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Chapter 1:- Oh, bits and gobbets, most definitely...
"Reginald, I told you not to order catfish around Maximilian. he's very sensitive. Now, tell me all about these wandering corpses..."
******
Mss Mirari, proprietor of St. Roch's inn, passed by our table again, leaving a bottle of brown sauce between Reginald and I. I set to work sawing through my chicken, tossing bits to Max as I cut. Reginald looked from me to the fish and back, resigning himself to a dinner of buns.
"I suppose I'll just take it home for later, then. Have Mirari make a nice parcel for me."
"Good, now I won't have to have Max yowling all night." My faithful little fishie blew a few bubbles of approval and waggled his fins at my friend. Reginald launched into his account of the problem that plagued Imlays Manner. "You see, all the...bodies....are coming to life again. They're up and wandering 'round the grounds. It's rather distressing."
"Are they leaving bits and gobbets around, or are they nice and neat and withered?"
"Oh, bits and gobbets, most definitely."
"Ah, I see."
"Mmm. Yes"
We sat back for moment and had a reflective sip of Madeira, as Max shifted in his booster chair. Was this a new breed of monster here for me? What were these? The only revenants I knew of were vampires. Which, unless they're plagued by madness and despair were a rather friendly lot. I had long kept a correspondence with one in America and considered him a close friend. A friend that might drain me of blood, yes, but a real reliable and entertaining soul. If indeed he has a soul.
"So, Eliza, I believe it's time for you to visit the estate and see what you can find about these things. It's been a whole year since you added a new species to your collection."
Max meowed and kicked his little leg attachments, so I slipped him one of Reginald's buns, scratching his dorsal fin. Why not? Why not go contribute to the field of monstrology? And if the things could be reasoned with, all the better. If not, they could certainly be killed with sticks!
"Perfect! I'll prepare my trunk tomorrow, and you can send the buggy right after tea!"
"Splendid!"
"Reginald, I told you not to order catfish around Maximilian. he's very sensitive. Now, tell me all about these wandering corpses..."
******
Mss Mirari, proprietor of St. Roch's inn, passed by our table again, leaving a bottle of brown sauce between Reginald and I. I set to work sawing through my chicken, tossing bits to Max as I cut. Reginald looked from me to the fish and back, resigning himself to a dinner of buns.
"I suppose I'll just take it home for later, then. Have Mirari make a nice parcel for me."
"Good, now I won't have to have Max yowling all night." My faithful little fishie blew a few bubbles of approval and waggled his fins at my friend. Reginald launched into his account of the problem that plagued Imlays Manner. "You see, all the...bodies....are coming to life again. They're up and wandering 'round the grounds. It's rather distressing."
"Are they leaving bits and gobbets around, or are they nice and neat and withered?"
"Oh, bits and gobbets, most definitely."
"Ah, I see."
"Mmm. Yes"
We sat back for moment and had a reflective sip of Madeira, as Max shifted in his booster chair. Was this a new breed of monster here for me? What were these? The only revenants I knew of were vampires. Which, unless they're plagued by madness and despair were a rather friendly lot. I had long kept a correspondence with one in America and considered him a close friend. A friend that might drain me of blood, yes, but a real reliable and entertaining soul. If indeed he has a soul.
"So, Eliza, I believe it's time for you to visit the estate and see what you can find about these things. It's been a whole year since you added a new species to your collection."
Max meowed and kicked his little leg attachments, so I slipped him one of Reginald's buns, scratching his dorsal fin. Why not? Why not go contribute to the field of monstrology? And if the things could be reasoned with, all the better. If not, they could certainly be killed with sticks!
"Perfect! I'll prepare my trunk tomorrow, and you can send the buggy right after tea!"
"Splendid!"
