was setting out dishes on a small table beside Burrich's chair. The sight of her there rattled me, and I stared at her. When I turned to Burrich, I found him watching me.
'I thought you were alone,' I said lamely.
Burrich regarded me owlishly. He had made inroads on his bottle of brandy. 'I thought I would be,' he said gravely. As ever, he held his spirits well, but Molly was not deceived. Her lips were set in a thin line. She continued with her duties, ignoring me. Instead she spoke to Burrich.
'I shall not disturb you long. Lady Patience sent me to see that you had hot food, for you ate little this morning. I shall be leaving as soon as I have set out his meal.'
'And taking my thanks with you,' Burrich added. His eyes went from me to Molly, sensing the awkwardness, and also her displeasure with him. He attempted an apology. 'I have had a harsh journey, mistress, and my injury gives me some pain. I hope I have not given offense.'
'It is not my place to take offense at anything you wish to do, sir,' she replied. She finished setting out the food she had brought. 'Is there anything else I can do for you to make you comfortable?' she asked. There was courtesy in her voice, no more than that. She did not look at me at all.
'You could accept my thanks. Not just for the food, but also for the candles that freshened my chamber. I understand they are your handiwork.'
I saw her thaw slightly. 'Lady Patience asked me to bring them here. I was happy to oblige her.'
'I see.' The next words he spoke cost him more. 'Then please extend my thanks to her. And to Lacey as well, I am sure.'
'I shall. There is nothing more that you need, then? I have errands in Buckkeep Town for Lady Patience. She told me that if there was anything you required from town, I should fetch it for you.'
'Nothing. But it was kind of her to think of it. Thank you.'
'You are welcome, sir.' And Molly, empty basket on her arm, marched out past me as if I were not even there.
Burrich and I were left regarding one another. I glanced after Molly, then tried to put her out of my mind. 'It's not just the stables,' I told him, and briefly reported what I had seen in the barns and warehouses.
'I could have told you a bit of that,' he said gruffly. He looked at the food Molly had brought, then poured himself more brandy. 'As we came down the Buck River road there were rumors and tidings. Some said Regal sold the beasts and grain off to fund the defense of the coasts. Others that he sent the breeding stock inland to safer pastures in Tilth.' He drank his brandy down. 'The best of the horses are gone. I saw that at a glance when I came back. In ten years, I might breed stock up again to the quality of what we had. But, I doubt it.' He poured again. 'There's my life's work gone, Fitz. A man likes to think he'll leave his touch on the world somewhere. The horses I had brought together here, the bloodlines I was establishing — gone now, scattered throughout the Six Duchies. Oh, not that they won't improve anything they're bred to. But I'll never see what would have come if I'd been allowed to continue. Steady will be studding rangy Tilth mares, no doubt. And when Ember drops her next foal, whoever rubs it off will think it just another horse. For six generations, I've been waiting for just that foal. They'll take the finest coursing horse that's ever been foaled and hook it to a plow.'
There was nothing to say about that. I feared it was all true. 'Eat something,' I suggested. 'How's your leg now?'
He lifted the blanket to inspect it casually. 'Still there, anyway. I suppose I should be grateful for that. And better than it was this morning. The devil's-club did draw out the infection. Chicken-brained as she is, the woman still knows her herbs.'
I did not need to ask to whom he referred. 'Are you going to eat?' I prodded.
He set down his cup and took up a spoon. He tasted the soup Molly had set out, grudgingly nodded his approval. 'So,' he observed between bites, 'that was the girl. Molly.'
I nodded.
'Seemed a bit cool with you today.'
'A bit,' I said dryly.
Burrich grinned. 'You're as testy as she was. I imagine Patience did not speak well of me to her.'
'She doesn't like drunks,' I told him bluntly. 'Her father drank himself to death. But before he finished the job, he managed to make her life unpleasant for years. Beating her when she was smaller. Railing and berating her when she got too big to beat.'
'Oh.' Burrich carefully refilled his cup. 'I'm sorry to hear that.'
'She was sorry to live it.'
He looked at me levelly. 'I did not do it, Fitz. Nor was I rude to her when she was here. I'm not even drunk. Not yet. So stuff your disapproval, and tell me what's been going on at Buckkeep while I was away.'
So I stood and reported to Burrich, just as if he had a right to demand it. In a way, I suppose he did. He ate as I spoke. When I was finished, he poured himself more brandy and leaned back in his chair, holding it. He swirled the brandy in the cup, looked down at it, then up at me. 'And Kettricken is with child, but neither the King nor Regal know of it yet.'
'I thought you were asleep.'
'I was. I half thought I'd dreamed that conversation. Well.' He downed the brandy. He sat up, swept the blanket off his leg. As I watched he deliberately bent his knee until the pulling flesh began to gap the wound open. I winced at the sight of it, but Burrich only looked thoughtful. He poured more brandy, drank it off. The bottle was half-gone. 'So. I'm going to have to splint the leg straight, if I'm going to keep that closed.' He glanced up at me. 'You know what I'll need. Will you fetch it for me?'
'I think you should stay off it for a day or so. Give it a chance to rest. You don't need a splint if you're in bed.'
He gave me a long look. 'Who guards Kettricken's door?'
'I don't think… I assume she has women who sleep in the outer chamber of her apartments.'
'You know he'll try to kill her and the unborn child, as soon as he finds out.'
'It's a secret still. If you start guarding her door, all will know.'
'By my count, five of us know. That's no secret, Fitz.'
'Six,' I admitted ruefully. 'The Fool surmised it some days ago.'
'Oh!' I had the satisfaction of seeing Burrich look shocked. 'Well, at least that's one tongue that won't go wagging. Still, as you see, it won't be secret long. Rumors will fly before the day's out, mark my words. I guard her door this night.'
'Must it be you? Can't you rest, and I will—'
'A man can die of failure, Fitz. Do you know that? Once, I told you, the fight isn't over until you've won. This' — and he gestured at his leg in disgust, — 'this will not be my excuse for giving up. Shame enough for me that my prince went on without me. I shall not fail him here. Besides' — he gave a bark of sour laughter — 'there's not enough in the stables now to keep both Hands and me busy. And the heart for it has gone out of me. Now. Will you go get the splint works?'
So I did, and took them back to him, and helped him smear the wound with his salve before we wrapped it well and splinted it. He cut a pair of old trousers to go over the splint, and I helped him down the stairs. Then, despite his words, he went to Ruddy's stall to see if his horse's arrow wound had been cleaned and doctored. I left him there and went back up to the Keep. I wanted to speak to Kettricken, to let her know there would be a man on guard on her door that night, and why.
I knocked at her chamber door and was admitted by Rosemary. The Queen was indeed there, and a selection of her ladies. Most were working embroidery or small lap looms as they talked. The Queen herself had her window opened to the mild winter day and was looking out over the calm sea with a frown. She reminded me of Verity when he Skilled, and I suspected that much the same worries plagued her. I followed her gaze, and wondered, like her, where the Red-Ships would strike today, and what was going on up in Bearns. Useless to wonder. Officially, there was no word at all from Bearns. The rumors were that the coasts ran red with blood.
'Rosemary. I wish a quiet word with Her Majesty.'
Rosemary nodded gravely and went over to curtsy to her queen. In a moment the Queen looked up, and with a nod and a gesture invited me to join her in her window seat. I greeted her quietly and gestured smilingly out over the water as if we chatted of the fine weather. But softly I said, 'Burrich wishes to guard your door,
