Ghosts in the Snow (21 page)

Dien stood. "Yes, sir. Whatever you say. But unless he's got a secret passage we don't know about, he's innocent."

"Someone is doing this. Whether it is Risley or not, I want to hear possible alternative suspects and solutions when I return." Grumbling, Dubric stomped from the office.

* * *

Lars stood beside Risley as they leaned against the wall near the storage closets of The Bitches. The screaming in Dubric's office had to be intense this morning, and Lars felt glad to be stuck on guard duty. Even with Risley. "You're in a world of trouble, you know," he said, shifting on his already aching feet.

Risley rubbed his forehead. "I'm getting used to it. Maybe you should have been on time."

Lars watched the plump girl, Mirri, gather an armload of blankets. "Would it have made a difference?"

"Maybe. Well,
probably
not. At least not to Dubric. He thinks it's me." Risley smiled at Nella. She carried a fresh armload of sheets into the room across the hall and flashed him a happy glance before she hurried inside. "But Nella still trusts me. Thank the Goddess for that."

Lars watched Nella flip a sheet over the bed, her fifteenth one of the morning. He hated to pry into personal matters, and he knew Risley's romantic interests were none of his business, but Dubric wanted answers, needed answers, about his primary suspect. Lars tried to sound nonchalant, no more than politely curious. He tilted his head toward Nella and asked, "So, what's really happening between you two? The rumors true?"

Risley laced and unlaced his fingers. "Depends on which ones you're talking about. Do we sneak away and rip off each other's clothes? No. Do I make her do unspeakable things for my pleasure? No. Is she bribing me, or me bribing her? No. Are we having a torrid love affair? No."

He paused and looked through the open door as Nella stuffed a pillow into its sham. "Is she affecting my judgment? Probably. Did I bring her here to keep track of her? Probably. Do I think about her every waking moment of my life? Yes." He smiled and said, "Definitely yes."

The quiet girl, whose name Lars hadn't caught, hesitated, then rushed to the storage closet and grabbed a stack of sheets before running away from them. After she was out of earshot, Lars said, "I suppose next you're going to tell me not only are the two of you not laying together, you've never touched her."

Risley glared at a passing nobleman, his hand falling to his sword. "I wish I could. Do you understand Pyrinnian debt?"

"Of course I do. Customs and laws of the neighboring provinces are required reading. Dubric makes certain we know all their idiosyncrasies in case we have an official visit."

"Well, I didn't. I thought 'Customs Studies and Provincial Law' was a waste of time."

Lars nearly laughed. He could almost see Risley struggling to understand the oddities of Pyrinnian debt law. But he was on a fact-finding mission and needed to ask questions. "What happened?"

Risley frowned and he shifted his feet. "We'd been walking for two days when we came to the village. We hadn't eaten a thing except berries and the one rabbit I killed."

From what Lars had read about Pyrinn, fresh berries and rabbit would have been a feast. "So? You were hungry. What was the problem?"

"The problem was I bought us dinner at the inn. Nella asked me not to, but I bought it anyway. Two bowls of stew, a loaf of bread, and a bottle of really bad wine."

Lars turned to stare at him as the humor flipped to horror. Surely Risley was not that ignorant. "She asked you
not
to, but you bought dinner anyway?"

He nodded, shifting his weight again. "Yes. And a room."

Lars glanced at Nella and felt incredible sorrow for her. "How much did you spend?"

"Three, maybe four crown altogether. She wouldn't even look at me, and I had no idea why. As Malanna is my witness, I didn't know. I swear I didn't."

Lars's mouth had gone dry. "What happened?"

Risley smiled kindly at a maid's angry glower and waited until she had walked on. "When we got to the room, Nella…"he closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again. "She… she insisted I call the debt."

Lars nodded, relieved. At least she had been willing and Risley hadn't raped her. "That was what she was supposed to do if she didn't have the coin right then. That's what the law required her to do. Private debts must be paid immediately, while debtors have three days to pay taxes and fees. She had no choice."

Risley looked at Lars. "I know that now, but when she started undoing her dress…" He paused to take a shaky breath. "I probably shouldn't be telling you this, you're too young to understand, but I was weak, Lars, for a moment I was weak, and I have never forgiven myself."

Lars looked at Nella and back to Risley. Something didn't make sense. If Risley had called the debt, surely Nella would hate him, not—

When Risley spoke and interrupted Lars's train of thought, his voice was soft and full of yearning. "I kissed her, and for a few blessed moments I held her in my arms before I regained my senses. It was the only time I've touched her improperly, just the once, no matter what anyone thinks."

But it made no sense. "You
kissed
her? What about the flesh debt?"

"I refused. She pleaded. Begged. Threatened me. Still, I refused." He laughed ruefully and shook his head as he watched her finish making the bed. "You have no idea how hard it was to refuse her, but I did."

Lars looked at Nella again and said, "But I thought debts had to be paid with flesh or life? She's obviously alive. By law she'd be required to take her own life if you refused her flesh."

"I know. But somehow in all that madness I convinced her that I could make her Faldorrahn, and she could pay her debt in coin later instead of immediate flesh or death. I thank the Goddess every day that she finally agreed."

Lars looked between them with new understanding. No wonder Nella trusted Risley. Not only had he refused to take her flesh, he had granted her life, as well. She would likely trust him forever, no matter what he did. Guilty or not.

"It sure is taking her a long time to pay you four crown," Lars said.

"I assumed it would be the original four crown. Nella, however, insisted on paying all of it back. Every penny I spent during our journey. Eighty-three crown and change altogether. Malanna's blood, Lars, I bought travel gear, horses, even clothing. But she didn't mention a thing about the full amount until my grandda insisted she pay me."

Lars whistled between his teeth, barely believing the sum. Surely it seemed an impossible amount to Nella. "No wonder she works all the time."

"Yes, but she only has a phase or so to go. Then we'll both be free of that damned debt."

"What then? Have you two talked about it?"

"No, not really. We're biding our time. Trying to play by the rules even though we're not quite sure what they are." He looked at Nella and bowed slightly, bringing a flush of pink to her cheeks as she walked to the next room. "But if she'll have me, I plan on taking her home, or anywhere else she wants to go."

Nella glanced back at Risley and their eyes locked for a moment. Lars recognized that look and he smiled. Despite what Dubric thought, Risley wasn't messing around with infatuation. Not this time. He was serious. And she was, too.

I think she'll have you, Ris
, Lars thought.
Actually, I'm sure of it. I just hope she's not putting her faith in the wrong place
.

* * *

Not long after eight bell, Dubric heard a knock on his door. He yawned and scratched his belly, setting aside Oriana's dagger before answering the summons.

Lars stood in the hall, picking at the broken green seal on the note he carried. "You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Yes. Please come in."

Lars glanced at the mirror and tilted his head. "I've never seen it uncovered before, sir. Are you preparing for an official function I'm not aware of?"

Both my lads are observant, praise the King
. Smiling, Dubric glanced back at the full-length mirror and felt a gentle tug at his heart. "No, no, nothing like that. Did you have any problems with Risley today?"

"No, sir. None at all." Lars accepted an offered chair and told Dubric of their conversation about Nella and the debt.

"Did you notice anything unusual about him? Anything out of place? Any changes from his usual self?"

Lars said, "It's probably nothing, but he seems absentminded. His suite door wasn't locked this afternoon and he's usually picky about things like that. And he was rather jittery. He fidgeted a lot, nervous tics, talking fast. It wasn't like he was worried or guilty, it was more like he had too much energy and nowhere for it to go. Like a high-strung horse.

"He had a headache, too, I think. He never mentioned it, but he often rubbed his forehead."

Dubric opened his notebook and noted the information. "Did he eat today?"

Startled, Lars leaned back in the chair and considered the question. "Now that you mention it, sir, I don't believe he did."

Dubric paused, his pencil trembling over the page. "Nothing? All day?"

"No, sir. We watched over Nella and her roommates through all three meals. I ate a couple of biscuits at lunch, then had a late dinner after Risley dismissed me, but I never saw him eat a single thing." He paused, closing his eyes for a moment while he thought. "He did have a drink, though, both of us did. Cider, during the afternoon."

"Did you see any blood? Any stains? Any potential evidence at all?"

"No, sir. I even made sure to look at the soles of his shoes. He was immaculately clean, top to bottom."

Once the lad had gone, Dubric returned to the mirror and Oriana while questions tumbled in his head.

* * *

By the time Nella crawled into bed that night, Risley had guarded the girls for that whole day and part of the one before. She lay awake for a while, shivering under her thin blankets and thinking about him. She knew her friends had reluctantly become accustomed to his presence, even if they still did not trust him. He seemed to be doing everything possible to ensure their safety, and surely the others would realize it soon. But, then again, he had been forbidden to guard them at night. She hadn't had a chance to ask him why, but he'd tell her if it was important. Wouldn't he?

She rolled over and looked toward the door. Of all the girls, Nella alone wondered why Otlee, instead of Risley, had been assigned to guard them while they slept. Dari had confidently insisted it was so Risley could get some sleep, but Nella was not so sure. She thought Otlee was an odd choice. He was only a child. Although none of the girls feared him, they had little faith in his ability to protect them. All six would lay awake for a time, listening, as the boy paced outside their door. The last one awake, Nella sighed quietly and worried about Risley. Sometime after the midnight bell, she, too, fell asleep.

Later, she had no idea when, Nella woke to Mirri's muffled crying. She sounded as if she were in pain.

"What's wrong?" Nella whispered through the dark. She wished Helgith would allow them a lantern so they could see, but phases ago Helgith had caught her sewing in the wee hours of the night and had taken the light away. Not long after, all but one of the lamps in the hall had been extinguished. Lamp oil had evidently become quite precious and most of the girls had become used to living in the dark. Mirri, however, was not one of them.

"Sick," Mirri answered. "My belly feels like someone is ripping it apart. I need to use the shitter, but it's death out there and I don't wanna go alone!"

Probably all that pork you ate at dinner
, Nella thought. "I'll go with you." She yawned and slipped out from beneath her blanket.

"Nella, you
can't
," Plien whispered from across the room. Normally the one to defy the rules and flaunt her independence, Plien had become increasingly paranoid as the murders continued. Before, it was a rare night for Plien to sleep in their room. Now she rarely left, much to Dari's aggravation.

"Yes, I can," Nella replied.

"But…"

Nella rose from the bed and found her shoes and cloak. "C'mon, Mirri. Let's go."

"She can go alone, or not go at all," Stef whispered. "Your sword-wielding lover's not here to escort us. Remember? Just the kid."

"She's got to go or she's going to mess the sheets, which will mean all of our hides once Helgith finds out." Nella's voice grew very hard. "She's not going alone."

"She's right," Ker grunted, yawning and getting out of bed herself.

Stef cursed under her breath. "You're crazy."

"No, I'm realistic," Nella said, helping Mirri to the door.

Plien and Dari crawled out of bed, too, and the five moved out to the hall.

Otlee almost jumped out of his skin when the door opened. "What the heck?" he gasped. "I thought you were all asleep! It's after three bell."

"She's sick," Nella said as she helped Mirri through the door. "We've got to go to the privies. Now."

Otlee nodded. "All right. I'm supposed to escort you." He held his head high as he led the odd procession down the servants' hall.

Holding her belly, Mirri whimpered, "I'm sorry."

Plien grumbled around a yawn, "Let's do this quick and get back to bed."

They had almost reached the outer door when they heard someone behind them. Like a terrified warren of rabbits, they turned, screams nearly escaping and Otlee pulling his sword, to see Stef scurrying up the hall.

"You dingle," Dari gasped, her hand over her heart. "You scared the breath outta us."

Stef crossed her arms over her narrow chest and rolled her eyes. "I'm not staying in that room alone."

"Then get with the group," Otlee said as he motioned her forward.

"So we're all together," Nella whispered.

They nodded to one another and stumbled into the night.

They had barely opened the doorway when a sword and a polearm were shoved into their faces. All of the girls gasped, almost screaming, as snow swirled into the hall. Otlee alone did not flinch.

Sheathing his sword, a guard snapped, "Where are you going?"