Free The Warlock's Gambit by David Alastair Hayden, Pepper Thorn Page B

frowned. “Don't get any bright ideas about watching me in the shower!”
    “Good grief! That didn't even occur to me.”
    She shrugged in response.
    “I don't even see the panels that let you see into the bathrooms.”
    “I closed them.”
    “Well, I promise I won't open them.”
    She narrowed her eyes at him.
    “You really think I can figure that out on my own?”
    “Well … okay.”
    “I will see that he remains honest,” declared Vassalus.
    “Arthur wouldn’t do any such thing anyway,” Lexi mumbled before going back to sleep.
    “Most of what I've discovered isn't that different from using a computer on Earth,” said Morgan, “except it doesn't have internet access or any sort of equivalent that I can find. Which means it’s kind of useless. No data, no games, no internet. Not much of a computer. It’s like the 80’s up in here. Although, there are programs for controlling different functions of the Manse —”
    “That sounds promising,” Arthur said.
    “Yeah, it does,” Morgan said with exasperation. “But I can’t tell what they’re supposed to control or how they work. All I can tell you is that the executables are all inside a folder labeled MANSE CONTROLS. Maybe they got scrambled when the Manse’s memory was wiped … or maybe I’m just missing something still …”
    She started to open up another window, but Arthur tapped the desk. “Bath — now.”
    She stood. “Fine. Don’t touch the computer. I don’t want you messing anything up.”
    “I don’t plan on it. I’m going to relax in my room.”
    Arthur grabbed a Doc Savage book off the shelf and fell onto the couch. By the time he heard the water running in the bathroom upstairs, he was already falling asleep again. He woke to the sound of Morgan screaming.

Chapter Eight
    Are We Having a Moment?
    A rthur rushed over to the elevator, with Lexi right behind him muttering, “Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear …”
    He shifted impatiently as it rose to the next floor, and darted off before it had completely stopped. As he neared the bathroom, he tripped over Vassalus and landed in a heap near the bathroom doorway.
    “Ouch!”
    “Good sir, watch where you are going, please. This is a most delicate situation.”
    “Is Morgan all right?” Arthur asked, scrambling to his feet. “Why aren’t you checking on her?”
    “I was told, Master Paladin, to stay out of there, and so out here is where I shall most definitely stay.”
    The bathroom door swung open, and Maid fled from the room as if chased by a wraith. Arthur and Lexi rushed to the door. Morgan was standing right beyond the threshold, her face twisted up and bright scarlet in fury.
    “Get out ! And don't come back, you perv!”
    Morgan started to say something else, but fell silent as she noticed Arthur. She hiked up the towel she had wrapped around her and narrowed her eyes. He turned his head, held up a hand, and started backing away, with a quick “I'm sorry” thrown in for good measure.
    “Arthur, go away !” Morgan fumed.
    “He didn't do anything wrong,” Lexi told her as Arthur retreated further. “We were just trying to check on you.”
    “Well, he needs to watch where he's looking!”
    “I wasn’t trying to look at anything,” he replied. “What on earth is going on anyway?”
    “I got out of the bath and that servitor came in. While I was naked. ” Morgan said that as if it were a terrible crime, as if it were the worst thing that had ever happened to her. Maybe her nerves were fried; they had been through a lot.
    “Morgan, they're just constructs. They aren't real people. You know … they're sort of like robots.”
    “I told her to leave before I got in the bath. She had no right. I don't care what they are, I don't like them seeing me naked.”
    “Well, I’m sure they won't do it again.”
    “They had better not!” Morgan yelled out so everyone could hear her, throughout the entire Multiverse. Then she slammed the door shut.
    “Wow, touchy bundles