I winced, as I was expected to.
They both laughed.
Frydryk eased us toward the corner, between the pianoforte that no one was playing and two unoccupied armchairs. “I’m so glad you two came at that moment.”
“I could see Alynkya was less than pleased.”
A bitter chuckle was his response. “Cyana is manipulative and then some. That’s not why I needed to talk to you.” He paused. “Have you heard about Glendyl?”
“No.” I had a feeling the news wasn’t good.
“I’d better tell it as it happened. After we talked, I decided to meet with Glendyl to tell him that I was calling the notes. He said that calling the notes was a poor idea, and went on to suggest that you were behind all of his difficulties, that you wanted to destroy him…that you were worse than any High Holder.”
“He clearly doesn’t care for me,” I replied, since I sensed Frydryk wanted some response.
“No, but I trust your judgment. Before I went to see him, Alynkya insisted that I hold firm, that extending him more time or credit would only harm us both. He went on to tell me that I could call the notes, much good it would do, and that he’d be there to laugh at any attempt to get anything from him. Still, it was my privilege and that his advocate would be in touch with mine. Then he ushered me out, saying he had another urgent appointment.” Frydryk shook his head. “Then, just before we left for this engagement, I received a message that he’d killed himself. It doesn’t make sense.”
“Who sent the message?”
“Kandryl. He’d been meeting with Lhoryn, because Lhoryn had expressed an interest in some properties in Mantes that Iryela and Kandryl wanted to sell-they’re too far from anything else, something her father had picked up as a settlement on a debt. A messenger delivered the message to Lhoryn. Kandryl sent me the message because he knew I’d met with Glendyl.”
“How did he do it? Did Kandryl’s message say?”
“Apparently, sometime shortly after I left, he shot himself with a heavy pistol, through his right temple. That’s what Kandryl wrote. Quite swift, but rather messy.”
That stopped me, but I didn’t say anything for a moment.
“I can see you’re as stunned as I am,” Frydryk said.
“I’m definitely stunned.” But not for the same reason as Frydryk. “I don’t know what to say.” After a pause, I added, “We should rejoin our wives before they divulge too much about us.”
Frydryk did smile at that.
Both Alynkya and Seliora held glasses of an amber white vintage when we returned.
Seliora smiled, wickedly, at me. “Alynkya has been telling me how you two met.”
“Absolutely harmless,” I said cheerfully, “and in the course of duty.”
“You didn’t mention that you asked her to dance twice.” Seliora was smiling broadly, definitely enjoying herself. “At two separate balls.”
“Totally innocent.” I knew she was teasing, because I’d already told her that.
“I’ll accept almost totally innocent.”
I could see that Alynkya was trying hard to suppress either a smile or laughter. Frydryk was doing a better job.
A server stopped, with a tray holding wine goblets, and I took one holding the red. So did Frydryk. I took a small swallow and had to admit that it was quite good. I was about to say so when I glanced past Seliora and saw that the server to whom Fhernon was talking was about to leave. “I’ll be back shortly.” I slipped the wine goblet onto a side table.
My timing was adequate, and I managed to reach Fhernon just after the woman eased away and before anyone else appeared.
“Maitre Rhennthyl, are you enjoying yourself?”
“Most certainly. What can you tell me about a factor named Veblynt?”
Fhernon did not reply, looking as if I’d shocked him.
“I realize that discussing the mundane at such a delightful gathering is, shall we say, less than refined, but, alas, we are indeed rather short-handed at the Collegium, not to mention short of time.” Not to mention that I was likely to get put off for days, the way I had with Madame D’Shendael, and I was getting the feeling, especially after Glendyl’s death and the attempt on my own life, that I might not have days before something else happened.
“It is most irregular.” He paused. “We do have a moment or two yet before dinner.” He nodded and I followed him from the receiving room down a wide hallway to the library, lit by a single wall lamp. He closed the door, then turned. He did not move to seat himself.
I waited.
“The name ‘Veblynt’ came from his mother’s family. He took it after the death of his father in a steeplechase accident. His father was Taelmyn D’Alte. His death was no accident. Taelmyn was a notoriously poor rider, and even poorer in stewarding his holdings. He made the ride as a wager to clear debts against Ryel D’Alte-the previous Ryel.”
That explained some matters. “Veblynt’s wife bears a resemblance to Iryela D’Ryel.”
“They’re second cousins, once removed. She married Veblynt anyway, and she did have a dowry that funded his first mill. He’s far more of a success than his father was or ever could have been. He’s very thorough. When he began, he was known to have made investments with borrowed funds, based on his knowledge of various High Holder families. To his credit, he always paid them back, usually early and with some extra, as if to compensate for the means of obtaining them. Thankfully, once he was established, that practice vanished, although I am told that his agents continue to collect information.” The slightest sniff that followed Fhernon’s words suggested a definite lack of approval of Veblynt and his methodology.
“Do you know whether he had any dealings with Glendyl?”
Fhernon offered a sardonic smile. “Outside of the legal actions, you mean?”
“Those must have been before my time.”
“They took place more than ten years ago. Glendyl claimed Veblynt had copied certain processes from his engines, involving some sort of drive mechanism, and sought damages. Veblynt proved that the mechanisms had been in use for centuries in other equipment, if more crudely applied. He sought expenses for defending himself. The courts granted him a third of what he claimed. Neither was happy. So far as I know, they’ve never spoken since. That’s close to the total I know about Veblynt.”
“I do appreciate your taking the time.” I smiled. “Is there anything else I should know?”
“Only that it is far better to have Veblynt in your debt than the other way around. I doubt, given events, that he would ever regard you as indebted to him. For that, you are fortunate.”
As we walked back to the receiving room, I could see why, given Fhernon’s explanation, Veblynt had been seeking information on Glendyl. Still, the loan agreement itself did not necessarily tie Glendyl to the Ferrans, only to Vyktor and the Banque D’Ouestan.
I doubted I’d find out more during the course of the evening, but I did hope that Seliora and I could enjoy the company and the various delicacies. Still, every time I turned around, or so it seemed, I discovered something that I should have known-and didn’t-and of which there was no record anywhere.
62
On Samedi, Seliora and I were totally de cadent. I skipped the early morning exercises and running, and we enjoyed each other and had a leisurely breakfast all by ourselves, for the first time in I couldn’t remember how long. It didn’t matter that the day was chill and gray. We even walked across the Bridge of Desires and had a late midday meal at Patryce’s, one of the better small bistros just off the Boulevard D’Council.
Before we knew it, we were dressing for the winter ball of High Holder Almeida. This time, Seliora was in red and black, in a sleeveless gown with a crimson top over a not-quite-full black skirt and a black silk jacket, trimmed in crimson, with black lace sleeves. She wore long black gloves and a black formal cape, necessary for the walk from the house to the coach stand.