Part 5 (1/2)
Anyone skulking around in a cloak on so war around in the purple-and-green colors of House Burkus could expect a helping of snide laughter as well
Shankey, anonymous out of his house uniform, almost felt sorry for theonto hi inside to ask yet another wary proprietor about a guest who awds-a cat h He strode purposefully to a shop doorhere his skulker had attempted to conceal himself People in the shop watched with interest
”hello, Debreban,” he said, looking down
Debreban atte in dooras quite the nor here?”
”My lady sent ood day for it Nice seeing you”
Shankey made a face ”Cut the crap, Debreban We both know a little of what's going on Let's have a beer and swap stories”
After ahis knees He was a well-built fellow, all blond hair and boyish charm, just a little short on talent in i people ere neither blind nor deaf ”Well, itis getting close to lunch”
Shankey nodded in a friendly way and led off back to the inn, an unpretentious two-story structure called ”Clen The bar was open, and the woman behind it informed them she could do them so hot it would be another hour They ordered accordingly and took their tray and huge flagons of foamy beer to a quiet table at the far end of the room There they could put their backs to the wall and each keep an eye on the front entry Their training uzzle of beer, Shankey gave a shuddering sigh of relief in reaction ”dareed Debreban, belching ”What o first” ”Fair enough Lord Cad”
”That's all?”
”Sadly, yes I wish he'd get aafter your lady all the time I'm pretty sure it's to do with Lady Filima”
”He knows I'm on one of her errands? How's that?”
Debreban, as slicing cheese with his fighting knife, waved it carelessly ”Probably soic He has Talent, you know Dabbles like soeneral He lowered the knife and stuffed cheese in his mouth
”Yeah, I've noticed that They have way too much time on their hands” Shankey helped hienerously Being more respectful of his battle equipment, he used the flat, dull knife provided by the inn, sparing his own cherished blade for lessas we have a job”
”That's for damn-sure Nowwhat's your side of it?”
Shankey took on a resigned expression ”Lady Fili a cat ht Couldn't say it, though Not to her face pisses her off when people question her orders Have no idea why she wants him; I just do what I'm told Makes life a lot simpler”
”A cat mask?” Debreban shook his head ”Is there a circus in town?”
”She said so, but I've not seen or heard sign of one Been feeling like a fool asking around after him, too
Seems more like a job for one of my errand runners, but she wanted me to see to it personally, so it must be important in some way I don't know yet”
”He could be a thief,” Debreban suggested ”Uses it as a disguise But ear a cat mask when a hood and ht of that, too It's nuts Between you and iven ic stuff the saone in for e like soe bunch, aren't they?”
”That they are,theshop with another professional even if the felloasn't nearly as experienced at the work ”At least the pay is good”
”When you get paid” Debreban was justifiably morose about the topic It ell-known Lord Cadetful when it came to the timely remuneration of his retainers ”Sorry, didn't ht If you weren't sworn to his service, I'd invite you to coht Debreban would do well once he got so
”You would? That's decent of you The whole house is hoping it ht happen anyway”
”What? That Lord Cad, but ave an expressive shrug ”Not unless hell freezes over” In truth, he had no idea what the weather conditions in hell ht be and tended to conduct his life in such a way as to never find out firsthand
”I wish it would,” Debreban stated softly, but with a great deal of feeling under the words
”Oh, yeah?” said Shankey, in a drawing-out tone
”Don't get ot no political ambitions, so there's not a lot of work, just drills and stuff like that to keep us all polished”
”Much better doing that than real fighting,” Shankey agreed He drained away his beer, signed for another round, and dug into a slice of cold ham
”But he needs a keeper So the household, you know?”
Debreban finished his first flagon and welcomed the next
”Someone to see that he doesn't overspend himself?”
”Exactly!” Debreban said ”Lady Filima would be perfect for him She used to have to earn her way like the rest of us, so she knows the value of a penny There's no waste in your house, is there? Everyone gets paid on time? The whole town knows she's slow of pride that his lady's reputation was taking on a new facet In the early days of her e to Lord Botello the oochie-coochie dancer past had been rather hard to live down
”True, all true”
”Then there you are,” said Debreban conclusively
Shankey nodded several tireement and made a mental note to return to this inn for more drink
Whatever they did with the beer here was inspired It usually took more than just two tohappily ood for a man to be so concerned about the welfare of his master, too bad that master was Cadon, Debreban said: ”If they got marriedshe'd be able to keep my lord Cadmus in line Of course, there's also the risk that he could beggar her You kno soive him all herin love With hirunted, apparently used to popular opinion concerning his liege-lord ”Wish we couldot himself a proper heir He's the last of his line, y'know If he dropped dead today the whole household would bebesoon empty, his memory lapse was excusable ”Shouldn't be allowed”
”Seems to me,” said Shankey slowly, for he'd also found the bottoe is onyour side What would et out of such a match?”
”Well, he's a handsoood joke Very dedicated to the gentlemanly arts He'd never mistreat her That's a fact You knowyou knowallhis old girl friends still like him?”