Business outside had slacked off considerably, or Tano would not have indulged in conversation. He still spoke without taking his eyes off his console.
“The current owner should know such things,” Bren muttered.
“The current lord of Najida has been somewhat busy,” Tano said, “while Algini and I spent a great deal of our time on the station in the company of Lord Geigi and his staff.”
“It was useful information,” Algini said quietly. Rare that Algini turned conversational, when there was business afoot. Like Tano, he never looked away for a heartbeat. “Lord Geigi knows all the houses in the district. We have communicated certain things to the staff. Banichihas made his scheduled signal.”
Bren let go a long, slow breath, and now a shiver ran through him, totally out of control. “Is he all right? Are they both, can you tell?”
“The signal is not that specific, Bren-ji,” Algini said. What it was, how interpreted, fell under the heading of Guild business, and Algini was not one to break the rules, but he went that far. And further. “Banichi would have signaled trouble, one surmises, if there were trouble.”
They had two dead among their staff, two more from among the enemy. They had the aiji-dowager and the heir sealed in the office. They had the junior lord of the province locked in the servants’ quarters. He was incredibly glad to have gotten word from Banichi. He kept shivering, and finally got it stopped.
It was still bound to be a long night.
Chapter 14
« ^ »
Morning arrived with gray light slitting through the storm shutters, and various outlying watchers reporting clear.
It also arrived in a communication from the aiji’s forces that they had secured the factory and the town hall of the adjacent township.
And in the relatively matter-of-fact squeal of brakes under the portico.
Bren heard it from his office—the dowager and the heir both having gone back to their respective suites. He came into the hallway, and a young maid looked out the spyhole and came flying back to him at all speed.
“Banichi and Jago, nandi, Banichi and Jago are here, and the dowager’s men!”
For once he was ahead of Tano and Algini—who came briskly down the hall and said that they had gotten word and Banichi and Jago were arriving.
“Get Ramaso, Matru-ji,” Bren bade the maid, and added: “You may run, nadi.”
She did that, at all speed. He fell in with Tano and Algini, and pulled the floor bolts as Tano and Algini first lifted the heavy bar and slid it into the slot, then pulled down the four top bolts, which were entirely out of his reach.
Then they pulled back the heavy doors and indeed, Banichi and Jago stood there under the portico, along with Nawari and Kasari—all dirty, dusty, a bit scuffed, hair flying a little loose—rare in itself: they hadn’t taken time for neatness. Kasari had his left arm in a sling.
“Nadiin-ji,” Bren said, the most undemanding, unchallenging salutation he could come up with. “One hopes to hear the details at your leisure. We came through it. Are you well?”
“Well enough,” Banichi said, hauling out a heavy bag of gear from the truck bed. “One can report, Bren-ji, that the aiji’s forces are now in charge of the estate, and are taking an accounting of such staff as they can find.”
“Good,” he said. “One is extremely relieved, nadiin-ji.” There were unresolved issues. There were many of them. But the middle of the hall with the four of them only just returned was no place for them. “You should go off duty a few hours at least.”
“A mutual sentiment, Bren-ji,” Jago said. She was holding her side somewhat, or favoring a shoulder: he could not determine. And Nawari and Kasari, lugging their own gear, paid the courtesy of a small bow, which Bren returned, which Jago and Banichi returned with a nod, and then Nawari and Kasari went off toward the servants’ wing, where Ilisidi’s more numerous guard had set up a makeshift barracks.
“Are you all right?” Bren asked. Clearly they were not. But they were here.
“The Marid has made its attempt on Lord Geigi’s estate.” That was the definitive past she used. Over and done. Put “paid” to. “There are other things to concern us, but not, at least, apt to show up here within the next few hours.”
And about that moment Cajeiri put his head out of his own doors, exclaimed, “Banichi-ji! Jago-ji!” and came hurrying up, belatedly attended by his coatless and embarrassed companions. “One is very glad you are safe, nadiin-ji.” A second, deeper bow, as he walked, a feat of agility. “One apologizes, one very profoundly apologizes for the difficulty.”
“The sentiment is greatly appreciated, young gentleman,” Banichi said quietly.
“There will be breakfast very soon,” Cajeiri reported.
“That, actually,” Jago said, “will come verywelcome.” She hitched the bag higher on her shoulder as she moved. “We shall, however, wash.”
“Use both baths, nadiin-ji,” Bren said. “You have complete priority, there and in the dining hall. Please use it.”
“We shall manage,” Banichi said. “I shall go down with Cenedi’s men.” He evaded Cajeiri’s attempt to help with his heavy bag, and winced a bit. “One is grateful, but this is heavy, and the Guild handles its own baggage. One is very glad to know you are safe, young gentleman.”
“One is ever so sorry, Banichi-ji! One is ever so sorry to have mixed things up!”
“You survived. Your companions survived.”
“We are all safe, Banichi-ji.”
“Good.”
“Shall one alert nand’ Siegi, nadiin-ji?” Bren asked. Siegi was the dowager’s personal physician.
“Not if he prevents us from breakfast,” Banichi said, never stopping. “Or our bath.”
“We shall call him!” Cajeiri exclaimed, and was off at a run, Antaro and Jegari lingering for an embarrassed bow.
“Nand’ Siegi is not to come upstairs until he has tended Kasari,” Jago said.
“Nadi,” they said, bowing, then ran after Cajeiri.
Bren walked with Banichi and Jago down the remainder of the hall; so did Tano and Algini, as far as their suite and inside.
“The dowager’s company,” Algini said grimly at that point, “lost Pejan and Rasano.”
Jago stopped, and let the baggage she carried thump to the floor, unhappy punctuation.
“They were experienced,” she said. “How?”
“It was Nochidi and Keigan that got past them,” Algini said. “Those two got inside, through the roof, likely in the distraction of our arrival.”
“Are they still a matter of concern?” Jago asked.
“Dead, both,” Tano said.
“Settled, then,” Banichi said. “So is Lord Baiji’s guard.” He shed his coat with a sigh, then helped Jago pull hers off. Jago’s left shoulder was bleeding, or had bled, into thick bandages.
“Jago-ji,” Bren said.
“Minor, Bren-ji,” Jago said. “Quite minor. Bath, stitches, breakfast, in that order. The driver is taking the truck back to the village to refuel. But it will be available at need.”
“One fears the estate bus is not capable of being driven, nadiin-ji,” Bren said.
“One noticed the condition of the south gate,” Banichi said, “from the road.”
“The driver opted not to ask the front door be unbolted,” Bren said. “Please. See to yourselves, at greatest priority. Shall I send breakfast here—if you would be more comfortable?”
Jago said, with a little wince, “That would be welcome, Bren-ji.”
“Very welcome,” Banichi said, and pulled off his shirt. “We would be most obliged.”
“I shall then,” he said, and left the room—left it to Guild debriefing to Guild, as they urgently needed to do. The first encounter with a maid in the hall sent that message to the kitchens: service for his guard and the dowager’s, in quarters.
They had the aiji’s men next door, at Kajiminda. That was an improvement. That he wouldn’t have to send his bodyguard back in to settle that business, that was an improvement.