eavesdropping,â Dalton said, eyes on the chessboard.
âI got no dirt to hide, no scandal,â Linda said. âKind of wish I did."
Melanie struck a pose. âMeanwhile I must struggle with the stigma of the Unwed Mother,â she said, giving the line a dramatic reading.
âAw, nobody cares about that any more,â Linda said.
âI do. I still believe in marriage. Call me old-fashioned."
âLike sex,â Dalton said, âand love, for that matter, marriage is beyond the realm of fashion. It's a necessary institution. Always was, always will be."
âYou're an old fogey, Mr. Dalton,â Linda said.
âMy dear, you are quite right. And I glow with pride of it."
Snowclaw asked, âJust what is marriage, anyway?"
There was an awkward silence.
Dalton began, âWell, it's..."
There was a commotion in the corridor. Shouts, then murmuring voices.
âI wonder what's up?â Linda said.
âI'll go see,â Melanie said and hurried to the open door.
âMaybe it's the excitement Gene was looking for,â Dalton speculated. âIn Castle Perilous, you don't have to wait very long for some."
âI don't like excitement,â Deena said nervously. âI like it when it's quiet."
Linda said, âI kind of get nostalgic for the calmer periods myself, sometimes, especially when the sludge starts hitting the whirling blades."
âYeah, I can do without that sludge stuff,â Deena said, scowling. âEver since I come here it's been flyin'. First it was the Blue Meanies invadin', then it was demons, then crazy people cominâ out of mirrors scarinâ everybody." 3 Deena shook her head. âI don't need that."
[ 3. Castle for Rent and Castle War!]
âIt does get interesting around here at times,â Dalton admitted. âBut it's good for the circulation. Gets the blood racing. It's always good toâ"
âHah hah! "
Dalton regarded his chess opponent, from whom the outburst had come. âWhat on earth has got into you?"
Lord Peter sat back, a triumphant smirk on his lips. âI moved!"
âWell, congratulations. What did you move?"
âBishop to queen's three. There. You're in check."
Dalton studied the board. âSo I am."
âYou always manage to squirm out of it, but this time I've got you. You're hemmed in on all sides. You must either move your king or take the bishop with the queen, but doing the latter will put your queen in jeopardy. And if you move your king, it's only a matter of time before I corner you.â Lord Peter folded his arms and gloated.
âWhat a jam,â Dalton said appreciatively. âQuite a nice little trap you set for me."
âAnd have just sprung mercilessly."
âSo you have, so you have. Unless..."
Lord Peter sat up. âUnless?"
âWell, if I'm not mistaken, if I take your king's bishop with my queen's, you're in check ... andâunless I'm entirely misapprehending the strategic situationâthat's mate."
Lord Peter saw with horror that Dalton was right. âImpossible!"
âI would not kid his lordship."
Lord Peter looked ill. âI think I'll go to my room and blow my bloody brains out."
âHere, here, that's hardly called for. Besides, you'll have the chambermaids all upset."
Lord Peter thought it over. âYou're right, they'll refuse to step into the place and there'll be no end of mess.â He gave the matter more consideration. âI'll throw myself off the King's Tower."
âNow you're being reasonable."
The giggling from Deena and Linda quickly faded as Melanie came running into the room. They saw the look on her face.
âMelanie, what's wrong?â Linda asked uneasily.
âIt's the servants,â Melanie said grimly. âThey're saying something happened to Lord Incarnadine. Word came through from the aspect he's in."
âMy God, whatâ?"
âThey're saying...â Melanie swallowed hard and tried again.
âI got no dirt to hide, no scandal,â Linda said. âKind of wish I did."
Melanie struck a pose. âMeanwhile I must struggle with the stigma of the Unwed Mother,â she said, giving the line a dramatic reading.
âAw, nobody cares about that any more,â Linda said.
âI do. I still believe in marriage. Call me old-fashioned."
âLike sex,â Dalton said, âand love, for that matter, marriage is beyond the realm of fashion. It's a necessary institution. Always was, always will be."
âYou're an old fogey, Mr. Dalton,â Linda said.
âMy dear, you are quite right. And I glow with pride of it."
Snowclaw asked, âJust what is marriage, anyway?"
There was an awkward silence.
Dalton began, âWell, it's..."
There was a commotion in the corridor. Shouts, then murmuring voices.
âI wonder what's up?â Linda said.
âI'll go see,â Melanie said and hurried to the open door.
âMaybe it's the excitement Gene was looking for,â Dalton speculated. âIn Castle Perilous, you don't have to wait very long for some."
âI don't like excitement,â Deena said nervously. âI like it when it's quiet."
Linda said, âI kind of get nostalgic for the calmer periods myself, sometimes, especially when the sludge starts hitting the whirling blades."
âYeah, I can do without that sludge stuff,â Deena said, scowling. âEver since I come here it's been flyin'. First it was the Blue Meanies invadin', then it was demons, then crazy people cominâ out of mirrors scarinâ everybody." 3 Deena shook her head. âI don't need that."
[ 3. Castle for Rent and Castle War!]
âIt does get interesting around here at times,â Dalton admitted. âBut it's good for the circulation. Gets the blood racing. It's always good toâ"
âHah hah! "
Dalton regarded his chess opponent, from whom the outburst had come. âWhat on earth has got into you?"
Lord Peter sat back, a triumphant smirk on his lips. âI moved!"
âWell, congratulations. What did you move?"
âBishop to queen's three. There. You're in check."
Dalton studied the board. âSo I am."
âYou always manage to squirm out of it, but this time I've got you. You're hemmed in on all sides. You must either move your king or take the bishop with the queen, but doing the latter will put your queen in jeopardy. And if you move your king, it's only a matter of time before I corner you.â Lord Peter folded his arms and gloated.
âWhat a jam,â Dalton said appreciatively. âQuite a nice little trap you set for me."
âAnd have just sprung mercilessly."
âSo you have, so you have. Unless..."
Lord Peter sat up. âUnless?"
âWell, if I'm not mistaken, if I take your king's bishop with my queen's, you're in check ... andâunless I'm entirely misapprehending the strategic situationâthat's mate."
Lord Peter saw with horror that Dalton was right. âImpossible!"
âI would not kid his lordship."
Lord Peter looked ill. âI think I'll go to my room and blow my bloody brains out."
âHere, here, that's hardly called for. Besides, you'll have the chambermaids all upset."
Lord Peter thought it over. âYou're right, they'll refuse to step into the place and there'll be no end of mess.â He gave the matter more consideration. âI'll throw myself off the King's Tower."
âNow you're being reasonable."
The giggling from Deena and Linda quickly faded as Melanie came running into the room. They saw the look on her face.
âMelanie, what's wrong?â Linda asked uneasily.
âIt's the servants,â Melanie said grimly. âThey're saying something happened to Lord Incarnadine. Word came through from the aspect he's in."
âMy God, whatâ?"
âThey're saying...â Melanie swallowed hard and tried again.
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