Filling in the Details

Well that's to the point thought I. The dame didn't say another word, she just bit her lower lip and stared at me. "What are the details?" I asked. I knew it was a loaded question when talking to dames. They jabber on about this and about that, you give them an inch they'll take a mile. The question begged to be filled with words, and lots of them. I braced myself for the impact.

"Two years ago I was approached by a street beggar in London. At least I thought he was a beggar. He said his name was Ralph, he said that he was sent by friends of my uncle, he said that my uncle was in trouble and that unless I helped that my uncle would die..."

That's the way it always goes in these cases: beggars who aren't beggars, uncles in trouble, and the consequence is always death. Routine stuff. She'll tell me that she went with the beggar and paid a price of some kind and that somehow it led to this business of the cursed.

"...of course I didn't believe a word. I turned and left him on the corner. Three days later Aunt Sophie called. She was in tears; Uncle Arcane was dead. He had been found mangled under the wheels of a train."

Ouch, didn't see that one coming, but neither did she...or did she?

1. Melinda continues her explanation

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