“All the various epics describe them as forest-dwelling. So, unless all my suppositions are entirely misguided––”
“Never that.”
“Exactly, highly unlikely. Your Mrs Fetherpottoot––”
“Featherstonehaugh.”
“Will be in a forest. I suspect there’s one nearby.”
“You don’t know?”
“I can’t do everything for you,” protested Percy, forgetting who’d procured him the book in the first place.
It was as good a theory as any and at least it indicated a course of action. This was a great relief to a girl of Rue’s particular character. She could now start planning. “Percy?”
“Yes, Rue?”
“Please go and find out the location of the nearest forest.”
“But, Rue, I haven’t even finished this book.”
That’s Percy for you. “Well, if you can’t help, I suppose I could ask Quesnel to check his areal…”
“You think I can’t figure it out? I have maps.”
“Of course you do, Percy.”
Rue suddenly thought of something and went to rummage about in her peach dress from that morning’s tour of Bombay.
Absentmindedly she said, “Thank you, Percy dear, you’ve been extraordinarily useful.”
Percy puffed up with pride. “Yes, well.”
Rue emerged, triumphant. From the interior of her small bag she discovered the stone monkey on the cord she’d found after the flowers exploded.
“Percy, what if Miss Sekhmet was speaking for them?”
“For whom?” Now it was Percy’s turn to be confused.
Rue showed him the little statue. “The Vanaras.”
“She was a very odd sort of woman.”
“Terribly careless of us to let her get captured like that. But why didn’t she just say something? Was that why she kept harping on about my mother? Did she think the Shadow Council knew about the weremonkeys?”
Percy look shocked at the idea. “I highly doubt it. If they do exist – and it’s just a working hypothesis, mind you, Rue – they have taken a great deal of care not to be known by the British government.”
“Which would be why Miss Sekhmet kept being so mysterious. Then what was her negotiation about?”
Percy shrugged. “You can’t depend on me for everything, Rue, especially if it isn’t written down.”
“Of course not, Percy. I do apologise. Still” – Rue tapped Mrs Featherstonehaugh’s copy of the Epic of Ramayana – “exceptional work.”
Percy actually blushed. “It’s all in the books.”
Rue smiled. “Now if you will excuse me, I must find someone to take a message to Uncle Lyall. Spoo, I think. I like Spoo, very plucky.”
“Who?”
“Spoo.”
“Oh, the little lad who is always tormenting my valet?”
“Sort of.”
Percy nodded. “Yes, by all means send him off on an errand. Maybe Virgil will get some real work done for a change.”
“Now, Percy, don’t be mean. Virgil’s very diligent in your care. Why, I haven’t seen you once without a well-tied cravat or neat waistcoat this entire trip.”
“Oh, not that sort of work. There are manuscripts to dust and catalogue.”
“Percy, he is your valet. You hired him to tend to your appearance, not your books’ appearance.”
“I did?”
“Yes, you did. If you want an archivist, go and get yourself a clerk.”
Percy seemed much taken by this idea. “Do such useful persons exist for hire?”
“Of course they do. Now scoot.”
Percy scooted and Rue went to find herself a tea-gown so she was presentable enough to climb up top. Fortunately, Dama’s drones, accustomed to her predisposition for getting naked and stealing wolf shape, had supplied her with a full range of tea-gowns. They were technically the provenance of older married ladies, but allowances had to be made when balancing Rue’s relaxed attitude against her reputation. Tea-gowns were easy to get into and out of, and elegant despite their simplicity. Rue selected her favourite, one of light blue gauze that wrapped crosswise over her chest held fast by a wide belt. Over the gauze went an open overdress of dark blue velvet with white embroidery. It looked very modern and was comfortable, although perhaps not as cool as an evening in Bombay demanded. Nevertheless, she did not wish to offend the decklings’ sensibilities any more than she already had that night. She climbed up on deck.
“Spoo, walk with me?”
Spoo swung out of her hammock and joined Rue in drifting to the other end of the ship, away from the curious ears of other decklings.
“Do you need my advice about something, Lady Captain?” asked Spoo with all the serious maturity of a ten-year-old.
“Of a kind, Spoo.”
“That Mr Lefoux ain’t good husband material,” offered Spoo immediately, sounding a great deal like some disapproving aged aunt.
“Not that sort of advice, Spoo. Although as it happens, I wholeheartedly agree with you.”
“What then?”
“I have a very grave and possibly dangerous mission for you.”
Spoo straightened her spine, thrilled by the prospect. “I’m your man, Lady Captain.”
Rue raised her eyebrows. “Well, if you put it like that. There is a werewolf in residence at the local barracks. He’s with the regiment. Beta by pack standing, goes by the name of Lyall. Have you heard of him?”
Spoo shook her head, eyes wide. “Werewolf like you was earlier, Lady Captain?”
“Very like. Now, I need you to get a message to him and they may not be very welcoming to strangers right now. See that long brick building beyond the steeple of that church? You’ll need to argue your way in and find the underground residencies. Say to anyone you encounter that you have a very important message for Kingair from Lady Akeldama about a recent upset. This is werewolf not military business. The werewolves might have left by now, but don’t give the message to anyone but Professor Lyall, not even Lady Kingair.”
Spoo nodded, small face very serious. “I understand, Lady Captain. What’s the message?”
Rue gave Spoo the stone monkey on the cord. She trusted her instincts, and hoped that Professor Lyall would know enough about local custom to connect this to the Vanaras. Was he scientist enough to figure it out or would he be trapped in the belief that there was only one kind of shape – wolf? Rue didn’t entirely believe Percy’s theory herself. Hidden weremonkeys? The very idea! But then again, it might just be outrageous enough to be true.