Upon a Wheel of Fire (Chung Kuo Book 11) by David Wingrove

Author:David Wingrove [Wingrove, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781912094523
Publisher: Fragile Media Ltd
Published: 2019-11-15T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 106

THE LAND WITHOUT GHOSTS

Emily pulled the door closed, then locked it, returning the key to the bunch jangling at her waist. She turned, looking towards the door at the far end of the corridor.

“Okay…what’s down there?”

The elderly servant turned, glancing at the door, then looked back at her, his head bowed. “I…I don’t know, Mistress. The Master never used this wing of the Mansion much. We were not encouraged…”

“I see,” she said, interrupting, then moved past him, heading for the door. “I guess I’ll have to find out for myself.”

“Forgive me, Mistress…”

She stopped. “Yes, Richard?”

As before, the use of his first name unsettled the old retainer. “Nothing, Mistress. Simply that I don’t think there’s a key to that door.”

She stared at him, intrigued. “Why not?” she asked, but she was thinking, Why is he so uncomfortable? and, How does he know there is no key if he was never encouraged to come here?

“It…it was never used.”

“Never?” She shrugged. “Well, we’ll see, neh?”

She turned, continued to the door.

As he caught up with her, she turned back, the abruptness of her action surprising him. “You’re absolutely certain there’s no key?”

He bowed his head, nodded.

“Then we’d best break it down, neh?”

“Mistress?” He looked at her, alarmed.

“If there’s no key…”

He stared back at her, nonplussed.

“Well?” she said, almost smiling now. “Will you do it, or shall I?”

His mouth opened slightly, closed.

There’s something in there, she thought. Something he’d rather I didn’t see.

She turned, took a step backward, kicked.

The door shuddered, held.

She kicked again. This time the wood surrounding the lock split and partly gave. A third kick shattered it.

The door swung slowly back.

She turned, smiling at him, enjoying the look of astonishment on his face.

And inside?

She stepped into the room. Into a dark mustiness.

“Lights,” she said, addressing the House Computer.

At once the room was brightly lit.

She looked about her. It was a big room — a store–room of some kind. Crates were stacked up four high, two deep all round the walls. She went across and examined one. It was sealed. She tried another and then a third. All sealed, untouched since they’d been placed here — when? — at least eighteen months back. She crouched, looking about her. The same label was on all the crates — the ornate blue and gold label of the Hythe–MacKay Auction House.

“What are these?” she asked, looking across to where the old servant was standing in the doorway.

He smiled politely. “The Old Master…”

“Oh, fuck the Old Master!” she said, finally losing her temper with him. “He’s been dead eighteen months now and still you act like he’s going to return at any moment! Well, he isn’t! And I’m Mistress here now. So cut all the “I don’t know’ shit and tell me what the hell all of this is!”

He looked down, staring at his booted feet, shocked by her outburst. “I…I don’t know, Mistress. We were told not to come here. Master Lever…well…”

She gave a sigh of exasperation. Was it always going to be like this? She counted to ten, then stood, facing the man.

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