Return to Alastair (21 page)

There was no one to wait for, no one else to tell. So when Lucas returned, they moved the body, and Tiarra stood outside as Lucas and the young man he’d brought back with him clanged the bells they’d carried from St. Thomas’s. Most of the people from the neighboring houses already knew of Martica’s passing. They’d seen or heard the goings-on before Tiarra ever hung the black cloth. Not many came at the sound of bells. There were some to just stand by and watch warily the house that had seen so many strangers of late. But some did come, slowly, and among them two wailers gracious enough to stand at Tiarra’s side, though she could offer no pay.

She couldn’t wail with them. She didn’t even want to go and leave her brother lying on the floor in that cold house. But Marc Toddin stayed with him, and there was nothing she could do but be the focus of the procession, be the daughter Martica had never had, and see her to the churchyard with all the dignity due her. Were it not for Martica, she might have died. But all along the march to St. Thomas’s, Tiarra thought of Tahn Dorn and Martica’s words about him. Lies. Angry, desperate lies she still could not understand. And she thought of his somber question to Martica: “Why do you hate me so?”

Why indeed?

She was glad to come back to the little house with Lucas as the sun sank low. But the sight of Marc Toddin’s pacing was no comfort.

“How is he?”

“Resting, at least. Not good, though, I’m thinking.”

Fearfully, Tiarra went in to Tahn’s side. She didn’t know if he’d been awake in her absence. But he lay in the same spot, murmuring something in his sleep. She took water and bathed the perspiration from his face. He seemed so warm.

It plagued her that he might take ill from his wounds.

Her touch seemed to startle him. He moved away from her hands. And then he opened his eyes.

She knew his surprise to see her there. Perhaps he would still expect rejection. She thought of him raising his arms in sleep, to ward off punishing blows. And she knew she might have beaten at him herself, in other circumstances.

She might have killed him given the chance, for all her terrible anger. Now she felt miserable about it. What could she say to him?

But he’d already noticed the absence of Martica’s body. “I’m sorry,” he told her. “That I couldn’t help . . . forgive me . . .”

She shook her head. “Please stop.”

He looked at her with hurt in his eyes. He must have thought she was still pushing him away. She bowed her head. “I—I need to tell you. I hated you. I hated what I thought you had. I just didn’t know. I’m sorry.”

He quivered a little as he looked up at her.

“Do you need a drink?” she stammered.

“Please.”

His eyes followed her as she fetched the water quickly and returned to his side. “Where are Lucas and Marc?” he asked. The words came out slow.

“Just outside, I think.” She gave him a ladle of the water. “Are you hungry?”

He was quiet for a moment. “Don’t worry yourself tending to me. I need to be up.”

“That’s not what Mr. Toddin said.”

He sighed. “I trouble you all.” He tried to rise.

“Please wait. You seemed feverish.”

He looked at her with wonder. “Thank you for your concern.”

But she lowered her eyes. “Do you remember, sir, anything at all of our mother?”

She knew the question might be painful. He answered in a quiet voice. “Only a moment—the softest touch. I think I’ve missed that, as you have. I wish you’d had her arms to hold you.”

He looked so vulnerable then. He didn’t move at all. And she leaned forward and put her arms around him. Tears filled his eyes as they embraced.

“Can I call you by your first name?” she asked.

“Of course.”

“Didn’t that Samis tell you about our father or mother?”

“No.”

“He died a year ago?”

“At Onath. He’d come looking for me.”

With tension she remembered the bandit’s questions. Tahn might have killed the man. But perhaps it didn’t matter if he
had
killed such a cruel fiend. “I’m sorry,” she told him. “For what happened to you.”

“I don’t want you to be alone,” he said. “Will you let me help you?”

“I don’t know what I want,” she answered honestly.

“We can at least protect you from Burle.”

“He hasn’t come. Maybe he won’t.”

“He will. I know him. And before long. But Lorne will be to Onath soon. They will send help.”

Tiarra wondered that he could be so sure of any noble.

“What is your lady like?”

He smiled faintly. “A beautiful spirit. Full of love. I can imagine our mother to have been like that.”

“Is she pretty?”

“Indeed.”

“I would like to meet her sometime. She must be a special one, to find your heart beneath the pain.”

He was quiet, as if those words had taken a moment to settle over his mind. He nodded but then glanced out the tiny window. It was almost nightfall. “Can you ask my friends to come to me, please? I must know we’re prepared.”

“You expect the bandits in town tonight?”

“Yes. I trust you’ll have no other business.”

She nodded, understanding his gentle rebuke. “I’ll stay here. But I fear I’ve lost my job forever in being away this long.”

“I said I’d help you,” he said simply. “You shouldn’t be at such work, anyway.”

He wiped his brow and sat up straight, but she knew it was only by force of will. She had seen his weakness, hard as he tried to veil it, and she wondered if he could even stand.

14

L
orne drove himself on and the men with him, not allowing for rest. The Trilett’s estate was a welcome sight indeed, and he was glad to give his greeting at the gate and send for an immediate audience with Benn Trilett. They must know quickly the struggle Tahn was facing.

He had expected them to be glad for some word, but he had not expected to see Netta Trilett running from the house before the horses were even stabled.

“Lorne! Is he all right? Why didn’t he come back with you?” She glanced at Lem Toddin and Jak Thorm with some trepidation but didn’t ask who they were.

“He’s well, lady,” Lorne told her quickly. “But there is some trouble. He sent me to speak with your father—”

“He is waiting. But Lorne—”

“I will tell you together. Come quickly.”

Benn Trilett ushered all three men into his marbled chamber and told them to sit. “You’ve had a long ride. Can I send for you a refreshment?”

“Not yet, lord. Tahn sent me for your help. I must tell you what he’s up against before I can be satisfied to rest.”

“He is in danger?”

“Yes. I believe that he could be.”

“Then why didn’t he come back at your side?”

“Because he wouldn’t leave his sister.”

Netta stepped forward with her heart pounding. “His sister?”

“Yes. The baby in his dream. She’s seventeen. And she knew of him, but she’s been taught that he’s something to be despised.”

Netta looked from Lorne to her father and wrung her hands. “I must hear more of this, but please, tell of the danger. What trouble is there?”

“The bandits. They would have robbed us when first we neared Alastair, but they feared injury because of Tahn’s skill. Later, they accosted his sister, and we fought them for her sake. They’re angered. Especially Burle, at Tahn’s challenge to his authority there. We are sure they will be planning some vengeance.”

“Against a doer of justice?”

“Tahn had to cut him to prevent the carrying off of his sister, lady. Burle will not forgive the injury.”

“Alastair must be a city of horrors.”

“I would not argue. I saw little good there.”

Benn sat on the edge of his great oak desk. “What remedy does he ask?”

“That you send men, sir. To police the streets against the bandits. There are more than a dozen, I am sure. We don’t know how many. But there is no way for peace or justice in that town without the presence of men.”

Netta tensed and seemed to pale in front of them. “He is alone? Against so many?”

“We left him with a friend, and there is another, Lucas, we trust that he shall find.”

“I remember the man called Lucas,” Benn told him. “You are sure he can be trusted? He was in Samis’s sway.”

“Tahn is sure, my lord. Samis does not sway us now.”

Benn took the time to learn the names of Lorne’s companions, and then he sat back with a sigh. “Tahn asks a hard thing. Alastair is in Lionell Trent’s domain. He would not take kindly to my interference.”

“He does nothing. And it is for the safety of all the people, not Tahn alone.”

“But has Lionell been asked?”

“You know the blood of that house,” Lorne said patiently. “Tahn would not send me there. We could not trust it. And if any of the people of Alastair have asked for the baron’s aid, I can’t tell. We could scarcely get a one of them to answer the simplest question.”

“You are hurt,” Benn said suddenly, noticing for the first time the bandage on Lorne’s arm, so nearly hidden by his cloak.

“The bandits. It happened when we fought. It’s not bad.”

Netta sat down, shaking her head. “Father . . .”

“I will send men, daughter. I don’t know the outcome, or what trouble it may cause me among the nobles, but we have little choice. Tell me, Lorne, who taught this girl to despise her brother? Why could they not accompany you back here where they would be safe?”

“His sister would not have come with us. The old woman who raised her has claimed that Tahn was partly responsible for their mother’s death. It was their father who was hanged. And they say Tahn helped him in the murder.”

“Of his
mother
?” Netta asked in dismay. “It cannot be possible!”

“I hope Tahn believes that. But his sister would not trust us. And there is more to the tale, I’m sure. Few in Alastair will talk about what happened. They hold a secret they are not willing to share.”

“What is this sister’s name?” Benn Trilett asked.

“Tiarra Loble, my lord.”

“Loble?” Netta questioned immediately. “Not Dorn? What were their parents’ names? Did you learn them?”

“Sanlin Dorn, the father. Karra Loble, the mother, my lady.”

“Karra Loble?” Netta turned her eyes to the Trilett lord. “Oh, Father! Do you remember Karra Loble? Among the Trents?”

Lorne was confused. “Trents?”

Benn spoke softly, looking down at the floor. “We heard that the old baron had a sister, Karra. But she was with them only a short time, and she disappeared years ago. We wondered what became of her.”

Lorne did not understand. “But she is called Loble?”

“Her mother was a common woman of that family. Her father, Naysius’s father, did not acknowledge the girl until she was grown. She could have been called Trent, but the name was not formally given.”

Netta nodded. “My mother met her. She was a beautiful woman, raised apart from the Trents. There was some stir when her father decided to claim her as a blood descendent.” “But that would make Tahn a Trent!”

“He is still Dorn,” Netta said, suddenly quaking inside. “Father! I think Tahn would not be happy to learn he is kin to the man who sought our lives!”

“If this is true, you are right. He’d not be happy with a tie to the Trents. But more than that, I fear Lionell’s reaction to such news. Trent sons are scarce. Karra’s father adopted Naysius in order to have a male heir. And that may mean that there is more Trent blood in Tahn than in Lionell.”

Lorne stared at the Trilett patriarch. “Might the young baron know this? His father craved Tahn’s death, my lord. Can this be why? Could they consider a cousin to be such a threat?”

“There were two boys in the generation of Karra’s father,” Benn answered with a sigh. “The baron then was an uncle to both. When he grew ill, Karra’s father and his cousin fought. And they continued to fight until one was dead and the other was given the baronship. It was not the first time something like that had happened. It has been said among the other nobles that one son is all the Trent family should ever have.”

“Father, it is not safe for Tahn in Alastair!” Netta cried. “Should this be known, there is naught to say what Lionell might do. We’ll have to fetch Tahn back here.”

But Benn Trilett shook his head. “I expect he’ll not be fetched until he can be assured of his sister’s safety. Let us ready our men and horses for the journey.”

15

C
aptain Saud stopped his troop of soldiers in front of the tall cathedral of St. Thomas. This should be easy. Clergy always heard what was going on in a town. And Alastair’s priest was a blesser of Trents. He should be happy to be of service. It would not take long to learn what the Dorn was doing in Alastair, and where he was.

Dismounting from his horse, Saud could not help but smile. He thought of the satisfaction that besting Tahn Dorn would bring him. And how would Lady Netta Trilett react when she heard the news? Perhaps she would swear in her grief to accept no other suitors and leave Benn Trilett without an heir. But no one could blame the House of Trent for any dishonor. Everyone in the land knew how busy Lionell was with his wedding. It was the perfect time for a murder.

Followed by Korin, Saud moved rapidly up the stone steps to St. Thomas’s carved doors. To his surprise, he didn’t have to open them.