Doctor Who_ Ghost Light - Marc Platt [26]
‘I know a nice little restaurant on the Khyber Pass,’ he said.
He slipped out of his chair and followed Josiah. Ace would have gone after him but she couldn’t leave Gwendoline at the mercy of Ernest Matthews. There could be few fates worse than being lectured to death and Ernest was already stirring in his chair.
‘Where did you say this house was?’ she asked quickly.
The telephone was still ringing when Josiah reached the study. He snatched up the earpiece and barked angrily into the device, ‘Nimrod? What’s going on? I told you not to call me during dinner.’
There was no response from the manservant, but Josiah could sense his presence listening.
‘Nimrod! Are you there?’
‘I... escape!’ hissed a husky and genderless voice, a manifestation of loathing.
Josiah slammed down the earpiece as if it had burned him.
‘It’s learned to speak!’ he choked.
More than that, however, it was loose. The unspeakable horror that had been locked away from his sight for so long had somehow released itself. No matter what had happened to Nimrod, the creature must be recaptured now — there was no telling what damage it could do. Josiah needed time to think, but his head was swimming. He reached out to ring for Mrs Pritchard.
‘Having problems with your connections?’ said a voice behind him.
The Doctor stood in the doorway; Josiah eyed him, uncertain of how much he knew or had heard. The Doctor came closer.
‘Perhaps I can help,’ he offered.
Josiah, however, was uncertain of the stranger’s trustworthiness. The Doctor’s whimsical smile was slightly mocking and his eyes betrayed an intelligence far keener than any Josiah had yet encountered. This was the only person that Josiah had not had to talk down to. He decided to take the Doctor into his confidence.
There was a distant yell from the hall. To his surprise, Josiah saw the Doctor’s wilful composure crumple at the sound of Ace’s summons.
‘On the other hand,’ the Doctor dithered, ‘I think I have an emergency of my own. Please excuse me. Time to emerge.’
The Doctor hurried across the study to the other door and collided with Mrs Pritchard. He mumbled apologies as he disappeared from view. The housekeeper watched him go and then turned to her master.
‘Mrs Pritchard, a problem has arisen,’ said Josiah. ‘Ask Ernest Matthews to join me in here.’ He sounded unusually anxious.
‘Very good, sir,’ replied the housekeeper. She turned to go. ‘And see to it that no one disturbs us.’
Mrs Pritchard gave a smile that might curdle milk or frighten puppies. Several curled petals fell from a bowl of chrysanthemums on the table. Mrs Pritchard nodded knowingly and closed the door behind her.
Ace was still in the hall yelling when the Doctor found her.
She rounded on him, wild eyed.
‘Face-ache Matthews in there says this house is called Gabriel Chase!’
‘So?’ he said quietly.
‘You know why! Last time I saw it, it was all falling down. That was in 1983! You lied to me! This is Perivale!’
She was lost for things to say. She hadn’t realized she could hate the Doctor so much. He tried to take her arm, but she pulled clear.
The doors of the drawing room opened. The Doctor turned to look at the two emerging maids; Ace saw her chance and ran up the stairs away from him.
From her position in the drawing room, Gwendoline saw the Doctor dart up the staircase in pursuit of Ace.
Then the maids closed the doors and she was alone.
How strange this evening was becoming, she thought.
Sometimes trying to keep up with Uncle Josiah’s games could make her feel quite giddy. She began to flick through the pile of sheet music on the piano until she found the song that she liked. She sat at the keyboard and began to play and sing.
‘I don’t know what it is about
My figure or my style,
But every time I walk abroad
The passers by all smile.
I lost myself in Kensington
About a week today.
I asked a cabby the way home
And to me he did say...’
The music echoed through the house as Mrs Pritchard admitted Ernest Matthews into Josiah’s dimly lit study.
‘Ernest, pray sit down,’ said his host. Josiah genially