Seven Dreams

Chapter Two-3

‘I caught Halavere’s contact before the meeting ever took place,’ Egg continued. ‘He stuck out like a sore thumb, did you notice? Anyway, I got the paper off him after I tied him up and chucked him over a brandy barrel.’

Serena and Fabian were too busy consulting over the contents of the note to pay any heed to Egg’s announcement, and she turned a piteous stare upon Teyo.

‘There, there,’ he said soothingly. ‘I know you were brilliant.’

‘I need a pay rise,’ Egg muttered.

‘So, this place,’ Serena said. ‘You two know who it belongs to, right?’ She displayed the note, upon which was written the name Bellaster Park.

Teyo and Egg both shook their heads. ‘High society is your field,’ Egg said tartly.

‘It belongs,’ said Serena with a great sigh, ‘to Baron Anserval.’

‘Who?’ said Teyo.

‘Baron Farran Anserval!’ Serena elaborated in a grand voice. ‘The King of Pomposity! He’s fabulously wealthy. He purchased his barony a few years ago and settled down in southern Irbel, at the incredibly ostentatious Bellaster Park. Since then he’s devoted himself to buying basically everything of any value that comes in his way. The house is stuffed with rubbish by now.’

‘What does Halavere want with any of that?’ Teyo enquired.

‘I don’t know,’ Serena said with a small frown. ‘I might guess that he is an associate of the Unspeakables as well, but probably not? It looks more like he’s a target. In which case, perhaps he’s acquired something that Halavere wants — and, perhaps, that the Unspeakables want too.’

‘A robbery!’ said Egg in delight.

‘Maybe.’

Teyo frowned. ‘Private houses are difficult to infiltrate, especially these grand places. Any chance he’ll be giving a ball soon?’

Serena said nothing, only sighed. Fabian answered instead, with a particularly fiendish grin.

‘That won’t be a problem,’ he said.

Egg kicked him in the shins. ‘Don’t be mysterious. Tell us why it won’t be a problem.’

‘Because,’ he said with relish, ‘The good Baron Anserval happens to be horribly in love with Serena.’

‘He is not,’ protested Serena, sitting abruptly upright with bristling indignation. ‘He is in love with Lady Fenella.’

‘You’re right,’ Fabian apologised. ‘A most vital distinction.’

Serena nodded gravely. ‘I can’t deny that it is a useful happenstance, but it is most tiresome. He really is the most dreadful bore.’

Fabian made a soothing noise. ‘Perhaps Oliver won’t wish us to pursue it.’

Teyo raised his brows. Oliver Tullen, their boss, was typically in favour of their pursuing everything that came up in connection with the Unspeakables; he would certainly send them after this little mystery. Serena knew it, too, for she turned upon Fabian a withering look and made no reply.

‘Yes, I suppose you’re right,’ Fabian said, nodding wisely. ‘You’ll just have to steel yourself, sis, and put up with an hour or two of fervent admiration.’

‘Which hour or two?’ Egg demanded. ‘We have only a place. No date or time, or anything to tell us what’s happening there or when. And we haven’t got much time to figure it out. Switching the paper won’t slow Halavere down for long. She’ll wring the information out of somebody soon enough.’

‘Stake-out,’ said Teyo.

Egg sighed. ‘I suppose.’

‘No matter,’ said Serena with a brilliant smile. ‘There are more of us, now, after all! Many hands make light work, and all that.’

Teyo blinked. ‘What?’

Serena beamed at him. ‘It’s time to go and pick up our new recruit.’