H C Turk, page 27
"But you are not fully aware of the sinners' ways, especially Rathel's," I declared. "Her greatest act in payment for your deed was in allowing you to live. Woiftan, I tell you that Rathel will do no more than have a servant point the direction by which you may exit London. Worse, if she fears you might convey your story to others, Rathel would have her friend the magistrate capture and kill you."
"But what am I to do, girl?" Lucinda asked in presumed failure. "How much longer can I walk in this city without being known? How far beyond it must I go to find a place of peace?"
"For this I have no answer," I confessed. "Where have you lived and slept recently?"
"The city has much holes to hide in, and they're easily found in that the unpeopled areas are my travels."
"And you eat?"
"Enough for a witch."
"The cold, for you?"
"Not cold enough for a witch."
"Then remain where you are safe, Lucinda, and return here the following night in this hour. I then shall have either arrangements for your leaving the city, or firm plans for the near future."
"And I do this, girl, for on you I smell a city you know more than me. But if you live here without harm in that you look it, do not take trouble from me, in that I will not bring you a pain I have and you do not need."
"You bring no difficulty, but a friend I must love at once, and happily," I told her. "Please return as I ask, Lucinda, and both of us will soon be free of troubles."
We then parted with a grand embrace. Less apprehensive than before, I found with my improved perception that this woman stank. Lucinda was too filthy and had consumed too much trash for food for me to find her odor pleasant. I knew that witches were not the cleanest animals, though I remained uncertain whether my recent sinners' cleanliness was preferable because I was accustomed to it, or because objectively I might prefer the odor. Regardless of preference, I knew that the smell of this witch signifying her type of person amongst God's variety was always and ever beloved. But another truth that pained me was that the better sinners also had an acceptable smell. This acceptance I might not lose, might not have wished to lose, but most of all I wished to regain the fragrance of witches that was their life.
Seventeen
Helpful was Lady Rathel to leave in her chamber coins that I stole with scant regret. Not enough were present to buy Lucinda's freedom, but my first requirement was carriage passage. The sister's freedom would come from later, greater thefts.
Aiding Lucinda to depart would be no practice for my own rejection of London, but more akin to substitution; for if I could not send myself, at least I would have my family conveyed to a new home of safety. If not for my upcoming success, her next home would be Satan's. Yet if Rathel again found me beyond her town house, Elsie's home would be prison. It seemed my very being had come to jeopardize my friends, but above all my friends, I knew to aid the one nearest in blood, the one nearest death.
I chose a new exit. I would feign a visit to the basement, then steal through the rear gate. Beneath my apparel I concealed a cloak and hat, exiting the house to walk past the servants in the kitchen, entering the basement to make enough sound for the sinners to notice my presence. Only Elsie would disturb me in my hiding spot, and Elsie I perhaps could manipulate. Perhaps not. Then I quietly departed, to the gate and gone.
Down the street I walked until finding a brown, open carriage. The driver I hired with stolen, immoral coin. And pleased was the man to hear me requesting his knowledge.
"Oh, and no, miss, but we only provide travel about the city. What you seek is a different sort of service. Those folk have not the fine, sleek carriages we offer, only the large and crude ones needed for long journeys you refer to. But, yes, I can take you to one of which I know, although there might be others."
His would suffice. Then I thought of the assistance received from a previous coachman, previous friend, and was saddened to think that no longer was he either. So I wished him fine employ with another company, one not having to deal with such an opera as the Rathel and her family.
No further acute feelings had I as the carriage proceeded. London before me was scarcely noticed, previously unseen streets with new commons and decent greens, a university building larger though less grand than St. Nicholas Cathedral, ladies and gents and then an old, unpleasant sight: constables at work, males with long staffs and distinctive hats pressing coarse persons away, surely leading them to a prison that even with new inhabitants would house a young witch.
As though my current business were common, I blithely had the coachman wait before the travel agency's unimpressive office. Behind were expansive stalls with horses and those great carriages mentioned by my driver. This rear compound seemed a barn, a farm for nurturing sinners' transport; and how could I apply this travel beneficially when before I had failed? My business, however, was not for me, but a sister. And these folk, curse Satan, were rarer than angels.
I demanded decisiveness to accompany my fear. Succinctly I would learn of this travel and the needed price, then return to buy passage after pawning half of Rathel's household. Therefore, I affected the identity of a young lady in a rush, stepping quickly past those people on the walk and through the flimsy door of the Mortwaite Agency of Travel to find sinning men cursing their peers.
"Aye, and indeed I did have the gent at our carriage in the agreed time, but damned if the bloke did not call me watch a liar. With one hundred bleeding miles to go and he thinks he's late to begin."
This speech came from a male standing before another settled at a desk. Upon noticing me, the latter displayed a severe visage toward his obvious inferior. As the males turned to me, I initiated my part in the theater, facing only the superior sinner as he stood.
"Sir, if I might interrupt your foul communications unworthy of great England and her king, I would discuss my business rather than your previous client's temporal inadequacies."
The inferior looked toward me as though smothered by my words. As the superior spoke to his new patron, the lesser changed his gaze, viewing me now as though meat for the eating rather than a lexicon whose content was uiireadable.
"My truest apologies, miss, for the coarseness of this driver. But surely a young lady of your evident quality understands how difficult it oft is to obtain employees of culture."
"Understand I might, but understanding is neither acceptance nor agreement," I countered haughtily, and turned to the inferior as though he were meat for the puking.
With an ungentlemanly grimace, the superior informed this "Percival" that he would be out of the room at once. After bowing to me, the latter complied, appearing chastised though his hunger had not abated. Then I attacked the remaining male.
"Sir, my time is severely brief. You might aid me, then."
"My greatest pleasure, miss. Please be seated," he replied, and ran around to offer a chair-which I accepted-thereafter reseating himself posthaste, looking toward me with a desire to assist.
"Now, what may I do for you this day?"
Enough geography had I learned to know the location of wild places. My selected wilderness I mentioned to this sinner.
"You know of Wales?"
"Yes, miss, I do."
"You provide transport to this area?"
"We do, miss, but few are the towns in this region."
"Aid me, sir, in my lack of knowledge. My position is that Fve an aunt in London for a funeral so distraught that she cannot recall her village's name. My intent is to have her returned as quickly as possible to that most comforting site of home. Can this be arranged on your part?"
"Certainly, miss, in that such passage is our occupation here, as well as my great pleasure to so accommodate you. Readily it will be done if your aunt has retained the paper that tells of her departure."
"Unfortunately, sir, she came in the wagon of a friend, who, er, drowned when his carriage tumbled from Hershford Bridge."
"My true condolences for the misfortunes of your femily," the man replied, looking toward me with uncertain pity. "Nevertheless, if you can somehow determine the specific village that is your aunt's home, we might yet provide conveyance."
"I had hoped to receive from you a listing of names to spur my recognition. In that my aunt lives on the edge of a wild region, and few are the towns in this Wales, the listing should not be excessive. Thereof what know ye, sir?"After a pause for contemplation, the sinner leapt to his feet, moving to a portal in a wall that he opened, an old man in an adjacent room thereby revealed.
"Jack, have me a map of Wales at once."
"And you will have it, Mr. Wroth," a high, gentle voice replied. Moments later, a map was passed sinner to sinner through the square hole, which was rapidly shut thereafter by the superior.
Placing the paper flat on his desk, Mr. Wroth studied briefly, then applied his finger to a spot and looked up to reply.
"Well, miss, everything in the mountain region is coarse and undesirable for the building of towns. North and south before these Cambrian Mountains are towns reachable by us."
"Therefore, our determination proceeds with your map, sir, in that your stating those townships' names might elicit recollection."
"I shall so state, then, miss," he agreed, and looked down to his map. "Available on our route are the towns of Laerffgniogwrtyd, Wystghllaen-niomb, and Cwynhdaeth Rhaneddfsmawrt."
What a horror to suffer nightmares while awake.
"To what, sir, did you say?" I asked, for those names spoken were incompatible with my hearing, much less my mouth.
"The towns of Wystghllaenniomb, Cwynhdaeth Rhaneddfsmawrt, and Laerffgniogwrtyd, miss."
"Oh. So I thought. These towns, then, are near unpopulated locales?"
"They are, miss, in that not far beyond all is virtual wilderness."
"Well, sir, in that they all sound so similar, what might the difference be? Which is most remote?"
"I would have to judge, miss, that they are equally remote," Mr. Wroth determined while studying his map.
"Then, sir, which town is the nearest and most easily achieved?"
"That, miss, would be Cwynhdaeth Rhaneddfsmawrt, which is nearly due west, and a fine, small town to which we may provide conveyance."
"Sir, you now have struck me with a certainty of recognition. Yes, this, er, this town you mentioned is unquestionably the site I seek. To be absolute in my identification, however, kindly write the name upon a paper that I might verify it with my aunt."
Pleased he was to comply.
"Additionally, sir," I continued while reaching to receive the unreadable paper, "because my aunt requires her home to cure her increasing despair, some urgency we have as to her leaving without delay. Therefore, what day is most reasonable for her departure, Mr. Wroth?"
Before I had concluded my query, the sinner was delving into a book of bound listings, looking closely with his eyes and a finger.
"A coach goes so far as Lucansbludge this Tuesday next. Space yet exists for one or as many as two persons and their baggage. An additional yet nominal fee will allow us to take your aunt thereafter to Wales, the further sum required since she alone will occupy the coach to Cwynhdaeth Rhaneddfsmawrt. Therefore, miss, an advance payment will allow me to add your family member to our schedule."
"The total sum might therefore be?" I asked, and Mr. Wroth stated a quantity that revealed the limits of my tutoring, for I knew not whether the amount was parsimonious or extreme, knew not how to translate his pounds into quids.
"Very well, sir, I leave," I stated, and rapidly stood.
"But, miss, I assure you the fee is especially reasonable," Wroth asserted as though fearful of losing his only income. Finding his reasonableness believable, I continued with our dealing.
"Sir, I have no argument with your fee. But you say no coach departs sooner."
"No, and I am sorry, miss, but no coach of ours can leave before Tuesday for this section of the island."
"What island, sir, is that of your reference?"
"Why, the main island of Great Britain, miss."
"Oh yes, of course. I was thinking of another island. Know ye of Man's?"
"Certainly, miss, Man's Isle is well known."
"And which is the nearer journey, Man's Isle or . . . this?" I asked, waving my paper.
"Cwynhdaeth Rhaneddfsmawrt is quite the nearer, miss."
"Very well. Then I return tomorrow with your fee, its receipt to expectedly induce you toward formally arranging my aunt's being scheduled to ..." and I waved my paper.
"At my personal doings, miss, the arrangements shall be made.
A draft from your bank will be most welcome."
"I ruddy well wager it would, sinner," I mumbled incomprehensibly.
"To beg your pardon, miss, I failed to hear."
"I said a good day I wish you," I concluded, and turned to depart, stepping away as though in a race, since Wroth desired to leap from his desk and open the door for me. But I won, onto the street and into my waiting carriage.
Before I could begin to wonder what item of Rathel's to steal and where to sell it, a man came running alongside the carriage, begging for the young miss to please halt as he waved his hands. I had the coachman fulfill the sinner's request, for this was the Percival male of crude linguistics from Wroth's office.
"Sir, your business with me I must demand," I demanded.
"Ah, miss, and I can get your auntie to Wales before Tuesday," he replied with some respirational difficulty.
"And how might this be, sir, in that Mr. Wroth cannot?"
"In that I've a carriage of my own that I drive as well as driving the company's. For a minor fee I can have your aunt departing for Wales tomorrow. If you come with me to my office at the agency, I shall begin the papers."
He then opened the carriage door, and held forth his hand.
"Have your man leave, in that we've a company of coaches," Percival stated, "and I shall return you to any locale within the city you please."
Being desperate or deluded, I agreed. With Rathel's coins, I paid the coachman his due without displaying my distaste for the nasty metal, receiving a tip of his hat but no thanks in that I was too ignorant to provide him with a gratuity. As I stepped from the carriage without accepting Percival's hand, the rejected coachman departed. Somehow I believed that the driver whose employ I had ruined would not have left me so easily.
"This way, miss, and I'll be careful with my leading to avoid scuffing your shoes," Percival promised.
And so he was, looking down to the street's surface and walkway with but the rare glimpse behind to see that I followed. Followed to the stables for horses, the garage for coaches and their repair.
"Thank Jesus for mild winters," the male said, seeing that no snowy slush existed to soil me. "This way, miss," he instructed, looking about in a manner I considered furtive, as proven by his next speaking.
"Ooh, and we should wait here a moment, miss," he said after peering around a corner. "An unpleasant person is there we're best to allow pass."
We soon continued, Percival leading me past a massive coach with missing wheels and into the realm of horses. Other men were perceivable in the near distance, but my guide's path precluded our being seen. The rich smells of animal bodies and their droppings were reduced by the wooden crates called stalls containing the horses. Through the rear of the stables to a small room with a bed, boots, and the smell of this Percival, my night sister's fragrance exalted in compare.
He had me enter first, then closed the door behind.
"My, what a poor office you have," I observed.
"My business is simple and needs no fancy desk."
"Business with a fool can be simple, can it not," I replied, and turned in a rush to the door, grasping the latch to run out, fumbling with the mechanism as usual. Finally I had determined that although a certain illegality was ever expected to be part of this business, my being alone with this man meant the enterprise might be painful as well.
Then he attacked me. Before I could open the door, the sinner grasped my shoulder. Surprisingly, however, Percival after that first contact released me, standing away to speak rapidly.
"Please, miss, you've come this far, please hear me out-for your own benefit."
I paused. Percival stood across the small room, making no move against me. Because I said nothing, the male continued.
"I think I know you, miss. I think I know your social place is unusual to follow a stranger into the stables. Therefore was the cause for your accepting Mr. Wrath's huge fee. And I think that when you made to get it from a bank, you would have difficulty. But my fee is more reasonable."
"Your fee for what?"
"Why, for taking your auntie to Wales in a coach with my own horses."
"And what sum would you ask?"
"Why, I would have you lie with me, miss."
Not wholly predictable was his price since he began by asking for his desire instead of grasping it as had his brethren.
"I know little of such things, mister sinner, but know I can expect no conveyance for my aunt if you receive payment in advance."
"But, miss, I have papers for booking," he asserted, and stepped to a table by his bed, attacking a paper with a pen and inkwell, signing and blotting his writing before handing me the form.
"If I do not hereafter complete my agreement exactly as per my promise, miss, you are encouraged to impart my failure to Magistrate Naylor himself."
I accepted the paper. I could not be certain of its legal aspects, but the sinner's encouragement to set the magistrate upon him seemed significant. But I continued with our business because of a more remarkable fact, for this male had written the name of the selected Welsh town exactly as had Wroth.
