be too bad.
Alex pushed through the door into the room. “Dad, I need to talk to you.”
“Can it wait?” I asked her. “Now is not a good time.”
“There was someone at the house,” she said, without preamble.
“What house?” said Blackbird.
“At Mum’s. A man came to the door, about six foot tall, sandy hair, greying at the temples. Looks like he’s had his nose broken – more than once, probably.”
“Sam Veldon,” I said. Blackbird also appeared to recognise the description. “What did he want?”
“He was looking for you, and he asked after Claire.” Alex watched the exchange of looks between me, Angela and Blackbird. “What?”
“Claire’s dead, Alex. Someone slit her throat,” said Blackbird.
“Oh,” said Alex in a small voice.
“We can’t have this,” I said. “I can’t just have people turning up at Katherine’s. What does Sam think we’re doing, running a consultancy?”
“It’s attracting the wrong sort of attention,” agreed Blackbird.
“He said he had something for you,” said Alex.
“It’s not like Sam to volunteer,” I said. “Did he say what it was?”
“He just said it was something you need,” said Alex.
“Did he say where he’d be? How to contact him?”
“No,” said Alex. “He just asked Mum to pass on the message. He seemed to think she’d know where you were. It’s what I came back to tell you.”
“What about your Mum?” I said. “You’ve left her on her own?”
“Oh, you know Mum,” said Alex. “She’ll be all right.”
“I’m not happy about Sam sneaking round the house. Maybe you should go back and stay with her, just in case.”
“I told her I’m staying here, now,” said Alex. “She’s not expecting me back.”
There was a hint of evasion in that sentence, but then so much of what Alex said was veiled in half-truths.
“As regards the rose, this will either work or it won’t,” said Blackbird, “but it’s too tempting not to give it a try. It could solve a lot of our problems, assuming the manor still exists and hasn’t been developed into a housing estate in the intervening years. Even so, I don’t want Garvin knowing about this, or the horseshoes” said Blackbird. “Not until we’re sure where his loyalties lie.”
“I could come with you,” Alex suggested.
“I think it would be better if you stayed here,” I told her.
“I could watch your back. I wouldn’t get in the way. You need someone, and you can’t take one of the Warders or they’ll tell Garvin,” she pointed out.
“Look,” I said to Alex. “It’ll be a long car drive and there’ll be nothing to do. I’m only going to collect the horseshoes and bring them back here. I won’t need anyone to watch my back because nothing’s going to happen,” I said, kissing her forehead. “Blackbird and Angela are going to test a theory. You could do me a really big favour and go and look after your little brother.”
“Oh Dad!”
“What? Lesley’s looked after him for most of the day. She could do with a break, and besides, he really likes you.”
“He pulls my hair,” she protested, “when he’s not throwing up all over me.”
“He’s not pulling it, he’s playing with it.” I told her. “He doesn’t mean any harm. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Just keep the pair of you out of trouble until I get back.”
I left Alex complaining to Blackbird, much good it would do her, and took my sword and headed for the stables to find a driver to take me back into London.
“Why do you always wait for me to speak first?”
“Because I want to hear what you have to say?” whispered the voice.
There was a pause. “Why did you have to kill her? You already had the safe.”
“It was necessary. There will be no more ceremonies.”
“She was human. It was a very public place. There will be questions. All this invites a level of scrutiny I would rather avoid.”
“Deal with it.”
“I am dealing with it, but you keep making it harder.”
“That’s your part of the bargain,” the whisperer said.
“Not as I recall.”
“It’s all the same,” said the whisper. “Has the ultimatum been delivered?”
“Yes.”
“Have they agreed?”
“She’s trying to buy time.”
“That must not happen.”
“I’m doing what I can to prevent it, but Barthia is inclined to support them. You could apply a little leverage from your end?”
“I’ll see what can be done.”
“And what about the other part of the bargain? When are you going to deliver on that?”
“Everything comes to those who wait,” said the whisperer.
“Seems like there’s a lot of waiting and not much delivery.”
“You want me