‘Now you have,’ he said. ‘So leave me be.’
With that he strode off into the gathering darkness.
Kaelin Ring was still angry as he entered the outskirts of Eldacre, but it was tinged with a deep sorrow. He had never known his father, and all the stories of him had come from Jaim, or Maev, or the Wyrd. He had heard of Lanovar’s courage, and his compassion, of his love for practical jokes. He had been told how handsome he was, and how admired. In Kaelin’s mind Lanovar had become a kind of god – or at least a man of infinite nobility and honour. That image was now tarnished. What man of honour would steal another man’s wife?
He wondered if Lanovar himself had known the reason for his murder. As he lay dying on that mountainside, Jaim beside him, did he consider that his own treacherous behaviour had brought him to this?
Kaelin paused at the edge of the Five Fields, and leaned against the old separation fence. Here highlanders had to queue and show their passes. No Rigante or Pannone was allowed to enter the Varlish areas. No-one had bothered with that rule for the last two years, so he had been told. Other rules, though, remained in force here in the south. No highlander could own a horse over fourteen hands, nor carry a sword, nor own a pistol.
Even as he thought it he realized he still had his Emburley pistols, hidden in concealed pockets within his ankle length leather coat. ‘You idiot,’ he chided himself. He had intended to hide them in the wagon before they entered the town. Four years away, and now a husband and father, and he had committed a hanging offence in his first moments in Eldacre.
Kaelin walked on. The town had grown in the last four years, spreading out over the hillsides. New homes had been constructed on the ridge meadow, and the avenue leading to the town centre and the cathedral had been widened. Tall, cast iron lamp pillars had been set in the road, and Kaelin saw a lamp lighter moving along the avenue carrying a set of steps. There were many people in the town centre, heading off towards taverns or dining establishments. Only a few of the older people still wore the white wigs that once typified a Varlish gentleman.
Kaelin came to the towering cathedral, and paused to watch people crossing the square. Here, four years ago, Jaim Grymauch had fought his way to Maev Ring’s side and cut her free from the execution pyre.
The tall young highlander closed his eyes, and pictured the face of his friend and mentor. All anger left him then. It was no surprise that Jaim had never told him about Lanovar’s weaknesses. Jaim rarely spoke ill of anyone, and Lanovar had been his greatest friend.
Leaving the cathedral grounds Kaelin spent an hour wandering the streets, revisiting places he remembered from childhood. Grimm’s Bakery was no longer at the corner of Weaver’s Street. It had been replaced by a clothing store. That was a shame. On feast days Maev would often take Kaelin to Grimm’s, and buy a slab of raisin bread, topped with spiced icing. He paused at the shop front, remembering the joys of those bygone days.
‘That is a fine coat, sir,’ said a young man standing in the doorway. ‘I’ll warrant the leather was not crafted on these shores. The stitching is exceptional.’
‘It was made by my wife,’ said Kaelin, coolly.
‘She has great talent, sir. We have many new items on display inside. Some splendid gloves have just arrived from Varingas.’
‘Thank you, no,’ said Kaelin. ‘Tell me, what happened to Grimm’s?’
‘The old man died, sir. Two years ago. His widow sold the business.’
Kaelin strolled away, back through the town centre, making his way to the Black Boar Inn, where Maev had reserved rooms. The inn was one of the oldest buildings in Eldacre, and, though it had been renovated and expanded over the centuries, still retained some of its original features. Part of the stables at the rear – so the owner maintained – had once been the meeting hall of the Long Laird, a contemporary of the great king, Connavar. Kaelin had never stayed at the Black Boar, but he and Jaim had once dined there. Jaim had got into a fight with two timber men, had downed them both, and he and Kaelin had been forced to sprint away into the night to avoid the Watch soldiers.