Cart and Cwidder (The Dalemark Quartet 1) - Page 23

The man told Moril to sit on the nearest bench. After a while two guards led Dagner through a door at the other end. Dagner had the same dingy, dejected look already. He looked unexpectedly small between the guards. Moril was sure he remembered him bigger.

They sat Dagner down on the bench opposite Moril. “You can have ten minutes,” they told Moril. Then they left them to talk. Moril swallowed and could not think what to say.

“Just a moment,” said Dagner. “Look at the room behind me, will you, and tell me if there’s anyone you think can hear what we say.”

Moril looked. The nearest guard was a good way off, talking to another. “No. They’re two cart lengths away at least.” He was about to turn round and see if there was anyone behind him.

“Don’t move, you fool!” said Dagner. “I can see it’s all right behind you.”

“Then that’s all right,” said Moril. “I saw the justice and I told them it’s all a mistake. They can’t really think you were passing information, can they? It’s just not true.”

“Yes, it is,” said Dagner. “I did.”

Moril stared at him.

“Father asked me to,” Dagner explained. “I had to give a message and some money to one of our men here. I didn’t manage very well,” he said sadly. “I wasn’t sure—anyway, I think the one I gave it to must have been the spy. And when I think how relieved I was once I’d got rid of them, I—well, it’s no use thinking of that, I suppose.”

“But, Dagner!” Moril said, quite horrified. “They’ll hang you for that!”

“You don’t think I don’t know that, do you?” Dagner said irritably. “Is there still no one near?”

“No,” said Moril. “Dagner, it isn’t true, is it? You’re joking.”

“I’m not joking,” said Dagner. “If you don’t believe me, take a look at that wine jar—unless they’ve searched the cart by now. But that’s not important. What is important is that you’ve got to get Kialan into the North. You and Brid just have to go on and get him to Hannart if you can. Can you do that, Moril?”

“I suppose so,” said Moril. “But I think he sloped off when they arrested you.”

“No, he didn’t,” said Dagner. “He’ll be waiting outside Neathdale, like he said.”

“If you think so—Dagner, why is it so important?”

“Ask Kialan,” said Dagner, with his eyes on someone behind Moril. “I ordered some flour and some more oats,” he went on, rather artificially. “And there was a friend of Father’s letting me have a side of bacon cheap. And onions. You can get bread on the way.”

“And eggs,” agreed Moril. “And I’ll polish your cwidder for you, I promise.”

“You needn’t bother,” said Dagner. “Right, he’s gone. Now, listen. There are two things I want you to tell Kialan. One is that Henda has asked a ransom for him—”

“Ransom for Kialan?” said Moril. “But he’s—”

“Never mind. Just tell him,” said Dagner. “And the other thing is far more important. Earl Tholian is gathering an army and—”

“Tholian? He’s dead,” Moril objected, and he had a muddled and upsetting notion of an army of ghosts.

“This is the new Earl. He’s called Tholian, too. Don’t keep interrupting. There’s someone on his way over behind you,” said Dagner. “The point is that nobody in the North knows, and there’s nobody going through but you and Kialan. Have you got those two things?”

“Ransom and Tholian,” said Moril. “There’s somebody coming behind you now.”

The guards behind Dagner came right up to him. “Come on. Time’s up.”

“We haven’t had anything like ten minutes,” Moril pointed out.

“Too bad. The justice wants to see him. On your feet, fellow,” said the guard.

Dagner got up and climbed back over the bench. He made Moril a face as he was marched off, which Moril thought was intended for a smile. Moril himself, feeling utterly crushed, wandered to the door and was shown briskly through to the entrance again.

“You’re out again, are you?” said the man on duty. “You’ve been lucky.”

Moril had not the heart to reply. He did not think he was lucky, particularly as the first thing that met his eyes outside was the two dangling feet of the hanged man.

Tags: Diana Wynne Jones The Dalemark Quartet Fantasy
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