Lucy Wickshire

"Yes, father." he answered, going to the living room.

"You"ve got a guest." his father motioned to a woman sitting in their dining room, as they had no sitting room. He looked at her clean but simple demure and knew she was not n.o.bility. He walked towards her to see her better.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I"m Shilla. I have come with a message." she said, handing him an unmarked letter and a pouch. On opening it, Walter recognized the handwriting even though he had but seen it once. It was Her Ladyship"s. He needed no telling that the pouch was filled with gold.

Walter,

I"d advise against coming to see me for a while; some in school think

themselves wise these days. If something comes up, find the Earl of Morge

and the Lord of Merve. It would be best to avoid taking too much action

if it can be helped. The two are in my confidence. How you intend to

convince them to take you in theirs is up to you. My maid, Shilla

will collect what you have from Mr. Jodanham.

I trust you will not over do nor under do, but just as expected. Handle what I asked.

In trust,

Lucy Sharterux, d.u.c.h.ess of Wickshire

Walter looked at the woman before him. He wanted to ask about the goings in the school, but knew it was not his place. Feeling the weight on his shoulders double, he sighed and threw the letter into the burning stove.

"Wait a moment." he said, going into his room and taking out the doc.u.ment from under his bed. He returned and handed it to her. He would have been suspicious of the maid if Her Ladyship had not mentioned the doc.u.ment from Mr Jodanham. He was sure that only she would know of his orders.

"I will leave now." Shilla said, wasting no time to leave.

"A woman should not be roaming the night. What be in the letter, Walter and who was she?" his father asked from the corner.

"No one of importance" he said, going in to take his coat. It was going to be a cold night.

"Neither should a respectable man be roaming the night." his father rebuked.

"Something came up." he answered.

"No son of mine will roam the night. Tell me now, what be in that letter?! This work ends now. Only things of shame walk the night!" his father bellowed.

"I"m sorry Father, something"s come up. I must leave."

"Walter!"

"I will be long." he said, taking his leave. Though he understood his father"s fears, he could not let this opportunity pa.s.s him. He first made his way to a cart maker. Walking into the wood filled shop, he knew he still had time before he had to go over to Mr. Jodanham"s home.

"We"re closed for the night, Sir." the boy in the store told him.

"I need three carts for the night. How much will it cost?" he asked the boy.

"To buy will cost sixty copper, sir."

"Have three of them delivered to this address in half the full hour turn." he handed the boy a gold coin and the boy rushed to give him his change.

"Don"t forget and don"t be late either." he said and rode into the night.

If he calculated right, it would be quite some time before he"d be receiving instructions from Her Ladyship. Meaning this would be the best time for Mr. Jodanham to be receiving his night guests like he had said. And according to the man, one of the guests was Lord Morge. He had no reason to see the man if not that he felt he would need the help.

Tying his horse at the Jodanham home, he oriented his brain. All the lady said was that he could seek them if need be. He had no idea how to approach that gathering inside. What if there were too many dignitaries? He had no intention of making a scene. It would attract attention and people would start to wonder what gave him the nerve. He had never found himself in this situation before. Right then he could hear his mother"s voice, drumming to him instructions.

"When you find yourself doing something you don"t know, straighten your shoulder and keep a blank face and do it anyway. That"s what makes the difference between the n.o.ble and the common." Acting as if, he knocked on the door; his breathe so shallow, he could hardly hear himself breathe. The door opened to a familiar sneer.

"This is not a charity house, boy." The lanky butler said. Walter walked pa.s.sed him again towards the sitting room. Mr. Jodanham sat before three n.o.blemen and a lady.

He recognized the lady and one of the n.o.blemen to be the two he had encountered earlier in day. That meant one of the men was Lord Morge and he expected Lord Morge to know the Lord of Merve. Looking at the setting, he sighed inwardly. Mr. Jodanham sprang up immediately he saw Walter walk in.

"I am not ready yet." he said before he could register his own protest.

"Why do you look so fl.u.s.tered? I only but walked in." Walter said blankly.

"Must I do this now?" Mr. Jodanham said gesturing to his guests.

"Will you not introduce us, Mr. Jodanham? I"m yet to know who he is despite this being our second meeting." the n.o.bleman from the day asked Mr. Jodanham.

"I...I" Mr. Jodanham started to stutter. Walter knew Her Ladyship could instill fear in people. He knew that quite well. But he never truly understood Mr Jodanham"s fear. Was he that afraid of Her Ladyship? Something about this man made him frown. He felt this man had more to hide than most.

"I"m Lord Castledor. This is Lord Morge and to his right, Lord of Merve and if you may, Lady Steinhouse. You might be?" the n.o.bleman introduced.

"Call me Walter, Lord Castledor." he said turning his attention to the two other lords. Was this a joke? For some reason he was right at the place he needed to be. The two of them were right here.

"Lord Morge and Lord of Merve." he said as though thinking than greeting. He paused for a second that felt like an hour to Mr. Jodanham.

"An interesting party spoke of you two once." Walter said.

"Someone we might know?" Lord Castledor asked with a witty smile. The Lord of Merve and Lord Morge seemed uninterested in the conversation as they had yet to even spare Walter a glance.

"I doubt it, Lord Castledor." Lord Castledor took note that Walter refrained from referring to him as "my lord" but as "Lord Castledor."

"But Lord of Merve and Lord Morge might have an idea. After all, not many people forget meeting the very scary one." Walter said. Lord Morge and Lord of Merve finally looked up.

"Only very few people scare me, boy." Lord of Merve said.

"No. Only one person does." Walter said making the two men pause. As if seeing him in a new light, Lord Morge turned serious and the Lord of Merve cracked a smiled.

"Why are you here?" Lord Morge asked.

"Because you two are and I have to work soon and I was told you"d be interested in a bit of fun." Walter answered.

"I don"t think we have anything doing, do we, Lord Morge?" Lord of Merve said and Lord Morge nodded in agreement. Walter sighed inwardly and turned to Mr. Jodanham.

"I"ll leave now. Have it ready soon." he said, before nodding to Lord Castledor and the lady, then taking his leave.

"We"ll be back next time, Mr. Jodanham." Lord Morge said as they both excused themselves to leave. Walking out into the night air, they saw Walter paying a man in front of three large carts.

"I will take the horses then. Goodnight." Walter said and the delivering men left. He stared at the three carts then returning to stand beside the two lords. His face paused in thought.

"What are you doing?"

"I"m wondering if it will be enough." Walter said.

"Do you really know Her Ladyship?"

"Yes. I have information that a delivery will be made to the Townsdale land in a full clock turn, west of the lower town by the Mclears." Walter said and the two men turned serious.

"What are they delivering?" Lord of Merve asked.

"Diamonds." Walter answered.

"Let"s each take a cart. We will talk on the way."