The Lunatic's Curse Read online

  ‘Knock,’ said Gerulphus.

  Rex knocked timidly. He was surprised to find that his mouth was dryand thathis knees weretrembling. He steeled himself for his second encounter with Dr Velhildegildus.

  ‘Enter!’

  The study was large and light and warm. Tibor himself was standing by the fire holding a glass of brandy. He was wearing a burgundy velvet smoking jacket, a paler silk foulard around his neck and dark trousers. The fire reflected in his polished shoes. Rex felt a shiver down his spine at the thought of their last meeting. He had still not wholly recalled what he had said under the influence of the Lodestone. He wondered if he ever would.

  As soon as Tibor saw him he placed his glass on the mantel and approached with his big smile.

  ‘Dear boy, how marvellous to see you again,’ he said agreeably. ‘You needn’t look so worried – my Lodestone is safely packed away!’

  Rex managed a smile. From hearing just those few words he realized again that so much of Tibor’s power lay in his voice. It was creamy like a healing unguent, soporific like a sedative, persuasive like temptation.

  Tibor continued, ‘Did you have a safe journey? I must say it’s not such a pleasant thing to cross that lake in the mist. Old Freakley seems to know what he’s doing though. Take a seat. Would you like some refreshments?’

  Rex sat by the fire and Tibor pulled the servant’s bell. A minute or so later a young girl walked in. Perhaps ‘walked’ isn’t quite the right word – she had an awkward loose-limbed gait – but her blue eyes were quite startling in their intensity.

  ‘Hildred,’ said Tibor, ‘meet young Rex. He is to stay here with us for a while. Perhaps you could bring a drink for the young man.’

  Rex gave her a smile, which she returned with warmth before leaving.

  ‘Now, Rex,’ said Tibor, sitting opposite and leaning forward. ‘I have been most anxious to see you again. Have you any idea at all why you have been sent here to me?’

  Rex chewed on his lip. ‘I believe my stepmother thinks I am troubled over my father’s death,’ he ventured cautiously.

  ‘Ah, good, good,’ said Dr Velhildegildus smoothly. ‘Certainly that is what she intimated to me, and there is no doubt I can help you with that, and of course that will be a priority, but while you’re here I . . . er, see no reason not to take advantage of your other skills.’

  ‘My skills?’

  ‘I know that you are a talented boy, Rex, you are your father’s son after all, and actually, heh, heh, I have other plans for you.’

  ‘Oh?’ said Rex. Was anything what it seemed these days?

  ‘I’ll get straight to the point. I have come up with a rather marvellous invention. I am in quite a fever about it and I do so want to build it. Alas, I am a doctor of the mind, not an engineer like your poor father was. I will need some help.’

  At the second mention of his father Rex paid even closer attention to Dr Velhildegildus’s hypnotic voice.

  ‘Rex, I need your help.’

  ‘I should be glad to look at it,’ said Rex carefully. This was not at all what he had expected.

  ‘But there is a condition. You must not tell anyone what we are doing,’ he warned. ‘Can I trust you?’

  ‘Of course.’ Rex was now absolutely intrigued by Dr Velhildegildus’s creation – whatever it might be.

  ‘You see,’ continued Tibor, and although his face remained impassive, his voice altered and his honeyed tones were now spread with the thinnest layer of menace, ‘I realize that your stepmother has your best interests at heart, but I also understand that you have no wish to return to her. Well, as long as you are here you are, how shall I put it . . . safe from Acantha, which, you might recall, you told me is what you say your father wanted. But I have undertaken to assess your troubled mind and to report back to her on your progress. I can take as long or as short a time as I wish. But if I cannot trust you then I will have no choice but to send you back to your stepmother immediately. Do you understand?’

  ‘So,’ said Rex slowly, but thinking rapidly, ‘if I help you with your invention, and tell no one about it, then I can stay here as long as I wish?’

  ‘Absolutely,’ said Tibor.

  ‘Then let me see this invention,’ said Rex.

  27

  A Mystery

  Rex watched excitedly as Tibor unfolded a piece of stiff paper on the desk and flattened it out. He saw immediately that it was a plan for some sort of vessel, by the looks of it an underwater vessel, and it caused his heart to beat a little faster. Thinking hard, he pored over it for a long time, tracing the lines with his fingers, his lips moving as he made internal calculations, lingering over some parts but not others. All the while he was acutely aware of both the brazen egg in his pocket and the sense that Tibor’s eyes were firmly fixed on him.

  ‘I see from your face that you are surprised by this,’ said Tibor at last. ‘Perhaps you did not think a man such as I could be capable of such creativity?’

  ‘It is not that,’ said Rex, struggling to master his emotions. ‘It’s just . . . well . . . a Perambulating Submersible? It’s incredible.’

  ‘But do you think it is possible? Do you think that we – you and I – can do it?’

  Rex looked Tibor confidently in the eye. ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘I believe we can.’

  ‘Marvellous,’ exclaimed Tibor, and his face was a picture of pure delight. ‘Well, then, let’s not beat around the bush. Mox nox in rem, as they say.’

  Rex wished again he had paid more attention in his Latin lessons.

  ‘Get on with it,’ urged Tibor.

  So that’s what it means, thought Rex. ‘Right,’ he began, ‘this is a relatively simple design. It relies heavily on levers and cogs and wheels. The power needed to move it is generated at a low level in one source and increases rapidly as it moves through the internal workings. I should imagine it will be reasonably quiet and also slow, but it should be sturdy and reliable. As long as we make sure all the welds and seals are watertight I see no reason why you shouldn’t be able to take an underwater voyage very soon.’

  Tibor clapped with glee at Rex’s conclusion. ‘First things first,’ he said excitedly. ‘Where can we get the necessary materials to make it? Do you know?’

  ‘Of course,’ said Rex confidently. ‘I know plenty of metalworks that will supply us. They all know my father’s name.’

  ‘Then you must make a list of everything required and we will send for it straight away.’

  Rex nodded. He looked around the study. ‘But we will need some sort of workshop. The vessel will be quite big when it is finished.’

  ‘Don’t worry about that,’ said Tibor. ‘I know exactly the place.’

  ‘And where will we launch it?’ continued Rex. ‘The island is so rocky—’

  ‘No problem,’ said Tibor. ‘It is all in hand. Oh, just think of it. It will be magnificent!’ he cried. ‘I do have one question. Do you see this box?’ He pointed to a square on the paper. ‘In the key I have called it a “Re-breather”. I . . . er, just wanted to check that you knew what it was and how it works.’

  ‘A Re-breather? Yes, I was a little surprised to see that,’ said Rex.

  ‘Surprised?’ queried Tibor.

  Rex looked pensive. ‘Well, you see, it is a fairly new invention and in truth I would not expect to come across it in a plan such as this. You must have taken good advice from somewhere.’

  Tibor puffed up with more than a little pride. ‘Dear boy, I took the very best advice, as any sensible person would do. This Re-breather was recommended to me by, um . . . an expert in the field. But I will admit that I am not quite sure how it works. And in all honesty I am far better at designing than building, which is why I need your help. Can you make it?’ asked Tibor anxiously. ‘It is, after all, the linchpin of the success of the machine. There are no hosepipes for the air.’

  Rex smiled. ‘Yes,’ he said slowly, ‘I do know how to make it. It is a simple enough idea but very effective, but I wo
n’t go into the difficult scientific explanation—’

  ‘Good, good,’ interrupted Tibor. Scientific explanations were the last thing he wanted.

  ‘It’s enough for you to understand that it works by absorbing the toxic gases that we breathe out and replacing them with the gases that we breathe in. It can convert the toxic gases into harmless ones so you can re-breathe them. Obviously there is a time limit to how long it can do this without an external air supply. But I should imagine –’ Rex looked again at the diagram – ‘that certainly in a vessel the size of this one, you should be able to get three or four hours out of it.’

  ‘What a marvellous invention! It looks as if I was very well advised!’

  ‘You were, indeed,’ said Rex thoughtfully. Then he asked, ‘Does my stepmother know about the Perambulating Submersible?’

  ‘Oh no,’ said Dr Velhildegildus firmly. ‘That is our little secret.’

  ‘But what about the Lodestone Procedure? What did you tell her of that? She did pay you after all.’

  Dr Velhildegildus nodded his head slowly. ‘Your stepmother is convinced that your father left something for you here on the island. I told her what you said to me, and explained that as far as I could tell it was merely the ravings of a lunatic – no offence intended. To please her, however, I agreed to bring you over here and to keep an eye on you. But, as you can see, I have much more important things to do! Whether there is any truth in your father’s words is of no importance to me. Now stop worrying about Acantha, take the plan and make a list of the parts. The sooner we have the equipment, the sooner we can start.’

  ‘There is just one other thing,’ said Rex as he stood up.

  ‘Oh yes, and what is that?’

  ‘If I do help you to build this machine, surely it is not unreasonable of me to ask that you allow me to go free and not send me back to Acantha at all?’

  Tibor looked a little surprised. ‘Er . . . ’ he faltered. ‘I suppose that is a possible outcome. Let us see when it is all built and ready to go. Perhaps I could say you escaped.’

  ‘Perhaps?’ said Rex. ‘I am afraid that is not good enough.’

  ‘Oh, very well,’ agreed Tibor. ‘You may go free. You have my word. Now, what else will you need?’ he asked, moving swiftly on. He pulled open one of the desk drawers. ‘Take these.’ He handed Rex a pile of paper, an ink bottle, an inkwell and a selection of quills and some blotting paper. Finally, he handed him a smaller copy of the plan and began to usher Rex out of the room. ‘We start work tomorrow. And remember, Rex,’ he warned. ‘Tell no one.’

  ‘You have my word,’ said Rex.

  ‘What is the saying?’ murmured Tibor. ‘Give me a lever and I will move the world.’

  ‘Archimedes of Syracuse,’ said Rex. ‘The greatest mathematician who ever lived.’

  ‘Impressive,’ said Tibor. ‘I knew you were right for the job. Together let us see what we can move.’

  Rex smiled and took off up the corridor.

  Tibor closed the door and let out a sigh of relief. He was over the biggest hurdle. He had just managed to pass off the stolen plan as his own. It was as he suspected: Ambrose Grammaticus must have come up with the plan in his cell; the boy had not seen it before. And, of course, he had transcribed it all in his own handwriting, which made it even more unlikely that Rex would make the connection.

  Besides, his main concern is to get away from Acantha, poor fellow, he mused. Well, we shall have to see about that.

  Further down the corridor, Rex found that he was filled with enthusiasm, just like the old days when he worked with his father. He was elated at the thought that he was to do something useful again. As he rounded the corner he ran straight into Hildred.

  ‘Hello, Rex,’ she said shyly. ‘Mrs Runcible has supper ready for you.’

  Deep in thought, Rex followed Hildred to the kitchen. He had a lot to think about and it tempered his mood. Dr Velhildegildus certainly appeared to be on his side, but could Rex really trust him? It was obvious that the doctor’s priority was the Perambulating Submersible, but that didn’t change the fact that he had made promises to Acantha. He would have to tread very carefully indeed. If he did find the information his father had left then he had to make sure to keep it hidden from Tibor until he could get it off the island.

  ‘I can trust no one,’ he said to himself.

  And there was one other thing troubling him. How on earth had Dr Velhildegildus got hold of his father’s plan for the Perambulating Submersible in the first place?

  28

  Tea Leaves and Secrets

  ‘Oh my,’ exclaimed Mrs Ida Runcible, and chewed nervously on her lip. She sat at the kitchen table busily swilling the dregs of her tea around the bottom of her cup. She turned the cup first this way and that, and then this way again, and then put it down and peered in. It was still there.

  ‘Oh my,’ she repeated softly, for there at the bottom, clearly visible in the dark brown tea leaves, for the third time this week, was the ominous and unmistakable shape of a monster. Unmistakable at least in Ida Runcible’s eyes. Gerulphus could not see it at all.

  ‘It’s there, I tell you,’ she insisted, but Gerulphus merely raised an eyebrow and continued to drink his vegetable soup.

  A woman of great superstition, Ida Runcible rarely did anything without taking advice from the leaves. First thing in the morning, even before a bite to eat, the water wasboiled and the tea was stewing. This was her fifth cup today and so far she had seen doom, gloom, bad tidings, misfortune and now the monster.

  When Hildred and Rex came in she was still busy poring over the leaves. As soon as she saw Rex she immediately showed him the cup.

  ‘Er . . . I think I can see something,’ said Rex non-commitally but it was all Ida needed. She looked at Gerulphus as if to say, ‘I told you so.’ Then she turned back to Rex and gave him a crooked-toothed smile. She smoothed down her frizzy hair in an apparent attempt to make herself more presentable but it sprang back again in defiance. Rex thought he had never seen a cook so skinny or with such wild eyebrows.

  Rex was still mulling over the growing niggle about the Perambulating Submersible, but he couldn’t ignore the fact that he was hungry. He sat down and Hildred brought him over some soup and a slice of bread. He began to eat under the watchful eye of Mrs Runcible and Gerulphus. Hildred smiled at him reassuringly.

  ‘So,’ said Mrs Runcible conversationally. ‘What exactly is it Dr Velhildegildus wants you to do?’

  ‘Can’t you tell from the tea leaves?’ sneered Gerulphus in his low monotone.

  ‘Er . . . I am to help him fix up the asylum,’ said Rex. That was the story he and Tibor had agreed on. ‘My father was an engineer, you see, and a designer. I know all about making things, so I am to be his assistant.’

  ‘How interesting,’ said Hildred, cracking her knuckles.

  There were lots of things Rex had already noticed about Hildred, knuckle-cracking being one of them; she was rather plain, her brown hair was unremarkable and she walked very oddly, but none of this mattered when you looked at her wide-set blue eyes, and experienced the way she stared directly at you when you talked. Strangely enough, Rex didn’t find it unnerving. In her penetrating gaze you felt as if you were really being listened to. It made him feel good to have someone who paid him attention. Like his father used to.

  ‘Any idea is better than the way Chapelizod used to run the place,’ tutted Mrs Runcible. ‘A devil he was in disguise. I should have seen it in my tea leaves, but of course I didn’t have any then.’

  ‘Did Mr Chapelizod not let you have tea?’ asked Rex. Nothing would surprise him about the man now.

  Gerulphus shot a look at Mrs Runcible. ‘The boy doesn’t need to know about that,’ he said sharply, and Rex sensed something pass between the two.

  Mrs Runcible looked a little remorseful but continued gaily, ‘Oh, how my tongue runs away with itself! I heard that there will be new rooms for the patients, bigger ones, with proper beds and everyth
ing.’

  ‘Proper beds?’ queried Rex, but Mrs Runcible was in full flow.

  ‘Wonderful man he is. He’ll probably win some sort of prize.’

  Gerulphus snorted. ‘We’ll see. He doesn’t seem to be in any great hurry to get the place filled again. There are no inmates at present, unless you count us, of course.’ At this Mrs Runcible broke out in nervous laughter. Gerulphus ignored her and continued. ‘They all escaped; even the warders fled.’

  Rex smiled wryly. ‘Yes, I saw in the Hebdomadal that the bodies were washing up on the shore.’ Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hildred shudder.

  ‘It really was a terrible thing,’ sighed Mrs Runcible. ‘They were quite, quite mad. They decided to swim but of course the water is so cold. I tried to tell them but they wouldn’t listen.’

  ‘Even the warders?’ asked Rex, but she was busy looking in the teacup again.

  ‘Well, at least now you only have to cook for four,’ said Gerulphus.

  ‘Five,’ Hildred corrected with a nod to Rex.

  Rex took another mouthful of soup. It wasn’t the best he had tasted but it was filling. ‘So, Dr Velhildegildus has promised to fix up the asylum and then reopen it?’

  ‘Exactly,’ said Gerulphus. ‘The Mayor and the town council are paying him well. Though why he has chosen a boy to help him . . . ’ His voice tailed off.

  ‘I am very good at, er . . . renovating,’ Rex defended himself.

  Hildred laughed and left the table. ‘Come on, Rex, finish up and I’ll show you around. I have readied a room for you.’

  Rex wiped his bowl with a last piece of bread and followed Hildred out of the kitchen.

  ‘Oh, look,’ they heard Mrs Runcible screech behind them. ‘It’s not a monster . . . it’s a big fish.’

  Outside the kitchen Rex looked at Hildred with raised eyebrows. ‘I think Mrs Runcible actually believes those tea leaves. She probably believes in the monster in the lake, too. Walter Freakley certainly does.’