“You’re as surprised as I am,” she said. “I wondered if you knew.”
“Iryela had mentioned that she thought that you might get a very small bequest. That’s why I didn’t mention it. She emphasized that it was very small, and I’d thought it might be something like fifty or a hundred golds. I didn’t say anything because she said she wasn’t sure.”
Seliora laughed softly. “Small means something very different to her.”
“Every time I deal with High Holders, it seems as though I’m reminded of that.”
“What will we do with it?”
“Put it in the Banque D’Excelsis in your name. It has to stay in your name. Talk to your mother and grandmother. Then we’ll discuss it. Some of it should go for private tutors for Diestrya if she turns out not to be an imager, although that’s not likely.”
Seliora’s mouth dropped open. “Do you think she will be? You’ve never said that before.”
“If you weren’t from a Pharsi background, I’d say it was unlikely, but with an imager father and a Pharsi mother, Kahlasa told me years ago that there are two chances in three for a daughter to be an imager. If both the mother and father are imagers, it’s two in three for a boy, and almost always for a girl. I could be wrong, but I have the feeling that Diestrya will show up with the ability.”
“Kahlasa has always known that Klaustya will be an imager?”
I nodded. “It may not show up for a time, but she will be.”
“She knew that before she had her daughter?”
“She said she felt that it was a gift she had to pass on, like the Pharsi heritage.” Kahlasa hadn’t compared it to the Pharsi heritage, but her words had held the same import.
“Do you know why Suyrien made the bequest?”
“I can only guess. He never talked to me. Iryela said that he once mentioned that he owed Kandryl’s happiness to us.”
“So…it’s a thank-you of sorts.”
“That’s my guess, but it’s only a guess.”
Seliora tilted her head slightly. “I’m not sure how I feel about that…but that will relieve Mama. She’s always worried about the future.”
“NordEste Design is doing better than ever, you said.”
“Pharsis never stop worrying. We may try to live for the day, but we plan endlessly for the morrow.” She smiled warmly at me. “You know that.”
I did indeed.
67
Vendrei morning found me in Maitre Dyana’s study by half-past eighth glass. She wore a gray and silver scarf trimmed in black, and again there were dark circles under her eyes.
“What do you intend to get out of this meeting with Valeun and Geuffryt? Unless there’s something I missed, you still don’t have much hard evidence to prove what we all know Geuffryt’s been doing.”
“I do have an interesting note that I have every reason to believe is in his handwriting, if somewhat disguised. It’s a warning to Vyktor that I’ll be looking into his operations, and dear late Vyktor was kind enough to add the date of receipt, as pointed out by Commander Artois.”
“Artois’s seen the note, then?”
“He’s the one who found it, but he doesn’t know the writer, and I didn’t tell him.”
“Geuffryt will deny it’s his writing.”
“I’m certain he will, but I intend to present all the evidence to the two of them and ask them exactly what they intend to do. Their reaction will be most illuminating.”
Dyana shook her head. “Are you fully recovered?”
“I have full shields, but I trust it won’t come to that.” And it wouldn’t, if things worked out the way I’d arranged them. That was something that Maitre Poincaryt had stressed-never have a meeting unless you had set it up so that events transpired the way you intended.
“You sound like Dichartyn again.”
I just shrugged.
“I’ll be here until late. Let me know when you get back.”
That-and the fact that she didn’t ask for details-told me that she was worried…and that she didn’t have any better ideas. “I will.”
I kept myself busy for the rest of the morning and the midday meal, and then returned to my study where I organized everything-and re-organized it-for the meeting at the Naval Command.
At two quints before second glass, I slipped the loaded sidearm in its holster into the larger inside pocket of my waistcoat, then donned my recently cleaned winter cloak. After that, I picked up the leather folder that contained what evidence I had, all of it indirect, but certainly more than suggestive. There was also a blank notecard on top, as close a match as I’d been able to find to the one that held the short message signed with the “L.”
With all my preparations made, I left my study and walked through the chill and windy afternoon across the quadrangle to the duty coach station on the west side of Imagisle. Once I reached the Naval Command building, I had to wait for an escort, and then cool my boots some more in the anteroom outside Valeun’s study. I didn’t see Geuffryt, and that led me to believe that he was already inside talking with the Sea-Marshal.
A small bell chimed, and the clerk-rating at the desk in the anteroom rose. “Maitre?” He stepped forward and opened the study door.
I rose, leaving my winter cloak on the chair beside the one where I’d been waiting, and walked through the door into the Sea-Marshal’s capacious study. Through the windows, I could see the same gray clouds that had hung over L’Excelsis for the past two days.
Valeun was seated behind his desk, with Geuffryt seated on the left. Neither rose as I entered the chamber.
I waited until the door closed before speaking. “Good afternoon, Sea-Marshal,” I said, adding, “Geuffryt,” as if as an afterthought. I took the chair to the right of Geuffryt, setting the leather folder on the desk before me and moving my chair forward so that I could reach it, and the materials in it, easily.
“You requested this meeting, and the Collegium insisted that it was urgent. Quite urgent.” Valeun’s voice was smooth, calm, and modulated. His eyes were cold.
So were Geuffryt’s.
That didn’t bother me.
“It’s very urgent.” I smiled. “I don’t tell anyone something is urgent unless it is.” I reached forward and eased back the leather flap that protected the contents of the folder. Then I paused. “Oh…I do have a request, a very small request. Before we begin, would you write your name and the word ‘visit’ on this piece of paper, Geuffryt?” I leaned forward and eased the pen stand away from the end of Valeun’s blotter, then slipped the blank notecard onto the desk.
“What does that have to do with anything?” asked Valeun.
“Oh, it’s just a way of making certain of the relevance of what’s here in the folder.” I smiled again, waiting.
“Why not? We might as well get on with what ever you and the Collegium have in mind.” Geuffryt’s tone was arrogantly dismissive. He leaned forward and extracted the pen, writing the single word and then signing his name below, before sliding the card across the polished wood to me.
“Thank you.” I replaced the pen stand before picking up the card and blowing on the ink lightly until it was dry. Then I looked at what he had written and nodded. Superficially, the script was different from the note in my leather, but I could see that there were certain similarities that could not be totally disguised. Again…not quite enough proof, except for me.
“Now…” I drew the word out. “I briefed Sea-Marshal Valeun on the materials which strongly suggest that Assistant Sea-Marshal Geuffryt had a part in the bombardment of Imagisle.” I turned to Geuffryt.
He didn’t look surprised, but he didn’t say anything.
“From your reaction, I can assume that he has at least summarized the findings.”
“There’s absolutely nothing there,” replied Geuffryt offhandedly.
I had to admire his ability to dismiss the matter, but I just smiled. “Oh…I disagree strongly, and so does Maitre Dyana, and so will the Council, es
pecially when combined with the documents that Commander Artois and the Civic Patrol discovered in the building that the latest Ferran agent to be discovered exploded around me.” I touched the folder. “It truly is amazing how far the Ferrans penetrated into Solidar and even into L’Excelsis itself. The subcommander of the Civic Patrol vanished the night these documents came to light, as it were.”
“What are these documents?” asked Valeun, not quite idly.
“There was the note for twenty-five thousand golds to the late Councilor Glendyl, another for ten thousand golds to Factor Broussard. Then there were all the payments to the two Ferran front organizations, Mahrun Barge and Cartage and Cholan Freight and Transport, and we’ve verified that they shipped the explosives they stole from the depot to various points across Solidar.” I smiled again. “Some of these operations had been running for at least four years. This does bring up the question of how a handful of imagers could discover all these connections in a few weeks when Naval Intelligence apparently was unable to discover them.”
“You are the one with the answers, Maitre Rhennthyl, pray tell us.” Valeun’s voice remained calm.
“In a moment. In addition to those, of course, was the hidden chest with over four thousand Ferran-minted golds in it.”
That brought a momentary frown to Valeun’s otherwise placidly smooth forehead.
“Oh…I’m not under any illusions, Marshal. I have no doubts that Naval Intelligence knew about much of this for some time. In fact, I have a note in the folder here, initialed and dated, that proves just that, and, in fact…”
I coughed and bent forward, easing the sidearm out of my waistcoat even as I extended light shields against all four walls of the room for long enough to do what I needed to prepare. That didn’t affect the light inside, just the ability of anyone to observe, since I was going under the assumption that someone might be watching. “You see, Geuffryt,” I said, straightening, but keeping the weapon concealed, beneath the level of the desk and on the side away from Geuffryt, “the Sea-Marshal knows you used your position to strike against the Collegium, but he’s covered up for you.”
“Oh, you can’t-
At that moment, I raised the sidearm and fired.
The single shot-aimed by imaging-went through Valeun’s forehead, as I dropped the light shields.
Geuffryt gaped and started to lunge from his chair toward me.
That was long enough for me to image pitricin into his brain and fire the pistol into the floor. As soon as he hit the carpet, between the chairs, I knelt and placed the weapon in his fingers, and let them release it. I checked to make sure he didn’t have a sidearm, but he didn’t. I hadn’t thought he would, because they weren’t worn inside the Naval Command or in non-combat situations, but it was best to make sure.
Then I straightened, and imaged the traces of powder off my grays and onto his sleeves while calling, “Help! The Marshal’s been shot!” I also dropped the light shields and rushed around the desk to where Valeun lay back in his heavy chair.
The door opened, and the clerk-rating and a guard armed with the same kind of pistol I-or Geuffryt-had used rushed in. Behind them came a smooth-faced junior commander, most likely the officer detailed to observe from hiding.
“Marshal Geuffryt…he shot the Sea-Marshal.” I tried to look bewildered before pulling myself together. “I didn’t think he’d react like that.”
The two ratings looked blankly at me. That was fine. The commander’s eyes were narrowed and wary.
“Is the Deputy Sea-Marshal around?”
“Ah…” The clerk-rating gaped.
“If he is, summon him at once.”
The commander nodded to the clerk-rating, who hurried off.
I stepped away from Valeun’s body, but I kept holding full shields.
The commander stepped forward.
“What is it, Commander?” I asked politely.
He started to speak, then shook his head. “Nothing, sir. This…it was so unexpected.”
I shook my head in return. “Treachery always outs, and it’s never pleasant when that happens.” Then I looked squarely at him.
“No, sir.” He straightened.
Neither of us, nor the guard, spoke after that, not until Deputy Sea-Marshal Caellynd hurried into the study. His eyes took in the scene. Then he looked to the guard. “You can leave. Close the door.”
“Yes, sir.”
Once the door shut, Caellynd turned to me. He was obviously surprised, if not totally shocked.
“What happened?”
“I came to present evidence that Geuffryt was involved with the Ferrans and particularly with the bombardment of Imagisle. The Sea-Marshal had seen some of the evidence earlier, but he was not convinced, perhaps because he could not believe a trusted high Navy officer was involved. When I began to mention a note found in the ruins of the Ferran agent’s building, Geuffryt shot Valeun and then turned the gun on me. I was so surprised that I stopped him with imaging. The gun went off anyway. If I’d had a moment longer…but he was standing so close to me that if he’d actually fired, my shields wouldn’t have been that effective.”
Caellynd gestured to the commander. “Is that correct?”
“Sir…”
“The Maitre’s not ignorant, Commander. He has to know you were watching or listening.”
“Yes, sir. The conversation was exactly the way the Maitre reported it. The shot happened so quickly I only saw the Sea-Marshal jerk back and the other two move the way the Maitre said.”
Caellynd nodded. “You may go. Before you do anything else, write up exactly what you saw and heard.”
“Yes, sir.”
After the commander departed, and the door closed behind him, Caellynd asked, “Why do you think Geuffryt reacted as he did?”
“I can only surmise. It could be that the Marshal had told him of the previous evidence, and that he didn’t believe it was sufficient to implicate him. The Sea-Marshal had declined to act unless the Collegium could provide more proof. You may have heard, on Lundi, a building exploded around me. That building housed a Ferran agent, and the Civic Patrol found more information linking him to the explosions. They also found a note warning this Vyktor that I was looking into his operations. The handwriting was disguised to some degree, but too many letters looked like Geuffryt’s, and when I started to bring this latest evidence out, Geuffryt shot the Marshal and tried to shoot me at close range. He knew that imager shields aren’t nearly so effective close to a weapon.”
“You have all this evidence?” Caellynd’s voice was skeptical.
“Most of it’s in that folder.” I nodded toward the desk. “Some of the background is not, but you can certainly check that yourself if you have doubts.” I went on to explain about the barges, and about the funds transfers with the Banque D’Rivages, and the forged documents. Then I let him take his time going through what I had brought.
After looking through the materials, Caellynd looked up. “I can see why you reached the conclusions you did. It’s unavoidable. There’s one thing that puzzles me. I can see the resemblance in the handwriting of the note, but the initial isn’t his.”
“It is. Had his father lived and held on to his holding, Geuffryt might well have been High Holder Laevoryn.” At least, after he’d removed his older brother, which I had no doubts he would have tried. “That’s one reason for his actions. He felt that the High Holders and the Collegium were the reason why he and his family lost everything. He’s taken other actions against High Holders in the past.”
“Such as?”
I shook my head. “They didn’t happen recently, and they’re not relevant here. Unearthing them now would only hurt innocents.”
“Will you leave that evidence?”
“No. You may view it any time you wish. If you wish to go over it now, I’ll wait. Or if you want to have anyone copy from it, I’ll be happy to wait as well.”
Caellynd nodded slowly. “Given what I’ve heard and seen,
I can see your reluctance to part with it. I can’t blame you. We will need to copy parts of it, especially the barge lease contract details.”
All in all, I was at the Naval Command for more than a glass before I was finally able to return to the duty coach and begin the ride back to Imagisle.
Maitre Dyana was indeed waiting, even though I didn’t get back to the Collegium until two quints past fifth glass.
“What happened?” Her words were cool.
“I offered the evidence. Geuffryt denied it. Then he shot Valeun in the forehead and tried to shoot me. He was less than a yard away. I imaged pitricin into his brain. His shot hit the carpet.”
“His study was doubtless under observation.”
“A junior commander observed almost everything. His report verified what I told you. Deputy Sea-Marshal Caellynd went over everything with both the commander and me. After that, I presented the evidence to Deputy Sea-Marshal Caellynd, and he went over it thoroughly. He decided that there was no way to hush up everything, but that he would make a statement that apparently Geuffryt shot the Marshal when he realized that his personal ties to a Ferran banker and agent would be revealed and that he would have been demoted and dismissed.”
“What about the Civic Patrol?”
“They don’t come into it. The Naval Command is a military establishment. They handle their own offenses. In the cases of capital crimes tried by court martial, cases can be appealed to the high justiciary.”
“Maitre Dichartyn would be proud of you,” she said.
“No. He’d have been telling me there was another way. There probably was, but I couldn’t find it, and we were running out of time. Besides, the Navy doesn’t need to reveal what Geuffryt really did. They’d never get the ships they need, not for years, and it would be years before the suspicions settled down. Caellynd is the kind of Sea-Marshal all the senior officers want and the kind that the Council can deal with.”
Imager’s Intrigue ip-3 Page 55