Donnel's Promise (8 page)

‘Cap says you’ve been here before,’ Croft ventured.

‘Only briefly. I was on my way downriver; I didn’t come into the town. Have you ever been to Caledon?’

He shook his head. ‘I’ve mostly been stationed in the south. Spent a few years as a courier when I was younger, mostly between Havre and Saithe, but it took me up to Deeford once.’

‘On Fratton’s border, past Bethanfield?’ Where her father had defeated Somoran’s forces after they’d sacked the north of LeMarc.

Croft’s thoughts had turned the same way. ‘Aye. Donnel did well getting rid of that snake.’

Risha wondered how Margetta would be coping in the wake of her former jailor’s fall. Nolan walked into their thoughtful silence, and Croft drifted off through the thickening crowd.

‘Any news?’ she asked, as Nolan dropped into a chair.

‘Not yet — probably a good sign. We might leave Croft to nose around a little longer. You look tired.’

The word alone was enough to elicit a yawn.

Nolan smiled. ‘Come on.’

They were midway across the room when he bent his face close to hers, lips brushing her ear. ‘Keep your head down. We’re being observed.’

Wrapping an arm around her shoulders he pulled her close, her cheek pressed into the warm weave of his shirt. He smelt of sweat and horse and the lingering spicy aroma of the stew. As he bundled her out the door she glanced behind. A woman was pushing her way toward them.

‘Wait.’ Risha put a hand on his chest as he propelled her into the road. ‘Nolan. I know her. She’s a friend.’

He didn’t pause. ‘That’s as may be, but she wasn’t alone.’

Risha planted her feet. ‘Nolan. Stop.’

With a glance left and right he towed her into the alley that ran alongside the tavern. ‘We’re trying not to draw attention, you might recall.’

‘But—’

‘It’s too public.’

‘It is that.’

Nolan spun on his heel, his hand reaching for his sword. Risha darted past him. ‘Fenn!’

The riverwoman smiled. ‘I wasn’t ready to believe my own eyes when I saw you.’ She pushed the hair back from the mottled bruise on Risha’s forehead, her mouth tightening.

Croft chose that moment to tumble out the rear door of the tavern and saunter towards them, one thumb hooked casually around the hilt of his sword. Fenn lifted an eyebrow.

‘They’re friends,’ Risha said.

‘So I saw.’ She ran her gaze over Nolan.

‘Not in that way.’ Risha clasped the woman’s hands. ‘How are you, Fenn? Oh, but it’s good to see you!’

‘And you, though I might wonder what you’re doing here.’

‘It’s a long story.’

‘I don’t doubt it. What happened to your hair?’

Risha glanced at Nolan. He had the grace to look repentant. ‘That’s part of the story. Did you have any trouble with the guardsmen after I left you?’

‘Some. You?’

Risha shook her head. ‘They were my father’s retainers. Not that they told me straight off, but they escorted me to LeMarc. At the time I thought—’

‘Could we take this reminiscing somewhere a little more private?’ Nolan interrupted.

Fenn eyed him. ‘Is this another of your father’s retainers?’

‘No. Captain Nolan and Guardsman Croft are from Havre.’

The older woman made a grudging sound in her throat. ‘Where are you staying?’

‘I …’ Risha looked at Nolan.

‘I have a place not far from here. You’d be welcome. Your friends, too.’ She made the last sound doubtful, but the men fell into step without comment.

‘Truly, though, was there much trouble with the Elion guard?’

‘I had to do a lot of talking and they impounded
River Maid
. Permanently, it transpired.’

‘Fenn, no!’

She shrugged. ‘It was time I changed trades. The river run was getting stale.’

Risha was silent. Three years ago the woman had ferried her from Leighton nearly as far as Whitelaw, along the way rescuing her from capture by the Elion guard. And paid a high price for her aid.

Fenn nudged her shoulder. ‘There’s nothing to feel bad about. I’m doing all right. I’m in the lake ferrying business these days, in partnership with Olli. I manage this end and he manages Caledon.’

A broad smile lit Risha’s face. ‘How is he?’

‘Good, and likely better for news of you. Which way are you travelling?’

‘It hasn’t been decided,’ Nolan cut in before Risha could reply.

Fenn watched their exchange of scowls. ‘Well, you’ve
the night at least to think on it. This way.’

She turned in at a ramshackle building that looked as if it might once have been a warehouse. Was still a warehouse. Beyond the derelict-looking door the place was stacked with neat piles of cargo: bales of wool and linen flax, crates of flagons, rolls of hide, barrels.

‘Come through to the back.’

Behind a partition there was a small living space. Its compact organisation reminded Risha of Fenn’s riverboat.

Nolan turned a chair to face the small stove and steered Risha into it. Fenn riddled the embers in the firebox and fed kindling onto their red glow. ‘So,’ she said, once the blaze was established. ‘Let’s hear it.’

Nolan looked uncomfortable. ‘We had a little trouble.’

‘That, it wouldn’t take a genius to work out. But you’re surely not telling me that our lady isn’t safe in her own country?’

‘It’s not me who’s at risk,’ Risha began.

‘Have there been any rumours?’ Nolan asked.

Fenn shook her head. ‘Celebrations when we learned Lady Arishara was back where she belonged. No whisper of anything since.’ She paused. ‘Should there have been?’

Nolan said nothing. Risha’s eyes travelled from him to Croft and back to Fenn. She took a breath. Risha trusted Fenn with her life; the woman had already proved that trust valid.

‘We were travelling north to meet Talben when we were ambushed by Goltoy’s nephew. We were lucky to get away.’

‘You were ambushed in Havre?’

‘At Bray.’

Fenn’s gaze shifted to Nolan. ‘You dealt with the problem?’

‘As best we could in the circumstances.’

‘Harbin thinks he captured me,’ Risha said. It sounded idiotic, spoken aloud. ‘But it’s my friend Lyse he has. She pretended to be me.’

‘Is she alone?’

Guilt crawled up her throat. ‘He has Ciaran as well.’

‘Your mother’s cousin? Athan’s wife? That’s …’ Fenn paused, her eyes sliding between them. ‘If Harbin finds out he’s been duped …’ She left her sentiments unspoken.

‘Lyse’s life would be at risk,’ Risha finished.

‘And Ciaran’s,’ Fenn observed.

There was an uncomfortable silence. Fenn broke it abruptly. ‘Tea?’

‘Fenn, do you know whether my father’s retainer, Gorth — you met him, he was one of the men who stopped
River Maid
— might still be in Caledon? He was visiting Olli on my behalf.’

‘No, but I can ask; I’m heading back across the lake tomorrow.’

‘He left for Elion ten days ago. I received a bird the day we left Havreport saying he planned to leave for Caledon the following day.’ She glanced at Nolan. ‘It would be about the same distance from Elion to Caledon as from Havreport to Bray?’

‘He’d have been travelling faster than we were, even if he was in no hurry.’

Thinking of the days they’d lingered in Tatton, Risha tightened her mouth. ‘Even so, it’s possible he’s still in Caledon. If he is … Fenn, could you take us with you? No, hear me out.’ She raised a hand to fend off Nolan’s
objection. ‘Donnel will receive one message claiming I’m taken by Westlaw and another saying I’m safe. Which will he take to be the truth? Have you thought how he might react when Athan’s message arrives?’

‘Granted,’ Nolan said. ‘But if Gorth is to be found, Fenn can vouch for your safety.’

‘I can,’ the woman agreed. ‘And arrange for a courier if he is not. You might give me a token to send to your father.’

‘I gave my tokens to Lyse.’ Risha sent a brief prayer that they would prove sufficient. ‘And a token is only that. Donnel must be sure that I’m safe.’

‘It’s an unnecessary risk,’ Nolan said.

‘Caledon is the last place Goltoy would think to find me — especially when he believes me safely in the keeping of his nephew.’

‘Goltoy is not the only risk,’ Nolan said. ‘Caledon is a den of thieves and cut-throats. I wouldn’t send my own sister without a troop to guard her honour.’

‘If Gorth is willing, it might be better I bring him to you,’ Fenn suggested.

There was a bubble of silence. ‘That would be a better option,’ Nolan conceded. ‘How long will it take to sail to Caledon and back?’

‘With the wind in my favour: a day, two at most.’

‘Can you put ashore at Merren Bay?’ Nolan asked.

‘Hull is easier. There’s no jetty at Merren.’

‘Hull is too busy.’

Fenn shrugged. ‘It can be done. You’d meet me there?’

Nolan nodded.

‘It will take three days to ride to Merren. How will I find you?’

‘We’ll keep a watch on the bay.’

Risha yawned suddenly and Nolan stood. ‘We’ll take our leave.’

‘Easier to stop here,’ Fenn said. ‘Arishara can take my bed. There’s plenty of space for the two of you in the warehouse. It’s not luxurious, but it’s discreet,’ she added, reading Nolan’s hesitation.

Croft spoke. ‘What about the horses?’

‘There’s a yard out back. You can stable them there.’

Risha closed her eyes. The adrenaline that had fuelled their four-day flight had abruptly deserted her, leaving her flat as a fallen leaf. On top of that, her shoulder ached.

‘You’ve worn her thin, Guardsman,’ she heard Fenn say.

Fenn led her to the bedroom and helped her shrug out of her rumpled clothes, a soft ‘tsk’ escaping her lips when she saw the bruising across Risha’s collarbone.

‘It’s getting better. Nolan gave me some salve.’

‘Better he’d not put you at risk in the first place.’

‘He didn’t. It was my choice.’

‘Now that I can believe.’ The woman nudged her towards the bed. ‘Sleep, Risha. There’ll be time tomorrow for all else.’

The rectangle of light from the kitchen faded to a wedge, then a sliver, then was gone. As Risha slipped into a doze there was a soft nudge in her mind. She batted it aside. Memories of the journey she’d made with Fenn slipped and tumbled through her mind, coming to rest on an image of Gorth at the wheel of a ship, eyes narrowed to the wind, and Muir standing beyond, a red line wrapping his ribs.

Risha woke certain someone was creeping through the room. She sat up abruptly.

Fenn was lifting a jacket from a hook beside the bed.
‘Stay asleep. I didn’t mean to wake you.’

Risha pushed her hair from her eyes. ‘Are you leaving?’

‘Soon.’

Dim light filtered through the small window. She swung her feet to the floor, wincing as her shoulder gave a twinge. Her head felt clogged with the haunting
afterimages
of dreams: Nonno’s face, and Ciaran’s, both lost in flames and blood.

‘There’s warm water in the ewer.’ Fenn handed her a towel, her mouth twisting as if she didn’t like the taste of the words she was about to spit out. ‘Your pet guardsman: he doesn’t give much away.’ She hesitated. ‘You’re sure about this plan?’

Risha turned. ‘What are you saying? That you don’t trust Nolan?’

‘To guard your life? Oh, I trust he’ll do that,’ Fenn said dryly. ‘The way he looks at you though: I suppose that has nothing to do with the tension between you?’

‘There’s no tension between us, except when he takes decisions without discussing them with me first.’ The woman’s sceptical expression annoyed her. She reached for her riding clothes.

‘There’s porridge,’ Fenn said, after a pause.

Risha pulled on her boots and followed.

Croft strolled into their silence. ‘Wind’s up; feels like it’s swinging to the north.’

‘Often brings rain, this time of year. Have you somewhere to sleep tonight?’

‘Cap’ll have it in hand.’

‘You might try Aultbae,’ Fenn suggested. ‘There’s an inn, of sorts.’

Croft made a noncommittal noise and busied himself
eating. ‘Sleep well?’ he asked, a few mouthfuls in.

Risha shrugged. Croft’s eyes slid curiously between the two women. ‘Horses are ready when we are,’ he said.

Risha emptied her breakfast into the slops bucket.

Fenn glanced out the window. ‘I’d better make the most of that wind before it swings against me.’

‘You’ll get there all right?’ Croft asked.

‘Slow trip over, fast trip back.
Lakebird
is designed to handle rough weather.’

Risha forced a smile. ‘Say hello to Olli for me. Tell him I haven’t forgotten the help he and Sulba gave me.’

‘He’ll appreciate hearing it, though I don’t doubt he knows it already.’

The outer door of the warehouse banged and Nolan strode into the room, a gust of cool air arriving with him. Risha stilled at the look on his face.

‘What?’

A wary glance shuttled between Nolan and Croft.

‘What is it?’

‘My lady, Convenor Athan is raising an army. It seems he plans to effect your rescue himself.’

There was a moment’s silence. ‘How do you know?’

‘Word reached the barracks last night. They’re expecting reinforcements tomorrow.’

Croft’s chin rose like a hound on a scent. ‘Athan’s expecting an invasion?’

‘Covering against the possibility would be my guess.’ Nolan scrubbed a hand across his jaw, stubble rasping beneath his palm. ‘It seems his intention is to ride after Harbin.’

‘Into Westlaw? He can’t mean to lead them. Athan’s no soldier.’

‘He has announced that he will see you safely returned to Havre, my lady.’

Risha wasn’t ready to believe it. ‘More likely it’s Ciaran’s welfare that concerns him.’

‘The Council would not approve raising an army for Ciaran. Though no doubt he plans to rescue you both.’

‘We don’t have the resources, not in our standing army. It’d take weeks to gather a large enough force,’ Croft said.

‘Perhaps it’s a ruse, to strengthen his hand in
negotiations
,’ Risha suggested. ‘Knowing Athan, he’d try diplomacy before force.’

‘Knowing Goltoy, diplomacy won’t work,’ Fenn said.

Nolan’s fingers tapped an agitated rhythm on his thigh. ‘If Athan starts this, Donnel will follow.’ He shrugged. ‘Perhaps it’s better finished once and for all.’