Chapter 12 Gremalgin
With those words, he turned a corner in the Maze and disappeared. Now to Sarah, this was nothing unusual, she had often found the Maze playing tricks on her. The trick of the eye making you believe you were looking at something which was not really there. So she did not hurry to find Fanshaw, safe in the knowledge he was not far away. But what she did find was someone much closer.
"Hello Sandra," came a voice behind her.
She turned sharply and faced the newcomer.
"You are mistaken Madam, for my name is Mistress Sarah." She smiled politely at the new face and tried to place her.
"Only in this time sweetheart. From where I come from, you are called Sandra. Move with the times." The new girl walked about with an air Sarah had never seen before. Confident of herself, she strutted around the Maze and talked in her strange drawl which only added to the confusion. "What did the old man tell you?"
"The gentleman you refer to Madam is my Guardian and great friend, and I would ask you to temper your tone when referring to him." Sarah felt angry about the way this new woman spoke. Flippant and rude with a casualness she found all round disturbing.
"You should listen to the way you talk babe, it's a scream." She laughed and walked out of the Maze.
"May I ask who you are?" Sarah demanded to know.
"You can call me Gremalgin for now. When you find out who I really am, you'll flip your lid. So keep your knickers on. Let's go to the creepy house and grab some food. I'll say this for old Fanny' he stocks the place up well.
Sarah was struck numb by all this, but there was something about the whole affair which caused her to pause. Why should this be happening to her now? Was it not without a thought towards coincidence, that this person should turn up now? Now when she felt herself on the edge of great events?
"Lay the spread on the table babe," she called as she stormed into the Manor House.
"Mistress Sarah, is this your bidding also? The maid could hardly hold back her anger as the strange woman walked past her, giving her orders.
"Please Mary, would you be so kind as to accommodate this young woman's wishes." She tried to smile politely, "Whatever they are?"
"Jesus girl, you'll have to loosen up if you want to make it in the future." The new girl walked into the dining hall and set about the food.
"I would ask to not to take our Lord's name in vain! Nor to eat without saying grace!" Sarah could hardly control her own rage at this new scandal. "I have never met anyone as rude as you. Explain yourself or leave this house?"
"You ain't never seen the like of me, because I'm not human. Not from this time either." Gremalgin sat at the table and ate a chicken leg, smiling.
"Are you a Devil?"
"To some, but an angel in bed. And I don't mean sleeping. That's something else the old man wants me to teach you. Ever get that itch between the legs?"
"Itch?" asked Sarah, wondering where this new onslaught was coming from.
"I bet it's started already? Bet you can't wait to scratch it eh? Or get one of these young bucks to scratch it for you?" Gremalgin threw her head back and laughed a cruel cackling laugh.
"This has gone far enough. Either you control your crude behaviour or I shall instruct the footmen to have you thrown from the premises." Sarah found it was time to stand firm against this creature.
"We are getting nowhere fast here. Right, here's the deal sister. Your wonderful Magic Order has conjured me up from the murky depths to teach you about the ways of the big bad world. Since none of them had the guts to tell you what that thing between your legs is for, it's up to me. Don't look so shocked, you know it's there."
Sarah was so shocked she closed the door behind them. Then turned to the girl.
"If what you say of the Magical Order is true, I should ask you to moderate your tone. These are weighty matters and not ones to trifle with. Explain?"
"You want to find out about your dark side? Well, I'm here to reveal it! Deep down you are as bad and beautiful as me, so let us get to it. Want to stomp those Cromwell clowns into the ground?" Gremalgin winked a sparkling eye at her over the dinner table.
"Master Fanshaw has taught me that simple revenge is no end in itself."
"Bullshit! You want their balls?"
"Please your language!" Sarah blushed and turned away.
"Yeah, but you know what it means eh?"
"This is the language of the gutter! Of crude uneducated people."
"That's where we're going. Down to hell. Want in or not?"
"This was not the way I envisioned it. I thought I would embark upon a noble cause. If you are the sort of creature I have to become, I am unsure if I wish to embark at all. Better I die an honest death in the service of Our Lord Jesus than betray all that has gone before." Sarah went to the window and looked at the garden.
"The end justifies the means. Either you want the job done, or walk away? The choice is yours." Gremalgin satisfied herself with eating through the table of food.
"It is true to say that I do need the answer to some questions. Some things do need to be rebalanced. However, to ally myself with something like you, would push the balance too far the other way. We will leave the matter there until I have spoken with Master Fanshaw. Good day to you."
Sarah stormed out and found Fanshaw waiting in his study.
"Is that to be our future Sir?" Meekly Sarah walked into the study and wondered what his reaction would be.
"How did your first meeting go?" Fanshaw too was unsure of his ground now.