I was starting to warm to William, and I enjoyed aspirational targets even when they seemed far out of reach. ‘Watch this space,’ I told him.
‘Oh, I shall,’ he assured me with only a hint of darkness.
Chapter
Seven
Ishook William’s cold, dry hand then barrelled out of his office. Lady Penelope rose to her feet but I ignored her and sped to the front door so I could get back to the market. Before I did anything, I wanted to talk to Trilby and look for that cat.
I heard the vampire call after me but I ignored her. The marketplace was busier now but as I drew close I could already see that Trilby had left their stall. There was no sign of them anywhere. Next I cast around and searched for the silver Maine Coon. Frustratingly, there was no sign of the handsome moggy either.
‘You are most tiresome, Ms McCafferty,’ Lady Penelope said as she caught me up.
I turned to face her. Her arms were folded and her eyebrows were raised. ‘Do you often get cats down here?’ I asked.
‘No.’
‘But…’
She cleared her throat to interrupt me. ‘You have been marked and given permission to travel around the Understream. My duty is done and I shall take my leave. Good luck,Ms McCafferty. I hope you find out what has happened to our friends.’
I nodded distractedly, still determined to locate the Maine Coon. As Lady Penelope turned away, my thoughts cleared. ‘Wait!’
She gave a long sigh but didn’t turn around. ‘What now?’
I manoeuvred myself in front of her. ‘Thank you for escorting me to the Bureaucratic Suite,’ I said.
‘You are welcome.’
‘You’ve been very helpful up till now.’
Her eyes narrowed. I pressed ahead. ‘I have a map.’ I waved the paper William had given me. ‘And I have a plan.’
‘Good for you,’ she said drily.
I hoped I wasn’t making a terrible mistake. ‘But I will have more success if I have some real vampiric support. I’ll find places more quickly and people will be more inclined to speak to me if you are with me.’
She stared at me for so long that I wondered if I’d mortally offended her but finally she spoke. ‘You are asking for my help?’
‘Yes.’ To succeed in my task, I needed to have the vampires on my side. As cold as she appeared, and despite our bickering, Penelope had given me brief glimpses of a warmer side to her nature and she was obviously respected by the other fanged creatures. Plus, her presence would go a long way towards ensuring the other vampires trusted me.
‘What is it in it for me?’ she demanded.
‘Finding your friends,’ I said quietly. ‘Regardless of what reward I might reap for completing my Minor Investigations course, this investigation isn’t about me. It isn’t about you either, even though this is your home. It’s about finding those missing worms, the ones you call friends.’
Lady Penelope paused again. ‘I am not often surprised by creatures from above ground,’ she said finally, ‘butyou have surprised me, Ms McCafferty.’ She nodded. ‘Yes, I will accompany you.’
I grinned. ‘Fantastic!’
‘I reserve the right to withdraw my support at any time.’
‘No problem.’
‘I am only agreeing to this because I care deeply for our friends and I do not wish for any more of them to vanish.’
‘Understood.’
‘And you will do what I say when I say it.’
