Heirs at War (The Marmoros Trilogy Book 2)

by Peter Kenson

  “Then I suppose there is nothing left for me to do but get through the rest of the day, pretending that everything is normal.”

  “Waiting is always the hardest part,” David said. “But tomorrow will be the start of a new life for yourself and your baby.”

  ***

  They had to take the coach and horses the long way round to reach the disused quarry. The shuttle which was hidden there was the old smugglers’ craft that Mikael had captured. David had arranged for agents to buy it for him at the Admiralty auction, because of its superior stealth characteristics. The cargo bay was surprisingly capacious and David and Jeren had no trouble fitting the coach inside. The horses, however, were nervous about the smell of the shuttle and so they hobbled them and left them outside until later.

  Jeren was fascinated by the shuttle and bombarded David with questions. It was a two man craft, designed for the rapid transport of goods that you would not want to be caught with. David allowed Jeren to sit in the co-pilots seat and explained the function of some of the basic controls, but drew the line at taking it for a test flight.

  “There are too many eyes in the sky. They don’t know this shuttle is here and if they discover it, they will suspect that I am here also. Every time I use this craft, increases the risk of detection.”

  “Then can I come with you tonight? You’ll be coming back straight afterwards so we’ll be back in the palace before dawn.”

  David considered the request for a long moment before agreeing. “You touch nothing. You’re an observer, that’s all.”

  “Agreed,” Jeren said happily.

  When the palace was quiet for the night, David led the small party down through the store rooms and into the tunnels. Falaise had made her farewells earlier and given Isabella one of her own travelling cloaks to conceal her identity. Isabella kept the hood pulled well forward and the baby hidden underneath the cloak as they passed the unsuspecting guards at the entrance to the tunnels. Seb’s possessions were already in his saddle bags at the quarry but he had a small traveling chest of Isabella’s things, strapped to his back.

  The smugglers’ craft was designed for carrying goods not passengers so they made Isabella and the baby comfortable inside the coach in the cargo bay. The coach had been stripped down to make it light enough to be pulled by a single pair of greys, but the horses had to be enticed on board by spreading hay on the floor and the promise of a feeding bag. Seb’s horse was equally nervous and he stayed with the animals to reassure them, as the cargo bay doors were closed.

  The flight took three hours. It could have been much shorter but David wanted to minimise the heat bloom from the craft and followed a dogleg route in case their track was picked up at any point on the way. They spent a few minutes searching for a suitable landing spot that was away from any farms or cottages but was close enough to allow the coach to regain the main road in the morning.

  “You’re about an hour outside the city walls,” David told them. “Stay here, out of sight, until an hour after dawn. You don’t want to arrive too early. Then go straight to Master Angelo’s house. You can remember the way, Seb?”

  “Yes, my lord.”

  “Isabella, I am sorry that we are forcing you to leave your home,” Jeren said.

  “It was never truly my home, your Majesty, and it would have been my choice to leave anyway.”

  “Then all that remains is to wish you joy in your new life, my lady,” David said.

  “I have brought my joy with me, my lord. But I thank you all for your kindness.”

  They settled Isabella and the baby back in the coach under piles of travelling rugs and Seb stood watch as the shuttle departed.

  There was traffic on the highroad from first light and several times Seb had to quieten the horses as early morning travellers passed by. Isabella fed and changed the baby while they waited and then, when the road was clear in both directions, Seb brought the carriage out from behind the trees and turned towards Puerto Reis.

  As they crested the hill where he and Rachel had looked down on the bustling harbour all those months ago, Seb pulled the coach over to the side of the road to allow Isabella her first sight of the sea. It was a cloudless day and the azure sea stretched away into the distance, broken only by the colourful sails of the ships coming and going.

  “It’s beautiful,” Isabella gasped. “I’ve heard people speak of it but until you actually see it, you cannot visualise the sheer beauty of it… or its size.”

  “It is a dangerous beauty,” Seb said. “The ship we were on nearly foundered in a storm, on our way to join King Jeren’s army.”

  “You’ve been on one of those ships? I should so like to do that.”

  “I’m sure you will have the opportunity one day but, for now, we’d best get to Master Angelo’s.”

  At the city gates, Seb ignored the queue of farmers and travelling merchants who were waiting to pay their dues and drove straight up to the guards.

  “Lady Isabella, Marchioness of Santa Monastral,” he announced loudly and the sergeant waved them through without so much as a cursory glance.

  The streets of Puerto Reis were as crowded as Seb remembered them and their progress was slow. Isabella, who was accustomed to the half deserted streets of Marmoros, gazed in wonder at the bustle surrounding the coach. The competing cries of the hawkers rose above the background noise of the crowd and the smells from the pie shops and bake houses reminded her that she had not eaten yet that morning. With a sigh she sat back, in the hope that they might be invited to break their fast at Master Angelo’s.

  Seb had thought that the crowds might open up a little once they reached the quayside but it was market day and every thoroughfare was thronged with people heading towards the central market square. At the edge of the market, he turned the coach towards the goldsmiths’ street, much to the annoyance of several costermongers who had to move their wares out of his path. Once passed the goldsmiths, the crowd thinned out and Seb steered the coach through the open gates of Angelo’s mansion.

  At the sound of the coach, servants and stablehands came running, closely followed by Master Angelo himself, his face beaming as he recognised Seb.

  “Seb, my boy. You should have told us you were coming. We had no idea…”

  His voice trailed off as Seb leaped down from the box to open the carriage door and a frown started to form as Seb handed Isabella down with the baby in her arms.

  “Master Angelo, may I be allowed to present Lady Isabella, Marchioness of Santa Monastral. Lady Isabella, this is Master Angelo.”

  Angelo recovered himself sufficiently to bow to Isabella as the doors to the house burst open behind him and Teresa rushed out onto the terrace.

  “Seb,” she called out excitedly and then stopped as she took in the beautiful woman standing next to him with a baby in her arms. “Oh!” She looked from Isabella to Seb and back to Isabella again before she turned and fled back into the house in a flood of tears.

  “Teresa wait” Seb called after her but she was gone.

  “I think you had better explain yourself, young man” Angelo said severely.

  “Master Angelo,” Isabella said stepping forward. “Please do not blame Seb. It is not his fault. I should have realised that my sudden appearance here might cause some upset. But Seb generously offered to escort me to see you and is carrying some letters of introduction which, I hope, may explain my visit.”

  Angelo looked at her and then bowed again. “I apologise for my rudeness, my lady. And for my daughter’s behaviour. Letters of introduction, you say?”

  “Which are best read in private,” Seb warned.

  Angelo cast him an enquiring glance and then turned to look for Maria. “Lady Isabella, please be assured that you are welcome in my house. If I may present my wife, Maria, she will see to your comfort and that of the baby while Seb and I retire to read these letters.”

  Angelo led the way into his private study and closed the doo
r firmly behind them. Seb initially presented the letter from Josep Benyahim and Angelo’s eyebrows rose as he read it.

  “It appears that Lady Isabella is not exactly as you presented her. Josep asks for my help in creating and protecting her new identity but does not say who she is.”

  “I think this may clarify that problem,” Seb said as he handed over Jeren’s letter.

  This time Angelo’s eyebrows disappeared into his hairline as he read the contents.

  “I see. It seems that your young king is ridding himself of a political problem by passing her on to me.”

  “Yes and no,” Seb replied. “There has already been one attempt to kidnap Isabella in Marmoros. King Jeren and his advisors do not believe the rebels want Isabella particularly but they do want the baby, Kraxis’ son, to use as a rallying point for the rebel cause. If they stayed in Marmoros, the rebels would undoubtedly try again to snatch the baby.

  “But Puerto Reis is a long way from Marmoros. It is hoped that Isabella can build herself a new life here, especially if there is no trace of her journey from Marmoros to arouse suspicion.”

  “No trace of her journey? How can that be?”

  “Believe me, sir, you don’t want to know. And you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

  “Very well, I’ll let that pass for now. Your king says that Lady Isabella has papers to support her identity. How good are they?”

  “We believe they are good enough to pass scrutiny. The estates of Santa Monastral exist but they are in the far west of Orbedo province, northwest of Annaba. We understand that the ruling houses of Orbedo and Annaba are not generally on speaking terms, so a casual reference at that level is unlikely. If Isabella can establish a household here without ruffling too many feathers, then it is hoped that there would be no need for more extensive enquiries to be made.”

  “Hm, I see it’s not just your fighting skills you’ve been working on. You’re becoming quite a diplomat, young Seb. Now, your king asks that I destroy these letters as soon as I have read them.”

  “We cannot risk them falling into the wrong hands. If the letters are destroyed then you and I are the only people in the city who know Isabella’s true identity.”

  Angelo crossed the room to call for a candle and taper and secured the door again once a servant had brought them. When the letters were safely burning in the fireplace, he seated himself behind a vast wooden desk, covered with ornate carvings.

  “There was mention of a third letter, I believe.”

  “I have it here.” Seb handed over a second letter from Josep and Angelo’s eyebrows almost disappeared again as he read it.

  “Do you know what this is?” he asked.

  “I understand it is a letter of credit,” Seb replied. “A common practice between trading merchants.”

  “A common practice, yes,” Angelo agreed. “It is the amount that is surprising. I had no idea Josep could raise this much.”

  “I think perhaps we should not enquire too closely into the sources of funding that Master Benyahim can draw upon. This is just a normal transaction between trading merchants.”

  “Quite so. I will have this entered into the books. Lady Isabella is a wealthy woman. Does she require anything immediately?”

  “A small advance should suffice at this time, sir. Isabella was forced to travel light and there are, almost certainly, some purchases that a lady will require to make with some urgency.”

  “I’ll see to it. But for now, I’d better release you to go and make your peace with my daughter.”

  To their great surprise, when they entered the main salon, they found Isabella and Teresa standing with their arms around each other, deep in conversation, while Maria sat contentedly watching them with the baby in her arms. As soon as she saw Seb, Teresa rushed over and flung her arms around his neck.

  “Oh Seb, I’m so sorry. Isabella has explained everything. It’s just that when I saw you standing there with her and the baby…”

  “You thought what? That I had betrayed you?”

  Teresa hid her face against his chest to try to conceal the tears. “She is so beautiful and I have this ugly scar on my cheek. I thought that you might not want me anymore.”

  Seb lifted her chin with his finger and kissed the fading mark left by the thug’s cane. “If I could kiss away that tiny blemish, I would not do so.”

  Teresa looked up in astonishment as Seb smiled at her. “As I recall, you earned that battle scar in my defence and I love you for it. I also told you that if you had duelling scars on both cheeks and a hunchback to boot, you would still be the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on. There will always be only one lady in my life. That is, if she will still have me.”

  “Oh Seb, you know I will. You only have to ask.”

  Seb bent and kissed her lightly on the lips.

  “Thank you my darling, but strictly speaking, I think I really should ask your father first.”

  They both looked over to where Angelo was standing with his hand on Maria’s shoulder and a smile from ear to ear. When he saw them looking at him, Angelo hastily wiped the smile off his face.

  “Well, I don’t know…” he began doubtfully, “…it’s all a bit sudden. Ow!”

  He rubbed his ankle as Maria stood up and handed the baby back to Isabella.

  “Don’t pay any attention to the old fool, Seb. And come and give your new mother a kiss. You’ve filled out since the last time I saw you. It suits you.”

  Chapter 13 – Puerto Reis

  The rest of the morning passed in a whirl of activity. Rooms were prepared for both Seb and Isabella and a wet nurse was sent for. From the three hopefuls who came to the door, Isabella chose Semi, a pretty young widow whose baby had been stillborn just two days before. Having got the baby settled, she and Teresa started to plan the afternoon’s shopping expedition.

  Maria prepared a light meal for lunch and Seb told them something of his adventures since he left. Angelo’s face darkened as he described the attack on Josep and himself by the footpads in Kell.

  “I challenged Cortes on that,” Angelo said. “He denied it of course. Said the man Gomez had acted without authority and had been dismissed. Nothing I could do about it officially but Cortes is aware that I know the truth.”

  “It was a treacherous act,” Seb agreed. “But I am not so sure the father was necessarily involved. It could have been that braggart of a son of his, trying to even the score. And I hope it hasn’t caused you any problems in your business dealings with Cortes.”

  Angelo gave a short laugh. “Don’t worry on that account, Seb. Business is business. I deal with many people who I wouldn’t even allow in the house let alone introduce to my family.”

  “Good, but if you come across that captain who took us to Kell, you can trust him. He’s a good man. We would never have survived that storm without his skill.”

  At that, nothing would satisfy the girls except a detailed description of life on-board the ship and the savagery of the storm. When Seb described the wagons breaking loose on the deck of the ship, both girls’ eyes opened wide and Teresa held her hand to her mouth in horror.

  To lighten the mood a little after the drama of the sea voyage, Maria turned to Isabella. “I understand your estates are in Orbedo, my dear. That’s a long way from Marmoros. How did you come to be travelling with…?”

  Maria broke off as she caught a warning glance from Angelo but Teresa was not so easily deterred.

  “Yes Seb, how did you come to meet Isabella?”

  Seb looked down at his hands for a long time before lifting his head to look Teresa in the eye. “That is a story I cannot tell you at this time, my dear. I was asked to escort Isabella here, which was a task I was happy to perform because it brought me back to you. One day I hope to introduce you to the people who sent me here and then I will be able to explain. But until then, I must beg you not to press me on this.”

  Teresa gave a little pout
but fell silent. Angelo looked at her and chuckled.

  “Don’t look at Seb like that. I sympathise with him on this question and a couple of secrets between husband and wife are not necessarily a bad thing. In any case, I know the real reason why he was chosen for this task. And that is to steal our daughter away from us.”

  Teresa joined in the general laughter at that and the rest of the meal passed smoothly. After lunch Seb escorted the two girls as they headed for the market. In the street with all the goldsmiths’ shops, Teresa stopped to tell Isabella a story.

  “The last time Seb was here, Rachel and I went shopping with him. He had a sword that had been made for him by Sergio Ramirez, the best swordsmith in the whole region and a renowned swordsman as well. We knew he was anxious to get to the shop of Master Ramirez to collect his new sword so we dawdled down this street looking in every window. By the time we reached the end of the street, he was hopping around from one foot to the other so we told him we wanted to look at a new dress shop which wasn’t far out of our way. You should have seen his face. I thought he was going to burst with impatience.”

  “Did you go to the dress shop?” Isabella asked, looking slyly at a red-faced Seb.

  “No. We were laughing so much, we couldn’t carry on. So we went to collect Seb’s sword instead. And on the way back… that’s when we were attacked.”

  “And is that when you got that tiny mark on your face?”

  Teresa grimaced. “Yes. Seb was very brave that day. He fought a bully who was much bigger than himself and knocked him into the river. That was when I fell in love with him.”

  Isabella touched Teresa’s cheek with one finger. “I’m sorry for your injury but I think it is a lovely story. And that mark is far less than the beauty spots that, I understand, some ladies of fashion deliberately put on their own faces. You are a very beautiful lady and Seb is a very lucky man.”

  “I agree with both of those comments,” Seb added. “Now shall we move on?”

  “That new dress shop. Is that where we’re going today?” Isabella asked as they set out again.