Viking_Manstein: Thanks!
quicksabre: Thank you! I do my best.
Arakhor: Yes, it's a very useful thing. Gives some major bonuses.
Sethanon: You're right, and the history sections from now on will cover longer times when needed, and shorter when there's a specific event I want to discuss like the Reformation.
Sather: Yes, though the Free Subjects negative events aren't that bad. Not as bad as Centralisation or Aristocracy.
Momento Mori: "It's so hard to get good servants! Things were better in the old days!" That's pretty much the opinion of everyone...the past is always better when viewed through liberal uses of rose tinted glasses!
loki: Too quiet perhaps!
Chapter 14 – Puzzles and Riddles
22/1/1820
John had spent the rest of Friday the 21st around the gardens of Lady Mendenhall’s palace, and later had gone to write a letter to his father and family. As she had said, he saw no more of her Ladyship that day.
The next morning was sunnier than the day before, and the wind had dropped a little. Thus, when Victoria came to see him he was already awake and dressed.
“I want to head down to Kirkwall today,” he told her. “I have a letter to post, and I want to look around.”
She curtseyed. “Of course, sir. I will leave when you are ready, sir.”
“I think I can handle this on my own,” John stated.
For a moment Victoria looked uncertain, and John wondered if she’d been given orders to stay with him whenever he left the house. Finally she nodded. “Yes sir, of course.”
John smiled and moved a bit closer. “Thank you. You’ve been very kind to me so far, and I hope you’ll join me later when I get back.”
She looked up at him and smiled as well. “I will sir, thank you.”
The walk down to Kirkwall didn’t take as long as John had feared, and within an hour he had arrived in the main street. Though small, the town offered all the amenities that one could hope for, especially since they were catering for Lady Mendenhall as well as the locals.
John bought himself some bread and fresh cheese and ate that as he walked in the sunlight towards the harbour.
A sign caught his attention:
Wyatt’s Books and Other Relics
Always being interested in such things, John opened the door and entered. The smell of musty paper assailed him, and piles of old books filled every surface. Some were relatively new, while some were old and crumbling.
“Welcome, sir!” the owner said, appearing from a backroom.
“Good morning. Are you open?” John asked, for it was relatively early on Saturday.
“We are, sir. Anything I can help you with? I am Josiah Wyatt, sir, at your service.”
“No, just looking. Unless you have some works on the history of Kirkwall?”
“Come this way, sir,” Josiah said. Near the back of the shop was a sign indicating that this was where the history books were stored. “Not much call for history anymore, sir. It’s all romances and fiction.” Josiah clearly approved of neither as he pulled out some books from the shelf.
John took one, though it was written in Norwegian and he couldn’t read it. The next was written in 1713 by a Magnus Gundwell. The last was much later, and written in 1814 by John Keyes, and was overall much more readable.
“I will take the one by Keyes,” John said.
“Excellent choice, sir. Are you new in town? Can’t say I’ve seen you about.”
“Yes, I arrived a couple of days ago. I’m staying with her Ladyship.”
This produced an extraordinary effect. Josiah paused, still holding the book, and his grip tightened on it.
“Oh, well, sir, why didn’t you say so?” Josiah said, laughing with false joviality. “I always try to do the best by her Ladyship!” he said.
John, mystified by this change, didn’t say anything for a few seconds. “I am sure you do. Now, the book?”
“Oh, yes sir. Sorry sir. Consider it a gift, sir,” Josiah said. He was starting to sweat.
“A gift? Why? What is going on?”
“Nothing, sir. Just want to show my appreciation for her Ladyship’s patronage,” he said.
John left the man a shilling regardless and wandered out onto the street. The whole encounter was bizarre. Was Lady Mendenhall really that intimidating?
It was as he was walking back through the town that John almost bumped into Forbes, the old butler.
“Good morning, sir! How are you this morning?”
“Very well, and you?”
“I am well. Her Ladyship is kind enough to give me a day off each week on account of my age. She always says ‘at your age you shouldn’t have to work every day!’. A great Lady, sir.”
“So it seems,” John replied. “How long have you worked for her Ladyship, Forbes?” John asked.
“Well, it must be nineteen years now. Yes, see I was hired in April of 1800 by her Ladyship herself. All the staff signs up for twenty years, so I am nearing my retirement.”
“Her Ladyship hired you? Not her mother?” John asked, surprised.
“No, sir. I was hired after the Comte de Rouen passed on, and I was invited up here. Now old Weatherly who had been here before me said that her Ladyship had arrived a few months before I did. Her mother, well I never met her, but Weatherly liked her. A fair woman he said.”
John nodded, questions filling his mind. “So how old is her Ladyship? I thought she couldn’t be older than thirty, but if she arrived her twenty years ago she must be older.”
Forbes shook his head. “I do not inquire into the age of any lady, sir. I know how much my dear Alice used to hate it.”
“Yes, of course. So, Victoria is doing well, she’s your niece, isn’t she?”
“She is, sir. Came here after her mother died. Fitting in well.” He drew out an ancient watch and peered at it short sightedly. “If you will excuse me, sir, I have an appointment to keep.”
“Of course, thank you, Forbes.”
After he had gone John was left alone, pondering. Something was very strange here, but he couldn’t figure out what it was.