Chapter 212 - Confessionals
Scarlett observed Raimond, considering him for a moment. “I must confess, I did not anticipate this conversation happening so soon, but very well. It would seem you are more yourself than at our last meeting,” she said. “Unless, of course, this is an act. With you, it is always difficult to be certain.”
Raimond chuckled lightly, breaking some of the tension as he placed the artifact that had been muffling the noise around them on the windowsill. “Coming from you, Baroness, that almost feels like an indictment. I have had difficulty fathoming what goes through your mind since we first met.”
“I take that as a compliment. It would not bode well for me if I were so easily seen through.”
“That I do not doubt,” Raimond replied, his gaze lingering on her, an inscrutable smile on his face. “This last day’s revelations have peeled back enough layers of that noble guise of yours to tell me that there remains much, much more hidden beneath it. Ah, but you’ll have to excuse my forwardness. Who am I to speak of concealing oneself under a guise? As it would appear you’ve been aware of for some time, I am oft-guilty of the same charge.”
“I do believe our circumstances differ,” Scarlett said, “but I personally find no fault in your tactics.”
“How magnanimous of you, Baroness.”
“Rather, I see little value in dwelling on what does not concern me.”
“Then perhaps I should count myself fortunate that you’ve deemed it worthwhile to allow my company on several occasions.” Raimond shook his head, a hint of melancholy in the gesture. “If only my peers and colleagues would share that sentiment, but alas.”
Scarlett studied the man’s exaggeratedly forlorn expression, but opted to bypass his dramatics. “You mentioned briefing your colleagues on recent events. With that, I presume you were referring to the Quorum. How much have you disclosed to them?”
“As much as I suspect you expected me to,” Raimond answered. “The situation left me little room to maneuver in that aspect, unfortunately. Caught between the Scylla of one danger and the Charybdis of another, as they say.”
Scarlett’s mind caught on the man’s choice of words. Those were some curious names she’d just heard. Were there monsters with the same names in this world as well? She wasn’t familiar with them, if so, but it wouldn’t be the first instance of a linguistic artifact from her world finding its way into this one in such a fashion.
“I conveyed about as much as I managed to glean on my own,” Raimond continued. “That included some observations related to the citadel and you and your companions — details that couldn’t be omitted. Regrettably, however, I somehow forgot to inform them of your presence in Crowcairn or Miss Hale’s particular condition. Quite careless of me, but what can a man do when the ails of his age start wearing at his mind? Fortunately, there’s always time to remedy such slip-ups in the future, if necessary.”