Lady's Pursuit (Knight and Rogue Book 6)

by Bell, Hilari

  “Down to Halverham road.” She gestured to the intersection behind us. “And then turned north.”

  “That makes sense,” Kathy said soberly. “Halverham’s the nearest fiefdom border, and the baron’s not happy with the Liege right now. If they wanted to slow pursuit...”

  “That’s something we hadn’t thought of,” I said, rather grimly. “She could have been taken as bait.”

  “But Baron Halverham wouldn’t kidnap Rupert,” Kathy said. “Even if he wanted to, no one would dare. Besides, how could they know that Rupert would find out where she’d gone?”

  “Rupert did find out, in just a few hours,” I pointed out. “We found it in half a day.”

  But from what Sal said, it sounded like they’d tried to conceal the snatch. We still had no idea who’d taken Mistress Margaret. Or why.

  “Court chicanery.” Michael let out a long breath. “One more question, Mistress Sal. Can you sew?”

  She looked more startled than I was — knowing Michael, I wasn’t surprised at all — but he held up the two silver ha’s.

  “I can, but it’s not fine-lady embroidery.”

  She spread her skirt for our inspection; it was even more patched than I’d thought, but the stitches that tacked those patches down were small and even.

  “If you’re thinking I could take in mending, well, it’s a kindly notion. But who’d send their clothes to this dirty place?”

  She gestured to the shack behind her and some of her defiance fell away, revealing the weary hopelessness behind it.

  “Then you’d best spend some of that silver having the place cleaned,” said Michael. “Get yourself a bath, and keep everything clean for several days.”

  He dropped the silver into her bowl, adding a few more bits from the sound of it, then rose stiffly.

  “It is a kind thought,” Kathy murmured as we started back toward the palace. “But I don’t know any court lady who’d send her mending there. I’d hesitate myself. You don’t want a torn skirt coming back mended and full of fleas. And her stitches weren’t that fine.”

  “Then ’tis a good thing others aren’t so picky,” said Michael, striding briskly along. “And if she has the money for cleaning, there’ll be no fleas.”

  “You’re thinking the High Liege will send her the servant’s mending, in thanks for information about his son?” I asked dubiously. “I’m not looking forward to telling him what we found at all — much less demanding favors in exchange.”

  Michael’s steps slowed. “We must tell him. I’d sooner simply follow them myself, but by Sal’s account there were four men involved in that kidnapping, two in the coach, one driving, and the mysterious watcher. And there might be more. ’Twould be irresponsible to go after them without telling someone what we’ve learned.”

  “We’re going after them?” It was more a protest than a question — this was Michael, so of course we were. And I might have used my new-fledged partnership to argue that decision ... except Michael wasn’t alone.

  “Of course we’re going,” said my dutiful future spouse. “At least, I am. The two of you can do as you like. But as for telling the High Liege... It’s this Captain Varner’s job to find Rupert, and he can send a score of men after them. Why don’t we tell him instead?”

  We had feared we might have to track Captain Varner down in town, but his man told us that the captain was sitting down to luncheon. Would Mistress Katherine care to leave a message...? It appeared that Fisk and I weren’t welcome at all, but Kathy changed that by telling him to tell the captain we knew where the Heir had gone.

  Once he’d heard that, Captain Varner came out to the hallway to escort Kathy in. His brows shot up at the sight of us, but he made no protest when Fisk and I followed along, even telling his man to send to the kitchen for three more plates.

  This suited me, for as he ushered Kathy into the dining room, the pork roast was emitting a most wonderful smell, and the peas and applesauce that accompanied it looked good too. Breakfast had been a long time ago.

  “You say you’ve news of his highness?” The captain pushed Kathy’s chair in, and seated himself. “Where did you find him? None of my men have had any luck.”

  “That’s because they’re still looking in the city,” Kathy said. “But he was right after all, Meg was kidnapped. I should let my brother and his friend tell you about it, for ’twas they who figured it out.”

  “Your brother?” The captain’s gaze went from me to Fisk, and he evidently found the family resemblance between us, for it settled upon me. “You’ve discovered some information, Master ... Sevenson, is it? What have you...? Wait. Sevenson. Michael Sevenson? The Michael Sevenson?”

  I had his full attention now, alas. Being unredeemed — an unfortunate consequence of my first adventure with Fisk — had put me outside the protection of the law, my wrists tattooed with the broken circles of a broken trust, so that any who chose to look could see my status and disgrace. I’d found this embarrassing, awkward, inconvenient, and sometimes even deadly.

  But I swear, ’twas worse in all these ways to be known to every guardsman in the Realm as the man who brought down Atherton Roseman. Though I suppose ’twas not deadly. At least, not yet.

  “I’m Michael Sevenson,” I admitted. “This is my partner, Fisk. We...”

  “Ah, the man who lived in Roseman’s own household to spy on him. You’ve quite a nerve, sir.”

  His admiring gaze turned to Fisk, who is more accustomed to running from guardsmen than being admired by them. He looked so disconcerted that Kathy giggled.

  “I’d like very much to hear that tale, from both of you,” the captain went on. “I should have expected Michael Sevenson to track down the Heir.”

  “We haven’t tracked him down,” I said. “Only found a clue as to where he’s gone — and ’twas my partner who knew how to find it, not I. But before I reveal our information, Captain, one small request?”

  “If it’s in my power, sir. What do you need?”

  “Do you know who does the palace guards’ mending?”

  Captain Varner didn’t, but he promised that as much work as she could manage would be sent to Mistress Sal, and she’d be paid a good wage for it.

  The servants brought in our plates as he spoke, but I was so busy recounting what we’d learned that I’d little time to eat. As my story continued, the Captain’s own appetite seemed to fade.

  “She really was kidnapped? I thought that was craz— That is, I thought Lord Rupert’s fondness had led him to exaggerate.”

  “It does seem he was right,” I admitted. “About her being kidnapped, at least.”

  If he was right about who’d taken her, that would present a captain of the High Liege’s guard with a most unpleasant predicament.

  “Hmm. His Highness has a ten hour start, and Halverham’s only a five hour ride away, so unless your kidnappers stopped short of the border, we’ll have to cross into Baron Halverham’s fief to pursue them.”

  He didn’t look happy about this.

  “So get a Liege writ to cross the border,” said Fisk. “I can’t imagine any landholder who’d deny you access to track down the Heir.”

  “Um,” said Kathy.

  “Um?” I asked.

  “Well the thing is, Baron Halverham and the Liege are in the middle of a tax dispute. And if Baron Halverham grants the Liege the favor of letting Liege troops into his fief...”

  “The baron will want a favor in return.” Captain Varner sighed. “And we have no reason to think anyone means Heir Rupert any harm. I suppose I could just ride up and see if they’ll let us in, but that’s up to the Liege. I’d better report what you’ve told me, and get my instructions.”

  He bolted a final mouthful of pork, clearly preparing to go to the Liege at once — which might give me a chance to eat something.

  “When will you be ready to set out?” I asked. “Fisk and I can pack quickly, but we’ll need to gather up some gear if we’re taking Kathy.”


  “What? Your pardon, but I’m not taking you along.”

  “I’m a good rider,” Kathy assured him. “As my brother will attest. I won’t slow you down.”

  Captain Varner was shaking his head. “I’m sure you are, Mistress Katherine, but I’m not taking any of you. This is Crown business, and you've already done your part. Be assured, I’ll give you full credit for the discovery, Master Sevenson and Master Fisk. But we’ll take it from here.”

  If this turned into the political mess it sounded like, the credit he so generously offered might well turn into blame. But credit or blame, ’twas rightfully ours, so I couldn’t complain. However...

  “We found the trail your men couldn’t,” I said. “We might be useful to you again. And if Rupert has caught up to Mistress Margaret, she may be in need of female companionship.”

  Kathy pounced on this argument, and worried it till the Captain had risen from the table and was ready to depart. I also mentioned that Fisk had skills that might be useful in tracking down a fugitive — though I stopped short of reminding him that I was the Michael Sevenson, and I kicked Fisk under the table when he started to.

  But despite reputation, feminine pleas, and genuinely logical arguments, the captain’s attitude remained the same — this was a professional matter, and the professionals would handle it.

  I thought that the professionals hadn’t done so very well, thus far ... but it wasn’t up to me.

  “It’s not up to us,” Fisk told Kathy. “It’s up to Varner and the High Liege now.”

  “If we’d left it up to them this morning, no one would have any idea where Rupert went,” Kathy said. “I still think we should go after them.”

  “Varner and his troop can move faster than we can,” I pointed out. “And if there is trouble, with a Liege writ, he can get any assistance he might need from the local authorities.”

  “But we can still pursue them on our own,” she said. “We could follow Varner — or even get ahead of them!”

  Fisk understood the difficulties in my meddling with authorities, even if Kathy didn’t.

  “How about this for a compromise,” he said. “It’s going to take us a while to assemble gear for you anyway. If Varner manages to catch up with Rupert and Mistress Margaret inside the Liege’s land, he’ll probably have them back here by tomorrow morning. If he hasn’t come back by a reasonable time tomorrow, we’ll set off after them.”

  Kathy scowled. “But all he cares about is bringing Rupert back — Meg’s the one I’m worried about! What if she’s in trouble?”

  “Then Rupert will reach her long before we could,” I pointed out. “Most probably before Varner catches up with him. And when they do, he’ll have Varner’s troop to assist him.”

  “And he’s the Heir,” Fisk added. “Even if Varner never finds him, he can go straight to any sheriff, baron or lord in the Realm and get all the help he needs.”

  Which I, as an unredeemed man, could not.

  “Be sensible, Kath,” I said. “He’s so far ahead of us, the matter is bound to be settled by the time we catch up.”

  “All right.” Katherine gave in. “I suppose we can give them a day.”

  There was a determined glint in her eye that told me that one day — half a day, really — was all they’d get. But she really did need some gear. My sister’s riding habit was well enough for a morning’s hunt, but for a trip that might last much longer she should wear something with fewer petticoats. And sturdier boots, a real bedroll, something to cover her if it rained, and...

  After some argument, we left True in the cottage and spent the rest of the day in the city trying to find travel equipment suitable for a lady. We spent much of our time in the great market where they sold not only tack and leather goods, but also foodstuffs carted in from the countryside, furs from the far north, gemstones from the mountain mines, and silk from the dry lands of the south. Fisk looked at the gem shops longingly, and I eyed him askance — but it turned out that he was only repining his inability to purchase trinkets for his beloved. Kathy, sensibly, was just as pleased with a pair of sturdy riding boots, and a small basket of strawberries shared between the three of us.

  The market also held lots of narrow alleys, and stands with hanging rugs or bolts of cloth into which she and Fisk vanished for longer and longer stretches of time. But most of her conversation was taken up with thoughts like, “Maybe he found her and they’re eloping” or “What if she was taken as bait, and now they’ve got Rupert and a ransom demand is on the way?”

  It was late in the evening when we returned to Margaret’s cottage, snagging a passing maidservant and asking her to tell the kitchen to send dinner.

  True, released to pee, was still romping on the grass when a manservant appeared with a covered basket. After a bit of friendly chatter from Kathy, he told us that although Captain Varner and his troop had set off early that afternoon, neither the troop nor the Heir had yet returned.

  It was Fisk who reminded us that there was one more thing we’d need — money. I almost pointed out that Fisk’s share of the reward for Roseman was still sewed into the lining of Tipple’s saddle pad, and secreted in various other places, some of which even I didn’t know about. But he hoards those coins like a miser, and I thought it might be wise for someone outside the palace to know what we’d learned from Mistress Sal. So after we’d eaten, Kathy ordered up a carriage from the stables and we set out to for the Merkles’ home.

  It may have been wise to share that knowledge, but ’twas not pleasant. Mistress Merkle started to cry when she heard Sal’s tale. Master Merkle, white-faced, went into his study and came out with a purse fat enough to see us from the southern dry lands to the northern snowfields.

  I resolved to take no more than we needed for our expenses on the journey, and Kathy promised to bring back their daughter, no matter what it took.

  Fisk winced, for he knew that she meant every word ... and that I would support her.

  Despite the carriage, we were all weary when we returned to the cottage — and we had no reason to fear for ourselves. But so many strange things had happened, that when I saw the door I’d closed behind us standing open, a rush of excitement prickled through my nerves. Even though... “Most probably, the servant who removed our dinner dishes didn’t latch it.”

  “A servant would have used the kitchen door.”

  Fisk shared my qualms. He tried to push Kathy back, as she moved forward to investigate. They were still scuffling when an amused, female voice said, “I thought I’d come inside to wait for you. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all, Your Highness.” I went through the door, and made my bow to the Liege Lady. She’d chosen to await us on a comfortably cushioned chair near the front room’s cold hearth. And while she wasn’t as richly dressed as she’d been last night, that only served to draw my gaze to the dark hair that swirled in wild curls at the crown of her head. The white skin of her throat and bosom glowed in the fading sunlight, and I added. “You should have had the servants kindle a light for you.”

  Which was the politest way I could think of to ask why there were no servants present.

  “My husband doesn’t know I’m here.” It was an answer, of sorts, and her lovely eyes studied me. “But I’m concerned about Rupert, and even little Mistress Margaret. Oh, not that anything will happen to them. Wherever she is, I’m sure he’ll find her and they’ll both be back in a few days. But then what?”

  “You expect us to answer that?” Fisk’s voice was dry, and that intense gaze switched to him.

  “You must be Master Fisk,” she said. “The squire.”

  I think the way her lips twitched annoyed me more than it did Fisk.

  “My partner, now,” I said. “How can we assist you, my Lady?”

  “By finding a way to get Rupert out of this tangle,” she said. “’Tis troubling my husband, stirring up the court, and if it goes on much longer it could even be bad for the Realm.”

  “That’s all t
rue,” said Kathy. “But what do you think we can do? We can’t make Meg Gifted, or make Rupert fall out of love. In fact, barring a miracle from one of those university scholars, which I don’t think is going to happen, there is no way to fix it. Rupert and Meg — and your husband, and the Realm — are all going to have to work it out as they see fit.”

  I thought that was a remarkably sensible statement, but the Liege Lady barely glanced at her.

  “But you’re going to try, aren’t you?” she said. “You’ll all try.”

  “Of course we will,” I said. “But I don’t see there’s much we can do.”

  Her gaze moved from me to Fisk, and back again. Then she nodded. “There probably isn’t. Good evening to you, Sir Michael. Master Fisk. Mistress Katherine.”

  She rose abruptly, and swept out of the cottage before I had time to finish bowing.

  “What was that about?” said Fisk.

  I don’t think he expected an answer, but Kathy replied. “Her Gift is reading people, like Father. Though I think she’s even better at it. The High Liege often asks her to sit in on conferences and negotiations, not to comment on the subject, but to tell him about the people he’s dealing with.”

  “You think the Liege sent her?” I asked. “She said he didn’t know she was here.”

  “Well, I suppose she might be concerned about Rupert and Meg.” But Kathy sounded doubtful.

  “Or she might be lying about her husband knowing where she was,” Fisk added. “Though since there isn’t anything we can do, I don’t know why he’d bother.”

  We discussed the matter for some time, but we could make no more of it. And Fisk was right; there was nothing we could do.

  So of course, the High Liege sent for us the very next morning.

  Michael and I scrambled into our best clothes, such as they were. My coat and britches were of sensible broadcloth, and Michael’s of worn brown velvet. But despite the fact that his hair hung to his shoulders in a nobleman’s long cut, he still looked like a bandit wearing something he’d stolen off a coach. The man simply didn’t know how to look the part. On the other hand, maybe the High Liege wanted a bandit. And Michael’s accent confirmed the rank his hair implied, so I could let him do the talking.