The Law of the Green Man: Part Seven

The Green Man smiled beneath his mask, unflinching at the sight of the weapon. Another person had caught up with the Leech!

"If you seek the Leech," the Green Man told the lady, "he is not here. I am the Green Man. I live to bring punishment upon the wicked, to make them suffer, as they have made others suffer."

"How do I know?" the woman demanded.

"Go out of this room and look for Sir Harold Rait," the Green Man told her. "This is his house, and he is the Leech. Now, who are you?"

"Lady Flemming," she told him. "This house was my husband's until the Leech broke him. He died three days ago, releasing me from any restraint. I came here to kill him."

"That's funny," the Green Man chuckled. "You see, I mean to kill him as well."

"Green Man!" Lady Sylvia shot through the door, looking concerned, "Sir Harold just tried to kiss me! I'm not staying here a moment longer!"

"Just distract him for a moment, my dear," the Green Man nodded. "And then hit him. I'm just about to leave."

"Great!" Lady Sylvia sighed, "so I still need to let the big brute maul me!" She stopped suddenly, starting. "And who's the armed lady?"

"Lady Flemming," the Green Man told her, "she came here to kill Sir Harold."

"Don't bother," Lady Sylvia told her, "you'd only get hurt - or caught. Let us do it. We won't."

And, with that, Lady Sylvia breezed out of the room. Lady Flemming looked at the door, open-mouthed.

"Was that Roger Vaughan's daughter?" she asked.

"Yes," the Green Man told her, drawing a card from his jacket. "Now, we have to depart."

....

By the time the party ended, Sir Harold Rait's face hurt where Lady Sylvia had slapped him. He sank down into the seat behind his desk, looking at the strewn papers.

Then he saw it. The open safe, and the card on his table. The words caused the colour to drain from his face. He no longer thought the threats were a joke.