"Oh, yes, sir. Very law-abiding. Just not very merciful."
Ye gods, thought Vimes, as the coach rolled over the bridge in the centre of the town, I haven"t been sent to a coronation. I"ve been sent to a war that hasn"t started yet.
He glanced up. Tantony was watching him intently, but looked away quickly.
Lady Margolotta watched the coach until it reached the gates of the town. She stood back a little from the window. There was a slight overcast, but habits of preservation died hard.
"Vhat a very angry man, Igor."
"Yeth, mithtreth."
"You can see it piling up behind his patience. I vonder how far he can be pushed?"
"I"ve brought the hearthe around, mithtreth."
"Oh, is it that late? We"d better be going, then. Everyvun feels despondent if I miss a meeting, you know."
The castle on the other side of the valley was much more rugged than Lady Margolotta"s confectionery item. Even so, the gates were wide open and didn"t look as though they were often closed.
The main door was tall and heavy-looking. The only thing that suggested it hadn"t been ordered from the standard castle catalogue was the smaller, narrow door, a few feet high, set into it.
"What"s that for?" said Vimes. "Even a dwarf would bump their head."
"I suppose it depends on what shape you are when you go in," said Cheery darkly.
The main door opened as soon as Vimes had laid his hand on the wolf"s-head knocker. But he was ready this time. .
"Good morning, Igor," he said.
"Good day, your exthellenthy," said Igor, bowing.
"Igor and Igor send their regards, Igor."
"Thank you, your exthellenthy. Thinthe you mention it, could I put a parthel on your coach for Igor?"
"You mean the Igor at the embassy?"
"That"th who I thaid, thur," said Igor patiently. "He athked me if I could lend him a hand."
"Yes, no problem there."
"Good. It"th well wrapped up and the ithe will keep it nithe and freth. Would you thtep thith way? The marthter ith changing at the moment."
Igor shambled into a wide hall, one side of which was mostly fireplace, and bowed out.
"Did he say what I thought he said?" said Vimes. "About the hand and ice?"
"It"s not what it sounds like, sir," said Cheery.
"I hope so. My gods, look at that damned thing!"
A huge red flag hung from the rafters. In the middle of it was a black wolf"s head, its mouth full of stylized flashes of lightning.
"Their new flag, I think," said Cheery.
"I thought it was just a crest with the doubledheaded bat?"
"Perhaps they thought it was time for a change, sir - "