A Web of Lies

Chapter 4

“What, what? What is this business?” Chesterton called from his dark corner behind the bookshelf. “Who calls there?”

            “Please excuse the interruption, sir.” Trevor said after knocking on the bookshelf. “But you have a visitor.”           

            “Is that so?” Lord Chersterton asked, peering over the ledge. His beady eyes gazed curiously from the darkness. Trevor raised his hand up to the top of the shelf, and the spider in his hand crawled out.

            “Richard! My boy! Come here, let me look at you.” Chesterton said. The two scuttled towards each other.

            “Hello, Father.” Richard said. They both extended their forelegs and brushed along the extending legs of one another as some form of greeting.

            “Cassandra, my darling! Come see who’s here!”

            “Who is it?” She asked, now peering from the dark corner as well. “Oh, Richard! What a pleasant surprise!” She hurried forward and greeted her son also. “I thought you were still at the Vatican. What brings you home so soon?”

            “Surely you can’t be done with your studies yet.” Chesterton said.

            “No, no. I still have a quarter left to go, but I had a bit of a break between my exams and knew that I just had to come see you.”

            “Why, how lovely, and oh, Chesterton, isn’t that your hat?”

            “Why yes it is. How came you by it, my boy?” He asked.

            “It was the good man, Trevor, who bestowed it to me.” He discovered me upon my arrival, and I am ashamed to admit that in my fear, I thought him an enemy. He was a most kind-hearted soul, however, and showed me your hat as a token of good faith. I recognized the hat immediately, and I knew, any friend of my father’s was a loyal friend indeed.”

            “Oh how absolutely gallant of you, Trevor.” Cassandra said. “If there is any favor you could ask of us, we would gladly oblige. You have saved our son from what possibly could have been a very nasty discovery by the others. Such a debt could never be repaid.”

            “Oh, it was nothing really. I’m always happy to make a new friend.” Trevor said. “I’ll let the three of you catch up with each other.”

            Trevor bowed tot hem and started packing up his laptop and papers.

            “How was the journey, dear?” Cassandra asked her son.

            “A bit bumpy, but very dark.”

            “Oh, that is good then. Come on, you must be famished. Why don’t I find you a nice beetle?”

            “Actually, I’d love a touch of cricket if you’ve got any on hand.” Richard said.

            “Really? You use to absolutely abhor crickets.” Cassandra replied.

            “I was rather disagreeable in my youth. I believe my time abroad has rather brought me a bit of culture, even despite my own efforts at times.”

            “Well how wonderful to hear. I’ll fix something up.”

            Lady Cassandra and her son scurried away onto their hidden web, chatting lightly along the way