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'I don't want you out wandering the corridors, Owis. Not after candledark.'
Innocet had gathered up the fallen cards. She packed them into a drawer and locked it.
Owis, who never made an attempt to help, watched her from an armchair. He pulled a face. 'Because the House is disturbed? Is that why the clock chimed?'
'Impossible. The clock died centuries ago.'
'I thought you knew everything. Was it another omen?' She could tell he was baiting her. 'Arkhew won't come now,'
she said pointedly.
Jobiska, who had supposedly been snoozing in the corner of her chair, opened an eye and said, 'Owis bet Arkhew that he knew where the will was hidden.'
'Again?' said Innocet.
Owis pointed angrily at Jobiska. 'That old stoker's been saving that up all the time.'
Jobiska shrank further into her chair. She began dabbing at her eyes with a grey flannel. 'I don't go out any more, dear. No one takes me out any more. If you took me out, I wouldn't overhear so much.'
'Owis,' said Innocet. 'Do you never get tired of these games? Because the rest of us do.'
Owis grinned. 'Arkhew never learns. Anyway, what else is there to do?'
She shook her head. 'I blame Cousin Glospin.'
'Good,' he said.
'And where did you tell Arkhew the wil was hidden this time?'
'I only suggested it. I didn't think anyone had looked there before.'
'Everyone has looked everywhere,' she intoned. 'Where did you say?'
Owis shrugged. 'Not telling.'
Innocet looked at Jobiska. 'In the clock, dear,' said the old lady. 'That's what he told him.'
There was a footstep outside.
By the time the door opened, the three occupants of the room were seated round the empty fire mantle enjoying a quiet moment of contemplation in each other's company.
The Drudge stalked into the room as if it was searching for an il icit and forbidden party. None of the Cousins looked up. The huge servant surveyed them for a moment. It placed the bowl of feathergil gruel that it was carrying on the table.
'Early tonight,' observed Innocet to Owis as she darned a tear in the patched robe she was wearing. She regarded the Drudge with the contempt it deserved. 'My Cousins are staying here until the disturbances have stopped.'
The Drudge moved to the mirror. It carefully pulled away the shawl that had been draped over the glass. Fixing Innocet with its implacable stare, it lifted up the garment and ripped it slowly and deliberately in half.
Innocet ignored the warning and got on with her needlework.
The chest of drawers gave a click. One of the drawers had unlocked itself. It slid open and disgorged the pack of cards in a small fountain.
'Treacherous,' muttered Innocet.
The Cousins watched in silence as the Drudge gathered the scattered cards off the floor. It pulled open a drawer in its own wooden bodice and dropped the pack inside. Giving them a varnished glare of triumph, it stalked out of the room.
The door closed itself.
Innocet picked at the stitch she had just made.. 'Those were my best cards,' she said. 'My last Drat pack.'
'They were checking on us.' Owis was eyeing the naked mirror. 'Suppose it tells Satthralope?'
Innocet nodded. 'That's why they brought the rations early. But if Satthralope is awake, then she'll already know.'
Since the Housekeeper had not left her chair for seventy-one years, and had not been out of her room since the west annexe was infested by gullet-grubs one hundred and twelve years ago, the likelihood of being watched seemed negligible. But Innocet stil kept the glass covered. Just in case.
She climbed up on the dressing table, and arranged the two halves of shawl over the mirror as best she could.
'They must realize something's happening,' she said.
Owis peered into the pot of gruel. 'At least they haven't withdrawn rations.'
'Not yet.' Innocet pointed a thimbled finger at him. 'You are going to find out what's happened to Arkhew.'
'What?' blustered Owis. 'Out there? After candledark? But you said... What about supper?'
'The glory of
'I don't want you out wandering the corridors, Owis. Not after candledark.'
Innocet had gathered up the fallen cards. She packed them into a drawer and locked it.
Owis, who never made an attempt to help, watched her from an armchair. He pulled a face. 'Because the House is disturbed? Is that why the clock chimed?'
'Impossible. The clock died centuries ago.'
'I thought you knew everything. Was it another omen?' She could tell he was baiting her. 'Arkhew won't come now,'
she said pointedly.
Jobiska, who had supposedly been snoozing in the corner of her chair, opened an eye and said, 'Owis bet Arkhew that he knew where the will was hidden.'
'Again?' said Innocet.
Owis pointed angrily at Jobiska. 'That old stoker's been saving that up all the time.'
Jobiska shrank further into her chair. She began dabbing at her eyes with a grey flannel. 'I don't go out any more, dear. No one takes me out any more. If you took me out, I wouldn't overhear so much.'
'Owis,' said Innocet. 'Do you never get tired of these games? Because the rest of us do.'
Owis grinned. 'Arkhew never learns. Anyway, what else is there to do?'
She shook her head. 'I blame Cousin Glospin.'
'Good,' he said.
'And where did you tell Arkhew the wil was hidden this time?'
'I only suggested it. I didn't think anyone had looked there before.'
'Everyone has looked everywhere,' she intoned. 'Where did you say?'
Owis shrugged. 'Not telling.'
Innocet looked at Jobiska. 'In the clock, dear,' said the old lady. 'That's what he told him.'
There was a footstep outside.
By the time the door opened, the three occupants of the room were seated round the empty fire mantle enjoying a quiet moment of contemplation in each other's company.
The Drudge stalked into the room as if it was searching for an il icit and forbidden party. None of the Cousins looked up. The huge servant surveyed them for a moment. It placed the bowl of feathergil gruel that it was carrying on the table.
'Early tonight,' observed Innocet to Owis as she darned a tear in the patched robe she was wearing. She regarded the Drudge with the contempt it deserved. 'My Cousins are staying here until the disturbances have stopped.'
The Drudge moved to the mirror. It carefully pulled away the shawl that had been draped over the glass. Fixing Innocet with its implacable stare, it lifted up the garment and ripped it slowly and deliberately in half.
Innocet ignored the warning and got on with her needlework.
The chest of drawers gave a click. One of the drawers had unlocked itself. It slid open and disgorged the pack of cards in a small fountain.
'Treacherous,' muttered Innocet.
The Cousins watched in silence as the Drudge gathered the scattered cards off the floor. It pulled open a drawer in its own wooden bodice and dropped the pack inside. Giving them a varnished glare of triumph, it stalked out of the room.
The door closed itself.
Innocet picked at the stitch she had just made.. 'Those were my best cards,' she said. 'My last Drat pack.'
'They were checking on us.' Owis was eyeing the naked mirror. 'Suppose it tells Satthralope?'
Innocet nodded. 'That's why they brought the rations early. But if Satthralope is awake, then she'll already know.'
Since the Housekeeper had not left her chair for seventy-one years, and had not been out of her room since the west annexe was infested by gullet-grubs one hundred and twelve years ago, the likelihood of being watched seemed negligible. But Innocet stil kept the glass covered. Just in case.
She climbed up on the dressing table, and arranged the two halves of shawl over the mirror as best she could.
'They must realize something's happening,' she said.
Owis peered into the pot of gruel. 'At least they haven't withdrawn rations.'
'Not yet.' Innocet pointed a thimbled finger at him. 'You are going to find out what's happened to Arkhew.'
'What?' blustered Owis. 'Out there? After candledark? But you said... What about supper?'
'The glory of
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