The Godling Chronicles (Shadow of the Gods, Book #3) (5 page)

“
I thought you'd left us for good,”
called Barty. He set down his rake and removed his work gloves,
shoving them in his pocket. His son only glanced up and nodded from
where he was trimming the hedges, then went back to his
work.

“
As did I,” said Millet.

“
Randson,” called Barty. “Help Millet
and...”

“
This is Dina,” said Millet. “A friend.
This is Barty Inglewood and his son, Randson. They are by far the
best gardeners for a hundred miles.”

“
A friend of Millet's is mine, as
well,” Barty bowed awkwardly. “And where is Lord
Starfinder?”

Millet and Dina dismounted and began
unpacking their gear. “Lee will not be coming.”

Barty rubbed his chin. “I see. I've never
heard you call him Lee before, so I reckon you have news to tell.”
He began gathering their things. “You'll be wanting to wash up.
I'll get Lydia started on your rooms and a bath. Meal time may have
to wait for a couple of hours though. Most everyone is staying down
at the Stedding farm now days.”

“
Lee instructed for the farm to be
cared for,” said Millet. “But I don't think he intended for his
entire staff to move there.” He took a quick look around. “Who's
left?”

“
Me and my boy, of course. Lydia does
most of the housework, and Trevor, the old cook Lee hired a couple
of years ago, is still here. But he doesn't move around so good
anymore, so Lydia helps in the kitchen, too.” He slung a pack over
his shoulder. “No one wants to be around now that all those
newcomers are about. The rest of the staff comes about once a week
to see to repairs and the like, but then they're off again. If Lord
Starfinder didn't pay so good they’d all be moved away by
now.”

Mention of the newcomers brought tension to
Millet's face.

“
I see you've already heard about
them,” said Barty. He started toward the house. “Well, don't you
worry. They don't come calling here anymore. Me and my boy ran them
off.”

Millet kept silent and he and Dina followed
Barty through the front door. The house was just as Millet
remembered. The main hall was just beyond the door and furnished
with heavy oak couches and chairs covered with soft, suede
upholstery. The walls were decorated with exotic tapestries Lee had
acquired during his many travels. A fire crackled in the hearth at
the far right end and two silver lamps glowed dimly against the
wall behind the couch. Just next to the fireplace was a door that
led to the dining hall and sitting room. In the near corner was
another that led to Lee's study and bedrooms. The hardwood floors
were covered with a large blood red rug, woven with delicate silver
patterns. Lee had purchased it in Dantory when he was not much more
than a boy.

Millet moved to the wall to avoid stepping on
it as he made his way to the rear door. It would be a shame to
muddy such a beautiful thing.

“
I will take the master suite,” said
Millet.

Barty cocked an eyebrow but said nothing.

When he reached the master bedroom, he asked
Barty to show Dina to a guest room and went inside. Barty could see
that Millet was now in charge, and obeyed at once. Millet took a
long look around. The large bed was built from flame maple,
polished and stained to a dark brown. The green bed coverings were
soft and thick. Millet had often envied Lee such a comfortable
sleep. In the corner was a small round table and two chairs where
Lee used to take his breakfast. A book of Baltrian poems still sat
on the table where it had been left. A large wardrobe in the corner
was still ajar from Lee's quick departure and a bookcase against
the wall still bore signs of his rummaging through it. Millet took
a deep breath and began to unpack. It was his now. All of it. For
good or ill, he was lord of the manor.

Randson brought a wash basin and hot water a
few minutes later. After he had cleaned and changed, he strode back
to the main hall. Dina was already awaiting him, clothed in a blue
cotton dress and seated in a chair, thumbing through a small
leather-bound book.

“
Lee certainly liked books,” said Dina.
“There must be fifty in my room alone.”

Millet smiled and took a seat across from
her. “He did indeed.” He leaned back and rubbed his neck. “There is
much about Lee Starfinder that lives in this house.” He pointed out
the tapestries and other various decorations and began telling Dina
where they came from and how Lee had acquired them. Dina smiled and
listened patiently.

After a time, Lydia entered the room. Dressed
in a dark brown skirt that reached all the way to the floor and a
white cotton shirt, she was tall, lean, and despite her advancing
years, looked as if she could labor alongside any man. Her
once-black hair was now streaked with gray and wrapped in a tight
bun.

Lydia looked disapprovingly at Millet. “What
business do you have in Lord Starfinder's chambers?”

“
Fetch Barty, Randson, and Trevor,”
ordered Millet. “I have something to tell you.”

“
Trevor's cooking supper,” said
Lydia.

Millet's faced hardened. “Then tell him to
stop.”

Lydia glared at Millet for a moment, then
stormed off toward the kitchen. A few minutes later she returned. A
thinly built old man wearing a tan shirt and trousers trailed
behind, covered from head to toe in flour. The old man beamed when
he saw Millet.

“
Good to see you, old friend,” said
Trevor. He looked at Dina. “I see your taste in company has
improved.”

Dina stood and introduced herself. Trevor
bowed and started to take a seat on the couch.

“
I'll not have you getting flour all
over the furniture,” shouted Lydia.

“
Calm down woman,” said Trevor. “I'll
clean it.”

“
You sit, too,” Millet said to
Lydia.

The front door opened and Barty and his son
entered. Millet motioned for them to sit as well.

Millet retrieved the parchment Lee had given
him when they were all seated, and handed it to Lydia. She and the
others read it for several minutes then handed it back to
Millet.

“
I don't know who Lee Nal' Thain is,”
said Lydia. “But if you think for one minute that-”

“
You know full well who Lee Nal' Thain
is,” Millet countered. “As do the rest of you.” He stood. “Lee has
given me rights to his lands and titles. That includes this
estate.”

Lydia huffed. “And what do you intend to do
with these ‘rights,’ might I ask?”

Millet thought he heard a slight quiver in
the woman's voice.

“
Before I reveal my intentions, tell me
about the faithful.”

Lydia took a deep breath. “About a week after
you and Lord Starfinder left Sharpstone, three oddly dressed men
came to the door inquiring as to your whereabouts, and the
whereabouts of master Stedding. They sounded like those folks from
Baltria to me, but they wore black cloaks and kept their faces
hidden with their hoods. I've never trusted people who won't show
their faces. Anyway, I told them you had all left and didn't know
where you had gone, or when you'd return. At the time I didn't
think much on it. Lord Starfinder has had odd people call on him
before, and he's always taken an interest in young Gewey, but when
I went to market a few days later, I noticed they were still
around, asking questions.

“
Still, what could I do? They weren't
causing trouble and no one seemed to mind them. All the same I told
the staff to keep an eye on them.” She looked at Barty.

“
Ah, yes,” said Barty. “When Lydia told
me about these characters I made sure I knew what they were up to.
I even had my boy follow them a few times. Like Lydia said, at
first they didn't do anything other than ask questions. And other
than causing rumors to fly, they didn't make trouble. In fact, the
way they let their coins pass freely, people actually started to
take a liking to them. Especially Mayor Freidly. He had them over
at his house almost every night.

“
It wasn't long before they started
comin' 'round here again.” Barty's lip curled in anger. “This time
they were more forceful. They insisted that someone here knew where
Lord Starfinder was, and demanded to know.” He puffed out his
chest. “Well, my friend, no one bullies me. I snatched up my shovel
and ran them off.”

“
And you were a fool for it,” snapped
Lydia. “You could have gotten yourself killed.”

Barty ignored her comment. “After that, they
didn't come back. I'd see them watching people coming in and out,
but that was as close as they came. I guess I scared 'em good
enough.”

“
And it's the reason we don't know
anything,” scolded Lydia. She turned to Millet. “If you work for
Lord Starfinder, you had just as well be an elf. No one says a word
to us anymore.”

“
They still talk to me,” said Trevor.
“One of the advantages to being an old man.”

Millet smiled. “What do they say?”

“
First, you should know what went on
after Barty ran those fellows off.” Trevor leaned back in his seat
and crossed his legs. “From what I heard, they didn't like it too
much and went to the mayor. Not much the fat lout could do about it
though. Barty didn't hit them, and they were on Lord Starfinder's
property at the time. I guess they decided to find a better way to
watch us. It was only a few days later and they bought the land
just next to here. They must have spent a fortune, 'cause they had
a house built in just over a week. That was about the time their
friends started showing up.”

“
We ran into Martha Tredall on our way
here,” said Millet. “She told us a little about what's going on,
and said that there's about ten of them.”

“
Sounds about right,” said Trevor.
“They said they were here to set up a trading business, but no one
really believed it. Especially with all their talk about the Reborn
King.”

This caused Millet and Dina to shift in their
seats.

Trevor cocked his head. “I see you've heard
about him. Well, that's no surprise, if half of what they say is
true.”

“
And what is that?” asked
Millet.

“
Mostly that he's coming to free us
from the Gods,” said Trevor. “Bring back the old days like before
the Great War. Things like that. I thought they were just some new
cult. But whatever they are, and whoever this Reborn King is, they
sure do have a lot of gold. Not long after the rest of these
faithful got here, they paid to have the market rebuilt, and
started buying out anyone who'd sell. Even the folks who didn't
sell took their gold on loan. Almost everyone in Sharpstone owes
them something.”

“
We can barely keep our cupboards
stocked,” said Lydia. “No one wants to do business with us. They're
either working for the faithful, or just too scared to cross
them.”

“
That's why most of the staff stays out
at the Stedding farm,” said Barty. “They leave them alone out
there, and they can get supplies. Master Stedding still produces
more hay than anyone else in these parts, even if he's not around.
People don't have much choice but to sell them what they need.” He
leaned forward. “But you can bet they're watching everything at
that farm, too. They ask as much about Master Stedding as they do
Lord Starfinder.”

Millet bowed his head in thought. “Trevor, I
want you to go into town after our meal. Say that I have returned
to settle some business for Lord Starfinder.” He looked up and met
Trevor's eyes. “Do not say anything else. Only that.” He turned to
Barty. “I want you to secure the front door and windows, but leave
the back open. Then take Trevor, Lydia, and your son to the
Stedding farm. Stay there until I send for you.”

“
I'll not be spirited away,” said
Lydia, sternly. “If you're fool enough to do what I think you're
going to do, then I'll¬”

“
You will do as I say,” snapped Millet.
“I cannot do what must be done, if I have to worry about your
safety.”

“
And what is it that must be done?”
asked Dina.

“
I intend to send the faithful a
message,” Millet replied, darkly.

“
If that's the case,” said Barty, “then
you'll need me and my boy.” He stood up straight and squared his
broad shoulders. “Lydia and Trevor may not be much good in a fight,
but I can still swing a sword if need be. I've shown my boy how to
take care of himself, too. You may be Lord of the Manor, but you
ain't no Lee Starfinder. You're gonna need more than just you and a
young woman if the faithful come callin'.”

Millet looked at the gardener and his son.
Their jaws were tight and their eyes blazed with determination. He
sighed. “Very well. But you must do exactly as I say.”

“
The faithful may not even come here,”
offered Dina.

“
They'll come,” said Millet.

“
But how can you be sure?” asked
Dina.

“
If these are the same lot we ran into
in Baltria, then they're likely nobles or maybe merchants,” said
Millet. “I know how they think. They'll want to dispose of us
quickly and quietly, before we can get ready for them or flee. By
now they will know who I am, and without Lee here as protection,
they will not fear me. They'll either try and take me prisoner, and
torture me for information, or just simply kill me.” He shrugged.
“Whatever they do, it will not be in the open. They'll come at
night.”

After the meal Trevor and Lydia cleaned the
dishes, then made their way into town. Millet went over his plan
with Dina, then helped Barty and Randson secure the front door and
windows, as well as the stables. Dina busied herself with other
preparations. Before long, the sun was sinking low in the sky and
the chill air made the crackling fire a welcome sight.