Fic: Spin Recovery, Part Three
Short one this time. No warnings.
Rufus picked up his prescriptions from the chemist that was a few doors down from the clinic, it being a matter of merely slotting the prescription card into his hand comp, specifying the chemist that he wanted to pick it up from, and handing over the card when he arrived. Then he headed back to the garage and instructed Whitebrow to take a long route home, wanting to look over the town to see if he could spot any other major changes.
They were just passing the local amphitheater when Whitebrow spoke up unexpectedly. “Not to be too forward, Milord, but it pleases me greatly that you’ve returned to the manor.”
“Hu? Oh, thank you, Whitebrow. I’m glad to be back. Feels like I’ve been gone forever.” He looked out the window at a new sculpture park that had been set at an angle between two apartment towers. After a moment, he said, “I’ve been meaning to ask, how have Mother and my sister been getting on while I’ve been away?”
“Well enough, Milord.”
Something in the old servant’s voice made Rufus turned away from the window and look at the fellow’s face in the rearview mirror. It was… rather carefully neutral he imagined. “Care to expand on that?”
“Really milord, it’s not really my place to gossip about…”
“…your employers to their face,” Rufus finished. “Whitebrow, I know perfectly well just how much an observant staff can gather about the lords they serve and the limits on whom they discuss such matters with.”
“Just so, Milord.”
“Nevertheless, I’ve been away for some time. I’m a stranger in my own home. I need to find my place here in the manor. To that end I must know how Mother and Bethany feel about me. Was I… missed?” The Holy Den Mother only knew he had missed them during the truly dark times, when the urge to crawl home on his haunches and beg forgiveness had been strongest. But his damnable pride had won out every time and he had stayed in space, alone except for the lonely company of the White Knight or whatever whore he’d paid to bed with him.
Whitebrow thought for a moment, then finally spoke. “Very deeply, Milord. The Lady Bethany felt your absence most keenly in the beginning. As for the Countess, she spoke often as to how disturbed she was with your continued absence. In more recent years they have spoken of you less often. I believe the subject was the cause of much strife between them.”
“Oh?”
“I believe Lady Bethany had some notion of seeking you out, in an effort to bring you home, but Lady Brushtail forbade the attempt. This was after some of your messages to them became, er, disturbing, Milord.”
Rufus frowned. “I don’t recall saying anything particularly disturbing when I called.” Whining and begging perhaps, but surely not disturbing.
“As you will, sir.”
“Beg your pardon?”
“Nothing, milord.”
TBC
Rufus picked up his prescriptions from the chemist that was a few doors down from the clinic, it being a matter of merely slotting the prescription card into his hand comp, specifying the chemist that he wanted to pick it up from, and handing over the card when he arrived. Then he headed back to the garage and instructed Whitebrow to take a long route home, wanting to look over the town to see if he could spot any other major changes.
They were just passing the local amphitheater when Whitebrow spoke up unexpectedly. “Not to be too forward, Milord, but it pleases me greatly that you’ve returned to the manor.”
“Hu? Oh, thank you, Whitebrow. I’m glad to be back. Feels like I’ve been gone forever.” He looked out the window at a new sculpture park that had been set at an angle between two apartment towers. After a moment, he said, “I’ve been meaning to ask, how have Mother and my sister been getting on while I’ve been away?”
“Well enough, Milord.”
Something in the old servant’s voice made Rufus turned away from the window and look at the fellow’s face in the rearview mirror. It was… rather carefully neutral he imagined. “Care to expand on that?”
“Really milord, it’s not really my place to gossip about…”
“…your employers to their face,” Rufus finished. “Whitebrow, I know perfectly well just how much an observant staff can gather about the lords they serve and the limits on whom they discuss such matters with.”
“Just so, Milord.”
“Nevertheless, I’ve been away for some time. I’m a stranger in my own home. I need to find my place here in the manor. To that end I must know how Mother and Bethany feel about me. Was I… missed?” The Holy Den Mother only knew he had missed them during the truly dark times, when the urge to crawl home on his haunches and beg forgiveness had been strongest. But his damnable pride had won out every time and he had stayed in space, alone except for the lonely company of the White Knight or whatever whore he’d paid to bed with him.
Whitebrow thought for a moment, then finally spoke. “Very deeply, Milord. The Lady Bethany felt your absence most keenly in the beginning. As for the Countess, she spoke often as to how disturbed she was with your continued absence. In more recent years they have spoken of you less often. I believe the subject was the cause of much strife between them.”
“Oh?”
“I believe Lady Bethany had some notion of seeking you out, in an effort to bring you home, but Lady Brushtail forbade the attempt. This was after some of your messages to them became, er, disturbing, Milord.”
Rufus frowned. “I don’t recall saying anything particularly disturbing when I called.” Whining and begging perhaps, but surely not disturbing.
“As you will, sir.”
“Beg your pardon?”
“Nothing, milord.”
TBC