"Wrong," said Dumarest. "He deserves plenty of it-all bad."
Outside the cloud had spread to cover half the sky and the lower edge of the sun rested on the horizon. In a few days it would be out of sight and cloud would cover the entire sky. Then would come winter and the rain. If he was going to remain on Scar he had better make some arrangements, but they could wait. Something else had higher priority.
* * *
Ewan pursed his lips as he manipulated his shells. "Nothing, Earl," he said. "Not a whisper. As far as I knew you had simply gone on a long trip." The shells made little rasping noises as he moved them over the table. "Clemdish?"
"Dead. Tortured."
"That's bad," Ewan lifted his head, his eyes direct. "I'm clean, Earl. I'm no paragon, hut I wouldn't set a gang of jumpers on anyone. I warned you about them, remember?"
Dumarest nodded. "And you said something else, about a ring."
"Gossip, a snatch of conversation." The shells paused in the pudgy hands. "Are you saying they were after your ring?"
"As well as other things, yes."
"And you don't know why?"
"Not yet," said Dumarest grimly. "But I intend to find out."
A ship left as he stepped through the vestibule into the open air. It lifted, then seemed to vanish with a crack of displaced air. A red flash glittered as sunlight reflected from the polished hull and then it was gone. On the landing field men slowly leveled the spot where it had stood.
"Dumarest!"
He turned and saw Adrienne. She was coming from Lowtown, her maid a step behind and a monk bringing up the rear.
"My lady?"
"You have been avoiding us," she said with mock severity as she came to where he stood. "How are you now? Do you continue to be well, no bad effects from Brian's administrations?" She checked herself, conscious of her betrayal. No one of her rank and station should reveal such concern. "I have been working with Brother Jeffrey," she explained. "He is coming with us to Jest. I've been talking to the children and others who will be accompanying us." Her eyes searched his face. "And you, will you not come also?"
"No, my lady." Dumarest softened his refusal. "I have other plans and Jest does not lie in the direction I wish to go."
"But I thought-"
"That I have no money?" He smiled. "That is true. I was not talking about leaving immediately."
"Then yon could come with us for a while at least," she insisted. "What have you to lose?"
Nothing but his life. Dumarest had met such interest before, and was wary of it. To her he was novel, someone to break the monotony, a stimulating personality. She showed interest, later that interest could turn into something stronger. If he yielded and took the opportunity he would invite an assassin. If he rejected it he would earn her hatred.
Keelah sensed his embarrassment and smiled. Brother Jeffrey came smoothly to the rescue.
"Could I help you, brother. Were you looking for someone?"
"The factor," said Dumarest. "Is he in Lowtown?"
The monk shook his head. "I believe he is dining on one of the ships." he volunteered. "A farewell party thrown by a group of tourists. I am not certain, but I will inquire if you wish."
"Thank you. Brother, but there is no urgency," said Dumarest. "I will see him later."
"And us?" Adrienne rested her hand on his arm. The touch was gentle, intimate. "Will we see you again, Earl?"
His eyes were direct. "Quite possibly, my lady."
"Why the doubt?" Her hand closed on his arm, the fingers digging into his flesh. "You will eat with us," she decided. "You cannot refuse."
He glimpsed a flash of scarlet and followed it with his eyes. The color of the cyber's robe was accentuated by the crimson of the sun so that he seemed blood upon blood, a mobile shadow as he walked from the landing field to the station.
"Earl?"
Dumarest remembered the woman. "I beg your pardon, my lady, but I must beg your indulgence. If you will be so kind as to do me a service?"
Adrienne smiled. "Of course, Earl."
"Please ask your husband to meet me in the factor's office at once, my lady. It is very important."
* * *
Del Meoud wasn't at a party. Dumarest could hear the murmur of voices as he approached the door of the office, the talk abruptly ending as he opened the door.
The factor looked at him from where he sat at his desk.
"What the-? Earl! Do you mind? I'm busy!"
"So am I." Dumarest closed the door and leaned back against the panel. Yeon stood against the window with his hands tucked in the wide sleeves of his robe.
"If this is business, I will leave," he said in his even monotone. "Our discussion, factor, can wait until later."
"Stay where you are, cyber." Dumarest remained leaning against the door. "My business concerns you." He heard the sound of footsteps from the passage outside and stepped from the door as it opened. Jocelyn entered.
"Dumarest." His eyes moved from the factor to the cyber. "I understood you wanted to see me on a matter of urgent importance."
"That is correct, my lord." Dumarest shut the door. He took a chair from where it stood against the wall and rested his right boot on the seat, his right hand inches from his knee. "I intend to punish the man who tried to take my life."
He head Meoud's sharp inhalation and saw the widening of Jocelyn's eyes. Only the cyber remained unmoved.
"This is ridiculous!" Del Meoud took a handkerchief from a drawer and dabbed at his bearded lips. "Surely you don't suspect either of us for what those jumpers did, Earl?"
"I don't suspect, I know," said Dumarest grimly. "Those men didn't come after us by accident. The man who allowed them to use a raft has left Scar-fortunately for him. But those men weren't ordinary jumpers; they were primed; they knew too much." His eyes moved from face to face. "Someone told them," he said deliberately. "Someone in this room."
Jocelyn cleared his throat, conscious of the tension and of Dumarest's resolve. "You haven't any proof," he said. "I sympathize with you, Earl, but how can you be sure?"
"I thank you for your sympathy, my lord," said Dumarest tightly. "But this isn't a court of law. There is no law on Scar. I don't need proof. I would prefer not to harm the innocent but I am going to do as I say." His lips thinned as he looked from one to the other. "I was there," he added harshly. "I saw what those men did to my partner. I know what they intended doing to me. Do any of you really think that I'm going to let the man responsible get away with it? If I have to kill you all he is going to pay!"
"Earl! You can't-"
"Be quiet!" Dumarest turned from the factor and looked at Jocelyn. "I recently asked you a question, my lord. I asked how you knew where to find me. You said that you asked your cyber." He looked at the calm figure in scarlet. "How did you know?"
"My lord?"
"Answer him."
Yeon inclined his head a fraction, the ruby light from the window gleaming on his shaven skull. "It is my purpose to advise," he said evenly. "In order to do this I take what facts are available and from them, extrapolate a logical sequence. I learned that your partner had ordered rope. This obviously meant that you intended reaching the hills. When you were late in returning where else should I have suggested you were?"
"The hills are not a small range," said Dumarest. "How did you know exactly where to look?"
"Extrapolation again," said Yeon. It seemed he spoke with amused condescension. "I plotted the routes you would most probably have taken. There were three; one had a higher degree of probability than the others. As a task it was elementary."
"There, Earl, you see?" Del Meoud released his breath in a gust of relief. "No one here is to blame. In fact, you should thank the cyber for guiding the rescue. If it hadn't been for him, you would be dead by now." He found his handkerchief and dabbed again at his lips. Tossing the square of fabric back into the drawer he made as if to rise.