‘I cannot judge, sir,’ said Mulgrave, quietly. ‘I don’t yet know what you did.’
‘Did the dogs dine on them?’
‘Partially.’
Gaise rolled to his feet. The hound stirred. Gaise patted its head.
‘You rest, Soldier. I’ll see you get more food in the morning.’ He strolled to the window and drew back the curtain. There were still dogs upon the bridge, squabbling over the patches of blood on the stone. ‘The Redeemers attacked me, Mulgrave, one with a sabre, one with a knife. Soldier grabbed the knifeman. The other one was Olomayne the duellist.’
‘I know, sir. I saw them when they arrived yesterday. They claimed to be on their way to the Meadowlight shrine. Olomayne was said to be a fine swordsman.’
Gaise shook his head. ‘He was adequate. Ah, Mulgrave, I am sick at heart.’
‘You did what you had to do, sir,’ said Mulgrave.
Gaise shook his head. ‘No, I did not. I killed Astin unnecessarily. He was unarmed and demanded to be ransomed. Damn it, Mulgrave. I expect the Moidart would be truly proud of me.’
‘You are not like the Moidart,’ said Mulgrave. ‘Believe me, sir.’
‘I wish I could. I have been sitting here, replaying the events in my mind. I cannot forget how I felt when I slid that sabre through the man’s throat.’ He looked at Mulgrave, and the swordsman saw the anguish in his eyes. ‘I enjoyed it,’ he confessed. There, it is said. I killed an unarmed man, and I took pleasure in it.’
Mulgrave said nothing for a moment, then he rose and placed his hand on the young noble’s shoulder. ‘I know you, Gaise,’ he said, gently. ‘I have known you since you were a boy. You are not the Moidart. And, no, you are not perfect either. You are a man. As men we are all cursed by the violence in our natures. Men like the Moidart – aye, and Winterbourne – revel in that nature. We do not. We struggle to overcome it. Sometimes we fail.’ Stepping away from his friend he moved to the fire, adding fuel. The dog stirred and growled at him. ‘My, that is an ugly beast,’ he said. ‘Why did it come to your aid?’
Gaise smiled, and shrugged. ‘I petted him. Long time since anyone has, I suppose.’
‘You petted a wild dog?’
Gaise laughed. ‘Just as well I did.’
Mulgrave shook his head. ‘You will never lose your love of risk, I think.’
‘I hope not, Mulgrave.’ The nobleman’s smile faded. ‘What now, do you think?’
The white-haired swordsman walked back across the room. ‘Winterbourne wants you dead. It will not end here.’
‘I do not understand it,’ said Gaise. ‘How could denying him the deaths of a few villagers result in such hatred?’
‘The cause of his bile does not matter now, sir. The question is: how do we respond?’
Gaise thought about it. The options are severely limited. I cannot challenge him. I am a junior general, in charge of a small company. He is a field Marshal. I cannot fight him. Equally I cannot run. That would make me a deserter. I would be hunted down and hanged.’
The two men talked on for some time and Mulgrave was heavy of heart when he finally left the young general. Winterbourne controlled not only the five hundred warrior priests of the Redeemers, but also the ten thousand heavy cavalry of the Knights of the Sacrifice, and three regiments of infantry. Alongside Cumberlane he was one of the most powerful men in the realm. Securing the death of a minor noble like Gaise Macon would not be difficult. He could be poisoned, shot from ambush, knifed in the street, or – more likely – once the truce was over ordered to attack an impossible position, charging his men against a line of cannon.
Mulgrave walked down the cobbled main street to the undertaker’s yard. Three soldiers were waiting outside, huddled in their cloaks. He recognized the first as Taybard Jaekel. The sandy-haired young soldier saluted.
‘We’ve got the bodies wrapped in canvas, sir,’ he said.
‘Good. At first light see them buried.’
‘Yes, sir. Who were they?’
Mulgrave gestured for Jaekel to follow him, then walked away a few paces. ‘What I am about to tell you is for you alone. This information is not to be shared. I have watched you, Jaekel. You are a good soldier. More than that I sense you are loyal to Gaise Macon.’