A Scandal in Battersea (Elemental Masters #12)(26)
Nan snorted, and gestured to her friend to follow her back into the manor. “She might not be a Master, but I would bet my favorite hat that she can do more with Earth Elementals than most Earth Masters can. And I’d trust her knowledge of all things occult in London over just about anyone else’s, and that includes Alderscroft. I’ll try and talk to her when we get back, although I might not be able to until after Christmas. If she’s as much of a witch as she claims, she probably has some ceremonies to do.”
“Bother Christmas! Why did it have to come at such a bloody inconvenient time?” Sarah asked crossly.
“We’ve got that backward,” Nan said, as the significance dawned on her. “Christmas is the cause of all this, not just something that’s getting in the way of us contacting people. It’s what we were afraid of.”
“Oh . . .” Sarah replied, putting her hand to her lips in alarm. “It has to be. You’re right. It’s moon-dark and Christmas Eve.”
Nan, Sarah and Memsa’b managed to keep cheerful faces for the children, who ripped into Lord Alderscroft’s presents with unholy glee after a sumptuous Christmas party dinner. Lord A had gifted the school with many dolls over the years, most of which had survived even from Nan and Sarah’s day. Each little girl was allowed to pick one that was hers and hers alone until she decided she had outgrown dolls, the rest were common property. Lord A—or, more like, his secretary, who had an uncanny knack for such things—had made certain these dolls were all the same size, and made sure there was a nice variety in the various hair and eye colors and face-molds, and even that there were a few boys among the girls. So when the big box of brand new doll clothing was opened, all the special darlings got new clothing out of it, with plenty of frocks and underthings and sailor suits to spare. And of course, that was just the beginning of the bounty. There were, in fact, two new rocking horses and a pleasing assortment of hobbyhorses, all of them with magnificent manes and tails. The expected reinforcements for the tin army were there. There was a big box of games, another of various sized balls, and a dazzling box of marbles and another of jacks. And to cap it all off, enough new paints and pencils and crayons to replace all the old ones. The children all went to bed thoroughly tired out. Even Amelia decided she was not too old to join the fun, politely accepted a doll from among the “unclaimed” and saw her garbed in a brand new gown, and romped with the rest. Nan was relieved to see her finally get some color in her cheeks, and to wear herself out with jumping rope, dancing, and blindman’s bluff.
Although the other “old students” went back to their respective homes, Suki, Nan, and Sarah were expected to stay the night; Nan and Sarah had overnight bags, and of course most of Suki’s belongings were already here. Alderscroft’s coachman would return for them in the morning.
Which meant a message to Alderscroft could go with him, when the adults had had their conference.
Memsa’b gathered them all in the library, fortified with ginger tea, since they were going to need clear heads. Sahib delegated himself to take the notes. They all settled on the couches in front of the fire—Memsa’b, Sahib, and Sarah on one, Nan with Karamjit and Agansing on either side of her on the second, and Selim and Gupta on the third. The four Indians wore modified versions of their native dress—Gurkha, Sikh, Moslem, and Hindu, all wool rather than cotton, mostly—and they all sported proper stout leather boots.
Sahib Harton had streaks of gray at each temple, wider now than when Nan had first met him. The stiff way that he walked, was due to an injury in military service. Most striking about him was the odd expression in his eyes, which seemed to Nan to be the eyes of a man who had seen so much that nothing surprised him anymore.
“Let’s start with what we know,” Sahib suggested.
Nan described the vision she had seen in Amelia’s mind; Memsa’b the one she had seen two days ago. Once laid side by side, it was evident that there were some differences. In Nan’s vision, it had been a man who was swallowed up; in Memsa’b’s, a young woman. In Nan’s vision, something with tentacles had dragged him into darkness—in Memsa’b’s the earth had opened under the woman and engulfed her. Nan had heard nothing except the wind, Memsa’b had heard what she described as “chittering noises, a little like the sounds monkeys make, but more metallic.”
Sahib tapped the end of his pencil against his lips. “I don’t think this is random,” he said, finally. “Can you two share the visions with each other, so you can get a better comparison?”
“I don’t see why not,” Memsa’b replied. “That is an excellent idea, my love. Nan?”
“I am ready when you are, Memsa’b,” Nan replied easily. She closed her eyes and reached for Memsa’b’s mind as Memsa’b reached for hers.
Yours first, please, Memsa’b requested, and Nan obliged. When she had let it “play” through both their minds, she waited to see Memsa’b’s.
And immediately, there were some obvious differences. In Nan’s vision, it had been very difficult to make details out; it was as dark as a moonless night. In Memsa’b’s, things were a little bit brighter—as if there was a half-moon in the sky, although there was no moon evident. The extent of the damage to the street and buildings was clearer. And in Nan’s vision, the man had appeared from out of the shadows, as if he had emerged from a hidden doorway that was now visible. In Memsa’b’s, the woman appeared right in the middle of the street, out of nowhere.