Walter, on the other hand, could not hear them at all. He wondered how to approach the problem at hand. He needed to inform Her Ladyship of what he had just found out. Yet he felt he should go ahead and act quickly without asking. Reaching home, he dismounted and entered the house slowly. The day was still bright and it made him contemplate trying to meet Lady Wickshire, but he had not received any order to meet her, except at night. Thinking to that point, he knew he would be too late to enter the Townsdale land by then. He did not have to wonder long; a letter came for him.
“Walter, come here,” he heard his father call as night started to descend.
“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 manner and knew she was not nobility. He walked towards her to see her better. She was a lanky young woman with dark brown hair tied away from her oval face.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“I’m Shilla. I have come with a message,” she said, handing him an unmarked letter and a leather 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 as of late. If something comes up, find the Earl of Morge and the Lord of Merve. It would be best to avoid attracting 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 overdo nor under-do, but just as expected. Handle what I asked.
In Trust,
Lucy Sharterux, Duchess 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 pressure 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 document 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 document from Mr Jodanham. He was sure that only she would know of his orders.
“I will leave now,” Shilla said, wasting no time leaving.
“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 gone awhile,” he said, taking his leave. Though he understood his father's fears, he could not let this opportunity pass 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 who paused and then smiled widely.
“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 a piece of paper with Mr Jodanham's address.
“Don't forget and don't be late either and I will tip you,” he said and rode into the night.
Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
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 as 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. But his mother had raised him different. what did she always say? "Walter, there is nothing special about the noble, you only need walk into a place as though you were supposed to be there and people will respond in kind,” He calmed himself and knocked on the door; though tense, his breath 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 past him again towards the sitting room. Mr Jodanham sat before three noblemen and a lady. He recognized the lady and one of the noblemen to be the two he had encountered earlier in the 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, such things are hard to gather,” he said before he could register his protest.
“Why do you look so flustered? I but only walked in,” Walter said blankly.
“Must I do this now?” Mr Jodanham asked 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 nobleman from the day asked Mr Jodanham.
“I...I” Mr Jodanham started to stutter. Walter knew Her Ladyship could instil 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 nobleman introduced.
“Call me Walter, Lord Castledor,” he answered 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. At this point, he could almost raise brows at his heaven-defying luck. He could almost feel a hand of a god.
“Lord Morge and Lord of Merve,” he said as though thinking than greeting. He paused for a second which 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 smile.
“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 returned 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 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 curiously.
“Diamonds,” Walter answered.
“Let's each take a cart. We will talk on the way,”
They all mounted their horses and made their way out of lower town into the dark path through the woods. Covered by the night, they started to ask the questions that plagued them.
“What is this truly about?” Lord Morge asked.
“I received instructions to investigate the Mclears,” Walter said.
“From Her Ladyship?” Lord of Merve asked.
“Yes, I didn't expect to find out as much as I did, but the source was genuine. The Mclears have been working with the city guards to deliver large carts of things to the Townsdale land and one of those things if not all, are diamonds,”
“Are you sure of this? The Mclears have been taking her ladyship's diamonds to make her hand over the Wickshire mines for a while now,” Lord of Merve said.
“The source came to me with proof. He tried to sell me the diamonds he found on the field. He was not sure they were real though. But one thing is sure. We have a window tonight,” Walter explained.
“How?” Lord of Merve asked.
“According to him, the city guards leave the land at night and the carts come in and leave just as fast as they came but we have a twenty minutes window from when they leave till when the guards return. To be safe, let's say ten minutes. I wanted to wait a while, but one cannot say who else that man had told of the diamonds on the field. It's best to act fast,” Walter said.
“True. Even if we can take nothing, we will have a good idea of what they store there,” Lord Morge agreed.
“We should leave the road. We are close enough. The night is dark enough to mask the carts in the trees,” Walter said.
“So, the woods then?” Lord of Merve asked jovially.
They did so, taking shelter in the trees and waiting silently. A while later they heard the guards ride away using the main road.
“I guess it is as you say. It will not be long till the rumoured carts arrive,” Lord Morge whispered.