On the third evening of their journey to Hedenham, their coach stopped at a town called Ketterford. After a tolerable dinner at the inn, Lady Amira pled fatigue and turned in. Dardan wanted only rest as well, so Liam followed him to his room and began to help him dress for bed. “I suppose I should start properly courting Lady Amira,” Dardan groused all of a sudden.
“Yes, m’lord?”
“I can’t imagine I’ll find someone better, and I’d have to go through all that rigmarole again. The introduction, chatting mindlessly. I find it easier to talk to her now.”
“That’s good, m’lord. It’d be a pity to have gone through all that trauma with Prince Edon and have nothing to show for it.”
Dardan frowned. “That’s not something to make light of, Liam.”
“Of course not, m’lord. Will there be anything else?”
“No, I’m wearied. Good night.”
Liam was not tired in the least, so he found himself wandering the halls, and chatted up a comely young maid. She was all smiles at his attention, but the third time he realized he’d been silent for half a minute while thinking about Katin, he growled a good night at the startled girl and stomped off.
———
The next night they came into Potterton, a handful of homes and shops scattered around a ramshackle inn that had somehow attracted the services of a minstrel, so they were all serenaded while they ate dinner. Afterward, Dardan courageously asked Lady Amira if she would fancy a stroll around what passed for the town square. She assented, and so their valai followed behind as the lord and lady made a slow circuit in the deepening twilight.
Liam took a deep breath and offered his arm to Katin. She confounded him; he’d never met a woman who was so game for banter, yet stared so coldly as if he meant some harm. Girls either cozied up to him or told him to get lost at once.
To his delight, she took his arm, but kept her gaze studiously ahead. When Dardan made a subtle shooing motion, Liam slowed his walk, to give Dardan and Amira a bit more privacy. Katin made no objection.
“Our masters seem to enjoy one another’s company,” he observed. “I’m pleased as well to be able to walk with you.”
“Indeed. It would be a waste of warmth to walk separately,” Katin said.
“That is not what I meant.”
“You should speak more plainly, then, or I might misunderstand you again.”
Liam stared. “Was there a burr under your saddle today? You are acting strangely.”
“My apologies, Mister Howard. Are you upset that I failed to simply fall over and spread my legs for you the moment we met? As I recall it was when my lady first met your master, at his manse. I think it might have been received poorly had we begun fornicating on the rug.”
Liam came to a dead stop, aghast. “What do you mean by speaking this way?”
Katin cast an eye after Amira for a moment, then looked up at Liam. “Why, I merely had some words with a few of the maids at your lord’s manse, before we left. It seems you’ve had quite a number of adventures there.”
Liam’s face grew hot. “This is no appropriate conversation.” He stiffly offered his arm again. Katin took it a moment later. Dardan and Amira had gotten farther ahead, so Liam made haste to close the gap. What business was it of hers if he had tumbled a maid or two… or five?
Katin went on. “Indeed, such a conversation might make a woman faint with fright. We are such delicate creatures.”
Liam hesitated. “Fine, then. If you wish the truth, those girls propositioned me.”
“Oh dear! Have I made some error by turning a cold shoulder?”
Despite her words, Katin still held his arm. Liam tried to let himself calm. “Is it so wrong to say that I found you to be fine company at the royal ball?”
“On the contrary, it is quite a nice thing to say. If only I didn’t suspect the motive behind it.”
“The motive—!” Liam gritted his teeth. Calm. She’s just trying to get you riled up. Maybe he was taking the wrong tack. “I suppose you’d prefer it if men were all gelded and kept as pets.”
“Some men, perhaps. Not all.” She smiled.
“Well, that’s a relief. Humanity would come to its end, otherwise.”
“I suppose your sweethearts in Hedenham would be displeased by that.”
“I have no such sweethearts.” It was true. More or less. Some girls seemed to think they meant more to him than they really did. But that was hardly his fault.
“No?”
“No. I mean… no.”
“So which is it? No, or no?”
“I will admit that there have been some young women for whom I have had… affection.” He eyed her sidelong. “At the moment, there is only one girl I have my eye on.”
“Hm. You should make sure she knows that.” They’d come back around to the inn, and Katin slipped her arm out of Liam’s. She strode off without another glance.
Dardan was saying goodnight to Amira. He boldly bent down and kissed her hand, and her eyes widened in what looked like amusement. Katin collected her and they went into the inn.
“M’lord is wasting no time, I see,” Liam murmured as he came to his master’s side.
Dardan shuffled his feet a little. “I confess I’m not pleased with mother’s meddling, but Lady Amira is… a remarkable woman.”
“M’lord is indeed lucky,” Liam said. Luckier than me, it would seem.
———
Two mornings later, the coach rumbled into Hedenham Town. They passed shops and homes and finally came to the wide, stone-paved town square. Buildings here favored walls of a whitewashed plaster, with high peaked roofs of slate. Hedenham had always been prosperous, surrounded by farms and forests to the west and north, and hills bearing copper and iron mines to the east.
Children ran alongside Dardan’s horse as he tossed coppers down at them, laughing and calling out the names of some he knew. This was his habit whenever he returned; it cost but little and taught the children early to love their lord. Lord-to-be, rather.
On the north end of the square was the magistrate’s office, with its hammer painted large on the outer wall. Liam saw someone emerge from it as they approached, and recognized Dardan’s father, Count Asmus Tarian. He was a voluble man, tall and broad. He always reminded Liam of a hairless bear. His valo, Bannis—they all called him Old Ban—lumbered stiffly along behind him.
Dardan cantered ahead and stopped before his father, who had turned at the sound of hoofbeats. Liam followed close behind. The count smiled up at his son. “My boy! I thought you’d be back days past. Stayed for the summer ball, did you?”
“And more besides,” Dardan said, forcing his own smile.
The coach thumped to a stop behind them, and Katin and Amira peered out the side window. Asmus glimpsed them and grinned at his son. “Brought me a gift, eh?”
“Lady Amira is here as our guest,” Dardan warned, “and I am presently courting her. Thus I will kindly ask you to keep your charms to yourself. Hands off her maids, too, if you please.”
Asmus grinned, holding his hands up. “As you will, my boy. A man should have his own pleasures. I suppose you could at least introduce us, hm?”
“Of course.” Dardan dismounted and helped the women down. Katin and Amira, anyway; Sara looked terrified as usual and stayed hidden in the coach.
Amira had dressed this morning in a lovely shade of peach, and had done her hair up in an elaborate, showy braid. Clearly she’d expected to meet the count and wanted to appear as radiant as possible.
Even old Asmus, veteran of a thousand boudoirs, was stunned. “My lady Amira,” he said, bowing low over her hand but, Liam noted, not kissing it. “Welcome to Hedenham. It is an honor to meet you.”
“The honor is mine,” she said, bowing in return. “Your lands are remarkably fertile and pleasant.”
“My son and I have worked hard for long years to ensure prosperity,” Asmus said, near bursting with pride. Is there a man that Amira cannot beguile? Well, me, I supp
ose. And Prince Edon. Liam wondered what trouble the prince might have gotten up to out at Gravensford. It made him feel a bit safer to know that the royal estate was as far to the northwest of Callaston as Hedenham was to its northeast.
Dardan looked around the square. “Where’s Ilya?”
“Your brother is with Master Stephens until the evening. He’s already saved the man a hundred gold crowns, going through his books and finding errors. The boy will make a fine master of trade some day.”
Dardan’s little brother would be happy to know they’d returned. He idolized Dardan and always said how well he’d serve his older brother when he was grown. Liam hoped that Ilya’s enthusiasm persisted through adolescence. Soon he’d start to notice girls, and then all bets were off for a few years.
Asmus told them that he still had business to conduct in town. In the meantime he formally granted Amira full use of his house and grounds, and insisted that the party decamp to the manor at once to rest and recuperate.
———
The Tarians’ ancestral manor house, Tinehall, lay a mile north of the town, on a low rise beside the road. The manor was in fact two large parallel buildings, one hidden behind the other, with a broad grass courtyard between them. It was surrounded by a hundred and ten acres of grounds, gardens, stables and other utility buildings. A long gravel path led from the Hedenham road up to the manor.
The house major, old Gerald, came forth with what looked to be half the domestic staff: footmen, maids, a few stableboys. Gerald greeted Dardan and Liam warmly, and bowed low when introduced to Amira. The chief maid took the women inside at once, to show them to their quarters and see to their comfort. After such a long journey, the women would need plenty of rest. Liam did not miss that Katin glanced over her shoulder at him just before vanishing inside. He was going to have to figure out what to do about that girl.
“Gerald, we’re famished,” Dardan said. “We’ll take luncheon in my father’s office.”
The count’s office was adorned only with treasures the count had acquired over the years: the mounted head of a stag that he’d killed with a knife after his bowstring snapped; a rusted sword that he’d taken from a surrendering Vaslander chief during the last war; a black stone pyramid a foot high, received as a gift from some foreign merchant he’d once done business with. Other trinkets, arranged in no discernible order, had piled up along the walls.
Dardan settled into his father’s seat while Liam remained standing. They waited in companionable silence until Gerald arrived with a tray bearing plates of ham, bread, onions, and beans. He turned to go but Dardan said, “No, please, stay. Let us all sit, in fact. The count will be some time, I’m sure.”
Liam shrugged and sat, but Gerald looked uncomfortable. “M’lord,” he intoned, in a sepulchral voice that always made Liam think of impending doom, “I would not feel comfortable sitting in the count’s own office.”
Dardan shrugged. “So be it. Tell me of my father. How has he been these last weeks?”
Gerald blinked at the young lord. “Irrepressible, as always. His mood seems well. He only threatened to whip me once this week.”
Liam snorted. Asmus would threaten his servants at the slightest provocation, but they all knew he would never actually strike any of them. He was equally likely to promise titles and lands simply for being brought a delicious bowl of soup.
“Thank you, then,” Dardan said, dismissing the old major. Gerald bowed and went out. Liam hoped he was getting along well; he always made life at the manor feel well-ordered.
Liam tucked into his food as soon as Dardan did. “Worried about your father’s reaction to our news, m’lord?”
Dardan shrugged. “He’ll shout obscenities and promise divine retribution, and two minutes later shrug it off as the common mischief of young men. I’m more concerned about the garrison.”
They had just finished eating when footsteps heralded the count’s approach. He strode into the office with Old Ban following right behind, who took the count’s hat and leaned against the credenza by the door.
“My boy! I see you’ve eaten without me.” Asmus chuckled. “Oh, and now your valo makes casual use of my office, eh? I should have you flogged,” he added to Liam. Liam held back a smile as he stood up, bowed to the count, and moved over to join Old Ban.
Dardan vacated his father’s seat. “It is good to see you, of course, but I have urgent matters to discuss.”
Asmus plopped into his chair and snatched up a crumb from Dardan’s plate. “Go on, then.”
Leaving out many small details, Dardan recounted his trip to Callaston, the business done there, and his introduction to Amira. His eyes glazed over as he began talking about how lovely she was, how graceful, how ladylike… Liam glanced at Old Ban, whose eyes were about to roll out of his head.
“Yes, yes, an outstanding example of noble womanhood, I quite comprehend. I’ve met the girl, you know,” Asmus cut in. “None of this sounds especially urgent.”
Dardan jumped ahead to the morning after the ball, when they’d been summoned to the palace and the prince had tried to have his way with Amira. The count’s face grew cloudy, his eyelids lowered, and he listened intently, asking curt questions about this or that detail. The only part of it that stuck out to Liam was when Asmus said, “And is there anything strange about Amira?”
“Not that I know of,” Dardan said. “We all agreed that Edon had got into a panic about witches, claiming Lady Amira had had a spell cast on him. I think we can all agree how unlikely that is,” he added with a snort.
“What about you?” Asmus said, swinging his attention to Liam. “Is there anything odd about the lady?”
“Nothing remarkable, m’lord,” Liam said, straightening. “She has a somewhat unusual past, but nothing that raises my hackles.”
“If a woman don’t raise your hackles, she ain’t worth knowing,” Old Ban said.
As Dardan had predicted, once his recollection came to a close, Asmus leapt up and cursed House Relindos for swine, thieves, traitors, and worse. And just as predictably, in scant minutes he wound down. “I suppose your mother is engaging in her usual machinations.”
Dardan stared oddly at his father for a moment, then nodded. “I do not pretend to understand what she does, speaking to her lady friends, but no doubt she will turn this to our favor in some small way.”
Asmus dismissed his wife’s doings with a wave of his hand, and sat down again. “Well, I’m glad you all emerged unscathed, though Lady Amira may bear some hidden scars that will only become visible in time.”
“She is quite resilient,” Dardan insisted.
“If all you have said is true, she will make a fine wife, I’m sure. You are intending to marry her, of course.”
Dardan paused. “To propose, yes. At some point. There is no rush. And whether that proposal becomes a marriage is out of my control.”
Asmus snorted. “Don’t let your mother hear you say that. And don’t dally too long, or you may wait yourself out of a perfectly acceptable fate.”
Dardan nodded, looking down at his hands for a moment. His eyes were clear when they came back up. “I don’t know how long we’ll need to stay away from Callaston. Mother said she would send word when matters had settled. Prince Edon may be in Gravensford for some time.”
Asmus snorted a laugh. “House Relindos could not banish their son from the city and let you and Amira stay. It is as likely a way to preserve their honor as it is to encourage the other nobles of Callaston to forget the whole thing and move on.” He rapped his knuckles on the desk. “Fear not. There is always plenty to do here. Baron Parvis and Baroness Lalia are at each other’s throats again, and I want you to go mediate. I’ve got half a mind to order them to marry each other just to see the fits they’d throw.”
Dardan frowned. “Parvis? What happened with his accusation?”
Liam had almost forgotten about that. It had been quite the scandal. Parvis Stanton might have convinced them all of his innocence
had he not fled when Asmus ordered him to stand trial.
“Oh. Well, I found him innocent.”
Dardan stared, mouth agape. “Father, he fled from justice. How could such a man possibly be innocent?” he asked, echoing Liam’s thoughts.
Asmus sighed. “I spoke with Baron Parvis privately before the trial. He admitted that he’d lain with the girl, with her permission, but said that later she changed her story.”
“You believed him?”
“I have only his word against hers. His attempted flight speaks poorly of him, but it was possible that events happened as he said, and he feared an unjust verdict.” Asmus was growing agitated. He’d always been willing to explain his decisions to Dardan, saying how important it was that Dardan learn firsthand how a count should render justice, but rarely did Dardan challenge him.
Dardan took a deep breath. Liam could tell that he wanted to argue, but instead he asked, “So what happened?”
“I forced Parvis to admit in open court that he had lain with the maiden. You should have seen her father. I was afraid he’d try to kill Parvis then and there, guilty or innocent. The girl testified that Parvis coerced her. I had no cause to doubt her, but…” He waved a hand, as if trying to shoo away the whole situation. “If she turns up with child because of this, Parvis will have to pay her family fifty gold crowns.”
“Someone should tell the baron that brothels are cheaper,” Old Ban said.
Liam flinched a little, expecting Asmus to berate his valo, but Asmus just pressed his lips together and glared.
“You should have found him guilty,” Dardan put in. “It’s not right to let a man take advantage of a common girl like that, even if he is a noble. It’s a sure way to turn the common folk against us.”
“I believe I have a reasonable grasp of how the common folk feel about us, boy,” Asmus snapped. “I chastised Parvis in open court for his foolishness, before all the goodfolk of Hedenham Town. He won’t soon forget that, and neither will they.”
“Loud words will bring little comfort to the girl,” Dardan countered.
“Barons are not so easily dispensed with,” Asmus said. “His story was barely plausible. But say I did find him guilty of rape. Now the other barons begin to fear that a single commoner’s accusation may bring an end to them. Would that be good for the county, do you think?”
Dardan had no answer this time. Asmus drummed his fingers on the table, waiting.
“Did you get our message about Vasland, and the garrison?” Dardan asked, abruptly changing the subject.
“Vasland? Oh, yes. Days past.”
Dardan waited. “And?”
“And I went to Captain Stanton and suggested he might want to prepare his men.”
“You what?” Dardan rose half out of his chair, but plopped back down. “The letter said specifically not to do that!”
“Oh, are you the count now?” Asmus said. “I am always happy to consider advice from you and your mother, but it was my decision. Besides, I didn’t order Captain Stanton to do anything. I merely explained the facts to him and let him make the decision on his own. That he chose to begin readying his men for war was a happy coincidence.”
“House Relindos will not split hairs so finely! After the trouble we’ve already had with them…” Dardan shook his head. Liam wanted to put a hand on his master’s shoulder, to try and remind him to be calm, but to intervene now would be foolish.
“I will deal with House Relindos if it comes to that. Now speak no more of this.”
“Fine.” Dardan’s voice was even, but his hands were white-knuckled on the chair’s armrests. “On to other matters. I will go to deal with the barons, but I’d been hoping to spend as much time as possible with Lady Amira. To improve my chances.”
“I know how it works, boy! But Hedenham needs strong hands to guide it, and I am only one man.” Asmus leaned forward. “You know this will be your domain in time. You cannot slack off on the reins, or the horse will leap into a river at the first chance.”
The son ground his teeth. “Yes, father, I know, but—”
“But what?” Asmus barked. “The work awaits. You will have plenty of time to tarry with the girl. We will all dine together this evening, but on the morrow you will go to deal with Parvis and Lalia. You are no doubt tired and need what rest you have time for. Off with you.”
Dardan hesitated, then stood and bowed low before his father. Lower than was appropriate. Asmus noticed, and his eyes narrowed. Liam wanted to grab Dardan and drag him out before the lords started shouting at one another, but Dardan hastened out before another word could be said. Old Ban watched them go, a lopsided smirk on his weathered face.
Out in the hall, Dardan started to speak, but Liam grabbed his arm and marched him out into the yard, shushing him the whole while. “Let it be,” he barked at his master once they were outside. “Your father loves to argue, but even he has his limits.”
Dardan stewed, clenching and unclenching his fists. He stalked off toward the stables, and when Liam made to follow, Dardan waved him off. “Go, rest. I’ll be fine.”
Liam followed him anyway. Dardan got into moods like any man, but it was Liam’s duty to stay with his master. Well, except in bed, or on the privy.
But Dardan was not having it. “I told you to go.”
“My duty—”
“To the black spirits with your duty! Can’t a man be alone if he wants?”
Liam was growing more tense by the moment. He nearly had to run to keep up with Dardan. “A ride, then, m’lord. You’ve been gone for weeks, you’ll feel better if you see the—”
What he would see, Dardan never heard, for he spun and shoved Liam so hard that the valo lost his balance and landed sharply on his rear. “Leave me alone!” Dardan growled, and strode off toward the stables.
Jackass. Dardan was probably seething over some perceived insult to his manliness. He’d get over it. He’d better, anyway.
By the time Liam stood up and dusted himself off, he heard galloping hoofbeats, and a moment later spied Dardan atop a stallion, racing down the gravel path to the road. In moments the young lord was lost to sight. He’d never catch Dardan now; his master was a better rider, and the Tarians kept fast horses.
For a few moments Liam felt adrift, so he thought ahead to when Dardan might return, and that led him to think what Count Asmus would do if he discovered his noble son was running about unaccompanied. The prospect of informing Asmus of this soured his stomach, but he knew it paled by comparison to what Asmus would do if Liam waited to tell him, or, the Aspect of Courage forbid, tried to hide it from him altogether.
Still, he wandered the grounds for a few minutes, stopping by the kennel to watch as Fenimore, the old dog handler, fed the hounds. This made him think of Gerald again. The house major had become a widower long before Liam had come into the Tarians’ service. Some years later, apparently, he’d found companionship with grouchy Fenimore, of a sort one did not speak of publicly. They kept their relationship quiet, and Count Asmus did not bother them about it. It might have bothered Liam to see young men act so, but Gerald and Fenimore were harmless codgers.
Liam summoned up his courage and returned to the count’s office. Someone had closed the door in the interim. “Come,” came Asmus’s gruff reply when Liam knocked.
He went in. Old Ban still stood exactly where they’d left him, and said nothing as Liam planted himself before the count’s desk.
“Where’s my son?” Asmus asked before Liam could say anything.
“He… knocked me down and ran off, m’lord.” It sounded even more embarrassing out loud than it had in his head. “He took his horse and galloped down the road.”
It was Liam’s turn to be sniggered at, and when he turned to look at Old Ban, the count’s valo didn’t bother to hide his grin. “The count ever tried that with me, I’d sit on him till he came to his senses,” he drawled.
“You did once, as I recall,” Asmus said dryly. “Children. The bane of
my existence! I’d disown the boy if he weren’t my son.”
While Liam pondered the oddness of that declaration, Asmus stood up and motioned them both to follow. “He’ll be back for dinner. Tarians know better than to let their stomachs stay empty for the sake of pride. Come, let’s see how the womenfolk are settling in.” He eyed Liam as they walked. “That vala of Lady Amira’s. Think she’d be a tough nut to crack?”
“You have no idea,” Liam muttered.
CHAPTER 12
KATIN
The Queen of Mages Page 14
