Bloodhound (23 page)

Sir Lionel shook his head. "I have no problems in working with Corus, Corporal Goodwin. My problem lies in first, the fact that we have a peace here, and I fear that you will break it, and second, in the fact that both of you are women. I would be far happier if my lord Gershom had sent men. I feel, along with others, that women's souls are more tender, more vulnerable." He stopped and looked at Goodwin and me. "Neither of you has the least notion of what I mean. Life on the street has coarsened this young girl as it has coarsened you, Corporal. I can only pray the Gentle Mother that you two do not create so much trouble that my people are put at risk getting you out. Take care in your investigations. At the first sign of difficulty, call on us for help."

He nodded, cool as snow after such an astounding speech. Nestor and Goodwin rose. Goodwin had to poke me with her foot to make me realize I had to get up, so dazed was I. We were dismissed.

Nestor led us back to the desk sergeant. "We'll take your gear to your lodgings," he said over his shoulder. "Then I thought you might want a decent supper before you turn in for the night. Is that well with you?"

"It depends on those two," Goodwin said, jerking her thumb at Achoo and Slapper. "They came with us."

Rubbing the top of his head, Nestor looked at the animals.

"Watch the pigeon," the desk sergeant warned. "One of the lads tried to shoo 'im off and got pecked in the nose for his trouble."

"He's a watch pigeon," Goodwin said, straight-faced. "Mean as a snake, but easier to feed."

The desk sergeant laughed.

"Actually, I am acquainted with Slapper," Nestor said. "The last time I tried to feed him, he bit me. Twice. Now, I didn't get to meet the hound properly in Corus."

"Achoo,
bangkit"
I ordered.
"Berdiri."
Achoo sat up at attention, her chin high, her eyes straight ahead. "She's a scent hound, about two years old."

"Pleased to meet you," Nestor told Achoo.

"Achoo?" asked the desk sergeant, coming down from his tall chair.
"The
Achoo?"

"There's only one Achoo amongst the Corus scent hounds, sir," I replied.

The sergeant crouched before her. "We borrowed her a year back, Nestor. She sniffed out them dreamrose smugglers for us. This is a fine hound, and someone's been treatin' her like scummer." He glared at me with ice-blue eyes. His gray mustache seemed to bristle at me. My tongue froze in my mouth.

"Sergeant Axman here was a handler of scent hounds before they nailed him to this desk," Nestor explained. "He breeds them now for us."

"What's the likes of Achoo Curlypaws doin' with a junior Dog?" the sergeant demanded. "No offense, youngster, but with her record, this hound ought to have a senior handler."

Achoo made the smallest of grumbling noises deep in her throat. It could have been a growl, it could have been a low whine. She has very good manners.

I looked at the hound. Achoo
Curlypaws?
I had no notion she even had a last name! When I get home, I need to go to the scent hounds' kennels and read all the paper they have about her.
NOTE – MUST DO SOON
!

Goodwin told the sergeant, "Her last senior handler treated Achoo like scummer. Then he dumped her on Cooper when Cooper objected. It's only been in the last few days that Achoo's wounds have healed under Beka's care."

"May I say hello?" Nestor asked. "Aside from Master Pounce, I've never petted a legend before."

"Kawan
, Achoo," I said, pointing to Nestor. She wagged her tail. I pointed to the sergeant.
"Kawan
. You can say hello," I told them. I could tell Sergeant Axman wanted to look her over, but he was too polite to ask. Now he could do so.

Once Nestor was friends with Achoo, he and Goodwin went to get a cart from the stable yard. Sergeant Axman was still petting Achoo, crooning to her in some soft language that Achoo seemed to like very much. I dug the remains of a roll from my pocket and fed them to Slapper. For once, he didn't try to pummel me with his wings or peck at me while he ate.

I was thinking about Sir Lionel's peculiar notions about women. I've never heard such puke, not from anyone. Who was this Gentle Mother? Another face of the Great Goddess?

I wished so badly that Pounce had been there to explain. Instead I whispered to Slapper, "He said me'n Goodwin are coarsened. And he said women's souls are more vulnerable and tender! Has he never seen a mot bowl over some cove that's bothering her?"

"It's this cult of the Gentle Mother teachin' that women are delicate souls." Axman swiveled so he could look up at me. "You're supposed to be too pure to dirty yourselves with combat." He barked a laugh. "Tell 'at to
my
old woman. She's been in His Majesty's navy since she was old enough to tie knots. Some of these lady knights'll cut you from crown to cod, you even look at 'em disrespec'ful."

He couldn't be too bad if Achoo liked him. I nodded. "I know one who does that if you get between her and her end-of-day ale."

"Exac'ly so. There's a sergeant in Corus, Ahuda – " he said.

I grinned. "She's my Watch Sergeant."

He grinned back, showing three missing teeth. "She's a caution, that 'un. If we had five like her here, there'd be no Rats in all the city."

Goodwin and Nestor returned. "Then we'd die of boredom, Sarge," Nestor said. We gathered up our things and hauled them out to the cart. Just to show Goodwin I could, I carried my trunk myself.

"Cooper, you were actually conversing," Goodwin said as we climbed into the cart. Nestor took the reins and glanced back at me.

"He heard me telling Slapper about that Gentle Mother stuff. He was explaining it to me, but it's still moonsongs, far as I can tell." I settled Achoo in the cart. Slapper waited until we were sitting still, then landed in a corner, muttering to himself.

Nestor said, "Why are you talking to pigeons, Beka? Where's Pounce?"

And here I'd thought I wouldn't have to explain it anymore. Wearily I told Nestor why Pounce wasn't traveling with me. He whistled when I was done. "We'll just have to see to it that you have so much to do, you'll hardly miss him," he told me. He waved to the Dogs on guard as we rattled through the gate. "Serenity, that runs Ladyshearth Lodgings, has an understanding with the Provost's Guards regarding payment. That's where you'll stay. It's on Coates Lane, about five blocks from my house, on the edge of Deep Harbor District. The walk to the kennel and the heart of things is easy. The area's a safe one, though, and the house itself is very safe. Several of our woman Dogs stay there."

He turned off High Street, bound downhill, into the southwestern part of the city on that side of the ridge. Below lay the deep harbor, its blue water sparkling. The big oceangoing ships were scattered over the harbor waters and tied up at the docks, preparing for the night. Some were sailing out between the great breakwaters, taking the evening tide out to sea. I'd loved watching the big ships on my last two visits. They look beautiful, like low-skimming gulls.

I'd already memorized the map Lord Gershom had given us, using the tricks we learned in training. Going by that, we now entered the South Hills District. Tradesfolk lived hereabouts, from the looks of the shops and the dwellings, much like where Goodwin and her man live back in Corus. Very tidy, very respectable. I felt like a flea on the bum of a nobleman's dog.

Ladyshearth Lodgings was near the northern edge of South Hills District, on Coates Lane. I could tell just by looking that this place was too costly for me to afford on my own. It was set off the street, behind a waist-high stone fence. As we approached and passed through the open gate, I noticed that some of the stones had magical runes cut into their faces as protection from thieves and the like. The house itself was stone on the ground floor, wood painted with moon designs for the two upper stories, and a roof that was tiled, not thatched. Even the shutters had been painted with the three moons, crescent, full, and dark. An herb garden was planted around the front of the house.

A short, plump woman in a flour-smutched wool dress came out of the open front door. The mot wore a linen head cloth that covered her hair, but from her brows the color was dark and going to gray.

"Tinggal,"
I ordered Achoo while Goodwin and Nestor climbed down from the cart. I shouldered my own pack and gathered a couple of Goodwin's.

"Welcome," the woman said. "I'm Serenity. Don't bother with 'Daughter' talk. I'm not a priestess at home. I hope you like the rooms I set aside for you. Nestor says you'll be with us for an indefinite time, so I tried to give you something comfortable." Chattering to Goodwin, she led us inside and up to the second story. "Just press your thumbs to the lock hole to the right of the door. Then the locks will only ever open to you or to me. The spell is one of my best and has never failed me. I will let the maid in to clean, unless you wish to do that yourself. Set your chamber pots and laundry outside the door of a morning, and the maids will tend to them. You may also take your meals here, if you like. Breakfast is from dawn until nine of the clock." She steered Goodwin through one door and me through the next. Nestor followed me with my trunk and set it on the floor.

I stared after her as she bustled off, Nestor following her downstairs. Magicked locks? The room itself was more than I was used to. There were fresh rushes on the floor. The bed was made up with a good blanket and better coverlet, and clean linens were stacked on shelves over the bed. Two chairs with fat cushions sat on either side of a hearth – a hearth! Only wealthy folk have hearths in their bedchambers! There was a stand with a washbasin, a spotless chamber pot, and a large table and chair I could use for meals or writing. Embroidered hangings brightened the walls. I opened the shutters and found myself looking over a vegetable garden, a bit of grazing, a shed for animals, and a chicken coop. The birds scratched on a bare patch of dirt. Along a corner of the yard flowed one of the city's many streams, crossed by a small bridge.

I closed and bolted the shutters and went into Goodwin's rooms. I sank onto her bed. "Gods be thanked the Provost's Guard pays for this, Goodwin! I could never afford it," I told her. "My room probably costs for a week what I pay for two months at Mistress Trout's! What if I break something?"

She shook her head. "Cooper, you worry too much. We've been given an open hunt. That means we use our own judgment about the money, and we have lodgings where we can feel
safe
. My lord must truly believe you won't spend foolishly. Normally only ten-year Dogs or older are put on open hunts. If your dress is torn, they pay for a new one. If you need to feed old Slapper, they will pay – he's your Birdie, after all!" She punched me lightly on the shoulder. "Let's help Nestor bring up the rest of our things. He says his lodger prepared supper tonight, to welcome us. Enjoy this while it lasts. You'll hate going back to your old ways."

But I
like
my old ways, I thought, trudging down stairs that were doubtless scrubbed every day. I'm
used
to them.

Nestor met me in the door. He had Slapper in both hands as the bird twisted, trying to get his beak in Nestor's flesh. "What's the matter?" he asked, his eyes twinkling at me. "Is this place fancier than you're used to?" I nodded. "Cheer up, Beka. I'll wager you'll get plenty of hunts when you're in muck and ice to your eyebrows. Enjoy this while you can."

I watched him return to the cart to help Goodwin. "I hope you're right about the hunts, though I'd prefer no muck and ice," I muttered. On outside I went. Achoo was sitting in the cart where I left her, looking miserable. Serenity was trying to get my hound to sniff her hand.

"Achoo,
bau
," I told her. Achoo cheered up immediately. She hated to seem unfriendly. She gave Serenity's hand a good sniff as Serenity looked at me. "She's a scent hound," I explained. "She belongs to the Provost's Guard. And – well, I have a bird, too." I held up Slapper.

"I saw it, the poor thing," she replied. "Did you rescue it when you found it so crippled?"

Slapper began to struggle. I gripped him one-handed and took Goodwin's last pack from the bed of the wagon. I hoisted the pack onto my shoulder. "No, mistress. He just came to me as he is, and I can't seem to get rid of him."

Serenity smiled. "You've a good heart under that gruff-ness, Rebakah Cooper, or you wouldn't come with two animals looking to you! I have cracked corn for the chickens. I'll bring a bowl of it up to your room for your poor friend – what is his name? I know your hound is Achoo."

"He is Slapper, and I thank you for the corn," I said, trying to sound as grateful as I felt. "But be careful of him, I beg you. He is a cranky thing, and he hits with those wings of his. And pecks."

"I imagine the foot gives him pain," she said wisely. "I'll get that corn."

Nestor laughed and climbed to the seat of his wagon. "I'll wait here until you're ready to leave."

By the time Goodwin and I had all our things stowed, Serenity had not only brought me cracked corn for Slapper, but a water bowl each for him and for Achoo. I thanked her and offered her a couple of coppers, but she waved them off. "'Tis my pleasure to help with your creatures. Now go along. Nestor is waiting to carry you and Mistress Goodwin off to supper at his home!"

Life is so different if you or your master has deep pockets to pay for it.

We got into the cart again, Goodwin on the seat beside Nestor, me in the bed, and rolled on downhill. Nestor's house was tucked between two others just like it, wooden buildings of two stories with attics above. The painted designs on Nestor's walls were brighter and prettier than his neighbors', showing dancing goats, smiling fish, and tiny flying horses circling bright green vines.

"Why is everything all painted?" I asked Nestor. "Not all the houses, but enough of them."

He looked back at me. "Gershom never told you, the times you were here?" I shook my head. I'd feared my lord would think it a silly question. "Plenty of us worship at Oinomi Wavewalker's shrine, for the obvious reasons. She likes pretty things. Besides, the paint helps keep the wood from weathering."