Darkspell - Katharine Kerr [140]
“Working a hire and naught else, Your Grace.” Jill hesitated; for all that she respected Blaen, as a silver dagger her loyalties lay closer to the local thieves than to this living symbol of the laws. “Ogwern told me that someone had been threatening his life, and he offered me a silver piece to guard him.”
“And why was he threatening you?” Blaen turned to Ogwern.
“Ah, well, Your Grace.” Ogwern wiped his sweaty face on his capacious sleeve. “You see, the original threats came from another man, not this one. I own part of the Red Dragon Inn, and this fellow swore I’d cheated him in the tavern room. So I hired Jill, and lo and behold, this perfect stranger”—he waved one hand at the corpse—“came barging into my chambers saying he’d come to settle the matter of the debt.”
As well he might have, Blaen looked puzzled by this ambiguous little tale.
“The same debt?” the gwerbret said at last.
“I suppose so, Your Grace,” Ogwern said. “I can only assume that this fellow was a friend of the man who swore I cheated him.”
“Hah!” Cinvan snorted. “Robbed him, more like.”
“My good sir!” Ogwern gave him a wounded look. “If he thought he’d been robbed, he would have come to you.”
“True spoken,” Blaen said. “Now, here, you mean the man who had the complaint against you is still at large somewhere?”
“Just that, Your Grace, and truly, I still fear for my fat but precious self. I have witnesses to the threats, Your Grace, all most reliable.”
Blaen considered, sipping the mead while he studied the bluish-gray corpse.
“Well,” his grace said finally. “There’s no doubt that a fellow who carries poison in his shirt is up to no good. On the morrow we’ll have a formal hearing on the matter in my chamber of justice. As for now, Ogwern, you may go. Cinvan, detail a warden to stand guard at his doorway all night. The malover will be about two hours after noon, so bring your witnesses with you.”
“I will, Your Grace.” Ogwern rose and made a surprisingly graceful bow. “I’m most humbly grateful that Your Grace provides so much safety for us honest poor folk of your city.”
Ogwern walked backward, bowing all the way, out of the dreaded gwerbret’s presence. Jill assumed that he would run all the way out of the dun. Blaen turned to Cinvan.
“Come now, Warden,” he said. “Do you truly think that fat fellow is a thief? I find it cursed hard to believe, myself.”
“I know Your Grace has doubts, but I swear it, someday I’ll catch him with enough evidence to convince a whole roomful of councillors.”
“When you do, we’ll cut his hands off, but not before. Now, as for you, silver dagger, I don’t want you sneaking out of town the moment the gates open. Cinvan, we’ll take her under arrest.”
“But, Your Grace,” Jill stammered, “he drew on me first.”
“No doubt, but I want you at the malover to say that in person. Listen, lass, it’s not like I’m charging you with murder or suchlike. He poisoned himself, after all. It’s just that I know how little silver daggers think of the laws.”
“As it pleases Your Grace, then, but meaning no offense, Your Grace, if I’m to be put on trial for somewhat, I have a right to have some of my kin at my side.”
“On the morrow we’ll have naught but a hearing, but you’re right enough. If I think matters warrant full malover, then we’ll wait until you summon any kinsman within a reasonable distance.”
“He’s coming with that caravan, Your Grace, the one that was attacked. His name’s Rhodry Mael—I mean, Rhodry of Aberwyn.”
Cinvan made an odd choking sound, but Blaen tossed back his head and laughed.
“You started to say Rhodry Maelwaedd, didn’t you? By the gods, Jill! He’s my cousin, my mother’s sister’s son.”
“Then no wonder he looks so much like you, Your Grace.”
“Just that. All the great clans are as inbred as a herd of Bardek horses. Here, get up off the floor! A fine way I have of treating my cousin’s wife! It’s going to be blasted good to see Rhodry again. When I heard the news of his exile, I was furious, but Rhys was always a stiff-necked little bastard, and I know he’ll never listen