The Scarecrow (Master of Malice Book 1) (40 page)

Denny grinned. “Good man! Anyone got any idea how far the southern edge of the forest is from here? Can’t be more than a few miles, surely?”

The consensus of opinion was three miles. Denny thought it was worth picking up their pace to try to catch a glimpse of the brigands before they reached their refuge. If they were carrying gold and silver and leading four carriage horses, they wouldn’t be traveling fast. He liked the idea of dragging them back to Vassa’s feet for punishment. It would do his standing no harm at all.

“Come on, then,” he called to his band, “let’s get after them. With any luck, we can be back within the city by early evening, with hot food in our bellies and something to celebrate. This is one hand that old fox of a Torlander isn’t going to win!”

He waved at the scout to lead the way to where he had found the ruffians’ tracks. His men surged around him, eager for the chase, happy to warm themselves in pursuit of their quarry and cover themselves with glory. Denny barely registered the small rustle beside the track, made by some animal or other hidden predator.

+ + + + +

W
il was waiting in Lerric’s courtyard when the High King’s party finally came into sight. The gates were drawn back even before Robin could call out, and the honor guard in the courtyard snapped to attention. Elias and Blaine rode through the gates, followed by Robin and their escort. The gates were drawn closed behind them.

Robin grinned down at Wil as the Corporal saluted him from his position beside the captain of Lerric’s forces. Captain Bassan had taken Wil’s advice and arranged cleanup details to make the palace courtyard a fitting place to receive Elias. Wil had taken a liking to the man during the convivial evening he’d spent in his company. He had happily given Bassan the benefit of his knowledge of Blaine’s exacting standards and even lent a hand with the courtyard’s cleaning. Bassan was grateful, for some of his men, those who had been on night duty, were unaccountably slow that morning. If not for his veto against any of them drinking the evening before, he might have suspected them of being hungover. Yet he couldn’t smell alcohol on their breath and none of them could give an explanation for their listless state. Bassan shrugged, telling Wil he hoped they weren’t in for an epidemic of winter fever, and dismissed the worst affected to less physical tasks.

Bassan stepped forward to take the reins of the King’s mount, saluting Lerric’s overlord respectfully. Wil took Charger from General Blaine while Bassan send the waiting servant to fetch King Lerric. Others of Bassan’s company moved forward to show the new arrivals where to stable their horses.

Robin turned to the King. “Your Majesty, I ask leave to oversee the comforts of my men. I’ll join you and the General when I’ve inspected the barracks and stables and satisfied myself as to the accommodation allocated and the refreshments supplied to your escort.”

Wil saw Bassan’s eyes narrow at this implied mistrust. He caught the Captain’s gaze and gave him a shake of the head to reassure him this was purely routine. In fact, it was a prearranged strategy, formulated to allow Robin to confer with Wil without being too obvious. The Corporal had been told to keep his eyes open and his wits about him and to report on anything suspicious while he was here, and Wil had a few thoughts to pass on to Robin.

Elias merely waved his hand. He stood in the newly-swept courtyard, staring disdainfully at the palace’s shabby aspect and noting the neglected impression given by the walled-up windows of the ground floor.

“What has happened here, Captain?”

Bassan swallowed and glanced swiftly over his shoulder, clearly hoping to see Lerric approaching. But the door to the tower stairs remained closed and Bassan couldn’t ignore Elias’s question.

“The ground floor of the palace has become rather unsafe, your Majesty,” he said. “King Lerric felt it unnecessarily extravagant to spend the amount of gold specified by the stonemasons to effect repairs during the winter months. As the palace will remain largely unused until the spring, the king ordered the ground floor abandoned until then.”

Elias stared at him. “You mean he’s too tight-fisted to spend his gold on honest workmen who would require heating and feeding in order to do their job. Their services will no doubt be cheaper in the warmer months.” He turned a disdainful eye on the General. “Lerric always was a miser.”

Bassan looked uncomfortable and was relieved when a single trumpeter on the tower steps announced King Lerric’s arrival.

Dressed in warm velvet finery embroidered with his hunting dog motif, Lerric descended the tower stairs and came forward to greet his overlord. Elias stood where he was and made no move toward his subject. Lerric looked older than his sixty-one years; his back stooped and his face lined and pale. Yet he smiled and bowed respectfully and his welcome seemed genuine, even if he did belabor the discourteous lack of notice.

“Your Majesty, we are most honored by this unexpected visit. I bid you welcome to my humble palace. I only hope we can cater adequately to your comforts. This weather has hit us hard and luxuries are in short supply. However, we have done our best in the very short time we were allowed. You and your escort must be frozen by your long ride. I have prepared a warming meal for you and the General. The garrison has been provisioned as best we could manage given the lack of notice, and my Captain here will see to the settling of your men. Come, your Majesty, allow me to lead the way and perhaps, over a glass or two of a very fine ruby vintage I happen to have in my cellar, you can tell me the purpose of this sudden and unexpected visit.”

Lerric turned to lead the way to the tower stairs, but stopped when Elias made no reply or move to follow. He glanced back enquiringly, the brief hint of fear in his eyes quickly suppressed.

Elias spoke clearly. “Major Tamsen, I am sure King Lerric did not intentionally exclude you from his luncheon invitation. We shall expect you in his private quarters once you have satisfied yourself as to the comforts of the men. I’m sure you will find someone willing to guide you there.”

Robin bowed to Elias, not allowing amusement to show on his face. Lerric apologized profusely to the King as the two monarchs and General Blaine mounted the east tower stairs and disappeared inside the palace.

“Right, Captain.” Robin’s decisive tone startled Bassan. “My men are tired and cold and these horses need attention. Be so good as to detail men to stable duties and have someone show us to the garrison accommodation. I hope you’ve laid in adequate supplies. My men are used to good food at the Manor and this foul weather has given them hearty appetites.”

Wil could see Bassan was unsure how to react to Robin’s curt usurpation of his authority, but as the young man was a major and Bassan only a captain, there was nothing he could do but comply. Wil rather pitied the man as he knew Robin had been instructed to find fault where he could, to goad Lerric’s men into a grumbling frame of mind. Each swordsman in Elias’s escort had been briefed to foster any discontent discovered among Lerric’s men and to encourage its expression, thus, hopefully, learning any useful gossip there might be. Soldiers were universally similar when it came to maligning their officers or their conditions, eager to sound off to anyone who would listen. Robin’s men had been told to be sympathetic in their comradeship.

Bassan obeyed Robin’s orders and the horses were led away. Robin would also inspect the feed and hay offered their mounts. It was one aspect of his duties that he took very seriously. The men could complain for themselves; the horses could not. But for now he followed Bassan, questioning the man about the palace’s routine, criticizing where he could and generally making himself disagreeable. Wil thought he was rather enjoying the role he’d assumed.

Once his tour of inspection was over and he declared himself satisfied as to the quartering and provisioning of his men, Robin dismissed Bassan to the stables, saying he wished to inspect the feed store next. He informed the disgruntled Captain he would join him there shortly.

When Bassan was safely out of earshot the men gathered round. Dexter chuckled softly and Wil eyed Robin, a smile on his lips. “The poor beggar. You gave him a right grilling.”

Robin grinned back and dropped to one of the plain wooden beds that had been squeezed into the section of the barracks allocated to Elias’s escort. He grimaced at its hardness. “What’s this? Are you sticking up for him, Wil?”

Wil ducked his head. “He’s all right, sir. Doesn’t get enough backup from King Lerric is all. He’d be a good captain under your command.”

“I thank you for the compliment, but don’t think flattery will get you extra rations. Looks like you’ll all have to tighten your belts over the next few days. I’ll save you some scraps from Lerric’s table if there are any.”

There was some laughter and muttered comments as the swordsmen made themselves at home. A fire burned in the stone hearth and the tantalizing smells of food were drifting through. While Dexter went round checking the men were settled, Robin turned to his corporal.

“So, Wil, what have you to tell me? Anything interesting? Make it quick, I can’t keep Lerric waiting too long.”

Wil launched into the tale of his journey to Lerric’s palace, the state of the courtyard as he’d first seen it, and the lax, sullen attitude of Lerric’s guard. He told Robin of the reactions of both Lerric and his daughter when he delivered King Elias’s message. Robin was thoughtful when he finished.

“Fear, you say? Are you sure? It wasn’t just annoyance at the visit’s sudden nature?”

Wil shook his head. “No, sir, I’m sure of it. Lerric didn’t really react to the shortness of time, but he did seem to be afraid. And her Highness just sat there straight and rigid. She never took her eyes from her father’s face. She was sort of radiating tension, if you know what I mean.”

“Hmm. Well, that could just be because she doesn’t want to see Elias again. They didn’t enjoy the best of relationships when they were married. It must be nigh-on unbearable between them now.”

“I don’t think it was anger, Major. I’m pretty sure I’d be able to tell the difference. But she didn’t let much of her feelings show while I was there. She didn’t even acknowledge me when I greeted her.” He shrugged. “I didn’t pick up anything else of interest. Bassan gave me a room in the palace for the night, and although we sat talking long into the evening, I got nothing out of him except the usual grumbles about poor pay and long hours. But this morning he was very short with some of his men. He turned everyone out of their beds early to help with the cleanup, and it seems most of those who were on night duty are suffering some kind of sickness. He was really embarrassed at the state of some of them.”

Robin stared at him. “Drunk?”

“That’s what Bassan thought at first, but he told me he couldn’t smell liquor on any of them. He thinks it might be an outbreak of winter fever.”

Robin wrinkled his nose. “Let’s hope not! We don’t want to take sickness back to the Manor with us. Rienne’ll have my hide if an epidemic goes around the men. All right, Wil. If that’s all, I’d better go and attend the King. Well done, by the way. You’ve been very observant.”

He stood up, drawing the men’s attention. “All of you, make sure you remember your orders. Do your best to mingle with Lerric’s men, but don’t get too close to any that seem sick. Do whatever seems right to blend in with them. Play cards, help them out, talk to them. Keep those sharp wits about you and get anything important to me as soon as you can without being obvious. Just remember—you’re our main weapon here in Daret. You’re much more likely to hear interesting gossip than either me or the General. I’ll come and see you later before we all turn in.”

+ + + + +

T
he trail of prints around the stripped-down carriage led south-ward, the direction Denny would have expected them to take if the ruffians were intent on disposing of their haul in the nearest villages and towns. They had rather stupidly used the main trail, but the Major supposed they thought themselves safe, having a long enough lead over any pursuers. He intended to show them their mistake.

“Come on, lads, they can’t be too far ahead. And even if they’ve reached one of the villages by now we should still be able to catch them with some of their spoils. Get hold of one and he’ll soon betray the others to save his miserable hide. Just watch your horses’ legs in this deep snow.”

The company leaped to the gallop, surging around their commander. The ruffians’ tracks were plain in the fresh snow, a ridiculously easy signpost to follow. By the looks of them, there were about ten in the band, if the four carriage horses were discounted. Denny had twenty trained swordsmen—more than enough to deal with an undisciplined rabble of brigands. As he rode, he concentrated on the ground beneath his mount’s hooves while still keeping his eyes open for signs they were gaining on their prey.

+ + + + +

A
rdoch and his company were growing dispirited. They had found nothing at all and the incident with the woodcutters had demoralized them. The old Torlander had berated them long for that mistake. The scout in particular had a tough time. He now rode at the rear of the group.

Ardoch decided they should make a final sweep southeastward, which would bring them almost to the edge of the forest. If they had seen no signs by the time they reached the main south trail, they would abandon that section of the forest and try to join up with Denny’s command. Perhaps they’d had more luck. But it was the swordmaster’s private opinion that the ruffians were far too smart to stay in the area, especially in view of the current dreadful weather, and that they’d have quit the forest with what they could immediately carry and would be taking their ease in some distant tavern, replete with warm food and brown ale purchased with the spoils of the robbery.

The thought made Ardoch angry. He had always reacted adversely to oppression, believing it the duty of the strong to protect the weak, not prey on them. He also valued the rights of the populace to go about their business without having to look over their shoulders or pay others to guard them. He was one of the lucky ones. He had a skill with which to defend himself and never had to worry about personal safety.