The Unwelcome Visitors
SINCE HER ARRIVAL at the Hades Consortium's lair, Madame Destine had been in solitary confinement. That situation was about to be remedied, yet the company would not be pleasant.
She lifted her head to greet the newcomers, noticing the stooped old man first. Sir George Dray dragged his hunched form into the room, huffing and puffing with each expense of energy, with Lady Jocasta following at his heels.
'Madame Destine, isn't it,' Sir George said rather than asked. 'It's a pleasure to meet you and I mean that sincerely. I hope you don't mind the interruption, but I want to ask you a question about a mutual friend, if you don't mind.'
'You may ask me as many questions as you wish, monsieur, but that does not mean I will choose to answer them,' Destine replied defiantly.
'That's hardly polite behaviour towards your host,' Dray grinned.
'What makes you think that I would relish consorting with a vile monster like you?' Destine replied.
'But we've not even been formally introduced yet!' said Dray, with a laugh.
'I know who you are, monsieur…I know what you are,' said Destine.
'And I know you, my dear lady,' Sir George said, teasing his cracked lips with his tongue. 'And I would have thought that someone like you would be used to consorting with vile monsters…after all, you gave birth to one.' The old man watched the effect his words had upon Destine with keen interest. 'It was a real shame what happened to Antoine in London. You have my sympathies.'
'You may keep them!' Destine said. 'I have long since given up shedding tears for him – he chose his life, and he deserved his death. He was nothing but a cold-blooded murderer.'
'True…but one of the most gifted cold-blooded murderers I've ever met,' said Dray, flashing a glimpse of his yellowed teeth. 'No remorse, no conscience, and no limits to the lengths he would go to get the job done. The Hades Consortium can't take all the credit, of course. All we did was encourage his skills along a little. But your son is not why I am here, Madame. Like I said, I have a question about a mutual friend…the man responsible for your son's death…Cornelius Quaint.'
'My son was responsible for his own death!' replied Destine forthrightly.
Dray cackled. 'So you approved of Cornelius's actions, did you? Interesting. That takes rare strength of character, Madame. I doubt that I'd be so generous if someone did that to my son!'
Lady Jocasta felt her blood chill.
It was almost as if the old man was speaking one thing, but meaning something else, and something directed only at her. She tried to mask her shattered nerves, praying he could not sense her fear.
'Cornelius acted with honour, as he always does, monsieur!' Destine said.
'Maybe so. We shall soon see if he holds you in as much regard,' said Dray, as he leaned on his walking cane and pulled himself unsteadily to his feet. 'Our sentries tell us that Cornelius is camped on the outskirts of this very base. He is no doubt coming for you, but when he gets here he will have a very nasty surprise waiting for him.'
Destine looked up. 'Which is?'
Sir George Dray smiled a tight, crooked smile. 'Me.'