Book the Second, Chapter the First: A New Century

[SunlessNick]

"Monsieur, we may need you!" calls William after the departing Vincent. He crouches down beside Harold, his stern manner gone in an instant; "It is all right, lad, this lady is your sister. Do you truly not recognise her? Whatever has befallen you, you are at your home, and you will be made safe." He looks back at Lord Dunwich, "Could this be the foundling boy's doing?"

[jp1885]

With everyone focussed on Harold, they can be forgiven for failing to notice something else amiss just outside the house. A gardener has clearly been negligent, for piled up against a fine tree is what appears to be a pile of trash. To be more accurate, a bundle of rags, bits of stick, string and a few pieces of glass, glinting in the sunlight. Set atop this pile is an old-fashioned, and very battered, tricorne hat.

While the adventurers attend the confused lad, they might not see the midden rising up...

...into the shape of a man...



He shambles towards the gathering slowly and quietly, so that the first thing that alerts them to his presence is an awful miasma of unwashed clothes, pipe tobacco and body odour.

"Hehe, Lepus has been watching so he has," he addresses to the world in general; his tittering accent strange. "They said I should come and so here I am."

He points a bony finger at Harold.

"T'is a Gypsy curse that addles the boy! But can Lepus help? Pssst! Why, isn't Lepus a Gypsy too? Oh yes oh yes, help he can!" He capers a little, before bowing down low. "For a little food and lodgings if you please - a tiny price for such a fine lad hmmm?"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Spoiler:

The Patient Reader will please proceed to Book the Second, Chapter the Second.