Modern Magick

The Road to Farringale: 4

Nothing ever worries Milady. I could tell her an army of hostile magicians was advancing upon the House with a legion of direbeasts in tow, and she would merely say, 'Unfortunate. Very well,' dispense a simple, efficient plan for containing the problem which would work perfectly, and then invite us all for tea afterwards.

She heard our account of the South Moors Troll Enclave in thoughtful silence, a silence she maintained for some ten or fifteen seconds after I had finished speaking. That, it seems, was as much time as she required to consider our information, place it in context, and devise her response.

'You did well to retrieve the alikats,' she said. 'There are but twelve breeding pairs left in England, at least that are known. We could not easily bear to lose one of them. They are in Miranda's care?'

'Yes, Milady.'

'Then they will be well tended to. Regarding the trolls, their behaviour is cause for concern. I will arrange for a consultant to meet with you. He will be here this afternoon.'

This was vague, but I knew by then that Milady's plans always became clear soon enough, so I curtseyed again and murmured something agreeing. Jay gave me the side-eye, and said nothing.

'Return to me once you have met with my consultant, for I shall have a new assignment for you this evening. Jay Patel.'

The name was spoken in a tone so indistinguishable from the rest, it took Jay a moment to realise he was being addressed. 'Yes?' he said hesitantly.

'This was your first assignment with Vesper. Are you contented with her?'

Privately I thought that Milady might have done better to ask this question of Jay when I was not standing right next to him, but he took it in stride. 'We work well enough together, Milady,' he replied.

'Very well. Vesper?'

I thought of the hesitancy he had shown when faced with even the apathetic trolls of South Moors. I had wondered a little about his courage, but that was probably unfair of me. He was new. If he had met any trolls at the Hidden University, it might well have been limited to old Maj, professor of anthropology, and she was ancient, wizened, soft-spoken and totally unintimidating. He had faltered, but he'd held. He would get used to it. 'I am happy to continue our partnership,' I said. 'We made it through the mission without getting even a little bit lost, and I can't remember the last time that has happened to me.'

'He is more than your chauffeur, Vesper.'

'I know that,' said I hastily. Did I though? It occurred to me that I knew little about Jay's specific abilities, and the only reason Milady had given for assigning him to accompany me was my deplorable tendency to lose my way — besides his obvious need for basic induction to the Society, of course, which anybody might have provided him with. It did not much surprise me to learn that there was more to Milady's thinking than that, but as to what it was, I was in the dark.

No matter. This, too, would become clear in time.

'You will find chocolate in the pot,' said Milady, which befuddled Jay but I knew it for one of her characteristic, mild dismissals. I made a final curtsey, motioned Jay into a parting bow, and hustled both of us out of the tower room.

Jay was silent all the way down four staircases. Then he said: 'What?'

'To what are you referring?'

'All of it.'

'More specifically?'

'Let's begin with: who exactly is Milady?'