Leech by Gabriel Ryves

Author:Gabriel Ryves
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: 23 Ghosts
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“We’ll start with Miss Elsie’s room.” Thorley marched across the hall with Jasper in tow. “You didn’t happen to notice anything when you stayed there?”

“No. No leaks, I don’t think. No men in the walls!” He cracked a smile. Thorley didn’t return it.

“We ought to check anyway. How many days ago was that?” he sighed, casting a glance at the tower base. “Is the blood still visible?”

There were some brown-gray spots where Ned had landed. Thorley shuddered as they climbed, declaring that they would have to clean it again.

Elsie wasn’t there, her books and clothes strewn over the room. The butler was careful to step around everything, not even picking a pencil off the floor.

“Tell me if there’s anything that needs to be fixed before Miss Elsie gets rained on too,” Thorley said. If they wanted to check the ceiling, Jasper reminded him, he needed something to stand on. With a huff, Thorley cleared off a chair.

Jasper stepped up and stared at white plaster. He didn’t really know what to look for beyond the obvious; Thorley could probably do just as well at this as he would. His faking this morning might have given them the wrong impression. “I’m not an expert,” he said.

“I’m certain you are not,” the butler said. “Just go do it.”

Jasper scanned for cracks and discolorations, lingering over the bed where he knew the trap door to be. Difficult to make out even when looking for it, which was a good sign. Thorley asked if he could see well enough between the roof beams. He said yes, though he could not. The room seemed fine, the attic cell a buffer between it and the roof. He announced he didn’t see any serious damage.

“Good. Good.” Mr. Thorley wiped the chair off. “You know, Jasper, I believe I last saw you in March. You were at the townhouse almost a week, and when I gave you your wages, I remember we had a small conversation. You never mentioned you had met Mr. Lambert.”

Jasper turned to face him with an open mouth. “I didn’t.”

“No?” Thorley balked. “He knew you enough to hire you here.”

Leo. The other Mr. Lambert. “Oh, oh! Mr. Lambert…junior.” Jasper breathed deep and put his hands on his sides in a display of casualness. “Yeah, yeah, we got to talking.”

“And?”

Arms crossed now, Jasper cut his nails into his palm.

“When did he offer you a job as his valet?” Thorley stretched the words as he basked in the absurdity of the situation. “Because the day before we left, Charlie Briscoe was set to accompany Mr. Lambert to the castle, but then there you were instead, and I learn second-hand that apparently he’s been fired. So how and when did you enter into all this?”

To stall, Jasper cleared his throat. He thought of bluffing his way out of giving an answer altogether. Did the butler need an explanation? They were all employed by the Lambert family, whose members were allowed to change staff as they pleased. Leo must

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