Wheels of Whispers - Chapter 2.

“ELIAS!”, shouted a rather tomato-looking Mr. Phelps at the loudness that those few birds, who have moved back since the day before, packed their luggage and abandoned their nests for the better, in a hope to nail a neat living nearby a mute.

“ELIAS! DON’T MAKE ME KICK YE BACK SIDE!”

“Mhm, just five more minutes, mother, I’ll clean my room then…”

“SAY WHAT, BOY?”

“Wha…? Mr. Phelps! I deeply apologize for the disagreeable misunderstanding, needless to say that my sober self would never dare to mistake my dear mother for a…”

“I DON’T CARE BOUT THAT! YE HAD A CLEANIN’ TASK, DIDN’T YE?!”

“Of course, sir, but…”

“NO BUTS OTHER THAN THE ONE THAT’LL GET KICKED!”

***

“I do not understand. Why is aggression a widely spread appliance against superior workmates when it comes to an unaccomplished task?”

“Neither do I, Elias. Are you sure you don’t wish to sit down?”

“I am perfectly fine standing as on feet my height is just adequate to admire the picturesque scenery.”

“Huh, and it has nothing to do with that footprint on your lower back, I bet.”

“Louis, could we please switch the subject of the discussion? For instance, I spot a…”

“A what? A star from the pain?”

“A… peculiar, dare I claim, machine.”

“Machine? Where?”

“There! Or perhaps the stars have aligned in order to show it to me?”

“There’ is not much of a helpful guideline, but were you to see more constellations, you’d… you’d… I SEE! LOOK, ELIAS, IT’S AN OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD VEHICLE!”

“How did you conclude from a twinkling of the eye that this was a means of transportation?”“Do you have hay stuck in your eyes? The newspapers are full of articles about cars!”

“Cars are an invention of Benz, who I believe is German?”

“Ever heard of ‘globeization’?”

“No, but I nonetheless have heard of globalization.”

“Same thing.”

“Not quite. Whilst the first one is no more than a made-up word by your undeniably unintelligent mind, the latter one exists, the meaning being…”

“I know what that means! It means that we can have bloody imported peppers instead of those mild ones that grow in our country. A true curse this one.”

“Why would we want to speak about peppers when there is a brand-new automobile parking at the gates?”

“You’re right, let’s spy instead!”

“Louis, I am concerned about your knowledge regarding the unwritten laws of privacy.”

“You’re no fun! Come on, mate, aren't you a bit curious?”

“I… Oh, bollocks, you know me too well!”

The boys tiptoed gently towards the parking car and bent down in the shadows of the bushes in order to remain hidden from the driver, who was impatiently tapping the steering wheel. After some time, Louis grew annoyed and was about to make a statement about his boredom when suddenly the mansion’s gate flung open and Lord Ellsworth rushed out, loaded with an exaggeratedly packed luggage and hand baggage. He didn’t even wait for the driver to open the car’s door and, so the ever so polite gentleman broke manners’ rules, a clear sign that he had already been late from his destination.

“Man, I wish I was transported by that! It’s so much faster than on horseback.”

“Not to mention the lack of smells…” shrugged Elias, who was over-queasy in spite of his job as a stableboy.

“I reckon it’s also interesting. Have you noticed how everything is so ordinary at Somershill?

Never a nice little mystery to solve.”

“You sound similar to the gossipy housemaids.”

“But it’s true! Admit it!”

“Fine, yes, I must give importance to your words, the mansion is indeed… boring.”

“You know what could make it a little bit exciting? A kidnap! I can imagine the headlines: ‘Lord Bartholomew Ellsworth cruelly kidnapped by a driver from Hell via mysterious machine’!”

“I recall that look of yours too well, Louis, but do not DARE actioning!”

“Me? No, I don’t prefer the legwork of the detectives. Let’s just agree that I’ll be… the source of information!”

Balázs-Blénessi-Pataki Kincső   X. R