Part 7 (2/2)

Dan laughed and shouted back, 'I've got plenty of leftover bricks if you need them, Tom. Odd sizes, I'm afraid, but I'm sure you could use 'em. Rather give 'em to you than let the b.l.o.o.d.y Drowned have 'em back.'

'I might take you up on that, Dan. Thanks.' He thought about the Drowned family he'd seen going into the other man's bas.e.m.e.nt, but then decided not to mention them. Dan would have Maskelyne's Hookmen down here in droves.

As the postboat slipped past, Ned threw a single envelope towards Granger's wharf. It looped momentarily in the air, before missing the wharf altogether and drifting down onto the open hull of Granger's rotten little boat.

Ned laughed. 'Sorry Tom.'

'Every time,' Granger muttered.

His vessel, Hana Hana, was sitting lower in the water than ever before. He allowed his gaze to linger a moment on the name he'd painted across her bow. He could barely make out the faded letters among the cracks and blisters. The hull was in bad shape. Brine had leaked through cracks in the resin along the keel and pooled in the bottom. Thankfully the letter had landed on the centre board and remained dry. He balanced his foot on her port gunwale, but her hull tilted and the letter slid an inch closer to the brine. The toe rail cracked under his weight. A slos.h.i.+ng sound came from somewhere under the thwarts. Even at full stretch, he couldn't quite reach the letter, so he ripped loose a couple of long sections of toe rail and used them like pincers to grab the envelope.

It was addressed to Mr Alfred Leach c/o Captain R. Swinekicker, Halcine Ca.n.a.l Mr Alfred Leach c/o Captain R. Swinekicker, Halcine Ca.n.a.l and it contained four hundred gilders in fifties, and a letter. Granger pocketed the money and wandered back upstairs, reading the letter. and it contained four hundred gilders in fifties, and a letter. Granger pocketed the money and wandered back upstairs, reading the letter.

Dearest Alfred,Your last letter didn't give me much time to raise the money. I was forced to visit that money lender in the Trove Market. Please forgive me, I know how much you despise them. Sally spoke with him alone, and G.o.d love her she managed to convince him to lower his rates. Bright girl, that one. So you needn't worry too much. It's all done now. Ronald and Gunny send their love. They keep asking if you ever mention them in your letters.I tell them yes, of course. I tell them that you miss them, as I'm sure, deep down, you do.Love,Margaret

Granger crumpled up the piece of paper and shoved it in his pocket. He went back to the stove and ladled the cooling porridge into two bowls. Then he washed and refilled the water jug and carried the lot down to his captives.

The moment he entered the cell he could see that Ianthe had mustered her rage for another outburst. Her jaw was tight, her eyes br.i.m.m.i.n.g with cruel intent.

He tried to pre-empt her. 'Should I just throw this into the brine and save you the effort of rejecting it?' By the time he'd closed his mouth he regretted ever opening it.

She actually snarled. 'Fish porridge? Isn't that like cannibalism for you? Boiling up your own relatives to feed to your prisoners?' She was speaking through her teeth. 'I know beggars eat that muck, but they normally have the decency not to inflict it on others. Take it away and bring us something edible, or just leave us to starve to death.' She snorted. 'That's what you're going to do anyway, isn't it? When the council payments run out?'

'Inny, please!' Hana reached for her daughter, but the girl s.n.a.t.c.hed her hand away.

Ianthe had adopted an air of smug self-righteousness. 'I can't believe you slept with him,' she said to her mother. 'Did he wear a bag over his head? Or did he rape you? That, at least, would be understandable. You're never really really fulfilled unless you're somebody's victim.' fulfilled unless you're somebody's victim.'

Hana's cheeks flushed.

'That's enough.' Granger stood there in the open doorway with an armload of crockery: a great lumbering, red-faced fool. Ianthe must have known about her parentage from the beginning. How do you keep secrets from a psychic? But he was surprised to find the girl's hostility directed at her mother, rather than him. He set their food down on the platform, weary and anxious to leave. 'I don't care if it's not what you're used to, it's all I can afford right now.'

'Poor you,' Ianthe scoffed. 'If only you had four hundred gilders in your pocket.'

He stopped. A slow grin spread across his face. 'Four hundred gilders, Ianthe?'

She snorted.

There was no doubt left in Granger's mind now. Only a psychic could have known about the money. 'I need it for something else.'

'Wh.o.r.es, I suppose.'

He took a deep breath. He was about to speak, but then he changed his mind and voiced his thoughts internally instead. I didn't want be your father. I don't know you, and I don't want to. Tomorrow morning, I'm going to write to the Haurstaf. You'll be out of here in a couple of weeks and you can spend the rest of your life living in a marble tower, causing wars and blackmailing emperors and s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g the Unmer and whatever else it is you people do. I didn't want be your father. I don't know you, and I don't want to. Tomorrow morning, I'm going to write to the Haurstaf. You'll be out of here in a couple of weeks and you can spend the rest of your life living in a marble tower, causing wars and blackmailing emperors and s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g the Unmer and whatever else it is you people do. He smiled grimly. 'Did you get all that? Or would you like me to repeat it out loud?' He smiled grimly. 'Did you get all that? Or would you like me to repeat it out loud?'

Ianthe glared at him defiantly.

Hana glanced at her daughter, then back at Granger. 'I told you she doesn't read minds.'

Granger lost his temper. 'You've told me nothing but lies,' he exclaimed. 'It seems to me that I'm I'm the only one who's acting in our daughter's interests. What is it with you? Pride? Selfishness? Are you so afraid of being alone that you'd keep her rotting in jail when she could be out of here in a heartbeat?' He set down the bowls roughly, spilling porridge everywhere. 'I don't get it, Hana. Do you think I'm suddenly going to become the good father? My responsibilities to you ended fifteen years ago in Weaverbrook, when you chose to keep your pregnancy a secret.' the only one who's acting in our daughter's interests. What is it with you? Pride? Selfishness? Are you so afraid of being alone that you'd keep her rotting in jail when she could be out of here in a heartbeat?' He set down the bowls roughly, spilling porridge everywhere. 'I don't get it, Hana. Do you think I'm suddenly going to become the good father? My responsibilities to you ended fifteen years ago in Weaverbrook, when you chose to keep your pregnancy a secret.'

Hana stiffened. She closed her eyes. In a voice no louder than a whisper she said, 'You wouldn't have stayed with me.'

'I was an Imperial soldier Imperial soldier.'

Ianthe had paled. 'Lies,' she said. 'You were never in in Weaverbrook.' Weaverbrook.'

'Inny . . .' Hana reached for her.

'No!' She s.n.a.t.c.hed her hand away. 'Don't you dare touch me. You told me you met him years before Dad died, you said . . .' She let out a small shriek of frustration, then shook her head fiercely. 'He can't have been in Weaverbrook.'

'Inny, please.'

'He's not my father.'

'I'm sorry.'

Granger stared in astonishment as Ianthe began to wail.

CHAPTER 4.

TREASURE-HUNTERS.

To Sister Briana Marks:My name is not important. I am a jailer in Ethugra who has recently, and legally, been granted incarceration rights to a powerful psychic. Given this person's value to your Guild, I would be glad to hand them over in return for a finder's fee of two hundred thousand gilders. If this is agreeable, please have a Guild representative (yellow-grade only) meet me at Averley Plaza on the 30th HR. I will find her.Faithfully,A Friend Granger stared at the letter. How could he send it now? Ianthe was more of a mystery to him than ever before. She knew things she couldn't possibly have known: the slop drawer, the four hundred gilders. And yet she seemed blind to the most crucial information of all: the poisoned water, her own parentage. her own parentage. Every one of his instincts told him that her reaction to that last revelation was genuine. She hadn't known he was her father. Every one of his instincts told him that her reaction to that last revelation was genuine. She hadn't known he was her father.

Had Hana been telling the truth all along?

Or had they outwitted him again?

He cradled his head in his hands. She couldn't have seen seen him put the money into his pocket. She couldn't have him put the money into his pocket. She couldn't have known known about Duka's condition from hearing his sobs. So why hadn't she known he was her father? Nothing made sense not least her supposed ability to find trove. Psychics didn't find treasure. The sea had no mind to read. about Duka's condition from hearing his sobs. So why hadn't she known he was her father? Nothing made sense not least her supposed ability to find trove. Psychics didn't find treasure. The sea had no mind to read.

Granger folded up the letter and slid it down inside his sock. If Ianthe turned out to be valuable, he would send it, and if she didn't, well, it might at least stop Creedy's d.a.m.n whaleskin galoshes from chaffing his ankle so much.

Ianthe ignored him for four days. Granger went about his duties in a workmanlike fas.h.i.+on, bringing his captives food and water and emptying the slop drawer. Ianthe kicked all their food into the brine before her mother had a chance to protest or even to thank Granger. But she drank the water and she allowed her mother to drink it too.

On the fifth day she said, 'If you want me to find trove, you'll have to let me out of here.'

'Who says I want to find trove?' Granger replied.

She threw the water jug at him.

Two more days pa.s.sed.

On the seventh day of their incarceration he found Ianthe in an edgy, restless mood. She sat with her chin pressed against her knees, gripping the soles of her boots as though making a conscious effort to stop her coiled muscles from las.h.i.+ng out again. They had, at last, eaten their breakfasts and left the empty bowls for Granger to collect. He took this to be a small victory.

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