Shaul had been awakened as soon as the baron had arrived. Washed and dressed in the black-and-gold livery, he appeared shortly after being summoned, standing at attention until Peto asked him to sit down.
'Your letters were as informative as I'd hoped,' Peto commented. 'I do need to ask a question, however. In your opinion, how did my wife govern in my absence?'
Shaul's eyes had been fixed on his master's. Now they shifted uneasily to focus on a crystal vase above the mantle. 'I hardly know how to answer.'
'Look at me and answer honestly. That's all I demand, and I expect you to obey.'
Harsh words, gently spoken. Shaul tried to meet the baron's eyes, but failed again, not because he intended to lie but because he did not want to see the baron's expression when he told the truth.
'She governs by extremes, Baron. You will see dramatic changes in the castle. There are oil lamps in all the halls, a mosaic floor and crystal chandeliers in the great hall. There is also a bathing room in your chambers as there are in hers and Lord Jorani's with the hot water pumped from the kitchen as it is at home. She managed the changes in record time.'
'She relished the hot baths at Shadow Castle. I'd expect her to be eager to have that work completed,' Peto remarked.
'The mason overseeing the pipe fitting seemed to have had a huge opinion of himself and little inclination to finish on schedule. The baroness imprisoned his son. if he hadn't finished at the time he'd agreed to, she would have beheaded the boy.'
'He finished on schedule, I presume.'
'Three days early. She gave him three gold pieces for his diligence.'
'Said diligence was hardly unexpected,' Peto commented. He might not approve of Ilsabet's methods but they were certainly effective. 'How do the people accept her?' he asked.
'The merchants and guildsmen love her because of the amount of money she has spent, the nobles because she shared the taxes on the merchants with them. The farmers and peasants go about their business without comment, as they do everywhere. The rebels and outlaws are quieter since we captured and imprisoned two dozen of their men, but I wrote you about that.'
'Of course. Are they still in the castle?'
'Ten are. Three of the outlaws were recently executed as a reprisal for a raid on a caravan heading for Sundell. Five were found dead in their cells. Since they didn't die at the same time, we suspect plague rather than poison. Fortunately, the plague doesn't seem contagious. No one has died for over a week…'
Plague! Peto thought. Alarmed, he decided to move his child to the healthy climate of Sundell as soon after the delivery as possible.
'Six simply disappeared one at a time,' Shaul continued. 'Since everyone in this country seems related, I suspect that one of the Kislovan guards helped the men escape.'
'I understand that some of the men's families have asked the guards to search for them.'
'The search would be far easier to justify if we thought that the man wanted to be found, Baron,' Shaul replied.
Peto considered what he'd learned earlier that night in Pirie. Over four dozen sheep had been killed in the last few months, their throats torn open. Three men had disappeared. The Pirie gathering blamed cats, goblins, werewolves, vampires, even the ghoulish remains of the dead rebel forces for the killings.
Cats had never been known to kill grown men. As for the goblins, Peto had seen-and smelled! — them often enough to know they weren't in the area. Peto discounted the other theories. Any sane man would.
'Send out a search party tomorrow,' Peto ordered.
'You're contradicting Baroness Ilsabet's order?' Shaul asked carefully.
Shaul was right. Peto couldn't give the governing of Kislova over to his wife then return and not even consult with her before taking his rightful place as its ruler. 'Thank you for reminding me. I'll meet with her first,' he said. 'How were the outlaws executed?'
'They were burned at the stake just outside the castle walls. All the men of Pirie were ordered to attend.' Shaul forced himself to continue, 'I understand that such executions are common in this land, but I have never seen such a barbaric sight. You asked for my candor, and I give it. I don't think public tortures are fitting. The baroness may rule, but she does so in the name of Sundell.'
'Thank you, Shaui. Is there anything else to report?'
'Only that she's adopted another Sundell custom. She has established her own company of private guards, the members pulled from the ranks of the Kislovan soldiers.'
'A wise move. Is that all?'
Shaul hesitated, then added, 'Their leader frightens me. I've never felt this way about a man before, but it's true. Arman never raises his voice to his men, yet they obey him without question. And his loyalty to the baroness is unwavering.'
Peto chuckled to hide his concern. 'She chose well,' he said. 'If you've nothing to add, go back to bed. We'll speak more tomorrow.'
After Shaul had gone, Peto undressed, then went into the new addition to his rooms. The tub was large, the wood enclosing it beautifully carved and polished. The pipes were crude and stuck straight out of the wall with carved letters on the wall labeling hot and cold. A few blows to them resulted in a flow of hot water and soon after he lay in the tub, reveling in a luxury he hadn't expected to find here so soon. And she'd paid the man extra for finishing the work early. He found her tactic almost amusing.
In the morning, after a servant brought a plate of fruit and fresh-baked bread, Peto sent for his wife. She came just as he was finishing his meal, a red velvet dressing gown wrapped tightly around her body to keep out the chill. Though she was huge with child, her features were as exquisitely beautiful as before, even more so it seemed because she had a serenity and confidence about her that he'd never seen before.
He made her sit down, poured her tea, then sat across from her, listening while she described her months alone in the castle. Her description of events matched his lieutenant's. When he asked why she hadn't sent out a search party to look for the missing rebel prisoners, she grew defensive. 'They disappeared from their cells in the middle of the night, one by one as if intending to make me look like a fool. I won't add to their ridicule by sending my men out looking for them. Besides, it's only three miles to Pine. If something happened to the men, and we find even one body half-eaten by cats, the rumors will only increase.'
'The villagers mentioned werewolves and vampires, as I recall.' He'd intended the comment to be humorous.
Ilsabet didn't smile. 'Superstitious fools!' she said. 'Give in to their foolish beliefs now, and they'll be sharpening stakes tomorrow.'
'They've reason to be concerned though.'
'Cats killed a few sheep. It happens.'
'Fifty-three sheep represent a sizable loss to farmers looking forward to the high prices they'd get for wool in Sundell.'
'So many?' Ilsabet frowned. 'I had no idea. I've some good hunters in my guard. I'll send out a few with orders to track and destroy the cats.'
Jorani settled into his tower room. As soon as the servants finished unpacking his clothes and the books he'd brought from Shadow Castle, he bolted the door and went down the narrow stairs to his private room.
His supply of candles and lamp oil had been depleted. The spider lay content in the center of her web. The ants had continued to expand their tunnels. Ilsabet had cared diligently for his pets. From the lack of dust on his books, he was certain she'd also been studying. In the center of the table, no doubt set out for him to read, was the black book on raising the dead.
What a strange creature she was, with her fragile looks and unforgiving nature. Whenever he saw one of the Sundell soldiers riding out on patrol with a bit of his sweetheart's lace tied to his leather gauntlet, he thought of Ilsabet.
A rustling in the passage to the dungeons drew his attention from the book. He looked toward the dark door, expecting Ilsabet to join him. Instead, a gaunt young man stepped from the darkness into the dim lamplight. From the way he'd traveled the passage without benefit of light, Jorani guessed that he'd walked it many times. Then he saw the man's eyes, dark, intense with hunger. As calmly as he was able, Jorani backed away, toward the hanging
