Skulduggery Pleasant- Daughter Of Darkness

Meeting china sorrows p2

The door opened before they could ask anymore questions and a thin man with large round spectacles peered out. His nose was hooked and his wiry hair was receding. He wore a checkered suit with a bow tie. He glanced at Roselyn and Stephanie then nodded to Skulduggery and opened the door wide for them to come through.

Roselyn and Stephanie realised why none of the doors were numbered - it was because they all led into the same room. The walls between apartments had been taken away in order to accomadate the vast number of books on the shelves. Stacks and stacks of books, a labyrinth of bookshelves that stretched from one side of the building to the other. As they followed the bespectacled man through the maze Roselyn saw more people, noticing her sister looking at them too. their attention focused on their reading, people half hidden in shadow, people who didn't look exactly right...

in the middle of the library was an open space, like a clearing in a forest, and in this open space stood the most beautiful woman Roselyn or Stephanie had ever seen. Her hair was black as raven wings, and her eyes were the palest blue. Her features were so delicate Stephanie feared they might break if she smiled, and then the lady smiled.

Roselyn felt a flicker of warmth before it faded away, frowning she wondered what it was,But Ttephanie felt a warmth that for an instant she never wanted to be anywhere else but at this lady's side.

"Stop that," said Skulduggery. Roselyn frowned looking to Skulduggery, The woman raised her eyebrows questionly at Roselyn, her eyes curious before she looked to Stephanie who looked to be in a daze.

The lady let her eyes move to him and her smile turned playful. "Whats wrong with Stephanie?" Roselyn whispered to Skulduggery, who ignored her, "Stop that," Skulduggery said again, and the lady laughed and shrugged and looked back at Stephanie.

"Sorry about that," she said, and Roselyn could see Stephanie shake her head, as if a fog had been lifted from her sisters mind. Stephanie staggered, but Skulduggery was there, a hand on the small of her back, supporting her.

"My apologies," the lady said, giving Stephanie a small bow. "I do forget the effect i have on people. First impressions and all that."

"Seems like every time you meet someone new, you forget that little fact." Skulduggery said.

"I'm a scatterbrain, what can i say?"

Skuduggery grunted and turned to Stephanie. "Don't feel self-conscious. The first time anyone sets eyes on china, they fall in love. Believe me, the effect lessens the more you get to know her."

Lessens," the woman named China said, "but never goes away, does it, Skulduggery?"

The detective took off his hat and looked at China, but ignored her question. China smiled at Roselyn and handed her a buisiness card, "Feel free to call me if you ever stumble across a book or an item you think I might be interested in. Skulduggery used to. He dosen't any more. Too much water has flowed under that proverbial bridge, I'm afraid, just as Roselyn grabbed it, going to pull it into her pocket, China didn't let it go, Roselyn awkwardly looked up at china, who's eyes were full of curiousity. "You're different" China said, slightly narrowing her eyes. "You're immune to me" she said as Roselyn frowned again. china pulled the card towards her, making Roselyns arm go forward, her sleeve shortening revealing her birth mark on her arm, The birthmark was in a shape of a circle, with what looked like a triangle in it.

China looked down at her birthmark and a strong emotion quickly flashed over her eyes. China looked back at Roselyn's face, her eyes locked onto Roselyn's. "Interesting scar"

China said. "Erm..It's actually a birthmark" Roselyn replied. Chinas eyes flicked with what seem to be confirmation before she dropped her hand, letting go of the buisness card , turning to Stephanie and handing her the same card, oh, where are my manners? My name is China sorrows, my dear. And you are...?"

Skulduggery turned his head to her sharply, Roselyn could see Stephanie frown. "You don't need to know her name," Skulduggery said, all you need to know is that she and her sister witnessed someone breaking into Gordon Edgleys house. He was looking for something. What would Gordon have that someone might want?"

"You don't know who he was?"

"He wasn't anyone. His master, that's who I'm after."

"So who do you think his master is?"

Skulduggery didn't answer and china laughed. "Serpine again? My darling, you think Serpine is the culprit behind practically every crime."

"That's because he is."

"you hear things."

"do I?"

"people talk to you."

"I am very approachable."

"I was wondering if you'd heard anything: rumors, whispers, anything."

"Nothing that would help you."

"But you have heard something?"

"I've heard nonsense. i've heard something that dosen't even deserve to be called a rumor. Apparently Serpine has been making inquiries about the Sceptre of the Ancients."

"What about it?"

"He's looking for it."

"What do you mean? The Scepter's a fairy tale."

"Like I said, its nonsense."

Skulduggery fell silent for a moment, as if he was storing the piece of information away for further study. When he spoke again, it was with a new line of questioning. "So what would Gordon have that he - or anyone else - might want?"

"Probably quite a lot," China answered. "Dear Gordon was like me: he was a collector. But i don't think that's the question you should be asking."

Skulduggery thought for a moment. "Ah."