Go with Blake

Xabar looks longingly and reluctantly at Glynda. This day really was not turning out to be one of his better ones.

“Glynda, I’m afraid I’m going to have to step out for a bit,” he said. “Please keep a light on for me; I’ll try not to wake you up when I get back.”

Glynda threw her arms around Xabar’s neck and said in a low voice, “You had better wake me up when you get back!”

With a look of resentment toward his new friend, Xabar pulled himself from Glynda’s arms and followed Blake out the door.

“This had better be good,” Xabar muttered, as they descended the stairs. “After the day I have had, to have to walk away from her at this moment.... You couldn’t have picked worst timing if you tried!”

“Sorry about that, mate,” chuckled Blake. “But I probably saved your neck — or at least your balls. That Compliance Spell you put on her mother looked like it was on its last legs, and I doubt if it would have help up to the sight of you getting freaky with her daughter. If I’d left you up there, my guess is they’d be fishing your corpse out of the river in the morning.”

“Well, as it is, I may die of the world’s worst case of blue balls. You have no idea what Glynda is like! I was really looking forward to it.”

Before Blake can answer, the door to the kitchen opens and Gwendolyn emerges, evidently done with her work day. She arrives at the main door to the tavern just as they do.

“Lord Xabar!” she says, with undisguised surprise. “You are leaving?”

“Alas, I am, Gertrude.”

Blake nudges his side sharply and whispers in his ear.

“I beg your pardon, Gwendolyn,” Xabar corrects himself. “We have been called to a highly top secret meeting that is vital to our mission.”

Gwendolyn smiles, looking relieved. “I knew it! Glynda, the owner’s daughter, was carrying on about there being some special relationship between the two of you. She asked me to finish up her chores so she could rush up to you, and all she could blabber on about was all the perverted things she was going to do with you! I knew it couldn’t be true!”

“Of course not!” agreed Xabar. “The silly girl is deluded! Tell me, though... When you say ‘perverted,’ what exactly do you mean? Did she share any details? Did she happen to mention anything about body shots and chicken feathers?”

Gwendolyn gave a confused look. “I know nothing of such things, Your Lordship. I just knew she had to be deluded, and I trust her mother will be able to get her the help she needs.”

“Her mother?” Xabar asked, with a sickening feeling quickly supplanting the thoughts of the body shots. “Why would her mother be getting her help?”

Gwendolyn turns somewhat pink and says, “Perhaps I said a wee bit more than I should, but I was so concerned about you staying with such a wanton woman — particularly one so deluded. I may have told her mother a little bit about who you really are.” Seeing the growing look of alarm in the men’s faces, she quickly says, “But fret not, Viscount! She promised to tell no one.”

Looking around, Xabar asks, “Where is Mrs. Peterson now?”

“She hurried off to get a doctor for Glynda.”

“A doctor? Are you sure?” asked Xabar.

“Oh yes. Once I told her that you were a Viscount — and I may have let it slip that we are to be married — she was very concerned about her daughter’s state of mind and told me to finish cleaning up while she went to — how did she put it? She said, ‘I know just the folks to help make sure the Viscount isn’t bothered by my daughter ever again.’”

Xabar and Blake exchange looks.

“Well, you certainly did the right thing, Gussie.” Blake jammed his elbow in Xabar’s side again, eliciting a grunt, before Xabar said, “I mean, Gwendolyn. I don’t suppose you know where this doctor is that she went to fetch?”

“She went off to the east. He must be a new doctor; I didn’t know there was anything in that part of town except the Constable Station.”

“Well, we don’t want to be here when she gets back,” says Xabar “Those things can be so unpleasant. If you don’t mind, we will take our leave.”

The three of them step out of the tavern onto the street. Xabar looks to Blake to lead the way, and Blake motions with his head toward the east as the direction they need to go. Seeing this, Gwendolyn says, “If you are going that way, you will likely see Mrs. Peterson and the doctor along the way. I’m sure she will be glad to see you and know you are alright and unhindered in your mission.”

As if in answer, they hear the unmistakable sound of Mrs. Peterson’s shrill voice coming from that direction. “Just remember... there’s two men, and don’t hurt them; I have something very special planned for each of them once we get there!”

“Why that’s Mrs. Peterson now,” exclaimed Gwendolyn. “Isn’t it touching how concerned she is for you?”

Blake and Xabar look at each other, trying to decide how to handle this.