Lady Werth considered. ‘I have never thought to make the attempt.’
‘Well, perhaps you could? Then it could not be such a danger.’
‘I could ice them both,’ said Lady Werth, with a smile Gussie found chilling.
‘It would not be possible to consult our own Book, if it were iced?’
‘I can see no occasion for doing so in the foreseeable future. Indeed, I should be happier to burn it than to read from it.’ She rose as she spoke, clearly bent upon following her husband down into the cellars.
Gussie briefly considered attending her into the curse-book’s presence, and decided not. She had enjoyed enough close proximity to the abominable thing for one week.
She went instead back to her cottage, to spend the rest of the day with her excellent Miss Frostell.
A letter arrived for Lord Werth some few days later, with a postscript intended for Gussie.
It was from Mr. Ballantine.
The matter of the books has caused great interest, and equally great consternation, in Bow Street, he wrote. Your family’s experience with The Book of Werth was not wholly unknown in all quarters, but the details I have been able to provide were of great use.
I am not yet able to write with any specific information as to the probable source or history of these books, nor whether there is any explanation for their behaviour. The case is considered pressing, and I have been set to look into the matter with all possible haste.
I do not propose to wait upon you again at the Towers just yet, but I should be surprised if the course of my enquiries does not, sooner or later, lead me back into those cellars of yours. I hope you won’t dislike it. Bow Street has also appealed for news of any further such books. I am sure you are joined with me in hoping that there are no more to be found.
Seeing as the case concerns your family rather nearly, I shall take the liberty of communicating to you my findings, as far as I am able. In the meantime, may I hope that Mrs. Daventry’s book of curses has been suitably subdued? If its containment is likely to prove a danger to your family, I shall do my best to arrange for alternative accommodation for it in London.
He had signed it with a great scrawl of a signature in thick, black ink, and beneath that was written the following afterthought:
PS - Please encourage Miss Werth to contain her curiosity. I have no doubt the case will interest her quite as much as it can Bow Street, but I should be sorry indeed if the matter of the book should be the means of dispatching her to an early grave.
Lord Werth’s response to Gussie’s bristling indignation was a meaningful look, and a speaking silence.
‘It is the greatest impertinence!’ she insisted. ‘As if I should dream of pursuing my own investigations, against Bow Street’s express instructions!’
Lord Werth raised his eyebrows.
‘And in the face of such obvious danger, too!’
‘Of course you would not,’ said her uncle.
‘No. Not alone, at any rate. But Theo—’
‘Gussie,’ said Lord Werth sternly.
‘If Theo and I were to look into it jointly, and perhaps with Lord Maundevyle’s assistance?’
‘Gussie—’
‘And my Aunt Honoria. And Frosty! She has a bright mind, if not any great combative prowess. Between us, I am sure we could make considerable progress, and without the smallest danger.’
‘I should infinitely prefer it if we could all return to the general peace that prevailed at Werth before this nonsense began,’ said Lord Werth.
‘I am sure we shall! Now that you have got rid of the reverend Cardwell, and Miss Horne, and anybody else who has drifted up while I was away.’
Lord Werth’s lips tightened.
‘Poor uncle,’ said Gussie soothingly. ‘We have had a time of it, have we not? What with abductions and Wyrdings, dragons and Bow Street Runners, murderous Books and far more strangers underfoot than any of us could have wished for—’
‘They will be gone presently.’
Gussie said, more seriously: ‘It is not my intention to create further chaos, Uncle. If I say I shall do my best not to drown you in further troubles, will that do?’
Lord Werth sighed, and if his shoulders were seen to sag just a little, one could hardly wonder at it. ‘I perceive that it will have to.’
And to do justice to Gussie, she said it with every intention of carrying the happy notion through. If circumstances were not to prove in her favour, she may at least be given credit for trying.
***
Hey, thanks for reading my latest piece of weirdness! I hope you enjoyed hobnobbing with the most peculiar family in history. I’ll be hard at work writing the next series of (mis)adventures as we speak. If you’d like to know as soon as the next book’s ready to read, be sure to sign up to my news circle via my website at: http://www.charlotteenglish.com/newsletter You’ll get a free book or two, in case you’d like to check out some of my other work. (I may also send occasional cat pics, and I’m not sorry).
In the meantime, happy reading. I’ll be back soon, with another book!
— C