But of course, being who I am, it is your tale of Lord Gleinleigh that I find the most interesting. Mrs. Kefford—ugh! I wish I could say that I think she’s a Hadamist, because then it would justify how much I dislike her. In some ways, though, Calderites are almost worse. I mean, not really; they don’t think Draconeans are demons or trying to restore their empire so they can grind humanity under their clawed feet or anything like that, and I doubt Mrs. Kefford has ever thrown a brick at a Draconean’s head. But there’s something especially nasty about a person who will smile at a Draconean and collect their artifacts and then turn around and do everything she can to make sure they stay cooped up in the Sanctuary, like animals in a zoo.
I do find it odd that he was talking to her. I mean, he’s never met a Draconean, and he clearly has the Calderite tendency to hoard ancient things, as if we have more claim to the relics of the past than modern Draconeans do. They might have met through the antiquities market—Mrs. Kefford would hardly be the shadiest person he’s dealt with on that front. But I can’t imagine anybody with even a whiff of Calderite sympathies would pay so much money to fly Kudshayn here. (He’s coming to Scirland to work with me on the tablets!) So who knows.
Well—someone might know. Now that I think of it, you’re ideally positioned to sift for information. Heaven knows there are plenty of Mrs. Kefford’s sort in high society, and while I know that isn’t exactly your set, gossip is the very air people breathe in Falchester. Would you at least keep your ear to the ground for me? Let me know if you hear anything that might shed light on this. I don’t like the thought of Mrs. Kefford anywhere within a hundred miles of these tablets, figuratively speaking.
There is a telephone here, but it is in Lord Gleinleigh’s study, and when he is away—as he often is—that room is kept locked. (I think his housekeeper, Mrs. Hilleck, is afraid of the ’phone.) But of course I will contrive to get a few days in town if I can. Lord Gleinleigh may be terribly secretive about these tablets, but unless he means to lock me up here like a prisoner for the next year, he can’t object to me visiting my family. He already has my word of honour that I won’t prattle to anyone about what I’m reading here, and how can I miss out on seeing your absurdly pretty dresses? You will tell me all about your suitors and I will tell you all about irregular noun declensions, and we’ll both be delighted that the other is having so much fun.
Your eternally ink-nosed sister,
Audrey
FROM THE NOTEBOOK OF CORA FITZARTHUR
I can’t find any reference to Calderites in Uncle’s dictionary, and Mrs. Hilleck has no idea what that means. Is it an insult? I wish I had known about this when I ordered those books on Draconeans, so I could have gotten a book on Calderites at the same time. Except that I don’t even know how one goes about finding a book on a topic when one doesn’t even know what the word means.
I could ask Uncle when he comes home, and then order a book if I still think it’s necessary. But Audrey thinks he is not one, whatever it is, so maybe that doesn’t qualify as the kind of thing he wants me to look for. I wish he had given me clearer instructions on what exactly he does want.
She doesn’t say it outright, but I don’t think Audrey likes him very much. I can’t blame her. I don’t like Uncle very much, either.
Received at #23 Sanwood Street via Darvis Street, Falchester
Ecraie Thiessin 7 Ventis
Marcus Fitzarthur, Lord Gleinleigh
catastrophic engine malfunction repairs two
weeks passenger delayed please advise—Bralt
Reçu à #68 Rue Courbée par Place des Oiseaux, Ecraie Falchester Scirland 7 Ventis
William Bralt
book passenger first available commercial flight will
reimburse—Gleinleigh
Received at #23 Sanwood Street via Darvis Street, Falchester
Ecraie Thiessin 7 Ventis
Marcus Fitzarthur, Lord Gleinleigh
caeliger line greatly concerned other passengers much disturbed by addition—Bralt
Reçu à #68 Rue Courbée par Place des Oiseaux, Ecraie Falchester Scirland 7 Ventis
William Bralt
buy out whole flight then just get him here—Gleinleigh
REPTILIAN INVASION
Half-Breed Assaults Innocent Woman
HUMANITY OF SCIRLAND, UNITE! The reptilian threat has arrived early on our fair shores. Not content to wait for the great gathering next winter to determine their fate, they have sent an advance EMISSARY, and in grotesque style—flying alone in a caeliger meant for the use of HUMAN BEINGS.
But those who would see us BURNED ALIVE in the temples of the scaly ones, restoring THEIR CRUEL DOMINION over humankind, CANNOT HIDE their plots from us! Our brothers and sisters caught word of the invader’s impending arrival and gathered in force to show that it is not welcome here, nor anywhere in this glorious world. We surrounded the reception building at Alterbury Field and WOULD NOT PERMIT it to leave. Let the monster go back to where it came from! And take its sycophantic slaves with it!
The forces of corruption are strong, though. The half-breed granddaughter of the GREAT TRAITOR was there. She assaulted an INNOCENT WOMAN and an HONEST CLERK in her attempt to free the beast, screaming FOUL CHANTS in the reptilian language all the while. But we held fast! Our line did not falter; our will did not break. Our brothers and sisters in arms brought her low, and would have taught her the TRUE STRENGTH OF HUMANITY.
Alas, weep for the fallen state of our land. Those LACKEYS of the serpentine agenda, the police of Falchester, came to the rescue of the half-breed and her demonic lover. In the ensuing BATTLE many were hurt and many more arrested, while the FOREIGN BEAST was permitted to go free.
Make no mistake: this is not the first skirmish in this WAR, nor will it be the last. The creature has gone into hiding, but we will FIND IT and DRIVE IT FROM OUR LAND. Those who have no wish to see their children SACRIFICED to the FIERY IDOL of these monsters must remain vigilant—for where one dares to tread, MANY MORE will follow!
For the bail of those unjustly imprisoned, a collection will be taken at the Assembly-House on Thackinny Street this upcoming Cromer evening.
From: Jacob Camherst
To: Audrey Camherst
10 Ventis
#3 Clarton Square, Falchester
Dear Audrey,
What the devil do you think you’re doing? A healthy sense of adventure is one thing; this is something else entirely.
Your loving but deeply alarmed father
From: Audrey Camherst
To: Jacob Camherst
10 Ventis
Stokesley, Greffen
Dear Papa,
All right, so things got a little out of hand. But I could hardly let them hold Kudshayn prisoner, now could I? Especially after I am the reason he came all this way.
I suppose you got the story from the newspapers. I had better give you the actual story, since I’m sure they made a hash of it. Riots! Hadamists! Lady Trent’s granddaughter! Very sensational stuff, good for the headlines, but short on details, which I’m sure will make you see why I had to take action.
I think I told you that Lord Gleinleigh arranged, not simply to fly Kudshayn around the world, but to bring him here by private caeliger. This was very handsome of him, I thought, but also practical: a Draconean on a commercial flight was sure to cause all kinds of problems. Most people have never seen one in the flesh, after all. Even if they were friendly to him instead of hostile, it would be a terrible disruption—not to mention very hard on poor Kudshayn, who would have to put up with being a fifteen-minute wonder every twenty minutes.