“I thought you had asked for help,” Wiz said.
Alaina made a dismissing motion, as if shooing off an insect. “That was Andrew, the mayor. He wouldn’t give me a minute’s peace until I sent off to the Council for aid.” She smiled at her visitors. “You know how non-magicians are, My Lords, always frightened around magic and such. But I never dreamed they would send someone so soon. And two of you!”
Meaning you expected to have this all wrapped up before the council took notice, Wiz thought sourly. Now here we are and you won’t get the additional prestige out of this you thought you would.
“I am sure your skill is up to the task, Lady,” Philomen said soothingly. “It just happened we were coming this way on other business so the Council asked that we come to assess the situation. Consider us merely observers.”
That seemed to mollify the hedge witch.
“Well,” she said. “Well indeed. I was going to wait until the next full moon to lay this creature. But since your lordships are here, I suppose I can do the job tomorrow.”
“Very well then,” Philomen said. “I presume there is a place we can get dinner and stay the night.”
“Oh, there is no inn in the village,” Alaina said. “Much too small, you know.” She hesitated.
“I would ask you to sleep here, but . . .” She swept out her arm, indicating the clutter and the single bed. “In any event, I am sure you would be much more comfortable staying at the mayor’s house. No, I am sure he will insist that you stay with him as soon as he knows you are here.”
“I am sure you know best, Lady,” Philomen said.
“He is out on the brook gathering reeds for thatching,” the hedge witch told them. “I will have someone send for him immediately.” She stood up. “Will you excuse me, Lords?” She bobbed a curtsey and went out.
“Political, huh?” Wiz said once he was sure their hostess was out of earshot.
“Such matters usually are, Lord. At least to some extent. I would suggest that we let her lay this creature.” He looked at Wiz. “Unless you have reason to do otherwise.”
The man’s tone made Wiz uncomfortable. “No, none at all,” he said, looking down at his boots.
“Might I further suggest, Lord, that we stand ready to aid her should the need arise? Her style does not give me confidence in her abilities.”
Wiz and Philomen sat in uncomfortable silence for a few minute more. Wiz still wasn’t sure whether Philomen’s coldness grew out of his nature or a dislike for him. A mixture of both, he suspected increasingly.
Alaina came rushing back breathless with the news that mayor Andrew had been summoned from the reed marsh and his wife was preparing to receive them at their house. It would take a few minutes, she told them, but they would receive a proper reception.
Wiz was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with both of them, so he excused himself.
“I want to stretch my legs a bit,” he explained.
Philomen nodded. “As you will,” and he turned his attention back to Alaina’s latest story.
There wasn’t much to the village, just a gaggle of houses spread out along a narrow lane. Most of them were timber or wattle and daub, but a few of the larger ones clustered around the place where the lane widened into a village square were made of native stone.
There weren’t many people about, or if there were they were keeping out of sight. Once or twice Wiz passed someone in the street who bowed or curtseyed and then moved on quickly. He saw children peering at him from windows and doors, but very few adults.
Either people hereabouts were afraid of strangers or they knew who he was and they were nervous around wizards. Judging from the reactions he got, Wiz suspected the latter.
At the end of the village, where the stream made a looping bend, there was a grove of poplars on a bank overlooking a water meadow. As Wiz approached he smelled smoke and the smell drew him on toward the trees.