Elric to Rescue Tanelorn - Michael Moorcock [78]
“What do you think?” Mr. Smiles spoke sharply. “When I first put this deal to you, Miss Brunner, you were uncertain about it. Now you’re impatient to get started. What do you think, then, Miss Brunner?”
“I think we shouldn’t include him in our plans. Let’s get going now, while he’s not expecting anything. He could be planning some kind of double-cross. We stand to lose too much by hanging about waiting for Cornelius. I don’t trust him, Mr. Smiles.”
“You don’t trust him because you haven’t met him and given him the Brunner Test, is that it?” Mr. Lucas kicked at a log sticking from the fire. “We couldn’t get into that house without Cornelius’s knowledge of those booby traps of his father’s. If Cornelius doesn’t come, then we’ll have to give up the whole idea.”
Miss Brunner’s sharp teeth showed as she smiled again. “You’re getting old and cautious, Mr. Lucas. And Mr. Smiles, by the sound of it, is getting soft as well. As far as I’m concerned, the risk is part of it.”
“You silly cow!” Dimitri was often rude to Miss Brunner in public, much as he loved to fear her. Public insults; private punishments. “We’re not all in it for the risks; we’re in it for what old Cornelius hid in his house. Without Jerry Cornelius, we’ll never get it. We need him. That’s the truth.”
“I’m pleased to hear it.” Jerry’s voice was sardonic as he entered the room rather theatrically and closed the door behind him.
Miss Brunner looked him over. He was very tall, and that pale face, framed by the hair, resembled the young Swinburne’s. His black eyes did not seem at all kindly. He seemed about twenty-seven and had been, so they said, a Jesuit. He had something of a Church intellectual’s decadent, ascetic appearance. He had possibilities, she thought.
Jerry dropped his head a trifle as he turned and gave Miss Brunner a slightly amused stare, half-chiding. She crossed her legs and began tapping. He walked gracefully towards Mr. Smiles and shook hands with a certain degree of pleasure.
Mr. Smiles sighed. “I’m glad you could make it, Mr. Cornelius. How soon can we start?”
Jerry shrugged. “As soon as you like. I need a day or so to do a few things.”
“Tomorrow?” Miss Brunner’s voice was pitched somewhat higher than usual.
“In three days.” Cornelius pursed his lips. “Sunday.”
Mr. Powys spoke from behind his glass. “Three days is too long, man. The longer we wait, the more chance there is of someone getting to know what we’re planning. Don’t forget that Simons and Harvey both backed out, and Harvey in particular isn’t well known for his tact and diplomacy.”
“Don’t worry about them,” Cornelius said with finality.
“What have you done?” Miss Brunner’s voice was still sharp.
“Nothing much. They’re taking a cruise on a tramp bound for New York. It’ll be a long trip, and they won’t mix with the crew.”
“How did you get them to go?” Mr. Lucas dropped his eyes as Cornelius turned.
“Well,” said Jerry, “there were one or two things they wanted. On condition that they took the trip, I fixed them up.”
“What things?” asked Mr. Crookshank with interest. Jerry ignored him.
“What have you to do that’s so important?” Miss Brunner enquired.
“I want to visit the house before our trip.”
“Why?”
“For my own reasons, Miss Brunner.”
Mr. Powys’s brooding Welsh face didn’t look up. “I’d like to know just why you’re helping us, mind you, Mr. Cornelius.”
“Would you understand if I told you that it was for revenge?”
“Revenge.” Mr. Powys shook his head rapidly. “Oh, yes. We all have these grudges from time to time, don’t we?”
“Then it’s revenge,” Jerry said lightly. “Now, Mr. Smiles has told you my conditions, I think. You must burn the house to the ground when you’ve got what you wanted, and you must leave my brother Francis and my sister Catherine unharmed. There is also an old servant, John. He must not be hurt in any way.”
“The rest of the staff?” Dimitri waved a questioning hand. It was an impolite gesture.