A Malevolent Manner (Patrick Pierce #1)

  *

  Jane brought the tray of food into the suite at the top of the pub after the guard had inspected it. She wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but he hadn’t found anything.

  “Here’s your breakfast my Lord,” she said laying it on a table by the door.

  A tall slim man with dark hair slicked back turned from the window he was looking out of to take in her presence. He had a hawk like face and intelligent eyes that could be both piercing and genial at the same time.

  “It seems my little breakfast has been approved by the guard dog,” he observed in a well educated English accent, looking down at the tray.

  Jane looked down at it in confusion and couldn’t see that anything had been disturbed. The guard was a flight of stairs down and couldn’t be seen from this room.

  “You don’t see it?” he asked chuckling. “Very well a quick explanation to put your mind at ease. First, since I was drugged and brought to this little holiday house in the dead of night, I have to presume that I am to be kept here, against my will if it comes to that. Therefore moving someone against their will without placing a guard to ensure he doesn’t leave seems like the actions of thoughtless mind. And I know that the main perpetrator is a very clever man.”

  To this Jane stared straight ahead without responding.

  “So you agree? Good,” he replied sitting down to eat. “Second, I know that you have been working at the Manor, were trained there in fact. I know that the training there is exacting and the lessons learned stick. Therefore when I look over this expertly prepared breakfast tray, I know if something is amiss it wasn’t due to your negligence.” During this oratory his hands had flowed over the tray like a conductor. He stopped suddenly and picked up the napkin, then opening it in a flourish.

  Confused Jane was about to ask how this told him anything, but she was silenced by his voice.

  “This napkin my dear, placed below the plate,” he continued. “You would never have placed it there. Therefore it could only have moved after you had prepared the tray. Had it moved when you brought it here you would have noticed and fixed it prior to presenting it. However being preoccupied with the presence of the guard, you did not notice that he moved it during his search.”

  “You mean to say you devised all this from a moved napkin?” she asked incredulously.

  “I can tell many things from the seemingly inconsequential. Keep that in mind my dear.”

  “I’ll do that,” she retorted with more defiance than she felt.

  “Good. Now tell me about the newest member of the Hunt, I believe you met him a short while ago.”

  “How…” she began to ask, but thought better of asking the question. That he knew of Pierce’s presence was obvious, although how much he knew remained to be seen. She had not been instructed to refrain from speaking to the gentleman, however if she could pull him into a conversation she could possibly extract some information from him.

  “I’m really not supposed to talk to you,” she began innocently. “However if you promise to stay in this room and not try to escape I will visit you daily for a good chat. Deal?”

  “On my word of honour, I shall remain in this room,” he pledged raising a hand to his chest.

  “Very well. I’ve only met him once, but he seems pleasant enough.”

  “Strange. Pleasant is not the usual term employed when describing members of the Hunt.”

  “Well he was. Or seemed to be at any rate. I doubt he was putting on an act, I would have noticed.”

  “Really? Hmm.”

  “Yes really. Do you want to hear more or shall I leave you to the rest of your tea?” she replied calmly, although not attempting to rise from the chair she had taken up opposite of him.

  “Pray continue, and don’t allow my little editorials to interrupt you.”

  “As I was saying he seemed pleasant, although he was also very confused about his appearance here. He was not terribly interested in his new position and seemed at a loss at what to do about it. To be honest he was very underwhelming. I don’t know how he was even invited to join the Hunt.”

  “Don’t you?” inquired the man knowingly as he raised his tea cup.

  This unexpected observation made her flinch before she could try and control her expression. Knowing any possible explanation would prove fruitless she decided to employ an age old tactic: denial.

  “I don’t know what you’re alluding to.”

  His response was a slight shrug and a wave to continue her dialog.

  “Well there’s little else to tell. I only met him briefly.” They continued their conversation as he ate his meal. He explained how he knew of the letter that linked her to the new member and Jane found herself unable to deny it. At that moment the fact she was indeed playing a very dangerous game was confirmed. When he finished she stood up and collected the tray with its collection of emptied plates and cups. She expertly held the tray with one hand as the other opened the door. On her way out, she heard his farewell.

  “Thank you Jane for our little talk. Let me know how our friend is doing after his next visit. I’d be very surprised if he doesn’t appear sometime today.”

  She closed the door behind her and had the sudden feeling that she had just had her fortune told by a gypsy. He had seemingly seen through her, a feeling she had never experienced before. She worked hard to either hide her thoughts and feelings, or to project whichever ones she decided would suit best for the situation. But she was sure he had seen right through her. Not only that, but she couldn’t see what his true goal was. Was it simply to lull her into a false sense of confidence, or provoke and unsettle her?

  Passing the guard at the bottom level of the stairwell she realized her extended period upstairs would be noted. She would have to dispel any concerns of Cleaver’s before he approached her or sent his dog Malicio. A quick letter describing her brief encounter would suffice.

  She dropped the tray off in the kitchen for the washers to clean up and made her way to the little office in the back. Here she took out a piece of paper and pen, composing her news to Cleaver. She would continue to meet the prisoner in order to obtain more info on this Mr. Pierce. However she did not mention in the letter that she recognized the prisoner, inwardly wishing she hadn’t. Jane had no idea what the goals of these two adversaries were, but she knew they’d probably crush those around them like fighting titans of ancient myths.

  Having finished she put the note in an envelope and made her way to the front of the inn, passing the doorway to the pub. At the front she called over one of the page boys and gave him the envelope to deliver to the Manor, adding a coin for his trouble. Seeing the shiny coin in his hand, he shot out the door at a run.