Voice Of The Demon (Book 2) Read Free Page B

of which do his reputation any good.’
    ‘He won’t stay quiet. He blames himself for McCauly’s arrest. If he’d not told Selar about Robert’s return, Selar wouldn’t have felt so threatened.’
    ‘Selar would have found out sooner or later.’
    ‘But that’s just it – the timing. Hilderic believed that passing on the news would distract Selar from McCauly, but it achieved the opposite. Now Hilderic’s obsessed with getting McCauly free, but because he has no means to do so, he takes out his frustration on Brome. I fear for his life, Payne.’
    The young Earl folded his arms across his chest and glanced around the room. Nobody was paying them any attention. The tap room was half-full of grim individuals,all hunched over their own greasy mugs, while an extraordinarily bad fiddler was groaning away in the corner.
    ‘I can’t promise you anything,’ Payne said after a moment. ‘And even if I could I wouldn’t advise you to tell Hilderic a word about it. Nevertheless, I’ll have a word, see what we have before us, test out the possibilities. I believe we have the time. No move against McCauly has been made in months and I believe the King is content to leave it as such. He’s voiced no plans to the council.’
    ‘But do you think you can do something?’ Godfrey’s voice was hushed against Payne’s confidence. ‘You won’t risk your own position, will you?’
    He received a charming smile in response as Payne leaned forward and clapped him on the shoulder. ‘I’ll risk nothing until I know what we’ll be up against. Drink up, we’re supposed to be having a good time.’
    *
    Vaughn waited until the supper plates had been cleared away. Then he rose from the table and crossed the room to take his favourite seat beside the fireplace. There were no flames glowing on the hearthstone. Only the light of a few candles warmed the room, occasionally flickering in the gentle evening breeze.
    He glanced back at the table to where Governor Lewis still sat. ‘Come, find yourself a comfortable seat. I have a small job for you.’
    Lewis looked surprised at the invitation but as usual, he said nothing. Instead, he joined Vaughn in the chair Osbert would normally have taken. Vaughn wanted to smile.
    ‘How do you think my speech went down this afternoon?’
    ‘Well,’ Lewis spread his hands in a noncommittal gesture, ‘you’ve given us all something to think about. I suppose you have plans already prepared for when Osbert returns with his findings?’
    ‘A few thoughts, nothing more.’ Vaughn waved his hands and studied Lewis carefully. The man had none of Osbert’s illicit brilliance, nor any of his charm and personality. They’d both been made Governor at the same time and yet, while Osbert had shone in the position, Lewis had rather faded. Hewas a fair administrator, but lacked the initiative necessary for leadership. He was also uncommonly easy to ignore, while, at the same time, remarkably pedantic about details.
    The perfect man for the job.
    ‘What do we know about Alderman Nash?’
    Lewis glanced up with a frown. ‘Nash, my lord?’
    ‘Yes. I’ve been reading his entry records. They state he was born in the west, in a town I’ve never heard of. His parents are deceased and he appears to have no other family. His means are limited, his education adequate, and yet we find he has eclipsed us all in gaining the friendship of our beloved King. At all times he exhibits nothing but the deepest humility and still manages to rise to the highest levels – without, it appears, a grain of ambition. Don’t you find that a little odd, Lewis?’
    ‘Odd, perhaps, but not impossible.’
    ‘Not impossible – for a saint. But is Nash a saint?’
    Lewis didn’t answer that and Vaughn continued, ‘Nash’ is in a unique position – and he knows it. Selar depends on him more and more as each day goes by. Soon they’ll be as inseparable as Dunlorn once was with the King. We know the damage the Earl caused –