Ambition and Alavidha (26 page)

: That is a
stupid way to hunt. How can one creep up on prey if one is making a
noise? And Thalia? :

: Yes? :

: What is a
fox? :

Thalia sighed
and proceeded to explain.

* * * * *

-31-

NORTHERN ARGYLL
– SOUTH OF THE CARAVAN ROUTE

“Merchant
Drellor was really helpful, wasn’t he?” was Thalia’s rhetorical
question as she, Daniel, Josei and Vya left the caravan route, “he
even knew where the two of them were going.”

“It is his
business to know,” said Daniel.

“Lucky the
jewellery merchant slipped up and told Drellor he was going to
Farquharstown and all that.”

“And if it
wasn’t a slip up, what then?” Daniel asked.

“That he was
laying a false trail?”

“Exactly. Jason
Whiteman is probably not his real name either.”

“But we are
following his trail, false name or no.”

“But I bet you
a thousand crowns that it doesn’t lead to Farquharstown. I vote
that we ask around as we go. People in small villages notice
strangers and travellers.”

“Inns would be
likely places,” Thalia suggested.

“And I never
thought of you as a drinking kind of girl!”

“Only in the
line of duty,” she retorted in a flash.

* * * * *

-32-

THE VILLAGE OF
STANTON - ARGYLL

“Last harvest
time it was, one just like you’ve described, yes, he was here.
Asked the way to Chadwick Smallhide’s place.”

“Chadwick
Smallhide?”

“Owns a farm a
ways to the south of here, along the narrow cart way.”

“What’s he like
this Chadwick Smallhide?” asked Thalia.

“Strange sort
of fellow,” answered the old man, sipping his ale. “Keeps much to
himself. Funny thing is though, he’s either doing very well for
himself or very badly. One year he’s got coin to splash about,
farm’s well stocked then the next, well not so good. Been like it
is a couple of year now, bit run-down like. It’ll get better
though, always does.”

Daniel gave
Thalia a significant look.

“Is he there
now?”

“Heard he’d
gone off, Farquharstown I think, least that’s what his housekeeper
told me yesterday. Was market day see and she was here. We’re
cousins of a sort and she always pops in to see how I’m getting
on.”

* * * * *

THE FARM OF
CHAD SMALLHIDE - STANTON - ARGYLL

The farmyard
looked like any other farmyard of any other middle sized farm in
Argyll Thalia had visited. It appeared better and more prosperous
than many, despite what the old man had told them.

“Let me ask the
questions,” she said to Daniel as they dismounted.

“Quite a crowd
gathering.”

“Usually is
when Vada come a-visiting,” she said, trying to look and sound
nonchalant. “Even these days, many dream of becoming vadeln.
Suspicion hasn’t reached many of these more rural areas, yet. We’re
still welcome.” By now Thalia had shared some of her worries about
the relationship between Argyll and Vadath with Daniel. “Youngsters
still dream about meeting their Lind partner. I know I did.”

An efficient
looking woman was bustling towards them, a wide smile on her open
face.

Daniel busied
himself with Vya’s harness.

“Good day,”
said the woman to Thalia. “What can I do for you? Food? Water?”

“Water, yes,”
she answered, “our Lind are thirsty.”

“Well is over
there,” the woman, continuing to smile and pointing, “you sure I
can’t get you anything to eat? Bread’s not long out of the
oven.”

“Well,” Thalia
responded, pretending to consider, but failing, the thought of new
baked bread was too much to resist, “that would be very kind of you
if you can spare a bit. Travel rations can be a bit monotonous.” It
wasn’t a lie, they
were
. She turned to Daniel, “go with
Josei and Vya to the well, I’ll be back in a bit.”

Daniel nodded
and went with the two Lind to the well where he began drawing up a
pail of fresh water.

Thalia
accompanied their benefactress inside the farmhouse.

“A well run
farm you have here,” she complimented her.

“Oh, it’s not
mine dear,” the woman answered, “I’m just the housekeeper. Master’s
name is Mr Smallhide. He’ll be that sorry not to have been here
when you called. Don’t get many Lind visiting this far inland.”

“Where?” Thalia
began.

“Where is the
Master?”

Thalia nodded,
her mouth being too full of fresh baked bread to speak (a thick
buttered slice had been thrust into her hand as soon as she had
entered the kitchen).

“Gone to
Farquharstown on business. Expecting him home any day now.”

Thalia wanted
to ask what sort of business this Master Smallhide was engaged in
but didn’t know quite how to phrase it. There was no need. Mrs
Mellon, for that was the housekeeper’s name, was a talkative
person, chatter was her middle name as she informed her guest and
she told Thalia what she knew.

“Goodness knows
why he’s gone there. Grain markets long finished and cattle market,
it’s not until the month after next. They pays the best prices down
there, least that's what Master tells me,” she added.

“Better than in
Stewarton? It’s further away?” Thalia prompted.

“Master knows
best,” she replied in a decided manner, “he’s not short of a bob or
two neither. What brings you to Stanton?”

Thalia and
Daniel had prepared a story about how they were returning from
leave after a visit to see her parents and she recounted it
again.

“Holidays are
always over too soon mores the pity,” Mrs Mellon agreed, happily
wrapping up two loaves in baking cloths ready for Thalia to take
with her. “There, there you are love, they’ll keep fresh for a
while as long as you don’t let the air in.”

“Thank you very
much,” said the grateful Thalia, accepting the gift. “You are very
kind.” She knew better than to offer coin in exchange having seen
Mrs Mellon’s face when her hand had strayed to her belt pouch.

“I knows my
duty same as most in these parts,” Mrs Mellon smiled, “it’s a shame
Master is away Miss and after him been gone for so long last time
too. Why, he was hardly back and there he was, away again!”

“He was gone
for a long time the last time he was away?” asked Thalia, trying to
make her question casual, as if she was only making small-talk.

“Most of the
summer, why, we were beginning to wonder that he had met with an
accident! Never been away for so long before, but he was in a right
good humour when he did get back. Said his trip had gone well.”

“Did he have a
box with him?” asked Thalia, “about this long?”

“Why young
Miss, he did at that! I noticed it specially when he left for
Farquharstown. How did you know?”

“I think we
might have seen him on the road,” lied Thalia.

Mrs Mellon
sounded relieved.

“He’ll be right
sorry he missed you,” she said again.

Josei’s comment
said it all.

: Bingo! :

: Tell Daniel
to mount up. We’re going to Farquharstown and we’re not going to
dawdle about it. Ready for a run? :

: With you?
Always! :

* * * * *

Out of the
corner of one eye Thalia saw a little kitchen boy lurking around,
listening.

She frowned but
said nothing as Josei followed Daniel and Vya out through the
gate.

* * * * *

THE ROAD FROM
STANTON TO FARQUHARSTOWN - ARGYLL

“Something’s
niggling at me,” Thalia mentioned over supper that evening. “We’re
missing something, something important. Don’t you think it strange
that after keeping to the shadows suddenly everyone remembers that
Chad Smallhide has passed by?”

“No need to
keep his presence a secret any more?” ventured Daniel.

“No, it’s more
than that, it’s as if he wants us to find him now. I say, I wonder
if the Chad Smallhide we’re following is the real Chad Smallhide.
What if he’s paid someone to impersonate him?”

It hit her with
a stab of recognition. She bit into a large slice of buttered bread
and almost choked. The little kitchen boy had borne a remarkable
resemblance to the dirty, tousled little boy the Gtrathlin and the
other Lind had described lucking about the cave.

“We have to go
back to Stanton,” she exclaimed.

* * * * *

THE FARM OF
CHAD SMALLHIDE - STANTON - ARGYLL

Next morning
they entered the farmyard again. A surprised Mrs Mellon met Thalia
at the kitchen door, wiping her hands on her apron.

“Vadeln,” she
greeted Thalia, “is there something wrong? Don’t say you liked my
bread so much you’ve come back for more?”

This time
Thalia did not dismount.

“There was a
boy,” she told her, “I saw him when I was here, in the kitchen. May
I speak to him?”

“That little
varmint? Well, he’s gone. Ran off yesterday, without telling.”

“Gone? Any idea
where? Does he have family nearby?” asked Thalia, her heart
sinking. Were they too late?

Mrs Mellon
shook her head. “He wasn’t here long. Master brought him back with
him after his trip. The boy seemed willing enough but never said
much. Never spoke about his family.”

“What was his
name?”

“Called himself
Wil but I don’t think that was his real name. Was a mite slow
answering to it the first day or two. I thought he’d run away from
home and the Master had found him, felt sorry for him.” She
bristled. “Little varmint stole food when he went too, one of my
best new-cured kura joints and a whole round of cheese. What the
Master will say I don’t know.”

“Has Mr
Smallhide not returned then?” asked Thalia.

“No he hasn’t
Vadeln and I’ll admit I’m beginning to worry. Was expecting him
back by now. Today at the very latest. I don’t expect you saw him
on your way back?”

“I’m afraid
not.”

“And why
are
you back here?”

Thalia had to
think very fast to get out of that one!

* * * * *

“So where has
the boy gone?” queried Daniel as they waited for Vya and Josei to
lap their fill from the well-bucket again. Josei told Thalia that
the water was very clear and pure and refused to leave until his
thirst was quenched. He also insisted they empty their water
bottles and refill them from the well.

A young girl
was lingering around, watching the four of them with wide-eyed
envy.

“You looking
for Wil?” she asked.

Thalia looked
up.

“Yes we are,”
she answered.

“I saw him,”
she offered, “least I think it were him. He was heading that way.”
She pointed north-east.

“My thanks,”
said Daniel, tossing her a small silver coin. The girl’s eyes
nearly popped out of her head as she had caught it, why it was a
fortune! She smiled her thanks and pocketed it.

“He was odd,”
she added, “never talked to us. Thought he was too good for the
likes of us.” She snorted, adding, “and him working in the kitchen
and all.
I
work in the sewing room. Good riddance he’s gone
I say.”

After making
this comment, she smiled a shy smile in Daniel’s direction and sped
away.

Thalia and
Daniel looked at each other then at Vya and Josei.

“North-east it
is,” said Vya.

* * * * *

-33-

THE NORTH
CARAVAN ROUTE - ARGYLL

“Do you hear
something?” whispered Thalia to Daniel as Josei stopped
running.

Daniel hadn’t
expected Vya to halt. He hadn’t the advantage of instant telepathic
thought as had Thalia and Josei. Vya stopped so fast that Daniel
banged his nose on her neck again. It began to bleed … again.

“What?” he
asked, placing his kerchief to his nose in an attempt to stem the
blood.

“Trouble,”
declared Thalia, Placing her helm on her head. Daniel heard the
hiss of steel as she drew her sword.

He loosened the
hilt-guard of his own, borrowed sword. It was a Vada rapier and he
wondered, not for the first time, if he would be able to use it
effectively alindback. He wasn’t really used to either its length
or its weight despite the instruction Thalia had been giving him
every evening.

“Listen.”

Daniel strained
his ears and thought he just might be hearing some faint sounds
that might represent some sort of a scuffle in the undergrowth.

“Josei and Vya
hear it,” Thalia whispered, “they say it belongs to humans
fighting.”

“Out here?
Chadwick?”

“Doesn’t matter
who,” she informed him. “Me and Josei are Vada. We have a duty to
keep the peace. This area of Argyll isn’t known as the safest.
There have been reports of brigands and of honest travellers being
set upon on the road.”

“Highwaymen?”
he queried with growing excitement.

“Highwayman is
a romanticised term for thief, murderer or brigand.”

Josei was
edging forward, his paws making little sound on the
undergrowth.

“Let’s go.”

He nodded and
the four edged forward to where the sounds were coming from,
picking up silent speed as they went.

: Two men
:
Josei telepathed to Thalia
: I can hear beating of bushes.
They are hunting for someone. They are angry :

“Take us
there,” whispered Thalia, holding tight to her sword and Josei
quickened his steps. Vya followed, Daniel copying Thalia’s actions.
He might not be able to ‘hear’ Vya but he realised that his
companions had committed themselves to the fight.