Arthur Dalming answered the door after about a minute of knocking. He looked better, and apologised for the delay. He said he'd just finished shaving.
He invited the three inside, and offered them coffee.
As he, too, took a seat, he noted, ``Anna, I am, of course, glad to see you, and your friends, but you do not look as though this call were merely social.''
Brenden assumed the responsibility of an answer. ``Arthur, we have come across some very disturbing information, that probably involves you.''
Dalming became somewhat defensive. ``What do you mean?''
Brenden continued. He described, in very general terms, the pattern they had discovered connecting the Horrors, and their unknown vampyre, to Whitby, and to events that affected him.
``Lord Dalming, we believe you may be in very serious trouble, but we hope to leave you in a better position by forcing our foe to concentrate his energies on us.''
Arthur stood up, and seemed to show almost none of the weakness that had been his since his wound, and the bite. ``Sir, you are telling me that my person and my property are in danger. Surely you will not tell me to sit idly by while you and your companions, all of whom I count among my friends, put yourself in danger to rectify this? You must let me accompany you on your journey.''
Brenden's inner voice screamed at him: Don't trust him don't trust him don't trust him HE could be the one It could be HIM!
``Of course, Lord Dalming. I could not refuse you that.''
Brenden had explained to them all about the meeting with Arthur. ``I had no good reason for refusing, so he will be coming along.''
Hardy noted, ``Brenden, you look uneasy.''
Brenden turned his attention to the priest. ``Are Alain and I the only ones who are suspicious? Either Lord Arthur Dalming is the sorriest son of a bitch on this planet, or he is the vampyre. And I bloody well don't have enough proof to decide which! If he were Manwaring, why didn't he destroy you and Anna the night you were alone with him? Why did the Wraith tear him apart in the café? Why did he lead us to a coffin?
``And if he's not Manwaring, why the Hell can't we prove that he existed before May seventeenth?''
Shadoe interrupted. ``There is one more practical problem right now. If Arthur is to accompany us, we have not enough horses.''
David said, ``He may have mine. Someone must stay behind to see how events unfold in London, in the odd case that Whitby is some sort of red herring.''
Anna blanched at that. ``Father, who knows more than you about Horrors, and what me might face?''
Alice looked slightly miffed. ``My child, Dame Hargraves certainly knows more about Horrors than any of us; I know no more specific information about Baron Manwaring than any of you; Alain is a capable student of the occult; and God will be with you, whether I am there or not. Certainly, I can replace none of you, yet you can easily do without me.''
Brenden had more or less ignored this exchange, and said suddenly, ``Damnit, I am going to find out once and for all if this guy is for real or not.''
Alain asked, ``How do you propose to do that?''
``He said his family went to Germany. They have to have records. If his story is right, they will have records. If there's one thing the Germans really know how to do, it's keep track of people.''
Val noted, ``But you won't be able to do that until tomorrow morning. How do you expect to catch up with us? Fly? We've got to get moving first thing in the morning!''
Alain coughed discretely. ``Actually, flying is a very good idea.''
Brenden looked at the elf. ``I thought your zephyr spell wasn't very good for distance travel?''
Alain smiled. ``Magician Trellyn has taught me a great deal about how to manipulate spells to what I want. It will work.''
Brenden smiled. ``That's even better! Then Alain and I can stay around and find out what we can without Lord Dalming nearby.'' Then Brenden thought of something. ``Anna, will you leave the Chalice with me?''
The Possibility Chalice was the first eternity-shard the group had ever seen. It was a powerful relic of creation, imbued with power over reality itself. And, if there was one thing the Chalice liked to do, it was to communicate. With the power of the Chalice, they had saved a young boy from Ravagons, they had helped save the Pacific Northwest from a deadly hydro-toxin, and they had placed the most outrageous long-distance call to the Soviet Union to seek the aid of their friend Nicolai at the Soviet Psychic Institute.
``Of course, Brenden; you might need it.''
Brenden possessed another shard--the Crown of Natratimiti, taken from under Pharaoh Mobius's nose. He retrieved it, and handed it to Alice. ``Keep this until I am with you again. It will keep you safe.''
John Kickingbird said, ``Well, then, everything is set.''