He seemed to know what I wanted to ask. Still, he looked as excited as I felt on guard. If this were a job interview, I couldn’t quite tell who was the interviewer and who was the interviewee. When Whateley excused himself, Claude offered me a handshake to kick things off.
“I’ve heard the news and realize you’ve been through a lot,” he said, “but let me first say that I’m glad to see you looking well. That said, it would seem you don’t have the luxury of time when it comes to rest and recovery. How are you feeling?”
“Not great, if I’m being honest,” I replied. “But being able to move about and travel helps—the less time I have to think deeply on certain matters, the better.”
“Yes, and I daresay everybody goes through such phases. But do try to make sure that you don’t fall ill.”
“Thank you, Claude. I presume things for you are as they always are?”
“The days are nothing if not exciting, what with the greater part of them being devoted to learning people’s secrets while I sip at delicious tea. I’m in such good health that it bothers those in my employ.”
It seemed that working under Claude was not always sunshine and rainbows.
“I feel their pain, but I’m sure they prefer that over you getting sick.”
“Speaking of which, Whateley’s state is rather worrying. Last I heard, he was on the mend, but now I find myself feeling rather doubtful of those reports.”
“It shames me, given that I’m the one largely responsible for the burden he carries,” I admitted. “But he is getting better, and our new hire is doing the very best she can.”
“I’m not blaming you, Lady Karen. He’s always been one to grit his teeth and push through, and it was especially evident when he worked as my aide. I never once saw the pain on his face, but one day he just collapsed right in front of me. When I asked, it turned out he hadn’t been getting enough sleep. I must say, I’m actually impressed—at least now he’s of sound enough mind to know to rest before he collapses.”
“I’m shocked. Whateley used to push himself like that, did he?”
“He was nothing if not passionate about his work. I myself came here to the capital rather begrudgingly at first, but his young heart was set on ending the war.”
Putting aside whether or not Claude really was begrudging about his duties, he talked like a man bolstered by good health and looked nothing if not energetic for his age. I was more sensitive to the health of the elderly of late, because while Whateley looked to be on the road to recovery—albeit slowly—our gardener, Ben, did not. I had pushed him to spend some time outside of the capital, but the old man was stubborn—he said that if he was going to die, he wanted to do it as part of the family.
“Still lots of work left to be done in the garden,” he’d said. “And I promised the young master that I’d re-create the flower garden he used to have at home when his mother was still around. That, and we don’t have nearly enough herbs. I appreciate that you’ve got me in your thoughts, Lady Karen, but I beg of you—no more talk of holidays.”
How was I supposed to force him after such a heartfelt plea?
And yet, as long as Ben remained in the capital, a small portion of his magical energy would be siphoned away, just as it was drained from everybody else. Anybody of sound health only needed a good night’s sleep to replenish what was lost, but this was not so for anybody of a weaker constitution. I knew I had to say something, but I also knew what was in Ben’s heart. I just couldn’t bring myself to force him. I had considered recommending he leave together with the boys—a short holiday for the three of them—but the idea simply wasn’t realistic. For one thing, we didn’t know how long they’d have to leave for, and it wasn’t a subject that could be brought up without mentioning Six, at which point selective memory would kick in.
We were all helping out in the garden where we could to keep Ben from taking on too much work, but all that amounted to was maintaining the status quo. It was like watching a bad feeling slowly creep upon us, and I had to be ready for it. In any case, while these thoughts flitted through my mind, Claude took a seat in the chair directly in front of me.
“While I’d love to continue our casual chat,” he said, leaning forward, “we do need to get to the matter at hand. Whateley and I have made it clear we’d like you to bring me on board as an official consultant. No, actually, we need you to.”
Gone was the joking old man from a moment ago. Claude’s gaze was suddenly very serious.
“I’m not going to turn you down,” I said. “However, and I do hope this doesn’t rub you the wrong way, but in the past you...”
“Yes, I turned down the offer to be your partner at the emperor’s birthday. I said that while I could offer you advice, I could not be seen siding with the Conrad family.”
“I recall it came down to maintaining a neutral position for the sake of your agency. Why the sudden change of tact?”
“My thoughts remain unchanged on the matter, and to speak honestly, it was never my intent to shift my principles. The agency stands to make far more money when it maintains complete neutrality, which also makes for far less in the way of complaints.”
Claude was, at the very least, honest with me. And I could see where he was coming from, being that his agency handled secrets from all parts of the capital. I knew that Claude was a man who put a premium on money and authority. I did not know why he would choose to throw a portion of both away.
“On the official front, I am going to distance myself from the agency,” Claude said. “The agency is made up of good people, and they’ll be fine as long as the customers keep coming. Should that not prove sufficient, I’ll retire from active service, so to speak.”
“You’ve made your point. You’re serious about this. What I don’t understand, however, is why you are so intent on becoming our official consultant.”
“It’s because my friend has become aware of the specter of death. He’s getting older, after all.”
“Yes, but he’s recovering. I admit that it’s a slow road, but we don’t yet have to think about the worst-case scenario...”
“Please don’t misunderstand me, Lady Karen. It is not his health that Whateley worries about. It’s that what happened in Conrad reminded him that one can never know exactly when the end will come.”
Claude explained that what Whateley worried about was the unforeseen—accidents, murders, etcetera. He was training staff to support Conrad upon his passing, but all the same, it was no exaggeration to say that he carried the bulk of it on his shoulders. To help him prepare for the unexpected, he had discussed things with Claude and begun looking for a successor to his position. No doubt these thoughts were further intensified by his own health issues. All of this culminated in Whateley asking Claude to assist us in an official capacity.
“He’s an old friend and was nothing if not earnest in his request. How could I refuse? And when I heard that his old wounds were bothering him once again, I knew I had to act. The man is younger than me, after all—I can’t have him go before I do.”
“You worry about him.”
“I won’t deny it. But it’s my goal to die surrounded by as many as possible, all agreeing that I did a bang-up job with the life I led. I can’t have members of that audience bowing out early.”
Well, perhaps not as honestly intentioned as I first thought.
“That all makes sense to me,” I said. “And as I said earlier, I’d be happy to welcome you into the fold. I’ve little reason to turn such an offer down. That said...is Whateley really that worried?”
“He’s feeling the effects of age, and it’s only natural that he feels his own decline as he worries about the future. But you don’t have to worry about that—after all, worrying about the world upon your passing is one of the perks of getting old.”
“Perk? That’s an odd way to put it.”
“It would be far more fun to enjoy the act of imagining everybody’s face at the reading of your own will, but Whateley is far too conscientious for that. In any case, with me aiding the family, Whateley’s load gets lighter. I can promise you that.”
Claude, however, was only too aware that he was also getting on in years, and so he intended to bring a few assistants with him, plucked from his own agency. Their work histories were nothing if not scattered, but they were all trustworthy. Claude promised that none of them would go poking around in the house’s personal affairs, nor would they discriminate due to our various backgrounds.