A glance passed from Carline to Anita, and the Princess of Krondor said, “No, I didn’t, Jimmy.” Her tone was thoughtful. “But perhaps Earl Volney did. You are Senior Squire and should stay in your office, or at least I’m sure that’s what the Earl decided.”
Jimmy studied her expression. A discordant note was sounding here. Princess Anita had returned from her mother’s estate displaying the grief expected. But soon after, there had been a subtle change in her. Further conversation was interrupted by a baby’s cry, quickly followed by another. Anita rose. “It’s never just one of them,” she said, with affection clearly showing. Carline smiled at that, then suddenly her expression turned sombre.
Jimmy said, “We have intruded, Highness. I am sorry to have troubled you over so petty a matter.”
Locklear followed Jimmy outside. Moving out of the guard’s earshot, Jimmy said, “Did I miss something in there, Locky?”
Locklear turned and regarded the door for a moment. “Something’s . . . odd. It’s like we’re being kept out of the way.”
Jimmy thought a minute. He now understood what had arrested his attention outside the door, just before they had been admitted. The sound that intruded had been the Princesses’ voices, or rather the quality of those voices: chatty, lightly bantering. Jimmy said, “I’m beginning to think you’re right. Come along. We don’t have much time.”
“Time for what?”
“You’ll see.” Jimmy hurried off down the corridor and the younger boy had to scramble to catch up.
Gardan and Volney were hurrying toward the courtyard, accompanied by four guards, when the boys intercepted them. The Earl hardly spared a glance as he said, “Aren’t you two supposed to be in the courtyard.”
“No, sir,” answered Jimmy. “We’ve drawn steward’s duty.”
Gardan seemed mildly surprised at that, but all Volney said was “Then I expect you should hurry along in case you’re needed there. We must begin the procession.”
“Sir,” said Jimmy, “did you order us to remain?” Volney waved off the question. “Duke Laurie has been attending to those details with Master deLacy.” He turned his attention away from the boys as he and Gardan walked off. Jimmy and Locklear halted as the Earl and Marshal vanished around a corner, the boot heels of their escorts clacking noisily on the stones. “I think I’m beginning to understand,” said Jimmy. He grabbed Locklear by the arm. “Come on.”
With a half frustrated note in his voice, Locklear said, “Where?”
“You’ll see,” came the answer, as Jimmy almost ran.
Locklear hurried after, mimicking, “You’ll see. You’ll see. See what, damn it!”
Two guards stood at post. One said, “And where are you young gentlemen off to?”
“Port Authority,” said Jimmy testily, handing over a quickly penned order. “The steward can’t find some ship manifest, and he’s in a fury to get a copy.” Jimmy had been about to investigate something and was rankled by the need to run this errand. It also seemed an odd time for the steward to become obsessed with the need for a manifest.
The guard who had examined the paper said, “Just a minute.” He signalled to another soldier near the guard officer’s room by the main entrance to the palace. The guard hurried over and the first sentry said, “Can you spare a bit of time to run these lads down to the port office and back? They need to fetch something for the steward.”
The guard looked indifferent. There and back would take less than an hour. He nodded and the three were off.
Twenty minutes later, Jimmy stood in the Port Authority office dealing with a minor functionary as everyone else was off to watch the cortege leave the city. The man grumbled as he thumbed through a stack of paper work, looking for a copy of the last manifest of goods delivered to the royal docks. While he fumbled, Jimmy cast a glance at another paper hanging on the wall of the office for all to look at. It was this week’s schedules of departures. Something caught his eye and he crossed over to look. Locklear followed him. “What?”
Jimmy pointed. “Interesting.”
Locklear looked at the notation and said, “Why?”
“I’m not sure,” answered Jimmy, pitching his voice lower, “but think a minute about some of the things going on at the palace. We get held back from the procession, then we ask the Princess about it. We’re out of her quarters less than ten minutes when we’re sent on this useless errand. You tell me, doesn’t it seem like we’re being kept out of the way? Something’s . . . odd.”
“That’s what I said earlier,” said Locklear impatiently.
The clerk found and handed over the requested paper, and the guard escorted the boys back to the palace. Running past the gate guards, Jimmy and Locklear waved absently, then headed toward the steward’s office.