Soul of the Fire (Sword of Truth 5)

“I asked her why she didn’t want to go, if it was because someone there did something to her. She refused to tell me. Refused! She said she wasn’t going to take any more loads there and that was all there was to it.

“I told her that unless she told me why, so I could understand it, she was going to take the load out to the estate whether she wanted to or not.

“She started to cry.”

Inger was making a fist again.

“Now, I’ve known Beata since she was sucking her thumb. I don’t think that in the last dozen years I’ve ever seen that girl cry but once before. I’ve seen her slice herself open good when she was butchering, and she never cried, even when I stitched her. Made some real faces in pain, but she didn’t cry. When her mother died, she cried. But that was the only time.

“Until I told her today she had to go to the estate.

“So, I brought the load myself. Now, Master Campbell, I don’t know what went on here, but I can tell you that whatever it was, it made Beata cry, and that tells me it wasn’t nothing good. She always liked going before. She spoke highly of the Minister as a man she respected for all he’d done for Anderith. She was proud to deliver to the estate.

“No longer.

“Knowing Beata, I’d say someone here had their way with her. Knowing Beata, I’d say she weren’t willing. Not willing at all.

“Like I said, I almost think of that girl as my daughter.”

Dalton didn’t take his eyes off the man. “She’s Haken.”

“So she is.” Inger didn’t take his eyes off Dalton.

“Now, Master Campbell, I want the young man who hurt Beata. I intend to hang that young man up on a meat hook. From the way Beata was bawling, I have a feeling it wasn’t just one young man, but maybe more. Maybe a gang of boys hurt her.

“I know you’re a busy man, what with the murder of that Winthrop woman, rest her soul, but I’d appreciate it if you looked into this for me. I don’t intend to let it go by.”

Dalton leaned forward and folded his hands on the table.

“Inger, I can assure you I won’t tolerate such a thing happening at the estate. I consider this a very serious matter. The Minister of Culture’s office is here to serve the people of Anderith. It would be the worst possible result if one or more men here harmed a young woman.”

“Not if,” Inger said. “Did.”

“Of course. You have my personal assurance that I, personally, will pursue this to resolution. I’ll not stand for anyone, Ander or Haken, being in any kind of danger at the estate. Everyone must be entirely safe here. I’ll not allow anyone, Ander or Haken, to escape justice.

“You must understand, however, that with the murder of an important woman, and the possible danger to the lives of other people, including Haken women, my first responsibility lies there. The city is in an tumult over it. People expect such a grievous act to be punished.”

Inger bowed his head. “I understand. I will accept your personal assurance that I will have the name of the young man or men responsible.” The chair scraped across the floor as Inger rose. “Or the not-so-young man.”

Dalton stood. “Young or old, we will put all due effort into finding the culprit. You have my word.”

Inger reached out and clasped hands with Dalton. The man had a crushing grip.

“I’m pleased to know I came to the right man, Master Campbell.”

“You did indeed.”

“Yes?” Dalton called out at the knock on the door. He expected he knew who it was and kept writing instructions for the new guards he was ordering posted at the estate. Guards at the estate were separate from the army. They were Anders. He wouldn’t trust authentic guard duty to the army.

“Master Campbell?”

He looked up “Come in, Fitch.”

The boy strode in and stood erect before the desk. He seemed to be standing taller since he had put on the uniform and even more so since the business with Claudine. Dalton was pleased with the way Fitch and his muscular friend had followed instructions. Some of the others had given Dalton a confidential report.

Dalton set down the glass dipping pen. “Fitch, do you remember the first time we talked?”

The question staggered the boy a bit. “Yes… uh, yes, sir,” he stammered. “I remember.”

“Up the hall a ways. Near the landing.”

“Yes, sir, Master Campbell. I surely was grateful for you not—I mean, for the kind way you treated me.”

“For me not reporting you were somewhere you didn’t belong.”

“Yes, sir.” He licked his lips. “That was very good of you, Master Campbell.”

Dalton stroked a finger along his temple. “I recall you told me that day how the Minister was a good man and you wouldn’t like to hear anyone say anything against him.”

“Yes, sir, that’s true.”

“And you proved yourself as good as your word—proved you would do whatever needed doing to protect him.” Dalton smiled just a little. “Do you remember what else I told you that day on the landing?”

Fitch cleared his throat. “You mean about me someday earning my sir name?”

“That’s right. So far, you are living up to what I expected. Now, do you remember what else happened that day on the landing?”

Dalton knew without a doubt the boy remembered. It wouldn’t be something he

would soon forget. Fitch fidgeted as he tried to think of a way to say it without saying it.

“Well, sir, I… I mean, there was…”

“Fitch, you do recall that young lady smacking you?”

Fitch cleared his throat. “Yes, sir, I remember that.”

“And you know her?”

“Her name is Beata. She works for the butcher, Inger. She’s in my penance assembly.”

“And you must have seen what she was doing up there? The Minister saw you. Stein saw you. You must have seen them with her?”

“It wasn’t the Minister’s fault, sir. She was getting what she’d asked for. Nothing more. She was always fawning over him, talking about how handsome he was, talking about how wonderful he was. She was always sighing aloud whenever she mentioned his name. Knowing her, she asked for what she got. Sir.”

Dalton smiled to himself. “You liked her, didn’t you, Fitch?”

“Well, sir, I don’t know. It’s kind of hard to like a person who hates you. Kind of wears you down, after a time.”

Dalton could plainly see the boy’s feelings for the girl. It was written all over his face, even if he denied it.

“Well the thing is, Fitch, this girl might of a sudden be interested in causing trouble. Sometimes girls get that way, later. You will someday come to learn that. Be careful of doing what they ask, because they will sometimes later want to make it seem they never asked at all.”

The boy looked bewildered. “I never knew such a thing, sir. Thank you for the advice.”

“Well, as you said, she got no more than she asked for. There was no force involved. Now, though, she might be having second thoughts, and be looking to cry rape. Much the same as Claudine Winthrop. Women who are with important men sometimes do that, later, to try to get something. They get greedy.”