Sparrow Falling (20 page)

Stug tapped the papers with his forefinger, thinking rapidly. It was none of this man’s business if he had a personal interest in the school – and in finding out as much as he could about that interfering young woman, thus increasing his hold on her. Stug was conscious of a rising excitement. If he was to free himself of Simms, which he would have to do, and probably sooner rather than later, then someone who not only had dubious morals and experience of criminality but was far more completely under his control, someone like Eveline Sparrow, would be very, very useful. She almost certainly had, or could find, some low bully-boy types she could call upon for the more physical aspects of protecting his interests.

And should things go wrong, the loss would be small, and blame could easily be guided towards the young woman of known criminal background who was running the place.

“As you say, Mr Thring, it’s the cheapest of the lot. And as you’ve noted, I’m a cautious man. I’d prefer to start small.” He peered at the papers. “Also, a school – I think, as you say, the business can be discounted – the improvement of young minds, is, after all, the most worthy of causes, and if one should find that those young minds are being guided in ways that are...
unsuitable,
it would be one’s public duty to put a stop to it. Don’t you think?”

“Neat,” Thring said, nodding. “Always better if one can fill out one’s reputation at the same time as one’s pockets.”

“How did you come across the school?”

“Oh, I keep my eyes open. I prefer to investigate such opportunities myself. One can use agents, but they do
miss
things, and are far too easy to spot. If I go myself, why, I can go as Octavius Thring, a private gentleman with a number of interests and a charitable bent. You’d be astonished what people reveal to a would-be reformer, Mr Stug.”

“I’m sure I should.”

“Well, if you’re fixed on this particular one to start with... should it work to our advantage – though as I say, on this particular investment the returns are not as great as with one of the others, do you think you could, later, be persuaded to invest in one of the larger projects?”

“Perhaps. I should prefer to wait until I can be convinced of this project’s worth.”

“You’re a shrewd bargainer, Mr Stug. There’s no getting one over on you, I see.”

“Well,” Stug said, “I like to get my money’s worth.”

“I can see that you do, Mr Stug. I can see that you do. If you would be so kind as to sign here, here and here, I shall put things in motion. Would you like to visit the place?”

“Oh no,” Stug said. “They’ve already dealt with you, and you’ve obviously gained their trust, so I think it’s better if you do the negotiating. If you’re willing.”

“Certainly, certainly.”

Stug signed, and shook hands, and smiled. Thring was his sort of businessman. One who understood things. His cherubic features and avuncular manner might be deceptive to others; Stug could see the sharp brain behind them, a brain like his own.

When Thring had taken his leave, Stug leaned back in his chair, laced his hands behind his head, and allowed satisfaction to rise in him. Oh, if only that annoying little... even in the privacy of his own head, he hesitated over a word that was, by no definition, respectable... annoying little
bitch,
knew! He’d have her dancing to his tune, and he would get the Queen what she wanted, and all would fall into place, as it must.

The Sparrow School

“Y
OU LOOK MORE
cheerful, Beth,” Evvie said. “What’s up?”

Beth waved the newspaper. Evvie gave it a scowl. “First time there’s been anything in there to make you happy. Thought it was all misery and disaster.”

“No, listen! ‘The Russian ambassador, M de Staal, will be giving an embassy ball on the fifteenth. All the ladies will no doubt be eager to see Lady Staal displaying the latest in fashions from the glittering Imperial Court.’”

“Didn’t think you were interested in all that, Beth, fashions and so forth.”

“It’s not about the
ball,
Evvie. It’s the fact that he’s
giving
one, and the way the article’s written.”

“I don’t follow.” Something was giving Evvie an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach, which didn’t at all match Beth’s cheerful expression.

“The paper’s not talking about how Russia’s trying to take over territory, it’s talking about the ‘glittering Imperial Court.’ And there’s a list of people who are going, and lots of them are government. That means things are calming down, after Panjdeh. There’s probably a proper article somewhere, that will explain it, only somebody’s taken the main bit of the paper.”

“‘Things are calming down,’” Evvie said, her voice sounding rather too far from her body. “Oh, good.”

A Russian doll. What if you told her you had a Russian doll.

“Evvie, are you all right?”

“Did they say he had a daughter?”

“Yes, a little girl. Evvie?”

Baba Yaga. The Queen has some quarrel with Baba Yaga.

“Beth, you understand this stuff better than I do. Say something happened, to the ambassador’s family. Maybe while he was at this ball, with his wife, if something happened... what would that mean?”

“What would it
mean?
”

“Say his little girl got... you know. Hurt, or kidnapped, or something.”

“Why on earth should something like that happen?”

“Never mind why, what if it did?”

Beth bit her lip, frowning. “Well... it probably wouldn’t be good. Not just now. I mean, actually, it might be pretty bad. Especially if the ambassador thought it had been done on purpose, I don’t suppose he’d be that interested in making it all right again.”

“D’you think it could mean a war?”

“On its own, normally – no. Maybe not. But just now, with everyone still so riled up about Panjdeh? And from what I read it was the Russian ambassador himself who did a lot of work to stop there
being
a war – he’d think – well, probably
everyone
would think – that it was done on purpose.” Beth whitened. “Evvie, what is it? Do you know something?”

“I gotta think,” Evvie said. “I... I gotta think.”

The Queen wants the Russian Ambassador’s baby. Because she’s got some stupid quarrel with Baba Yaga.

Maybe Stug really
is
working for the government – or maybe he’s a spy – or maybe it’s just about the baby, maybe that’s
all
it is? Does he not know? Not care?

And what do I do now?

She looked at Beth, and thought about Beth’s Uncle Berry. And about Old Jeff and Jenny Blake, and Davey, Bobby, William, Frank, Joe and how many more? How many Russians too? Dead and maimed and broken and grieving.

Because one man was mad for a son, and one vain, inhuman creature wanted to score a point over another, they would risk a war. Because neither of
them
would be fighting it.

It’s not right. It’s not right that they get to mess us about this way; Stug and people like him, and the Queen and Folk like her. They don’t care, they don’t care nothing for all of us that bleeds and breaks and mourns. Not a bit.

She sat silent for so long that Beth took away her cold tea and put another in front of her without her noticing until she burned her mouth on it. “Ow!”

“Sorry,” Beth said. “I told you twice it was a fresh one.”

“My fault. Beth... that ladder you were making for me. Is it done?”

“Well...”

“Usable, I mean?”

“Yes.”

“Good, show me.”

“Evvie, what are you doing?”

“I got an idea. I think. But I need your ladder, and I need to talk to Liu.” She pulled the little jade fox out of her hidden pocket, and stared at it. “Hear that? I need to talk to Liu.” She saw Beth watching, and flushed. “I dunno,” she said. “He says he can tell when I need him, because of this, but... I don’t know if it still works. Or if he’ll come.”

“Tell me what you’re doing.”

“I can’t. I’ll be off out tomorrow night. I need your ladder. I should be back by two. If I’m not... you don’t know where I went, you don’t know me by any other name than Sparrow, and we never met before you came here.”

“Evvie...”

“It’s safer this way, Beth. You know where the money is, and who has to be paid.”

“Evvie, please...”

Eveline gave her a swift hug. “Don’t be a worry-wart. I’ll be right as rain.”

“Oh, Evvie, are you sure?”

“’Course I am.”

E
VELINE FOUND
L
IU,
eventually, seated on the roof of one of the old sheds in the grounds, which caught the sun in the afternoons. He hardly seemed to notice when she clambered up alongside him, but sat with his arms around his knees staring over the field where the shadows of the trees lengthened with the dying day.

“Liu... I’m so glad you’re here. Funny how you do that.”

“Do what?”

“How you’re always here when I really need you to be. Is it the fox? Or just you?” She grinned at him, but he didn’t smile back. He hardly seemed to have heard her. “I’m sorry,” she said.

“Sorry?”

“I’m sorry I shouted at you. I didn’t mean those things I said.”

“It is no matter.”

“Yes it is. I had a lot on my mind, but that en’t no excuse for going for you like I did.”

She waited for him to ask her what was on her mind, but he only plucked a bit of broken slate from the roof, and began digging at the moss with it.

“So are we all right?”

“Of course,” he said.

“You sure?”

“I would not say so if I were not.” He still wasn’t looking at her, but at his own fingernails, as though there was some mystery hidden under them. Evvie couldn’t see what it could be, since his nails were always so clean it was astonishing.

“Liu, you sick or something?”

“Sick? No. Only, like you, my mind has... things on it.”

“You going to tell me?”

“Oh, it is all terribly dull. Tell me what you want instead.”

“How do you know I want something?”

“I know.”

“Matter of fact, I did want to ask you a favour. But I didn’t come up here just for that, you know,” she said.

“I know that, too.” His smile this time looked more like the one she knew.

She smiled back. “You said I shouldn’t get involved with the Folk. Well, I’m taking your advice, but... I need your help. Because I dunno who else to ask.”

“Go on.”

“Would you be able to get me something, from them?”

“What?” The glance he threw at her was almost desperate.

“Is something up?”

“Not at all. It seems I must travel across the Stream of Blood in any case, it will be no trouble to bring back something.”

“You must? Oh, good. I need a baby.”

“What?”

Evvie snorted. “Your
face!
I mean a changeling, you daft ha’porth. Not a
real
baby. Can you get one? Well, when I say a baby... nearabouts three or four years. Little girl. Dark headed.” She’d managed to find out that much, at least. And it would be night, and the child would be well wrapped. It would have to do.

“That should be possible,” he said.

“Only it’d have to be soon. By tomorrow night.”

“Ah. That might be more difficult.”

“Liu, it’s real important. I can’t tell you why, because it might get you in trouble. If you don’t know, then it’s not your fault, right? Only it’s probably best no-one knows about it, or as few as possible, anyroad.”

“Oh, Lady Sparrow, what have you got yourself mired in?”

“I been asking myself that. But I got to do it, there’s no-one else. It’s not for me, see. It’s... well. Oh, I wish I could tell you but I
daren’t.
But it might stop a lot of bad things happening.” Liu looked at her, frowning. She sighed. “I’m sorry. But a doll en’t going to work. I’d ask Beth but I don’t think she could make something in time.”

“I will get you your changeling,” Liu said. “By tomorrow night. At the foot of the big oak,” he pointed to one of the huge old trees that edged the school’s grounds.

Evvie grabbed his hand and squeezed it. “Liu, you’re a bene cove, you are.”

He squeezed back, briefly, and then let go. “If I cannot bring it myself, then I will send it.”

“Why wouldn’t you be able to bring it yourself?” Evvie said.

“Well...” Liu looked at his fingernails again. “It is possible I might not be coming back.”

“What? Why?” Evvie felt a sudden hollow in her stomach.

“I am, as you recently reminded me, half Folk. I think perhaps I have spent too much time here of late. Pleasant though this has been...”

“You’re leaving?”

Liu shrugged. “I might. I might not. Life here can be entertaining, but then, so is life among the Folk, you know.”

“I see.” She kept thinking she knew him, and then, he behaved just like Aiden – fickle, unreliable, not really caring for her or anything but himself.

Don’t lose your temper, Evvie. This changeling’s the best chance you’ve got to deal with this business
.

And if you’re nice there might be a better chance he’ll come back.

“Well,” she said, “that will be a shame, you know, but I suppose you know your own business best.”

The Crepuscular

P
RESSING HIS WAY
through today’s entrance – a curtain of brilliant blue morning glory, that had, somehow, been coaxed open even in the soft light of the Crepuscular – Liu could not help but make comparisons. The Court of Ao Guang was, there was no getting away from it, of a level of magnificence that made the Queen’s Court seem... a little countrified. Of course, she favoured living décor – flowers, beasts, birds, her own peculiar pets. Ao Guang was more inclined to the unchanging glories of lacquer and gold.

Yet for all that the Queen’s Court had a liveliness of spirit, a
playfulness
that Ao Guang’s lacked. It was not only the glory of Ao Guang’s Court that was unchanging – the same faces, the same signs of status, the same dancers in the same dances as rank and position shifted up and down and sideways.