No trace: Part Two of The Accidental Trilogy

Chapter Four

I knew that someone would notice. The library was not completely isolated and anyone who kept an eye on things would notice.

Even if I had returned everything I borrowed to the exact place I had taken it from.

The fact was, the Master suspected a thief in his own household and that was dangerous.

I quickly returned the most recent book that I had borrowed to its place and made myself the proper, illiterate, not well-spoken scullery maid born of a workhouse in Northampton that I was supposed to be.

Everyone in the household would be interviewed, including me.

By the Master. And once the culprit was found, the local bailiff would be summoned.

I concentrated on the cover that I was determined to keep.

The interview was held in his study, I kept my head down, fidgeted with my skirt. I didn't even notice at first the voice that was speaking to me. For it wasn't the master.

'Amy Miller. Scullery maid. Has been working here for a year and three months.'

It was the Master's secretary. 'Amy Miller, sit down.'

I quickly sat.

'Amy, you will have no doubt have heard of the thievery that has been going on here.'

I look up for a moment; the Master is not even here, I am uneasy for a moment, I had heard that he was going to be present for all the interviews.

I feel something then, I am being scanned. Something only a Khalinyne can do.

The ability to scan is very useful, I had been told, it could be used to determine those who surround her or him in a fifteen-mile radius.

'Amy, I do not need to tell you that we are relatively the same. Your would-be clan has already informed me of how unique you are, among our own kind.'

I was not sure what to say at first. About being unique? But I understand that now is not the time. 'Are you intending to help me?' And not use me, I think to myself.

'I'm part of a clan, which means I'm bound by clan rules and laws. Even though you are clanless by choice, I'm bound to help you regardless.'

I merely nodded. For once the clan and its rules are going to help me.

'That being said, you are the last to be interviewed and I can safely assume I am right in thinking that you are behind the thieving of books from the library?'

'I put them back,' I chose to reply.

He almost smiled. 'That you did. But the master still wants me to name a suspect and have that person arrested, tried and punished.'

'What do you suggest?'

'You had a plan, I assume to reinvent yourself somewhere?'

'I was going to London.'

'Well, I hate to disappoint. But I don't have any contacts in London. But I do have some in Paris. They will help you.'

'Thank you.'

'Of course. Now, logically, you are the last suspect to be interviewed. What would naturally follow is your tearful confession, whereby I would then summon the master and you would be locked up in your room to await the bailiff.' He pulled a sheaf of paper from the desk and wrote down an address. 'Look closely and memorise, you cannot leave any trace.'

I quickly memorised the address as directed, as well as the name, the head of the household in Paris.

'Now, I am going to summon a footman, who will lock the door to your room. I will summon the master. As soon as the door is locked, take what you must and go. What I have said may not happen in precisely the manner I have described and you cannot risk being put in manacles.'

The footman summoned is James, of course. In the time he has taken, I have summoned a few fake tears and deliberately smudged them in with the constant soot on my face.

Locked in my room, I move fast. First pulling out a spare sock, the one without a hole in it, and emptying my year and a half worth of salary into it. A small amount, but I have earned this. With a scrap of fabric, I tie it to my ankle, put on my coat and then turn.

I become a flame first, I almost couldn't resist leaving a tiny hole in the window.

But I stopped myself.

No trace, I reminded myself. It was good advice that the secretary gave me, and I intended to follow it.

I became a speck and flew under the door.

A speck's view of Paris is not bad.

But I concentrate and find the house whose address I memorised so carefully.

The city is beginning to wake up and I watch it all while I stand on the front threshold.

The man, who opens the door, looks a little disdainfully at me, before opening the door a tad more.

'Mademoiselle Miller?' He inquires.

'Oui. And with whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?' The secretary said I had to speak French and then a bit of English. It was a way of underlining precisely who I was.

'I am the assistant here. Come in, sil vous plait.'

I followed him inside and immediately started to scan the area.

Several humans upstairs, four Khalinynes and one more human, i.e. the one leading me into what appeared to be the drawing-room.

'The owner of the estate will be down shortly. Would you care for some refreshments?'

'No thank you Monsieur.'

He nodded and left the room.

I tidy myself, as best I can. I have a napkin I have saved, so I wipe my face with that. Smooth my hair and pull it into a small bun. My dress is quite tatty but there is nothing that I can do about that.

When I hear footsteps on the stairs, I listen to what my extra Khalinyne senses will tell me.

Like before, four Khalinynes following the one human that opened the door for me.

They all are dressed well but then not in the latest fashions, conscious of the times but not too obvious. It said a lot, and I was pleased to have picked up on it.

Out of the four, only one was a lady, the rest were gentlemen. The eldest of them, at least sixty years spoke to me.

'Amy Miller,' he said slowly, 'Mr Kendall told me all.' He looks at me with much curiosity. 'I'll thank Callum for this later. I have at least fifteen more years in this life; I would like them to be interesting.'

He extends an outstretched worn hand towards me. 'Welcome to our group,' he says, as I take his hand, 'Little one. I'm Louis Geterrier'.'

'I am Christophe,' the younger of the other two gentlemen introduces himself with a flurry of hands and bowing, 'this is my friend, Andrea, visiting from the region of Lazio for a spell.'

'Indeed, I thought it best, since I became an Elder almost ten years ago, to remain inconspicuous.'

'And,' Christophe gestures to the lady, who steps forward and smiles, 'This is the lady of the house, Jean Rosa Parker.'

'Rosa,' she corrects Christophe as she drops into a dignified and graceful curtsey. 'My real name is Rosa,' she tells me, 'But Jeannette is more refined, so they tell me.' She smiles and I can't help do the same in return. 'I became an Elder four days ago.'

'She has been announcing that to every Khalinyne on the continent since,' Christophe says mockingly.

'It is a proud moment in a Khalinyne's life,' Rosa retorts quickly.

'Enough. We are not making a good first impression on young Amy here,' Louis reprimands the others and then adds, 'Christophe, Andrea, I believe you two have business in town. Rosa, you can show Amy the house. If anyone needs me, I will be in the study.'