Blood in Snow Read Free Page B

who are you, anyway? You don’t look like no lord to me.”
    Edmund adjusted his black eye patch and self-consciously straightened his clothes.
    The tumult got louder.
    “Okay!” he called out. “I promise I’ll answer all of your questions! All of them! Just let me take them one at a time.”
    He turned to the man who was concerned they’d be indebted. “Are you a farmer?”
    “What?” The tanned man looked a bit stunned and then embarrassed. “Y-yes,” he said. “Well, that is, no, not yet. I was a farmhand back by Clearfalls, but I mean to be a farmer. That’s why I came here. Somebody said you was giving away free land. And then we met this fella …” He pointed to the man who’d produced Norbert’s notice. “And he said you’re only looking for tradesmen. So which is it?”
    The murmuring group crowded Edmund but retreated a pace when Becky growled.
    Edmund again raised his hands to quiet them down.
    “The truth is, we need everybody.”
    He turned back to the farmhand. “We have land, good land, suitable for corn, wheat, and many other crops. If you can work it, the land is yours.” He raised his hands a third time, cutting off questions he knew would erupt. “But there is a catch!”
    “Knew it,” somebody grumbled.
    “The catch is this …” Edmund glanced at each of them in turn. “You need to help rebuild the town. After you harvest your crops, you’ll need to share some with your neighbors. We’ll give you as much land as you can work, and we’ll help you get the plows and the horses and the seed you’ll need. But for two years, you help us rebuild. Does that sound fair?”
    They all stared.
    Gabe waddled into the common room, carrying a stack of tin bowls in one hand, a steaming pot in the other, and several loaves of black bread under each meaty arm. “Tell them about the voting!”
    “Let’s focus on one thing at a time.” Edmund examined the group again. “We want two years of you helping your neighbor, then the land is yours—free. There’re no other catches or tricks. Just two years of helping. Is that fair?”
    Speechless, they all nodded.
    “Yeah,” someone said. “Yeah. That … that’s fair.”
    “Okay,” Edmund said while Gabe set bowls onto some of the tables and began filling them with hot tomato soup. “I want you to eat and relax. And then, when you feel up to it, mill about the town, such as it is. I w-w-want, I want you to dream about what this town could be like after a few years of hard work. Think about what it would mean to you and your families to have your own land and your own businesses. Come tomorrow, if you still want to be here, see me, and I’ll help you in any way I can.”
    Edmund stepped down from the bench and started to weave his way through the crowd to the front door.
    “You ain’t told us your name,” somebody called after him. “Begging your pardon, but … like the other fella said, you don’t look like no lord.”
    “I’m afraid Lord Norbert is dead,” Edmund replied. “My name’s Edmund. I’m the governor of the Highlands.”
    “Governor?”
    “What the hell is that?”
    Edmund forced a smile and motioned to the food on the table. “Eat. Relax. And dream! I’ll be here tomorrow to answer all of your questions.”
    Edmund closed the door to The Buxom Barmaid and found that the gentleman who’d been sitting in the corner had followed him outside.
    “You’re good with a mob,” the newcomer said. “That’s a wonderful skill to have, especially if they ever get ahold of pitchforks and torches.” He petted Becky, apparently unafraid of the large dog. Then he held out his hand. “They call me Vin.” Edmund shook it. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to—”
    Edmund motioned for Vin to walk with him. Although the crowd in the tavern was currently pacified, the last thing he wanted was to be around once they’d finished their meals. After that, there’d be hours of questions, and his head still