Murder in Cormyr - Chet Williamson [37]
But I could not breathe, and I turned away from my pursuers, back toward Jenkus, and he turned his head toward me.
And I looked into the dead, staring eyes of Dovo.
Apparently that was the shock I needed. I awoke with my face buried in my pillow, trying to suck the feathers through the cotton. I pushed the pillow away and gasped, grateful to the gods for the joy of awakening from nightmare.
It was light outside, and the shaft of sunlight on my wall told me it was about seven-thirty. I considered getting up and preparing breakfast for my master and his guest, but everyone had been up so late the night before that I felt another hour of rest wouldn't hurt. Going back to sleep in the daylight, I hoped, would bring no more nightmares.
But just before I dozed back off, I heard the front door of the cottage close, and opened an eye. I knew Benelaius's spell was good against any intruder, so I assumed it was my master coming back from a morning constitutional. He went out occasionally to study the flora and fauna immediately surrounding the cottage. Still, I listened for a moment, and heard only Lindavar's rhythmic snores from the guest room next to my own.
When I next had a waking thought, it was about how Grimalkin was able to have such soft fur and such a rough tongue. I opened my eyes at nine o'clock to find Grimalkin standing on my chest, pressing his soft nose against my cheeks to wake me, and giving my chin a quick lick with his tongue. One needs no water clock with Benelaius's brilliant menagerie.
I arose, washed, and went downstairs. First I fed the cats, and then went to the stable to take care of the horses. Both Jenkus and Stubbins were slow to rally. I could understand Jenkus's sloth. He had galloped hard the night before, and perhaps he too may have been having bad dreams about our pursuer. He had seemed just as scared as I was at the time.
But I didn't know what was keeping Stubbins from leaping to his oats. I had to call him three times before he finally joined Jenkus at breakfast.
"Now where'd you get that?" I asked him, noticing a spot of mud on his fetlock. I must have neglected to rub it off after our carriage journey yesterday. Stubbins chewed while I rubbed, and after cleaning his leg I went back inside to see to human breakfast.
I heard Lindavar and Benelaius moving about upstairs while I brewed a large pot of tea and prepared a sumptuous feast of eggs, smoked salmon, elven bread, and the special sausages that Benelaius adores. By the time they came down, fully dressed, I had everything on the table, piping hot and ready to eat.
"Ah, Jasper," said Benelaius, "you truly are a wonder. Investigating all day and half the night, troubled by nightmares the other half, and still you greet us with a magnificent breakfast."
"Um… how did you know I had nightmares?"
"When I hear heavy breathing followed by tiny cries in the middle of the night-and I know that you sleep alone- that is the only conclusion. Come, Lindavar, Jasper, sit. Let us fill our bellies with this most excellent breakfast, and then, over tea, discuss the events of this past day."
We ate heartily, and then, as we were emptying the teapot, Benelaius started asking questions. "So, Jasper, from all your observations, who do you suspect of having killed Dovo?"
"I think there are several possibilities," I said, pleased that my opinion as well as my findings were requested. "Dovo angered a number of people in the tavern the night he was killed. Rolf and Dovo fought over Dovo's advances to Mayella."
"Is Rolf capable of murder, do you think?"
"He could be, master. His temper is short, he seems quite violent, and if he came upon Dovo playing his ghost trick…" I shrugged.
'True," Lindavar said. "His anger at being gulled combined with jealousy-it