I grinned. “Sorry. Please continue.”

“Well, legend has it that the Glamis family is cursed, as all the best families are. That curse was born, quite literally, in the form of a child. The first son born to the eleventh earl, a child so deformed, so hideous that every wet nurse brought to his crib took one look and the milk dried up in her breast.”

“Really?”

“No, but the story’s a bit short, and we still have a half-mile to go. I’m livening it up. Now shush.”

“Sorry.”

“The worst of it, though, was that the family was doomed to care for this child, not only through his lifetime, but for eternity because he was immortal. So they locked him up in a secret room, and it became the duty of each succeeding generation to care for him, and to keep him a secret from all, even those they loved. However, the bonds of matrimony permit no room for secrets, and one enterprising young Lady Glamis grew weary of hearing these rumors and not knowing the truth behind them. One night, while her husband was away, she held a dinner party, and conveyed an ingenious plan to her guests. They would take towels and hang them from each window of the castle. They did. Then they went outside and circled the castle, looking for the window with no towel, for this would be the secret room. And there it was, high up on the third floor. A tiny window…with no towel. So Lady Glamis rushed into the castle, up the stairs, down the hall, and threw open the door of the room nearest the secret one. Then she knocked along the wall, listening for the hollow spot where a hidden door might be. She knocked once, took a step, knocked again, took a step, knocked a third time…and something within knocked back.”

Trsiel stepped onto the winding drive, and kept walking.

“Then what?” I said finally.

“Well, that’s it. According to legend, before she could investigate further, her husband came home, found out what she’d done, and gave her hell. Soon after that, she left him.”

“I don’t blame her. But it’s still a lousy ending.”

“You want me to do better?”

“Please.”

He gave a deep sigh. “The things I’m asked to do on this mission. Okay, better ending coming up. So…something within knocked back. Then, at a noise behind her, Lady Glamis turned to see her husband there. In his hand was a rusted metal key. He grabbed her, but before she could cry out for help, the secret door sprang open. A horrible moan came from within. Lady Glamis screamed then, screamed as loud as she could, but Lord Glamis shoved her through the door, slammed it shut, and locked her inside—locked forever with the monster, there to serve him for all eternity.”

I lifted a brow. “Serve him how?”