He left them to it. Elanor had been maid and companion to his wife before she died. Now she was housekeeper. Uninspired it was true, but efficient and kind nonetheless. He headed back to the stables in search of Trovagh.
“Do those sheep of Elmsgarth know you, son?”
“Yes. Are we going back for them now?”
“I think so. From what the girl says, it won’t be long before those sons of Tylar come looking. The body was gone, which means the guard must have taken it back to Sersgarth. They’re troublemakers, that family. But they aren’t complete fools. Sooner or later it will dawn on them to put aside any dispute over Sersgarth and gather first what they can elsewhere. Before then I want us to have been and gone.”
He called orders as men joined them. Two of the long hay wains drawn by strong teams began to plod off at once.
“Let them start ahead. We’ll catch up soon.” Tarnoor was speaking to his Master at Arms as the wains departed. “I want nine or ten men, all armed with bow and sword. Steady men, the sort who won’t act before my orders even in case of provocation.”
Hanion nodded. “Master Trovagh tells me that the guard attacked Elmsgarth. The three-times horning?”
“Yes.”
The Master at Arms snorted angrily. “Yvian’s gone mad.
What harm did the Old Race ever do us? I rode with some of them in my early days on bandit patrol. Good men, good fighters, and canny, too. A shame to us all this business. Mistress Lanlia aided any with her healcraft who came asking. She never distinguished between the Old Blood and the new. As for that Tylar—” He spat at the ground. “Good job he’s dead, if you ask me. That family’s never been anything but trouble.”
“Like to be more before it ends,” Tarnoor said gloomily. “They won’t overlook the death of their father—even if they were all just waiting themselves for him to die so they’d inherit.”
“Humph! Long wait that’d have been, too.”
“True, well, never mind.” Tarnoor reached for the reins of his own horse as it was led to him. “Let’s go!”
A dozen riders clattered out of the gates and off down the road at a steady canter. Tarnoor glanced over them. Hanion had chosen well. Veterans to a man, they wouldn’t act too hastily. He might need that quality if Tylar’s sons appeared before Aiskeep had been and gone again. Trovagh rode beside him on a fresh horse; the boy might well be of help, Tarnoor thought. Trovagh had run all over the garth with young Ciara. He’d know most of the hiding places there. He scanned the countryside as they rode. No sign of Tylar’s lads fortunately. But it had been three days. One of them would think of Elmsgarth sooner or later. That was why Tarnoor had chosen to return at once.
It took hours, until at length Tarnoor ordered torches to be lit. The two wains were filled, heaped high, with more items lashed onto the outside. The sheep had long since been found and started on their trek to Aiskeep. It had been Trovagh who, as Tarnoor had foreseen had been of most use in finding things.
“The horses always hole up in the willows down by the stream if they’re left out.”
He’d been correct. Four of the strong farm beasts were there along with the saddle horse Larian had been riding. There, too, was the sensible middle-aged mare Lanlia had always ridden. All of the beasts looked well and came willingly to Trovagh’s call.
“Good, lad, get them to the stables. Tell Hanion to have the team harnessed. It’ll give us another wain.”
Trovagh vanished to pass on the order, then vanished again on his own behalf. He returned leading two female goats, both almost whimpering in their desire to be milked. Hanion grinned down at him.
“Well, that’s fine.” He glanced over at the men. “Erek, you came from a farm, do what you can for this pair, then put them in the wain.” It was almost moonhigh before all was loaded. Tarnoor took his son aside.
“Two things. Can you think of anything else Ciara would wish to have before we leave? Do you know of any hiding places within the garth where valuables might be kept?”
Trovagh nodded. “Cee has a hidey-hole in her room. I don’t think there’s anything valuable there but she’d like to have the things, I think. And there’s one in her parents’ room, too. Cee showed me once. It’s a secret that even she wasn’t supposed to know.”
“Show me the secret one first, then take a sack and clear out the one in Ciara’s room for her.”
He was interested to find just how secret the first had been. To open it one had to stand on a stool and swing on a beam. It was clever. At first glance the beam was no more than a roof beam. But with weight dragging at it, one could see that the beam only touched the roof, and it was not attached. Beside him a panel slid open. He studied the hidden contents. Several wooden boxes, one small, the others larger. He opened the first to discover deeds to the land, family papers, and a small bag of gold and silver coins. Talyo’s fallback money no doubt, he thought. Best not to waste time checking everything else.
He’d just have the lot removed to the wain. He yelled for a couple of his men.
It was almost dawn before the last items were gathered in. The men were tired but pleased with themselves at cheating Tylar’s kin from their loot. All had known the family at Elmsgarth. There were few who had not at sometime or another availed themselves of Lanlia’s healcraft. As soon as the road was sufficiently light they moved out. The garth wain rumbled along in their midst. Tarnoor smiled to himself. He had the deeds to the land. With those he could legally register his own name as owner. He would have that done at once, but quietly. If one of Tylar’s sons settled, he could be tossed off at anytime. Not that there was any hurry.
He grinned again. The land was too far from the Keep to bother working. But if someone settled here he would wait. Once they’d established themselves he’d offer to sell them the land complete with deeds. That would be more money for the girl. It also gave him control of who settled there as a neighbor. It had been an exhausting, but very fruitful day. He slouched back in his saddle. Trovagh’s pony was being led from the wain. The boy himself was fast asleep on a pile of bedding atop the load. Yes, indeed. A good day. He’d acquired the daughter he’d always wanted as well as his son. Found the right to choose a neighbor, and raised himself even higher in his son’s eyes.
A rider galloped back from the road ahead. “Lord, there’s a rabble approaching. Tylar’s sons lead. They’ve wagons and pack ponies.”
Tarnoor acted. Most of his men had served as soldiers in their younger days. He’d kept up the training. He heeled his mount to the head of the line, chose thick brush, and signaled them to leave the road. He added the signals to keep the horses silent, and to make no move until ordered. Everyone was under cover by the time the would-be looters passed. Tarnoor considered them, a motley lot. That miserable garths-man from farther north, a neighbor of Tylar’s. The man spent more time drinking than farming, Tylar’s four brawling sons, and a sprinkling of others who hoped to profit. Half of them still looked drunk, the rest miserably hungover.
He exchanged looks with Hanion. The would-be looters wouldn’t be at all happy to find someone had been before them. It could be a good idea to throw them off the trail if possible. The longer it took for them to learn the truth, the safer Ciara would be. He motioned Hanion close and talked busily, the Armsmaster nodding back at intervals. Once the road was clear Tarnoor emerged. The wain trundled on its way with an escort of half the men. Tarnoor, Hanion, and four of the Keep guard rode at a slow walk back toward Elmsgarth.
They caught up with the group ahead just as they reached the turn into the valley. Tarnoor was at his most bluff and heartily ignorant. “What’s this, a drinking party so early? Has someone married?”
Tylar’s oldest son answered after a swift glance around. “No, Lord. We heard that Elmsgarth had been attacked. We go to see.”